Tell me my problems!
And thanks!
Sakura was to cold and to frightened to be tired from the long journey. It was hard to remember the silent winter forest she had left–was it only six nights ago?– un yet this thought somehow made Sakura feel happy. The forest she left behind her was filled with dangers. There was no peace. Not only the mystery of all the beasts but hunters, out to kill any breathing form they might see.
At dawn on the seventh day she and Toya, her brother and guardian had finally made it to the city. Everything was all too strange to Sakura. Not that the town seemed more civilized, it certainly was not, but here there was tears and cries for food. Sakura had never seen so many beggars before, with their open sores and broken fingers.
It was all so puzzling to Sakura. "Does no one look after them?" She had whispered. "What about the king?"
Toya's reply was swept away as a party of men mounted on horses cursed their way through the crush, forcing the people in the roadway to jump from the hooves or be trampled.
Sakura was astonished by the crudity. Not only were these soldiers not giving a care if a individual was to brake six bones but that they'd whip them to make sure it wouldn't happen again. Were ordinary people to be treated like animals, just because they looked poor?
Before today she never thought of herself as someone to be poor, yet when she looked at the villagers, she saw that their own clothing was just at hers. It was strange and sad because Toya had helped Sakura make her clothing at a very young age. They were made with love and care. But they were nothing but a simple drab compared to the rich jeweled velvets on the well groomed men and woman pacing by.
Where she and Toya lived in the forest, coin money was rare. Money didn't much matter because there was little to buy. You grew your own food, made your own cloth, sewed your own clothing, so there was nothing to be envious about in the other people's lives. In the forest, everyone was equal, but out here, where there was little trees to shade your from the burning sun, was a whole new world.
But even perhaps worse then the way people behaved toward one another was the reek of this place; the city smelled like dung and decay. Sakura who was used to the clean smell of the forest had to force herself to breath.
Time went on and Sakura and her brother found their way to the very man the came to see. His name was Kread Yim and he was a landowner. A very rich and wealthy one. But he had his troubles for his wife was deathly ill and everything was out of control. Sakura was here to depart from her brother and to take charge of the household, or at least work her way up to that position. It was horrible actually. Sakura had never wanted to leave her brother and her forest, but she had come of age and it was time for her life to begin. What ever that life may be. Sakura had cried her self to sleep for weeks, dreading this very moment, too see her brother for the last time in who knows how long and to know that there was no going back.
"Make this quick I have a lot to do." Kread said with a roughed and chilling tone.
Toya looked down at Sakura, as if to motion her before him. Sakura hesitated but did as commanded.
Kread looked up and down the scared sixteen year old. It hadn't seemed as if he was looking at her to see if she was strong and healthy but to look at her, face and figure. It had made the moment all the more awkward, as she almost started to shake. His aura was bold and sickly, like a golbin.
"You say you both read and write Japanese, hmm?" the ruff voice asked.
"Yes, sir," Sakura said trying to hold a confident voice."I also write Chinese...And I speak it very well... as you can see."
"Yes...yes..." Kread leaned his head back so now his four chins formed to six. "How good are you...ah...with the household...you know, cooking, cleaning...that such."
"I've been trained to do all those things, sir."
"Entertaining..singing, dancing?"
Sakura blushed but tried not to... She wanted to say yes and no at the same time. "It all depends, sir."
It seemed like he had disapproved of the answer and it made Sakura feel nervous all over again. "Very Well..." He mumbled and just like that turned away. "Say your good buys, and fallow me."
Sakura's heart sank and her eyes fell to the ground. It hadn't been long before her brother's strong arms, carefully turned her around and wrapped around her to a tight embrace.
Sakura tried her best to stay strong and hold back her tears but her voice was still a bit cracked. "When will I see you again?" Sakura whispered.
"Soon, my monster soon."
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"Girl!" Hanneke briskly cut into Sakura's thoughts. "Through here now!"
Sakura found herself in a low, small room at the far left side of the manor were Hanneke ran the household. On the most dominate wall there was a rather large window were you could see that the small portion of the house looked down on a river. Another girl with glasses and short hair, about Sakura's age was dusting the room as the house keeper entered. The other girl has an confusing sort of aura...or at least a twisting. It was loud and friendly but the mood was bored and dazed.
"Naoko." The dusting girl looked up. "Fetch Mea here to me now." Immediately Naoko dropped her duster as if it burned and scuttled from the room, glancing over at Sakura as she passed by. Then the housekeeper bean to describe what she and everyone else wanted from her. "You will find that much personal service needs to be done for Lady Hestia, Master Kread Shonten's wife: everything from washing to dressing and even perhaps feeding. Sadly for all of us, her illness means your work here may not last long."
There was a knock at the door and as Hanneke called out a pretty young woman slipped into the room. She was dressed in her modest plain house dress as most the servants around here were but perhaps a different color.
"Mea this is Sakura, Sakura, Mea. Sakura will be assisting you now. She's very skilled and you'll learn to appreciate her, like her and never make her complain of you, or I swear I'll die of chaos."
The beauty looked up and down at Sakura several times but then focused on her face, and held a glare. Her aura was spiked and shivered. Directly Sakura looked away feeling awkward and wondering what ever she had done to her. Yes, Mea now new that this would be her competition in everything, somehow that's how Mea always saw life.
Finally Mea gave sigh and folded her arms. "I don't need any help."
"Yes, you do." Hanneke rolled her eyes while turning around and picking the duster Naoko had dropped just a minute ago. "You always busy and always stressed." She turned back while placing the duster in the other hand. "You might start getting wrinkles."
Mea's lips parted as she gaped at the housekeeper and soon found a glare. Then glanced over to Sakura and back again. Mea gave a curtsey and said nothing more.
"But," Hanneke said rather suddenly. "The Mistress Hestia is sleeping right now and she has..." She trailed off why looking over to Mea as if making sure what she said was correct. "Insisted upon no aide until she awakes." Mea nodded stubbornly. "Master Kread and his son are out. So. I don't see why Sakura can't have a little tour, hmm."
Mea's lips parted again as she struggled to stay calm and quiet.
At this time Sakura was still so confused and scared, but somehow she started feeling a bit more invited despite the fact the Mea was not welcoming her at all. But she stood there patiently and quietly, knowing that this was what would be appreciated most, she only wished she could express herself more and perhaps have someone to talk to.
"Naoko!" The housekeeper shouted suddenly. "Are you out there?"
"Oh!" Naoko quickly jumped in through the door, wide eyed and fixing her spectacles. "Yes?"
Hanneke gave a strange un unexpected smile. "Would you like to give Sakura a tour of the manor?"
Naoko was shocked. She almost gasped and tried not to smile. How exciting it was to finally have a little brake. So of course she nodded.
Sakura smiled softly, hoping that her wish may have come true.
Mea pouted softly then grumbled and mumbled out the door with out another goodbye.
Hanneke gave a sighed and combed a hard strong hand through her thin and soft hair. "Well get along then, be back in a half an hour and Mea will get you to work on the Mistress." She paused. "Make sure your grab your things Sakura. You'll take them up to your room. Naoko will show you where that is, hmm?"
Naoko nodded with a small smile.
"Okay then! Shoo!"
There was an awkward paused between Sakura and Naoko but finally Naoko grabbed her wrist pleasantly and pulled her out of her room while Sakura grabbed her things..
"It's truly agitating." Naoko almost giggled once they were a few feet away from the door they had left through.
Sakura blinked and asked. "Huh?"
"That you're here of course!" Naoko turned her body around so she was now walking backwards through the darkened hall.
Sakura smiled with a blush, "Thanks." she mumbled softly.
Naoko made a face and cocked her head. "You shouldn't be frightened. The mistress and master are both very benevolent people...well you might want to avoid the master but the only appalling thing in this manor is their son Shane." She gave a look as if there was more too the story.
Sakura still was so unsure of what to think and the only words she could suppress was. "Huh?"
Naoko paused. Now she was getting confused. It took her a moment but she soon found a laugh. "Just stay away from Master Shane, okay." She turned back around and Sakura was oh so grateful that Naoko hadn't seen her blush, feeling stupid.
"Well let's see, first we have the supplies rooms...boring, and blah blah blah... Oh! The Kitchen has so many fun compatible faces, you might like to see. We'll head down there." Naoko stopped her words and looked back to make sure Sakura was still fallowing behind. She frowned. "Not so tense...come on."
Sakura smiled softly but said nothing.
Naoko sighed to Sakura's lack of words and said."So tell me Sakura what are you talents, the Master obviously brought you here for some reason.
Sakura smiled brighter. "I speak Japanese... I lived there before I think, well I don't remember much of my past but...well I'm told I have a talent for healing."
Naoko gasped... "You want to be a doctor!"
Sakura laughed. "Heavens no... I'm more independent."
"Oh I see... Well what else?"
"Well I enjoy dancing and singing, I'm a pretty good cook..and I can clean..."
"Your kidding!" Naoko stopped in her tracks and turned all the way around; the only thing she heard from the list was dancing and singing...
Sakura could help but laughing again. "No..I'm not."
Naoko looked and felt like saying something more but she held back. "Well we'll have a surprise for you."
Sakura raised one eyebrow. "What?..."
"Nothing, nothing..Oh here we are: The kitchen!"
Naoko poked her head in through the swinging door and smiled, though no one's face turned to acknowledge her. Then Naoko opened the door wide to let Sakura walk in, as she did. Now many faces turning.
"Everyone." Naoko announced. "This is Sakura, she's a new helper for the Mistress."
Once the two entered the room, Sakura was not in shock of all the auras, as one whocan sense aura's make have been but there was something that was indeed strange...It seemed one aura stood out, it was a confused aura. Tired and concentrated. It almost seemed sick but the thing was when the two entered the room, it seemed that Sakura's aura stood out to, that aura as well..
There was a long pause as all eyes fell upon Sakura. And Sakura looked around to each quiet face. Now, Sakura feeling more invited she said. "Hello!" and managed to brighten her smile.
One girl, who seemed to stand out stepped forward. "Ah, and what does Mea think of this?"
"She's probably crying her eyes out by now." A cook spoke from the far right, almost hidden. Everyone gave a sort of giggle, or laugh to or chuckle to the young man's joke except for one that Sakura had barely noticed.
He looked like a kitchen boy. Hidden and hard at work, barely paying attention. Though his bright amber eyes were well hidden by his brown hair, they stood out much. With a spark.. A very handsome fellow. But Sakura couldn't understand why he insisted on continued to work, and now not even having a small conversation while he had an excuse. But before Sakura could continue to stare and wonder his eyes shot up and met her emerald ones and just for a moment she couldn't look away but soon found herself to look to the ground.
That was the peculiar aura she had first noticed.
The first girl who spoke smiled and took another few steps forward. "I'm Chiharu." She said to Sakura.
Sakura smiled and looked up, almost forgetting the strange boy and said. "Pleasant to meet you."
"And she'll be someone who you share a room with..along with me and Rika... oh is Rika in here?" Naoko looked around the large and busy kitchen.
"I'm right here..." A soft and simple voice came from where the kitchen boy with moving about. She smiled simply.
"Rika is our teacher, She's assigned to teach Master Shane and when she has free time, which she often does, she teach anyone who asks."
Rika smile but said nothing.
"Glad to meet you Rika." Sakura smiled brightly but couldn't help and glance as the kitchen boy.
"Well we best be getting back to work... dinner will be coming soon." The man from the right corner said.
Naoko nodded and made her way to the doors pulling Sakura along with her. There was a short silence and Naoko had glanced over to look at Sakura, she now walking beside Naoko with a bright, meaningful smile upon her face.
"Well this is good, your getting more comfy.. Good, good."
Sakura shrugged and said. "Well better now then later."
Naoko smiled but said nothing.
"So who was...that man in the right corner. He looked like a cook?"
"Oh, that's Jehn he's the head of the whole cooking thing...Yeah and Rika is the most mature person you'll ever meet, very kind and mollify. And Chiharu is a good soul, you'll never meet anyone like her, But she does about everything, helps out the whole household...She actually been here the longest, longer then Hennake even. Her mother worked here and so this is what she grew up in."
Sakura thought a moment, then continued. "And what of the kitchen boy..."
"Li?" Naoko laughed. "I don't know his story, or at least the story given sounds fishy. He says the King sent him here because he's the best worker around and there was just too much at the palace. But he's not a kitchen boy. He's a cold hard tough worker, wether it's fixing up the stone walls, carrying the biggest things around, making furniture, or helping out in the kitchen. Heavens know what he's capable of. But what's eldritch is why is it that he's so well-educated in everything he does. After all, he's just like us.. Poor and sent away to work." She sighed but shrugged. "Rika is probably his closest friend here, not that you call that close. He's really guarded. But she says despite everything he's still really particular and nice."
Sakura's mind was filled with so much thoughts that the only thing she could manage to say was. "Your very observant."
"I have to be..." Naoko said with a smile. "Or who would be the person to tell the people what they want to know about the people they are interested in."
Sakura blinked in shocked. "Interested?"
Naoko looked over with a smile but said nothing more for awhile until finally she broke the silence. "Hmm..." She said softly. "Interesting."
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