Hello, readers!
I know I said it will only take me a few days, but the writing and this fanfiction aren't the only things in my life, unfortunately. There's been many, many things going on… Well, I'm sorry I'm late with this one, but I hope you'll enjoy it.
First, you need to know a few things. This story is taking place in a realm called Namae – it's a realm created by me, so I don't think it should be prompted as Alternative Universe. Also, I don't know how long this will be, because the ideas are just coming into my head. I will try to update regularly, but I'm not promising anything.
Now, let me apologize for mistakes that you'll find in this story. I'm not a native English speaker and I really want to get better in English and writing. So, when you find a mistake, just tell me and I'll correct it. I do not have a beta, so if anyone is interested, just PM me :)
I want to ask one more thing of you, guys. Please, let me know if you liked or disliked the story and what exactly did you like/dislike. It's really important for me to know. I want to know if you like my writing style.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mai HiME/Mai Otome series!
Now, with that said, enjoy!
A light breeze lifted the dust and sand from an empty road into the air, where it danced in the light of the low-hanging sun. Everything dressed into darker colors, the shadows darkened and trees changed the brown color of their trunks and tops to a soft gold, almost orange. The valley looked so calm, yet cold. In the wind there was a scent of upcoming winter. It was really a surprise that it hadn't snowed in here yet; the mountains around the valley were already covered in white cloaks.
The breeze carrying the trace of winter made me bow my head and warp my dust-covered tunic around my body tighter. The road ahead of me was empty. Ever since I left the packtrain in the town of Takara, I was traveling alone. I was used to that kind of life, loneliness was my best friend and those, who paid more could lean on me and my abilities, just for a short while. That was a life of a mercenary in this realm.
The tops of the swords that were securely hanging from the leather belt on my hips gently tapped against my legs when I moved and a stinging pain appeared in my left side with every step and breath I took. Although I was used to traveling long distances on feet, since I've never had enough money to buy a horse, today had been a real pain. The fabrics around my chest were clenched too tightly and my boots were almost worn out, just like everything I had on me. The good thing was that a town should be near.
In the state I was, nobody would ever suspect that the young, strong mercenary was actually a twenty-one-years old woman. Almost nobody cared, but those who did were always easy to fool. I told them the same story: I was and eunuch who was trained to fight, then I joined military in my hometown, but that was soon destroyed by the enemies and I managed to survive. At least one part of my story was truth, my home village really was destroyed by soldiers from neighboring country.
My explanation was perfect. The fabric around my chest was there to prevent my breasts from being too visible and the cloths I wore were always a little too big for me, as to hide everything. And being an eunuch gave me much privacy. I don't know why nobody wants to see a castrated man without a proper clothing, but it worked in my favor, so I actually didn't think about it. I knew nobody will ever try to touch me. Eunuchs were highly respected, probably because of their uneasy life.
But that was beyond me. For me, the most important thing was that I could easily explain my soft skin; petite, although strong body and girly, though a bit rough and husky voice. It was well known that eunuchs were softer and woman-like, because of lack of male hormones in their body. It didn't matter that my face didn't look like a face of a man. I've never used drugs that would help me get my strength and manly figure like many eunuchs did, therefore I couldn't look like a man.
I looked up from a dusty route and into a small valley before me. There was a small town, or rather a village, with five town-gates and wooden palisades. Around it were small houses and now empty fields. Another sign of upcoming winter. I spotted a big mansion behind the village, on a small hill covered by trees. I couldn't make out much of it, but I knew that whatever this small town was, it had its nobility.
I quickened my movements. The sunset will come way too soon and then it would be more difficult to get into the town.
The guards eyed me suspiciously when I came closer to them. One of them made a step forwards, his hand automatically reached for his sword, although he let it rest in its sheath, for now.
"Halt!" the guard said as I got just a little bit closer. I automatically stopped. I bowed before him, as a show of respect then I looked at the safe area of men's neck, knowing that a glance in his eyes would be a challenge and a glance to the ground would mean submission. Although I didn't want any troubles, I wasn't going to show weakness to this man. "Who are you, stranger, and what do you want in this town?"
"I want nothing more than to buy some supplies for my journey," I said quietly, my voice hoarse, because I haven't spoken in a few days. The guard nodded his head and stepped aside.
"Remember, stranger," he said as I got closer to him, "We won't tolerate any rudeness and violence in this town. Self-defense and protecting of others is allowed, but you'll bear the consequences none the less. Understood?"
"Yes." This time it was me nodding my head. With that, they let me into the village.
I slowly passed people in the narrow streets, not really noticing where I was going. I deliberately avoided the wide, main streets, the less people knew about the stranger, the better. I didn't pay attention to who I passed by. My gaze was shifting from one building to another, looking for the well-known signs. I really needed new, warmer clothes, the ones I had just weren't enough anymore, I would freeze in them. The supplies of food and some medicine were needed too, and I couldn't wait to finally sleep in comfortable futon, in some inn. And a hot bath would be really appreciated, too.
After a long while, where the sun managed to almost set and streets dressed into the cold shadows, I found what I was looking for. The sign above a sliding door of one of the buildings, now opened wide, was the one of a tailor. One set of a brand new clothing coming right up!
I slowly stepped into the wide room, my worn out boots tapping gently against the wooden floor. All around me there was a mess of clothing. I managed to make out different kinds of kimonos, tunic, underwear, shirts, pants, belts and cloaks. In the farther corner of the room there were boots, getas and zōris. I even saw different parts of clothing, probably waiting for repair or to be bought as a replacement.
Although the room was wide, there was hardly enough space for four people to move around freely. But it still seemed somewhat welcoming and nice as if I knew the place or the owner.
"Konbanwa, stranger."
I immediately turned to the source of the voice. My first instinct was to draw my swords and attack, but I suppressed it and bowed before the figure, to show them respect, although I didn't know who they were. When I straightened, and kept myself from wincing from the pain in my back and legs, I finally looked at the owner.
The woman was tall, taller than me. She had reddish-brown hair and olive-green, piercing eyes. She had a small smile on her lips, but I saw the distrust in her face. I didn't expect anything else from her.
"Good evening to you, too, ma'am," I said quietly, not looking the young woman in the eyes. My gaze settled on her forehead, since with women neck, lips and chest were forbidden areas to look at if you wanted to avoid looking in their eyes.
"How may I help you?" she asked. Her voice was a bit low and resolute. She seemed more like a leader of people than a tailor.
The corners of my lips lifted slightly, creating a small, polite smile. "By selling a traveler some warm cloths so he wouldn't freeze out there."
"Are you really planning on traveling this winter?" she asked with just a little hint of a surprise in her voice. "You know, the latter winter comes, the worse it gets."
"I know, but I can't afford staying here," I said quietly. Being a mercenary and guarding caravans while they moved from town to town wasn't the best way to earn money, but it was the only way I knew.
"So you've heard about what was happening in Fuuka recently?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow, although her face didn't hold that sparkle of surprise now. She looked me up and down, her gaze stopped at my hips, were two katana were resting peacefully in their sheathes. "A traveler, huh?"
I only nodded my head to her second question, but after she didn't stop eyeing my swords, I spoke: "The roads all over the Namae are dangerous. Especially here, where we are far away from the Imperial Palace."
"Of course," she, too, nodded her head. Her eyes looked deeply into mine and I held her gaze. I felt like she was studying me, but I knew she could never get under the veil of lies that hung all around me. "And roads aren't the only dangerous place in this realm."
"You were talking about the situation in Fuuka town, weren't you, ma'am?" I asked with only half-faked interest.
The woman half-smirked and crossed her hands at her breasts. "For the next time, I am Midori. Sugiura Midori. And you are? I don't want to call you 'a traveler' now that you know my name."
"Kuga," I said quietly. She eyed me with her right eyebrow raised. I knew she was waiting the whole name, but that's who I was for everyone. Just Kuga. My real name was never to be reviled to anyone.
"Well, Kuga-san," she started after a while, "This town really isn't the safest place now. Just one wrong move and you're not going to survive easily."
"How so?"
"This whole town is separated into two big camps who hate each other. Just knowing that you're a part of one will make the other want to slay you like a beast," she said calmly as if she had to explain this to travelers more than once. "One camp is supporting our Lady, Fujino Shizuru. The other supports that stupid bastard Kanzaki Reito."
"It's not hard to guess whose side are you on, Sugiura-sama. May I ask you why there are those two camps?"
"Because," Midori was silent for a second, then she leaned closer to me and started explaining in a quiet voice, "Kanzaki thinks he can have anything just because he has money and a bunch of stupid soldiers on his side. Someone says he has a support of Emperor himself, but I say that's bullshit. But the main reason why the people in town have splitted is that he is trying to force our Lady into a marriage. He does it every time he sees her. He claims that she belong to him, although she always turns him down. I'm afraid that one day he'll run out of his patience and commands those excuses of soldiers of his to kidnap her…"
Midori went silent, her gaze instantly shifted to the opened door. That's when I heard voices.
Well, there you go. Chapter 2 comming up!