The day had ended in a soft note, so it was to surprise to everyone when their peaceful silence was interrupted by a squawk of crows.
"What is it?" Amu asked sleepily from her bed as she yawned. She could her mother pale as ghost, holding a single lit candle.
"Get up, now!" her mother hurried, dragging her off the bed. Amu was now wide awake. Almost always was it her mother who had the stern look, never backed down on what she believed in. However, seeing her mother's helpless friend bubbled Amu's concern.
"What is it?" Amu repeated. She was wearing only a nightgown and running in a rather boyish fashion but her mother didn't even bother to scold her. Then Amu saw it. The curtains were closed but she could still peek out the window from its side.
The sky was plaque with smoke. She couldn't see the fire but there was something glowing dangerously red and orange. Amu could almost hear screams of fear.
"A country attacked us. I don't know why. Papa is gone," her mother's voice quivered. Amu couldn't bring herself to ask what her mother meant exactly by her father being "gone".
There was no one in the hallways. Amu guessed that everyone had fled. Her mother suddenly gave a sharp turn, leading them to a dead end.
"Huh?" Amu said automatically.
Her mother knocked exactly 5 times in a specific rhythm at the wall and whispered, "it's me. I have Amu with me."
The wall gave a swing. Amu gasped. Behind the wall was Ikuto, her servant, who spoke quickly and quietly, "a few people must have seen you. They were knocking in a very similarly." Amu's mother gave grim nod.
"Please take Amu and escape this quickly!" Amu froze.
"What? Mom, you're coming with me! Right?" Amu asked hopefully even though she already heard her mother's previous statement loud and clear.
"I will. Soon. I promise!" her mother said. She gave Amu and Ikuto a kiss on the forehead before hurrying away. Ikuto quickly pulled Amu down a large passage of stairs after making sure that the wall was securely shut.
"Ikuto..." Amu whispered. She had an unrequieted love for him even though she of course couldn't be with him. Her fiance was Tadase and as long as he was alive, she would never betray him. As long as he was alive.
Amu suddenly stopped short. She just got a terrifying idea. "Ikuto you're...not going to leave me, right?" Amu whispered. Ikuto blinked at her. He gave his trademark smirk and ruffled her hair.
"Nah, how could I?" his voice was low but still teasing all the same. The passageway was dark but for the first time, she was quite glad. Her face was becoming pink. She hoped her blush didn't somehow glow in the dark. "Do you want to rest?" he asked after a pause.
Amu wasn't used to sudden burst of running, especially after her parents gave her strict information how to be the perfect "lady".
"Just a little," she answered with a small nod.
Amu sat on the stairs while Ikuto gave some sort of crouch as if he was ready to blot with Amu who was holding his hand tightly. Amu gave a glance to Ikuto who was looking blankly at the darkness. She saw his necklace flash from the dim light.
When Amu had been young, she had always been rather curious on why he always wore that. He wasn't religious. It wasn't until she was 13 she had accidently interrupted him when he was in the shower.
Amu...aren't you the pervert? he had said after being fully dressed. Amu held in a chuckle. He had taken the necklace off and it was on the counter near the sink. Now looking closer, she noticed the hinges and realized she could actually open the cross.
Why do you wear this? she had asked him. She remembered Ikuto's rather long silence before answering.
It's my father's. He told me that I should put in a picture of someone who I loved the most.
She had promised herself that she would open it and she did, 2 years later. She had secretly hoped that they had a relationship beyond friend but it apparently wasn't. He had a picture of his family. She completely understood but was nonetheless disappointed.
"We should get going," Ikuto said as he pulled her up.
"Why aren't he hiding anyone else in here?" Amu asked. Ikuto didn't answer but only sped up their pace. "Ikuto?"
"They're only looking for you," Ikuto said quietly. "They want your death, your head specifically," he said, with a taint of anger. Amu felt horrified and guilt tug in her stomach.
They arrived to a dead end, similar to the entrance before.
"You have to be quiet, really quiet. We can't be caught," he said softly. He simply gave it a simply push and it barely opened to allow the two people squeeze through.
They slipped by buildings. The whole place was strangely quiet. At least until a harsh voice broke the silence.
"Where was she?" Amu twirled around and saw a glimpse of her friends.
"I'm here!" she didn't mean to say that so loudly. But just as she said it, she knew it was a mistake. They were holding communication devices. They all moved at once. Their eyes were filled with guilt but they were pressing a button and muttering in them. There was a gunshot. Amu felt her arm shake from itense pain but managed to use her other arm to stop herself from crying out loud.
"Damn," she heard Ikuto mutter and he picked her up as he flew through the buildings. They were heading toward a side wall that was hidden from most view. Without a word, Amu felt herself suddenly thrown above the wall and land awkwardly at the other side. Ikuto must've heard it.
"You'd make a terrible cat," he pointed out from the other end.
Amu rolled her eyes, "Ikuto, come on!" He said he would be coming together, she reminded herself.
"Just wait a sec," he said.
He must be tired. Even a cat like him who was used to climbing and leaping amongst the trees would be after carrying a 100 lb potato sack.
Suddenly something fell right in front of her. It was his cross necklace. She bent over to pick it up and suddenly realized that the arm she thought that had been shot had only been scratched.
"Ikuto?" she called hoarsely. Her voice was trembling violently. He can't be...
"You better run, Amu. Run as fast as you can, as far as you can. That's the duty for a queen. Live for her country," the voice simply said.
"Ikuto!" she wanted to scream but she couldn't, it only came out as a whisper. "I really like you. I love you. Please come with me!" she was now begging. "Please! As a queen or as a princess or as a friend. As a person who liked you since before!"
"I never had feelings for you," the voice said quietly. Her body froze. "Didn't you know that it was originally the Tsukiyomis were suppose to inherit the kingdom? My parents were killed and your family that was related so distantly suddenly came and took over. There wasn't a thought of consideration for me nor my sister. I came here, wanting revenge. I'll admit that I was never able to do it. I never got the chance to-" he stopped.
There was a pause.
Tears and snot smeared her face. She already knew that he was part of the Tsukiyomi family but he was right. Her family who was in rather poverty conditions despite of their status, had selfishly never thought of what the children would think.
"I'm sorry, Ikuto," she said loudly as she could.
"Where is that wretched princess's head?" she could hear distant angers. Memories of her mother, Ikuto and her friend's betrayal caused Amu to quickly pick up his necklace and run. She knew a neighboring country that was a few miles away. Maybe if she ran, and continued to run it would only take a day. Then maybe she could save everyone. She knew friends only did it because of their family who were probably hostages...
Amu accidently tripped over a log, causing her to fall over painfully. Tears continued to come out but she couldn't stop. There was still hope to save him, to save everyone. Ikuto was quick and clever. She opened her palm and saw that the necklace was still safely in her palms. However her eyes widened, her hand was covered with blood.
It wasn't the arm from before. This was his blood.
She forced herself to run but tripped over many times only to somehow crawl back up. She didn't know how long before she somehow arrived but she did. She collapsed right afterwards.
An old woman said with a smile after she woke up. She dug in her pocket to pull out his necklace.
"The Tsukiyomi family, huh?" she whispered and clicked it open. She gasped.
He told me that I should put in a picture of someone who I loved the most.
In place of the cut out picture was a thin mirror.
She was looking at herself.
Scratches and bruises had somewhat deformed her face. They had found Ikuto dead behind the hidden wall. It had been possible for him to have died right in front of her without her even knowing it.
She knew some wounds would heal, but if only he knew of the scars that would forever remain.
She was his lady.
I wrote this at around October of LAST YEAR...I didn't want to look at it any longer hrggg
This was originally going to be beta edited but it wasn't :'( Aand I think I forgot to save it..
(Well it was mainly because I was too lazy to find another person XP)
Please review..and I updated my profile if anyone wants to know the mystery: whattheheckhappenedtoHowClic hedamnit?!