Hey! Chapter numero UNO! Just a quick piece of info to clear a few questions from Sovereign Beta (who reviewed and is much loved!) Lia is not going to be narrating the whole chapter, she just did the Prologue because I couldn't come up with any other way to write it. And I do apologize for the shortness of that chapter…. My bad….. Here comes the rest! I'm not sure I like it very much… so be prepared if I randomly take it down and redo it.
Disclaimer:
Axel: MY TURN! DeadRunway does not own any of the following places nor people except for those that you've never heard of in any of the Kingdom Hearts Games. Got it memorized?
DeadRunway: Thank you, Axel. And because Sora has passed out from another sugar rush, I present Sovereign Beta with a large basket of cookies! And 4ever, thank you so much for faving I really appreciate it! XD
On with the story!
"You're beautiful, Namine." Riku whispered. Namine blushed scarlet. Again. He was so handsome… and strong… and kind…
You would think that he would be the man she would fall in love with. He should be the man she would fall in love with. But there was something… Something about his smile that made her think of a fox. Something about the way he moved that made her-
Whoosh
Namine laughed out loud as he picked her up by her waist and twirled her in the air. The wind sung through her hair and made her smile involuntarily. As he set her feet back on the ground she glanced over at her sister, whose skirts swirled as she danced with Tidus. Namine smiled. Kairi was beautiful. Tonight she wore her favorite skirt, the pink one with the embroidered swirls, and a white shirt identical to Namine's, that had puff sleeves that exposed her shoulders and a low neckline with drooping lace.
Namine looked down at her own skirt, the light blue of it discolored from the dust; her darker blue satin sash with the jingling coins had a coffee stain. Surely she couldn't be the one Riku wanted.
"Namine?" Riku asked, looking down at her. She looked up and smiled sweetly.
"Yes?" she whispered, shy.
"Let's get out of here. We'll go somewhere quiet to talk. Is that alright?" He had that fox smile again.
Namine looked over at Kairi, who was still dancing. She wouldn't miss her if she left. Neither would her mother, Lia, she was dancing with Father. Namine looked back at Riku, who had dropped his hands from her waist. She took his hand, and squeezed it.
Together they snuck away to the Twilight Woods.
The air was laced with smoke, spices, and the smell of the fast approaching autumn. The leaves of the trees were already turning brilliant red and orange. The hue of the forest was like that of a sunset.
Namine POV
Riku was running, half dragging me behind him. I was laughing and breathless. It was kind of exciting, you know? To be running away from everyone with a boy you loved.
Or should love. Were expected to love.
"Riku!" I called between peals of laughter. "Where are we going?"
He just laughed. "C'mon princess! Move faster!"
And we ran, leaping over roots, dodging branches, laughing and panting together.
"Stop!" Riku called, stopping in front of me. He grabbed me by the waist as I skidded to a halt. "Stop." He said again, whispering this time. He took one hand off my waist and touched my face. I shivered.
No man besides my father had ever held me. They always went after Kairi.
I sighed.
Kairi.
Kairi with her perfect, lovely auburn hair, beautiful eyes so blue they were almost purple.
It's wrong for a sister to be jealous. But how could I not be jealous of the beautiful sister? The daring sister? The one who went out to dance with the rich boys from the towns we visited while I sat home and sewed?
Surely Riku wanted her. Didn't he?
"Namine…." He whispered, touching my hair.
Oh, God.
He was leaning towards my face, we were inches apart. His eyes were only half slits.
Oh, God.
He closed his eyes and moved even more towards my face.
Oh, my dear sweet God!
He was going to kiss me.
I wanted to remember everything. His silver hair that was softly tousled from the run and the wind. His tan skin that wasn't work worn or weathered in the least. His dark leather breeches and soft white shirt. His smell. That scent of apple wood and smoke.
I closed my eyes and leaned my face toward his. Closer… and closer… we were almost touching….
CRASH
3rd person POV
Namine's heart flew into her throat. She was so scared she couldn't even scream. Riku instinctively grabbed her and pulled her to the ground just as two horsemen leaped over them.
The first man leaned over the side of his bay horse and snatched Riku by the hair, dragging him for a few feet. "Say goodbye!" he screamed and raised a rusty looking cutlass and swiftly sliced through the air. The blow landed on Riku's neck.
Namine felt warm blood splatter her and she screamed. The second man leaned over and grabbed her waist, hoisted her onto his horse, and rode.
"No!" Namine screamed, beating him with her fists. The man had on thick leather armor, not unlike those worn by the Samurai of old. Her hits did nothing but anger him. He snatched her arm and put a dirk up to her neck.
"One more move, love, and this bloody knife slits yer pretty little neck." He whispered. He smelled of whiskey and excrement.
Namine bit his hand as hard as she could, until she tasted blood in her mouth. The man howled and turned her loose, and she toppled off the horse, landing with a hard thump.
The men turned and rode, leaving her for dead, and her world slowly turned to black.
Kairi POV
Tidus lifted me up again and swirled me around him. He was dressed in leather breeches and was barefoot and shirtless. It was amazing, to be in his arms. He smelled like cinnamon and apple flavored tobacco, and oh my Lord he was strong!
"You're amazing!" he laughed as we danced. I was intoxicated from the honey-sweet night, the warm wine mixed with milk, the spiced pecan cake… and most of all Tidus. This night was perfect.
"Kairi." He said, stopping me, mid-twirl. I looked at him questioningly. "There's a question I must ask you. I have already spoken to your father…"
He spoke to my father? He wasn't, he couldn't possibly… Was he?
Marriage?
He pulled me to one side, away from the frenzied crowd of dancers.
"Kairi, I wanted to ask you-"
Screams erupted behind us. I turned around and saw people running, screaming, tripping, moving as fast as they could to get away from whatever it was that was chasing them.
Then I saw.
It was a troop of men in dark leather armor, carrying rusty swords and crossbows, they were all laughing wildly.
Through their helmets, I could see their red, hateful eyes.
"Kairi, RUN!" Tidus screamed at me. But I couldn't move. I just stared.
My mother was running with the crowd, screaming, my father was in a group of men who were running towards the troop, waving old swords saved from the War.
Tidus grabbed my arm and yanked me in the opposite direction, just as the troop of men broke through the crown, trampling all in sight.
"MOTHER!" I screamed. "Mother! No! MOTHER!"
"Kairi! Come ON!" Tidus snatched me and we ran, me screaming my mother's name the whole way.
3rd Person POV
The world was in chaos. Everywhere you turned, there were men being killed, women being raped, children being beaten, goods being stolen, the wagons being overturned and pillaged. Screams filled the air, and the laughter of the men who were causing it.
Kairi and Tidus ran until Kairi's feet couldn't carry her anymore. "Tidus wait! I can't! I can't! Mother… I can't!" she sobbed.
He didn't say anything. He just heaved her over his shoulder and ran, his heart beating wildly against his bare chest.
Kairi cried into his skin, beating weakly on his back with her fists, crying "Mother", "Father", and "Nami" between sobs.
"Ahh!" Tidus yelled, sinking to his knees. Kairi fell off his shoulder and rolled away.
"Tidus?" she whispered. He looked at her and smiled weakly. "Run." (AN: God, again with the drama… sorry!)
She did. She ran as fast as she could.
As she turned a corner, a man with a large dagger smiled at her. He dealt a blow to the side of her head, and she was unconscious before she hit the ground.
3rd Person POV
The Luminata was anchored near the coast of Twilight Town, the moon was shining on the waters and on the deck. A tall dark figure leaned over the railing, staring out into the waves.
"Captain." The figure, a tall blonde boy with blue eyes, turned at the sound of a voice.
"Yeah, Demyx?" he said, fingering the hilt of his sword at his waist.
The shorter man was dressed in a black cloak, carrying a blue sitar. He sighed. "There's been an attack on the Mainland. The Queen's men."
"Damn!" The blonde man said, banging his fist on the rails. "Go get Luxord, Xigbar, Axel, Saix, and Sora. They come with me to the mainland. We'll see if there are any survivors. Maybe, since the Queen wanted them dead so much, she'll make a trade with us. A few of the victims in exchange for Xion."
Demyx ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Ay ay, Captain Roxas." He said resignedly. "Right away, sir."
Meehh. My gosh… I really don't like this… I feel like its all soap opera-ish and too dramatic and just… eesh. Like I'm trying too hard.
Well… REVIEW! Thanks!
~DeadRunway
