Too Close To Tell You
AN: Still don't own it. Wish I did, but I don't… boo hoo hoo!
Chapter 2 -Deepest Flame
It was chilly in the center of Russia that morning. The flow of people in the square was somewhat sluggish compared to any other morning. Rumors had flown through the government about an uprising. This uprising was lead by one of Gregori Rasputin's followers, and specifically wanted the Tsar and his entire family dead, and they made no secret of it.
In the courtyard outside the hermitage palace hundreds of people gathered screaming angrily at their Tsar. Their weak leader that brought them oppression and poverty. One young lady sat on the small concrete chair, watching her youngest brother playing in the snow. He waved at her and continued to kick the ball around with the dark haired Samurai. He frowned when he saw the distracted and somewhat worried look on her already fragile face. 'Alexei, Alexei, where are you? Oh come inside Alexei it's too cold!' Her mother cried out from the balcony.
'Thank you master Kurando!' The little boy yelled and raced up the stairs into the palace after his mother's voice.
Kurando stared at Anastasia sitting there. She reminded him of one of the great paintings that hung in the great hall. The sad lady that couldn't cry even though the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Her emerald eyes seemed almost vacant and all could hear the people yelling out curses to her family. Her face was almost as pale as the snow.
'Anastasia?' He asked kneeling before her. 'What's the matter?'
She looked at him with her eyes brimming with tears. 'You can hear them, can't you?'
He nodded. 'Yes,' His eyes meeting hers. 'I hear them. I-I think maybe we should go inside, I'm worried that you're out in the open here.'
She shrugged. 'Kurando, I want you to go back to Japan.' She answered. 'Forget about me and my family, get married, have children and live happily forever.'
He looked at her shocked. 'But, Anastasia…'
'I can't look at you any more with out feeling guilty. If you die here it's my fault and… Saki would worry awfully about you.' She answered. 'P-Please I couldn't rest in peace if I knew that you were dead because of me. Because you stayed here with my family and I.' she turned her head as if she didn't want to hear any more.
He looked at the ground not knowing what to say for a moment. 'Not with out you. There is no way I'm leaving with out you.'
She looked back at him her turn to be shocked. 'Kurando…'
He turned her face gently towards him. 'I think it's time you heard a little story about the Hyuga blood line.'
She laughed nervously. 'Stop teasing me. I'm not such a child that I need a bed time story.'
'Not a story really, a legend.' He answered. 'Long ago before Nihonbashi, a young Hyuga man in the army fell in love with the Beautiful daughter of a farmer, named Mia Li. They made an undying oath of love under the stars one night and were very happy together for a few years. One year a war spread across the land and his lover grieved as he went to fight on the front lines. Nearly one year after the news that the small village was destroyed spread across the ranks and the Hyuga was devastated.
'Wow, really? That seems kind of sad…' Anastasia whispered.
'When Mia Li heard the war was finished she knew that he had betrayed her and loved another woman in her place. She shouted out a curse to the stars in which they swore their love.
The curse had an unbelievably powerful effect. Not only did it work in making it so that only one woman could possibly be loved by a Hyuga, but the first woman that they felt for was their one and only. Do you understand why it is I can't leave you?' Kurando said
Anastasia's face turned a deep red. 'Are you saying that you love me?' She hesitated looking around to make sure no one was watching. She had professed her love for him many times before and she thought that he had been ignoring it.
He nodded, his cheeks also turning a red colour. 'I just couldn't say it.' He looked up. 'I know that you may not feel the same way about me. I don't expect that… I mean you're a princess…' He started babbling slightly. 'Ha well I mean you know. I'm going in circles. What I mean to say is that I… loved you Anastasia ever since that day in Yokohama and I have never stopped loving you.' He coughed nervously and looked away. 'Well so now you know.'
She felt tears in her eyes brimming and she looked at him. He looked back at her. 'Oh no I didn't mean to make you cry, my princess.'
'Kurando!' She cried out throwing her arms around him. 'I love you too.'
The young woman strode about anxiously in the drawing room, waiting to hear about what had transpired in the war council that afternoon. Her sisters and mother sat on their chairs doing needle point and such.
'Anastasia sit down and relax. Do some sowing, you will feel better.' Her mother chided glancing at Alexei asleep on the floor beside her skirts.
She ignored her mother and continued to pace around the room. Her sister Olivia clicked her tongue and looked at her youngest sister. 'You will make me miss my mark, silly Anastasia! Do as mother asks just once in your life.'
Kurando stood off in a nearby corner, listening for footsteps or anything suspicious that might harm his love. Though her sister was right, her pacing was some what unnerving. 'Anastasia your sister's right, pacing around the room is not going to beckon your father here any sooner.' He said.
She looked at him and smiled nervously. 'You're right Kurando.' She sat on a small lounge near the fire place and sighed. 'I just want to know how everything is going, that's all.'
'Politics?' Her other sister, Mary declared. 'Our sister listens to politics? How silly indeed! You act as if you know what father is going to council for. You are a daughter and your place is to bear healthy sons for Russia!' She snorted.
'No!' Anastasia answered. 'That's your place; I will make my own place.' Her face turned a slight red in anger. Kurando smiled to himself he knew that her fire was one of the things that he loved about her.
They started to laugh at her, Mary the loudest. 'Oh how silly!'
'Grrr!' Anastasia yelled standing up, 'Silly? Silly? Is it silly that the people of Russia cry out for our blood and you sit here doing needle point.' Her eyes filled with tears. 'It's that kind of attitude that will be the downfall of this family. At least I know what the hell is going on!'
'Anastasia!' Her mother yelled, 'curb your tongue child. You do not curse; it is not a lady's place!' Her mother rose up sharply and slapped her. The emotional pain of the slap hurt more than the physical pain. Her mother had never slapped her before. A single tear slipped from her eyes and hit the polished wooden floor. 'You can cram your place!'
She turned to run from the room, but Kurando stood in her way. He stared at her his knowing ruby eyes staring into her face. Every urge inside her told her to slap him, or scream at him or cry into his shoulder, anything to stop him looking at her like that. What surprised her is that he moved and pulled her in close in front of her family. In front of her mother of all people!
All of them gasped as he touched her cheek. 'You should always let your fire burn Anastasia, no matter what any one tells you; your inner flame is what makes you who you are.' She looked up at him love in her eyes, she felt her tears subsiding as he spoke to her. 'And those who dampen the fire are the coldest when the chilliest winds blow.'
They all stared at him with utmost confusion. He led his Anastasia out by the arm and led her to the council chambers.
'Kurando what in the? Where are you taking me?' She said.
He said nothing until they reached the gigantic doors. 'If you are here, you will be the first to hear the news of the war.'
She smiled softly. 'Thank you Kurando.'
He nodded and sat beside her on the small chair outside the council hall, waiting patiently for her father to bring news of Russia's future.