Hah! I'm going backwards before I go forwards. This is some kind of weird torture for everyone.

Three weeks earlier…

For five days and nights, the soldiers had stalked the village. They were here on rest from a battle on the way back to regroup at some sort of base. The little village knew nothing of the war and nothing of the great tortures and battle that weren't really that far beyond their little bubble of the world. They preferred to live their lives and die in peace as a community, untroubled by the worldly politics. Even so, they could not keep the soldiers away for fear of losing their families. It was a farming village, not a fighting village.

The soldiers were cruel and merciless and had no qualms against using every resource the village had to offer. Even if they had little resources to begin with. They took what they wanted of the livestock, crops, and especially the alcohol. Everyone of the five nights they'd get raucous and noisy and generally caused the whole village anxiety. But again, no one stood against them, especially in their drunken state.

Watanuki stood out in the cold shivering. He could see his breath billowing out in front of him in the pale moonlight like some kind of misty cloud, but he dare not leave his precious Himawari behind. How could he even think of doing something like that! He looked in front of him and saw her sneaking around the building.

She tiptoed towards the back entrance of the pub. Watanuki didn't see the need of tiptoeing, the soldiers were making enough noise to be heard a mile around, but of course he didn't argue with Himawari. He simply followed her as they got himself mentally prepared for what he was about to do.

It was a simple plan really. Sneak in, take the medicine, sneak out. The danger was in the fact that almost all of the soldiers were already in there, coming, or passed out from drunkenness outside. But it was the only way. Every other medicine store had been used up by now for the many injuries that had been caused over the past few days. And that child needed it. There was no way they could just leave.

Himawari grabbed the doorknob and Watanuki made a move to follow in behind her, but she put a hand on his chest.

"It'd be easier if only I went," she whispered quietly.

"There's no way I'd let you go by yourself into all that—"

"It'd be too hard for two people to sneak quietly by unnoticed. You know it would," she said as she smiled sadly.

"Fine. Then I'll go. I can go in and get the stores out the back—"

"Sorry Watanuki," she interrupted quickly as she slid into the door in closed it. Watanuki gasped and tried to turn the knob, but found it was locked. He stomped on the ground and silently cursed himself for being so slow. Now Himawari was in danger and he was out her sulking in the cold. Stupid Watanuki!

He paced back in forth, waiting impatiently and blowing in his hands. All he could hear was intoxicated bellowing and the occasional sound of breaking glass. That did little to relax him.

Suddenly there was a crash and a small yelp. Watanuki felt his panic rising and grabbed the doorknob frantically turning it in hopes it would change its mind and open. All of a sudden, as if some kind of miracle, there was a click and the knob began to turn. He felt a rush of relief in his throat, then it fell back down to his stomach as Himawari came barreling out.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him and he got the message quick. They ran as fast as they could in the opposite direction. But as they ran, Watanuki turned and got a glance at the tallest man he'd ever seen. He had a scar running down his left cheek and a furious expression on his face. Watanuki decided to double his pace.

When they had safely got away, they dropped to the ground, panting from exhaustion and anxiety. That had been one of many close calls over the past five days, but it had undoubtedly been the closest. Watanuki stood up and peered over at Himawari.

"Who did that to you!" he demanded loudly. There was a red mark across her cheek that would surely be blue in a couple of hours. Himawari attempted to cover up her cheek with her hand.

"Its not anything, Watanuki," she said, smiling, "Just a scratch." Watanuki started fuming and made a move to turn back. Himawari grabbed his wrist.

"Please, Watanuki."

Watanuki looked at her and sighed. "Did you get the medicine?" Himawari looked at him, then stared at the ground.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't get it. I dropped it while I was running in the bar." She looked absolutely stricken at what she had done. She turned and started to make her way back to the collective resting area. She assumed Watanuki would be soon to follow. She was wrong.

Watanuki peered around the building. It had quieted down since earlier, but it was still filled with constant noise. He would have felt fear at what he was going to attempt, much like earlier, but he was still filled with the rage of Himawari's injury. He quickly approached the door and slipped inside.

The air inside the room was the same amount of cold, but somehow staler, like the room had been left untouched for a while. He walked across the creaking boards stepping lightly. He certainly didn't want to be overheard.

He looked in the corner of the room and saw the large cupboard that was the stores. Surely there'd be enough for the child and then some if he managed to raid it. He quickly grew impatient and stepped forward to fast. The plank he had stepped on creaked loudly in complaint.

Watanuki froze in his tracks, scared at what had just happened. Had anyone heard that? Was someone heading this way this minute. He stood still for a couple of more seconds and then relaxed. Apparently, no one had heard him. He breathed a sigh of relief and then continued on.

As predicted, the inside of the cabinet was full of medicinal herbs and remedies. This was perfect. He quickly grabbed as much as he could carry in his two arms. There was so much he could bring back! There was the salve and the lotion and the—

Suddenly an arm snaked around his middle, then one around his neck. He panicked and dropped the medicines and began frantically tugging at the arm around his neck. He felt heavy breath on his ear and knew suddenly it was the tall man with the scar.

"Back again already?"

He yelped and panicked and bit the man's arm. He let go in surprise and Watanuki dropped to the floor. Watanuki quickly crawled towards the nearest door to him. Which led right to the main room. Where all the soldiers were sitting around waiting for him. Oh shit.

"So boys, what should we do with this one," said the tall man as he walked up behind him. "He was trying to steal from us earlier. Hard-headed on that is." The whole room laughed and started yelling out rather painful suggestions. Watanuki felt his fear starting to fade into hopelessness."

"Hey. Wasn't the boss looking for some kind of replacement?" jeered one of them. The tall man stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Come to think of it he was. A cook in fact. Last one had an unfortunate accident." The man then smiled as if he had made a very funny joke.

"Can you cook?" asked another one of the men, this one sort of short, as he poked Watanuki with his foot.

"Aye," the tall man answered. "I've seen him running around fixing those awful peasants gruel." In fact, Watanuki was right now the villages appointed head cook. Watanuki suddenly regretted his decision to accept that job.

"Well, that settles it. We can sell him," said the short man. Watanuki was suddenly shocked out of his despair.

"Hey! You can't just talk about selling me! I have a right to—" Suddenly Watanuki felt something very hard make contact with the back of his head. All he remembered after that was the sound of his own skull making contact with the hard wood floor.

So, second chapter up. Hopefully on the next one, I'll go forwards.