And now, a chapter with no need for an introduction…
Princess Io
Two: Daring Sword Fights
The disembowelment of flesh and crunching of bones never left her memory. Both sound and impact have forever carved themselves deep inside her mind. It was too much to bear, and yet she could never run from it, no matter how many attempts…
Eyes so frosty by appearance were so delicate as they gazed at the horrifying sight. They seemed to shatter instantly by the various images raging in resentment and vengeance. Kairi was lying there helpless and unable to fight back against the conniving creatures of the dimness.
Such words cannot even describe a single detail of the visions Kairi was experiencing. Oozing blood boiling at high temperatures, the wolves of the shadows' eyes gleaming madly with colors painted in scarlet wine.
She tried running, away from the blinding sight, only to be dragged back in with fangs bared and piercing her ankles.
"Stop!" She pleaded, but was ignored.
So much…
"Please, stop!" Knife-like screams echoed into nothingness.
Too much…
"No more…" No one answered her cry of agony."Someone, anyone, help!"
BLOOD!
--
"Stop…" Kairi whispered, still ensnared in her petrifying nightmare. She sat up quickly, panting for oxygen. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ear sockets, and sweat rolled down from her forehead to her neck. With a throat as dry as a desert, Kairi barely managed to speak. She glanced around at her new surroundings.
She was lying in a large queen sized bed decorated with the finest beige and sea foam beddings. The white and café pillows were a bit darker in color because of her recent sweating.
Kairi had stared intently at the covers on the bed; she failed to realize she was yet again in someone's home. Except this place…it was unusual. So diverse and had a certain aura.
As she looked around, she had noticed this room was similar to Riku's home that she had stayed prior to arriving here. The curtains had been torn like rag dolls, only a small remainder scarcely concealing the light to enter inside. And more cobwebs had inhabited most of the space, as if nothing had ever been used for years at a time.
Kairi felt intrigued by the elegant room, yet marked with an eternal scar of anguish. She could sense the twinge of injury, and as she done out from under the covers an arctic breeze rushed by her. "Why is it suddenly cold in here?" She asked herself, until she looked down at what she was wearing.
Her cloak was missing from its proper place, her cap and clips were still perched atop her head, and her clothes…they appeared to be men's clothing!
Surprisingly enough, she was only stripped of her cloak. Letting out a breath, Kairi smiled a small smile. "Thank goodness…" Kairi decided to explore more of this mysterious place and see what was in store for her.
But a soft sound caught her attention. It was loud enough for her to hear it, and Kairi felt draw to it. Disregarding her first thoughts of exploring this place, she followed the reverberation. After opening the door, she was met with a large fleet of stairs and also saw an identical velvet staircase from across her own.
Taking her time at first, Kairi was amazed at the architecture of this place. The ceiling was so far from her, as if reaching the heavens; the tiled floors were polished to perfection below her feet. And the wood smelled of fresh cherry wood trees, it was like an exquisite dream.
As she proceeded with caution while turning the corner, Kairi was met with another profligate sight. There was a long hallway lined with many suits of armor. They were all in place, not a single piece of their picturesque exterior sticking out.
All of the identical suits looked like they were just shined before she woke up. And as Kairi walked further down the hallway, she could hear the melodious sound progressively getting louder with each step.
Another fleet of stairs stood in her way, but the carpeting was a royal blue with gold trimming as opposed to the previous white with maroon trimming. It was so ethereal and refined; Kairi believed she was still asleep. But that didn't prevent her from discovering what that mystifying sound was. It appeared to be a famous symphony on an exceedingly expensive piano. She was still standing at the top and looked down to see where the music piece was coming from.
Gazing around like a vulture circling a dead carcass, Kairi finally spotted the piano and the owner of the playing. She leaned over the side to get a better look, but the top of the piano covered their face, forcing her to go down the stairs for a better view.
The young woman planned to quietly watch the pianist first before thanking them for her rescue. Then she would take her leave and find her papa. Nodding, the nineteen year old carefully padded her knee high boots against the fabric and climbed down the staircase.
No more than five feet away, Kairi patiently waited for the person to complete their music piece before speaking.
As they finished, Kairi tried peering through the open spaces to see who they were so that she wasn't rude and said the wrong thing. "Still can't see anything! Dammit! Who are you?" Frustrated, she quickly masked it as the person at the piano turned another page. They were getting ready to play, until they spoke.
"It is a bit discourteous to not introduce yourself. If you have something to say, please let me know."
Her eyes widened, such a kind voice of consideration! The woman heard the pianist stand up from their current position and walk toward her. Before she could see who they were, she quickly bowed and stared at the pearl tile.
"I-I'm sorry! I was just so entranced by you're playing, I wanted to wait until you were finished. I didn't mean to be impolite…"
Before she could embarrass herself anymore, the person brought a hand to her chin and lifted it upwards. As soon as Kairi saw the true pianist, she wanted to faint. It was a man! She thought it was a maid or someone or…even Riku again!
This person…seemed unusual compared to the silver haired Riku. The way he composed himself was dissimilar to Riku. Instead of being open-minded, he seemed reserved and proper.
It wasn't the only thing that kept her glued to the spot. His oddly positioned hair was impossible to tame, his locks imitating a wild mane, splashed a cavernous chocolate brown with bangs framing his cleanly shaved face.
Without even touching, which she dared not to do, Kairi could tell his visage was as smooth as fresh fallen snow, flushed to a fair shaded skin tone. Everything was so flawless, from his nose to his lips; it seemed to overwhelm her.
The only thing that had truly caught her eye was his very own pair of orbs. They glistened like the subterranean depths of the ocean; the aqua colors tinted at an angle as if the sun reflected off the waters.
His eyes were so mesmerizing; they hypnotized Kairi and made her forget why she was here. She only wanted to stare at his pupils, the various shades of cerulean calling out to her like a siren's echoing voice to pirates who crossed their many seas.
Quirking an eyebrow, the young man stared blankly at the girl in front of him. She hid her hair underneath that cap. Her eyes were feminine, so she couldn't have been a boy.
"Perhaps she is only fourteen or fifteen…Judging from how scrawny she is, she probably hasn't had a decent meal in days. But, what would a girl like her being doing here in the middle of nowhere?" The man thought, finally thinking he should introduce himself.
"Excuse me sir. But what is your name? And why are you here?" He asked, breaking Kairi's trance. Shaking her head to the sides, Kairi took a step back and bowed again.
"My name is…" She rapidly caught herself. Sir? He thought she was a boy? Maybe it would be better if she pretended so as to not anger or irritate the man. "It's Akira." Kairi said, trying her best intuition of a guy's voice. Apparently, it was convincing enough.
Nodding in approval, the man decided to humor her by acting like he didn't know her true identity. "My name is Sora. I'm pleased to meet you Akira." He politely bowed as well. By playing the part of the clueless man, Sora smirked to himself. His cunning would soon reveal her plan before she even decided to say anything.
"Have you eaten in a while Akira?"
Looking up, Kairi could feel her stomach rumbling. "No, I am a little hungry."
Turning on his heel, Sora's smirk widened.
"Let the games begin."
Quietly sipping her corn soup, Kairi couldn't help but keep staring at Sora's eyes. He may have been up to something, but she was too distracted to even notice. She began drinking from her water goblet to occupy herself. Neither spoke for a long time, until Sora broke their tranquil silence.
"Akira…Where are you from?"
"I'm…from Nyda village." Had the young woman told him she was actually from Toku village, he would instantly know she was a woman. So saying she was from Nyda kept her safe because it was a village of only boys and men.
"She certainly knows her way around. Hmm…" He was getting very interested in this inexplicable woman, but waited to see what else she would say. "How old are you?"
"I'm nineteen." At least that wasn't a lie.
"Ahh…Personally, I stand by twenty." Sora started, wiping his face with his napkin. "Tell me Akira. Why are you here? Since you were rescued and brought here, I'm certain you may have another engagement to attend to."
"Shoot! He's right! I have to find my papa!" Kairi sputtered a bit of her water, some of the clear liquid sliding slowly down her chin and neck. Since her awakening, Kairi had completely forgotten about her main objective and destination to travel to. Then again, she has to thank whoever rescued her first before abruptly departing.
Standing up from the table and placing her hands on either side of her plate, Kairi decided it was time. "I'm sorry for interrupting your day Sora. But I have to leave. I must search for my father."
Without replying, Sora turned his head toward a nearby window. It was close to sundown already, and there was rain picking up speed, and before their eyes it began to snow once more. Shaking his head in disappointment, Sora stood up as well. "Not in that weather Akira. After all, I wouldn't want to come rescue you again from catching a cold."
"Oh no. The snow doesn't faze me at all! I was just tired the past few nights, so if you don't mind—" Kairi responded hurriedly, making her way to an adjacent exit.
Something will definitely go wrong if she didn't abscond that instant. Bowing quickly, Kairi walked toward what seemed like an exit. Instead she met the playful gaze belonging to the young man of twenty.
"If you wish to leave so desperately, there can only be one honorable way to leave." Sora said, leaning forward to emphasis his point. Kairi bent over backward with extreme grace without falling on the floor.
Their bodies were manipulated into a tricky angle, their chests barely touching. The woman's eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment when she noticed a small smirk spreading itself across Sora's fair skin. Those eyes were calling out to her, chanting her very name and she couldn't push him back.
"W-what would that be?" She stuttered, casting her eyes to the staircase on her left side. To look into his eyes would mean losing a battle, which was something Kairi would never want, let alone from someone she barely even knew.
"Glad you asked."
"I can't believe what is happening…" Kairi said, getting a bit worried. As she was stripping herself of her large overcoat and wool pants, she came to a resolution: as soon as this was done, she would leave, no more tricks. At the same time, she thought of how Sora was acting toward her since their meeting this morning.
He was very interesting to watch as well as listen. He had a very vivid personality, and at the same time, a sense of heroism running through his very eyes. Sora was someone whom she wanted to know, he never forced himself on her, like Riku…At least he respected her personal space, except when he asked her to…
A grin was placed upon her soft features. "I've waited quite some time to brush up on my skills. It has been days, but I feel it's been longer than that…Well, at least he suggested something that I'd be willing to do!"
Kairi finally was only wearing her white tunic, a pair of men's thin slacks she borrowed from Sora, a pair of socks and black knee high boots that were her own. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she noticed one thing that would give her away: her chest.
Frustrated, Kairi began to think and an idea sparked in her mind. Opening up the many drawers in the room, she spotted a pack of white bandages. There were two or three rolls, so one would suffice. After quickly wrapping them around her upper body as tight as she could, she tied the knot. A knock came to her door.
"Are you alright in there Akira? Do you need some help putting the armor on?" Sora's muffled voice asked. On the other side, he was casually leaning against the door, ready to depart. He listened closely for a response.
"Just a minute!" She said, putting on the rest of her simple "armor" as Sora called it. Truthfully, it was only two thin chain mails that were hidden underneath her tunic so she wouldn't get stabbed.
Kairi also made a makeshift belt from her torn cloak that she recently discovered so she could loop it around Sora's large pants. He was obviously taller than her, so she had to make due.
Before opening the door, Kairi fixed her hair by finger combing it through and then putting her clips back on and her cap on top. The woman wasn't sure what Sora was going to do to her if she turned out to be a woman, so she wasn't going to take any chances.
Perhaps, deceiving him and showing him how well of a fencer she is would undoubtedly throw him off and believe what she was a man…for now.
"I'm ready." She said solemnly, opening the door.
Sora's back faced Kairi, so he didn't see how her form perfectly matched the mold (per se) in his old clothing, but he came to assumption they fit quite well. Smiling in anticipation, he turned on his heel and led the way to the practicing area, with Kairi following behind.
It was time for Kairi's challenge: a duel against Sora.
--
"This is it."
Awestricken, Kairi gazed upon the many mirrors covering each wall. At her feet was a softly sanded wooden floor. It looked as if polished and could show her a reflection of herself. With each step took, there was a small echo that matched each sound.
There was only one mirror that was a large window revealing the back garden. It was still snowing outside, but by the angle of the sun, it was afternoon.
It had only been a few minutes, and the two hadn't even begun their battle. Kairi's throat was starting to get dry and anxiety bounced against the inside of her stomach. "So…" She started, getting on the opposite side of Sora. "Shall we?"
His back was to hers, and Sora put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. "Yes, let us begin. Until one surrenders or becomes dominant, then the battle will be over." Walking over to his sword rack, he grabbed a fencing sword and tossed it to Kairi.
Catching the blade with ease, Kairi placed the scabbard through her belt and then asked, "If I win, you have to let me leave to search for my father."
"And if I do, then you must stay here. Then I shall decide your fate; if whether or not you are permitted to leave." Sora finished, getting his own sword and finally turning around. He showed Kairi a small gold coin. "As this coin hits the floor, we begin."
When tossing it into the air, it looked like it was suspended in time. Kairi watched it's every move, her hand gripping the handle of her rapier. She slowly got in her battle stance; ready to strike at the very sound of the currency hitting the copse at her feet.
Sora was in a more relaxed position: his right hand placed strategically behind his back as if hiding something, while his left dangled in the general area of his sword's handle.
The coin descended toward its final destination.
Closer…
Almost…
There…
Clink.
With only one blink since then, Kairi was thrown off her footing by Sora coming up from behind her. She barely had enough time to parry his attack by pivoting her body far enough to unsheathe her sword half way. Sweeping her right foot back against Sora's, Kairi attempted tripping him.
Sora quickly sidestepped and disappeared into thin air. "This will be quite interesting…watch your back." He called from all sides. His voice was starting to throw the woman off balance, but she wouldn't lose so quickly, let alone to a man.
Closing her eyes, she held out her left hand, left leg following into a stable stance. Kairi raised her right hand into the air above her head and pointed the end of her saber so it mimicked her left.
"Time to get serious…" She thought, her eyes still closed. Listening with her ears was deadly, so she listened with the vibrations and how close or far they were from her body.
"HERE!" She thought, tensing her body and lunging forward on step with her right foot. As she predicted, her sword had gone to Sora's cheek, narrowly missing his misshapen hair. A small line of blood was visible on his skin, and she smirked for once.
"Guess you're not so invincible." She said, opening her eyes, her stance boldly still. Sora raised his eyebrows, impressed by the woman's skill. His eyes never left hers as a smile reflecting her smirk developed on his thin lips.
"How many?"
"Fifteen. You?"
"Sixteen."
The duel went on for what seemed like an eternity. With each stab or swing both would react with his or her bodies in impossible ways, from bending over backwards to twisting with a back flip.
It was evident Kairi was getting a bit tired, her stamina had fallen a bit due to days of no sleep and only a small bite of food. She was breathing deeply, her lungs wheezing and her veins pumping with adrenaline.
Her forehead was beating with sweat, rolling slowly down her chin to her neck. Her hands were the same, but held onto her sword for dear life. Looking across from her she thought inwardly, "If he's supposed to be tired, he's masking it really well…"
Sora, on the other hand, had only been a little tired compared to his opponent. He was more surprised than tired, but he was sweating just as much, if not more.
But then he spoke between the intense silence. "Perhaps we call a draw so you can replenish yourself?" He asked tauntingly, expecting the woman to back down benevolently and accept defeat.
Narrowing her eyes into a snare, Kairi felt gritting her teeth in offense. "You've got to be joking me. I never back down from a dispute. We'll continue until one of us is defeated." And at that, the two continued their duel of supremacy.
Her focus was faltering, but Kairi kept Sora on his feet. His sword had cut through her tunic and onto her chain mail, her sleeve and a piece of the armor falling to the floor. With her left arm bare, Sora could see each one of her muscles flexing, making him all the more interested in this mysterious girl.
Kairi had done a forward slash and had managed to cut through Sora's tunic as well, leaving a long diagonal scar. He had followed her every move with just his eyes, and dodged each blow; except that one.
Finally, Sora had caught Kairi off guard, his left foot blocking her right from stepping forward. To gain the upper hand, Sora cleanly tripped the auburn haired woman to catch her attention.
The nineteen year old had fallen to the floor, her lower back impacting the wood firmly. Kairi felt like she was punched in the gut by a rock hard fist. Gasping for breath, she watched Sora point his sword to her neck.
"Give up?" She heard him say. After seeing his strong-will shining out from his shadowed features in front of the large chandelier, it made Kairi want to spit in his presence.
"Don't make me laugh."
To emphasize her point, she kicked his left hand away and kick flipped back onto her feet. Panting from exhaustion, Kairi stretched out her rigid muscles and proceed back into her stance again. But this time she slightly changed the position of her feet and tossed the blade into her left hand, providing time to rest her right.
"I admire your determination Akira." Sora commented, lifting an eyebrow. He took a few moments to bask in her feminine side glowing through her features.
Despite the fact men's clothing had covered her body, he could still outline every inch of skin. From her bare shoulder to the tips of her feet, it was without a doubt she was a very stunning woman.
Sora came dashing toward Kairi's immobile form, slashing onto her other shoulder, causing her to shed another piece of clothing. Along with her tunic, the infliction also cut her left pant leg, the fabric fell to the floor without interruption; it lay there lifeless.
The woman still managed to block the blow, but she felt winds quickening through her form. "Wind cuts?"
"Who…trained…you?" She asked, looking straight into the eyes of the man who was her adversary.
"Myself."
With that vague statement, Sora vehemently pinned Kairi against one of the mirrored walls. His sword was threateningly pressing against her neck, poised to draw blood.
Huffing, Kairi attempted moving her legs in order to free herself, but Sora's own had rapt them in place. Something in the air had changed between the two, Sora seemed to be too close for comfort, and Kairi refused to look directly at him in the eye.
She cast her eyes in a different direction, but Sora's voice made her come in contact with him once more.
"I know who you are."
Eyes as ample as they could possibly be, Kairi's mouth lay considerably agape in disbelief. Her expression changed as it came to a tough and lethal stare. "Liar, you know nothing." Spitting toward his perfect visage, Sora quickly blocked the liquid with his free hand. He wiped it on his pants and then went to her cheek.
"Don't touch me."
"How can't I? You are a woman. I am a man. That says it all."
Sora's lips kissed Kairi's with incredible force and dexterity. His lips were like a fire that can't be extinguished, and yet so wicked, Kairi couldn't grasp the situation she was in. It was like the young man was pouring out his impatience on the innocent girl, doing whatever he pleased with her.
The kiss was beyond comprehension, and Kairi's lids drooped from intoxication. Until…she remembered what she was here for.
Here she was, letting this man kiss her like 'a lover in his bed' and she was only here so she could leave to search for her papa! "Mmmph!" She tried getting a word in, and at last pushed him back. Her lips were throbbing in minor pain, but pleasure nonetheless.
As quick as he was distanced from Kairi, Sora gave one last swing of his sword before saying, "Divulge the truth for all to see!" Wind cuts were summoned forth, invisibly slicing and dicing their way until they completely disintegrated into nothing.
The gusts had also incised their master, but Sora didn't mind, he predicted this would happen in the first place.
Opening her eyes, Kairi looked about her ambiance and then to herself. Before she could move at all, the scarlet haired woman saw whole pieces of her cap gently falling from their previous place. Her clips had followed thereafter, releasing her hair for all to view.
They floated gracefully from atop her head to her mid back. Her eyes widened in late reaction, filled with too many emotions she couldn't even express at the moment.
Locks of ruby were unharmed, as well as any part of her face and neck. But her clothes weren't so propitious to survive. At least what was left of the men's clothing had covered essential parts of her female anatomy.
Her clothing lay around her ankles in a small puddle and Kairi was a bit relieved she wasn't completely exposed. The chain mail had disappeared and only her sleeveless tunic was wrapped around her bandaged chest.
Sora's old pants had been severed except around her waist and upper thighs, the ends torn. As red as her long tresses, Kairi's face lit up like a paper lantern, "How…"
"Do I get my point across fair maiden? As much of a gentleman that I am, you look much more attractive rather than posing as a man. Now then, Akira as you call yourself, mind telling me your true name now?" Sora asked, smirking triumphantly at how vulnerable he had made the youthful female before his very eyes. He wouldn't lie though, since she came here, Kairi was an intricate portrait of art.
And Kairi knew she had lost the duel. She refused to admit it, but he was the better fencer and had caught her in a very awkward state. Half naked and fuming with fury, Kairi tightened her fists. Regardless of the fact he was victorious, there was NO WAY she was going to tell him her name.
"You can go to hell before I tell you my name you bas—"
"My, my. Such a venomous bite in that tone of voice?"
In the corner of her eye, she could see the sun had gone under the horizon. They had fought almost the entire afternoon through the evening. But not only that, Sora's attitude and composure had seemed…more confident and sarcastic than earlier that day. "What plan beats in his mind? What does he have in store now?"
"Are you going to kill me or are you going to just stare at me?!" Kairi barked, chewing her lips in anxiety. What made her uneasy was the snare that formed on Sora's features. At first, his coffee colored bangs shielded his line of vision, but his very existence made the room seem even darker than before.
He took deliberate steps toward her, his eyes that were once an icy glacier had swiftly transformed into carnivorous orbs of gold. Fangs that were an inch long generated from his whitened teeth in seconds time, making Kairi's spine tingle in fear and confusion.
"You really want to know woman? Well, little flower; too bad he couldn't witness your death so soon. It's unfortunate, but I'll take your request to annihilate you from existence itself." He said roughly, each word emphasizing the next.
Three steps…
Two…
One…
Nowhere to run…nowhere to hide…
A word from the author…
Hope you enjoyed reading!