Part II
Don't Delve To Deep
The sun seeped in through the curtains early next morning to find Hitomi sat on the edge of the bed watching her love Plucki, sleeping. Her hands rested lightly and protectively on her abdomen where her unborn cub lay. She'd answered the door this morning when one of the knights reported to say there was still no sign of Sir Timmi and said that they feared he'd fled the castle as somehow in the middle of the night while most were sleeping even though the knights were on duty all Sir Timmi's possessions had disappeared.
She lay now on the bed her lovers head cradled on her knees with one hand protecting her small cub the other slowly tracing the contours of her love's face; lightly her index finger traced his lips which in turn were lightly kissed. She hadn't expected that, but smiled non-the less as his eyes opened to look up at her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you" she whispered.
"You didn't wake me Hitomi, I was already awake" he replied sitting up and kissing her cheek.
"The night watch stopped by to deliver his report" Hitomi said.
He turned to face her completely eager to know what she had to say, as he'd obviously still been a sleep when they stopped by.
"There has been no sign of Sir Timmi and all his possessions are now gone" she said her eyes slightly glassy with tears threatening to spill.
Sir Plucki sighed heavily realising the thoughts of last night to be true, but looking up at his mate he saw that one hand still lay protecting their cub while the other clutched tightly the sheets. Her body was tense and shaking slightly as a tear coursed down her cheek, he leaned forward and took her in his arms. They both knew now how dangerous life would be with no one to control Timmi he would be after them and who knew what he was capable of in jealous rage. All they could do now was live their lives and prepare and wait for Sir Timmi's attack, which they knew would come soon and hard and they would be waiting.
The morning light hit Kotori square in the eyes as it rose. It was already late morning at ten as she yawned big and loud as she rolled over to see oh, those who she loved most, the medics! And my didn't they look happy this morning she thought as she observed there faces. She smiled groggily at them best she could, seen as she'd only just woken up. They didn't seem pleased at all and she knew she'd most likely be receiving a lecture later about her actions yesterday, but only once she was awake enough to fully understand what they were saying. She sat up rubbing her eyes and yawning again before tossing the covers, which accidentally landed on her already chipper medics head, Ooopppsssyyy!
Not to get them even more annoyed with her she hurried out of bed and got dressed, not that there was much point considering all they had in mind her doing was just perhaps walking round the top floor, which she currently resided on, Wow! Her mind replied sarcastically, well that's what they had in mind, but that wasn't on her agenda. They looked like they were about to say something, which probably meant lecture time so she spoke up first, "Can I have breakfast in the Great Hall?"
"No, Kotori it has been brought up for you," replied the medic firmly.
"Aww, nuts" Kotori replied walking over to the tray on her small table by the window where she knew her breakfast would be.
She looked at the muffins on the table and knew Hitomi must have had something to do with that, as they didn't usually provide them and her fruit juice. She picked up one muffin taking a large bite out of it nearly eating it in one, then downed half her glass of juice before ramming the rest of her muffin into her mouth making her cheeks bulge out. A few seconds later she swallowed loudly then started in on her second muffin, which as far as she was concerned proudly managed to cram into mouth in one. Her mouth so full she could hardly chew she turned to face the medics who looked quite revolted and disgusted at Kotori's eating habits. She shrugged not seeing what was wrong gurgling her fruit juice in the back of her mouth, more like mouth wash except she then swallowed and then looked at the medics again who looked now completely repulsed. She smiled triumphantly and walked to stand by the window, which the medics were a bit cautious about considering Kotori had a habit of wandering out of them. Thinking they had her cornered they started in on their lecture, to which Kotori switched off almost automatically but pretended kinda respectfully that she was listening instead of planning when she could use her bottle of gummiberry juice she had in these clothes before she got sick to escape out of the window. She caught something in their lecture about them all being scared yesterday at her going out the window, going to the training grounds and then staying away when she was supposed to be resting in bed and that patients recovering from her disease didn't have much energy at this point and needed lots of bed rest to recover from it. Kotori instantly thought with a slight roll of the eyes 'but I'm not your average case and for your info I feel like a million dollars and bored to death'.
Since she had her back to them at the moment, which they didn't seem to mind to much as Kotori wasn't really known for manners, she uncorked her bottle and took a small sip as she knew she wouldn't need much as she only wanted to bounce a couple of buildings, then run before attracting the attention of the knights. Jabber, jabber, jabber she thought feeling the effects of the juice then turning and grinning evilly she said, "See ya later. I'm gonna have some fun" then jumped.
She heard her name loud and clear even as she fell to the nearest building below, but she didn't care and strangely enough she couldn't see anyone on the ground or in buildings and it seemed like no one was answering of paying attention to the medics screams. Where is everybody? She thought, and then decided she didn't care to much as it let her wander round freely undisturbed. She landed in a back street towards the kitchens where to her surprise she saw her friend Sir Timmi.
"Timmi, hey Timmi wait up" she called as she landed.
He stopped dead in his tracks to the sound of his name being called and couldn't believe it when he saw Kotori running towards him, laughing mischievously. She must not know of me he thought and smiled at her trying to act normal not to give anything a way.
"Hey, Timmi" Kotori said when she reached him slightly out of breath.
"Shhh…" he replied.
"Huh? What?" Kotori asked.
He explained as she obviously didn't have a clue to anything going on at the moment.
"Everyone's in the hall in a very important meeting"
"Then what are you doing out here"
"I'm…on duty" he lied.
"Oh, ok" Kotori replied happily.
"But, what are you doing here?" he asked honestly.
"Oh, well…I...um" she started, but never really said anything.
"You ran away from the medics," he announced in amusement.
"Well…yeah" she said cheerfully.
"Still brewing the mischief, will you ever change?" he asked.
"Not in this lifetime" she beamed.
He couldn't help laugh at that, she never failed to make him laugh somehow.
"So, where you hiding out this time?" he asked.
"Kitchens…I'm starving" she said rubbing her stomach licking her lips.
Again he laughed, until Kotori asked, "Where are you going?"
"Me, well I am on duty which I should be getting on with I suppose," he said.
"Yeah, ok I suppose I'll see ya around then" she said waving as she went on her way.
Entering the kitchens Kotori snuck a croissant off the table that was cooling down then headed towards the Great Hall to listen in on what they had to say. She approached the huge doors of the hall, which were open as she heard what sounded like Sir Plucki say, "If you see Sir Timmi anywhere please let us know immediately…"
Deciding she'd risk the high possibility of being caught she stood in the doorway and announced, "Your looking for Sir Timmi he was in the backstreet by the kitchens a couple of minutes ago"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than about twenty knights came rushing out nearly running her over if she had not jumped out of the way to avoid them.
"Thanks, just run me over. Why don't ya?" she shouted after them.
Outside not far from where he'd run into Kotori, Sir Timmi heard her words and cussed "DAMN!" under his breath before sneaking out a back entrance and jumping onto his unicorn with all his stolen supplies.
Kotori turned back round to find she had just about the entire residents of Gummadoon starting at her.
"WHAT!" she asked clearly not having a clue what was going on.
"Ok, guys you wonna clue me in here, cos I wonna know why your all staring at me" Kotori said.
A lot of the residents looked away probably feeling embarrassed at staring at her when Sir Plucki said, "I think it's time we had a little talk" and indicated a small room off of the hall.
Kotori feeling in the spotlight at all the attention and looks she was receiving from people quickly dashed to the front and into the room Sir Plucki had indicated, whom she'd seen Hitomi as well as Sirs Blastus and Gumlittle enter, Sir Plucki shortly followed her in.
"Ok, now why is everyone staring at me? and why does everyone wonna find Sir Timmi?" Kotori asked looking at each of them.
"Kotori, do you have any idea what has been going on while you've been ill?" asked Hitomi.
"Not a clue, the medics don' tell ya anything claiming it'll stress ya out"
Everyone in the room seemed to sigh except Kotori who couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.
"Sir Timmi…has turned against us" said Sir Plucki.
Kotori only landed with a thud into the chair that was fortunately behind her.
"How? When?" she asked.
"He seeks to make Hitomi his own and will seemingly stop at nothing until he gets her" said Sir Gumlittle.
At this Kotori turned to look at Hitomi who sat on stool across from her, her mates arm wrapped round her shoulders.
"He doesn't seem to approve of Hitomi's child either" Sir Blastus added.
"Huh, whatta ya mean?" asked Kotori.
"He beat me" whispered Hitomi.
Kotori felt her fists clench at that as red swam before her eyes, she'd just been talking to him so how could act the way he did after doing that to Hitomi?
"Is Ginni with him in this?" she hoping that he wasn't, she didn't think she could bare it if he was.
"No, he is not" Hitomi stated firmly, more to the others than Kotori as they still had their doubts about him.
Kotori let out a small, quiet sigh of relief, but not totally sure why, which gained the attention of most in the room.
"Well.." Hitomi started unsure if she should tell.
"Yes" Kotori said encouragingly.
"When you first became sick and before Plucki and I got together" at that Kotori smiled. "There was an incident in the corridor"
"Go on" Kotori said.
"He kissed me and tried to..."
Kotori though had heard enough, fists clenched tightly she stood abruptly knocking over her chair and by her stance and certainly didn't look like she'd been out of training these past couple of months before screaming, "I'LL KILL HIM, I'M GONNA KILL HIM MYSELF!"
Kotori's shouting carried into the hall she forgot was just next door to them and interrupted one of the councillor's talks. All in the room were shocked at Kotori's outburst except for Hitomi who only wore a look on her face as if to say 'get in line'.
"Kotori, please calm yourself"
"But, I was just talking to him and he was acting like nothing had ever happened" Kotori retorted.
"That maybe so, but there is nothing we can do now" replied Sir Blastus.
Kotori now in one of her rare but very serious moods closed her mouth somehow realising in her tiny brain that ranting and raving really wouldn't solve anything, but Sir Timmi really was a dead bear!
The sound of many voices and people walking about in the hall next door alerted the group that the gummies next door were leaving and the meeting was over. Kotori saw this as the perfect chance to slip away unnoticed, that is until.
"Kotori, did the medics give you permission to leave" asked Hitomi.
"Well, ya see…i..erm…no…bye!" she got out and opened the door to run promptly into something hard.
"Oooww!" Kotori said rubbing her head then looked at what brick wall she'd run into, only to see it was actually the head medic, Bessi.
The medic didn't look at all amused at Kotori who shrunk back waved her hand giving a nervous smile said "Hi"
Several sniggers occurred behind her to which she whipped round and glared at the offending people sending daggers in their direction. It had the desired effect on all but Hitomi although even she hid her smile behind her hand.
"We request if you please that you return to your quarters immediately without a struggle" said Bessi.
Looking sideward at the knights she decided just this once she'd rather take the easy route seen as they were already getting up to restrain her and drag her up there.
"Of course, I really shouldn't have run away, but I was just too curious for information" Kotori said linking arms with one of the younger medics and marching out the hall looking behind her just as she left to catch the look on her friends faces, she beamed.
Meanwhile all left behind looked at Kotori like she'd gone insane, since when was Kotori as cheerful and co-operative with medic as this. Deciding this was not good and Kotori must have some ulterior motive they asked Bessi, "How much longer will Kotori be in your care?"
"With any luck not much longer" Bessi replied before excusing herself.
Hitomi smiled to herself as it seemed no one had noticed Kotori looking back at them, she seemed only to have co-operated to deny the others from taking her back. With that thought in mind she happily excused herself to get her now much needed second breakfast.
Kotori meanwhile was settling in, in the tower surely for another completely boring day not to mention another lecture, but it had been worth it to get a news update and looks on their faces.
TBC…
Please R&R!
