Only Hope
Chapter Three – the Nauzcole
by: Mel
E-mail: LightofFaeries@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: (See previous chapters)
Sakura bolted straight up, breathing heavily. Sunlight poked a single slender finger at her through the curtains. Instinctively, she jumped up and ran to the window, parting the curtains. She sighed unconsciously as warm sunlight flooded over her and washed away the night's dark visions. Sakura no longer remembered the shadowy man nor the web the moment light touched her.
Chiharu poked her head through her bedroom door and saw Sakura. "Oh, good. You're awake. I've prepared a bath for you and I have some clothes you can wear."
Sakura smiled, "Thank you! A bath would be most appreciated though I'm not sure I'll be able to return the clothes. I should just wear what I wore yesterday."
Chiharu laughed, "There's no need. You're smaller than I am and I have some clothes that I've outgrown but are too nice to be thrown away. It would please me to know that they are being worn again by such a lovely girl. They're useless in my closest and just take up space. I've packed a couple outfits in one of our old baskets. You take the basket along with the clothes."
"Are you sure?" Sakura asked.
Chiharu gave a firm nod. "Go take the bath. The waters getting cold while we stand here and chat."
Sakura thanked Chiharu again, took the clothes offered to her, and skipped happily off to take her bath. The prospect of a warm bath and clean clothes lifted her spirits immensely. Chiharu chuckled at Sakura's buoyant atmosphere.
Sakura slid into the water with a heartfelt sigh and closed her eyes. She stayed that way for awhile with only her head above water. She pushed all thoughts of her "mission" to the back of her head and instead, thought of what her family was probably doing. Her father was most likely preparing breakfast with Touya lounging around with nothing to do because school was over for the summer. Sakura knew she didn't have to think about her family worrying about her yet. Sometimes, on one of her outings, she would be gone for a few days. Sakura decided to ask Chiharu to send to message back to her family to inform them that she was fine. Finally she roused herself enough to rub sweet-smelling soap into her hair and skin and scrubbed until she was pink. With a sigh, she got out of the now tepid water and dripped her way to a thin towel. Once she was dry, Sakura slipped into the clothes Chiharu had given her, gathered the night clothes Chiharu had lent her and proceeded into the Yamazaki's small but well-fitted kitchen.
Chiharu was bustling around busily, cooking and, at the same time, throwing things together that Takashi needed for his journey. Takashi himself strode out of their bedroom, whistling a cheery tune.
Chiharu tried to scowl at him, her flour-dusted hands upon her hips. "It's about time you're up. Sakura, here, has already taken a bath while you were snoozing in bed."
Takashi laughed and kissed his wife's cheek. "What's the rush? The trip is going to take two days anyhow. What's the difference if a man wakes up at nine instead of six when he's going to end up at the same inn?"
Chiharu threw up her hands and laughed. "You're hopeless. I don't know why I even try." She turned back to her cooking with a smile on her face.
Takashi grinned and turned to Sakura. "So, you all ready for the trip?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes."
"Takashi, mind you don't talk the girl to death. Sakura, I swear, the fish'll swim in the sky before my husband shuts his mouth. And you can't be too sure if he's even telling the truth. If you ever hear him lying, I give you full permission to hit him on the head."
Takashi smiled and opened his mouth. "Did you know that people originally started hitting…"
As if to prove her point, Chiharu picked up a small frying pan and brought it down on her husband's head.
Sakura sweatdropped as Takashi winced slightly.
"Now you go on and hitch those horses up so you can leave immediately after breakfast. No use delaying more than you have to." Chiharu instructed, waving her frying pan like a conductor's baton.
"Anything you say," Takashi said with a grin before pecking his wife on the cheek and striding to the barn, whistling.
Chiharu shook her head. "He never seems to take things seriously, yet I love him for. Now what are you doing still standing? Sit down and start eating breakfast. I daresay Takashi eats very quickly and you would have no time to enjoy the food if you waited for him." Chiharu ushered Sakura to a chair by the kitchen table that was laid with freshly baked bread, butter, eggs, goat's cheese, milk, and scones. Sakura's stomached rumbled at the sight of all the food and she flushed. Chiharu laughed good-naturedly. "Well, eat unless you find my food unsatisfactory."
Sakura, not noting the teasing in Chiharu's voice immediately shook her head and said earnestly, "Oh no, it all looks so delicious. I'm not sure where to being."
Chiharu laughed again and returned to her oven where she was baking traveler's bread for Takashi and Sakura's journey.
Takashi came in whistling merrily as Sakura finished her eggs. He plunked himself down beside her and reached for a scone.
Chiharu's voice interrupted is arm in mid reach. "You did wash up, did you not?"
Takashi winked at Sakura and blew a kiss to his wife. "Of course I did. Whatever made you think otherwise?" He got up and crept up behind Chiharu, who had her back turned to the table.
"Well, I can think of a dozen incidents whe—" Chiharu squeaked as Takashi's arms encircled her flour covered waist and twirled her around. He left her breathless at the stove after tenderly wiping a smudge of flour from her nose and strode back to the breakfast table. Sakura giggled at the couple's antics.
After breakfast, everything was loaded into the Yamazaki's wagon behind a patient, old roan paired up to a feisty, newly bought, golden purebred. Sakura had a little niche in the front corner for just her. She laid her own basket, now filled with dry food for her own two day journey, on top of the basket of clothes that Chiharu had given her and laid her borrowed blanket gently over it all. The strange empty red book rested in a brown, coarse woven bag that hung from her left shoulder to cross over her body and dangle at her right hip. Chiharu had given her the bag, saying she had plenty, without commenting on Sakura's strange book, as though she could sense the need for secrecy. Chiharu also promised to send a message to Sakura's father and Sakura felt a burden lift off her chest.
Chiharu turned to Sakura. "I'm so happy you visited us. Please feel free to drop by whenever you want. This far from the city, we get so few visitors."
Sakura nodded, before throwing her arms around Chiharu. "Thank you for everything! I don't know what I would have done without your help. Once I finish with what I must do, I'll find a way to repay you." Sakura turned to climb onto the wagon seat but Chiharu placed a hand gently on Sakura's arm.
"There is no need. It was a pleasure having you with us. All I ask is that you visit often," Chiharu said softly. Sakura smiled and nodded again before hoisting herself onto the passenger side of the wagon seat.
Chiharu turned to Takashi. "Now, don't you trade any of our stuff for anything worthless. Don't you talk the girl to death and none of your lies either. I don't want her head filled with random nonsense when she reaches the city. "
Takashi smiled and kissed his wife. "I'll try to restrain myself."
Chiharu sighed, "I guess that's all I can ask of you. And mind you be careful on the road. You don't know when someone could attack. I want you home as soon as you can manage and preferably in one piece."
Takashi smiled again and nodded. He gave his wife one last kiss before climbing into the driver's seat. He flicked the reins and they were off. Chiharu stood and waved to them until they were out of sight.
The first day was uneventful. The sun shown brightly and the sky was decorated only with a few wispy clouds. Sakura felt wonderful. The temperature was perfect and the wind that blew was light, even playful.
They stopped when the sun was in its zenith, to have lunch on a small green hill beside a trickling little stream. Takashi picketed the horses and Sakura laid out a blanket. They had a glorious picnic. Once, a skylark flew over them, its song descending in a sweet rain of golden notes. Chiharu's food was fresh and delicious. Sakura said so and Takashi, strangely solemn as if he was trying to mimic Chiharu, said thanks. Then he reverted back to himself and began to tell Sakura the origin of food until she was beyond confused and lunch was over. They both helped clear away and wash the dishes in the stream. Then Takashi hitched up the horse and they returned to the road, continuing on their way.
At night fall, they halted at a small inn. The horses and the wagon were stored in a private barn, for it seemed that Takashi often visited the inn with his wagon and that the innkeeper knew him well. Sakura had a meal of hot soup with bread before trudging wearily after the innkeeper up to a room while Takashi stayed downstairs, still eating. The room was comfortable, if not a little bare with little more than two cots on opposite walls. Sakura was too tired to care. She quickly changed into her borrowed nightclothes before dropping onto her cot and falling instantly asleep.
Something was dragging at her neck. Her necklace was outstretched before her as if the shadows around her were pulling at it. The cord bit into her neck. Sakura reached out and grasped the little key in her hands, tugging against the force with all her might.
"NO!" she cried as the force began pulling ever harder.
Suddenly, she found herself before two paths, her necklace no longer taut about her neck. In the distance, she could see that the two paths led to the same place, a place, she found, she desperately needed to reach. One path was full of light yet it was little with sharp pebbles and large boulders that Sakura doubted she could climb. The other path was shadowy and dim, as if secret lurched around it. The dark path was smooth and perfect with nothing in her way to getting to the place she needed to go. Sakura stood there, undecided. The smooth path looked so inviting, yet there was something sinister about it. In the end, Sakura began down the light path. Pebbles cut into her feet like glass. Everywhere her feet landed, she was impaled. The pain was unbearable. Sakura could not hold back a scream.
"Sakura! Sakura! Wake up!" Someone was whispering her name urgently. Sakura opened her eyes drowsily. The dream was terrible yet she could not seem to break away from its hold. It was as if someone was keeping her from waking up.
"Whadoyouwan?" Sakura mumbled, trying to shake herself from her dream.
"It's Takashi. Sakura, you have to wake up now!"
Sakura nodded, becoming slightly more awake. She had never heard Takashi so serious before.
"Sakura, you must get away from here!" Takashi hissed.
Now Sakura was fully awake. "Why?" she asked.
"There are three men downstairs men that don't look too friendly. They're cloaked all in black and very tall. There is something about them that I don't like. They're asking about a young girl with green eyes who is travelling to Somwyal."
Sakura's breath caught in her throat and her hand flew to her necklace. "What?" she whispered, panic seizing her though she wasn't entirely sure why.
"You better flee. I don't know if it's you they're after but I'm taking no chances. I know that something is going on that is secret and important. I trust you far more than those men and I know that you must get to Somwyal. Take my purebred—no, don't protest—he'll get you to Somwyal much faster than you would walking. When I first bought him, I didn't know why. He is too kingly for Chiharu and me. I was even too afraid to name him. And I wasn't sure why I brought him on this journey because my roan, Lina, could do just fine without him. I felt like I was being compelled to. Yet, now I know why I brought him. He's to aid you. You must get away now. I've packed all your things along with food into saddlebags and everything's ready to go. Now don't say a word until we reach the barn."
Sakura was too stunned say anything as she slung her bag onto her shoulder and crept with Takashi silently down the inn steps, through the bustling kitchen and out the back door. When they finally stepped into the barn, Takashi immediately closed the door. A single candle was lit and Sakura was surprised to see the innkeeper holding it.
The innkeeper smiled, though rather grimly, at her. "So you're the one the Nauzcole are searching for."
Sakura threw a questioning look at Takashi. Takashi quickly explained. "Don't worry, Blane won't say anything. When he knows to keep a secret, you couldn't pry his mouth open with a crowbar. " Sakura nodded, easily trusting. "Now Blane, explain these Nauzcole to me."
Blane heaved a sigh. "The Nauzcole are powerful creatures of the Dark Order. There are a lot of myths surrounding the Nauzcole. People are starting to forget about them and no longer believe in them for one has not appeared in more than one hundred years. I'm beginning to feel like I'm the only one who knows about them anymore. People don't like to talk about the Dark Order or the time in which they ruled. It's all history they say. Fools! History will come and haunt them. It is beginning now."
Sakura shivered in fear, but she had to ask her questions, "How do you know about the Nauzcole? Didn't the First Order destroy the Dark Order?"
Blane gazed steadily at her. "My grandfather was wounded by one in a battle. The Nauzcole did not even touch him, the blast of power was aimed at someone else, yet the side effects of that blast wounded my grandfather terribly. He healed physically but for a long scar, yet he would get this look in his eyes and one time, he grabbed me and told me that the wound was eating him up. He made me promise never to forget about the Nauzcole and the Dark Order. The First Order may have put a temporary stop to the Dark Order, but the Dark Order is rising again. Those three men in my tavern have the reek of the Nauzcole, power and hatred mixed. There is no mistaking them and they are looking for you. I wonder why?" Blane's eyes bore into hers and Sakura's hand unconsciously wrapped around her necklace key.
Everything was silent for a few seconds until Takashi spoke, "Well, you better get going. The farther away you are for those Nauzcole things, the better. Get onto the purebred, child."
Sakura finally realized that the purebred was standing behind the innkeeper, strangely still and silent. "I—I couldn't. He's not mine—"
Takashi cut her off impatiently. "I told you, he's meant for you and you'll get to Somwyal much faster. He's all yours."
"Thank you," Sakura whispered, running a hand through the purebred's white mane that glinted silver where candlelight touched it. "He's so beautiful."
"I know," Takashi smiled sadly then gave her his cloak. "Wear this. The night can get really cold. Now you better get going." Sakura thanked him again and swung the over-sized cloak around her, bunching the ends in her hands. Takashi cupped his hands and Sakura stepped onto them, boosting herself into the saddle.
As the innkeeper opened the barn door, Sakura bent down from the saddle and whispered to Takashi, "Thank you for everything. I'll do my best to repay you." Then she was gone.
As Sakura thundered into the night, she heard Takashi calling after her. "Name the horse!"
Author's Notes: Well, there's the third chapter. There may be a lot of mistakes in this chapter because I didn't take the time to look over it. I knew I had already taken enough time writing this chapter. I'm SORRY it takes me so long to update, but school is just grueling and takes up way too much time. Well, please review! I would also really like some feedback if you have the time. I think (though I'm not sure) the next chapter will be out sooner. Review 'cause it really makes me get moving when I feel like procrastinating.
Thank yous to Danielle Ngo, Chiruri, Crystal Star, Cute1, anonymous (yes, there will be lots of action and most likely romance), Devil, eva, 100%%%, Ht.99, deeeeedeee, 88889000, and Buddies S+S for reviewing!
P.S. I forgot to mention that I don't really now what Takashi and Chiharu are like so they're probably out of character out in this story. Sorry!
January 25, 2003
~Mel~
