Vol. 4 Patterns of Fate

-Fuu-

The teahouse was closed today because of the wedding. We were supposed to provide some of the food since we were one of the only two places in town that served food. We had been at the magistrate's house since dawn preparing dinner with the other cooks.

"Fuu, we need more oil!" the cook from the teahouse yelled to me. "Go and pick some up back at our kitchen."

"Uh…okay! I'll be back in a second!"

I ran out of the kitchen and through the halls to go get the oil. I turned a corner and tripped, falling uncontrollably toward the ground. I knew it was going to hurt. But suddenly I stopped falling when a pair of strong arms caught me. I sighed in relief and looked up to thank whoever had just saved me…

-Jin-

"Now that my services are no longer required, I think it's best if I'm on my way," I told Chiyo as we sat eating. It was the morning of the wedding, and now that they clothes were all ready, I wasn't needed.

"No longer required?" she asked. "What do you mean?" We still have to be there to help dress and make sure everybody's garments are in order. If one thing rips or a seam busts, we have to be there to fix it."

"I don't know how to dress people or sew."

"You can be there to lend a hand. Please Jin, I'm desperate. The girl who usually helps me has to go to the choosing."

"Choosing?" I questioned.

"Yes," she said darkly. The look in her eyes made me frown. "The magistrate's wife died a while ago, and now he's remarrying. Instead of taking his time and finding a girl he cares about, he's going to take one of the women from the village."

I didn't understand why they were letting him do this, but it wasn't my concern.

"He says that he will destroy the village if we don't comply. That man is supposed to uphold the law, but he is just another corrupt and power-hungry man." After a few moments of silence she stood. "Well, let's get going. We have to get this done."

-Fuu-

The man who had caught me must have been in his mid-thirties. He must have worked here at the palace, he was very well-groomed and had a lot of jewelry on. He lifted me to my feet and smiled. I blushed from embarrassment and backed up a couple of steps. (a/n: Ha, ha! You thought it was going to be Jin or Mugen, didn't you?)

"Sorry sir, I was just on my way to get some oil," I laughed.

"No harm done. You don't work here do you? I've never seen you before."

"No, I work at the teahouse in the village."

"So you are one of the village girls?" he asked more urgently. "How old are you?"

"I turned sixteen a little over a week ago," I told him, not understanding why he would want to know. "But I don't-"

"Very good," he said cutting me off. "Guards!" A few men came up behind him. He pointed to me. "This is the woman I pick to be my bride."

"What!?!" I shrieked as two of the guys grabbed me. "Let me go you jerks! I don't even live in the village!"

"Nice try girl, but by the end of today you'll be my wife."

Crap.

They tossed me in a big room with a bunch of attendants. They all started moving as soon as I got in. Two of them started undressing me, and another started taking my hair down. I gasped as they took my clothes off. I tried to hold them up, but it was useless.

"Get in the bath!" One of the women called as she grabbed the wrist I was using to cover up my chest. I screamed in surprise. She threw me in the bath. "This is no time to be modest."

The whole time they were getting me ready I was trying to tell them that I couldn't marry the magistrate because I wasn't from the village. The ignored me and just kept going on. I was getting angry at them, but I guessed they were just doing their jobs. They did my hair, put me in a new kimono, and did my nails. It was like the royal treatment. If it wasn't about to end in a horrible wedding where I would be forced to marry a man I didn't love, this would be really nice. I wished that Mugen and Jin were here to save me right about now. I was on my own though, I had to fix this by my self. This kind of stuff only used to happen when those two losers were around, but apparently bad luck just liked my company.