A/N: This part took just a little longer to write than I expected, but it's done! I figured I'd take this part to explain something. I had a comment and received a few emails about Kanki, which actually surprised me. Someone asked me if I made him up (no, I'm not that creative...), another person wrote 'hey, he's not like that in the anime!' I do not go off the anime. To me, it doesn't do the story or characters justice. That and it leaves a lot of things out.
Kanki, in the manga, is a sick, twisted character who delights in the suffering of others. He's proven that many times throughout the story. I will give you some examples for those who think I messed up his normal image (wherever you got that from).
Check out chapter 212 of Kingdom, the title is "Villain". During the war with Wei, him and his bandits sent the enemy army wagons that had soldiers tied to them. These soldiers had their arms cut off, eyes and mouth stitched closed, and their torsos had been pierced with wooden stakes. The wagons had loads of sacks inside of them, containing the eye balls they had gouged out of their enemies. Another fleet of wagons brought sacks with ears they had cut off.
A few pages later, it shows Kanki and his men walking away from their "human forest" saying it was time to give the Wei the location to it. The human forest was a place where they impaled the Wei soldiers through various parts of their body on long wooden poles, so they were high up in the air, making it look like a forest of bodies. Later in the story, him and his army tie their enemy to wooden stakes and burn them alive for fun. These are just a few examples, there are more if you read the manga. He says he does things people dislike. To me, I felt like I wrote him kind of mildly compared to how he is in the story.
By the way, this chapter contains some non-consensual touching towards the end. If this really bothers you, then by all means, refrain from reading the second to last section of this chapter. You are hereby forewarned! It's a bit of a turning point for the person involved, but it can be skipped if it's too much for some to read. On a different note, I checked out Kingdom wikia and it says Riboku's eyes are green. I mistakenly put them as brown, but I'm going through the old chapters to fix that.
'Leave Riboku? Run off with him?'
Looking up at his menacing face, she could have laughed. Why would she leave Riboku for the likes of him? A no-good bandit, who took pleasure in others suffering. He killed the attendant who tried to save her in the palace in Kantan, let the bandits under his control kill all the other princesses, killed her father, and probably would have raped her, if Riboku had not stepped in.
Why, for the love of Kami-sama, would she chose him?
Sakura had no desire to hurt others, let alone, kill. She had killed before, like most people in this time, but it was only out of self defense. These actions had left her with horrible nightmares and overwhelming guilt at times, even though she didn't have a choice. In this world, it was kill or be killed, and she would fight tooth and nail to survive. That was how her and her mother made it through the harsh times living in the village before she was taken away to the palace.
There were bandits, perverts, thieves, murderers, rapists, and even soldiers of the army who would do and take what they wanted, when they wanted. It wasn't uncommon for small villages to be completely wiped out or the people taken as slaves. The women and girls were often raped and the men killed. That was the reality of the feudal world.
She could never understand peoples desire to make the miserable world they were forced into, even more unbearable. Was it not enough that everyone was losing their loved ones and lives as they waged war on each other for land, riches, or prestige?
No, for men like Kanki, there was no such thing as not enough. She knew what kind of man he was the first time they met. Actually, even before then, as she heard the stories of the unspeakable things he's done. Mutilation, desecration of the dead, torture...he was disgusting. Killing those who had already surrendered. It was said that he would behead every last person he found when him and his bandits would take over a city, even before they became part of the Qin military.
Kanki and Riboku were on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Riboku didn't enjoy war, nor killing others. He became a general and strategist in order to protect others from suffering the same fate as those he cared for and lost in the past from wars. He didn't kill noncombatants and had many times offered his enemies a chance to surrender before fighting.
To Sakura, Kanki represented a cold darkness, trying to swallow up everything in its path, while Riboku was the warm light, shining the way from those depths. At least, that's how she felt when looking at them.
Riboku had saved her numerous times, even putting himself in dangers way to do so. He was funny, handsome, and incredibly intelligent. She could easily talk to him for hours without getting bored. Being with him made her feel safe and happy, despite all that happened. The blond had grown on her and she wouldn't betray him for a piece of trash, like the man in front of her.
"Drop dead." Kanki's eyes widened as the guards stilled. "Riboku is a good man. I would never betray him for the likes of you."
Narrowing his eyes at her, he leaned closer to her face, eyes full of rage and snarling. "Get off your high horse, little hime. Your precious hero is off right now, ordering the deaths of tens of THOUSANDS as we speak. The only difference is that he doesn't have the balls to do it himself, because he is a coward who sits in the rear and tells everyone else what to do. Just like in Kantan."
He smirked seeing her grimace. "Kukuku, seems you're still not over it huh? Well, never forget who made it happen. Everything was worked out and planned thanks to him, Zhao's big heroic coward."
Sakura could feel her fists shaking in anger at his words. "Shut up, you-"
"Oi, what's going on here?!" Guards wearing traditional Qin armor strode over at the commotion. "No one besides those requested by the king should be on this path. Clear out, now!"
The pinkette sighed, hearing the guards yelling at them. How stupid, didn't they realize they were the same people who just left the palace?
"Who do you maggots think you're talkin' to?" Kanki turned towards the approaching men, stopping them in their tracks with his intimidating form.
"Oh, uh... G-General Kanki...my apologies. Forgive us, we didn't realize you were here with... Those people." Sakura scowled, hearing the contempt in the man's voice. "Our majesty is awaiting you're arrival in the royal palace, as we speak. As for the rest of you, leave." The guard looked at them the way someone would look at dirt on their shoe.
"Watch your tongue before I rip it out." The general folded his arms, looking down at he guard who was visibly sweating by this point. He bowed to the dark haired man and apologized for his rude behavior, not even sparing a glance in their direction.
'Bastard. That lousy guard insults us, then apologizes to that guy... I've had about enough of this farce.'
Not paying the guards or general any mind, she turned around and continued walking along the path.
"Ah, Sakura-sama!" The men who were with her scrambled to catch up after pulling their eyes away from the prostrating man who was practically begging for his life and limbs to remain intact. She just wanted to return to the manor, especially after accepting the king's request. There was much work to be done and such little time. Internally, she couldn't stand to be in that bandits presence a second longer. Not after what he said...
"Oi, HIME! We'll have to continue this conversation later, kuku. Don't forget what I said." Looking back at the deranged man, her emerald eyes widened at the perverse, lustful look on his face. It made her want to get sick.
'I hate him!'
That look...it was the same one he had given her when he had her pinned on the floor in Kantan, when Qin had invaded and everyone was trying to escape. After killing one of his subordinates, she attempted to flee only to be caught and he almost had his way with her.
After that happened, the one thing she couldn't get out of her mind or nightmares, was his piercing dark eyes. It was like they spoke a million filthy words at once. Never will she forget that look that promised things she wouldn't even dare say. They had a sick and twisted lust in them that made her body shiver from head to toe. Never in a million years would she ever willingly let him have her. Death would be a better option.
Kanki smirked, enjoying her distressed expression as she turned away, walking as quickly as she could down the path and away from him.
The sun shown through the edges of the flaps at the tents entrance, causing Riboku to stir in his bed. Groaning, he rolled over, trying to escape to the blinding sliver of light that had already annoyed him.
After relieving himself in the dead of night, it didn't take long to fall asleep, but it had only been a few short hours before the sun rose. There were things that needed to be done and he couldn't just stay in bed all day, they were at war after all. If you could call it that...
It was more like the slaughter of fools. Those men on the other side of the gate were being pushed to their deaths by that general, Shouzi. It was a shame. All they had to do was surrender and they would be able to live peacefully, just under the Qin flag. It was necessary for this castle to be subjugated before the army heads to Rinshi or they risk being attacked from the rear.
Riboku sighed, pushing himself up and stretching, getting the kinks out of his neck. It had been a long night, thanks to Kaine and Futei. The table and chair that had broken out of anger was replaced after they left. The soldiers who brought them in were visibly nervous, like they were walking on eggshells. He couldn't blame them, it was very unusual for him to lose his temper, especially in such a manner.
The blond was surprised as he stretched. There was not even an ounce of pain or a tear from the wound on his back. It felt like it wasn't even there... To the point where he forgot there was a wound in the first place as he moved around. He stilled, thinking it would tear open from the movements, but there was nothing. His back felt fine, good as new.
'Hm... Sakura sure is amazing. I must ask her about that mixture when I return. I've never heard of an ointment that works so quickly.'
Soon...soon they would be able to be reunited. It felt like months had passed since the last time they had seen each other, though that was not the case. It hadn't been nearly as long as it felt, but he couldn't stand it anymore. Was she okay? How had she been holding up? Is she bored? What has she been up to? All these questions bogged him day in and day out. Part of him was worried that she would just lose interest in him from being gone for so long.
At night, he like to imagine his homecoming and the different scenarios that could take place. The one that played in his mind over and over again was of him coming back to the manor and his princess would be waiting at the entrance for his return. She would be wearing the robe he had commissioned for her, with one of the hairpins in her pink locks. Her emerald eyes would light up seeing him with a big smile, all just for him and him alone. With no time to spare, she would dash over to him and he would wrap his arms around her lithe form and hold her as close as possible.
A goofy smile spread across his face at the thought. Oh, how he would love for that to happen, but things don't always go as one expects. There was always a possibility that in her loneliness, she had found solace in the arms of another man. Just thinking about it made his blood boil. There would nothing that could stop him from killing the man foolish enough to put his hands on his betrothed, whether it had willing or not.
Sakura would not do something of that nature. She was a better woman than that, he was sure... The princess was loyal to whoever and whatever she put her trust into. There was no doubt that he could trust her, after all that happened. He was confident in that.
A warm sensation spread through his chest as he thought about her. If given the chance to redo everything, he wouldn't have changed a thing...except for that attack that happened at the manor, that wouldn't have happened if he could help it.
It's said that everything happens for a reason, just like this. He would go through exile, attempts on his life, war, and everything between, because it was worth it... Why?
He is in love with her.
It was weird to admit it to himself, in a way. The only people he ever loved was his parents and brothers, who all died because of the wars that were constantly happening. He never loved a woman in his life. When he was younger, he had slept with a couple women, very sparingly, during his days as a basic soldier.
They had been older, experienced women who were just means to an end after a long night of drinking and he was never with one more than once. They meant nothing, were nothing. No names, couldn't even remember their faces. That was how many soldiers were out on the field, except usually much more excessive. He would get slack from his buddies for not bedding many women like they had, but he had no desire to sleep around and leave fatherless children with women who meant nothing to him.
That was in the past. He was a different man from then. All his time was dedicated to strategizing and refining his plans and soldiers. The drunk women the common soldiers slept with held no interest to him, they were sloppy and undignified. Who knows how many men they had been with or how often they were passed around? He was at the age where he wanted something more.
When he first laid eyes on Sakura, he knew she was special. Status aside, he couldn't take his eyes off her. He had seen many of Zhao's princesses and it did nothing for him, but every time she came into sight, he just couldn't look away. He could feel his heart race and palms sweat whenever her graceful form passed by. Maybe he just didn't realize it at the time, or maybe he had and couldn't admit it, but it must have been love at first sight...
"Riboku-sama, Kanto reporting in." The commanders voice broke him out of his musings as he finally got out of bed and began dressing in his usual blue attire.
"Proceed."
"Hai, milord. The enemy's numbers have dwindled beyond the point of them even being considered a threat now. The archery units have been at it all night and morning, but the have yet to surrender..." The general frowned at this information. What were they waiting for? Every last person to die? He did not want that, but it was clear their general was more concerned with winning against him, than the lives of the people who were fighting.
"Thank you for your hard work. Please continue as you are."
"Hai, Riboku-sama."
'This siege needs to end, and quickly at that. After this, Rinshi is not far from here and the Qi military is quite small compared to many of the other states. It also seemed that a large number of those men had been stationed here.' He sat down in the new chair that had been brought to his room, grabbing his boots to put on.
"Riboku-sama...permission to enter..." His green eyes narrowed as the feminine voice reached his ears.
Kaine...
He didn't say anything as he scowled, still angry about the night before. She had crossed the line and tried to endanger what he had with Sakura. To be honest, he didn't want to be around her for a few days, but it would be necessary in order to clear this up. He wouldn't allow this to get out of hand, for his and Sakura's sake.
"Please, Riboku-sama. I know I'm probably the last person you would want to hear from, but this is important. Please allow me five minutes! I promise I'll be on my way after that!"
Silence ensued and he could hear her feet shuffling on the ground, probably out of nervousness. She deserved this bit of uncomfort after what she had done...
"You may enter."
Slowly and cautiously, the flap was pushed to the side as the dark haired commander walked in with her head down. She stops a good distance, not saying anything, probably working over in her head what she wanted to say.
The general looked away and resumed putting his boots on, paying her no mind, until she was able to get the courage to speak. The atmosphere felt tense and uncomfortable, something that hadn't happened since Kaine use to speak out against him and his tactics back in Yan Men.
She used to say he was a coward and call him out in front of the other villagers when he was sent there as their new general, due to his use of defensive tactics over offensive. While he had all the villagers defending inside of the castle walls where the Xiong Nu couldn't reach them and kept them safe, Kaine insisted on going head first into battle with them, which had always led to the death of many. She wanted revenge, while he just wanted those he was sent to protect to be able to live safe and happy. Who could be happy when everyone around you was dying?
A thump on the ground made him look up, surprised. Kaine was on her knees, prostrating herself before him. She had her forehead to the floor and hands on both sides, holding herself up.
"Riboku-sama... I know I've made a grievous error and have dishonored both you and the princess. You probably didn't want to see my face again and rightly so, but please hear me out. I wanted to sincerely apologize. I know there's nothing I can do to make up for it... Please, I'll do anything if it means being able to gain your trust once again. After everything that we've been through, the last thing I wanted was to shame you and I've humiliated myself. Not only that, but my actions have caused problems between you and Futei. I'm so sorry..."
The general sighed as Kaine began to get choked up on her words. He knew she admired him more than anyone else and wouldn't be able to stand losing his guidance and friendship. As much as he was angry with her, he couldn't stand seeing her looking so pitiful in front of him. He always felt like an older brother who had to watch out for his little sister.
"...Kaine, get off the ground."
She looked up at him, carefully watching his expression, trying to determine where she stands in the situation. He stood up, walking over to her and held out his hand to help her up.
"I'll overlook what happened last night as long as you understand your place in my life and never try anything like that again. I will not stand for anyone getting in between me and Sakura. Do we have an understanding?"
The female commander nods quickly with a smile on her face and wipes a few tears that had escaped as she was apologizing.
"Good, then we can all move on from this mess." He turned around retaking his seat at the table and poured a drink. There was still much to be done today and hopefully they could make this the last day of the siege, so they could move on to the capital. It was already getting cold outside... too cold for autumn, but not cold enough yet for snow.
Kaine stood watching him, grateful for a second chance. This time she wouldn't mess it up.
"I...I really made a fool of myself. It's hard just to accept that you will forgive me just like that, but I am grateful. Last night, I did a lot of thinking and finally accepted that you and Sakura-hime will be married soon, and that she will be your wife. Just like you two, I know that I need to move on with my life as well."
Riboku nodded, listening to her talk as he drank the water he poured himself.
"...So I slept with Futei last night."
The general choked on the water, spitting it up as Kaine ran over to hit on his back. His face was red as he took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself after hearing her say something like that so bluntly. As if it were something ordinary, like taking up a hobby.
Hitting his chest, while trying to clear his throat, Riboku didn't know what to say to that. Congratulations? Good job? This was out of his comfort zone, especially with Kaine of all people. He was always the private type when it came to stuff like that. It was just odd hearing her say it out loud...maybe she hadn't meant to say that?
Then a realization came to him. Futei actually got with Kaine? Did hell freeze over? From what he understood about the two, the masked commander was always chasing her, but never got anywhere, except for getting insulted or hit.
"My apologies, Riboku-sama. The point of me saying that was because I've decided to move on. I'm not a hopeless teenager anymore and I understand that what you and the princess have is not something I can meddle in. I'd like to keep this between the three of us, I don't think I'd be able to face Sakura-hime if she knew anything about it... Actually it may be hard to face her anyway, knowing what I did. I don't want to hurt her, though it's a little late for me to say that now."
"Of course. There's no need to cause her unnecessary worry or pain. Nothing happened anyway, so there is no point in stirring up trouble. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that happened was that our army sieged the castle and something happened between you and Futei."
Kaine's mouth dropped. "Riboku-sama!" He laughed at the incredulous expression on her face, it was priceless.
"Speaking of which...you may enter Futei."
The female commander swung around the the entrance of the tent as the man entered, clearly embarrassed he was caught snooping.
"Futei, what the hell do you think you're doing? Were you spying?"
He stood there for a minute, watching her angry face, not sure how to answer. "Ahh...yeah... Anyway, Riboku-sama, there are reports of a disturbance going on behind the enemy walls. There's no confirmation of what is happening, but there's a lot of commotion."
Riboku's face darkened at the news. He didn't know for sure what was going on, but he had a good idea...
"Uh, Riboku-sama, about last night..."
"Just forget about that, we have more important things to focus on. We need to find a way to end this siege within the next two days or it could mean trouble for us. There are only a few outcomes that can happen."
Both commanders became serious as they listened to the general, knowing this was important and not the time to mess around.
"The first is that we end the siege quickly, then head to Rinshi and subjugate it as quickly as possible. The second one is that we take longer than the two days to make the castle fall, head over to the capital, but then get caught in the oncoming snow storm. That would lead to many more casualties and our army would be stranded in the storm in foreign lands, giving the enemy the advantage. The last one is that we take this castle, then head back to Qin until winter is over, but that would give Qi time to gather supplies and reinforcements. The first outcome would seem the most desirable in this situation."
"Hai, I agree, Riboku-sama. After we find out what's going on behind their walls, we can take appropriate action in ensuring their downfall."
Riboku nodded, knowing this would mean the end for the opposition. They did not have any more time to waste on the likes of General Shouzi and his army.
Sakura sighed as she pushed the wooden doors open to the chamber she shared with Riboku. She only had two and a half weeks to get prepared for the winter solstice festival, which she would be performing in, much to her chagrin.
Heading to the corner of the room, there was a heavy wooden chest, where her new robe was. It flowed like the costumes they used for dancing in Kantan, so it would be perfect to practice in. She would just have to make sure that she asked a servant in advance to have it cleaned properly before Riboku returned.
Riboku... The conversation she had with Kanki went through her head over and over again. The possibility that tens of thousands of people were being killed this instant hadn't really crossed her mind. It was easy when you live comfortably in a manor, to forget how much turmoil the rest of the world was going through. It was also easy to forget that Riboku was strategizing and leading some of that turmoil with his commanders. How many people had gone through what she had and even worse?
The pinkette had been so caught up in the generals safety that she wasn't thinking about the reality of the situation. That's just it though...it's reality. It's not like she can do anything about it. The only solace was the hope that when everyone was under the same flag, the fighting that had been going on for centuries would die down.
Shaking the negative thought from her head, she knew she had to focus on her current objective and that was making sure her dance was perfect. King Sei was undoubtedly going to become the emperor of China and he had personally requested for her to perform, so she could not screw this up in front of everyone.
Quickly slipping off the clothing she was wearing, the princess put the beautifully crafted robe on, ready to put some work in. It had a while since she last danced. It was before the fall of Kantan, which felt like such a long time ago. So much had happened since then...
Taking a deep breath, she twirled as she danced. The steps felt so natural. How many times had she done this?
Step, twirl, step. Her hands moved in sync to the imaginary music playing in her head, trying to feel the rhythm. She could do this, this use to be her passion. Until...
Crash!
Missing a step, she tripped herself, hitting the floor hard on her knees, making her curse.
'Dammit! How could I let myself get distracted like that?!'
Getting back up onto her feet, she refused to quit until this dance was PERFECT and nothing less. Her mother had taught her the art of dance personally and she would not bring shame to herself or her mother's lessons.
Rubbing her knee, she recalled her mother's words during those lessons. 'Clear your mind of anything and everything besides the music. When you dance, nothing else matters. Focus on the beat and draw into yourself and find your rhythm. For us, dancing can be a form of meditation, self-expression, or even fighting. All you need to do, is clear your mind and let your body do the rest.'
Sakura stood with determination, after recalling her words. This dance would be perfect, even if she had to practice until the very hour of the festival.
Two weeks had passed since the fall of the castle. The commotion going on inside was just as Riboku had predicted. There was a revolt amongst the enemy army that was compromised mostly of militia men. The majority of the army that was sent from Rinshi had already been disposed of within the first few days of the siege, thanks to the enemy generals lackluster orders.
The Qi citizens who were fighting were enraged that General Shouzi had not only abandoned multiple units outside of the gates, but forced them into a fight to the death as he stationed himself into a safe place within the castle itself.
It didn't take long for the men to realize they were being used as a shield and their breaking point was when the general ordered the women and children to take up arms at the front lines, when he himself refused to. What was the point of fighting if their wives and children would be killed along with them? Especially when news of the other cities that had surrendered had been spared by General Riboku just as he promised. Would they surrender and live with their families or die in a losing battle?
When the gates opened, the Riboku's army was ready to charge. Instead, a handful of militia men walked out with the generals head on a spear and laid down their weapons.
Riboku halted his men, quickly able to access the situation as soon as he had seen the men come out. They were surrendering and a day before he needed them to as well.
Leaving a few commanders and units in charge of the castle and its occupants, he ordered the rest of his army to immediately head to Rinshi, so they could bring an end to this campaign.
After arriving in Rinshi, they began the siege, which was now on its second day. The enemy soldiers posted at the walls had been shocked upon seeing their arrival, so Riboku figured that they probably had assumed General Shouzi would have taken care of them. It was ironic considering that he was his own undoing...
They were cutting it too close, but thanks to the revolt at the castle, they didn't have to waste extra time. It was becoming quite cold out, you could even see your breath in the morning.
Futei's unit was in charge of the siege as Riboku and Kaine's unit were at the rear. There were various other commanders and their units that made up the "body" of their army.
"Riboku-sama, I have a question..."
"Hm?" The general turned towards her, waiting for her inquiry.
"Why has General Kei Sha not been included in the last two sieges? If he helped, this may have gone a lot faster."
Riboku looked back towards the capital that was currently trying to fight while arrows flew over the walls endlessly. There weren't as many soldiers here as there were at the last castle, which had been more than likely their last ditch effort to stop him. How futile...
"General Kei Sha, huh... Actually, he had been sent on an extra mission by me. One that will wrap up this campaign once and for all. While we were sieging the castle, he left to meet up with a "powerful piece" I had requested for while we were still in Kanyou. Anytime now, they will be on the opposite side of the capital, then they will be completely surrounded. There is no where for the soldiers or citizens to go at that point. There will be no escape. Their only option would be to surrender or fight to the death. I wouldn't enjoy the latter. They do not need to throw their lives away, but many would take death over perceived failure, as their honor dictates."
Riboku kept his voice low as he explained to the female commander next to him. She nodded, listening to his every word. Kaine knew he was speaking low, so their wouldn't be any eavesdroppers or spies who could relay the information. You couldn't trust those around you, Ju Sho had proven that well known fact already.
"What's this "powerful piece" you speak of?" Kaine racked her brain thinking of anyone else in their army or the Qin army that it could be, if it in fact was a person he was referring to. She was drawing a blank, but knowing her lord, it could be literally anything.
"Sorry, Kaine. It's a secret, you will just have to see for yourself when the time comes." The dark haired woman narrowed her eyes at the smug expression on his face. It was clear he delighted in having something up his sleeve. "After the palace is subdued, it will finally be our win. We will be able to return to Kanyou in a few weeks after Rinshi is subjugated. Of course there will be a general here with units to oversee things and quell any rebellions that may occur. I want to end this as quickly as possible, especially before it snows."
"...Are you anxious to reunite with the princess?"
Riboku stiffened for a second at Kaine's question, not sure of her intentions behind the her words, especially because of the "incident" two weeks ago. He relaxed as he realized there was no bite and how casually she asked it. Maybe she had truly gotten over him after all? It would be a relief, so that they could go back to the way things use to be and he could feel more comfortable around her.
"Of course."
'It's what I want more than anything...' He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The pang of loneliness from being separated from her had been getting worse with every week that had gone by.
"Speaking of Sakura-hime... I've been attempting to replicate that ointment she made since we left Kanyou and nothing seems to work. I had some of my officers gather the ingredients she told me to get and have been following the direction exactly as she told me to back when she had that injury. I still had the list from then and did everything it said. After I saw how well it worked, making more seemed like a good idea for our men who were injured. It's so frustrating... I've tried countless time! It looks and smells the same, but doesn't work the same."
Riboku thought about it, but he had never seen it made, nor actually knows what it it. Complicated ointments and the art of healing had never been his forte, since he hadn't really tried dabbling in it. Military men knew the basics of bandaging wounds and what worked best with what they had on campaigns, but that was it.
"...And you followed everything on the list and made sure they are the same ingredients that the officers brought?"
"Hai, everything. The first time, she had me get the ingredients and mix it together. The second time, I sat back at watched as she did it herself. I just don't get it... Literally, the only difference was that it was in her hands before it was administered, but I didn't see her add anything or do anything different from when I tried doing it."
The blond reached up and scratched his head, in puzzlement. He couldn't think of any explanation to give her about the ointment. He hadn't been present for either occasion, so maybe he could have seen the difference that she hadn't.
"That's...strange. I'll have to ask her about it. Honestly, I do not have an idea what it could be. I'm sure she can show you whatever she's doing that makes it work so well."
The festival was as lively as Sakura had imagined it being. Although it was chilly outside, it didn't stop all the people from going out to enjoy the celebration. Most people were given off from daily duties, aside from the servants ordered to make food, clean, and decorate for the festival. There were people everywhere, Qin and Zhao alike.
The streets and royal palace were decorated with all sort of colorful ribbons, lanterns, and even the people too. Women were wearing elaborate headpieces and colorful, expensive robes. The men also had dressed up, but weren't as flashy as their female counterparts.
'Seems even with war breaking out all over China and Qin being embroiled in all these campaign, they didn't cut any corners with this festival...'
Sakura looked out from one of the balconies, watching how everyone was enjoying their time. She didn't feel the need to try socializing with the people down there, it was nice just to watch. That and she hated when people questioned if her hair was natural or inquired about the diamond-shaped marking on her forehead. There had been far too many times she heard the same thing over and over again. It was annoying.
Turning from the scene on the ground, she walked down the hall and looked over at what was going on inside the palace.
There was a grand feast being held in the court of the royal palace where King Sei was to address everyone. To be honest, Sakura didn't think she could stomach the feast with everything going on. Eating a bunch of food before she danced wouldn't be a great idea either.
People, mostly officials and military men, stuffed their faces and drank their fill. Some were already drunk, laughing loudly, while others were just enjoying the atmosphere. The room was mostly separated, the Qin and Zhao staying with their own. There was some intermingling, but it seemed awkward. It was inevitable seeing as there were so many people and only so much room. Hopefully, the sake would relax people into talking to each other and not brawling, but knowing the king would be there, it was less likely there would be any fights.
The pinkette sighed, leaning over the railing and watching everyone. It felt so nostalgic... It reminded her of the festivals King Tou Jou use to throw on a whim. The thought filled her with a deep sadness she couldn't explain.
There was no point and dwelling on useless thoughts and unnecessary emotions at this point, she still had a job to do tonight. Turning away from the celebrations, she walked down the hall and towards the room that had been prepared for her.
The room was for her to get ready for her performance and she couldn't have been more grateful. The first time she performed in Kantan, all the princesses were dressed in the same room and it was very uncomfortable.
Just as in Kantan, there were handmaidens who were there to help her. Well...more like she was just had to stand there as they dressed and did her hair. She didn't like the feeling of being tugged around and surrounded by the women doing various things to her.
One brushed her hair, twisting and putting it up to place a fancy headpiece on the top of her head. It had baubles hanging from it and was decorated with jewels. Another was adding coloring to her eyes and lips, after she applied some powder to her face, much to Sakura's annoyance. She told the woman only to do a light dusting and that she didn't want to look like a ghost or a "mogwai", taking the handmaiden off guard and making her chuckle.
The pinkette didn't like the white powder many women put on. Some had so much on their face, it looked caked on. She knew Riboku didn't like it either, he told her it covered up her true beauty. That comment had made her blush, though the only times she ever had it on were during performances and it wasn't exactly willing...
While she was being dressed, the door opened, making Sakura look around to see who it was. No one, aside from the handmaidens, were supposed to come in here.
As she turned around, she saw a woman in an elaborate outfit walking in. The pinkette saw her look in her direction and smiled as she sauntered over to where she was being "dressed up".
The woman was beautiful, with fair skin and dark hair pinned up into an expensive looking ornament. Her robes gave away that she was of high class and social standing, made only of the finest fabrics. She looked to be a few years older than herself and was a bit taller. The handmaidens immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed to her.
'Should I do the same?...'
The princess bowed out of respect, seeing the other women do the same. It was obvious she had to be someone of importance, or at least she better be if she was going to interrupt her getting ready like this.
"Please, Sakura-hime. There is no need to be so formal. After all, I am the one who asked Sei-sama to request you to perform tonight." Her voice was light and feminine and each word was pronounced carefully. Although soft spoken, there was a dignified and confident air about her and the way she talked.
"Hai... Thank you for suggesting me to the king, it was very gracious of you." Sakura didn't really know what else to say to her, aside from thanking her, though she didn't really want to do this.
'So this is the concubine I heard about. The one who gave birth the King Sei's heir. She is DEFINITELY different from the last one I saw when I was at the palace...'
The woman walked up close, closer than the pinkette felt comfortable with. She could smell the perfumed oils on her skin. It smelled good, but her personal space was being invaded. The dark haired concubine walked in a circle, eyeing her up and down.
'Is she appraising me?!' She stopped in front of her again, looking at her face and making Sakura shift uncomfortably.
"You know, you're even more gorgeous up close and in person. I wasn't able to get such a good look at your face from where I was sitting in Kantan, but I'm happy I took the opportunity to come here. When I saw you perform back then, I was hoping I'd get the chance to speak with you, but that didn't happen. It was absolutely spectacular and I couldn't wait to see it again."
The princess was taken aback by the woman's sudden enthusiasm, but glad she wasn't disappointed in what she saw.
"Thank you. Well, it is an honor to be able to entertain you and the king for this festival." She grabbed Sakura's hand with both of her and held it, smiling brightly.
"Hahaha, you are so charming. No, it's an honor to have such an attractive woman performing for me, and a princess at that! I will have to personally thank Sei-sama for such a wonderful gift later." She winked, making the pinkette blush with embarrassment at the meaning behind her words.
"You're even more beautiful when you blush. You seem so innocent..."
Sakura wished she could have blended with the walls and disappeared at that moment. She could feel herself beginning to sweat, not knowing what to say to her.
"It's okay. We're both women and not that far apart in age. It's always good for us to gossip about men and such things. That's what many of us do in the harem. We share stories and compare experiences."
At this point, the princess could feel herself sweating. 'My face is going to end up running, then the handmaiden will complain and have to redo it.'
"I...I, uh..." The concubine smile and laughed again, amused by her reaction.
"It's okay, I'm only teasing you. I figured it would make you feel more comfortable around me if I made "small talk" as they call it. Well, I will let you finish getting prepared for the festival and thank you for accepting the request. Have a good time and enjoy the festivities afterwards. Hopefully we will run into each other and will have more time to talk." She let go of Sakura's hand and headed towards the door, smiling one last time before one of the handmaidens opened it for her and bowed as the woman walked out.
Sakura sighed, glad she finally left. 'She never told me her name... All I know is that she's the concubine who had the crown prince.'
The handmaidens went back to getting her ready and the one who was doing her face huffed, seeing that she had sweat off some of her work.
"My apologies, I didn't intend for that to happen."
The woman working on her costume looked up at her. "You know, Sakura-sama, it is very rare that we see our lady compliment anyone, except for Our Highness. Our lady coming to speak to you personally is also a surprise, you must have made a good impression on her before. You should be grateful for such an opportunity."
'Heh, grateful...yeah right. I could care less... Besides, if I had it my way, I would still be at the manor.'
Sakura took in a deep breath as she comes out with the other dancers in front of all the people who were waiting for their performance. It had been so long since she last did this... After doing it so many times in Kantan, it was the first time in a while her nerves were on edge when dancing.
'This is nothing... I've done it a million times... I've practiced a million times just for this festival. Clear my mind of everything, but the beat. Nothing matters, but the beat and the rhythm...'
The women on both sides of her are wearing beautiful costumes, but they are all the same color. It was arranged that way to bring attention to her, "the centerpiece" and main attraction.
She cleared her head of everyone and everything, only the sound of the music played by the musicians remained. Taking the lead, she began the performance, like she had done countless times before. Sashaying across the floor, she twirled her and swayed, letting the silky robes billow around her form. The colorful ribbons around her spun as she moved the decorated, long sleeves of the costume in sync with her body.
The steps were perfect, the rhythm was perfect...but she felt empty. Instead of feeling powerful from all the attention and admiration she was receiving, like most would, there was an unexplainable numbness in its stead.
'Why am I doing this?... Why am I here?'
Trying to clear her mind of the unwanted thoughts, the princess tried to focus on the music. Thinking of anything else would break her trance-like state and could make her mess up.
'I need to focus! I can't humiliate myself in front of all the people here. Anyone who is anyone is present and if I mess this up, it will disgrace...'
One person came to mind, that she had tried pushing away this whole time.
'Riboku...'
A lump formed in her throat and she almost faltered, missing a step. Catching herself, she twisted her midsection to make it look like a dip backwards, twirling the ribbons and sleeves to cover the face she made at her screw up.
The 'oh's and 'ah's from the crowd told her that they were impressed with her moves, thinking her balance was impeccable, compared to the reality that she almost fell backwards. All that could be done was to keep dancing to entertain these people, until they had their fill.
When the music finally ended none too sooner, she bowed with the other dancers as the people clapped loudly, making her blush.
'That could have gone so much worse...'
Heading towards the room designated for her to use before and after the performance, the pain in her heart was consuming her. Despite all the people who applauded and the king who addressed her, she felt so alone.
The handmaidens came to help her undress, but she told them their help was unnecessary for taking it off. The hard part was putting the costume and ornaments on, but she was a pro when it came to throwing it off. At that point, the performance was over and it didn't matter if everything was in place or looked good.
Opening the the door to the now, dimly-lit room, the princess could feel unshed tears threatening to escape as she thought about the people she wanted to see the most, who were out at war.
She missed Riboku so much that it hurt. Him leaving had left a gaping hole in her heart that she hadn't realized was even there at first. As the days turned to weeks, feelings she hadn't known began to surface, despite her attempts to quell them by keeping busy.
Even Kaine and Futei were missed by her. Their presence had grown on the pinkette and they were the closest thing to 'friends' that she had. Kaine was the only other woman she felt she could talk to most of the time. Futei was like a mixed matched puzzle that she didn't even want to try figuring out. They made her laugh with the way they interacted with each other and were loyal to Riboku.
Thinking about all of them made it harder not to cry as she started taking off the headpiece in her hair and let the pink locks fall freely.
'They will be back soon... The first snow should be soon and Riboku told me they would be back before then. Nothing is ever certain when it comes to war though, he said that before as well...'
Taking off the expensive robes, it felt nice to finally be able to breathe. It was stuffy having all those layers on, but it was so enjoyable when they were finally off and she was in the thin one beneath it all. It felt so cool against her skin after being hot in that costume. Sighing, she couldn't wait to just go back to the manor and fall asleep.
Taking a step forward, something large slammed her against the wall, knocking the air out of her lungs. The back of her head hit against the hard surface as the person attacking effectively pinned her, leaving no room to move.
'What?...'
Confused and dizzy from hitting the back of her head, she tried her best to kick and punch the person who grabbed her. A large hand grabbed her wrists in a bruising grip. The pinkette tried to scream, but the other hand covered her mouth. The assailants thick fingers put pressure into their hold, digging into her jaw and making her flail and cry out against their palm.
"Shut up and stop struggling."
Sakura stilled, tears forming in her eyes as soon as the voice reached her ears. Kanki...With renewed vigor she tried pushing him off and struggling against his tight hold.
'He's going to break my wrist or jaw!'
He pulled back, only to push her harder up against the wall and knocking the air out of her again. Using his knee, he pushed her shaky legs apart to settle in between them and raise her up, off of her feet. The only thing holding her up is his hips against hers.
Dark black hair brushed against her face, as he tried to situate himself against her. Trying to struggle against the tight hold, Sakura racked her brain for a plan on how to escape. As soon as the grip on her jaw loosened, she tried to scream again only for him to silence her with his mouth as he pushed his chapped lips roughly against hers.
'Someone please help me! I can't overpower him!' The bandit grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them to the wall on either side of her head. There was going to be deep bruising on her wrists from him.
'It hurts...'
Kanki closes and space between their bodies and grinds up against her core, making her feel the erection in his pants through the flimsy, thin robe she had been wearing under her costume.
Sakura cried in to his mouth, trying to buck him off. A few stray tears she had tried to hold back fell, making her feel even more anguish at letting this scum see her cry.
'Please, kami-sama! Help! Someone help!'
The dark haired man leans back, switching her wrist over to the other hand so it gripped both of her much smaller hands together. Placing his now free one back over her mouth, he pushes her hard against the wall as she struggled against him. His pitch-black eyes meet with glossy green as they narrowed, full of lust and frustration. The look on his face is nothing less than menacing as he leans closer to her, growling out.
"If I were you, I'd stop strugglin'. It won't hurt if you stop trying to fight me. Besides, the more you fight, the more it turns me on." He grins as she stills against him. No doubt he could feel her heart racing with fear and disgust.
"Shhh... Just relax and I'll make you feel good."
Moving his hand away, he crashes his mouth against hers again, attempting to kiss her. Sakura purses her lips tightly together as she feels his tongue slid over them, demanding entry. Just the thought of his disgusting tongue being in her mouth is almost enough to make her get sick.
A large hand reached up into her hair, fisting a handful before tugging it back hard, making her cry out in pain. The bandit boss took the opportunity to shove his tongue in her mouth. With her hair and head tilted back in the hold, it was hard to look at anything besides him.
'Bite his tongue off...' As soon he felt her teeth move even slightly, he gripped her wrists and hair even harder, forcing her to cry out against him again. Tears streamed down her face from the pain and humiliation.
'I'm so weak. He has me completely at his mercy... What can I do?! Will he kill me after he's done using me?'
As the general ground himself against her, enjoying the control and dominance he had over the pinkette. He let go of her hair, making the woman feel light headed from the pressure being released on her head.
A hand ran up the side of her body, feeling all the curves concealed by the thin fabric covering her from his view. It continued until reaching the curve of her breast, before slipping into the folds of her robe.
Sakura's eyes widened as she renewed her efforts to free her hands from the iron grip that held them in place. His calloused fingers glided across her chest, before cupping her breast fully. The beast groaned into her mouth as he kneaded the soft flesh, circling her nipple with his thumb.
The princess cried, angry and repulsed as he fondled her. Did he think she would enjoy this? Was he trying to get a different kind of response out of her, aside from resistance?
Trying to buck him off, he shifted his body to open her legs wider as he released her breast and put reached his hand down beneath the bottom of her robe. The dark haired man slipped his hand into the fabric covering her most intimate place, his groans increasing as he did so. Thick fingers felt along her slit, rubbing in circular motion, trying to elicit a positive response to his ministrations.
'No! Not like this! Not him!' As her mind raced, the image of the man who tried protecting her from this before had made it's way to the surface. Riboku... If only she known something like this was going to happen, she would have let that man have her first. If anyone was going to touch her in this way, it would be him, not the beast above her...
She hated him. She hated this bandit with all her heart and everything he stood for. The pinkette could feel it surging through her veins, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As soon as Kanki released her lips to take in some air, she head butted him in the nose as hard as she could. Immediately, he dropped her as his eyes watered from the pain and it blurred his vision.
'This is my only chance.'
"You filthy bastard!"
As the man took as step back, Sakura cocked her fist back and swung with everything she had in her. All the hate, humiliation, pain... All of it packed in one punch as her fist hit him square in the face, sending him flying into the table behind him and crashing into the bronze mirror and array of ceramics adorning the surface.
The table gave way as he hit it and broke down the middle, causing him to fall backwards, onto the floor. His dark eyes widened as blood ran down his face, unable to comprehend how such a small woman could have such strength.
The general quickly got to his feet, still in shock as he looked at the pinkette, whose green eyes darkened with pure rage and hate. Wiping some of the blood away with his sleeve, he couldn't help but feel a strange sensation of amusement and...discontent?
"How surprising...it felt like I got hit by a grown man. Who knew you had it in ya, little hime?" He grinned maniacally as he wiped another trail of blood running down his chin.
The door slammed open as a few of the handmaidens rushed in. "Sakura-sama is everything okay? What's all the commotion?" Seeing the mess from the broken table and ceramics, then the large man walking towards the princess with blood running down his face, the women started screaming at the top of their lungs.
Kanki's widened in anger at the intrusion. "Get the fuck out!" Reaching out to grab the princess, she dropped down, scurrying under a table beside her, so she could escape through the door the screaming women came through.
"No the fuck you don't!" He grabbed her foot, ready to pull her back from under the table before she could make a run for it.
"Piss off!" Grabbing onto the table leg to stop him from yanking her out, she pulled her free leg back and smashed it right into his face. He didn't let go until she kicked him two more times, the blood from his nose and mouth covering the heel of her bare foot. Falling backwards, he covered his face with his hand and Sakura crawled from the other side of the table and jumped to her feet. Without a second thought, she raced passed the frantic women and out of the room.
Clutching the folds of her robe tightly closed, she ran down the corridor until reaching the Zhao guards that escorted her there and were to take her back to the manor. The men look startled at her under-dressed and disheveled appearance.
"Sakura-sama, what happen-"
"We have to leave. Right now!"
The group left the palace as quickly as possible wasting no time. On the way back to the manor, the guards kept questioning her about what happened. The only response she gave was a shake of the head, letting them know she wasn't going to say anything. To be honest, she couldn't say anything, afraid of letting her emotions spill out before she was away from everyone.
As they reached the compound and finally to their destination, the princess dashed through the entrance, keeping her head down out of shame. Walking passed the elite guards, she ordered them to be on high alert of anyone or anything suspicious.
"What happened, milady?"
She could barely muster the courage to give the order, let alone tell anyone what had taken place in the palace.
"I'll explain later. Right now, I need to get cleaned up. Please excuse my abruptness."
The guards bowed as she walked passed the and quickly headed towards the chambers she shared with Riboku.
As soon as she closed the door and was finally alone, the pinkette dropped to her knees, trembling. Tears ran down her face in humiliation, going over the horrible turn the night had taken.
Kanki...
The man she hated most in this world had violated her...had touched her in places that no one else ever has. Not even Riboku had put his hands there before.
She felt dirty, disgusted she had let such a thing happen and couldn't stop it before it even started. Had she not found that opening when he leaned back, Riboku would be coming home to a defiled woman. Would he still want her? What would he do if he found out?
Going over the events of the night, she thought she would get sick.
'Weak, useless, powerless...'
Gritting her teeth, she looked up at the brass mirror on the wall. There were already bruises along her jaw, her pink was a mess and the cosmetics the handmaidens had carefully applied had run down with the numerous tears that had been shed.
Anger coursed through as she cursed, picking us a ceramic vase and hurling it at the mirror. The vase shattered, the pieces flying in every direction.
She hated Kanki, she hated her weakness, she hated herself.
In anger she pounded her fists against the floor, cursing everything. She didn't even realize the blood from her knuckles smearing on the surface as she kept punching.
'Never again...never again will I let someone hurt me. I'll never let something like this happen again. They can't protect me... Riboku can't... I'll never be safe like this. I can't just depend on them to always help me out.'
A knock on the door made her jump, she had been so absorbed into her thought and rage.
"Hime-sama, I heard some commotion coming from this room, are you okay? Do you need any assistance?" It was Karu, the man in charge of the guards. Hearing his voice, an idea popped into her head...
"J-just a minute." Quickly getting to her feet, the pinkette ran to the chest to throw on a spare robe, so she didn't look anymore indecent than she already had. She smoothed her hair down the best she could and wiped her tears and cosmetics that had been running and smeared.
She swung the door open, startling the man with the serious expression on her face.
"I have something I would like you to help me with..."
