Love You Today, Tomorrow, & Always
8
Aika walked briskly down the hallway, unable to believe what her daughter was capable of doing it. Less than an hour ago the party Saeko had arranged for Natsuki was in full swing but now the castle had cleared of guests as she made her way to the lower parts of the castle which had been closed off long time ago.
Natsuki looked up, her cheeks stained with tears as she saw her grandmother approach them. Saeko rolled her eyes at the sight of her mother and flinched when Aika pulled her roughly by the arm away from Natsuki.
"What is your problem?" Saeko tried to pull away but her mother's grip was firm, "Let go of me!" Aika released Saeko's arm once they were on the other side of the hall.
"What the hell are you doing, Saeko?" Aika asked through gritted teeth, "What makes you think you can keep that girl here in the dungeon? Don't you realize who she is and how much power her family holds in Windbloom? If we want to keep a good diplomatic relationship with Windbloom you must stop this madness right now."
"I don't care about diplomatic relationships right now, I just care about my daughter and her well-being." Saeko retorted as she glanced at Natsuki who was standing across from a door that was flanked by two guards. The shadows from the torches that lit the halls danced silently as Saeko turned her gaze back to Aika, "That girl entered the island illegally and infiltrated my party to try to take Natsuki away from her home. That is something that I will not allow."
Aika's eyes narrowed, "You don't care about her well-being, you only care about your image. This whole party was against Natsuki's will and what you are doing right now I will not tolerate. Her parents will find out and we will be in over our heads. You will be lucky if they do not file charges against you."
"I can legally hold her overnight until tomorrow when I will have her deported," Saeko said, having already made sure she was still withing legal grounds, "If her parents want to wage a war against me, they will have it. But I will not allow that girl to take my Natsuki away."
Saeko turned and walked to Natsuki, "Let's go Natsuki, you do not belong here." Natsuki pulled away as Saeko tried to grab her arm, "I dare you to take me away." Anger flared in her eyes as she saw her mother shrug, "As you wish Natsuki, but that door will not open until tomorrow when she will be sent out of the island and you will never seen her again."
The departing footsteps echoed in the silent hall before the loud pound of Natsuki's fists against the metal door filled the emptiness that was left behind.
Shizuru choked back a sob as she ran her hand down the cool metal that seemed to burn her skin, "Natsuki, please don't hurt yourself," She begged, knowing how desperate Natsuki must feel, "Everything will be okay."
The voice was barely above a whisper, muffled by the heavy door, but Natsuki heard it. She moved to be as close as the guards would let her to the door, "I'm so sorry, Shizuru."
"We will find a way," Shizuru replied through the door, "For our child."
Natsuki could not hold back her tears as she crawled back against the wall across from Shizuru's cell, wrapping her arms around herself.
The anger coming from Saeko was almost tangible as she called a couple of guards that were patrolling the garden, "Guards! Take this woman away from my daughter!"
Natsuki placed herself between her mother's guards and Shizuru, her hands suddenly becoming covered with a light frost as she waited for the guards to attack them.
Shizuru felt the fire within her stir, wanting nothing more than to burn the men alive, not wanting to be separated from Natsuki but she knew it would only make the situation worse. Her mind was racing as it was, trying to fully grasp the news that Natsuki had given her, and although she was filled with joy, she also feared for the uncertainty of their situation.
Feeling a warm hand on her own, Natsuki turned in shock to see Shizuru's ruby eyes, "Shizuru, what are you doing?" Shizuru smiled sadly before stepping forward, "It's okay, Natsuki."
Natsuki felt her heart drop as Shizuru allowed the men to escort her without resisting. Saeko smiled triumphantly as she directed them to take her around the castle as to not alert the guests before she went to dismiss them, knowing that Natsuki would not be cooperative any longer.
Natsuki had followed them and had not left the outside of Shizuru's cell and when her mother came down after dismissing her guests, Natsuki had tried to change her mother's mind to no avail.
"Mom, please don't do this." Shizuru heard outside the metal door and could hear the way Natsuki could hardly speak through the tears, "Shizuru did nothing wrong. You can't keep her here."
A strong humid smell filled the cell which had not been used in what seemed decades if the spider webs and rusty metal bars on the small window where anything to go by. Shizuru took in her surroundings carefully as she listened to the two women outside.
"She got you pregnant, Natsuki!" Saeko yelled, knowing her guards were sworn to secrecy, "I will keep her here until I am able to have her taken back to Windbloom and she will not get anywhere near you again." Saeko saw as Natsuki's tears flowed freely, but no matter how hard it was to see her own child cry, she knew she was doing the right thing.
Aika remained silent as she watched Natsuki crying quietly from her spot a few feet away.
It was odd, Aika realized, but she felt as if she was taken back twenty three years and she was watching a seventeen year old Saeko crying on the ground, unable to control herself after hearing the news of her sister, Aika's older daughter.
Aika knew that it was that event that had completely changed Saeko, and even though it had been hard on the entire family, mostly herself since she had lost her daughter, she knew that Saeko had been traumatized and had not recovered, no matter how many years had passed.
It was heartbreaking now to see that Saeko was inflicting similar pain on her own daughter in an attempt to protect her, not realizing that it was Saeko whom Natsuki needed protecting from.
"I'm sorry." Aika whispered softly as she walked to Natsuki and laid a hand on her shoulder, "I am so sorry." Natsuki nodded weakly as her grandmother left, not really blaming her. She knew that her grandmother had her hands tied in this situation.
A few hours passed and the moon's light was shining brightly through Shizuru's window, she was feeling tired and could hear Natsuki's occasional sob, and as much as it pained her, she could not do anything until the morning when Saeko returned. She tried to think of ways to get Natsuki and herself out safely but from inside the cell, it seemed impossible.
"Shh...Shizuru!" Shizuru's eyes snapped open as she moved over to the window and saw Haruka smiling up at her, "Are you okay?"
"Haruka-chan!" Shizuru exclaimed as softly as she could, trying to quiet the relief she felt at seeing her friend so the guards wouldn't hear. "I thought they had taken you in as well, what happened?"
Haruka steadied herself in the rocks she had summoned with her earth mastery to keep her in place beside the dungeon that sat on the edge of the castle. The dungeons were placed strategically on the side where any one who attempted to break out would fall to their deaths on the waters at the bottom.
"When I saw you leave with Natsuki, I followed and kept a close watch from inside. I saw when the guards took you but I knew I'd be of more help to you from the outside than sitting beside you in a cell." Haruka replied as she looked in to the cell, "Where's your girl?"
"She's on the other side of the door. "Shizuru replied, "I'm glad you weren't caught as well Haruka-chan, but how will we be able to get out?" Shizuru asked, not sure Haruka would be able to break through the wall without alerting the guards.
Before Haruka could say anything, the metal door swung open. Shizuru turned quickly, unsure of what was going on and couldn't help but smile and feel great relief when Natsuki ran into her arms. Shizuru hugged Natsuki and looked up to see the Queen of the Island of Kruger, Aika, standing with the two guards at her feet as they appeared to be sleeping.
"We have to get you out of here." Aika stated as she entered the cell. Seconds later, the wall began to crumble as Haruka destroyed it and made a hole big enough for the two to escape.
Aika walked towards Shizuru, stopping a few feet from her. She saw how the girl's eyes had puffed up from crying, yet there was a look of determination in her eyes, and Aika knew she was making the right choice. "I am entrusting you with my granddaughter," Aika glanced at Natsuki, "Go down to the beach behind the castle and an old friend of mine will be waiting for you. He will take you to Windbloom where Saeko will be unable to do anything without taking action against Windbloom and for that to happen she would have to go through the council of Kruger first because even though Natsuki is her daughter, the child she carries is yours too, Shizuru."
Shizuru nodded and smiled fondly towards the bluenette.
"Are your parents supporting of your relationship with my Natsuki?" Aika asked, hoping that Shizuru's parents were nothing like Saeko. "Of course," Shizuru said, grabbing Natsuki's hand in her own, "They have always been supportive and they love Natsuki. If we can make it back to Windbloom, I am sure they will help us in whatever manner they can."
"Good," Aika followed the two to the exit that Haruka had made, "By the time Saeko can get anything through the council, I hope she will have changed her mind and realize that she is not being reasonable, or that we find another way to make sure she can't force you to marry anybody you don't want, Natsuki."
Natsuki hugged her grandmother, "Thank you so much, grandma."
"I just want you to be happy." Aika hugged her granddaughter back before hugging Shizuru, "Take care of her. I will do everything I can here to ensure you two and your child are happy."
Aika watched as the girls disappeared into the night, her heart anxious as she nervously made her way back to the upper levels of the castle.
Down at the docks, just like Aika had said, was a dim light on a boat that rocked lightly against the waves. The three neared the boat and Haruka and Shizuru immediately recognized the old man who had helped them make it into the island. The old man also recognized them.
"Its you girls again! I had a feeling I'd be seeing you again." He said with a smile as he helped them board his boat.
Natsuki sat next to Shizuru, snuggling into her girlfriend's warmth as Haruka sat across from them. The boat started and began to sail away from the shore, on its way to Windbloom.
Shizuru took a deep breath as she wrapped her arm around Natsuki and laid a kiss on the bluenette's forehead. Natsuki watched as the castle disappeared in the distance and soon, the sound of the lapping waves lulled her to sleep.
