Marksman
A war has left a nation torn and its remaining heirs escaping with their lives. Little did the Admiral know that by taking them in, it would alter the life of his daughter drastically, especially when her curiosity draws her closer to the budding marksman. One night, after receiving news of her abduction, the ranger departed on an arduous journey, vowing to bring her home safely.
Previously:
Takeda clenched his fist in anger, inhaling quickly to calm himself down. He had more pressing matters to attend to. Since Shizuru was as good as being served on a platter to the Arixians, all he had left to do was to find a way to stop Natsuki from heading off with her.
A/N: Hey guys! Uhm, so this is going to be my first M scene. And a note of warning, the M is for adult scenes. As for reviewers who asked for my other fics to be updated, like Terrestrial or YTT, my plan was actually to finish this off first. So, I do apologize for the delay in updates, but I've been up to my ears in work recently.
In any case, please enjoy. :)
Chapter 10
Italics – Thoughts
"Natsuki?" Shizuru called, gently pushing the door open with one hand, balancing a tray in the other.
There was no response and Shizuru made her way into the study, only to find the younger woman snoozing, her head propped up with one hand. Shizuru smiled and moved to place the tea tray on the desk. Her eyes moved to the documents on the table – multiple sketches and schematics – all doodled upon with random scrawls and scratches of new ideas or improvements.
One piece caught Shizuru's eye. It was different from the rest; it was laced with neither measurements nor scrawls. Instead, this was a sketch of her. And it lay right below Natsuki's arm. Shizuru shifted behind Natsuki to take a better peek at the drawing, quite surprised at the details in the sketch. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and pecked her girlfriend on the cheek in quiet appreciation.
Natsuki stirred, cracking open one eye to reveal her emeralds. She turned behind to realize Shizuru was behind her and ended up trying to cover the drawing in a rather failed, feeble attempt of plopping her body on top of it. One more glance behind and she knew she was beat when she saw the twinkle in Shizuru's rubies. "Ah, Shizuru. You shouldn't sneak up on me. It was gonna be for my own collection," she lamented, twiddling with her thumbs.
"Ara, and here I thought Natsuki only collects underwear," Shizuru teased, but wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck reassuringly, placating Natsuki's grumbles of dissent. She pushed back Natsuki's midnight mane, nuzzling her neck gently. "You smell good," she purred contentedly. The younger woman chuckled at her remark, but visibly relaxed into her touch. Shizuru traced her fingers from Natsuki's neck, to her shoulders and started to massage them.
"Mhmm, that feels good, 'Zuru," she murmured, "Is that your way of apologizing for that quip on my collections?"
"Maybe, Natsuki, maybe," Shizuru replied calmly but her fingers had deftly maneuvered its way to Natsuki's waist, underneath the white cotton shirt.
Natsuki sucked in a quick breath when Shizuru ran her fingers lightly over her left waist. "Here, Shizuru?" she asked, widening her eyes. "I…"
The brunette cut her off with a kiss, deepening it as their mutual excitement grew with each breath. The younger female tried to contain the involuntary tremble as she felt Shizuru's hand inch up against her waist, and decided almost immediately to throw caution to the wind.
She reciprocated, wrapping her arms around and pulled Shizuru closer, nibbling and kissing her slender neck; smiling as she felt the goose bumps rising on her partner's soft skin. With a gentle push, she directed the brunette over to the daybed, intentionally brushing Shizuru's inner thighs as she was on top of her.
The princess knew a tease when she felt one and, with a smirk, scooted away and pinned the girl down onto the seat instead. "Ara, my Natsuki is getting bolder, it seems," she murmured, straddling Natsuki's hips and sealed any protest with another kiss from above. Shizuru angled herself and moved her hips slightly, smiling the reaction she got from Natsuki.
Shizuru tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear, before leaning in to plant small kisses down Natsuki's neck. The dark haired girl was enjoying Shizuru's weight on top of her and with each gentle brush, felt her arousal growing stronger. Her arms made their way up Shizuru's back, undoing the buttons, causing the long dress to slip down Shizuru's slender shoulders.
The Princess felt her shoulders exposed and started to nibble gently on her partner's neck in return. "Ara, it isn't fair if I'm naked and Natsuki is still fully dressed, am I right?" she whispered into her lover's ear. Natsuki mumbled, but shifted to allow her access. Shizuru moved expertly and Natsuki's shirt was soon lying in a crumpled pile next to the daybed. Shizuru bent over again, planting kisses from Natsuki's collarbone down before licking her lover's nipple.
Natsuki tossed her head backwards, inhaling deeply from the tease as Shizuru moved onto the other. As Shizuru continued, she bit her lip to keep herself from making a sound, grabbing a handful of the bedsheet. Shizuru paused, only to cause Natsuki to groan in frustration.
Shizuru pouted, "Natsuki ought to allow me to indulge in some of those delightful sounds."Her partner tossed her head back in desperation, not wanting the pleasure to stop, agreed with a quick nod.
Shizuru smiled at her consent, she lavished attention on her lover's breast, before proceeding to move down the contours of her body, kissing downward toward her stomach. She paused at the bottom, gently parting her lover's lips. Natsuki felt an intense pleasure wash over her as Shizuru ran her tongue over her most sensitive spot. It was slow, but steady and Natsuki didn't bother to contain the low moan as she was barely grasping onto the edge. She felt Shizuru move near to her entrance, pressing a finger against her opening, while wrapping her free hand around her waist.
Teasing, she knew, as Shizuru slipped a digit in, pushing it in slightly, but moved outward again. She threw her head backward on the pillow, arching her back slightly as Shizuru continued licking, gently flicking her tongue over the bump. She moved in and out, just deep enough to keep Natsuki's body asking for more – in the form of gasps and moans.
Content with her tease and the desirable sounds that she was hearing, Shizuru gradually increased her speed, pushing in deeper and harder. "Shiz..uru," Natsuki panted, feeling the apex of orgasm hitting her as Shizuru continued her rhythm. Her hips buckled as Shizuru continued to run her tongue along the sensitive bulb, but Shizuru maintained her firm hold on her waist, satisfied to draw out this orgasm as long as she could.
Feeling that there was enough slickness at her lover's entrance, she pushed in another digit, causing Natsuki to groan loudly, her body instinctively positioning herself. "Nhhh..!" Natsuki cried as she felt yet another wave of pleasure course through her body. Finally satisfied, Shizuru slowly brought her down from her peak.
Shizuru nuzzled her girlfriend, who was still slightly dazed, planting kisses along her collarbone. "'Zuru," she murmured, inhaling deeply to catch her breath. Shizuru lay down beside her, ready to cuddle up to her and rest for the night.
Instead, Natsuki adeptly slipped away from her, pinning her down on the bed.
"Ara?" Shizuru was surprised.
Natsuki smirked, "Don't think that you're gonna get away with teasing, Shizuru."
"Oh, and what is my Natsuki going to do to me, then?" Shizuru chuckled, her rubies sparkling, feeling her arousal spike another level with the now-dominant Natsuki.
XXX
It was late at night, after both collapsed in bed, exhausted.
As they faced one another, Natsuki suddenly asked, "Are you nervous, Shizuru?"
"Hmm?" Shizuru faced her beloved, only to stare straight into concerned viridians.
"About leaving tomorrow.." Natsuki trailed off.
Shizuru smiled, pressing a finger against Natsuki's nose, "I will be fine as long as my Natsuki is with me."
Natsuki chortled, "Ever the charmer, Shizuru."
The tawny-haired princess sent her a knowing smile, cuddling up to her under the sheets.
Natsuki stifled a small yawn, wrapping an arm around Shizuru and closed her eyes in contentment as sleep beckoned.
XXX
"Natsuki!" someone hollered from the hallway, "Natsuki! Where the fuck are you!"
The girl in question sat upright, blinking the sleep away. "Wha?" She glanced at the candle beside their bed – there was barely any wax left – signaling that they had dozed off for a couple of hours. It was in the middle of the night. "Damnit!" she cursed, flopping back in bed.
Shizuru had sat up as well and the holler came again. She shook her head with a worried look on her face, "Natsuki, maybe you should see what Nao wants."
"But," Natsuki protested, "It's late! And we wouldn't be sleeping on a bed for a long time once we depart tomorrow!"
"Nao sounds anxious to find you," Shizuru coaxed, sensing the urgency in Nao's yells. "Maybe it's something important." Shizuru murmured, gently stroking her girlfriend's dark blue mane.
Natsuki sighed, but relented, "Alright," she muttered, unwillingly tearing herself away from Shizuru's gentle touch. "Give me a sec, Nao!" she yelled back, throwing on her shirt and haphazardly stuffing them into her pants. She planted a peck on Shizuru's forehead, "Be right back 'Zuru."
Outside the room
"What is it, Nao?" Natsuki grumbled as she shut the door softly behind her.
"It's Mai, Natsuki! Her place is in flames!"
"What!" a startled Natsuki exclaimed, "Is she alright?"
"The guards are trying their best to fight the flames, but I don't know, Natsuki. It looks massive. We need all the help we can get. Where's Shizuru?"
"Right here, Nao," Shizuru responded, quietly closing the door behind her. She had overhead the conversation and her instincts were taking charge, "Natsuki, down by the stables with the Raptors, we usually have tanks of water to keep them cool. Could you and Duran fetch them over? Nao, could you please help Natsuki to get Alyssa? We need as much water as we can. And fast."
The redhead nodded wordlessly, without an argument for once. Shizuru squeezed Natsuki's hand, "I'll make my way over first, I'll see you there, alright?" She leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, before both hurried off.
XXX
Mai's Place
Shizuru grimaced as she watched the inferno's tendrils lash out, causing the line of guards and Raptors to back up again. When she arrived at the scene, the Captain had reported that neighbors witnessed the tavern owner was preparing to close up for the night as usual. She spotted the Captain jogging back from the front of the building and asked, "Captain, has the fire at the front of the building been extinguished? Did you manage to find any one?"
"Princess Viola, the fire at the front of the building has been taken care of as per your instruction. But, there was no sign of anybody..."
"Ara." Shizuru bit her lip. She had to remain calm now, "Please focus all efforts on this side now. The Krugers will be bringing extra water to supply our Raptors, so keep up the water spraying."
"Of course, my Lady," he bowed slightly and ran off to execute his commands.
The brunette turned at the faint sound of wings, glancing upward toward the midnight sky. In the distance, she spotted a fast approaching Duran and Artemis, their wings flapping majestically; their light fur a stark contrast to the deep sky. The redhead was riding behind Alyssa, frantically waving her hands and pointing at the tank both Wolcons were ferrying.
Shizuru gestured for them to land, just a distance away from the burning building, lest their wings fan the flames. The large tank clunked against the ground and Shizuru's commands were swift and precise; directing her men to use the water reserves and focusing on certain areas of the pyre.
"Did they find Mai?" Natsuki asked worriedly.
Shizuru shook her head sadly.
A loud explosion sent a piece of debris flying through the air, startling everyone on site. Shizuru turned to Natsuki immediately, "I think we will need more to fight this fire. Could Natsuki and Alyssa head back to bring another tank of water?"
"But.. I.. Mai's.."
"Natsuki, that's probably the best way," Nao interjected, "They need more water if they're gonna win this."
Natsuki looked at Alyssa, who merely replied, "Artemis wouldn't be able to carry much himself."
The girl paused for a second, grunted, before hopping on Duran. "I'll be right back, 'Zuru."
As Shizuru watched the fast disappearing Wolcons, she sighed in relief internally. She knew Natsuki was almost on the verge of entering the burning building herself to try and search for Mai. But Shizuru wouldn't have it. She could't have Natsuki in harm's way.
Pulling herself up on Kiyohime, she directed the large reptile to the water tank. The amphibian quickly swallowed gulps of water as Shizuru addressed the Captain, "I am heading inside to search for the owner of the Tavern."
"No, Princess, I cannot allow you to do that! It's too dangerous! The entire Vitilus would be after my head if anything were to happen to you!"
Shizuru eyed him squarely in the eye, "Would you defy a direct order, Captain? I need to do this and the faster I get in, the higher the chances are of getting out."
"I.." He glanced away, avoiding her gaze but shook his head.
"Many thanks, Captain." she replied calmly, "Would you clear a path for me, please?"
XXX
Natsuki leapt off Duran before he even touched the ground, striding over to the Captain. "Where's Shizuru?" she demanded. She had scanned the ground as they neared, realizing that Shizuru was no longer amongst the crowd surrounding the flames.
He stammered something incomprehensible and she frowned, "Did she head inside?"
He nodded and she growled, peeved. Cursing, she storming back to her steed and started digging through the saddle pouch. By then, Nao and Alyssa had arrived. They took one look at Natsuki's face and they knew something had happened. The missing Shizuru was another big hint. It didn't take much for them to put two and two together.
"Natsuki.." Nao started as Natsuki threw her thick cloak over her shoulders. Emerald eyes looked up at her briefly, but continued to attach a roll of long, thick rope around her belt. A large arrowhead in the shape of a grappling hook was next, followed by a few other tools before she patted Duran and walked off.
Nao followed, but was stopped by a tug. "You should let Natsuki do what she needs to."
"But Alyssa, that's crazy! It's crazy to go in!"
"You can't stop her when she's like this, Nao. Let's try to get control of the fire, they'll need as much help as they can from us out here."
"You're letting her go?" Nao asked incredulously, widening her eyes.
Alyssa shrugged and jogged off.
XXX
Somewhere amidst the crumbling building
No sign of Mai.
Not in the kitchen, not in the storeroom and not in the main dining area.
Where on earth could she be? Shizuru thought frantically as the heat was beginning to blur her vision. She ran her hand over Kiyohime's snout quickly – her skin was starting to dry slightly, removing the layer that kept her cool in the heat.
"We have to head upstairs, girl," She told the reptile as she moved carefully up the stairs, "Be careful, it might be..!" Kiyohime instinctively leapt into her as the stair crashed down. The reptile quickly picked her up with her teeth, bumping into her apologetically, "It's alright girl, but I guess that seals off any other exit by the stairs."
She tried the first door – it was unlocked, but there wasn't anyone inside. The second was the same.
At the third door, she noticed that the handle was warm. "Kiyohime," she called and the lizard caught her cue, automatically positioning herself. "I'm opening it," she said, quickly turning the knob. They were greeted with a woosh of heat – the flames from below had eaten through some of the wooden floors. "Mai?!" Shizuru called, choking from the smoke. "Mai!"
There was no answer and she shook her head at Kiyohime, closing the door behind her as they went back into the hallway. There were just two more rooms left. Please be in there, Shizuru prayed.
She tried the doorknob. It was locked. And it was hot to the touch. She hurried over to the last door and tried the knob. It was locked as well, but luckily not hot. "Here, Kiyohime!"
The reptile trooped over at once, using her claws to tear a large hole through the door. "Mai!" Shizuru exclaimed when she spotted the girl sleeping on the bed through the crack. "Again, Kiyohime!"
It took another well-placed swipe to create a decent-sized opening. Shizuru quickly scurried in, shaking Mai's shoulder. She could feel an intense heat coming from the wall behind her, from the previous room. They had little time left. "Mai! Wake up!" The girl stirred, mumbling under her breath.
Shizuru didn't have time to waste. She ran over to the window, but it was stuck. She glanced around the room, swiftly picking up and chair and threw it against the window pane, sending the glass shards flying out the window. "Over here!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.
XXX
Outside
Natsuki looked up immediately when she heard Shizuru's voice. A hand was waving out through a broken window.
"You! Get ten more Raptors to concentrate on the fire control here," she barked at the nearest soldier next to her. "I need the structural walls up and standing as long as they can." She felt a brief tap on her shoulder and she turned to find Alyssa.
"I got it, Sis. Take Artemis. I'll cover you. Nao's already rounding up the men from the back of the tavern."
Natsuki sent a grateful look to her sister, "Thanks Ally." She whistled and the two Wolcons ran over. She hopped on Artemis' saddle. "Duran, stay till I give you the word. Let's go, Artemis."
The Wolcon took to the skies and with additional cover from Alyssa and Nao controlling the spread of the fire, Artemis hovered above the burning building. Natsuki gauged the height from above, any nearer would be too risky. She pulled out an arrow, fastening one end of the rope to the arrow and the other end wrapped around her arm. A quick scan of the building and she took aim for a ledge.
She jumped off Alyssa's Wolcon the second her arrow struck, gritting her teeth hard and bracing herself from the height of the jump. She slid down a few shingles, but hastily grabbed onto the rope to maintain her balance.
A loud explosion rattled the building, causing her to almost lose her balance and topple off.
XXX
Inside
Shizuru had spotted her blue-haired girlfriend outside the building. She waved for her attention, before moving back into the room quickly. The smoke was suffocating and time wasn't on their side. She picked up the drowsy Mai off the bed, staggering toward the broken window. The broken window was too small to squeeze through without sustaining large cuts from the jutting glass shards.
Kiyohime offered her snout to support Mai as Shizuru tried fervently to widen the opening by prying off the glass pieces. There was a resounding crackle and Shizuru turned around at once. Her eyes widened when she saw the flames beginning to eating away at the wall. "Watch out!" she screamed at Kiyohime.
She felt something crash right into her and felt her head slam against the wall. "Kiyo.." she muttered groggily as she tried to re-orientate herself. She raised a hand, coming into contact with Kiyohime's familiar skin.
XXX
Outside
"Shizuru! Shizuru!" Natsuki yelled over the commotion as more people gathered in the streets below. The blast had blown away a chunk of the wall. She cut the rope and clambered over the busted wall, spotting Kiyohime hunched over a corner.
"Kiyohime!" she exclaimed, hopping over the debris.
The lilac lizard had multiple lacerations across her back, caused by the shrapnel from the explosion. Her skin was slightly singed, but luckily she had a protective layer over her. Anything else would have been singed. Kiyohime greeted Natsuki weakly and tried to push herself off the ground, but crumpled back on the floor. Natsuki stepped up to catch her and whistled for Duran and Artemis.
The large Wolcons appeared by the large hole in the wall and as Natsuki hoisted the injured reptile up onto Duran's back, she noticed that Shizuru and Mai were underneath Kiyohime – she had shielded them from the brunt of the blast. Mai was unconscious and there were multiple burns on her, where she was not shielded. Shizuru was slumped against the wall, Mai on top of her lap. There was a trickle of blood rolling down her neck but she was still conscious. "'Suki.." she groaned softly.
"Hang on 'Zuru," Natsuki told her, before addressing the young wolves, "Duran, Kiyohime is injured. Get her back to the Admiral's manor immediately for Yohko to look at her."
She went back for Mai, plopping the dazed girl on Artemis before doubling back for Shizuru. "Hey babe," she cooed, gently picking her up.
Shizuru mustered a frail smile, "What took Natsuki so long?"
"Sorry, I took so long, Shizuru. Does it hurt bad? I'm so sorry," she looked at the Shizuru worriedly, her brows wrought with worry.
"I'm teasing, Natsuki," Shizuru mumbled, leaning into Natsuki's shoulder. She cupped the young archer's cheek, running her fingers over the crease on her brow, "Natsuki looks better with a smile."
Natsuki couldn't help but smile despite the situation, pressing a reassuring kiss against Shizuru's forehead, "Only a Shizuru would tease in a time like this. Anyway, Artemis will bring you to Yohko, alright? Do you think you could make the journey with Mai..?" She cast a glance at the redhead whose head was swaying side to side, partially conscious.
"Ara, of course, my Natsuki. I just bumped my head a little too hard, that's all." Shizuru replied as she got into Artemis' saddle.
Natsuki nodded, "Alright. Artemis, you know what to do."
XXX
As the remaining Wolcon disappeared, Natsuki tied the remaining rope onto the grappling hook. She teetered along the flimsy shingles of roof, spotting Alyssa and Nao below.
"Natsuki!" Nao screamed, "Get the fuck out of there!"
"What the hell do you think I'm doing, NAO!" she yelled back, fumbling with her bow and arrow. She wrapped the end of the rope around her arm, backing up a few steps to get a clearer shot. Aiming for the most sturdy branch at the nearest tree, she released the bowstring.
The hook hit its target, but wasn't enough to make a firm anchor. But as she felt the heat rising behind her, she didn't want to wait any longer to be torched. "Beggars cant be choosers," she muttered to herself, throwing herself off the building. As guessed, the anchor didn't hold from the momentum of swinging down. Halfway through, it gave way, sending Natsuki flying into shrubbery. Dusting herself off, she found that she was relatively unscathed lest for some abraisons from the fall.
Alyssa appeared through the foliage, holding out a hand, which Natsuki grabbed onto to pull herself up. "I got you a Raptor," Alyssa said, "And I think we got it here. So hurry back to check on my future sister-in-law."
Natsuki patted her sister's shoulder, "Thanks Alyssa." She glanced at the building, "Though from the looks of it, the building isn't salvageable."
"Gotcha. I'll contain the fire spread. Now go!"
XXX
Admiral's Manor – Yohko & Midori's (The Doc's Abode)
"Alright, Shizuru. I patched up that scrape you got on your neck. Your head might hurt a bit for awhile, but I don't think there is anything to be worried about," Yohko paused, "Hang on, let me take another look..." The doctor pressed Shizuru's head once over. "Hmm," she nodded, satisfied with her first assessment of the injuries. "However, I suggest that you not move around too much. As I always say, the best..."
"...road to recovery is getting enough rest," Shizuru finished her sentence for her.
"Ah. That is very true," Yohko laughed, tying up the bandage on Shizuru's head. "There, just an added precaution."
"How's Kiyohime and Mai, Dr. Yohko?" Shizuru asked, feeling out the new bandages.
"I've extracted all the shrapnel from Kiyohime. They were mostly superficial but there were some that were quite tricky due to the burns. I've applied some balm on the burns, though. But I'm sure you're aware that our Raptors' skins are usually rather resistant to burns, had it been on you or Mai, the damage would have injured you badly."
Shizuru pursed her lips, upset that her beloved faithful Raptor was injured because it tried to save her. Kiyohime was akin to an extension of Shizuru herself – she was fast, sharp and lethal when she needed to be. "And how about Mai?"
Yohko frowned, "Ah, young Tokiha. Unfortunately, she sustained quite a number of burns, but thankfully Kiyohime managed to protect her vital organs. Most of the injuries were on her arms and legs. I've left her in the care of Midori. She should be trying to cool down the burns." Yohko patted Shizuru's hand, "Get some rest. I'll check up on Mai now."
Shizuru nodded, "Thank you, Dr. Yohko." She reclined on the bed as the door shut softly, closing her eyes for a bit.
It was strange that the spread of the fire was so rapid. Mai's place was rather sizeable and there were seldom travelers due to the wars. In fact, Shizuru noted that all the rooms were vacant for the night. The only place which had the highest possibility of catching fire was only the kitchen, where Mai spent most of her time. It was hard to believe that the fire to spread from one end to another in such a short time. What was stranger was that there were multiple explosions. Was it arson? It seemed plausible that the fire spread was fueled by accelerants. Shizuru tapped her chin. But as far as she knew, Mai was such a cheerful and friendly girl. How could she have offended any one?
There was a link, but what was it?