Chapter 11: The journey of finding the truth

By Shirrlly

" Is that true?" The voice of someone resounded in the dark.

" Yes, that is. She's till alive and hides herself in somewhere. It'll be clear when we find out her." A woman kneeled in front of that mysterious person and behaved respectfully to that one.

" Find her. I won't let anyone destroy my effort through eighteen years."

" Yes. I will send underlings to find her immediately."

Then, that woman went out and the mysterious one turned to ask a person.

" Tenoshiwa, how has Crown Prince Eriol been?"

" He's fine. King Urushi plans to choose a wife for him."

" Who?"

"Ly Miko, daughter of General Ly Kakuyo."

" It's all like my anticipation. Good!"

" But depending my information, Crown Prince falls in love with a common girl named Daidouji Tomoyo. I have been inquired about her. She is the best friend of lady Kinomoto, meets Crown Prince accidentally. The condition of her family is normal."

" You must be careful. Try to divide them."

~o~0~o~

This time, Tomoyo and her friends were in the way to hamlet Ighina, province Makito. All of them were nearly silent and pursuing their own thought. Tomoyo was nervous. Maybe because she felt as if she came nearer and nearer to the truth. Suddenly, Haruka stopped the carriage which made them jump.

" Hamlet Ighina here!"

~o~0~o~

Three days ago,

King invited Queen to tell that the wife of Crown Prince would be chosen in the spring next year and it would be kept as a secret. He was unexpected that this information was out and a dark oganization used it to be their plot. Meantime, Eriol asked for permission to go out of capital with Sakura and Syaoran. King Urushi knew his reason but he didn't hinder and allowed him to go easily. It made Eriol surprise as he was always so strict about this kind of matter. Then, Queen said him that King partly wanted him to help Tomoyo but above all, he wanted him to practice and learn more about the life of people to receive the throne. In addtion, he was interested in the true biography of Tomoyo as he had good impression about her. Thus, he let him go and told Syaoran to protect him carefully.

As for Yuri, she said that she wanted to go out as she hadn't go far away from home before. However, both Haruka and Tomoyo didn't believe in this reason. They knew she wanted to help Haruka to win her heart so she went with them.

~o~0~o~

Eventually, they six went hamlet Ighina together. But all of them was seeing the others confused. They didn't know her name, didn't see her face, how can they find her? Haruka was clear his throat.

" This hamlet isn't big, we can ask the leader if there have been anyone who came to live here from seventeen years recently."

They agreed with his idea and started to enter the hamlet. At this time, there were only women, children and the old home. Haruka was right, it was only approximate tewnty roof from grasses and branches. Tomoyo approached a woman who did the milking nearest and ask if she could meet the leader. That woman showed her reservation to them as if she scared about something. Suddenly, an old woman leaned against a stick who came nearer and asked them.

" Who are you? Why do you come here?"

" Ma'am, we find a woman but we don't know what her name is or what she looks like. Have anyone moved here seventeen years recently?"

The old became pale and stepped back and the people surround expressed their fright. Those expression couldn't miss them. Eriol stepped forward.

" Does this have or not? Why are you scared?"

" In fact, a woman named Itomi moved here seventeen years ago, she had lived here from there. But she left two years ago.

" Left?" Tomoyo astonished. " Did she tell you where she went?"

"No, she didn't! But why have a lot of people found her? Two days ago, a group of agressive people brought weapons here and asked us as same as you have been. When they received the answer they didn't want, they destroyed this hamlet. What about you? Do you want to destroy it one more time?"

" We will not destroy it. We just want to stay here one night!" Haruka explained to her. " And we will pay money, of course!"

All of people sighed in relief then came back to their work. The old woman told them to follow her. Then, she led them to a little cottage and said that that was the house of the woman named Itomi. They could stay here, she will tell someone to bring food for them. Syaoran took out a bunch of money and handed her.

~o~0~o~

After the old woman went away, they came in and felt the house still was cleaned because the dust and webs didn't stick here. There were only two rooms here so that three girls stayed in one and three men the other. However, Haruka and Eriol seemed unsatisfied. After preparing their things, they sat on the table in the outside room.

" She left without a word. How can we find her?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.

" She promised of waiting for you here. She went away which proves that something's wrong happened. Moreover, someone found her before us. It's ominous." Eriol looked serious.

" Maybe they're those who chased her and Tomoyo seventeen years ago." Hakura gave a supposition.

They silently chased their thought. They thought that Haruka's supposition had its reason. Suddenly, someone knocked the door and Haruka stood up to open the door slightly and see a girl who was in her twenties. She brought a basket.

" I bring your dinner here."

He opened the door for her to come in. The girl entered without hesitatement and put basket on the table. She glanced three young girl and asked.

" In you three, who want to find ?"

" It's me! Do you have any information about her?"

" Before I answered your question, please answer my question. Does any special identification on your left shoulder?"

Tomoyo hesitated for a while then said there was a birthmark like a butterfly on her left shoulder. She looked serious and told that she wanted to see it herself. She inquired Tomoyo went inside with her. Tomoyo glanced at Eriol questioningly. Eriol nodded to her so she stood up and came inside. After that, realizing Eriol's sign, Sakura followed Tomoyo. After a long time, three girl came out. That girl said.

" So, you're that person. I'm sorry for my impoliteness. My name's Hatsune Fubata. is my aunt but from when she came here, she never saw me as her niece. She apparently scared something. Two years ago, she left all of a sudden. Nobody knew why even me. But the night before that, she told me secretly that if any girl found her, I must asked her whether she had any special identification on her shoulder. I would give her my aunt's address if that was her. If not, it would never be told."

" So, you have information of ?"

The girl nodded her head to confirm. Then, she told them that lived in hamlet Genbu which was two days away from here to the south. After that, she went. They saw the others worried. Syaoran raised his voice all of a sudden. He had been silent all the night but what had been happened forced him to talk.

" That woman hid her whereabout is very carefully. It proves that Tomoyo's biography is not normal at all. Furthermore, those ones who went ahead us had no good reason."

" You're right, Syaoran. It become serious now. We must be careful. Now, we go to sleep and set off to Genbu tomorrow."

Then, they stood up and came in their room."

~o~0~o~

Early morning the next day, they left hamlet Ighina and headed the south. Two days later, they saw a hamlet in front of which was even smaller then hamlet Ighina. Suddenly, a scream raised from there. Haruka sped the horses and they soon in the gate of that hamlet. The hamlet was in a jamble, ten of black cloth men who brought weapon beaten the villagers when those ran to escape and sceamed fearful. Haruka and Syaoran jumped out of the carriage and ran toward where happened that bad. Sakura intended to follow them but Eriol hindered her.

" Stay here! Protect Tomoyo and Yuri!"

Then, Eriol jumped off and followed those two. They took their sword out and rushed in the middle of them right when they nearly stabbed a woman. Haruka jumped toward and used his blade to stop the sword of that one, Syaoran swept his leg to cut the ground under his feet. Then, he looked sternly to the two on the right and shot his body up over them. He landed lightly behind them and beaten them hard on the scruff of their neck. They got faint immediately.

Besides, Haruka fought against three others. He pointed his sword to the first one when the whole of his body stretched out followed the blade and kicked right on the chest of the one behind him. Then, he reling on the momentun thusted the first and ... knocked down the third one.

Eriol just participated in the fight, two of them hindered in front of him. He moved quickly to the left and his sword grazed the rib of one man. He got injure and staggered. He made use of that opportunity to propped to his shoulder and swept a hard kick to the neck of the other. The two left could get any difficulty to Hakura as well as Syaoran. They soon controlled and seized weapons of all those. A woman screamed.

" Help, help Ms. Itomi!"

The name 'Itomi' caught their eyes, they got jumps and quickly rushed toward where the woman point. When they came to the house, they saw three black men beaten a woman who was beyond thirty years old. One of them thust through her stomach. They intervened immediately in panic so that they drew out the sword. Realizing that they couldn't win three of them so that they rushed at once. Haruka and Syaoran followed them when Eriol helped her up.

Meantime, group of Sakura ran to. Seeing that group of Haruka controlled the black outside, Sakura with sisters of Tomoyo went off carriage and came here. As soon as Yuri saw the scenery in front of them, she screamed and hugged Sakura and Tomoyo became pale. She sat down besides the woman who was leaning against Eriol's leg in a pool of blood.

" Are you ? My name's Daidouji Tomoyo."

She nodded weakly. And when she heard the family name of Tomoyo, she smiled. Her hand held Tomoyo's hand tightly and she whispered.

" Come to palace, come to palace, it's..."

She grasped her last breath and passed away. Yuri bursted into tears when Tomoyo wasn't out of shock. Haruka and Syaoran appeared at the door.

" They have escaped. How about here?"

" She has passed away, she just told us 'come to palace'." Eriol seemed calmer when three girls were still in shock.

" And hand this one to me."

Tomoyo raised her voice all of a sudden and spreaded her fingers. There was a little bracelet from marble.

After burying the poor woman and helped the villagers to fix the destruction, they left hamlet Genbu and came back capital with grief in their heart.

~o~0~o~

Here is chapter 11 and the edition chapter 1 edited by the sadistprincess. Many many thanks to you, my dear beta reader. :X :X :X

And, if you don't mind, please go back and read the new chapter 1. Thanks, my readers!