Okay… first things first… A little Disclaimer… These characters… well… most
of them, anyway, are NOT mine, and I make no claims to them, though I'm sad
that they aren't mine… Takeuchi Naoko-sama was a genius for writing them up
into a great story… but the thing is… she NEVER REALLY told us how Zoi and
Kunzy met… so I've made up my OWN ideas… sad and pitiful though they are…
they're my ideas… You'll recognize the characters if you're an avid BSSM
fan, and I'm sorry that Zoi is a girl in this one… I know, it's REALLY a
guy.. so don't kill me… but when I started writing this, I only knew of a
Female Zoi… so, um, yeah, it's been a while in the making… like, five
years, and I'm STILL NOT DONE!!! Anyway, my story… here it goes…
Chapter One: A Daring Escape
She cowered in the corner as he hit her with his dreadful whip.
"Never again! Do you hear me, Zoey? Never! I don't want another one of these horses to be ridden by you again! You stupid girl! Now get!" Her father said as he folded the whip and strapped it back onto his belt. She quickly got up and ran from the barn, fearing for her life.
Zoey ran as fast as her feet could carry her. She ran to the glen where the old woman lived. To the house with moss growing on the stones of it's foundation. To the loving arms of the old woman that had been like a mother to her. The last person to remember what her real mother had been like as a young girl. As she approached the clearing, she straightened out her hair to make herself look presentable. The door opened just before she could stretch for the knob.
"Come in here, child, quickly," a voice said from in the house. Zoey hurried in the door, wincing in pain from the cuts along her back.
"You've been hurt, take off your shirt, let me see what he's done to you this time," the old woman said in her enchanting Scottish-like burr.
Zoey did as instructed and removed her shirt, but not without intense pain from her back.
The old woman mixed a few herbs in a wooden bowl as she crushed them into a type of mush. Zoey bit her bottom lip to hold back her scream as the greenish substance was applied to her back, stinging awfully.
"Sweet Goddess," she gasped. It hurt worse than the beating itself had. Suddenly her back went numb and she fell to her knees – finally! the pain was gone! It was a miracle!
"Lay down and rest dear. You can use the guestroom; I'll bring your supper in a few minutes. Now go!" The woman said, helping Zoey up off the floor and sending her to the adjoining room where she laid down on the bed, on her stomach. A few minutes later, the old woman came in with a tray.
"Here child, eat this, it'll give you your strength back."
"Thank you, Miss Fiona. You are so kind," Zoey said, giving her a smile. "How can I ever repay you for all you've done for me?"
"Child, all you must do is show this same kindness towards everyone, no matter what, even with his ways, don't let your heart turn black like the starless night sky," she told the young girl, following with a gracious smile that showed off her perfect teeth, even in her old age. "Now eat up and rest." Fiona turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Zoey looked after her and then over at what she had left on the bedside table for her to eat: lightly steaming soup, a cut of meat, a slice of bread, and a cup of cool water. She ate everything that was given to her, for Fiona would have a fit if she didn't. Fiona said that her father didn't feed her enough and since she was close to being a woman she needed a constantly full stomach. And the way her father worked her, Zoey had to agree. 'The one good thing about my life,' she thought to herself as she laid on her stomach, close to sleep, 'is James.' She was right, though, her brother was her only real kin, and he loved her so, that she knew, for he had saved her from their father's whip more than once. She said a quick prayer before she fell asleep, mainly for the safety of her brother on his way home from town. Just before she lost herself to sleep, she remembered him saying something to her in her ear as he hugged her before he left, something about bringing a friend with him. Then she fell into a deep, deep sleep. Fiona looking in on her only a few minutes later, she smiled and shut the door quietly as she turned back to the room where she had treated Zoey's back in. 'The poor lass has no one but her brother to care for her.'
~-*-~-*-~-*-~
"What is your family like, James?" His blonde-haired companion asked.
"Well, my father is an absolute jerk, especially the way he treats my sister, she is the only reason I'm returning. We are going to get her and go back to the palace," James said, determined to give his sweet sister a better life.
"You surprise me, you show so much contempt for your father, I've never seen anyone hate another being so much as that. Would it pain you to tell me why?" The blonde man asked of his friend.
"When my sister was young, my father began beat her with his whip. I knew of it, but never witnessed it until ten years ago, when I was fifteen, she was still but a child, six, maybe seven. He had her a corner of the barn, her back was facing him and he was hitting her with that damned whip of his. I stopped him from hurting her, and I took the lashing. I stopped him again, at least twenty more times after that, usually her beatings were for the most idiotic reasons, but she still kept getting whipped." The pain for his dear sister showed plainly in his voice.
"Don't worry, we'll be gone from here before daybreak, I promise."
They rode on for another ten minutes in silence.
"There is the house, and the barn to the right, the lake is a few minutes beyond – in a clearing of the wood."
As they approached the barn, yelling could be heard from the house. "Damn!" James cursed, leaping from his horse and dashing to the house.
"What in the bloody hell is going on?!" He yelled as he charged through the door.
"That damned girl has run off! Where in hell is the she-devil at?! You should know! She's your sister!"
"You should have been a better father to us, then maybe you'd have an idea yourself!" James shouted, dashing back outside. "We leave!" He said, mounting his horse in one quick motion, then galloping off quickly.
The blonde followed his companion, afraid to stay at the house any longer, truth be told. They sped into the wood behind the house at an amazing speed.
"Where are we going? Where is your sister?" The still nameless blonde asked.
"To get Zoey from a trusted friend's home!" Was all the answer he received. In no time at all, they came to a glen. There was a small house there, made of moss-covered stone.
"Jed, come quickly! We have no time to waste!" James said in a loud whisper, jumping off his horse and hoping his dear Zoey was inside. He rapped on the door quietly and waited for Fiona to open it. She came and told him and his friend to both enter quickly; they did as they were told.
"Please, Miss Fiona, is Zoey here?" James asked of his sister.
"Yes, James, she is in a restless slumber in the other room. Don't worry, she won't mind being awakened on your account. Come, follow me," she said, leading the young men into the adjoining room where Zoey indeed slept restlessly. "He got hold of her again. This is the worst I've ever seen it happen, you should leave your father's home and move somewhere far away, James, for Zoey's safety, if not your own as well," Fiona whispered.
James sat on the bed, next to his restlessly sleeping baby sister. "That's what I intend to do tonight…" he said. "Come on now, get up," he whispered, barely nudging the side of her shoulder.
Zoey awoke quickly and looked up into the worried face of her brother. "James! I missed you so much!" She said, turning around and sitting up.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and put her face into the shoulder of his tunic. "Sweetheart," he said, "this is Jed, he works at the palace, we are going there with him to get away from father," he saw her quick grimace of pain when he hugged her, "Miss Fiona told me, let's see your back, Zoey," he said gently.
She slowly turned as not to cause herself more pain, then let James lift up the back of her shirt to see her damage. He and Jed gasped at the sight of it. She suddenly burst into tears.
"Sweetheart, we are leaving come nightfall," James said, cradling his sixteen-year-old sister's small, fragile body. "You won't have to worry about that whip ever again, I swear to you! Never!"
~-*-~-*-~-*-~
Nightfall came at a quick pace, it seemed that Mother Nature knew what they were doing, for she had given them a clear sky and a full moon that night.
Fiona had insisted on supplying them with some meat and bread, for them to eat along the way, to keep their strength. She also supplied more of the mixture that she had put on Zoey's back; she instructed James to reapply it every night before he helped Zoey to bed.
Just after nightfall, they saddled their horses, James had Zoey in front of him, one arm on each side of her, holding her in place should she fall asleep as well as holding the reigns. Fiona wished them all well and told them not to worry about her; she also warned James to take good care of Zoey or she would make her soul haunt him.
Once they were off and not far from their home, James whispered, "We must take the trail around the house; it will take a bit longer, but we will be far enough from the house as not to be discovered by father or the dogs. Is that alright with you, Jed?"
"Fine; but do you think we should travel all night? We would be farther away from your father if we did," Jed replied.
But it was Zoey who answered, not James, "We should keep going until the horses are tired. If we do that, we should be around halfway to town before sunrise. But that is only if we stay at this pace, because these horses can walk for long periods of time, hours upon hours. And if we are half-way there, father will never find us."
"You're right, m'lady, it would be smart to go all night at this walking pace. The only back-factor is you need to rest, and medical attention from a healer," Jed spoke.
"He's right, sweetheart, but we much be silent now, for we are closest to the house not and could be heard easily…" James informed the others.
They went on in complete silence for almost ten minutes; then James told the others, "It's safe." But he had spoken too soon, for, all of a sudden, a dog's cry was heard only a few hundred yards away. "Go! Quickly! Go!" James shouted, spurring his horse. Jed followed suit immediately behind him, the dogs almost a single hundred yards beyond that. They rode through the night, as fast as their steeds could go. Finally, it seemed the dogs had given up and returned back the way they had come. Slowing their horses, they led them off the road a ways, soon coming across a bubbling brook that was under the cover of trees, and they chose a spot from which they could see the road, but passersby could not see them. James and Jed got off their horses and tied their reigns to low tree branches. James instructed Zoey to stay on the horse until he had set out a blanket for her to sit on. Jed went off into the woods and returned a few minutes later with wood to make a fire.
After they had set out the blanket, James helped his sister down from his horse and made sure she was as comfortable as could be on the ground where they would spend the night. By this time, Jed had a fire built and was as drowsy as his two companions. He really didn't gather the firewood or start the fire, he had used his telekinetic powers to do that. James knew, but Jed had to be careful not to let Zoey see him use his powers. Though he could sense some telekinetic energy revolving around her, he didn't tell James. If James knew, he'd have a fit!
~-*-~-*-~-*-~
Well, that's the end of the first section of the story… what do we all think? Comments, Questions, Concerns, Flames, whichever you choose, are welcome at LadyZoisite@hutting.com or Barbie7827@aol.com and if you've got questions, I'll write back! ^_^ Anyway. So yeah, there's your first dose… What else should I say about this all… I don't remember if I mentioned it at the top or not, but I'll say it again if I did, because it's too late and I'm too lazy to check, but I started this about… erm… five years ago… so this part is from then, as the story goes on, it'll get better as far as all the words and such go… I hope… X.x Anyway… Thanks for reading, and check back often! I'll have the next parts up soon!!
Chapter One: A Daring Escape
She cowered in the corner as he hit her with his dreadful whip.
"Never again! Do you hear me, Zoey? Never! I don't want another one of these horses to be ridden by you again! You stupid girl! Now get!" Her father said as he folded the whip and strapped it back onto his belt. She quickly got up and ran from the barn, fearing for her life.
Zoey ran as fast as her feet could carry her. She ran to the glen where the old woman lived. To the house with moss growing on the stones of it's foundation. To the loving arms of the old woman that had been like a mother to her. The last person to remember what her real mother had been like as a young girl. As she approached the clearing, she straightened out her hair to make herself look presentable. The door opened just before she could stretch for the knob.
"Come in here, child, quickly," a voice said from in the house. Zoey hurried in the door, wincing in pain from the cuts along her back.
"You've been hurt, take off your shirt, let me see what he's done to you this time," the old woman said in her enchanting Scottish-like burr.
Zoey did as instructed and removed her shirt, but not without intense pain from her back.
The old woman mixed a few herbs in a wooden bowl as she crushed them into a type of mush. Zoey bit her bottom lip to hold back her scream as the greenish substance was applied to her back, stinging awfully.
"Sweet Goddess," she gasped. It hurt worse than the beating itself had. Suddenly her back went numb and she fell to her knees – finally! the pain was gone! It was a miracle!
"Lay down and rest dear. You can use the guestroom; I'll bring your supper in a few minutes. Now go!" The woman said, helping Zoey up off the floor and sending her to the adjoining room where she laid down on the bed, on her stomach. A few minutes later, the old woman came in with a tray.
"Here child, eat this, it'll give you your strength back."
"Thank you, Miss Fiona. You are so kind," Zoey said, giving her a smile. "How can I ever repay you for all you've done for me?"
"Child, all you must do is show this same kindness towards everyone, no matter what, even with his ways, don't let your heart turn black like the starless night sky," she told the young girl, following with a gracious smile that showed off her perfect teeth, even in her old age. "Now eat up and rest." Fiona turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Zoey looked after her and then over at what she had left on the bedside table for her to eat: lightly steaming soup, a cut of meat, a slice of bread, and a cup of cool water. She ate everything that was given to her, for Fiona would have a fit if she didn't. Fiona said that her father didn't feed her enough and since she was close to being a woman she needed a constantly full stomach. And the way her father worked her, Zoey had to agree. 'The one good thing about my life,' she thought to herself as she laid on her stomach, close to sleep, 'is James.' She was right, though, her brother was her only real kin, and he loved her so, that she knew, for he had saved her from their father's whip more than once. She said a quick prayer before she fell asleep, mainly for the safety of her brother on his way home from town. Just before she lost herself to sleep, she remembered him saying something to her in her ear as he hugged her before he left, something about bringing a friend with him. Then she fell into a deep, deep sleep. Fiona looking in on her only a few minutes later, she smiled and shut the door quietly as she turned back to the room where she had treated Zoey's back in. 'The poor lass has no one but her brother to care for her.'
~-*-~-*-~-*-~
"What is your family like, James?" His blonde-haired companion asked.
"Well, my father is an absolute jerk, especially the way he treats my sister, she is the only reason I'm returning. We are going to get her and go back to the palace," James said, determined to give his sweet sister a better life.
"You surprise me, you show so much contempt for your father, I've never seen anyone hate another being so much as that. Would it pain you to tell me why?" The blonde man asked of his friend.
"When my sister was young, my father began beat her with his whip. I knew of it, but never witnessed it until ten years ago, when I was fifteen, she was still but a child, six, maybe seven. He had her a corner of the barn, her back was facing him and he was hitting her with that damned whip of his. I stopped him from hurting her, and I took the lashing. I stopped him again, at least twenty more times after that, usually her beatings were for the most idiotic reasons, but she still kept getting whipped." The pain for his dear sister showed plainly in his voice.
"Don't worry, we'll be gone from here before daybreak, I promise."
They rode on for another ten minutes in silence.
"There is the house, and the barn to the right, the lake is a few minutes beyond – in a clearing of the wood."
As they approached the barn, yelling could be heard from the house. "Damn!" James cursed, leaping from his horse and dashing to the house.
"What in the bloody hell is going on?!" He yelled as he charged through the door.
"That damned girl has run off! Where in hell is the she-devil at?! You should know! She's your sister!"
"You should have been a better father to us, then maybe you'd have an idea yourself!" James shouted, dashing back outside. "We leave!" He said, mounting his horse in one quick motion, then galloping off quickly.
The blonde followed his companion, afraid to stay at the house any longer, truth be told. They sped into the wood behind the house at an amazing speed.
"Where are we going? Where is your sister?" The still nameless blonde asked.
"To get Zoey from a trusted friend's home!" Was all the answer he received. In no time at all, they came to a glen. There was a small house there, made of moss-covered stone.
"Jed, come quickly! We have no time to waste!" James said in a loud whisper, jumping off his horse and hoping his dear Zoey was inside. He rapped on the door quietly and waited for Fiona to open it. She came and told him and his friend to both enter quickly; they did as they were told.
"Please, Miss Fiona, is Zoey here?" James asked of his sister.
"Yes, James, she is in a restless slumber in the other room. Don't worry, she won't mind being awakened on your account. Come, follow me," she said, leading the young men into the adjoining room where Zoey indeed slept restlessly. "He got hold of her again. This is the worst I've ever seen it happen, you should leave your father's home and move somewhere far away, James, for Zoey's safety, if not your own as well," Fiona whispered.
James sat on the bed, next to his restlessly sleeping baby sister. "That's what I intend to do tonight…" he said. "Come on now, get up," he whispered, barely nudging the side of her shoulder.
Zoey awoke quickly and looked up into the worried face of her brother. "James! I missed you so much!" She said, turning around and sitting up.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and put her face into the shoulder of his tunic. "Sweetheart," he said, "this is Jed, he works at the palace, we are going there with him to get away from father," he saw her quick grimace of pain when he hugged her, "Miss Fiona told me, let's see your back, Zoey," he said gently.
She slowly turned as not to cause herself more pain, then let James lift up the back of her shirt to see her damage. He and Jed gasped at the sight of it. She suddenly burst into tears.
"Sweetheart, we are leaving come nightfall," James said, cradling his sixteen-year-old sister's small, fragile body. "You won't have to worry about that whip ever again, I swear to you! Never!"
~-*-~-*-~-*-~
Nightfall came at a quick pace, it seemed that Mother Nature knew what they were doing, for she had given them a clear sky and a full moon that night.
Fiona had insisted on supplying them with some meat and bread, for them to eat along the way, to keep their strength. She also supplied more of the mixture that she had put on Zoey's back; she instructed James to reapply it every night before he helped Zoey to bed.
Just after nightfall, they saddled their horses, James had Zoey in front of him, one arm on each side of her, holding her in place should she fall asleep as well as holding the reigns. Fiona wished them all well and told them not to worry about her; she also warned James to take good care of Zoey or she would make her soul haunt him.
Once they were off and not far from their home, James whispered, "We must take the trail around the house; it will take a bit longer, but we will be far enough from the house as not to be discovered by father or the dogs. Is that alright with you, Jed?"
"Fine; but do you think we should travel all night? We would be farther away from your father if we did," Jed replied.
But it was Zoey who answered, not James, "We should keep going until the horses are tired. If we do that, we should be around halfway to town before sunrise. But that is only if we stay at this pace, because these horses can walk for long periods of time, hours upon hours. And if we are half-way there, father will never find us."
"You're right, m'lady, it would be smart to go all night at this walking pace. The only back-factor is you need to rest, and medical attention from a healer," Jed spoke.
"He's right, sweetheart, but we much be silent now, for we are closest to the house not and could be heard easily…" James informed the others.
They went on in complete silence for almost ten minutes; then James told the others, "It's safe." But he had spoken too soon, for, all of a sudden, a dog's cry was heard only a few hundred yards away. "Go! Quickly! Go!" James shouted, spurring his horse. Jed followed suit immediately behind him, the dogs almost a single hundred yards beyond that. They rode through the night, as fast as their steeds could go. Finally, it seemed the dogs had given up and returned back the way they had come. Slowing their horses, they led them off the road a ways, soon coming across a bubbling brook that was under the cover of trees, and they chose a spot from which they could see the road, but passersby could not see them. James and Jed got off their horses and tied their reigns to low tree branches. James instructed Zoey to stay on the horse until he had set out a blanket for her to sit on. Jed went off into the woods and returned a few minutes later with wood to make a fire.
After they had set out the blanket, James helped his sister down from his horse and made sure she was as comfortable as could be on the ground where they would spend the night. By this time, Jed had a fire built and was as drowsy as his two companions. He really didn't gather the firewood or start the fire, he had used his telekinetic powers to do that. James knew, but Jed had to be careful not to let Zoey see him use his powers. Though he could sense some telekinetic energy revolving around her, he didn't tell James. If James knew, he'd have a fit!
~-*-~-*-~-*-~
Well, that's the end of the first section of the story… what do we all think? Comments, Questions, Concerns, Flames, whichever you choose, are welcome at LadyZoisite@hutting.com or Barbie7827@aol.com and if you've got questions, I'll write back! ^_^ Anyway. So yeah, there's your first dose… What else should I say about this all… I don't remember if I mentioned it at the top or not, but I'll say it again if I did, because it's too late and I'm too lazy to check, but I started this about… erm… five years ago… so this part is from then, as the story goes on, it'll get better as far as all the words and such go… I hope… X.x Anyway… Thanks for reading, and check back often! I'll have the next parts up soon!!
