*Sneakily steps in*
*Everyone turns head and frowns*
Hehehe...you won't recognize me, I used to live here before a long time...*Scratches head*
Anyways, enough ranting. Your beloved (?) Mistyflower is finally free from the dungeon of tests, assignments, labs, classes and other activities whichever is done by a university student, thankfully, after getting two weeks of holidays or say, two weeks of mercy and sympathy from her university (Let me get out of this place once, I'm tired of studying engineering T_T T_T). So...how are you all? Missed me, right? I also missed you so much *Hugs everyone whoever is in front of Misty* :'(
So...for utilizing these holidays fully, I have finally come back with a new KaiHil two-shot; a story on my most favorite pairing, my signature couple which made me famous in this site :P. This is a medieval AU, my favorite kind of AU, once again. Umm...whom to dedicate this? *Scratches head* Okay, I missed a lot of birthdays. So, it's a birthday gift to the KaiHil fans whose birthdays I missed :P, okay?
Title: A river of blood.
Rating: T
Warning: Character death(s), blood, fight(s), swearing, a little negative characterization and...maybe, alcohol.
Pairings: KaiXHilary (Of course), TalaXJulia, TysonXOC(Dew-chan, who else)...and? A surprise (Not fully, depending on the perceptions of my beloved readers).
Based on: An event taken from the history of ancient India (And also a lot of real-life recent events of sports).
So...may I start? :P
Sinking into the depth of the ocean of ink, when the world was absorbed in deep slumber, another sub-realm was still half-awake, breathing in the same condensed murk. The jasmine-like stars clinging to the dense bush of the nocturnal sky captured the view of the area, seeming like a war camp. A few pavilions were scattered here and there in a vast field, made of bamboo and thick fabrics. In front of them, traditional, colorful paper lanterns were hanging with the flames inside them struggling against the madness of air gusts. Like the synchronized dance of a bunch of shadows, the backward tents also could be seen. In front of them, two ordinary soldiers were marching with a view to guarding the camp.
Only two bodies with a pair of beating hearts and four pairs of arms and legs could be sensed there, travelling from the right to the left and vice versa, over and over. Sometimes, their vocal cords were sounding whenever they stopped. Even when they were talking to each other, their eyes weren't meeting. Stoic, stern they were when it was the case of their duty. Alertness was all over their mentality, senses and feelings. Hungry tigers they all were, prepared to jump on the body of a stag anytime. So were the katana swords attached to the belts of their costumes, glimmering more than the stars and flames in the darkness. Their shining was more than enough to explain how thirsty they were for the blood of their enemies.
"These robbers!" The dwarf redhead suddenly slapped on his own left cheek, "How healthy can they be after drinking our blood? Are they tigers? Or hounds?"
"False statement," The second one denied, "Only people can kill people. No other living being can be as thirsty as human beings for the blood of human beings. Animals? They lick their own blood!"
"They cannot stop sucking blood out of my body!" However, the first guy didn't care, "Neither in dawn, nor in dusk, they can take a little rest. Stabbing the skin, gouging the blood vessels, they are fulfilling their appetite. But can they ever be satisfied? Can they?"
"They could be," The nerd taunted his companion, "If the liquid of your body were real blood instead of water."
"Don't need to be so proud, Manabu," The redhead grouched, "Like you, I am also a human. Blood flows through my veins too, okay?"
"All the time, you are saying that the Russian soldiers are getting you drowned in the depth of any ocean," The brunette mocked, "Call and ask them what they get after slaughtering you. Blood? Or water?"
"Blood, no doubt," Daichi couldn't understand the sarcasm as he thudded another mosquito to its demise, "Look, I've killed another retard! The blood is sticking to my palm. Come over and see if my blood is red or not."
"Red-blue-black-white or colorless," Manabu shrugged, "How will I get that in this darkness?"
"Don't make me angry, Manabu!" Daichi hissed, stretching a palm in front of the face of the nerd, "I am the guard of emperor Daitenji Kogoro too! We have come here with a view to thrashing the Russians and turning them into water, melting all their icebergs with the scorching heat of our sun which rises the first in the whole world and you're saying that you cannot see the color of my blood?"
Manabu pushed him, "Even if it's red, still it can't be your blood. Maybe, it's the residual of the blood that the mosquito drank at any other place. Perhaps…the body fluid of any Russian? Go and wash it well, it's not sacred, you know."
"You've gone crazy, Manabu," Daichi gnashed his jaw, "You've lost it all by getting defeated at the fortress of Kirov. You have fought a lot of battles in your life and won them too. Then how can you be so frustrated by losing one of them? Losing at a fortress doesn't mean that the names of the Japanese Samurais have become extinct!"
"Before it," The nerd was still not convinced, "Who won the battle of Moscow? Not us, right?"
"Yeah, we didn't," Daichi wasn't ready to give up yet, "However, week after week, we are staying here setting up our camps. It has something to do with a goal, doesn't it?"
"Apparently, our goal is only to fulfill the appetite of the mosquitoes," Manabu sighed, "By our blood or water…whatever is inside our body."
Daichi didn't have anything to say to his friend. They marched here and there for a few moments, keeping their mouths closed and letting their eyes restlessly, alertly roam all over the ecosphere.
"Manabu?" After a few moments, Daichi had to open his mouth as silence wasn't exactly his nature, "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah." The nerd affirmed.
"Were you appointed too to guard the fortress of Kirov?" Daichi asked.
"Yes, I was." Manabu nodded after heaving a sigh of disappointment.
"Against all the attacks of our enemies, not caring a bit and outstretching his head, an elderly man stood by your side with a naked sword raging in his right hand," The redhead reminisced, "Can you remember?"
"I can." His comrade nodded.
"Though he was old, he never lacked courage," Daichi was narrating, "His emerald eyes were discharging flames everywhere as if he'd been ready to eat his enemies with his own orbs. But…can you tell me where he is now?"
"He is no more." Automatically, Manabu's head got bent down.
Daichi's mouth was shaking along with his eyeballs. His grief was almost out of control. When the typical blizzard of Russia roamed over his Japanese heart, he didn't know. But he knew that he could never take it. Never. Manabu realized how he was feeling. As a result, he stood beside him and kept a hand on his shoulder but that didn't work.
"Aaaah!" The redhead banged a nearby tree with his fist, "My father! The source of my strength and inspiration! Those scoundrels shot right at his heart with their arrows!"
"Calm down, Daichi, don't lose your temper," Manabu squeezed his shoulders, "Have faith in ourselves. We will, of course, take revenge."
"Hmm…" The redhead exhaled, "But I'll wait for another guy."
"Another guy?" The brunette frowned, "About whom are you talking?"
"Hiwatari," Once again, Daichi's jaw got tightened, "Kai Hiwatari. He's a fucking traitor! Despite being a Japanese man, he has become a servant of Russia! The fortress of Kirov was won only because of the talents and tactics of Hiwatari. This guy has taught the Russians to operate the traditional Japanese weapons and to defend against their attacks. Only because of him, my father had to embrace an untimely death. If I get a single chance, I will break his ribs with my bare hands and take sips of his blood! Only after it, I'll calm down and peacefully go to sleep."
"But…" Manabu was about to say something at this but before it, the bush behind them throbbed a tad. Startled, they both revolved their heads, noticing the presence of someone there and hearing the footsteps of the anonymous person.
"Who? Who's here?" Daichi shouted, "Whoever you are, don't dare take another step!"
"Show your face!" Manabu demanded too.
From the black shrubberies, a person with a slender figure came out. She was wearing white, ankle-length kunoichi robes with scarlet borders; a scarf attached to her shoulders with the help of silver pins was flowing in the airstream in such a gentle way. The unstained color of her outfits made her milky skin glow more even in the darkest hours of that night. Soft, chocolate tresses were neatly tied into an upper bun, with a few locks swinging beside her cheeks. Under those sine-curve eyebrows, a pair of garnets were shimmering, decorated with the stars snatched from the sky. Thin, pink lips were creased. Back was bearing the wooden quiver and a longbow, the katana was linked to the belt around her slim waist. Though she wasn't anonymous to them, they were surprised.
"Lady Hiromi!" Manabu gasped, "Out of the tent at this hour of night?"
"Maybe in any emergency," Daichi spoke sternly, "But if you don't show us the permission paper, you cannot take a single step out of this camp."
Smirking, the female brunette took out a folded scroll from her cloths and handed it to the dwarf redhead. Checking it once, they both bowed and left the path for her. She marched forward, rode a white mare which was grazing near a tree and untied it. Within a blink of an eye, it raised a tiny sandstorm which blinded both the soldiers and disappeared from the place once everything was clear to their sight.
"Goodness!" Manabu huffed, "In the flames of torches, seeing her face, my heart started burning! Just couldn't take these eyes off of her!"
"Those who have seen lady Hiromi swinging her sword and running her horse in the battlegrounds can never forget her," Daichi grinned, "The Russians who got beheaded with her signature katana…in their lifeless eyes, her destructive beauty will always remain set."
"But…" Manabu was a little confused, "Where is lady Hiromi going? Isn't her courage too much in comparison with how it should have been? How could she just move towards the fortress of Kirov?"
"Whatever," Daichi ignored his suspicion, "Have you seen how many lamps are lighting in the fortress of Kirov?"
"They're celebrating their victory," Manabu disappointedly shrugged, "It's quite normal."
"Celebrating their victory…with blood!" Once again, the redhead got frenzied, "The blood which is being drunk by them! Belonging to us! Those lamps? Instead of oil, they have poured the blood of my father. Otherwise, why would those flames be so red?"
"Anyways," Manabu tried to change the topic, "What about the other scarlet-haired guy whom we saw to get out before a few hours? He should have returned by now."
"I don't know…I don't want to know anything," Daichi clutched his head, "Our job is only to allow those people to go out and come in-whoever can show me their permission papers signed by the commanders although only we will be held responsible if any accident takes place."
"As far as I can remember," Manabu scratched his chin, "He also went to the fortress of Kirov. But why does everyone go there? Can we ever solve this mystery?"
"Look brother," Daichi slapped on his shoulder, "The only thing that we really can do is to wait. We will march from left to right, from right to left. Sometimes, we'll block the people and when they will show their permission papers, we will salute them and leave their path. Again, we will guard this place. We will burn in the sunshine, we will get drenched in rain, we will get drowned in the darkness…yet, we won't stop this. Never."
Nero fiddled when Rome was burning. Maintaining the absoluteness of this universal truth, when the Japanese Samurais were suffering from the pain and burns of their shameful defeat against the Russians, right at the same time, the tides of glee and euphoria were flowing through the mighty fortress of Kirov. Lit, golden lamps were nicely arranged on the railings of the balconies of every floor. Sky-lanterns were being discharged, wrapped in papers of various hues. Silver chandeliers were happily swinging in the hall, roses and hydrangeas were organized on gypsum stands. Velvet runners with golden linings were laid. Traditional musical instruments were being played by musicians, dancers in fancy cloths and stunning ornaments were dancing their hearts out. Waitresses with smiling faces were serving different-colored and flavored drinks among the guests. Everywhere, there was joy, pride and glory.
Occasion? Of course, it was the victory of the Russians against the Samurais. But the man, the hero of this triumph, the main reason behind this occasion himself was not present in the festival. The dual-haired half-Russian, in his private chamber, was standing in front of a portrait in the background of green velvet. Before it, a pair of silver lamps were glowing along with a few white flowers. The face of the brunette portrayed there was beaming in those flames, looking serene in the presence of the florets. He put his fingers on the screen as they curvedly declined across the curves of chocolate locks painted. A little smile could be seen in his lips.
'Hilary…' He pondered, 'These flowers…these lamps…who gave them to you? Why have you come here today? Who told you to come? Bleeding in the lamps, applying the cologne of flowers all over your body, you're laughing like a victorious warrior. The dance of your lotus-like fingers across the stage of the strings of the instruments, the silver katana hugged by your soft, yet, strong palm-never, never could they hide your pride, your arrogance covered under your honeyed smile. You've committed such a grave mistake, Hilary Tachibana. It's not Kai Hiwatari who unearthed your portrait and bedecked with flowers and lamps. If you can, remove that smile from your face. Today, I'm the victorious one, not you.'
Travelling through her hair on the portrait, his fingers decided to take some rest at her lips. He didn't notice how and when his pitch became audible enough.
"Today, it's my right to burst out the laughter of joy, playing the drum of pride and ferocity," He hissed, "Not yours! Really, today, you are defeated, you are forgotten, you are sacrificed. Go! Go and travel across the entire fortress! You'll see all the light rays, tearing up all the darkness and announcing only one thing-Kai Hiwatari isn't a traitor, he isn't ungrateful. Kai Hiwatari has never neglected his responsibilities because of being embraced in the arms of a woman!"
Lifting a silver lamp in his hand, he stared at the painting once, filling his amethyst orbs with murderous vengeance and furious pride, "Should I blow these lamps out? Should I tear all the petals of these flowers?!"
"No, you cannot!"
The eyebrows of the slate-haired twitched, facial expressions calmed down a bit as he revolved back to have a glance of the stranger. She wasn't a stranger to him although; possessing knee-length chocolate hair with tangerine bangs covering a portion of her milky forehead. In that pair of shining emeralds, there was a particular kind of affection and sympathy; with no lack of courage. Clad in typical olive-green and white Sarafan, she was holding a metal platter with a few white jasmines and clay lamps. In their flames, her shining skin tone was looking brighter together with her innocent; yet, determined face. Though Kai was a little pacified at her presence, his eyes looked surprised.
"For you, I myself have lit these lamps and picked these fresh flowers from the garden," She approached him, "I can feel how you are feeling right at this time. Hiwatarian, don't be like the mountain which hides the infinite streams of one thousand cascades within its gravelly, impregnable walls."
"Why did you uncover this portrait, Julia?" Kai removed his stares from her.
"I just wanted to call the person," The dual-haired woman replied, "In whose presence this night could turn into a festival for you."
"Why did you want to call her whom I never want in this life?" However, the dual-haired half-Russian wasn't melting, "Only for this, I was hiding her from myself-covering this painting with a black curtain."
"Black curtain?" Julia snickered, "You think that you can hide that burning beauty with just a trivial piece of cloth?"
"You don't know everything." Kai snorted, "You don't know how much I hate her and how much she hates me in return."
"Oh really?" The woman rolled her eyes, putting out a scroll which was beneath the flowers on the platter, "If this is, why did you allow her to come to this place?"
Kai's eyes were amplified. He quickly snatched that parchment from the twin-haired woman. He wasn't expecting the permission paper here.
"Can't you recognize this yet?" Julia simpered.
"Where's she?" The jaw of the dual-haired general became tightened again.
"Wow, how much hatred!" Julia mocked him.
"Where have you found it?!" Kai demanded, not caring.
"From a young Japanese Samurai." She replied.
"Hn…" Again, his tone became deep as he got absorbed in his own thoughts, 'Maybe…she has sent any soldier to see my condition. She wants to know whether it is still bleeding from the sliced heart of this Kai Hiwatari or not. Okay, let that messenger witness how joyous I am feeling right now. Let him go back and narrate everything to his mistress so that she can burn in the fire of envy till the doomsday.'
"Send him in." Kai ordered.
"As your order." Bowing, the dual-haired woman left the chamber in a haste. Kai clenched his teeth and progressed towards the portrait. With all the strength in his lungs, he blew out all the lamps and shoved all the flowers towards the ground, tramping them underneath his feet like wading the ants to their death. Quickly, he covered the painting with those black curtains again, not able to tolerate her presence in front of his eyes. Like those fabrics, once again, the room drowned into a pot of ink, being devoid of all the colors, tunes and fragrance. Done with all his anger and agony, he decided to take a sharp breath.
But…from where? From where was the fragrance of Sakura tickling his nostrils? Why was it getting so intense little by little? Kai creased his brows, trying to look here and there…nonetheless, losing his vision in his own darkness. To quench his thirst to know the identity of the anonymous person, within two seconds, someone's mellowing footsteps hit the marble floor of the room…very softly so that the ground wasn't hurt. Though the owner of that pair of lotus feet wasn't wearing any anklet, it wasn't making her arrival less beautiful or less majestic. The general of Russia didn't want to admit it but that sound seemed very soothing to his ears. He exhaled deeply, closing his eyes. Let that darkness remain, forever and ever…
"Kai," The soft feminine voice chimed in the room, "I have come."
"Hilary!"
The general turned back. Although all the lamps were extinguished in that room, he could see her face-thanks to a burning torch held in her hand. The blaze was shivering in the crazy airstream running through the open windows of the compartment-but her shimmering ruby eyes were more than calm. No current of emotions, no pulsation of tears could be witnessed in them. Suddenly, every ping of agony, every thorn of hatred and every piece of complaint left his heart as the reflection of her face rose in his aventurine pools. Neither they could move their feet, nor could their vocal cords vibrate once-as if they both had become statues made of clay or stone. The night stopped for a while, owls outside decided to pause, the dancing leaves and flowers also agreed with them.
'Hilary….' His voice was unheard, 'I haven't seen you since many days. These eyes have become ashes after burning in thirst. I imagined you in one thousand forms. Sometimes, I dreamt of you when I remained tired by shedding a lot of blood and creating a river from them on the battlegrounds. I saw you standing right in front of this Hiwatari, not sitting on the back of your mare. Your bee-like hair was bedecked by bunches of cherry flowers. Those ruby eyes were bent in bashfulness, a smile kept clinging to your rosy lips. In my fists, there were yours. Sakura were showering on us on the first day of spring, nightingales humming around us, bumblebees also joining the concert.'
"Why have you come here?" When he opened his mouth, all the emotions turned into vapors without any warning.
"You know why I come here almost at every night," She advanced towards him, "Ignoring my slumber and exhaustion that I get from the battlegrounds and training arena, avoiding the suspicious eyes of my comrades and bearing the tag of a potential traitor around my neck-yet, shattering the confusions and chaos rising amidst our love."
Her voice was a bit lowered, "Kai, please return with me."
She trembled when the bizarre but continuous silence in the room got crushed into one hundred pieces by the maniac laughter of her beloved. He was roaming around her; her eyes were set on the ground, out of humiliation and embarrassment. She was too shaken to ask him why he wasn't taking her pleading seriously. Did her request seem so hilarious to him?
"You're crazy," Kai somehow controlled himself, "You're a crazy woman. Behaving modestly with you is meaningless. What do you mean by this request?"
Hilary didn't have a sole word to utter; she gnashed her chin and gave him a look with a pair of bloodshot eyes. Breathing once, the general of Russia cleared his throat, "Just wait for a while. You'll get to witness how the heroism of a man defeats the arrogance of a heartless woman. Forcefully, I'll imprison you in this camp."
Without warning the brunette, the slate-haired guy grabbed her left arm and pulled her closer as his eyes straightly dived into his bottomless ruby orbs, pouring both passion and abhorrence there without any limit. His voice, his hot breaths gave goosebumps to her. She shut her eyes tight as his grey, thirsty lips landed upon her tender, juicy ones. His throat, his tongue, his heart became appeased after a long time as he explored every corner of her mouth. She was strong, but in his jail-like hold, she was breaking, very gradually, but she could feel it. While her lover was drowned in the world of ambrosia, she was numb…discovering how much burnt he was from inside. Her heart cried for him but she didn't let those tears moisten her eyes.
"Before this night ends," Kai surprisingly broke the kiss and juddered her by her shoulders, "This fortress of Kirov will laugh like an ever-flowing fountain in the joy of our reunion. I'll see how a Japanese soldier or woman leaves this place tonight!"
Clenching her teeth, applying all the force, Hilary threw a burning gaze at the general. Following it, a thrust from the Japanese woman made her slip from his hold. Before the awestruck Russian general, she pulled out her Katana and aimed it at his chin, "Don't neglect the power of my training which was given by you, Kai! None of your guards are so strong that they will imprison me alive. Before this night ends, either you'll find the corpses of your guards or this fortress of Kirov will drown in the river of the blood of Hilary Tachibana!"
The half-Russian was speechless. He knew how true her words were. One of the greatest warriors in the world he was, and Russia's most renowned, but he had nothing special to do in front of the tip of the blade of his beloved. He just clutched the foliage with one of his palms and gently swoop it down, not giving any attention to the newly open wound and the trickling blood on the marble floor. These injuries were more than ordinary to him. Besides, he was already dealing with a graver wound inside the fist-sized blood-pumping organ imprisoned in his ribcage. It was, after all, no big deal.
Coughing, the brunette tucked the sword in its sheath and continued, this time, with a softened tone, "Kai, you know we have separated this fortress from all the supporting forces and groups. The ways of entering are being heavily guarded by the spies and soldiers of emperor Stanley Dickenson. If you get out of this place, you can reach only lake Baikal-not more than that. The Japanese are waiting for you everywhere-being combined and united. The Volga will become a river of blood but they won't move away an inch without teaching the Russians a lesson."
"Hn."
"Only two or three days more," Hilary didn't put a full-stop, "Then, that time will start. Kai, still you have time. Come with me, return to the Japanese. They are still waiting for you with their arms open."
"No." Kai sternly shook his head, protesting. The brunette frowned at this behavior of her lover, gasping a tad and dropping the sword. Why was he so stubborn?
"The guy who will return with you at this time won't be me," His vocal cord pulsated the ghostly environment in the room, "He'll be another traitor, he will be the corpse of Kai Hiwatari! What will you do with it?"
"Kai!" She shrieked desperately, not able to hold herself anymore and getting defeated by her own emotions after such a heart-wrenching battle with herself.
"Hil…" She felt a hand on her shoulder, "You know everything. Once, I was also a part of the Japanese battalion. With them, I fought and won many wars."
"How can I forget those days?" Hilary bit her lips, "You were the greatest warrior in the history of Japan. With your crazy skills and unimaginable courage, our battalion became the best in the world. Your sheer determination, your righteousness and ethics forced a criminal, a corrupt fraud to step down from the throne, drawing an end to the black days of our kingdom. But after it, you were forced to leave this battalion because of the corruption of the ex-king and his treasurers as the new emperor couldn't keep you…due to the shortage in your salary. I know that you wanted to stay with a huge pay-cut, but…it was just our misfortune that we had to lose you so unexpectedly and untimely."
"Thankfully, Russians were helpful and supportive enough," Kai took a breath, "Recruiting me in this troop."
"But…you promised us that you would be back!" Hilary rotated and grasped his hands into hers, "Now, Japan has revived her old glory. Without Russia, she can be second to none! The treasury has also become so rich that it can pay the salary of ten Kai Hiwataris now. Then why are you not coming back? Don't you want us to shine? Do you hate us so much?"
"Trust me, Hil…" Kai let out a stranded sigh, "Let the Japanese hail all over the world, let Japan get all the splendors back. I have always wanted the welfare and happiness of this beloved kingdom. But…it's my fortune which cheated me. It has deprived me of participating in the pride of being a part of this golden kingdom."
Turning his face away from her, he responded, "How will I leave those who gave me treasures when I had nothing? How will I betray the troops for which my glory, my fame has increased all over the world-particularly during their bad time? Especially when my contract with them hasn't ended yet? Never can it happen in this lifetime, Hil."
"But-"
"I know, Hil…" His reply was straightforward, "Without death, there is no way open for me. Let the Russians or Japanese win, lose or tie, I will achieve my real freedom only when I will die."
"Kai!" Tears ran down across her cheeks as she somehow uttered those words, with a heavy heart shot by a bunch of arrows discharged from the vocal cord of the general of Russia, "Please, forgive me. Our reunion can never happen-not at least in the base of enemies. I am the daughter of king Hayashi Tachibana, the valiant son of Japan who was mercilessly murdered by the Russians. Between you and me, there lies the grave of my father. Wading over it, how will I reach you? How will I hold your hands? Forgive me, and forget me, if possible!"
Exhaling, she turned back to leave the room set on the fire of estrangement of two hearts. In Kai's amethyst eyes, her figurine became brighter as well as shadowy because of the flames dancing from the taper. He pronounced, "Hilary?"
"Don't call me," Her tone was as sharp as a double-edged sword, "Just let me go!"
"You forgot this," The general of Russia picked up the parchment from the marble floor and handed it to the brunette, "If someday you miss someone very badly and want to come here again, this will be very necessary."
"No! Never!" She cried her heart out, "Never in this lifetime!"
The blaze of the torch held by her ran along with her footsteps. Still, they were soft…but not loving. Those trajectories were ringing throughout the compartment, dancing in the neuron cells of the general engulfed in the darkness of that dense night, once again. Slowly, he advanced towards a wall and propped his back against it, closing his eyes and cherishing the melting ink dropping around him.
After all, it became his life, making him count the moments of his death down…
It was the room of the Spanish woman. Smaller it was…but brighter and livelier than that of the general. Heavy curtains hanging in front of the windows were separating it from the outer world, keeping her domain as an unsolved mystery. Candles were melting on the designed, heavy copper holders-freshening the aura around. Night-queens in the balcony were blooming with life. The only messiness noticed there was because of the scattered outfits of a Japanese ninja on her bed. The dual-haired lady was folding them one by one, very carefully. By fits and starts, her eyes were examining every single corner of her room as if enemies had been hiding there. Suddenly…
"Tock tock! Tock tock!"
Her ears became alert as she quickly concealed all the unfamiliar cloths so that nobody could discover them easily in her room. Tiptoeing, she went near the door and coughed, "Who's there?"
"It's me, Tala."
Her heart was a little relieved but she couldn't throw away all her doubts too. To be confirmed, she demanded, "Tell me the password."
"No warrior wants to die of old age."
Now, she was fully sure. Smiling a bit, she opened the door as the arriver quickly stepped into her room. She closed the gate and made him sit on a chair, handing him a glass of water, "Don't raise your voice, Tala. This time isn't good at all."
"Is my ever-youthful beloved scared?" He took a sip, rolling his eyes.
"Why shouldn't I be?" She looked here and there before replying, "A few days ago, Bryan entered my room and found a Sakura-painted handkerchief. I cannot say how he shot me with the arrows of suspicion along with the words of disgrace. Hearing him that night, I just…couldn't lift my head out of embarrassment."
"How dare he!" The scarlet-haired Russian showered flames through his ocean-blue orbs, jumping out from his chair and getting red in fuming rage, "I'll just tear his head apart from his body!"
"Hush!" Julia kept her index finger on his lips, "Didn't I tell you not to talk so loudly? Anyways, lady Hiromi will come back here within no time. She knows that you are Yuri Ivanov, a spy from the Japanese battalion. If she sees you here, it won't be good, you know. So, you better leave this place."
"Hey, don't worry…I will manage that situation," Tala squeezed her shoulders, "After all, we are together in this."
"And…another thing…" She bowed her head down, gazes roaming around his toes, "I don't know how to say that…"
"Yes?" A smile crept in the lips of the Russian.
"Well…" Her cheeks became like ripe tomatoes, whether it was for the warmth emitted by the candle flames or out of bashfulness couldn't be known, "I love you, Tala."
"Hey…" He neared her, cupping her chin into his palms and raising it gently, "I love you too, Julie."
"Anyways…" Suddenly, she got back to her original form as she noticed the flowing moments passing by so quickly, bringing a black shawl and wrapping it around the head and shoulders of the redhead, "It's high time you left this camp. The danger isn't only lady Hiromi, but also the Russian soldiers. When this night ends, they will search for you in every corner of this base. Don't delay, just go!"
"What about you?" Tala raised a brow.
"Don't worry about me, Tala," She kept a hand of assurance on his shoulder, "With Hiwatarian himself by my side, nobody will dare touch me or humiliate me in this camp anymore-at least till the end of this war."
"I am not worried about your safety, Julie," The redhead entangled one of her orange locks around his index finger, "Is it…our last meeting?"
The dual-haired Spaniard couldn't answer to this question within an instance. Her eyes got lowered, she rotated her neck from the direction of the redhead, making him wait for her reply. She didn't know what to say then. She didn't even know the real identity of the scarlet-haired guy. Whether he was Russian or Japanese, whether his real name was Tala or Yuri-she didn't have a clear idea. Then again, she fell. She fell in love with him somehow. She was adoring his secrecy, yet, his candor when he was in her company. Her heart frayed, eyes shivered. Was it really their last meeting? She wanted to encourage herself, she wanted to tell him to think positive, then again, the binding, the harsh reality didn't let her do so.
"There is a vast land between two camps," Julia didn't directly reply to this question, nor could she make him wait, "After two or three days, when the battle will begin, every day, millions of Japanese, millions of Russians will face one another. They will meet, they will fight, they will kill and they will die. Only we both won't get to meet each other ever. Is it even possible?"
"Julia!" Tala stepped back.
"Don't delay anymore, Tala," She straightly pointed at the door, "Lady Hiromi will come here anytime. I have already heard the bells ringing. Manage everything."
"See you." Smiling faintly and placing a tender kiss on the forehead of the Spaniard, Tala rushed through the gate and rode his muscular black stallion, mixing with the darkness within two seconds after creating a mini sandstorm behind and keeping smiting the asleep earth.
'Tala? Or Yuri?' The dual-haired woman couldn't take her eyes off his trajectories, leaning her head against the curtains of the window through which she was trying to catch his views dissolving in the nocturnal murk, 'Whatever your name is, to me, you will be called only 'Beloved'. These eyes will be waiting for you through births and rebirths, beloved.'
People say that only love can stop a war. Why can't they see this love, these burning hearts in the corners of the battlegrounds?
Okay, so how's this looking? At first, I wholeheartedly apologize *Holds ears* because I haven't written anything since a long time. It's obvious that my writing skills have got rusts. Go easy on me in this case.
Secondly, what's your say on the plot? How are the characters seeming? (Again, if any character is looking OOC, for that, I again apologize). Tyson will make his appearance in the next (As well as last) chapter of this fic, don't worry. But...what will happen to Kai and Hilary? Till the end of the war, will their incomplete love be fulfilled? Will they finally get each other? How about Tala and Julia? Which side is Tala fighting for?
Do read and review. Pardon the grammatical and spelling errors (Also pardon me for returning so late :P). Take care and stay safe. Hopefully, the last chapter will be updated before 2k22!
-Misty ^_^ ^_^