Scarlet
By L. Hiiragizawa
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Eriol found himself in a vast place of nothingness. Not a lone soul graced his presence as his feet continued to tread forth into the blackness, desperate to find the light or a visible exit. His sapphire eyes searched his surroundings, feet were talking tiny steps so as not to fall if ever there was a deep pit along the path he took, heart was pounding faster in fear and uncertainty and his hands were searching for something to hold on or someone…
Someone he trusts and could lean onto…
Desperate, he shouted and hoped he would be heard or rescued.
Yet no matter how hard and how much effort he exerted to free him from what seemed so much like a dream…
All was in vain.
'But.'
He stopped and thought.
'Isn't this a dream?'
His trail of thoughts was halted as he heard sobs from within a distance.
"Who's there?"
No reply.
He continued to walk as his sight came upon an unclear sight of a woman on her knees, her voice emitting soft sniffles.
"Who's there?"
Eriol repeated for the second time and as he neared, his eyes were wide in shock of realization…
"Sophia?"
Yet still, no reply.
His heart nearly tore apart in joy and pity of seeing her yet with tears. He tried to move nearer but every time he moved closer, she was slowly vanishing in sight. He tried to grab her but his attempts betrayed him when all he ever got hold on was air.
"Sophia!"
He ran to the vanishing figure that was drifting away from him.
"Don't leave…wait!"
He called but to no avail.
"Please answer me…"
His heart once again wrenched in pain as it pounded loudly that he heard it from within his chest. He was catching for breath as he felt his lungs slowly weaken.
"…I love you."
He shouted as his eyes suddenly blurred…
…And all he saw was his room and the sunlight rays peeking in from the window. He closed his eyes once more as he wiped his sweating forehead by the back of his hand.
'A dream…only a dream…'
Eriol flapped his eyelids open and attempted to rouse from bed when a sharp, aching pain from his shoulder made him slump back to his bed and his head equally stormed in soreness. He wailed in discomfort as he slowly touched the part from where the pain radiated from and took into thinking the accounts of what had happened.
'Aranea'.
Footsteps were heard coming towards the king's room and Eriol turned his gaze towards the entrance, greeted by his officials and several of the palace maids. All bowed down in reverence just as he expected and always have expected.
"They attacked once again your majesty."
…were the words that greeted him as he struggled to keep the uneasiness from overpowering the tiniest bit of fortitude left in him. But though how hard he tried to keep the barriers of his escaping fury intact, the fangs of revenge that had already taken its bite, slowly dug down as his calmness disintegrated. He gritted his teeth in a silent reply as servants flocked him, each frantic at the sight of their master in pain.
He laid his head deeper into the pillows and closed his eyes, trying to put into picture every second when the arrow had struck…
Every second…
Every moment…
Places…
Persons…
He opened his eyes when a picture of an ebony haired girl came to view.
"She…"
…was the only word he uttered. His eyes widened and everybody who heard and saw stood and stared. He searched the room for a sign of her.
Her…
"But she's…"
He turned to the only memory left of her smile…
"She isn't her master…"
The chief maid sadly interrupted his troubling thoughts.
"But she…"
His head jerked suddenly and met the sad eyes of the person who had witnessed practically the tale of his life. How he was as a child, how he grew up to be a man, how he fell in love, how he wept, how he fell into the depths of change till now as he lay fragile-looking in his bed. She never failed to look through him and reach him though he had already taken her for granted after so many years of standing up as a mother.
She looked old, he noticed. The lines in her face visibly sketched the long years of service she rendered. He hadn't talked to her for a long time. He was too busy locking himself up from the world. But there she stood, trying to understand him in spite of his cold reputation.
"No matter how we reverse fate, she is still no more, your highness."
She gave out a sad smile although some servants and officials behind bade her not to meddle.
"If you're wondering who saved you from death, it's not Sophia."
His mind gave a weak protest.
"…but the girl who you held captive."
He wandered his thoughts back to a faint recognition of her face.
"But Margaret, her eyes, her hair, her…"
The old woman shook her head.
"She might look a lot like her but it doesn't mean she is her, your highness."
In Eriol's eyes reflected disbelief and hopelessness but also showed surrender. Yes, she was right (like before…he thought). Somebody who has died cannot ever come back no matter how much tears he shed. He reached out for his old friend's hand and squeezed it to her surprise.
"Thank you for still being there Margaret."
He smiled, which made her nearly burst into tears. She released his hand and kissed his forehead like the old times, reminding him of how she became a mother (even how rude he was all these years).
"I'll always be here, my child, rest well."
She signaled for everybody to leave when…
"Wait. What is the name of the lady who saved me? And where is she?"
… Eriol's voice came to stop her, as she was about to close the large wooden bedroom door.
Margaret turned her head and replied courteously:
"I did not get the lady's name, your highness."
His face was expressionless, she saw, and she smiled to somehow cheer him up even a bit.
"... But I think she is somewhere strolling in the garden, if you'd like to thank her."
She winked and before Eriol could ever reply, the door closed shut.
------------------------------------------
She sighed for the fifth time in two minutes. The other day's events still bothered her deeply. When she thought that things were starting to get normal (although she knows that since she stepped into such an unknown place, things weren't normal at all. Strange would perfectly describe it but realizing what was happening wasn't a dream, she could do nothing but act and try to think that things could be normal), there she heard the name again…
"Sophia…"
"Do not leave me anymore…"
But why does she need to feel things like that?
Why was she being tortured?
"Why….?"
She didn't know the answer and doesn't know when shall the answers unfold…
"This is all confusing…"
"Invidia arose from his cold behavior and he was forced to reign the kingdom, which suffered in his hands. It was only when you came we saw him smile for the very first time after Princess Sophia passed away."
"She passed away?"
Tomoyo stood fiddling with the daffodils while absurdly talking to herself. Her eyes wandered throughout the garden. She never had seen a large garden such as what she was seeing (except for her garden at home but the palace's garden was much nicer and larger).
There were butterflies in almost each flower and birds endlessly chirped, singing a soft harmonious song throughout the fresh air.
It wasn't "Tomoyo" to appreciate the things around but probably because of boredom, she was forced to explore the palace grounds.
She plucked a rose and sniffed its fragrance, which suddenly reminded her of the king…
'I didn't know he was cute', part of her thought, a soft giggle escaping her lips.
"But the lady…"
She dropped the rose when the woman's face flashed out of nowhere.
"…looked like me…"
The wind suddenly blew its way past her as she became more absorbed in her thoughts, not knowing someone was watching her every word and move from behind.
She brushed off her confusions and continued to walk in the garden, enjoying every colorful sight that nature provided, humming in solitude.
'Peaceful…'
There was no fierce wind but a rustle of the bushes broke the silence.
'…not.'
"Who's there?" Tomoyo called out as she stood from where she was, freezing in place, eyes doing the work in finding anything peculiar.
Dead silence.
"I-if you d-don't come out, I'll call the guards…"
No reply came but she was sure two eyes were intently following her retreating steps. And she hated people watching her. She may be Tomoyo Daidouji, the strong and brave Tomoyo Daidouji. But heck! She's also human…
"T-this is no joke, whoever you are."
A step backwards, trying not to show her hidden fear, which was making her shiver.
"C-come out, c-coward, I'll f-fight you."
She stammered as another step backwards was made, her amethyst eyes alert.
Silence ensued and minute-by-minute her heart was beating faster in nervousness…
"Come out or I'll call…mphmhp"
She felt somebody hold her by the waist and covered her mouth as she tried to wiggle free from the hands that held her thin frame.
"Do not shout too loud, the guards may think wrong of me. I have no intention of hurting you."
A husky voice whispered in her ear.
A manly voice.
A familiar scent entered her senses…
A familiar manly voice.
He loosened his grip on her allowing her to break free from his hold. She was so close that he inhaled faint lavender mixed with a hint of vanilla. So exotic…
So…
"Why you bastard…"
Tomoyo enraged, turned around about to slap whomever the nerve was trying to take advantage of her when a smiling young man greeted her to her surprise and shock…
"Good Morning my lady, it's a beautiful day, isn't it?"
Eriol grinned as he saw the lady's amethyst eyes turn from shock to anger. He walked past her and picked a red rose before continuing.
"I'm sorry if I shocked you my lady but you were screaming so loud that for sure may start a scandal if I didn't stop you."
"After snooping at other people's affairs, you now call me scandalous?"
She knew it wasn't right to raise her voice to somebody respected but hell! He just scared her to death.
He chuckled at her reply.
"If that's what you think about yourself, I won't stop you."
He mocked as Tomoyo noticed him smirk, making her even more angry but she chose not to speak and instead fixed her eyes with his trying to spell the word "freak" non-verbally. Because no one…NO ONE ever puts down Tomoyo Daidouji. Even if he was the king of the ground from where she stood.
They stayed like that for a moment, exchanging glares in the unnerving quietness…
Raging amethysts met soft sapphires.
Frown met smirk.
Silence…
Peaceful Silence…
And a laugh.
"You are really something my lady…very impressive." He crossed his arms and flashed in his face was a lopsided grin.
"And you are really something YOUR highness…"
She sarcastically snapped back, putting emphasis on the "YOUR highness" and slightly bowing before turning away. She might just not control herself and give him a slap on the face.
"…get lost."
Eriol smiled as he watched her make her way to the palace when he realized he hasn't exactly told her what he wanted to say.
"Wait." He rushed towards her putting her rushing steps to a pause.
Tomoyo turned and placed her hands in her hips, rolling her eyes, irritated.
'Ooh when shall this creep ever stop?'
"Now what?"
"I just want to thank you for saving my life, my lady."
He said as Tomoyo noticed his eyes turn serious.
"And I'm sorry for treating you harshly. Maybe without you I should've died and I owe you my life. Just tell me how I could repay you."
She stood speechless, staring at his reached-out hand with the rose clutched in his closed palm. Nobody ever offered nor gave flowers to her…none.
But there he was…
A complete stranger.
And she did what her hands bid her to do.
"T-thank you. But this doesn't mean I'm through with you"
She looked up, stuck her tongue out and turned away. As she made her way to her room, she gently stroke the very first thing that made her heart flutter and she can't help but smile and giggle quietly…thinking of the days to come.
Eriol watched her as she walked away, astounded. Nobody thanked him before when he became king, and still unbelieving, he never thought that someone as cold as him would apologize and thank her…
A complete stranger.
'Maybe things happen because of a reason…'
He looked up at the sky, admiring the vast beauty of the skies, and smiled. Once again, he forgot to take the beautiful maiden's name. He chuckled quietly, looking back up as he whispered something he wished the heavens would hear.
'And finally I may have found that reason.'
------------------------------------------
"Idiots!"
A young man stormed from his throne, voice visibly coiled with anger and vengeance. His eyes were drowned in emotions one could hardly decipher. He mimicked with the shadows as his feet continuously paced his royal sanctuary, hands all clammy from the sweat of fear, failure and confusion and mind in an insane battle with himself.
He never failed to stand out as the victor in every odyssey he was arranged in. He was strong, almighty…
"Am I not the most powerful king who ever lived?"
He evilly smirked sending each of his officers trembling and shaking silently from the wrath of his chilly voice. Silence dawned and his forehead began to draw out lines. He turned around abruptly with brows arched in a frown; hands balled up to a fist and from within the depths of his blue pools burned what seemed to resemble the raging fires of inferno. He nearly wrecked his larynx in a shriek:
"Tell me…AM I NOT?"
The officials' heads bowed down lower to the ground instantly as the king's voice struck like thunder.
"Y-you are undoubtedly the most powerful your high-n-ness."
Answered one as blood came rushing madly in his veins in dread.
Upon hearing this, the king burned more in rage and fury, rushing to the man who answered and grabbed his clothing forcefully as the man's eyes drifted from its normal state to the ones that looked like saucers as he made eye contact with the angered symbol of Zeus.
"Then why didn't he DIE?"
The king threw him down and drew out his sword, bearing the kingdom's seal: a spider in between two crossed swords, and pointed the commanding tip of its sharp blade towards the men mercilessly, controlling every ounce of the desire to struck it to each of them. He longed to see blood flow. His bloodthirsty self ached to have an entertaining view of the red liquid rushing out to drain itself away from that possessed it. And such a scene would bring much more happiness if his old comrade turned mortal enemy would star in what he viewed as a delightful show.
"FOOLS! I waited for the day he'd be put down. Can you do anything better but send a poisoned arrow?"
A clank was heard as the king threw his sword aside.
"I've suffered three long years…"
His mood turned a bit sour as his voice became suddenly shaky.
"Three long years to see that bastard die from what he had done…"
Memories of long ago came flashing back.
"He snatched HER away from ME…FROM ME!"
He rushed to get his sword back in his hands and swished it in the air as if slashing an opponent that was never there like a crazed man.
"She was MINE! We loved each other…ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
He continued to slash the air with the blade of his sword and teardrops bade its way out one by one.
"Die! Die! DIE!"
His screams jerked the heads of his officials up as they watched him: watched every bit of his sanity fade…
"He took her and now took the life of some of my people…"
Fires and screams of agony filled his sight, he pictured every last breath each person made. Views of bodies slashed down rushed to him.
Yet he stopped and laughed wiping the tears that trickled down: a evil laugh ensued from his once saddened self as he stroke the smooth exterior of the sword he was holding.
"He shall pay for all his crimes…"
Another swish of the sword in the air and a scream.
"HE SHALL PAY!"
AN: Yeah fine. Late posting again. (smiles sheepishly) But hey can you blame me for having a blocked brain?
Okay here, there is a SLIGHT change between their personalities and if u think this is mushy…fine I would admit it MIGHT be mushy.
But duh? Romance was supposed to have mushiness right? Nah forget my comments and me.
Sorry if this chapter sucks and is confusing. It'll be cleared up probably in the next chapters to come.
At the meantime please REVIEW and tell me if this is okay. (argh yeah…).
Leave you e-mail for notification and ja ne.