A/N: OKAY! Chihiro Hime Kou Kouroi (I think - can't even spell my own title
- let alone pronounce it) is now being more frequently updated! Lol I hate
school. Don't we all? *waves a big flag with a large red 'H' on it* Haku!
He come to town! Come to SAVE the princess Chihiro!
Disclaimer: don't own Spirited Away. sorry.
One Week Later, and Roku has only just managed to get suitors et al by now. Took him a week. Heheheh. moron... Baka... heheheh... Erm... *cough* 'nyway, takes place Three Weeks After the last chappy.
To my readers: I LOVE YOU ALL YOU'RE MY BESTEST FRIENDS EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW ANY MORE THAN YOUR BIOS OR PENNAMES!!!!! *huggles readers and stuffs chocolate covered peaches in their mouths* THANK YOU!!!!! ARIGATOOOOOOOOOOOOU!!!!! *faints* though I do kind of hate it when EVERYBODY guesses what I'm doing enxt. *scratches head* guess we all want the same thing, then? lol
Chapter Started: 5/8/03
Chapter Finished: 5/9/03 Third Person POV .
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In a complete week, Chihiro found the ups and downs of "palace life." As in, everybody she met pretty much seemed to do what she wanted them to, but there was a guard or two following her around when Miyako wasn't. the first time it had been unnerving, but now she was almost used to it.
She spent as much time as possible with Yuuko, trying to lay out plans for escape. It wasn't all that easy, but Yuuko approved of Chihiro's idea to suck up to Roku and pretend to be obedient.
"He won't be expecting that," she said, then gave her daughter some tips on how it was done.
Chihiro often found herself crying, and at night when the two girls that tended to her alone in her bedroom were gone she would slip to the floor, to spite Roku and his "gang."
Miyako had told her everything she needed to know, and just the other day Chihiro had screamed her heart out: Miyako explained now that she was in Kamikakushi, her body growth process would speed up. She had already started puberty at eleven, but this was just... Gross. Like Chihiro had wanted THAT.
She would start "lessons" with a suitor, which of she would be meeting today. She had heard (according to Miyako) that every male in the entire world had come. Chihiro wondered if Haku was there.
Currently, she had learned the easy way to suck in her stomach when somebody walked past, so she could keep the corset loose or even off.
She hated it here. She needed to think of a plan to get Yuuko and leave.
"Miai Hime, there you are," said Roku from where he was waiting for her at the door to the meeting hall, or whatever. Where they had decided her fate, and she had met Miyako. "come, you will be meeting your suitors for this week."
The two guards on Chihiro's tail peeled off and stood at the door entrance, and Roku ushered Chihiro inside. Thousands of scathing remarks came to her mind, but she remembered what Yuuko had told her, gritted her teeth, and held herself the way Miyako had told her until she could start lessons.
She sat where she had the week before, and noted that over half the Royal Advisors (to be said sarcastically when referring to them mentally, Yuuko said might help) weren't there. In their place were seven - exactly - guys.
The first looked about her age, maybe a little older. He had scruffy brown hair and crooked yellow teeth when he smiled. Sick. The second looked around ten or eleven, and didn't have any hair or teeth period. Sick. The third was around seventeen or eighteen it seemed and had black hair with purple highlights slicked back behind his hair - he had an overall appearance of a greasy pig. Sick. Contestant number four looked like he didn't have an age - an old man with a teenager's body. Sick. Mr. Five really was an old man - not necessarily old, but full grown - a young adult. Now THAT was Sick. So was six. Seven had blond hair that stuck up in the back and sharp blue eyes - he looked to be twelve or thirteen, most likely. Ass she sat down and lay eyes over the whole lot, Chihiro shuddered. Okay, Roku could at LEAST have gotten more the same age as the blond boy - only better looking. Were these idiots nobles? Most likely. Roku would want her to be with a noble first.
As it turned out, they weren't all nobles; No. Seven and No. One were commoners. Beautiful.
Roku preached something about being a good king, then assigned each one a day. Seven days of her life wasted. Perfect.
Number Seven was supposed to spend today with her.
Even more perfect.
And she would be starting her "lessons" today.
Ah, the perfectionist is put to shame!
The two guards immediately followed Chihiro, Mr. Seven [a.k.a. Ittogo], and Miyako led them to a semi-large room. There many different people stood.
"These will be your teacher, Miai Hime. Be good to her, Ittogo."
He bowed as Miyako left, and only one man hobbled over and began a speech about the History of Kamikakushi, while ushering them to seats. Ittogo yawned then grinned and winked suggestively at Chihiro. She resisted the urge to throw up on him.
The first of the day was spent like this. Then the princess and wanna-be prince were supposed to walk around in the courtyard - the real courtyard, out in the back, set on the edge of a cliff, with a big stone wall set around it se ensure nobody suicidal jumped off.
Here Ittogo spent his time chasing Chihiro around, quote unquote "sexually harassing" her.
The rest of the week was no different.
Literally, no difference.
The next week passed much the same, and Chihiro found herself begging Miyako on a daily basis to take her to see Yuuko. She had no intention of marrying period, let alone one of those slobs.
The month went by like that.
The next month something changed - Roku and a few others dunked Chihiro under some water, and she couldn't help but relish being clean. Also, halfway through that torturous month, her History of Kamikakushi teacher either dropped dead or retired, or maybe if she had actually paid attention to him she'd know all about the History of Kamikakushi. Either way, she would apparently spend this month learning about democracy and all of the different things that rule kingdoms.
It didn't help having some forty-year-old Baka there feeling her up half of the time.
Eventually, Chihiro spoke up out of discomfort for the nine year old halfway on her lap, and said the idea of one royal family ruling the entire WORLD was very stupid, and if somebody - anybody - revolted, they'd be overthrown just like that. The teacher told her something about learning manners, then explained about the magic and loyalty and the sorcerers and sorceresses (who served directly under the sorcerers) but then Chihiro began a "debate" about sexism.
It was a third month, then Chihiro was learning about the proper way to talk - talk! - and after that she was told the proper way to care for her "lovely" clothes.
Four months.
Chihiro asked Yuuko on her last visit how many guys were in Kamikakushi, and Yuuko guessed if they kept going on like this, another two years of them. She said that Roku would try to get her married off with a man that was fertile, so the ages would range drastically. Then she lectured Chihiro about protecting herself from molesters.
In Five months, Chihiro was learning to walk - that only took a week - then to dance. Stupid dancing. It was a lot harder than it looked. It didn't help that there were about a hundred different ways to dance itself, and one could not do the fox trot while their partner was doing the do-si-do. Eventually, the big woman teaching her said they would save it for later, and Chihiro was thankfully handed over to somebody that would be teaching her about ruling a kingdom as Queen, and ruling as a Princess, and signing papers, blah bleh blah on and on. This took two months.
Finally, though, Chihiro was ready to put a plan for getting herself and Yuuko out. Five more months until she was thirteen, Miyako kept on saying cheerfully. It made Chihiro sick.
After obtaining the keys, she knocked out the guards and released Yuuko, as easy as that: Roku had lessened his guard on both of them, and as planned, for this had been planned a very long time, they easily got out to the courtyard and began the climb up the wall, and down it on the other side.
They paused on a stone ridge that kept from a sharp drop into the foaming, cold water. Or so it looked.
"I've spoken with the other prisoners, or the coherent ones," Yuuko said, squeezing Chihiro's hand before she helped her out of the many dresses and corset. Just the under dress would work for Chihiro at the moment. "a few have managed to escape through the water, but always got caught and brought back. Either way, they say it will not hurt you and is warm if you are trying to get away - a protection spell over the island the castle is on, I suppose."
"So, we just jump in and swim away?" Chihiro asked. she hadn't planned this far, actually, Yuuko had done the mind work.
"No, we'd tire out too soon and there are creatures in that water that could kill us," Yuuko replied, leaning down. Good thing the cliff was smooth all the way in, no rocks to hit on the way down. "but I understand there are some train tracks to the west, over there, see?"
remembering, Chihiro shaded her eyes and held onto her mother for support, who was weak though, and saw the little black line shining through the water.
"It's an awful long way to swim," Yuuko sighed. Chihiro looked at the state her mother was in and swallowed.
"We can make it, okaasan! We can make it. then we can walk on the train tracks until we get to a train station and then..." she trailed off. They didn't have any tickets, and what if the train came along while they were walking? How would they sleep? Which way was... which way was the Aburaya? Bathhouse? Haku? The water seemed much deeper, now, then before. Should they walk through it on the tracks it would probably meet Chihiro's thighs.
"Don't worry, honey, we'll deal with problems as they come," Yuuko said, hugging her tightly. "I'll go first, to make sure it's safe."
"Be careful, mommy!" it had slipped out before she could stop it.
"I will try," then Yuuko took a deep breath and leapt out as far as she could, falling with a splash into the water after what seemed like hours later. It was much more farther down than Chihiro (or Yuuko) had thought it was.
When she hit the water, Yuuko gasped and sank quite a way under. Her skin stung from where it had contacted the water, but she resurfaced and coughed, and realized that it was very smooth - no waves? What kind of ocean was this? And warm. She looked up at the tiny black dot that was her daughter.
"Come on, honey!" she called at the top of her voice, then coughed a little more, ridding herself of the water she had swallowed.
Chihiro took a deep breath and then leapt as well, falling faster then she would have wanted to. Yuuko swam out from under her. For a while it felt like she wasn't falling at all, just floating there in the air with the wind whipping her in the face. Then suddenly the surface of the water loomed up, way faster then she expected, and she made the most spectacular belly flop in the history of Man.
Of course she swallowed about thirty gallons of water and her momentum carried her pretty far under. Frantically, she tried to right herself and get to the surface - finally, Yuuko managed to pull her up, and she was fine apart from being waterlogged and rather dizzy.
"Ready, honney?" Yuuko asked, treading water.
"Yeah," Chihiro choked, and the two began their swim. Yuuko used a long breast stroke while Chihiro, having never learned to swim properly, did something akin to a doggy paddle or her version of imitating a duck. Yuuko, seeing this, helped Chihiro rip her dress thing off from her thighs down and tried to teach her the proper way to swim.
The train-tracks really were farther away than Chihiro had thought, and she was soon tiring.
Then, her muscles began screaming, and she groaned. Yuuko, who was in a similar condition due to her weakened state, then taught Chihiro how to float on her back. They rested like that for a while, but then Yuuko noticed Chihiro beginning to fall asleep and sink, so they continued on.
Eventually, Yuuko was barely moving, barely keeping herself and Chihiro (who was hanging on her shoulders half asleep) above the water. She was barefooted and wore the same clothes she had been wearing when they had kidnapped her daughter; a pair of jeans and a pink T-shirt. Thinking quickly, she got Chihiro awake and floated on her back, taking off her T- shirt, with a thin tank top underneath. She rung it out as best she could, and then tied it in a tight knot around her waist.
Chihiro, more awake by now, was now back stroking, and Yuuko, with a small smile, imitated her.
Eventually, they finally reached the tracks, and Yuuko and Chihiro gasped in relief as their feet hit first the sandy up-rise then the cool metal of the tracks. Yuuko fell to her knees, the water reaching her waist like this, and she held Chihiro for a while. They couldn't sleep, not with the water this deep, they'd drown.
So with a resigned sigh, Chihiro and Yuuko pushed themselves up and began walking. Luckily, a station was very near - just a reddish raised platform. But they collapsed gratefully on it and fell asleep.
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Chihiro was woken up by Yuuko's scream, and jolted to her feet. Roku and Co. were there, and it looked like afternoon. Roku was holding Yuuko by her throat in the air.
"Chihiro!" he roared. "I tried to warn you! you will marry, conceive, and rule your kingdom without complaint and with wisdom or your mother dies!"
Chihiro blinked, and as she realized the situation, tears pooled in her eyes.
"No, Chihiro, go! Run!" Yuuko coughed out. "they'll kill me anyway, please, do this for me! run! RUN!"
"SILENCE, WOMAN!" Roku yelled, tightening his grip. Yuuko's face was changing colors, and she made choking, gasping sounds, kicking with her feet and hitting with her arms.
"Go Chihiro-chan," she whispered, as blood began to pool from her mouth.
"MOMMA, no, I won't leave you! ROKU! Roku, leave her alone! She didn't do anything, this was," she searched frantically for an excuse. "this was all my idea, please, Roku, don't kill her, not like you killed my daddy, please!" tears spilled down Chihiro's cheeks, and her voice became thin with sobs clogging her throat.
"please, don't, I'll rule your stupid kingdom, I'll marry your stupid men, I'll have your stupid heirs, just leave my momma alone, please, please! I won't have anything to live for without her!"
"Too bad." Roku said firmly, and there was a resounding crack as Yuuko's neck was broken. There was silence, then Roku flung the body out into the water, flicking blood off his hand disgustedly.
Slowly, Chihiro looked out to where the body of her mother floated, then something - something - snatched it down underwater, and there was a red spot of blood there on the water, growing. There were about fifteen Royal Advisors there, and Miyako walked up briskly behind Chihiro.
"Come Miai Hime. You have more suitors waiting."
Slowly, Chihiro's gaze met hers and more tears fell. She opened and closed her mouth silently for a moment, took a deep shuddering breath, then screamed. She creamed louder than she had ever screamed before, and hurt even her own ears. She continued to scream until she had run out of breath, then turned and shot towards the water. Not the way Yuuko's body had gone, but the other way. She dived in and swam, kicking, struggling, as far as she dared, and freely swallowed the nasty tasting water until darkness gripped her.
And she saw blood.
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When she came to, she first noticed the terrible ache all over her body. Then she felt what felt like an elephant standing on her chest. Then she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.
Her "room". She was in her "bed".
Chihiro took a moment to remember what had happened, then she did, and gasped. She couldn't breathe.
Good.
Finally her breath returned somewhat, and escaped in loud, body wracking sobs. She rolled over and pounded a pillow, even after there was no more feathers left in it. she cried, harder then she had ever cried before, and sobbed, and cursed Roku and Co. out loud, as loud as she could. She made certain to use language that would not be "suited for a princess" and used more that she had made up.
Everything came pouring back - Yuki and the police, her daddy, her mommy... all gone... gone... Chihiro gripped her head and screamed, slamming it down hard on the head board. It disoriented her for a second, and her vision blurred even worse through her tears, and she saw spots. Her hand flew to the orb at her neck and she yanked, yanked so that the pain was a momentary relief. It wouldn't come off, and her hand was covered with blood.
"GOD DAMN YOU, ROKU!!!" She screamed before bursting into more loud sobs. She hoped he was listening to every word. She hoped he had been. That... that.... Bastard...
She had nothing more to live for. Nobody to save. Nobody to live with. Nobody to love or be loved back. Except Haku. She had always pictured him as her hero, and he was.
Where was he now?
"Haku," she whispered, clutching her head, hunching over. "where are you, I need you, please..." she screamed again, then twisted and fell off the bed, got to her knees, then threw up violently.
Blood came after vomit, and Chihiro sobbed harder.
Gone.
All gone.
They were all gone...
"MOOOOOOOOOOMMYYYYY! DAAAAADDYYYYYYY! SOMEBODY, HAKU, YUKI, SOMEBODY HELP ME, PLEASE!!" she gasped, and stumbled to her feet, slamming into the doors into her room - and out of it. the handle was locked. She pounded on it hard, tears coursing down her face - every part of her hurt, and she scratched the door and banged on it, screaming every swear word at the top of her voice directed toward Roku in general, along with murderer, and if she did ever rule his stupid wanna-be world she would put it to war with itself and slaughter everybody and she would kill him and all of his little goons slowly and painfully. She said if she ever had an heir that would be expected to rule this kingdom, she would kill it, and she informed Miyako in a not-so-polite way of her similarities to that of female dogs in heat.
This went on for a while, when all Chihiro wanted was for him and them - all of them - to suffer, suffer like she had, like she was. To see blood and feel pain and want to die like she did. All she wanted was revenge.
Revenge.
How sweet that would be?
Finally she collapsed to the floor in a sobbing heap, and eventually passed out there.
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When Chihiro woke again, she was still sore all over, and there was still that pressure at her chest. She remembered what had happened, and looked at the faces surrounding her.
"She's going to survive," one man said, looking up. "terrible emotional pain - I'm not sure if she'll recover from that. Perhaps you should not have acted so rashly, Lord Roku?" the other faces disappeared, and Chihiro's version momentarily blurred.
"Much tije has been wasted," Roku's voice said. "you - and you other sorcerers - I need a concort for her now. Pronto! Asap! You're magic - think of one!"
"Why not that noble Hiko boy?" a female voice suggested.
"Turned him down."
"What about Yubaba's apprentice? Or assistant? What ever he is, I met him once. He is a responsible boy, rather handsome; have you tried him yet?"
"I do not believe I have..."
And then all of the voices were encouraging whoever was Yubaba's apprentice. Or assistant. Chihiro blinked to try and clear her vision. One more face remained above hers - Miyako.
Chihiro's eyes narrowed, and she started to sit up, but the pain that snarled at her head pushed her back down, and she lay gasping for a few moments.
"Don't move Miai Hime," Miyako instructed. Chihiro responded by calling her that b word for female dog and then told her to rot in that little red firey place where the devil lives. Miyako frowned at her.
"Such language for a Princess. I wouldn't make a habit out of it, were I you," she warned.
"Or what?" Chihiro sneered. "you'll kill my parents? Oh, oops, I forgot; I don't have any parents!"
"Now, Miai Hime," Miyako started.
"Now Miai Hime," Chihiro imitated, smacking her hand away as it brushed her forehead. "my name is Chihiro," she snarled. "OGINO Chihiro to you Miss I- enjoy-making-innocent-children-orphans! You enjoyed it you ENJOYED watching that freaking" Chihiro said a few nasty words, referring to Roku, "kill my parents! I know you did, because there was a happy acceptation in your eyes! Well guess what," another few nasty words, "now you haven't got a weapon against me! now I can kill myself, or escape without worrying for the consequences! Ha! HA!" she added, just for the feel of it.
Roku and the corcerers and sorceress finished up talking, and the magicals left. Roku walked and stood over Chihiro.
"Sleeping for two months," he snapped. "unacceptable! I have chosen a concort for you, and you will be wed and Queen in three more months." His face loomed closer. "and you WILL conceive. When that is done, you may kill yourself." Chihiro burst into ttears as he left, and Miayako sighed.
"I understand the pain over the loss of your mother, but why do you cry over that human man so?"
"DIE YOU F" some more bad words on Chihiro's part "I HATE YOUR SH" yet another few nasty words from a potty mouth "AND I WON'T DO ANYTHING! YOU CAN'T STOP ME FROM KILLING MYSELF!"
"Yes we can, it's a spell. If you die before an heir - a male heir - is borne unto us, then everybody that you care about will instantly die. Drop dead in agony. We may not knowwho they are, but your conscionse does."
"You're lying."
"No, I'm not. If you would let me, I'll heal your head wound, and you can get back to lessons."
"No you friggin" and a few strings of words that Chihiro knew, and even a couple that she made up - not to mention one or two in English. "I don't care. I won't."
"You can be free - exiled, if you want - when this is all over, if you cooperate." Miyako said.
Hmm. Enticing. Maybe she could land a few punches on that sweet little nose of Roku's? it'd be worth it, just for the satisfaction.
Instead of answering, Chihiro burst into tears again, and a few hours later was dressed in all - corset to booties - and learning the proper way to dance. Again. She refused to "learn" though and pissed everybody off.
She would kill Roku.
She would have her revenge on every single one of them.
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A/N: tear-warning! I cried. Haku in next chap.
Disclaimer: don't own Spirited Away. sorry.
One Week Later, and Roku has only just managed to get suitors et al by now. Took him a week. Heheheh. moron... Baka... heheheh... Erm... *cough* 'nyway, takes place Three Weeks After the last chappy.
To my readers: I LOVE YOU ALL YOU'RE MY BESTEST FRIENDS EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW ANY MORE THAN YOUR BIOS OR PENNAMES!!!!! *huggles readers and stuffs chocolate covered peaches in their mouths* THANK YOU!!!!! ARIGATOOOOOOOOOOOOU!!!!! *faints* though I do kind of hate it when EVERYBODY guesses what I'm doing enxt. *scratches head* guess we all want the same thing, then? lol
Chapter Started: 5/8/03
Chapter Finished: 5/9/03 Third Person POV .
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.
In a complete week, Chihiro found the ups and downs of "palace life." As in, everybody she met pretty much seemed to do what she wanted them to, but there was a guard or two following her around when Miyako wasn't. the first time it had been unnerving, but now she was almost used to it.
She spent as much time as possible with Yuuko, trying to lay out plans for escape. It wasn't all that easy, but Yuuko approved of Chihiro's idea to suck up to Roku and pretend to be obedient.
"He won't be expecting that," she said, then gave her daughter some tips on how it was done.
Chihiro often found herself crying, and at night when the two girls that tended to her alone in her bedroom were gone she would slip to the floor, to spite Roku and his "gang."
Miyako had told her everything she needed to know, and just the other day Chihiro had screamed her heart out: Miyako explained now that she was in Kamikakushi, her body growth process would speed up. She had already started puberty at eleven, but this was just... Gross. Like Chihiro had wanted THAT.
She would start "lessons" with a suitor, which of she would be meeting today. She had heard (according to Miyako) that every male in the entire world had come. Chihiro wondered if Haku was there.
Currently, she had learned the easy way to suck in her stomach when somebody walked past, so she could keep the corset loose or even off.
She hated it here. She needed to think of a plan to get Yuuko and leave.
"Miai Hime, there you are," said Roku from where he was waiting for her at the door to the meeting hall, or whatever. Where they had decided her fate, and she had met Miyako. "come, you will be meeting your suitors for this week."
The two guards on Chihiro's tail peeled off and stood at the door entrance, and Roku ushered Chihiro inside. Thousands of scathing remarks came to her mind, but she remembered what Yuuko had told her, gritted her teeth, and held herself the way Miyako had told her until she could start lessons.
She sat where she had the week before, and noted that over half the Royal Advisors (to be said sarcastically when referring to them mentally, Yuuko said might help) weren't there. In their place were seven - exactly - guys.
The first looked about her age, maybe a little older. He had scruffy brown hair and crooked yellow teeth when he smiled. Sick. The second looked around ten or eleven, and didn't have any hair or teeth period. Sick. The third was around seventeen or eighteen it seemed and had black hair with purple highlights slicked back behind his hair - he had an overall appearance of a greasy pig. Sick. Contestant number four looked like he didn't have an age - an old man with a teenager's body. Sick. Mr. Five really was an old man - not necessarily old, but full grown - a young adult. Now THAT was Sick. So was six. Seven had blond hair that stuck up in the back and sharp blue eyes - he looked to be twelve or thirteen, most likely. Ass she sat down and lay eyes over the whole lot, Chihiro shuddered. Okay, Roku could at LEAST have gotten more the same age as the blond boy - only better looking. Were these idiots nobles? Most likely. Roku would want her to be with a noble first.
As it turned out, they weren't all nobles; No. Seven and No. One were commoners. Beautiful.
Roku preached something about being a good king, then assigned each one a day. Seven days of her life wasted. Perfect.
Number Seven was supposed to spend today with her.
Even more perfect.
And she would be starting her "lessons" today.
Ah, the perfectionist is put to shame!
The two guards immediately followed Chihiro, Mr. Seven [a.k.a. Ittogo], and Miyako led them to a semi-large room. There many different people stood.
"These will be your teacher, Miai Hime. Be good to her, Ittogo."
He bowed as Miyako left, and only one man hobbled over and began a speech about the History of Kamikakushi, while ushering them to seats. Ittogo yawned then grinned and winked suggestively at Chihiro. She resisted the urge to throw up on him.
The first of the day was spent like this. Then the princess and wanna-be prince were supposed to walk around in the courtyard - the real courtyard, out in the back, set on the edge of a cliff, with a big stone wall set around it se ensure nobody suicidal jumped off.
Here Ittogo spent his time chasing Chihiro around, quote unquote "sexually harassing" her.
The rest of the week was no different.
Literally, no difference.
The next week passed much the same, and Chihiro found herself begging Miyako on a daily basis to take her to see Yuuko. She had no intention of marrying period, let alone one of those slobs.
The month went by like that.
The next month something changed - Roku and a few others dunked Chihiro under some water, and she couldn't help but relish being clean. Also, halfway through that torturous month, her History of Kamikakushi teacher either dropped dead or retired, or maybe if she had actually paid attention to him she'd know all about the History of Kamikakushi. Either way, she would apparently spend this month learning about democracy and all of the different things that rule kingdoms.
It didn't help having some forty-year-old Baka there feeling her up half of the time.
Eventually, Chihiro spoke up out of discomfort for the nine year old halfway on her lap, and said the idea of one royal family ruling the entire WORLD was very stupid, and if somebody - anybody - revolted, they'd be overthrown just like that. The teacher told her something about learning manners, then explained about the magic and loyalty and the sorcerers and sorceresses (who served directly under the sorcerers) but then Chihiro began a "debate" about sexism.
It was a third month, then Chihiro was learning about the proper way to talk - talk! - and after that she was told the proper way to care for her "lovely" clothes.
Four months.
Chihiro asked Yuuko on her last visit how many guys were in Kamikakushi, and Yuuko guessed if they kept going on like this, another two years of them. She said that Roku would try to get her married off with a man that was fertile, so the ages would range drastically. Then she lectured Chihiro about protecting herself from molesters.
In Five months, Chihiro was learning to walk - that only took a week - then to dance. Stupid dancing. It was a lot harder than it looked. It didn't help that there were about a hundred different ways to dance itself, and one could not do the fox trot while their partner was doing the do-si-do. Eventually, the big woman teaching her said they would save it for later, and Chihiro was thankfully handed over to somebody that would be teaching her about ruling a kingdom as Queen, and ruling as a Princess, and signing papers, blah bleh blah on and on. This took two months.
Finally, though, Chihiro was ready to put a plan for getting herself and Yuuko out. Five more months until she was thirteen, Miyako kept on saying cheerfully. It made Chihiro sick.
After obtaining the keys, she knocked out the guards and released Yuuko, as easy as that: Roku had lessened his guard on both of them, and as planned, for this had been planned a very long time, they easily got out to the courtyard and began the climb up the wall, and down it on the other side.
They paused on a stone ridge that kept from a sharp drop into the foaming, cold water. Or so it looked.
"I've spoken with the other prisoners, or the coherent ones," Yuuko said, squeezing Chihiro's hand before she helped her out of the many dresses and corset. Just the under dress would work for Chihiro at the moment. "a few have managed to escape through the water, but always got caught and brought back. Either way, they say it will not hurt you and is warm if you are trying to get away - a protection spell over the island the castle is on, I suppose."
"So, we just jump in and swim away?" Chihiro asked. she hadn't planned this far, actually, Yuuko had done the mind work.
"No, we'd tire out too soon and there are creatures in that water that could kill us," Yuuko replied, leaning down. Good thing the cliff was smooth all the way in, no rocks to hit on the way down. "but I understand there are some train tracks to the west, over there, see?"
remembering, Chihiro shaded her eyes and held onto her mother for support, who was weak though, and saw the little black line shining through the water.
"It's an awful long way to swim," Yuuko sighed. Chihiro looked at the state her mother was in and swallowed.
"We can make it, okaasan! We can make it. then we can walk on the train tracks until we get to a train station and then..." she trailed off. They didn't have any tickets, and what if the train came along while they were walking? How would they sleep? Which way was... which way was the Aburaya? Bathhouse? Haku? The water seemed much deeper, now, then before. Should they walk through it on the tracks it would probably meet Chihiro's thighs.
"Don't worry, honey, we'll deal with problems as they come," Yuuko said, hugging her tightly. "I'll go first, to make sure it's safe."
"Be careful, mommy!" it had slipped out before she could stop it.
"I will try," then Yuuko took a deep breath and leapt out as far as she could, falling with a splash into the water after what seemed like hours later. It was much more farther down than Chihiro (or Yuuko) had thought it was.
When she hit the water, Yuuko gasped and sank quite a way under. Her skin stung from where it had contacted the water, but she resurfaced and coughed, and realized that it was very smooth - no waves? What kind of ocean was this? And warm. She looked up at the tiny black dot that was her daughter.
"Come on, honey!" she called at the top of her voice, then coughed a little more, ridding herself of the water she had swallowed.
Chihiro took a deep breath and then leapt as well, falling faster then she would have wanted to. Yuuko swam out from under her. For a while it felt like she wasn't falling at all, just floating there in the air with the wind whipping her in the face. Then suddenly the surface of the water loomed up, way faster then she expected, and she made the most spectacular belly flop in the history of Man.
Of course she swallowed about thirty gallons of water and her momentum carried her pretty far under. Frantically, she tried to right herself and get to the surface - finally, Yuuko managed to pull her up, and she was fine apart from being waterlogged and rather dizzy.
"Ready, honney?" Yuuko asked, treading water.
"Yeah," Chihiro choked, and the two began their swim. Yuuko used a long breast stroke while Chihiro, having never learned to swim properly, did something akin to a doggy paddle or her version of imitating a duck. Yuuko, seeing this, helped Chihiro rip her dress thing off from her thighs down and tried to teach her the proper way to swim.
The train-tracks really were farther away than Chihiro had thought, and she was soon tiring.
Then, her muscles began screaming, and she groaned. Yuuko, who was in a similar condition due to her weakened state, then taught Chihiro how to float on her back. They rested like that for a while, but then Yuuko noticed Chihiro beginning to fall asleep and sink, so they continued on.
Eventually, Yuuko was barely moving, barely keeping herself and Chihiro (who was hanging on her shoulders half asleep) above the water. She was barefooted and wore the same clothes she had been wearing when they had kidnapped her daughter; a pair of jeans and a pink T-shirt. Thinking quickly, she got Chihiro awake and floated on her back, taking off her T- shirt, with a thin tank top underneath. She rung it out as best she could, and then tied it in a tight knot around her waist.
Chihiro, more awake by now, was now back stroking, and Yuuko, with a small smile, imitated her.
Eventually, they finally reached the tracks, and Yuuko and Chihiro gasped in relief as their feet hit first the sandy up-rise then the cool metal of the tracks. Yuuko fell to her knees, the water reaching her waist like this, and she held Chihiro for a while. They couldn't sleep, not with the water this deep, they'd drown.
So with a resigned sigh, Chihiro and Yuuko pushed themselves up and began walking. Luckily, a station was very near - just a reddish raised platform. But they collapsed gratefully on it and fell asleep.
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Chihiro was woken up by Yuuko's scream, and jolted to her feet. Roku and Co. were there, and it looked like afternoon. Roku was holding Yuuko by her throat in the air.
"Chihiro!" he roared. "I tried to warn you! you will marry, conceive, and rule your kingdom without complaint and with wisdom or your mother dies!"
Chihiro blinked, and as she realized the situation, tears pooled in her eyes.
"No, Chihiro, go! Run!" Yuuko coughed out. "they'll kill me anyway, please, do this for me! run! RUN!"
"SILENCE, WOMAN!" Roku yelled, tightening his grip. Yuuko's face was changing colors, and she made choking, gasping sounds, kicking with her feet and hitting with her arms.
"Go Chihiro-chan," she whispered, as blood began to pool from her mouth.
"MOMMA, no, I won't leave you! ROKU! Roku, leave her alone! She didn't do anything, this was," she searched frantically for an excuse. "this was all my idea, please, Roku, don't kill her, not like you killed my daddy, please!" tears spilled down Chihiro's cheeks, and her voice became thin with sobs clogging her throat.
"please, don't, I'll rule your stupid kingdom, I'll marry your stupid men, I'll have your stupid heirs, just leave my momma alone, please, please! I won't have anything to live for without her!"
"Too bad." Roku said firmly, and there was a resounding crack as Yuuko's neck was broken. There was silence, then Roku flung the body out into the water, flicking blood off his hand disgustedly.
Slowly, Chihiro looked out to where the body of her mother floated, then something - something - snatched it down underwater, and there was a red spot of blood there on the water, growing. There were about fifteen Royal Advisors there, and Miyako walked up briskly behind Chihiro.
"Come Miai Hime. You have more suitors waiting."
Slowly, Chihiro's gaze met hers and more tears fell. She opened and closed her mouth silently for a moment, took a deep shuddering breath, then screamed. She creamed louder than she had ever screamed before, and hurt even her own ears. She continued to scream until she had run out of breath, then turned and shot towards the water. Not the way Yuuko's body had gone, but the other way. She dived in and swam, kicking, struggling, as far as she dared, and freely swallowed the nasty tasting water until darkness gripped her.
And she saw blood.
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When she came to, she first noticed the terrible ache all over her body. Then she felt what felt like an elephant standing on her chest. Then she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.
Her "room". She was in her "bed".
Chihiro took a moment to remember what had happened, then she did, and gasped. She couldn't breathe.
Good.
Finally her breath returned somewhat, and escaped in loud, body wracking sobs. She rolled over and pounded a pillow, even after there was no more feathers left in it. she cried, harder then she had ever cried before, and sobbed, and cursed Roku and Co. out loud, as loud as she could. She made certain to use language that would not be "suited for a princess" and used more that she had made up.
Everything came pouring back - Yuki and the police, her daddy, her mommy... all gone... gone... Chihiro gripped her head and screamed, slamming it down hard on the head board. It disoriented her for a second, and her vision blurred even worse through her tears, and she saw spots. Her hand flew to the orb at her neck and she yanked, yanked so that the pain was a momentary relief. It wouldn't come off, and her hand was covered with blood.
"GOD DAMN YOU, ROKU!!!" She screamed before bursting into more loud sobs. She hoped he was listening to every word. She hoped he had been. That... that.... Bastard...
She had nothing more to live for. Nobody to save. Nobody to live with. Nobody to love or be loved back. Except Haku. She had always pictured him as her hero, and he was.
Where was he now?
"Haku," she whispered, clutching her head, hunching over. "where are you, I need you, please..." she screamed again, then twisted and fell off the bed, got to her knees, then threw up violently.
Blood came after vomit, and Chihiro sobbed harder.
Gone.
All gone.
They were all gone...
"MOOOOOOOOOOMMYYYYY! DAAAAADDYYYYYYY! SOMEBODY, HAKU, YUKI, SOMEBODY HELP ME, PLEASE!!" she gasped, and stumbled to her feet, slamming into the doors into her room - and out of it. the handle was locked. She pounded on it hard, tears coursing down her face - every part of her hurt, and she scratched the door and banged on it, screaming every swear word at the top of her voice directed toward Roku in general, along with murderer, and if she did ever rule his stupid wanna-be world she would put it to war with itself and slaughter everybody and she would kill him and all of his little goons slowly and painfully. She said if she ever had an heir that would be expected to rule this kingdom, she would kill it, and she informed Miyako in a not-so-polite way of her similarities to that of female dogs in heat.
This went on for a while, when all Chihiro wanted was for him and them - all of them - to suffer, suffer like she had, like she was. To see blood and feel pain and want to die like she did. All she wanted was revenge.
Revenge.
How sweet that would be?
Finally she collapsed to the floor in a sobbing heap, and eventually passed out there.
.
When Chihiro woke again, she was still sore all over, and there was still that pressure at her chest. She remembered what had happened, and looked at the faces surrounding her.
"She's going to survive," one man said, looking up. "terrible emotional pain - I'm not sure if she'll recover from that. Perhaps you should not have acted so rashly, Lord Roku?" the other faces disappeared, and Chihiro's version momentarily blurred.
"Much tije has been wasted," Roku's voice said. "you - and you other sorcerers - I need a concort for her now. Pronto! Asap! You're magic - think of one!"
"Why not that noble Hiko boy?" a female voice suggested.
"Turned him down."
"What about Yubaba's apprentice? Or assistant? What ever he is, I met him once. He is a responsible boy, rather handsome; have you tried him yet?"
"I do not believe I have..."
And then all of the voices were encouraging whoever was Yubaba's apprentice. Or assistant. Chihiro blinked to try and clear her vision. One more face remained above hers - Miyako.
Chihiro's eyes narrowed, and she started to sit up, but the pain that snarled at her head pushed her back down, and she lay gasping for a few moments.
"Don't move Miai Hime," Miyako instructed. Chihiro responded by calling her that b word for female dog and then told her to rot in that little red firey place where the devil lives. Miyako frowned at her.
"Such language for a Princess. I wouldn't make a habit out of it, were I you," she warned.
"Or what?" Chihiro sneered. "you'll kill my parents? Oh, oops, I forgot; I don't have any parents!"
"Now, Miai Hime," Miyako started.
"Now Miai Hime," Chihiro imitated, smacking her hand away as it brushed her forehead. "my name is Chihiro," she snarled. "OGINO Chihiro to you Miss I- enjoy-making-innocent-children-orphans! You enjoyed it you ENJOYED watching that freaking" Chihiro said a few nasty words, referring to Roku, "kill my parents! I know you did, because there was a happy acceptation in your eyes! Well guess what," another few nasty words, "now you haven't got a weapon against me! now I can kill myself, or escape without worrying for the consequences! Ha! HA!" she added, just for the feel of it.
Roku and the corcerers and sorceress finished up talking, and the magicals left. Roku walked and stood over Chihiro.
"Sleeping for two months," he snapped. "unacceptable! I have chosen a concort for you, and you will be wed and Queen in three more months." His face loomed closer. "and you WILL conceive. When that is done, you may kill yourself." Chihiro burst into ttears as he left, and Miayako sighed.
"I understand the pain over the loss of your mother, but why do you cry over that human man so?"
"DIE YOU F" some more bad words on Chihiro's part "I HATE YOUR SH" yet another few nasty words from a potty mouth "AND I WON'T DO ANYTHING! YOU CAN'T STOP ME FROM KILLING MYSELF!"
"Yes we can, it's a spell. If you die before an heir - a male heir - is borne unto us, then everybody that you care about will instantly die. Drop dead in agony. We may not knowwho they are, but your conscionse does."
"You're lying."
"No, I'm not. If you would let me, I'll heal your head wound, and you can get back to lessons."
"No you friggin" and a few strings of words that Chihiro knew, and even a couple that she made up - not to mention one or two in English. "I don't care. I won't."
"You can be free - exiled, if you want - when this is all over, if you cooperate." Miyako said.
Hmm. Enticing. Maybe she could land a few punches on that sweet little nose of Roku's? it'd be worth it, just for the satisfaction.
Instead of answering, Chihiro burst into tears again, and a few hours later was dressed in all - corset to booties - and learning the proper way to dance. Again. She refused to "learn" though and pissed everybody off.
She would kill Roku.
She would have her revenge on every single one of them.
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A/N: tear-warning! I cried. Haku in next chap.