Hi again! Yes, next chap is up. I no, I no, not a very good title, but I was running low on sugar so I wasn't very imaginative. N I don't no if I should cont. w/ this story. I only got 1 review - from my friend. Thanx cherry tenshi.

Chapter 1

"Damsel in Distress"

18 years later.

The war had ended a long time ago. Unfortunately, the other side won. The new king was lazy and careless and did not know how to govern his people, nor did he care to. There were crimes being committed and dangerous criminals loose everywhere. The corrupted government paid no attention to the people, just their gold and riches and their own needs. People were becoming poor with the outrageous taxes they had to pay. The poor and homeless wandered the streets. The poverty rate increased numerously. It was a critical time and money was extremely treasured. The rich no longer cared about the poor; they were too busy taking care of themselves. People staved and the death rate increased. It was dangerous to travel anywhere by yourself. Bandits and robbers were everywhere and ambushed lonely travelers.

A group of people were passing through the woods. They were a small group, no more than 10 people or so. They looked like they've been traveling forever by the way they slumped in the saddles and the look in their drooping eyelids.

"Daddy, how much farther? We've been riding since morning. The horses are getting tired, not to mention the guards. If we keep riding any longer they'll drop dead. Let's stop for the night, please?" a girl in her teens asked. Her face was blooming, full of youth. Her slick honey light-brown hair that used to touch her shoulders in her childhood, now reached down to her waist. It was divided into three sections, the top two tied up and braided. Her bangs covered her eyebrows. She had a tall, slender and graceful figure. Her beautiful green eyes, normally shinning with laughter, now wore a tired, saggy look from riding too long and she was saddle-sore like the rest. Despite that, she still looked pretty.

Her father turned to her and sighed wearily, "I suppose you're right, like always, Sakura. I admit I've been pushing all of us too hard. I just want to reach your mother's grave in time. I can't believe eighteen years had already gone by since she died." He cupped his hands around her face. "And tomorrow's your birthday. and it's also the day your mother died. You know, you're beginning to look more and more like her everyday."

At the mention of her mother's death, Sakura became silent, lost in her own sad thoughts. Fujitaka, her father, noticed and assured her, "Oh, I'm sorry. I forget it's a touchy subject for you. In fact, it's a touchy subject for me too. But, Sakura, you know it's not your fault your mother died." She just nodded and remained silent.

"Isn't it? She died giving birth to me, didn't she? She would have never died if I hadn't been borne. Why couldn't she have survived so then daddy and Touya be happy?"

"Touya, tell the guards to rest," Fujitaka said, interrupting her thoughts. Touya, Sakura's brother, nodded and rode towards the guards to tell them that they can finally rest, unpack, and get out provisions. The soldiers settled down for their much-needed rest. They were extremely grateful for Sakura, though they didn't show it, afraid that Fujitaka would think they were weak. Soon a campfire sprung up and they gathered around it. The exhausted horses strangely stood obediently still while their loads and saddle were taken off since they were too happy that they finally got to rest. They were heading for where Sakura's mother was buried. Fujitaka couldn't stand living at their old house since he was reminded of her everyday so he packed up and took Sakura and Touya far away from there. But they still came back and visit her grave every year, on the day she died, Sakura's birthday. They ate contently and silently, too tired to talk. The horses munched on some grass and lay down to sleep. The rest did the same after they finished eating and put out the fire. Slowly, everybody drifted off to sleep and pretty soon only Sakura was awake, busy thinking. She lay under the majestic starry sky and crescent milky white moon, looking up at them.

"People said that when someone dies, they go into the heavens as stars," Sakura thought while looking at the brightest star. "Maybe Mother's up there." She smiled at the thought. Warmed by the idea that her mother was watching over her and never far away, she dozed off, with a smile on her cherry-red lips. That night she dreamed of a womanly presence next to her, watching her sleep peacefully. It felt so real that she jerked awake. Looking around, she saw that everyone was still asleep. She was not the only one awake; the horses were, too, their ears perked up and their eyes alert. They seemed to sense something, something unseen. Not far away, a twig snapped, and a shadow moved briskly, but her keen eyes caught the movement, which did not help her calm down. The horses sat up, tense and ready to spring at the first sign of danger. Then they heard some gravel crunch. Sakura's breath stopped short. The crunching stopped and all was still, too still. There were no merry tunes of the crickets' chirping. Nor was there any owls hooting. It seemed as if the world was put on hold. Sakura could hear her heart beating. She and the horses strained to listen for any signs of movement. No longer able to stand the silence, she walked quietly to her sleeping father and woke him up.

"Huh? Is it morning yet?" he asked sleepily. "Oh, it's you. What are you doing up?''

"Daddy," she whispered, "I heard something moving behind those trees."

"It's probably just some nocturnal animal wandering around and looking for food. Go back to sleep. There's nothing to worry about."

"But it didn't sound like any animal we've seen in these woods."

"Alright, if it makes you feel any better, I'll go check. But if there's nothing there then will you let me go back to my sleep?"

She nodded and pointed to the direction of the noise, "I think it's somewhere over there."

Fujitaka walked to where she pointed, with her right on his heels, looking around. They checked the spot and found nothing. As they were about to turn back, a badger jumped out. It hissed at them. Sakura gave a start, then a sigh of relieve and felt foolish.

"See, there's nothing there but a badger. Now will you please go back to sleep and not disturb mine's?"

Sakura nodded happily and they turned back to the campsite. Suddenly two masked men jumped out from behind some trees and grabbed them, covering their mouth so they couldn't scream. They struggled to be free of the grasps holing them captive. Sakura, breathing hard form struggling, stomped her feet down hard on her captive's and jabbed him with her elbow in the ribs as hard as she could. The captive, in pain, released her from his grasp without noticing. He fell on his knees, holding his stomach and foot. He looked so funny Sakura stifled a laugh, well, she kind of did. She just giggled, though the laugh was more from triumph than him being in pain. Then she realized that Fujitaka still didn't manage to escape yet. She made a move to help him but from the look of his eyes and gesture she knew he wanted her to run away and tell the others. Reluctantly, she turned away and ran as fast as she could to the campsite. She tripped and fell but got back up right away, knowing how desperate the situation was, she ignored the bruises and pain shooting up her arm from her scratches on her hands and legs.

"Everybody, wake up!" she yelled frantically at the top of her breath between breaths when she spotted the sleeping figures. Everyone sat up, reaching for their swords. The horses stood up and whined nervously.

"Sakura, what is it?" Touya asked, concerned.

"F.father.he's in trouble!" she gasped while trying to catch her breath.

"What?! Where is he?!"

Before she could tell him, some more men seemed to glide out of the shadows, all dressed in black. Their eyes and the hilt of their swords gleamed dangerously like the stars under the moonlight. Their faces were masked, only their eyes showed. They seized the unaware party and placed the deadly blades on their throats. It was so sharp you could see the shiny steel in the darkness of the night. A man dressed like the others snuck up behind Sakura, grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back in one smooth, circular motion. She whirled her head around and recognized the scar just above his left eye and gasped. She recalled seeing the scar on a wanted poster back home. He was the leader of a dangerous gang that formed after the war. They raided and looted villages. What's worst is that they always burned the village and took all the young women. The unfortunate ones who were taken were never seen again, or at least not alive. Fujitaka, led by his captor, staggered over to them, his mouth gagged and his hands tied behind his back with a thick rope. He looked pitiful. The captor pushed him in front of the leader. He stumbled and fell.

"Daddy!" Sakura cried. Sakura tried to run to him. She yearned to take the gag out of his mouth and unbind him, but the leader had her in his strong grip. "Let me go!" she squirmed.

"You've got spirit," he laughed. "Good, you'll need it."

Sakura tried the jabbing technique again but he caught her elbow and tripped her, causing her to fall on her knees. Her eyes were brimming with hot, angry tears, both from humiliation and anger, mostly anger. Her anger flared up enough to stop her from crying. She wanted to lash out but restrained herself, fearing that they'd hurt Fujitaka or Touya or even the guards if she did. It took all her will power to stop herself.

"Oh, no, girl, you're not going to try that again," he growled.

Her eyes widened with fear. So it was the leader that she jabbed. That was not good. If he was bad enough when he was in a good mood, what would he do if he was agitated? She considered fighting him, but one look at everyone tied up she reconsidered. She'll escape some other time when she gets the chance.

So, whatcha think? Please please please review and tell me. Pretty please? 4 me? I no it's going a little slow but this is only the 1st chap. So please bear with me. Oh, and any opinions or ideas on what's going to happen next are always welcome.