I want to apologize for the lateness of update, I have been busy. I want to
thank Deathalletta, my only reviewer so far, your reviews are very
encouraging. I only have two reviews on this story, but I won't let that
discourage me!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story, except the plot. Everything else belongs to Square. I am making no money on this, and I am not planning to do so either.
*****************
I don't know why I accepted to stay with the Lady of Wutai and her daughter that day, but stay I did. I tried not to stare at the Lady, but it was almost impossible not to. She looked so frail, and I was afraid that she'd break if I so much as breathed at her. I concentrated on the little girl instead. That was one energetic kid! She just refused to stay still, even for the shortest periods of time. The only time she was still was when her mother sang to her.
I can understand why; her mother had a beautiful voice. I found myself listening closely as well. I always liked good music, even when I was a samurai, and not the most intelligent boy to ever see the light of day. I admit without shame that I was dim as a penny candle.
I had been staring out the window, trying to keep my embarrassment from showing, and my blushing to a low minimum, when the Lady's voice broke me out of my reverie. I turned my head towards her, showing that I had heard her.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Do make sure that Yuffie behaves around her father. She has a bad habit of talking back to him, and he doesn't like it one bit."
"Of course, my lady, anything you wish."
I went back to staring out the window, wondering how the hell I would be able to pull that particular stunt. The girl seemed to be too nosy for her own good, and as I have mentioned before, I am not very good with children. So how I should get her to change her attitude was a mystery, as was why Chekov had given me this assignment. I returned from my plans of revenge on Chekov when the little girl pulled my sleeve. I turned and looked down on her.
"Yes?" I asked.
She didn't reply verbally, but reached out her arms to me, as if to embrace me. At first, I didn't understand, but then it hit me; she wanted to sit on my knee. (I never said I was very bright at the time). I was bewildered at first, but reached down and picked up and put her on my knee. She took my hand, and turned her attention towards her mother again. Puzzled, I did the same. The Lady smiled at me, confusing me even more. Then she began to sing.
Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you it's only seed
.
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live
.
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
Ant you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose.
.
Both I and Yuffie applauded when she was done; the song was beautiful. I think it was then that my love for music was born. Somewhere in my dim mind, I decided that I would learn how play the guitar. I was never a very good singer, or at least that's what I tell myself, so I had to learn to play an instrument instead. Yuffie insists that I have a good singing voice, but I refuse to believe her. She has been known to lie when there is something she wants, such as to get me to sing in front of a bar full of people. But I am digressing again.
Yuffie stayed on my lap, and I sat back, listening to the conversation between mother and daughter. The little girl chatted happily about everything that came to her mind, which was quite a lot, as she seemed to have the attention span of a rubber balloon in a thunderstorm. Her mother listened and smiled, never seeming to tire of the endless chatter. To tell the truth, it was that day I developed a skill that would come in handy for me at the endless board meetings with Shin-Ra later in life; hearing without listening. By the end of the day, I had it down so good that I could answer any questions asked to me about the topic at hand without having listened one bit. Needless to say, it was one of the longest days in my life. But I found I enjoyed it, as it was giving me time to think in peace.
Therefore, I was surprised to find that it was nearing sundown when Chekov came to get us. Her knock on the door startled me so bad; I nearly dropped the child out of my lap. Chekov entered at the Lady's call, and smiled widely when she saw me and the princess. I knew that I must look rather silly; me sitting with a little girl in my lap, peacefully chatting with the Lady of Wutai. Me, the ´fearsome warrior´. I can look back at it now, and laugh still. After greeting her ruler's wife, Chekov turned to me.
"I see you made yourself at home, Tseng." Was all she said. I didn't answer that.
"Come along, now, I'll take you to your new rooms." She said. When I was about to rise, I realized the girl in my lap had fallen asleep. At first, I was about to wake her up, but thought better of it when I remembered she would only start talking again. So I let her sleep, and instead opted to carry her. I lifted her up in my arms, she was surprisingly light, and followed Chekov out of the room, after bowing my head in respect for the Lady of Wutai.
*********************************
I had long since lost count of how many times I had trailed after Chekov that day, but there I was again, following her through the corridors, ignoring the curious looks I got from the guards. I swept past, not dignifying them with a glance, and continued after my superior. My new rooms were not far from the secret door leading to the library, right across from the princess'. I wondered why I couldn't keep my old rooms with the other samurais'. I voiced the question, and only received a Look from Chekov. I knew that I had been stupid again, but I didn't dare ask how. Making a fool out of myself was never something I was very fond of. So, without further questions, I walked into the princess' room, laid her down on the bed, and tucked her in. She woke enough to mumble a sleepy good- night to me before falling back asleep. I only smiled and walked out again.
I collapsed into my own bed on the other side of the corridor, more exhausted than I had been in many days. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. My last conscious thought was than I had to get up really early in the morning to have time to train before having to take care of the princess. It had been an eventful day, and all in all, I was satisfied with it. Becoming a bodyguard, spending hours in the presence of the First Lady, taking care of a chattering four-year-old; all in a days work.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story, except the plot. Everything else belongs to Square. I am making no money on this, and I am not planning to do so either.
*****************
I don't know why I accepted to stay with the Lady of Wutai and her daughter that day, but stay I did. I tried not to stare at the Lady, but it was almost impossible not to. She looked so frail, and I was afraid that she'd break if I so much as breathed at her. I concentrated on the little girl instead. That was one energetic kid! She just refused to stay still, even for the shortest periods of time. The only time she was still was when her mother sang to her.
I can understand why; her mother had a beautiful voice. I found myself listening closely as well. I always liked good music, even when I was a samurai, and not the most intelligent boy to ever see the light of day. I admit without shame that I was dim as a penny candle.
I had been staring out the window, trying to keep my embarrassment from showing, and my blushing to a low minimum, when the Lady's voice broke me out of my reverie. I turned my head towards her, showing that I had heard her.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Do make sure that Yuffie behaves around her father. She has a bad habit of talking back to him, and he doesn't like it one bit."
"Of course, my lady, anything you wish."
I went back to staring out the window, wondering how the hell I would be able to pull that particular stunt. The girl seemed to be too nosy for her own good, and as I have mentioned before, I am not very good with children. So how I should get her to change her attitude was a mystery, as was why Chekov had given me this assignment. I returned from my plans of revenge on Chekov when the little girl pulled my sleeve. I turned and looked down on her.
"Yes?" I asked.
She didn't reply verbally, but reached out her arms to me, as if to embrace me. At first, I didn't understand, but then it hit me; she wanted to sit on my knee. (I never said I was very bright at the time). I was bewildered at first, but reached down and picked up and put her on my knee. She took my hand, and turned her attention towards her mother again. Puzzled, I did the same. The Lady smiled at me, confusing me even more. Then she began to sing.
Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you it's only seed
.
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live
.
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
Ant you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose.
.
Both I and Yuffie applauded when she was done; the song was beautiful. I think it was then that my love for music was born. Somewhere in my dim mind, I decided that I would learn how play the guitar. I was never a very good singer, or at least that's what I tell myself, so I had to learn to play an instrument instead. Yuffie insists that I have a good singing voice, but I refuse to believe her. She has been known to lie when there is something she wants, such as to get me to sing in front of a bar full of people. But I am digressing again.
Yuffie stayed on my lap, and I sat back, listening to the conversation between mother and daughter. The little girl chatted happily about everything that came to her mind, which was quite a lot, as she seemed to have the attention span of a rubber balloon in a thunderstorm. Her mother listened and smiled, never seeming to tire of the endless chatter. To tell the truth, it was that day I developed a skill that would come in handy for me at the endless board meetings with Shin-Ra later in life; hearing without listening. By the end of the day, I had it down so good that I could answer any questions asked to me about the topic at hand without having listened one bit. Needless to say, it was one of the longest days in my life. But I found I enjoyed it, as it was giving me time to think in peace.
Therefore, I was surprised to find that it was nearing sundown when Chekov came to get us. Her knock on the door startled me so bad; I nearly dropped the child out of my lap. Chekov entered at the Lady's call, and smiled widely when she saw me and the princess. I knew that I must look rather silly; me sitting with a little girl in my lap, peacefully chatting with the Lady of Wutai. Me, the ´fearsome warrior´. I can look back at it now, and laugh still. After greeting her ruler's wife, Chekov turned to me.
"I see you made yourself at home, Tseng." Was all she said. I didn't answer that.
"Come along, now, I'll take you to your new rooms." She said. When I was about to rise, I realized the girl in my lap had fallen asleep. At first, I was about to wake her up, but thought better of it when I remembered she would only start talking again. So I let her sleep, and instead opted to carry her. I lifted her up in my arms, she was surprisingly light, and followed Chekov out of the room, after bowing my head in respect for the Lady of Wutai.
*********************************
I had long since lost count of how many times I had trailed after Chekov that day, but there I was again, following her through the corridors, ignoring the curious looks I got from the guards. I swept past, not dignifying them with a glance, and continued after my superior. My new rooms were not far from the secret door leading to the library, right across from the princess'. I wondered why I couldn't keep my old rooms with the other samurais'. I voiced the question, and only received a Look from Chekov. I knew that I had been stupid again, but I didn't dare ask how. Making a fool out of myself was never something I was very fond of. So, without further questions, I walked into the princess' room, laid her down on the bed, and tucked her in. She woke enough to mumble a sleepy good- night to me before falling back asleep. I only smiled and walked out again.
I collapsed into my own bed on the other side of the corridor, more exhausted than I had been in many days. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. My last conscious thought was than I had to get up really early in the morning to have time to train before having to take care of the princess. It had been an eventful day, and all in all, I was satisfied with it. Becoming a bodyguard, spending hours in the presence of the First Lady, taking care of a chattering four-year-old; all in a days work.
