Author's Ramble: Hiya! Welcome to Ch. 2 of my Jade fic collection. Yes Lady
Sakura is Jade Matsuri if you haven't figured it out by now, Jade is mine
and so is Qiu ying, and Cecilia. Everyone else including Koji ( is Yu
Watase's! She's a genius I swear.
The Bandit and the Lady Chapter Two
Sakura sat humming to herself as she read the note over and over again. Can you meet me at the Lake of Tears tomorrow? Sakura smiled and put the note to her lips.
"Shit Koji, yer aimin' a little too high fer a woman." Genrou remarked. Koji sighed. "I know but that don't change my mind at all." He spat. Genrou laughed, "She's a noble, yer a bandit, 'nuff said.' But Koji wasn't convinced. "She's meetin' me at the Lake of Tears today. Gods she's a real beauty." "Ya mean target?" "Naw. She's the arrow. And she hit me." "Yer a real poet." "And I know it." "Go on before yer late ya ass hole."
Sakura had managed to convince everyone that she could ride by herself. She lied about where she was going and even then, was very vague on the description of the place. She sat astride her jet-black horse impatiently. She sighed, bored to the point of anger. When she heard the pounding of hooves, a smile plastered itself on her face. "Hey Princess." Koji said. Sakura dismounted. "I almost wanted to leave," she said, "you are very late." Koji smiled at her a little bashfully. "Well Genrou and I got into this talk about poetry and---" he realized Sakura's eyes were glittering. "You do poetry?" She asked excitedly. Koji scratched his head. "Well.I.no.I just said something that was on my mind." Sakura giggled. "Well, fire away." She said. Koji thought for a minute. He looked at her attire. She wore knee-high boots, leggings, and a brown vest. He noticed the sword buckled to her hip.
"Are ya any good with that thing?" He said suddenly. Sakura laughed. She looked at the sword. "Yes. It was my mother's." She said forgetting all about the poetry. Koji unsheathed his sword. "I'd like to see that." He said slyly. Sakura unsheathed her sword and took the defensive position. Koji attacked her and was surprised to see her sword already at his throat. He gulped. "Ara.I guess princesses do train. How'd you move so fast?" Sakura smiled her elvish smile. "That," she said, "is my little gift." Koji blinked and sheathed his sword. Must be an elvish thing. He thought. Sakura sheathed her sword in its scabbard attached to her horse's saddle. "So, what exactly do bandits do when they're not causing trouble?" Sakura asked fingering the engagement ring on her left hand. Koji scratched his head as if seriously considering the question. "Well.we party, we sleep, we.I really don't think we're ever not causing trouble." Come to think of it, it was true. Sakura laughed. "So," Koji inquired softly, "what do princesses do when they're not making themselves look beautiful?" Sakura amazed Koji by tugging gently at her long ears. She got a really concentrated look on her face and narrowed her eyes. Koji sighed. Great, I really stumped her.now what? Sakura laughed again. "I'm not a princess," she stated, "I am simply the daughter of a rich nobleman. When my servants aren't covering me in heavy jewels and combing my hair.I read and write and sometimes draw." She seemed satisfied with her answer. Koji was just glad she wasn't stupid. Sakura kicked at a rock and it plummeted into the placid water sending ripples outward. The two stood in silence for a moment. Sakura held up her hand as a student would to get the teacher's attention. Koji looked up. "Yeah? Whaddya doin' that for?" Sakura grinned childishly. "I have an idea!" "Spill it." "I'll race you back to Mt. Reikaku and back to my place." "You? Race? Me?" Koji laughed harshly. Sakura nodded happily and vigorously. She mounted her horse and Koji mounted his. "Eat my dust." Sakura said and took off at full gallop. Koji followed close behind. Unbeknownst to the two, so did another.
Sakura beat Koji to Mt. Reikaku and back to her place. Genrou had followed when he saw them coming. The three came to a dusty stop at the back of the mansion in the stables. "I win." Sakura said. Her horse seemed to neigh in reply to her victory. "You didn't use any elvish magic to win did ya?" Genrou asked. Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Shadow doesn't need magic to smoke other horses. He's a thoroughbred. I sort of.inherited him from my dad." She explained. Koji and Genrou looked at each other. This was no ordinary aristocrat. Sakura led them to her room---avoiding the guards!---and closed her door. "Man, what a view!" Genrou said. He looked at the sun setting over the mountains. He elbowed Koji next to him. "So," he whispered, "you two haven't had sex yet?" He received a good- natured punch from his blue-haired friend. They turned away from the balcony and swiftly turned back around. Sakura was undressing. "You guys don't have to be so shy," she laughed as she went into her bathroom, "it's not like I have anything you two haven't seen before." They heard the sound of her getting into water. "Could you guys come in here, I don't want to have to yell at you to talk." She called. Koji and Genrou shuffled like two nervous schoolboys into her lavish bathing room. She was soaking in a pool of steaming water that smelled of jasmine and rose. They sat on the bench, neither of them unable to speak. It wasn't everyday a gorgeous woman asked you to come into the bathroom to talk to her while she was bathing. Koji twiddled his thumbs and Genrou turned pink and stared at the ground. Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes. "Would you feel better if I explained things to you?" The boys nodded. Sakura rested her chin on her hands at the edge of the pool. "Where I'm from," she began, "being naked is totally natural, so therefore, we aren't bothered by it. I know you guys have seen plenty of naked women before." "Not as pretty as you." Koji mumbled. Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Well, I guess I'll have to accept that. Thank you Koji." Genrou cleared his throat loudly. Sakura finished bathing. Koji handed her the towel hanging nearby. She stepped out and dried herself off. The two boys followed her out of the bathroom and she dropped her towel on the bed and went into her closet. A moment later she came out in a summer green dress that matched her emerald eyes. Koji and Genrou smiled with relief. "What do you guys think? Should I go with this one or the one that matches my hair?" She asked. Genrou and Koji exchanged puzzled looks. "Well."Genrou said, " I don't.the green." "Yeah, the green." Koji quickly agreed. Sakura laughed and previewed herself in the mirror. "Gorgeous! Okay. Qiu Ying will be pleased." She had a slight sneer in her voice. Koji's smile faded as quickly as the sunset. "Did you say Qiu Ying?" He asked suspiciously. Sakura looked annoyed. "Yeah. He's my fiancé. I don't want to marry him but my uncle says it's a perfect match." She mumbled. Koji looked at Genrou pleadingly. Genrou shook his head. "Why did you ask about him? Do you know him personally?" Sakura asked. Koji shook his head. "No.I just thought he was someone else that's all. Listen, I don't think this Qiu Ying guy wants to come and find his girl hangin' around two bandits so we'll be going." Sakura ran up and hugged them both. "I'll come and visit you sometime." "I'll go get the horses." Genrou said and, like Koji had done the night before; he disappeared over the balcony. Sakura looked deeply into Koji's eyes. "Something's bothering you." She said simply. Koji shook his head. "No. I'm just tired that's all. When's yer weddin'." Sakura's eyes went downward. "Next week when the moon is gone." She whispered. Koji sighed. Then, they stared at each other for a moment longer. His lips brushed hers and, as if being called by an unheard voice, Koji pulled away. Sakura waved to him and he winked back and disappeared over the balcony. Sakura watched from her balcony as the two boys galloped off and when they were totally out of sight, she went back to her room. She gasped when she saw Qiu Ying standing there. His eyes blazed with rage and his voice was hard and cold as he spoke. "The bandits of Mt. Reikaku hmm?" He demanded. Sakura sighed and brushed by him but he grabbed her roughly by the arm. "They are merely friends of mine. They took me in after you abandoned me after the raid." She spat. Qiu Ying tightened his grip causing Sakura to wince. He pulled her closer to him. Sakura's emerald orbs were wide with fear as his lips brushed the skin of her neck. They felt cold and clammy. "Why would I abandon such a precious morsel?" He demanded his voice thick with lust. Sakura tried to pull away but his grip was iron. His lips continued to explore her neck and Sakura flinched each time. "Stop!" She cried. Qiu Ying smiled at her and ran his callused fingers delicately over her cheek. It moved down to her ample breasts and he squeezed one forcing a moan from her throat. He laughed and left the room. When Sakura was sure he was gone, she sank to her knees and sobbed.
The Bandit and the Lady Chapter Two
Sakura sat humming to herself as she read the note over and over again. Can you meet me at the Lake of Tears tomorrow? Sakura smiled and put the note to her lips.
"Shit Koji, yer aimin' a little too high fer a woman." Genrou remarked. Koji sighed. "I know but that don't change my mind at all." He spat. Genrou laughed, "She's a noble, yer a bandit, 'nuff said.' But Koji wasn't convinced. "She's meetin' me at the Lake of Tears today. Gods she's a real beauty." "Ya mean target?" "Naw. She's the arrow. And she hit me." "Yer a real poet." "And I know it." "Go on before yer late ya ass hole."
Sakura had managed to convince everyone that she could ride by herself. She lied about where she was going and even then, was very vague on the description of the place. She sat astride her jet-black horse impatiently. She sighed, bored to the point of anger. When she heard the pounding of hooves, a smile plastered itself on her face. "Hey Princess." Koji said. Sakura dismounted. "I almost wanted to leave," she said, "you are very late." Koji smiled at her a little bashfully. "Well Genrou and I got into this talk about poetry and---" he realized Sakura's eyes were glittering. "You do poetry?" She asked excitedly. Koji scratched his head. "Well.I.no.I just said something that was on my mind." Sakura giggled. "Well, fire away." She said. Koji thought for a minute. He looked at her attire. She wore knee-high boots, leggings, and a brown vest. He noticed the sword buckled to her hip.
"Are ya any good with that thing?" He said suddenly. Sakura laughed. She looked at the sword. "Yes. It was my mother's." She said forgetting all about the poetry. Koji unsheathed his sword. "I'd like to see that." He said slyly. Sakura unsheathed her sword and took the defensive position. Koji attacked her and was surprised to see her sword already at his throat. He gulped. "Ara.I guess princesses do train. How'd you move so fast?" Sakura smiled her elvish smile. "That," she said, "is my little gift." Koji blinked and sheathed his sword. Must be an elvish thing. He thought. Sakura sheathed her sword in its scabbard attached to her horse's saddle. "So, what exactly do bandits do when they're not causing trouble?" Sakura asked fingering the engagement ring on her left hand. Koji scratched his head as if seriously considering the question. "Well.we party, we sleep, we.I really don't think we're ever not causing trouble." Come to think of it, it was true. Sakura laughed. "So," Koji inquired softly, "what do princesses do when they're not making themselves look beautiful?" Sakura amazed Koji by tugging gently at her long ears. She got a really concentrated look on her face and narrowed her eyes. Koji sighed. Great, I really stumped her.now what? Sakura laughed again. "I'm not a princess," she stated, "I am simply the daughter of a rich nobleman. When my servants aren't covering me in heavy jewels and combing my hair.I read and write and sometimes draw." She seemed satisfied with her answer. Koji was just glad she wasn't stupid. Sakura kicked at a rock and it plummeted into the placid water sending ripples outward. The two stood in silence for a moment. Sakura held up her hand as a student would to get the teacher's attention. Koji looked up. "Yeah? Whaddya doin' that for?" Sakura grinned childishly. "I have an idea!" "Spill it." "I'll race you back to Mt. Reikaku and back to my place." "You? Race? Me?" Koji laughed harshly. Sakura nodded happily and vigorously. She mounted her horse and Koji mounted his. "Eat my dust." Sakura said and took off at full gallop. Koji followed close behind. Unbeknownst to the two, so did another.
Sakura beat Koji to Mt. Reikaku and back to her place. Genrou had followed when he saw them coming. The three came to a dusty stop at the back of the mansion in the stables. "I win." Sakura said. Her horse seemed to neigh in reply to her victory. "You didn't use any elvish magic to win did ya?" Genrou asked. Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Shadow doesn't need magic to smoke other horses. He's a thoroughbred. I sort of.inherited him from my dad." She explained. Koji and Genrou looked at each other. This was no ordinary aristocrat. Sakura led them to her room---avoiding the guards!---and closed her door. "Man, what a view!" Genrou said. He looked at the sun setting over the mountains. He elbowed Koji next to him. "So," he whispered, "you two haven't had sex yet?" He received a good- natured punch from his blue-haired friend. They turned away from the balcony and swiftly turned back around. Sakura was undressing. "You guys don't have to be so shy," she laughed as she went into her bathroom, "it's not like I have anything you two haven't seen before." They heard the sound of her getting into water. "Could you guys come in here, I don't want to have to yell at you to talk." She called. Koji and Genrou shuffled like two nervous schoolboys into her lavish bathing room. She was soaking in a pool of steaming water that smelled of jasmine and rose. They sat on the bench, neither of them unable to speak. It wasn't everyday a gorgeous woman asked you to come into the bathroom to talk to her while she was bathing. Koji twiddled his thumbs and Genrou turned pink and stared at the ground. Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes. "Would you feel better if I explained things to you?" The boys nodded. Sakura rested her chin on her hands at the edge of the pool. "Where I'm from," she began, "being naked is totally natural, so therefore, we aren't bothered by it. I know you guys have seen plenty of naked women before." "Not as pretty as you." Koji mumbled. Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Well, I guess I'll have to accept that. Thank you Koji." Genrou cleared his throat loudly. Sakura finished bathing. Koji handed her the towel hanging nearby. She stepped out and dried herself off. The two boys followed her out of the bathroom and she dropped her towel on the bed and went into her closet. A moment later she came out in a summer green dress that matched her emerald eyes. Koji and Genrou smiled with relief. "What do you guys think? Should I go with this one or the one that matches my hair?" She asked. Genrou and Koji exchanged puzzled looks. "Well."Genrou said, " I don't.the green." "Yeah, the green." Koji quickly agreed. Sakura laughed and previewed herself in the mirror. "Gorgeous! Okay. Qiu Ying will be pleased." She had a slight sneer in her voice. Koji's smile faded as quickly as the sunset. "Did you say Qiu Ying?" He asked suspiciously. Sakura looked annoyed. "Yeah. He's my fiancé. I don't want to marry him but my uncle says it's a perfect match." She mumbled. Koji looked at Genrou pleadingly. Genrou shook his head. "Why did you ask about him? Do you know him personally?" Sakura asked. Koji shook his head. "No.I just thought he was someone else that's all. Listen, I don't think this Qiu Ying guy wants to come and find his girl hangin' around two bandits so we'll be going." Sakura ran up and hugged them both. "I'll come and visit you sometime." "I'll go get the horses." Genrou said and, like Koji had done the night before; he disappeared over the balcony. Sakura looked deeply into Koji's eyes. "Something's bothering you." She said simply. Koji shook his head. "No. I'm just tired that's all. When's yer weddin'." Sakura's eyes went downward. "Next week when the moon is gone." She whispered. Koji sighed. Then, they stared at each other for a moment longer. His lips brushed hers and, as if being called by an unheard voice, Koji pulled away. Sakura waved to him and he winked back and disappeared over the balcony. Sakura watched from her balcony as the two boys galloped off and when they were totally out of sight, she went back to her room. She gasped when she saw Qiu Ying standing there. His eyes blazed with rage and his voice was hard and cold as he spoke. "The bandits of Mt. Reikaku hmm?" He demanded. Sakura sighed and brushed by him but he grabbed her roughly by the arm. "They are merely friends of mine. They took me in after you abandoned me after the raid." She spat. Qiu Ying tightened his grip causing Sakura to wince. He pulled her closer to him. Sakura's emerald orbs were wide with fear as his lips brushed the skin of her neck. They felt cold and clammy. "Why would I abandon such a precious morsel?" He demanded his voice thick with lust. Sakura tried to pull away but his grip was iron. His lips continued to explore her neck and Sakura flinched each time. "Stop!" She cried. Qiu Ying smiled at her and ran his callused fingers delicately over her cheek. It moved down to her ample breasts and he squeezed one forcing a moan from her throat. He laughed and left the room. When Sakura was sure he was gone, she sank to her knees and sobbed.
