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Disclaimer: Rayearth is the property of CLAMP/Kodansha, not me obviously!

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Devotions

Author: Blue Angel Samui

Chapter Four: Abducted

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Hikaru lazily ran her hands over Mokona's feather soft ears. The small, white creature, "pu-ed" happily in response, snuggling farther into the Fire Knight's embrace. Gazing uninterestedly at the bookcases before her it was evident her mind was someplace else. Nearby Fuu sat in a large armchair that was set in the corner of the room, reading a large hard covered book. Carefully turning the ancient pages, she skimmed the text while slightly adjusting her glasses.

A strong hand resting on her shoulder brought Hikaru back to reality. Smiling up at Lantis's hovering form she uttered a warm greeting and ran her hand over his. Happily welcoming his kiss she ran her hands through his soft black hair. Their kiss was interrupted when a small, shocked squeak was heard from Fuu when Ferio had crept up on her unnoticed and whispered a greeting in her ear. Ferio teasingly pulled the startled Fuu from her seat amusedly kissed her.

"You seem almost as pensive and thoughtful as Master Clef can sometimes be," Lantis quietly stated to a once again withdrawn Hikaru. "Is something wrong?"

A soft smile pasted Hikaru's lips. "I have the oddest feeling something is going to happen, and it isn't going to be pleasant."

"If you are worried about Clef and Umi's unexpected trip, I wouldn't," chimed in Ferio from across the room.

"Those two can handle themselves," Lantis agreed.

"Although it is odd that they left so suddenly. I wonder what has gotten into them," added Fuu as she turned to hug Ferio.

"I'm not so much worried about them as I am about Cephiro in general. Although their sudden disappearance does leave me with feelings of foreboding," Hikaru explained as she stood up from her chair and placed Mokona gently on the ground.

"I don't think you have any need to be worried. Master Clef surely would have mentioned something if there was any problem," comforted Fuu.

"You're right," Hikaru solemnly agreed.

"Lets all get something to eat, shall we ladies?" Ferio happily asked, changing the uncomforting subject.

The two women nodded and were happily led from the room, arm in arm with their respective love. Mokona cheerily hopped along behind the group, singing in its odd little voice.

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When they reached the inn it was already dark. Light warmly glowed through the inn's small glazed windows as rain lightly fell outside. Dismounting and grabbing their satchels Clef and Umi proceeded towards the inn on foot, leading their horses behind them. Allowing the stable boy to take their horses the two ducked through the inn's welcoming doorway. The room was noisy with drunken singing and discussion and a blazing fire was in the hearth, giving the room a dim yellow appearance. There were many tired travelers seated at the various round tables around the room. A rowdy group of gamblers occupied a table near the fireplace and would occasionally knock over a chair in their excitement. An old graying man stood behind a bar, quietly observing the room while he washed glasses. A few female servants hurriedly scampered about the room refilling drinks, cleaning up spilled drinks, breaking up fights, all while flirting with the customers. The atmosphere of the room wasn't threatening but very welcoming and joyous.

An older woman wiping her hands in her apron approached Clef with a smile. She gestured to the two to come into the room and festivities with her hand as she hurriedly bused a nearby table. Umi peered over at the friendly woman from behind Clef's shoulder and smiled. Walking to the table the woman just cleaned and setting his bag on the floor by his feet Clef pulled out a chair for Umi as the woman addressed them.

"Well travelers, what can I get for ya? Will ya be needing a room?"

"Yes, thank you. We will need lodging for the night," Clef replied with a grin. Lowering the hood from his cloak he took a seat next to Umi who was slightly shaking the rain from her cloak.

"I'll get right on that. My husband and I own this inn, if you have any problems or needs don't be afraid to ask dearie. One of my girls will see to getting you two something to drink." The woman then quickly bustled off to make arrangements for their room.

"She was nice," Umi cheerfully stated.

Clef was scanning the room's occupants, hoping to be able to recognize Armatus, or at least for Armatus to recognize him. "She certainly was..." he replied detached.

"I'm going to go find her and check out the room. I need to dry off a bit and get cleaned up. I'll be back in a half hour."

He looked up at her as she stood. "Alright, I'll be waiting down here." He smiled and happily welcomed her rushed kiss. She grabbed her bag and turned to weave her way through the crowded bar to the staircase where the older woman stood. Quickly flashing Clef a smile from across the room she ascended the stairs.

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Leaning his back into the corner of he room he had staked out he adjusted his cloak's hood. Slowly raising the glass to his lips he watched the two rather soaked new comers enter the inn and take in their surroundings. He tilted his head down and hid his face in the shadows of his hood as the male traveler looked around the room. Taking another swig of his drink his eyes once again found themselves on the new comers as they were seated across the room. His attention was on the lavender haired man who was intently listening to and speaking with the hostess. His eyes were ripped from the man he was so intently studying when the traveling partner slowly brought down her hood. He found himself entranced in her beauty when she gracefully pulled her long blue hair out from under the cloak. Something in him stirred and he found himself unintentionally licking his lips. Her angelic face was so similar to... He found his thoughts trailing off as he watched her nonchalantly flick her wrists as she pulled back the rest of her cloak. Gods she was beautiful. A very pleasing sight for tired eyes.

He had been eagerly waiting for her companion, but now she was the only thing that concerned him. The mission he had been dotting over was quickly pushed to the back of his mind and his eyes briefly glowed a disturbing green. He watched her rise from her seat and happily kiss her partner. She could prove useful, yes; she could prove to be invaluable. A smirk played on his lips. She could prove quite pleasurable too.

Downing the rest of his drink he slowly rose and unnoticeably followed her as she went up the staircase. When he quietly reached the floor above he only saw the trailing form of her blue cloak as it swiftly disappeared behind a closing door. Letting out a short high pitched whistle he waited for the golden falcon, that sitting in the hallway's open window, to fly over and land on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Clef," he quietly commented as he calmly walked towards the wooden door that now hid the woman he had followed. "I'll have to pass on our meeting. You've introduced something very enticing and promising into the situation that requires my immediate attention..."

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Umi closed the wooden door behind her and looked around the cozy wood paneled room. Tossing her rain soaked cloak onto the bed she rummaged through her satchel and pulled out a brush. Standing before the small mirror that was mounted on the wall next to the large bed she brushed through her wet hair. A small shiver rushed up her spine. Although she had loved the feel of the rain pouring down her skin she now acknowledged that she needed to dry off. Walking towards the dresser that stood on the other side of the room she grabbed one of towels that had been set out on top of it. Lazily walking back to the bed she began unlacing the back of her wet dress.

"Magic Knight, behind you!" Selece's booming voice screamed in her head.

She let out a muffled scream as a gloved hand covered mouth and a strong arm came around her waist restraining her. Desperately tearing at the hand covering her mouth she felt her captor's other hand swiftly travel up her side. Tears came to her eyes as unbounded fear seized her shaking form and her magic began to swell inside of her. She felt a sudden prick on her neck and the room began to grow fuzzy and dark. No, she couldn't let them win. If she could just hold on she could attack with her magic or summon Selece. She frantically flailed her legs but her attacker lifted her off the floor and everything was growing so fuzzy. "Clef! Selece! Someone, help me!" her mind desperately screamed. But her world suddenly plunged into darkness and she was plagued with unsettling, dreamless sleep.

Smiling an evil grin the attacker gathered Umi's almost lifeless form into his arms. He had been amazed when a pale blue aura had formed around her and the rain itself seemed to attack the windows, desperately swarming at and fighting with the glass. A thin mist had also settled across the floor of the room. She certainly was quite the mysterious prize. He knew she would prove to be interesting from the moment he saw her when he was spying on her the night before. Tossing a sealed letter onto the bed he hastily beckoned to his falcon that sat waiting on the bedpost.

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Clef looked about the room impatiently. Glancing at the stairway that Umi had disappeared up he took a quick drink from his glass. Where was Armatus? He thought he had sensed him when they were approaching the inn. What the hell was going on? He was beginning to think there was some odd spell set on the whole inn that was being used to try to hide something from him, or at least dull his senses.

He jumped from his seat, dropping his glass, when her voiceless screams for help seeped into his mind. The other occupants of the room were greatly disturbed by his actions and the scattered shards of glass that sprinkled across the floor. The noisy room suddenly grew quiet when he overturned a nearby chair as he sprinted for the staircase.

"Umi?!"

Nearly running over the innkeeper on his desperate flight up the stairs he spied an open door in the upstairs hallway. Running towards it he could see mist slowly pouring out the door, traveling its way down the long hallway. Slamming the room's door completely open he examined the dark room breathing heavily. Repeating his call to her he picked up her soaked cloak from the floor. Looking towards the bed he spied and hastily grabbed the awaiting note.

It held Armatus's seal. Stunned beyond belief he ripped open the note and read. As he read the note his hands grasped tighter onto the paper, crushing and tearing it. What the hell was going on!? Immense rage filled his body and a purple aura emanated from him.

The startled inn occupants looked up from their discussions and drinks as the entire building began to shake. Glasses shattered in the drinkers' hands and the wind began to howl and rip at the windows with great force. An enraged voice was heard shouting from the floor above. "Armatus!" The innkeeper and his wife wearily peered at Clef from behind the room's doorframe. Clef, finally gaining control of his emotions and powers, swiftly spun on his heel and rushed past the two. As he walked into the tavern again a fearful hush fell over the crowd.

Pulling a pen and parchment from his bag he hurriedly wrote a letter while leaning on the bar. Clef didn't say a word as he stomped through the inn entrance, out into the rain. His eyes glowed a dangerous blue and his long cape whipped menacingly behind him in the wind. With an impressive wave of his arms and a flash of lightening a large flying beast was summoned. After placing the letter in the beast's terrifying claws he whispered something to the animal. With a nod and a piecing screech the breast took flight with the greatest speed and was instantly lost in the black, moonless, night sky. The entire room silently watched the enraged Clef's every move through the tavern windows, barely breathing. A short whistle from his lips made his horse come bounding around the corner of the building. Without so much as batting an eye, he smoothly jumped onto the moving horse's back. As the horse took off into a gallop he tossed a small bag of gold coins into an astonished stable boy's hands and headed into the nearby woods.

The inn's occupants now stood outside the building's entrance slack jawed and entranced by the retreating rider's now disappearing form. An old woman in the crowd slowly shook her head and mumbled to the crowd as she turned to return to the inn. "Beware a mage's wrath..." Countless voices quietly agreed as the travelers followed her inside.

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End of Chapter Four

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Ack! "What the hell is happening?" I can practically hear you say. I'll work on quickly getting out the next chapter, which should explain more, but I will be gone this coming weekend. Sorry. I don't know if I'm particularly thrilled with this chapter, I may re-write it sometime in the future. But not until I finish the story. Stay tuned for Chapter Five.

-Samui

samui@angelicdream.com

www.angelicdream.com

Sapphire Elegance (An Umi Ryuuzaki shrine!)

www.angelicdream.com/umi

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