Part Fourteen: Decide and Choose One
"You want what?"
Sora looked at Taichi with pity. "I need to talk to Mimi, she has to know I'm with you and that I'm still alive."
"So you want to talk to her?" Taichi grumbled, in which Sora nodded eagerly.
"No." The brunette said simply.
"What? Why?!" Sora replied, surprised.
"We're bandits. Our whereabouts should be unknown to anyone. If you talk to her, someone might know where we are."
"How would they know?" she asked, puzzled with what Tai is saying.
Taichi sighed with exasperation. Surely this woman doesn't know any magic. "Magic can be trampled with magic, you see. Now, if I agreed to let you talk to that Mimi, I have to use magic. The Celetites also uses magic. A really powerful witch or sorcerer in that kingdom can detect my magic and he or she will know my whereabouts. Got it?" he gritted.
Sora sighed and sat on the ground. How on earth will she talk to Mimi? Her friend must know she's still alive and not to worry.
She looked back at Tai with hope. "How about sending a message to Mimi using a pigeon or owl?"
"Pigeons and owls come back to us when we send messages. An unknown person might try to follow it with, let's say, a cavalry then where would we be?!" Tai yelled.
"You're saying I can't talk to anyone outside this place?" Sora whispered.
"Yes! Finally, you got it!" The brunette said with annoyance. His eyes softened when the woman's eyes looked at him with sadness.
"Oh Sora, I'm not angry at you and I'm not being hard on you. I care about my people greatly and I wouldn't risk our safety for just one message."
"I understand… I'm sorry, Tai… I shouldn't have bothered to ask." She said, then stood up and walked away from him.
Tai pulled her back and turned her around, so they were facing each other. He eyed her face closely. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you…" he whispered, holding her face and drawing their faces together. "I'm really sorry…" he whispered last before their lips touched.
The palace was celebrating for the King's birthday, and so most of the people in the palace are very busy at the moment. Yamato thought it was a good idea to escape.
He cruised around the palace, hiding in dark corners when guards are coming, pretended to be nice when the king's visitors walked pass by him. When he noticed that one door that leads to the garden was opened and unguarded, he hurriedly ran to it.
"Immobilus!"
Just one more step, he was out and almost free. But he felt his whole body froze. He couldn't even move his fingers.
He heard hard footsteps coming from behind. He knew who it was.
"Do you think I'll be that ignorant to just leave you in your room, Yamato?" Jun whispered.
"You're a fool, Yamato. Disapparate…"
In a blink of an eye, Yamato was back in his room, together with his fiancé. He turned around, glad that he could move again.
"Why don't you just let me be? I'm of no use here. You're treating me like a marionette!"
Jun eyed him angrily. "We give you decent food, decent clothing. I never punished you gravely and you must thank me for you are still alive. All I want from you is to be my husband. To be like one of us… and all you do is complain! You owe me your life, Yamato."
Yamato approached her angrily. "I didn't ask you to give me decent food and decent clothing! I never asked you to save my life! Did I ask you that?!"
Jun walked out on him and opened his wooden door. "I'm going to give you this day to think about everything. Marry me and live the rest of your life. Don't marry me, and I'll hunt down your princess and torture her in front of you for the rest of your life. Just choose, Yamato. For once, I've given you a chance to decide for your own self."
"You are a heartless bitch…" he murmured.
"Only two choices Yamato. Just pick one and I'll be fine with it." Jun said with a smirk.
With that, she closed the door. She flicked her finger, and the door locked itself.
"Have you eaten lunch already Tai?"
Tai blinked and motioned Joe to go to the table where the food was prepared. "You go on. I don't feel like eating."
Joe shrugged and tapped Tai's shoulder. "Suit yourself."
Taichi sighed and his eyes wandered at the far side of the table. Sora sat there with one expression on her face. Confusion.
He mentally slapped himself and balled his fist angrily. "Why the hell did I do that?" he murmured angrily. He knew kissing her would be wrong for many reasons. One reason, as a leader, he is not supposed to be involved with a woman. Vera once told him in his dream that he'll be the leader of their people and he needs to find a way to save them from poverty. Being involved with a woman like Sora would only distract his attention.
Another reason, Sora is in love with someone who is either dead or alive at the moment. He couldn't just step into her life and replace Yamato. He doesn't even know if she likes him.
"Then, why did she even kissed back?" he asked himself. She could have just slapped him in the face or yelled at him. But she didn't, and it only made their situation worst.
He saw Sora stood up and went inside her small cottage. He didn't bother to think anymore. He just followed her. The only way to know the answer to his last question is to ask Sora.
"Stupid…" Sora murmured, while closing the door slowly. She couldn't help herself that time. It felt so right.
"Can I come in for just a minute?"
She shuddered at the sound of Tai's voice. She replayed the moment earlier, only causing her to flush.
Without opening the door, she replied. "What do you want?" she tried to say calmly.
"I need to settle some things with you…"
Sora sighed. She can't just turn around and pretend nothing happened between them. They need to straighten things out.
She opened the door and stepped aside. "Come in, Tai." Tai walked in then Sora closed the door.
They went silent for a moment, then Tai motioned Sora to sit down.
"I'm sorry about earlier…" he whispered. "I shouldn't have done that, but I can't help myself."
"Why did you do that?" Sora asked.
Tai pulled a small wooden chair and sat down across from Sora. "I don't know. Infatuation, maybe. To tell you the truth, I fancy you. I really like you from the first time I laid my eyes on you."
Tai stared at Sora's eyes for a moment if she's still confused. "Can I ask you a question?" Tai asked quietly, still staring at her.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Why did you kiss me back?" Tai asked simply. "I really need an answer Sora. Because I'm definitely more confused than you are…"
Sora sighed. She didn't want to answer his question. She knew the answer, and she hated herself because of it.
"I like you too, Tai. Possibly a lot. I grew fond of you, and I'm quite fascinated at you. But this is wrong…"
He smiled upon hearing her answer. The both liked each other, what's so wrong about that.
"What's wrong with it?" he asked, standing up and sitting beside her.
"I'm in love with Yamato… I really love him. But having you around makes me… complete even without him."
"That's nice to hear…" Taichi said, smiling. Sora smiled, then turned serious. "I'm already engaged to Yamato. If he comes back – "
"We don't even know if he's dead or alive!" Taichi butted in.
"If he comes back, I'm going to marry him."
Taichi sighed. They really weren't meant to be together. But then… "If he doesn't come back, what happens then?" He asked hopefully.
"I don't know… I guess I'll have to kill myself."
"I'm still around Sora. Don't waste your life…" He whispered, holding her hand. Sora tried to pulled her hand away, but somehow she doesn't want to.
"Why do you have to be so nice to me?" she whispered.
"Don't you want me to be nice to you?" he said softly. He moved closer and kissed her neck. "I can't help it…"
"Tai…"
He moved to her cheek and placed a kiss there. "Just tell me to stop, then I'll stop…" he said, then kissed her again on the lips.
Sora can't say anything. This is wrong for both of them.
"This is wrong…" she whispered, kissing him back. She hated herself. Yamato might still be alive out there, waiting for her.
Tai pulled away and touched her face. "No… it's not wrong. What we're doing right now is goddamn right. Sora, this I tell you. If Yamato doesn't come back, I'll be waiting for your answer."
Sora looked at him, puzzled. "Answer for what?"
He kissed the back of her hand and stared at her eyes. "If you will be my woman or not."
Sora smiled a little. "I'll think about that."
"But if he comes back when you're already mine, I'm not going to just give you to him. I love you too much to just give you back. He has to pass over me first before he could even get to touch you…" Taichi said possessively .
"Tai..." Sora whispered, not knowing what to say or how to react.
Tai stood up and walked towards the door. "You decide what you want Sora. Choose whichever you prefer to be right. Be with the man either dead or alive... or be with me. I'll be fine with your decision, Sora."
He opened the door and stepped out. "Be ready tonight. You're going to give Mimi your message, okay?" Then closed the door behind him.