Opening Lotus
Chapter 4
- "My, my…this dear child has lost a lot of blood."
- "Yes, but so beautiful. She must not be more than 17 years of age."
- "Oh my, look at her hair and her body. Hair as dark as the midnight sky with skin as white as a droplet of snow."
- "It may be true, but please, we must tend to her wounds, or she may die."
As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw these old women peering over at me. Pain suddenly struck me all over my body, especially in my ribs. My first thoughts were, "Where was Wind? Oh no, did the ninjas take him? Where am I?" I felt so lost without my guardian. He was more of like a brother to me.
"Dear child, what is your name? What happened?"
I turned slowly to the woman that asked me this question. "My name is Faythe Kyoumi (kissofdeath). I was a peasant in the clan The Order of the Raven until I ran away. I was attacked by their ninjas when they had found me." The woman raised their eyebrows at me. Once they heard I was from The Order of the Raven, they slowly walked away. They were whispering to each other. "Ayumi-san, this young girl is from that treacherous clan. We must tell Emperor Takeshi." "I agree, Sumiko, but why would such a beautiful young child be in that clan? Nonetheless, Sumiko, we must fix her wounds." "Yes, Ayumi-san." I was alone and afraid. "Where are you, dear brother? Oh, I miss you so." Tears swelled up in my eyes. I had no where else to go. I was injured too badly to continue on. Surely the ninjas from The Order of the Raven will find me. I asked the women, "Do you know of a man named Wind? He had blonde hair and was 19 years old." The older one replied,"Oh, you must mean the young man who brought you here."
Sudden bursts of excitement went through my body, "Where is he? I must see him at once!" Although I could barely stand up, I walked through the doorway, and on the steps I saw my guardian with a girl who wore clothes of a Samurai. "Who was she?" I brushed these thoughts away and was relieved that Wind was alive. He had risked his life to save mine. Suddenly, my vision was darkening. Then my eyelids went against my wishes and closed. I was now swimming through darkness waiting for my light to shine.
"Pleased to meet you…Wind…" Taki said, looking at him curiously. Who was that girl that he had brought in? She had looked as if she was about to die…
"Where is he? I must see him at once!"
They turned, to see the girl that Wind had brought in run outside, flash Taki a worried look, then collapse.
Quick as lightening, Wind sprung up, and caught her midfall, easing her to the porch slowly. "Shh…Faythe…you need to rest…I'm here, and I'm alright…" He whispered to his sister, as he picked her up once more, taking her back into the clinic.
Blinking slowly, Taki looked at Harumi. "Who is this girl…and where…where did she come from?" They both wondered at the same time, as they watched Wind come back out, and sit with them. He appeared sad. What had happened to them?
"Okay, do you remember the plan, Taki-san?"
"Yeah…I'm not stupid, Haru…I'm just hesitant to follow through with this…"
"Why? Normally you're all up for spy missions."
"Yeah…but, I normally don't do this kind of a mission…this clan is the—what was that?"
They both kept quiet now. Takeshi had sent them on a mission to spy on the Order of The Raven. Something about that girl…Faythe…had prompted him to suspect something of that clan. She wasn't sure…but maybe that girl had been a part of them, and Takeshi might've been worried about further goings-on at the clan.
Leaning into the hill, listening, they heard the snap of a twig close behind them. Catching her breath, Harumi glanced around, taking out her sais. She had been given two…and so had Taki. They were mainly disarming weapons…but still…they could kill…
Jumping down the hill, she found who she was looking for. Quickly, she jumped over the assailant, disarming him of his katana, and jabbing him in the chest with her three-pronged spike. Blood spurted over her…but her opponent was dead. Taki went over to the dead man. He was clothed in the black robes of a ninja. "Crap, Haru…I thought we agreed that you would save some of the killing for me…" Taki joked dryly, as they searched him, finding nothing, but a small tattoo on the underside of his arm. It was the insignia of a Raven in a circle. They had crossed into the other clan's territory…and must be extra careful from now on…
Takeshi sighed as he looked over at the Clinic. They had found a member of one of The Silent Wind's most fierce enemies. What should they do with her? Put her to death?
Shaking his head, he watched her brother pacing in front of the door on the outside of the healing place. Was he, too…a member of the Order? He appeared weak, but strong at the same time. What was to be done with him?
"My Lord, I hope I'm not disturbing, but I have some news for you."
"Yes, Rikimaru?"
Standing from his former bow, he spoke again, "Taki, and Harumi have crossed into the Order's borders. They have taken out one of the Order's Ninjas, because he was following them. They want to know the further objectives of their mission."
Bowing his head slightly, then looking back towards the window, Takeshi looked a bit troubled. This could mean war if they were spotted. And it could mean the loss of both of them as well… "Tell them to keep a low profile…do not make themselves known. They are there to only find out what the peasant's life is like there. Not to start a war."
Nodding his head, Rikimaru left.
Faythe moaned softly on her bed, tossing her head. She appeared to have a fever. They had hit her with a stunning dart of some kind…and, apparently, she was allergic to the muscle number.
Wind came in, and looked at his sister. "What can I do for her?"
"Nothing now…we have done all we can…she must now make the decision to live, or die. It is her choice now…"
"Oh, Faythe…I tried to protect you….I wish there was something I could do…"
The old women left him, and began tending the other wounded people there. They always kept the two in their thoughts, though, as they moved from room to room. They were really curious about who they were…and why they had tried to leave the Order of the Raven…
Why they had run away…
TBC