Feathers of Love

Chapitre Six: The Fugitive


The dragon flew towards nowhere, trying to hide from the soldiers that were fast on its trail. The dragon could try to hide in the clouds whenever it could, but on that day, it was impossible, for the winds blew in another direction, and thus all the clouds that it could have used for cover were blown to somewhere else. The soldiers could see where it went, and it tried to hide in the shadows, whenever possible. Luckily, only soldiers were chasing it. If there were sorcerers after it, it would be in deep trouble. Though it loved to learn magic, there were, after all, people who could use magic more efficiently than it could.

The harp was still in its mouth and if felt heavier than ever. The dragon was getting tired. Having no choice, the dragon sought for a place to hide the harp before it went back to Debonair's palace to hide until Yubaba left the palace. It looked for a magical tree, one that was strong enough to hide the aura of the harp. Then it sensed it. That tree! The tree with pink petals! The dragon landed there, out of sight of the solders and thrust the harp into the roots of the tree. Then, it chanted a spell softly and the both the auras of the tree and harp suddenly disappeared.

After that, it flew back to the palace, hiding its aura at the same time. It was tricky to get into the palace again, but it managed to do so, ducking into the shadows when people were nearby and flying quickly to another building when people were not looking.

By then, many people were already sleeping, save for the soldiers patrolling the area and also those searching for it. It spotted an open staircase and flew into it. When it was safely inside the staircase, it changed back into its human form and quietly climbed up the stairs. Haku was searching for the two singers who sang just now at the ball. "They sang very nicely." Haku thought. "But Yubaba does not seem happy about it. Is it because of my transformation? I think that I need not report to her today. She will know that I am already. What is most important now is that I must hide somewhere where the queen will not be able to find me, if not I will be doomed."

Haku could not remember the aura of the two singers, Nadeshiko and Sakura. But he knew that the only people who had magical powers so strong as them were only Nova and Debonair, and the odd number of 'masters' and 'mistresses'. The rest had very little magical powers and it was so little that it need not be taken notice of. The other slaves and servants probably did not know that they had magical powers, that was what Haku guessed.

"Hmm...judging from the stink here, I guess I am near the slaves' quarters. Other than slaves' living here, in this damp and smelly place, the only other smelly place is the servants' quarters but that is not so smelly as they have baths but the slaves do not have any, from what I know." Haku thought.

"Ahh...so here is where Sakura and Nadeshiko sleep." Silently, he opened the door and entered it. The two of them slept here, away from the other slaves. The only problem was that this place was smaller than the other rooms shared by at least ten slaves. At least ten slaves could sleep better than them; for they could stretch out and rest, but Sakura and Nadeshiko's room was so small that they could only sit up and sleep.

However, despite the small space, Haku managed to find a corner for him to rest. He was used to sleeping in such small places, for he had even squeezed in tunnels narrower than that to steal things for Yubaba. He crept towards that small corner and sat down, trying to fall asleep. It was a bit impossible, for he was attracted to something on Sakura's wrist. It was a bracelet of intricate design, a design that he had seen before in books but it was so cunningly crafted that he thought it was just a normal bracelet if he did not look closely.

Haku somehow felt familiar with this bracelet, as if someone had shown it to him before. He touched the bracelet gently with one finger but accidentally touched Sakura. Sakura woke up immediately and looked around frantically, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Stop moving!" Haku whispered urgently.

Sakura did as he said but she was more afraid of him, for he had appeared again out of nowhere.

"Why are you here? I thought that you had disappeared with the harp?" Sakura whispered as she nudged her mother.

"What happened? Is it morning already, Sakura?" Nadeshiko asked sleepily.

"No, mother! We have the dragon with us! What should we do?"

"What? So the dragon is here, I see. I guess we have no choice but to hide him, right?" Nadeshiko smiled. "Welcome to our humble abode. I hope that you do not er...mind the stink..."

"No! It's all right. It's better than being caught by Debonair, right?"

"Yeah. What is the time now?"

Suddenly, something rang with a loud "DDDDDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!"

"Why are we always so unfortunate to be next to the bell tower? To be shaken awake by this stupid bell! Argh!" Sakura grumbled. "Well, if you want to hide here, stay in here for the whole day. If the soldiers are here searching for you, you better run away. Or else..."

"DDDDDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!" The bell rang again. People were stirring up and getting ready to go to work.

"Well, I guess we better go now. Remember, if soldiers are here searching for you, escape!" Nadeshiko reminded him.

"Yes, I will. I know that I am not supposed to be here, but still...well, thanks for your hospitality." Haku said.

"Well, I am sorry that I do not have food for you to eat. Even if we have food, it will be broth, so I guess you better sleep to conserve energy." Sakura said as she left her room with Nadeshiko to go for breakfast.

"The people here are sure very pitiful, living in such places and destined to die here. But...what about Nadeshiko and Sakura? I think I know them but where have I met them before?" Haku wondered as he drifted off into a fitful sleep with the song Shiroi Ryuu in his mind, and Sakura.

"Somehow, the song, Shiroi Ryuu, seems to fit Haku, for he is a white dragon after all." Sakura thought as she climbed down the stairs wearily with her mother. Life was as normal, and the only thing that was different was the Haku was not part of their lives. Now, the two of them had an extra worry. What would they do if the soldiers caught Haku in their rooms? Would they be killed?


Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is to do with Clamp or any other person's creation!

Hmm...I guess that I am a bit fast here, having finished two chapitres today! I am sorry that I spelt 'soldiers' to 'solders' in the last chapitre! Forgive me, please? Review too...I will be grateful to those who did!