Feathers of Love

Chapitre Twenty: The Harp


Haku was worried about Sen, and was constantly thinking about her when he went to see Yubaba. Yes, he did have the seal, but he also hoped that he could leave this bathhouse after completing this mission. The missions were difficult and he had to do them just to learn a few spells, which sometimes were not very useful at all. However, what could he do to leave Yubaba? He had forgotten his real name after such a long time. Well, he could still try. There was no harm in trying, right? As for Sen, he knew that she wanted to leave the country very much, and she would certainly do so, if she could end the contract with Yubaba. She had come into this country accidentally, after all. But, was it possible to take Sen along with him?

By then, Haku had already reached the office of Yubaba. He asked the door to open and allow him to enter, when the door suddenly burst open from Yubaba's command. He jumped aside and allowed Yubaba to leave the room.

"Yubaba. I have the seal that you want with me." Haku said after he had greeted her.

"Is it? Come in, I want you to give me the seal and see if you can play the harp. My poor baby is wailing and can't sleep!"

"Yes, Yubaba." Haku went into the room, thanking the door silently for allowing him to enter. The door closed, silently, as if hearing the thanks from Haku in its mind. The harp was near the fireplace, where it was waiting for someone to sing a song. However, when he plucked a string, instead of a clear note, a loud twang sounded. Yubaba's baby wailed louder when hearing it. Oh dear, what should he do? Yubaba would not ask for the seal at the moment and he would not be able to request for his leaving the bathhouse when her baby was crying. Well, there was someone who could help him, if he could get that person…

"Yubaba, I know who can play that harp. Give me some time." Haku said as he went to find Sen.

Sen was still sleeping when he went back to Sen's room. By that time, most of Sen's fellow workers were back in their rooms, some sleeping while some whispering in their beds. When he entered the room, he went straight to Sen, who was still asleep in her bed. He ignored the whisperings behind his back as he went and shook Sen awake. It was of no use. She was still asleep. Haku reached into his magical powers and entered used it to enter Sen's consciousness. He called out quietly in his mind, "Sen, wake up. It's Haku. I need you help." Sen stirred, but did not wake. He called out again, and again. Finally, she woke.

"Haku?" She asked as she tried to sit up. "What is the matter? Are you all right?"

"I need your help. Yubaba's baby is crying and she needs someone to play the harp to calm the baby. I can't play it. Can you come and play the harp and sing?"

Sen nodded her head as she stood up. "I will come along then. If the baby does not stop crying, nobody will get any sleep anyway. Oh dear…" She swayed on her feet. Haku steadied her. Suddenly, Sen noticed that her fellow workers were looking at her. She blushed deeply and snatched her arm away from Haku, saying, "I can walk on my own, thank you." She made her way out of the room, Haku following close by, anxiously watching her in case she fell.

"Are you sure you are all right? You look pale."

"I'm fine, See?" Sen smiled as she turned to look at Haku. Then she noticed the wounds. "I will heal your wounds later. Some of those wounds still seem serious." She swayed again. Haku caught her arm.

"No."

"Nani?"

"You need not heal my wounds. I won't die. Besides, I heal faster than anybody." Sen nodded her head.

"All right, all right. I do seem to need your help after all." The two of them climbed the stairs and reached the elevator. They took the elevator to the top of the bathhouse. At the same time, Haku proposed, "Er…would you like to leave this place? Because if you do, I would like to take you out of this country. I want you to find your mother…and I feel sick of doing missions for Yubaba! They are so useless! Fancy teaching me useless spells as a reward for stealing things for Yubaba!"

"Nani? No wonder you are usually not in the bathhouse. And yes, I would like to leave this place. But is it possible? Yubaba has not ended the contract yet."

"There will be ways, but please do not tell this to anyone." They had reached the top floor and Haku helped Sen into Yubaba's room, where he set her before the fireplace. The baby's wailing was still as loud. Haku went to Yubaba, who was crooning at the baby, trying to get him to sleep.

"Yubaba. I have gotten the person who can sing the harp. Let her do the singing."

"Fine, fine, fine! Just do whatever it takes to let my baby sleep!" Yubaba shouted over the wailings of the baby. Sen heard it and immediately began to sing a song.

This song was one that her mother had sung to her a long time ago, and she had absently plucked the tune from the harp. Gently, she plucked a few notes and played. Sen sang.

When the music song started, the baby'scries subsided very quickly and started to fall asleep. In moments, the whole room became silent. Yubaba and Haku left the baby's room and looked at Sen, who had finished singing the song and was standing up, her back facing Yubaba. She turned around and looked at the floor.

"Yubaba."

"Good singing you've got." Yubaba said before she turned towards Haku. "Have you gotten the seal?"

"Yes, I have."

"Where is it? Give it to me."

Haku started taking out the seal but Sen, who had remained silent until now, said softly, "No."


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the anime or manga, so please do not sue me.

How is this chapitre? I know that it is a bit long but I hope that you have enjoyed it…please review!