Dark Arrow
By Marie Darkholme
13. Taking Responsibilities
The morning raised dark and sorrowed. The sun, shyly watching from behind the clouds brought a sense of insecurity with him as he rose up in sky to take his place as day star. His rays entered the large room and filled it with warm shinning on the blood red curtains. Mimi stretched her arms as the morning light hit her face, waking her from her slumber. She rolled to the other side and opened her eyes, facing the dark part of the guest chambers. There, her eyes met with Hikari, kneeled on the floor, her head resting in her arms over the border of the bed, sleeping as peacefully as he could be possible in such a consternated time. She admired the features of her young maid and a smile crossed her face. The thought of a beautiful younger child resting in her arms appeared in her mind, accompanied by the image of a red haired young man with deep dark eyes, staring loving at her. Those were the thought that crossed her imagination while she watched Hikari in her sleep.
She was shaken away from those or any other thoughts by a hard knock on the door. Recomposing her straight figure and seriousness, she answered the door with a harsh tone of voice. "Who is it?" came a fearful voice from the other side, certainly of a maid from Yamato's castle. "My Lady, I was sent to help you get ready for lunch." The girl said, her voice clearly trembling. Realising it was just a servant; Mimi ran to the door and opened it. On the other side, a young girl of early teens, maybe sixteen or seventeen was standing with clothes in her hands. Mimi noticed the two guards guarding the door and the nasty looks they were giving the girl. Casting them a nasty despise look, the Princess pulled the girl into the room, beating the door the next second.
"My Princess!" the teen girl bowed respectfully. Mimi could see in her eyes that this wasn't just any bow, but one of a real servant, who cared about their mistress. She smiled, motioning the girl to stand, which she did immediately without further questions. Then, silently the girl began spreading the clothes she had brought over the bed. The princess watched her silently as she paced back and forward. She walked towards the large windows and opened the curtains a little, allowing the sunrays to get in. A soft moan made her turn to see Hikari stretching her arms and massaging her neck.
"Princess Mimi, you're awake already!" Hikari replied admired. Mimi walked towards her and sat on the bed. The young servant had turned to the adjacent room to arrange something that Mimi could not guess. The brown haired girl stood and walked around for a little to stretch her legs, and then she sat by Mimi's side, yawning gracefully. "Did you sleep well?" she asked with true concern. Mimi nodded. "More peacefully that I could have guessed, but after locking the door I guess that wasn't much to fear though." She replied with a soft laugh. The environment was tense and both women could feel it, but they tried to make their staying in the dark claws of evil King Yamato more pleasant and less harsh. They had faith on both their knights but in spite of that, the two could still fear their destiny there might be cruel enough as long as they were there.
Hikari watched a long dress over the bed. "What is this?" she asked. Mimi stood and went to the bottom of the bed, picking one of the several dresses there. "I don't know, but apparently King Yamato wishes us to accompany him at lunch." She replied. Just then, the young servant entered the chamber again, holding in her hands some more dressing items, along with footwear. Seeing Hikari she bowed once more, greeting the woman. "Good morning, my Lady." Hikari was perplex by the action, but retributed the respect, smiling to the woman as she thanked the act. She noticed how young the girl was, maybe two or three years younger than her. She had long cooper hair, caught in a long braid that fell on her back. Her eyes were pale green and hid great sadness and shame in them. She wore a long dark blue dress with white socks and a white apron over it. Hikari couldn't help noticing how loosened, old and torn the dress looked.
"What is your name?" Mimi asked, as the girl began preparing hot water so the Princess could wash herself. She turned abruptly, her eyes not daring to leave the ground. "Li Hong, my Princess." She replied shyly. Then without giving them time to think of any other question, she turned around and continued doing her chores. "His Highness, King Yamato wants both the Princess and her Lady to join him in the meals' chamber." Finishing preparing the water, she turned back and picked one of the dresses lying on the bed. "The King wishes that you wear this dress, My Princess." She informed. Mimi inspected the dress: it was a long tight red dress with long loose sleeves. It had a deep neckline with an embroidery of black rend. The same rent was also on the sleeves and in the skirt, marking a spiral on this last one. Only then, Mimi noticed the high split on the dress' right side, coming up, above her knee.
"Yamato, King or not, must be insane if he thinks I'm going to wear that dress." She shouted, turning her back on the dress and the girl that was holding it. Only then she realised how rude she was being to the young girl who had absolutely no fault about the whole situation. She quickly turned and apologized. The girl though was embarrassed. "No, my Princess, you mustn't apologize. I am sorry for this, but you really have to wear it or King Yamato will be furious." Li Hong replied, her features paling visibly in fear. "Please, please, my Princess, do not anger him." the girl pleaded. Mimi was actually shocked with Li's reaction. How dares he? Threatening the poor girl just to make me wear the dress. What kind of torments as he put the poor creature through already? She screamed in her thoughts. But she didn't give voice to them and just remained blankly staring at the provocative dress. Then Li Hong spoke again. Putting down Mimi's dress, she picked the other that had been lying on the bed and showed it to Hikari.
"Milady, this is your dress." She informed the brown haired woman. Hikari was also astonished by the horn like dress. Hers was simply black, with lots of rends as well. It was also with loosened sleeves that, by her measurements, would probably be longer than her arms. It had a deep neckline as well, but fortunately for her, it was long and without any kind of split. But instead had a very…"fresh" back. Hikari noticed how the dress had only one strip to the back and then it was completely open, closing in a V shape inches above the bottom of her back. With a sigh, she simply picked the dress from Li Hong's hands and threw it into the bed. Then the three woman stared at the dresses by quite a few time, wondering what to do with them. Mimi felt like to torn it apart and use it to build a rope. But even if she could built a longer enough rope, she couldn't jump the window since there were bars outside, preventing any kind of escape. As for Hikari she would rather use the dress to hang Yamato when she was with him, but that was as well nothing but a dream.
Captain Motomiya rose rather late than morning in the small habitation. He opened his eyes unwilling, as he would rather remain sleeping, but as he did, he realised why he had opened them in the beginning. Next to him, sleeping peacefully as the most beautiful angel he had seen was the black haired girl. Her body was slightly uncovered, showing her warm pale back, down her legs and her feet. She rested her head on his arm, against his bare chest. He could feel her warm body against his naked one. His memories went back to the night before. He sighed, a sad sigh. I've slept with her. I shouldn't have. I took advantage of mine and her loneliness for a night and now that I'll be back to my duties in the palace, I'll have to leave her here and live with the dream I've had. And she will have to face the fact that this was nothing but a night stand. Damn it. I feel like I've completely raped this woman. He scolded himself for his attitude. But at the same time, he couldn't help not regretting what he had done. He quietly caressed her back, feeling the smoothness of her skin. Feeling the girl shivering, he removed his hand, suddenly feeling awkward. Slowly, the dark haired woman opened her eyes. A smile crossed her features as she saw Daisuke lying besides her.
"Good morning, my Captain." She melodically greeted, embracing the man in her arms, slowly moving her lips to his. They shared a kiss that Daisuke could never regret. It had been so long he had felt the soft lips of a woman, that every kiss from this girl felt extremely good, even if the bruise on her lip, rubbed against his own lips. he broke apart after a while, and sat on the bed. The girl looked sadly at him. "I knew you would have to leave me behind when you left, but nothing would make me regret this night." She replied. "Please don't think of me as a horn, but I do like you a lot and…" she was cut by his lips brushing against hers again. In another loving moment like the one they had shared the night before, he laid down next to her, pushing her body close to him, as they sealed the passion that had born between them in that deep kiss.
He had to force himself to break the kiss. Standing up in a flash, he picked his underwear, his pants and shirt and dressed himself, his back facing the woman lying on the bed. She watched him as he dressed. The scars on his arms and the most nasty he had on his back that she had felt while her hands had travelled through his body the night before were now visible and seemed even more honourable than she had thought of them. She remembered the little moment, their breathless rhythm and how he had become tense when he felt her hand over his scar. "I… I hope they don't disgust you like some women." He told her. She smiled brightly in the shadows, caressing the mark. "Of course not. They're so honourable fight marks." A sigh escaped her lips as the thought that that night would become nothing but a memory, never to be repeated again crossed her mind. She stood up, exposing her naked body to him as he turned. She could see a small trail of red creeping in his cheeks. She couldn't help a laugh.
Daisuke watched her body. He loved her curved haunches and her thin waist. Trying to clear his thoughts, he deviated his eyes, feeling his cheeks reddening. He heard her laugh. The sound of fabrics rubbing against human skin was heard and the next time his eyes settled on the dark haired woman, she wore her long dress. She approached him in slow, decided steps. Resting her head on his chest, she leaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his warmness and his beating heart for the last time. "You can't stay just a bit longer?" she asked, her eyes closed in a moment she wished would last forever. He wrapped his hands around her waist in a protective way. "Haruko…" he sighed, her name whispered in an almost inaudible voice. "I wish I could…but I have duties with my queen. I must go." "Will you be back?" the question was in both her mind and his, and without answer in the two. Haruko remained leaned against him, until he was forced to remove her arms from his neck.
"I'll do my best to come back." He replied with a reassuring smile, kissing her forehead. "Then I know I'll se you again." She replied in the same mood. Then, both exited their love nest. Outside in the cold morning, the men were already grouped. The captain rested his eyes on his men, noticing the lack of two of them. "Where are the others?" he asked, as a soldier brought him his horse. One of them men was about to answer, when three horses appeared. They stopped abruptly and one of the soldiers helped the second one climb down a body from his horse. Haruko, Daisuke and the rest of the men watched curiously the situation. As the two men put the stranger on the floor, supporting his head in a bag they had, the Captain wasn't able to contain an exclamation. "But that's Takeru, the stable-boy." he realised. In fact it was the young blond. Haruko hurried herself into the house, getting a cloth with water along with some bandages to treat Takeru's forehead. Meanwhile, the Captain was trying to get a report from the two men.
"Where did you find him?" he inquired as he kneeled next to the younger boy and began cleaning his forehead with the wet cloth. He had dry blood running down his face from a nasty wound on his forehead. There were also several cuts from what Daisuke could only imagine as being cuts from tree branches. He must have been in a real hurry to ride like this. He thought. "He was just a few kilometres away, captain. Lying on the ground. We even thought he was dead." One of the two replied. Just then, Takeru trembled and his eyes opened slowly. Daisuke and Haruko who was cleaning the wounds on his face, backed away to give him room to sit if he wanted.
The youngster looked to his surroundings not realising what has happened just yet, until a sudden light crossed his mind. He tried to sit quickly, but immediately was brought down by a strong headache. Taking his hand to his head, he was stopped by someone. Looking to the face of the person, he recognized the captain. A sudden joy raised his spirit. "Captain! I'm so glad I've found you. Are Sora and Koushiro with you? I must speak with them. There is great dangerous…" he started talking faster than anyone could understand. The captain made him be quiet and lie down again. "Easy. You have a nasty cut on your forehead. Let us treat it and then you can talk." The captain told him. The blond, though, wasn't in the mood to wait for whatever. He needed to desperately talk with Sora and Koushiro. "But…" he protested. Nevertheless it didn't serve him much and the Captain cast him a glare, ordering him to shut up.
The moments that followed, while the dark haired girl and Daisuke cleaned and bandaged Takeru's wounds under the attentive and curious glare of the soldiers seemed like an eternity to the blond, though it had passed less than three or four minutes. But he felt like the time was a precious thing to be wasted like that. He had wasted enough time while he was unconscious, sleeping on the ground, and, by the looks, Sora and Koushiro weren't with the soldiers, so what he had to do was to get up quickly and continue to Oita's port where he was sure to find them. Or at least he hoped. That was his last hope.
"There, you're done now, boy." Haruko said to him in a motherly voice, even though the girl was not much older than him, perhaps five or six years. Daisuke was a little older, almost nine years. Takeru sat quickly and touched his forehead. "Thanks." He said to his two doctors. "Now, I've really have to…" he began but once again, he was interrupted by the captain's authoritarian voice. "Easy! First of all, tell me what are you doing here?" Daisuke asked. The blond hesitated for a second, pondering if he should or shouldn't tell him what was happening in the castle, but after all, he was Captain Motomiya, he controlled Natsuko's soldiers and he could be as helpful as Sora and Koushiro. Suddenly a plan came to his mind. In a few words, he told the captain everything that had happened since he had left. He told him about Princess Mimi and her Lady Hikari being taken by King Ishida. He told him about Natsuko's real identity and about his suspicious over the reason why Yamato had send someone to kill Sora. He also told him about his true origins. There was silence. A silence of pure shock by the captain. Haruko was out of the conversation along with the soldiers, since Takeru had asked to talk to him in particular.
"Are you sure of what you're telling me? What you're saying is very complicated and dangerous to be said." The captain inquired. A part of him didn't want to believe in the truth that the other part had assured him. For long had he been suspicious about the queen. Certain visits that she received, non-communicated to him, his truthful captain; certain things he heard around the palace, rumours that he obliged himself to discard. But now, cruel and openly the truth revealed to him in all its fateful disaster if it came to the open. Rebellious soldiers, revolted people, all too easy for Yamato to get the reins of this kingdom, the kingdom he had sworn to protect. No, I won't let that happen. I must act fast and silently. He thought and in his mind a plan began elaborating, but there were still many questions many doubts that could make his plan fail. No, he needed to be sure.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your thoughts Captain Motomiya, but we need to get Lady Sora and Koushiro back immediately. If my suspicious are revealed truth and she really is the only heir to the throne, only she can stop the great catastrophe we fear." Takeru spoke, wisdom on his young words. "You're right." The Captain concluded. "But what can we do? I know that she went to Nagasaki city, but we cannot cross the ocean. It would be as an invasion to our neighbour kingdom and could bring even more disaster towards our kingdom." He said, his forehead contracting, showing wrinkles Takeru had never though he had at such young age. He pondered over the issue for a while. "Yes, it is true that that might cause an unwanted attention and possibly a war. Our only option is to wait for her and Koushiro to return for I'm sure they will at Oita's port. Then we can decide the measures we will take." Takeru said. Daisuke nodded. The young Prince spoke with good sense. "Then we shall wait for Lady Sora. Let's hope she doesn't come too late."
The sea was calm. Maybe too calm. Or maybe it was just Taichi's mind pulling him to think of the worst things that could happen. He sighed as he watched the small waves beat against the skull of the ship. Weeks, days ago he would never have thought he would be in such a difficult situation. His heart wanted revenge. He wanted to have stayed to find, torture and kill the men that had made the only girl left in his life suffer. He wanted to make them pay so badly. But his reasonable side said to him that he would be almost impossible to find them. But even that wouldn't stop him, if it wasn't for Koushiro's appeals and Sam's wisdom words.
He rested his restless hand over the handle of his katana, tracing with his fingers the soft outlines of the black sword, the only thing he had left from his family. The blade that had crossed without resentment the heart of so many enemies, the weapon that throughout the years had always been fateful to him, never leaving him behind or backcrossing him. The blade that had not been there to protect Sora. He knew he shouldn't be punishing himself for what had happened. But a part of him told him that if he had…
"Aren't you going to eat or sleep or do anything at all besides staring endlessly at the ocean?" a voice, sharp with a bit of anger, but still soft enough for Taichi to understand he wasn't really angry said. Taking his weary eyes from the blue pattern before him, he faced Sam. The older guy had his eyes filled with concern for his best friend. "I just…" once again his trade of thoughts was interrupted. "You know you couldn't have done anything." Sam told him once more, like he had been telling him, since the night before.
Another sigh followed. The captain turned to mirror the sea once more. His hands rested on the border of the wooden Dark Arrow. "I feel that I shouldn't have let her go. I should have begged for her to stay, do anything and never letting her go. I had learned my lesson about leaving the persons I care for and I shouldn't have let that happen again." He said stubbornly. Sam sighed, his patience and intelligence, though big, was still not able to understand the stupidities people say when they are in love.
"You know perfectly that whatever you had said would have not changed her mind. As much as she loves you, she needed to know the truth about her parents. You know how it feels like, not knowing who you are, feeling you've lost your identity." Sam wised. But Taichi was stubbornly interposing all his arguments. "Then I should have obliged her to stay. Lock her in her room. When we were finally in high sea, she wouldn't be able to return." He replied. "She would have jumped off the window. Even being small, Sora would definitely find a way through." Sam said, a smile crossing his features. "Then I should have tied her to the mast." He smiled. "But she would probably bit the rope and get away." They chuckled.
"How is she?" Taichi asked, his voice filled with depression and concern. Sam rested a hand over the brown haired' shoulder. "Her convulsions and spasm stopped. I think she's stable now. But you know the venom they poisoned her with had no known cure. I hope that the herb I tried has some effect. But even if she wakes up, we don't know if…" he stopped, uncertain of the right way to say what he needed to say. "I know." The captain replied, taking a weigh from his friend's shoulders.
Sam stepped away in slow, contained movements, knowing how his friend needed the time alone. Alone, Taichi allowed himself to drown in his thoughts once more. He closed his eyes, feeling the strong wind on his face. "We'll see each other again." She had said before they separated. And we did see each other again, but I never thought… it simply didn't cross my mind that it would be like that.
The rain had been pouring for a while. Taichi was beginning to think they wouldn't be able to leave Nagasaki that night. The work that he had expected to be easily done had become increasingly troubling due to the rain that had soaked tissue and men, and was making the discharge slower.
Covered in his cloak, he walked to the border of his beloved ship to see how the operations were going. He noticed Sam and Ken helping with the large boxes. Noticing his captain looking their way, Sam waved and walked towards him, followed by his younger brother. "How much longer?" Taichi asked, adjusting his hood on his head, though it didn't do him much. His brown hair was completely soaked anyway and he was thinking about pulling the hood back and let the rain flow freely down his face. "I don't think it will take much longer. There just two more boxes to discharge." Sam replied.
The captain looked to the main deck were the men were picking the last two boxes. "Well, I guess that we can prepare to leave then." He figured. Sam immediately started giving orders of hoisting the anchor, opening the sails and preparing everything to leave. Taichi walked to the ship's wheel and prepared to sail off, when a shout from the coast called their attention. "There's a man there, Captain." One of the sailors said, taking his telescope. "His Koushiro." The same sailor informed after seeing the red haired through the telescope. Taichi raised his eyebrow. He shouldn't be here. He thought as he motioned the men to help him get in. But that fact was that it wasn't only Koushiro on the outside. In his arms, covered with a cloak was Sora.
Taichi came running towards him, as he saw her in his arms, not moving. Koushiro himself could barely stand. As soon as the brown haired man took the girl into his arms, Koushiro fell to his knees and breathed heavily. His muscles seemed ready to explode any minute now and his body appeared to be going to collapse, black out. He made an effort to breathe slower as Sam and Ken helped him to get into the lower deck.
"What happened?" The two brothers asked simultaneous. Meanwhile, Taichi had brought Sora to the room she had been previously. He rested her body in the bed and started taking her wet clothes. There was no time for thinking about politeness or anything else. He had to get her into dry clothes, before she would catch a cold. But he noticed how she was pale and she wasn't opening her eyes. He searched in her body for any wounds, a cause for her numbness. But he saw nothing. She had only a small cut on her face. Just then, Koushiro, accompanied by Sam and Ken entered the room and closed the door behind them. "What the hell happened?" Taichi almost yelled at the red haired man, as the two men left him in the bottom of the bed. Koushiro tried to regain his breath. He was exhausted from carrying Sora all the way, running in the rain.
"She's been poisoned." He managed to say between breaths. Sam looked to Taichi and then to Sora. He pushed the captain aside and examined the scratch that was till bleeding on her cheek. He touched the blood, causing a moan from the girl. He took the small thread of red fluid to his nose and smelled it. "Spider poison." He murmured. Taichi felt his knees collapsing on the floor. "You mean… no1 No! Please Sam, you're an expert… you must know some medicine, an herb… you have to do something." The captain pleaded. "I'll do my best…" the dark haired man replied, but his voice wasn't confident like it used to. Suddenly, Sora's body started twisting again. Her eyes were suddenly open, but twisted back. "She's having another spasmodic attack. Hold her still, Taichi." Sam instructed. The captain did as he was told and held her arms and head, while Ken on the bottom of the bed, tried to get a hold on her legs.
Meanwhile, Sam had exited the cabinet, coming back what it looked like hours later, for Taichi, but the truth was that everything was going so fast. He prepared an especial herb right there and applied a little quantity on the auburn haired' cheek. Then he made a mix with water and sunk it down her throat, spilling some over the bed sheets and Taichi.
That had been the night before, and since then, he hadn't had the courage to go back to the room and see her again. She was miserable. Her skin was pale, almost white, almost dead. Her lips, her rose coloured lips that tasted like candy were blue and though her appearance was cold and of a death person, she was burning in fever. He had heard her voice, screaming in the middle of the night, drowned in unknown nightmares. Almost like the last scream of a trapped animal, high pitch. No, he hadn't the courage to see her like that. Koushiro on the other hand, had refused to step away from her. He had changed his clothes in the room, never taking his eyes from his protected and that had happened because Sam had obliged them. In the middle of all the confusion, Sam was the only one that seemed to be behaving rationally. Even Ken was strange. He had been impressed by Sora when she had that spasmodic attack and he couldn't get his mind off of it.
Gathering all the courage he had, the captain stepped away from the border of the ship, his eyes leaving the deep ocean, and walked down the stairs that led to the middle deck. He stopped in front of the wooden door, behind which Sora was lying, dying… No, I can't think like that. She's going to make it. She's strong. The strongest woman I ever met. It took him about three minutes or so, to lift his closed hand, and knock on the door. A knock so soft that he could have sworn no one would hear it. But Koushiro did. He opened the door. The Captain examined him with sad eyes. The red haired man was darkened by sadness and fear. His eyes held deep holes that could have never come for only one day of sleepless. Those where the eyes of a person who's fearing to loose someone dear.
"Hello Taichi." He greeted, trying his best to sketch a smile on his lips, which he couldn't. "I was wondering when you would come. I think I better leave you alone with her." the red haired replied, exiting the door in slow motion. The Captain walked in, his eyes glued to the floor. He closed the door behind him. There was no courage that could make him lift his eyes. He sat by her side, and held her pale hand. Strangely it was colder than the night before. Not cold, though, it was only warm now. He dared to look at her.
Her lips had almost gained the usual colour, but they were still with shades of blue. Her hair fell around her with no brightness like it used to, but it too seemed to be regaining some lost colour. He clutched her hand tightly, but there was no response. She was breathing, her chest moving up and down so slowly. Sam and Koushiro had removed her wet clothes and she was now wearing just some pants. Her chest was bandaged along with her left arm, and the sheets covered her under her shoulder, so her arms were over the covers.
The captain remained silent for a while, slightly happy to being holding her hand. He thought of the words that he felt right to say to her, as his other hand moved to her head and caressed her face. His eyes were beginning to get watery, and a tear rolled down his face, falling on Sora's arm. Taichi quickly wiped the tears away.
"You must wake up soon, Sora." He said in a very low soft tone, his voice trembling. "Ken, Sam and Koushiro will be playing chess all the time, and I need someone to talk to me." He paused. "Besides…" another tear managed to escape the Captain's strong will. "I need a woman by my side. I need you Sora." He paused again. His tears were now falling freely and he sobbed quietly by her side. He bended slightly and hugged her, whispering in her ear. "I love you." He clutched her hand, and to his admiration, a small strength clutched his hand back for few seconds.
So sorry peeps. for the long delay and short chapter. anyway hope you like it, like always I try my best. Dragon and Saphira thanks for your reviews. Obrigado, aprecio mto a vossa opinião