Dark Arrow

By Marie Darkholme

14. Revelations

The salon was huge. It could welcome about a cent of people without any problems of space. In the centre, a large carpet covered the floor. It represented another hunting scene. Two men hid in the vegetation watching as a young deer grazed with their weapons ready to strike. In the end of the large chamber two fireplaces were set to warm the room. In the left side there were several high windows illuminating the room, but they were covered by large heavy dark blue curtains, covering almost every light that could have been passing through it. Instead, the chamber was illuminated by three large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling in a threatening size.

Set in one of the sides was a table in a rectangular shape, long enough to have fifty guests or more. It was completely covered in every type of food that Mimi could have ever imagined. Meet of every living species from chicken to boar and there was even horse meet, judging by the aspect of a strange piece of red meet in the end of the table. There were also several drinks: wine was he most abundant, but Mimi spotted what seemed like orange and lemon juice.

The Princess observed all this in a mix of astonishment and despise. She always thought that Yamato needed to feel greater than others but this was exaggerated not to say completely outrageous. In a single line, waiting patiently an order, about ten servants were in the end of the room, distant enough not to hear a conversation that could settle between the guests and the King, but close enough to quickly attend any order.

Gazing to the sad and fearful look of the servants, Mimi couldn't help a smile of sympathy towards them. She walked proudly, her head up in the provocative red dress to the place that Li Hong indicated her, as she walked a little ahead of the two women. She couldn't King Yamato anywhere but she was sure that he would be coming. Maybe he just wanted to make a scandalous entry. Hikari followed her uneasy with the black dress she was obliged to wear. It hadn't been easy for neither of the women to even thinking about dressing those things, but Li's eyes filled them with pity and they could not escape from wearing them as a way to keep the girl out of Yamato's anger, even if just for a while.

As they reached the proximities of the table, two servants immediately left their perfect line to help them sit down. Meanwhile, the cooper haired girl took her place in the line. After helping Mimi and Hikari to take their places, the two servants quickly but quietly walked back to the line. Suddenly there was a loud old sound of a door opening and Yamato made his entrance. He smiled mischievously as he saw the women sitting in their respective places wearing the clothes he had chosen. He walked in a slow pace, as he glared at Mimi, watching her carefully. The Princess felt exposed by the lack of clothes and with an unnoticed movement brought the skirt of the dress up, trying to cover her legs properly.

A different servant pushed Yamato's chair and helped him sit, bowing as he first arrived and when he finally went back to the line. Once there, all the servants bowed. The blond exchanged his view, looking to his left where Hikari had been ordered to sit. His eyes came down from her face to the low neckline of the dress, and the Lady too felt exposed and with an unconcerned movement took a small scarf and tied it on her neck, leaving the loose points falling over her chest, covering that way her middle exposed breasts.

"I'm glad to see you've accepted my invitation to join me in lunch." Yamato replied disdainful, as he approached his hand from Mimi's resting it over hers. "We wouldn't have if we didn't know what you would do the girl through whom you sent the request." Mimi replied coldly taking her hand beneath his. The King was not happy with her attitude but he kept his appearance cool.

With a movement of his hand, all the servants left the line in order like Mimi had never seen. Each one of them picked a different plate, and the girls picked the several drinks available. Then, they started circulating around them, serving the meets and drinks as they were ordered. They approached Yamato first. An elderly man bend his bandage to show a very good looking duck with orange on it, cut in thin slices intercalated with the citrus fruit in a very pleasant look to the eyes. The King refused the food in an abrupt way, making the elderly tremble in fear.

Mimi accepted the delicious plate with a smile that made the man's eyes shine for a second. He slipped two slices of duck into Mimi's plate and moved to Hikari. Then a young man, in his early teens served Mimi potatoes, toasted in the right point. Yamato refused the potatoes too. He waited for the boar servant to provide him a large piece of boar's meet that he accompanied with bread. Hikari opted for one of the most common meets: the chicken that was served in thin pieces as well, mixed with a special sauce along with rice.

As they had finished serving, the servants returned to their places, one by one, reforming the previous line. The last were the girls, one of them, Li, serving the drinks. Mimi drank white wine, to combine with the soft palate of the duck. The Lady opted once again for an elementary drink, water. On his hand, the King refused several of the drinks he was offered. He chose the red wine that Li Hong was carrying. The young woman was the last of the servants and carried a silver wine recipient. She quietly dropped the wine on Yamato's gold cup, carefully not to dirty anything. As she put back the silver recipient in the small bandage she was carrying and prepared to leave, Yamato put an arm around her shoulders when she was bent and whispered something in her ear. Mimi watched as small tears formed in the girl's eyes and an horror expression crossed her otherwise sad pale features.

Li quickly returned to her place, not daring to move her hands to clean her face, now washed in small tears falling uncontrollably through her cheeks and into her white apron. Yamato smirked in his sit as he sliced a piece of his boar and take it to his mouth, chewing noisily.

Mimi and Hikari remained silently. Hikari dare not to prove her food. A sudden fear that it might be poisoned or containing some unwanted substance had assaulted her. Mimi though, had started cutting a slice of her duck. She raised it and put it on her mouth. She wasn't afraid. I know he wouldn't poison our food because he still needs us. He needs to play with us for a little while. Besides he wouldn't poison the only person that can guarantee him a legal right to the throne. She thought, trying to reassure herself that King Yamato would never poison neither hers nor her friend's food. She tasted the duck. It was sweet from the orange and very pleasant to the palate.

Seeing Mimi eating her food, Hikari picked a little of hers as well. She looked uncertain to the servants, but their faces remained expressionless, except for the deep sorrow and sadness they bore as they had already born like that, which in a way wasn't far from truth. The younger servants must have been born in this submissive and fearful reign with Yamato and his father. Closing her eyes, she put the food in her mouth and chewed. Well, if it was really poisoned, I'll be dead in a few hours, so I might as well eat. She told herself, and with that she started eating.

"Princess, does the duck please you?" Yamato asked in a serious, yet mocking tone. Mimi raised her eyes from the plate and looked straight at him. Once again, she eyed him with despise and that angered him deeply, but he didn't show it either. "In fact, it does. But I should not complement you but your excellent cooker." She replied cold as ice. This freezing temper that the Princess was using with him, only made Yamato more tempted to reveal her who she really was. That would definitely put her in her place, the dirt. He was sure that her Lady hadn't broach the subject already and wouldn't unless she was forced to by some eventuality.

"Maybe you could go cock with him?" he harsh replied. "It's closer to your origins than the throne, but still not low enough." The words casually escaped his lips, like there was nothing to it. He scolded himself from approaching the subject when he thought he still needed to keep it covered, but now there was nothing to do. He was sure she would ask questions, and after being ignored the last time, she wouldn't leave the table without an answer, whatever that answer meant.

And it did happen as he had thought. Mimi eyed him surprised by the outburst and the words, trying to put some sense into what he had said, but she couldn't. He noticed her puzzled expressions as she inquiringly eyed him, not ever losing the superiority look. He noticed how Hikari stopped her fork in middle air and her face paled noticeably. She slowly lowed her eyes, and rested the fork over the plate, her hands travelling to the napkin, behind which she tried to hide her consternated face.

"What do you mean with that?" the Princess asked. A look towards the servants and they were left alone in the room, no one besides Mimi, Hikari and Yamato. He too put down his fork and cleaned his lips with the napkin, slowly and always eying both girls. "Answer me!" Mimi's voice seemed to echo through the walls of the room. Yamato grinned, or better smirked in a strangely pleased way. "I see you're learning from your dear friend and cousin, Lady Sora, how to improve your manners." He mocked. Mimi smiled cynically. "Better with her than with you." She replied. This hit Yamato straight to his cold ice heart, that is, if he had one. Throwing the napkin onto the table, his face growing red from anger, he rose from his chair and walked to Mimi's side. The Princess was scared from his sudden moves and stood, backing away from him.

"You want to know the truth, Princess?" he shouted as he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, pushing her hard against him. Hikari got up and ran to rescue, but Yamato hit her hard and she fell to the hard floor, touching her burning cheek skin. Mimi winced in pain as Yamato pressed her arm closer to back. "The truth, my dear Princess, is never what you thought. The truth is that all your life you've lived a lie and nothing else. The castle, the clothes, they never belonged to you or your mother. You were just occupants till someone took over. Thieves, nothing else." He partly whispered and shouted on her ear. "The truth was that your mother was nothing but a hooker and your father was never a count, he was some drunk that your mother had the bad luck to sleep with."

Mimi didn't feel the pain on her throbbing arm anymore. The pain growing bigger than she ever thought possible in her chest, was more imposing. Her heart was bleeding and her eyes began shedding. The hot salty drops fell over her chest, wetting her breasts and dress. "That's not true. You're lying." She yelled in desperate belief. She didn't want to believe him, but…her heart, all her being told her that was the truth. She was not Princess, she was nothing but the daughter of a prostitute, a woman pay to sleep with disgusting, pervert men.

"Oh, but it is, my love. Ask your little friend there." Yamato laughed, turning Mimi so she could face Hikari on the ground. The brown haired woman could say nothing. Her burning cheek meant nothing now, just Mimi's eyes, pleading her to deny the truth. But she couldn't. Somehow, somewhere, someday, Mimi would have to know and, though now wasn't the best of times, the truth was already told and she could do nothing except slowly nodding, acknowledging the horrible reality that had been kept from Mimi herself, the innocent victim of causality and fate.

"So, you see, Mimi, it is in your veins. It is your destine." Yamato continued. "You're nothing but the daughter of an unworthy bitch taken higher than her own dreams. You are a prostitute Mimi, not a Princess." His hand went down to her leg and clutched tightly. "Inherit a prostitute." He finished, taking the moment to abuse Mimi in her weakness. The girl could do nothing besides feeling his hands, touching and clutching unwanted, forbidden places. The tears fell like they were only natural in her figure, like she had born crying and it had never stopped. They just fell down, rolling. She didn't sob uncontrollably, she just cried.

Having had his fun, the king disposed of Mimi throwing her into Hikari that tried to smooth the formal Princess' fall. Then he just watched their figure, amused, a smirk playing in his lips. The brown haired woman held the chestnut haired trying to break her state of chock. Hikari launched Yamato an angry glare. He only smiled widely. "How could you be so insensible? You're a monster Yamato." She spitted. "Yes, I know." He said stepping towards her. He clutched her chin in his hand with two fingers and obliged her to look at him in the eyes. "And you should watch what you are saying. I might decide doing some torture on you and your little love boy. One at a time, so you can hear his screams." He replied. Her eyes betrayed her strong composure, showing her fear.

The sun was beginning to duck. The ocean was now filled with tones of orange, gold, red and yellow, burning at the horizon. Taichi could see it from the small skylight of the cabinet where Sora was sleeping peacefully. He still held her hand, not daring to try taking it because each time he tried the girl would just hold it tighter. He was now sitting on the bed, her head resting on his lap; he caressed her small frame and thick threads of hair. Now that she had awaken from her delusional trance that had him and her friends so worried, he was more calm and had even allowed himself a small rest, without leaving from her side, though.

Nevertheless, the auburn haired had only opened her eyes. She had smiled sweetly as she saw him and tried pushing his hand closer to her. But she was weak and he had to bring his own hand to rest next to her, his fingers interlaced in hers. Then she had fallen back into a deep sleep without so much as a word.

The sunset was so beautiful and colourful. It had the colours of Sora's hair, the hair that he felt slipping between his fingers. It also looked smoothing and relaxing as the touch of her bare skin that he felt as he caressed her hand. He was beginning to drift back to sleep when a movement brought him back to the waken reality. Looking down to the source of the movement, he saw Sora opening her eyes. Taichi smiled. He had missed seeing those eyes. They were still not the same eyes he was used to, but they were definitely better.

The girl slowly opened her sunset eyes and watched her surroundings. She moved her lips, forming a small painful smile on her dry lips, as she saw the brown haired man sitting next to her. She remembered seeing him there the last time she had awakened. He was smiling. She had missed that smile that she felt belonged only to her and no one else.

"You're awake!" he stated. She felt his hand holding hers and she tightened her grip on it. "I …am." She replied as a matter of fact, but her throat was dry as well, and the effort of speaking made her vocals hurt. She tried to wet her mouth with her tongue but it was revealing to be unsuccessful. Noticing her thirst, Taichi stood and prepared to go to the kitchen. He didn't like leaving her, even if just for a moment, but as it was for her necessity, he was willing to do it, but he was shortly stopped by Sora's hand still holding his. Her grip was irregular and weakened as he pushed his hand a little, making her hand fall. The brown haired went back and placed her arm on the bed. "I'm going to get you water." He informed her. The auburn haired smiled again what caused her lips to open a little and start bleeding. The girl didn't give it much attention and slowly licked the blood off.

A red haired man sat at the small ship's kitchen like. On the other side of the table, a young dark haired man was staring at the chess board between the two. Another man sat on the red haired side watching the game attentively. Suddenly the small wooden door that separated the kitchen from the rest of the compartments was abruptly open and the brown haired entered. Without a word, Taichi picked a small cup and filled it with water from the container in the corner of the room. Seeing this, the three friends surprisingly stared back at him.

"What's happening?" Ken asked seeing as Taichi quickly headed for the door with the water cup in hands. "Sora's awaken." The brown haired replied calmly. "Oh!" Ken replied, as it was the most natural thing in the world, until it hit him. "What! Sora is awake! I want to see her…" he quickly said as he stood from his place. "How is she?" Koushiro asked. "How long as she been awake?" Sam inquired. "As she said anything yet?" "Did she ask for water?" "Was she disorientated?" the questions followed Taichi, but the young captain didn't reply any of them and as soon as he arrived Sora's small cabinet, he closed the door behind him.

Looking stupidly to each other, Ken, Sam and Koushiro could do nothing except waiting outside. They couldn't help exchanging evil grins between each other, thinking about what they were doing in the room. Koushiro was the only one to feel a little uncomfortable. He really needed to talk with his protected. He needed to ask her about what Miyako had said. He still hadn't told Taichi or the others about what the elder woman had called Sora in her last moments. First he needed to know what that meant. He needed to know if what he was thinking was the truth and not just something he dreamed about.

In Sora's small room, Taichi helped the auburn haired sit. Sora picked the cup, but her strength failed her from time to time and she almost dropped the content over herself, so the brown haired helped her picking the cup and taking it to her lips. Sora drank thirstily, dropping some water over her bandages and the sheets, but she didn't mind.

An awkward silence fell between them as Taichi put down the cup in the small table next to the bed. He didn't know what to say. He thought that asking her if she was okay would be a rather stupid question, but all the sudden, all the things that he had been thinking he should tell her when she would awake, he couldn't remember any. In his mind, a single question seemed to draw way his attention from any other: who did this to you? That was the question that he was dying to inquire her, but he did not.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked meekly. Sora smiled. Her mouth moved but no words cam from it. She simply articulated the words before actually saying. "I feel much better now." She replied. Her voice was rash and low, like it was scrubbed against the walls of her larynx. She coughed a little; feeling her voice strange to her hears and tried again. "I feel much better now." This time it came better. Her girly, yet strong tone could be heard and there were no more rash words.

"How did I end up here?" she asked, as she realized that wasn't the place she had been when she was injured. Taichi smiled as he replied. "Koushiro carried you here." The girl nodded. "Did he…bring anyone else with him?" she asked, fearing the answer. Taichi looked away, avoiding her eyes, realising who she was talking about. "No, I'm sorry, but she was already death when he arrived." He replied. Sora lowered her head. "I see." Another silence followed, none of them knowing what to talk about. Yet there were so many things to say. Things that she needed to tell him, but not only him. for the first time since she had had the news, Sora started thinking about her life again: what would happen next? What would she do? What could she do? So many things depended on her now. She couldn't just think about herself anymore. Now, more than ever, she had the burden of a kingdom, people that she had the responsibility to take care off, to protect. Thinking about it made her wish she was still asleep.

"I need to talk with Koushiro." She replied, her eyes falling as she said the words. She could see clearly that the brown haired was a little taken back. He had thought that she would prefer him to be there and not Koushiro, but she needed to talk with her friend. "Okay." Taichi replied, his eyes not meeting hers, head down. As he was about to leave, Sora managed to somehow grab a hold on his long sleeve. He looked back. Her eyes were of someone who's sorry. She made an effort to pull him next to her, but she was still weak and her efforts couldn't even move his arm. Finally Taichi walked to her side. She motioned him to get close. Surprised and curious with what she wanted, Taichi bended over the girl. He was not expecting what came next and fell without warning over her, as the girl pulled his lips against hers.

When he was able to bread again, breaking from the surprise kiss, he smiled and bent for another one, enveloping the girl in his strong arms. He kissed her softly in her lips, still a little dry, until a wince of pain was heard. Taichi almost jumped off Sora when she winced in pain from her broken ribs. She put her hand on her bandaged torso, trying to stop the pain. "Are you alright?" Taichi worriedly asked. The girl smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it was just a little too weight." She replied. "I'm sorry." The brown haired blushed, as he tried to avoid the fact that he had fell on top of her. Then suddenly remembering Sora wanted to talk with Koushiro, he gave her a quick kiss on her forehead, picked the water cup and left.

The chess board had not been moved, or so it looked when Taichi entered the kitchen like compartment again. Ken and Koushiro remained concentrated in the game. This time, and for exchange, Sam was the one watching the game. A quick glance over the board told Taichi that the game was not very equal. While Koushiro still had almost each one of his pawns, Ken had lost most of his. As for the other pieces, Koushiro had his queen, two horses, a tower and a bishop, and, of course, his king. On the other hand, Ken had lost his queen and the two bishops.

When the brown haired entered, the attention that had been given to the board was suddenly turned to him. This time the three friends were quiet and waited for Taichi to give them any news. The brown haired man walked over to the small armoire and put the cup inside, after cleaning it with a cloth. He sat next to Ken and eyed his friends. His eyes rested for last in Koushiro. "She wants to talk with you." Taichi replied. The brothers seemed surprised, but Koushiro didn't. He simply nodded and left. "Play this one for me Sam." He told the elder dark haired.

The two brothers then eyes Taichi with intense stares. "Why did she want to talk with him?" Ken asked curious. He immediately felt a smack on his head. He eyed Sam, but his brother just shrank his shoulders. "Taichi…what was that for?" he asked, rubbing his hurt head. "For being so curious. Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?" the brown haired mocked him. Ken looked away, annoyed while the two older men laughed. "You know, he's right. Someday your curiosity is going to get you into troubles." Sam replied. "How is she?" he then continued. Taichi sighed and rested his head over his hands, elbows on the table. "She's better, I guess." He replied. "Her ribs still hurt. But she can talk. She's weak but she'll make it and that's all that matters." The brown haired replied confident with a smile. Sam couldn't help but feel happy for his friend, but still… he doubted that had been all the effect of the poison. He doubted it had been completely wiped out from her organism, but he had faith. "That's great." Ken replied excited.

The grouping had been reunited and was ready to leave. Takeru prepared the last of his things. His weapon was already set over his shoulders. He looked around him. Daisuke's men were already set to leave, but they weren't going with them. The Captain had only conserved a man with him, the others he had sent them to the castle. Their orders were to protect the queen at any cost. The soldiers were confused by the sudden change of plans that the blonde's arrival had caused, but they didn't dare to ask for explanation to their captain. Whatever it was, it was big and in times like this, they knew their Captain had to have complete confidence in them. The higher patent in the group saluted the Captain before leaving. Takeru watched them as they faded away leaving a dust pattern flying around.

"Are we set, Takeru?" Captain Motomiya asked looking to the blond. The young Prince nodded. "Everything set." He answered. Now there were just Haruko and other man there. Daisuke picked a letter he had been writing and delivered it to his most fateful soldier. The man was confused.

"I'm sorry to question your orders, Captain, but…isn't this the work of the messenger?" the soldier asked. Daisuke smiled. "It should be, if it wasn't for the importance of this letter. Between all my men, you're the one who has proved me more worthy of trust and so I entrust you with this mission. This is not a simple message. This letter can make the difference between a good future and a bad future. Your orders are to give the letter in hand to the queen. No one besides the queen must open or carry this letter." The captain explained, receiving nods of understanding and agreement from his soldier. "Once you are at the Queen's presence, you must stay there and wait for her to write a letter back. It is of extreme importance that you pass unnoticed, even by our military colleagues. Do you understand?" the Captain asked. The soldier stood in position and bowed respectfully. "I understand Captain and I ask forgiveness for doubting your orders." The soldier apologized. "Consider it past. Now go fast and prudently."

The soldier didn't wait for another order. He climbed his horse and left, disappearing also in a cloud of dust in the horizon. Takeru waited now for the captain. Daisuke had considered that due to the nature of the issue they were handling with, it was not appropriated for his soldiers to be in Oita's at Sora's arrival. Her escort would be made by Takeru and himself, and knowing Sora as a good sword woman he knew she wouldn't need much of an escort. Besides, his men would be much more useful in the castle. Through the queen, he would be able to keep them in defensive positions and keep the castle safe.

Daisuke approached Haruko. The girl wasn't willing to stay. "I want to go with you." She told him. "But, Haruko… it might be dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt." The captain said. He looked into her eyes. There was no way that she was going to stay, her eyes told him that. They were determined and fearless. He bent and kissed her forehead. "I don't know what will happen. People are after Takeru and Lady Sora. You will be safer here." He replied. "I'll come to get you when all it's over. I promise."

His words meant a lot to Haruko, but still, she wanted to go. It was not the fear that he would break his promise and would not be back. It was the fear that she would loose him without even knowing. The fear that he might not be able to come back alive. She knew the dangerous, but her heart also waited for adventure, and now was her chance. No more serving drunk mercenaries and allowing them to touch her with a smile on her face. Goodbye to the dorm. She wanted to get out of that dead village and go with Daisuke and there was nothing he would say that would keep her from going.

"You say it would be dangerous but I've got my protection weapons as well." She replied, arguing her way with him. From the back of the cloak she too was wearing, she took a pair of sais. Daisuke looked surprised at those. "Do you know how to use them?" he asked. The girl blushed. "Just enough, but you could teach me how to…" she was cut off by his voice again. "Still… I don't think…" "Then you think it is safer for me to stay in the middle of this mercenaries, allowing them to fight in my lodge!" she asked. She knew that with this last argument he had no escape but allowing her to go along with him.

The Captain sighed. She was right. At least having her with him, he could assure that no one would hurt her. Over my dead body only. He thought. A smile was unable to pass unnoticed when it crossed his lips. "Okay, you are right." He finally gave in. Haruko jump to his arms, putting her arms around his neck with the sais in her hands. "hey, watch where you put that." Daisuke complained with a smile. The couple approached Daisuke's horse and the Captain helped Haruko climb on. "Shouldn't I take my own horse." She asked. The captain shook his head. "No, it's not necessary. Mine can carry both of us, and we don't need to hurry." At least not yet. He completed in thoughts.

Takeru watched the couple and in his thoughts, the always present image of Hikari appeared again. He wished he knew how she was now. If she was okay? If Yamato hadn't treat her bad? If she was alive? He quickly dissipated the last thought. She's alive. I must have hope. My brother wouldn't kill her without my presence. He feels to delightful with others pain. With this last reassuring, the small trio gave the signs to their respective horses, and the animals immediately began galloping at constant speed.

Hi, peeps. Sorry, so sorry for the long delay. My vacations started so I have a little more time, but because I ahve my family with me, I won't be able to update next week as I would like, but I'll do my best.

Did you liked the chapter. Hope so, Don't forget R&R

Kisses Marie