Chapter 5: Planning Escape
Adina walked side by side with Douji as they followed the other geishas to the dinning room.
"Tell me Douji, how are things run here during serving hours?"
"You mean when the men eat?" Adina nodded and Douji continued. "To put it simply, we are chosen to serve for the night and sit by their side throughout the night, refilling their sake and food. We entertain them too, but you won't be taking part of."
"The men, they know I am not taking part of this, right?"
"Let's hope so."
Unfortunately, they had to cut their conversation was cut short when Shouen came from the kitchen, and began telling the geishas which demons they were to serve for the evening.
When she came to Douji and Adina, she lowered her voice so no one could hear.
"Adina, lord Youko has made a special request that you serve him for the night."
"Really, I thought he must really hate me to put me in Reico's care."
"He gave no explanation, but I don't think he means harm."
"I don't know what to think."
Adina pondered this for a moment. 'What games could he be playing?'
Douji interrupted her thoughts.
"You really shouldn't worry about Youko. To my knowledge, he has never taken advantage of any geisha. And I especially believe that he wouldn't do anything in public."
To her own dismay, that didn't comfort her at all.
"You say they let you escape?"
The head soldier nodded his head.
"They must be up to something, usually they slaughter every mortal without a second thought."
"We managed to kill one of them. Could that have anything to do with it, priestess Quala?"
She pondered this for a moment. "Regardless, I'm glad you all made it back safely. By the way, did you happen to come upon a she-demon while you were out there?"
"No, we didn't. Anyone in particular?"
"No, just a traveler I knew was heading in that direction. Anyway, you all did well, and now everyone can just focus on recovering from this ordeal."
The soldier bowed before turning to leave.
"Oh, and Taka, I expect that you and your men not try this again for awhile. At least until more allies arrive."
"Yes, of course. You need not worry priestess Quala, we shall not try anything rash for awhile," He told her over his shoulder. As he turned the corner, his partner joined him.
"Better than to trust that woman. Does she really think that we would follow her orders after she let that fox demon go free? I swear, she must be in league with these demons."
"Listen, Sotsu. I know of your anger toward her for letting your catch get away, but the old woman holds a point. We have already lost over half our men with you underling's foolish tactics. We should wait until at least the men we lost are replaced."
"Whatever you believe the wiser, but then there is the topic of that demon."
"Yes, that demon, the one that offered us the last deal, which almost got us killed. He not only betrayed his word of where the village actually lay, he led us into that spider demon's trap."
"I feel you ire, and we will see him dead, but for now I believe we should try to bargain with him again."
"Weren't you listening to anything I said, he's the reason we are few so many men!"
"You're not thinking, Taka. If we play dumb human, he'll try to take advantage of us the same, but this time I say we drag him into the light."
The kitchen was filled with a large number of the geishas, finishing up on the afternoon meal.
Adina was still surprised that a person could go through so much trouble preparing food. To her, it seemed as though they treated the greedy bastards like royalty. Yes it was their job, but they really put too much thought into just the presentation.
Making her way to the very large dinning hall, she glanced at her reflection through one of the mirrors that hung on the wall.
'Speaking of overdone.' She thought wincing at amount of makeup Douji had applied to her face. 'That will not be easy to wash off.'
"Adina, it's almost time! Let's go before we're late," Douji hurried over to the other geishas, who had started gathering around a cart that held large jugs of sake.
"Alright everyone, the men will be in here soon, so let's keep this short," Shouen called to the others.
"We will be going through the normal routine tonight, but as a few of you have suggested, we will be preparing a dance to perform to them within the week. We will also need a couple of people who can play music, and anyone who does not want to perform or play will be serving as usual."
"Now, let's have a relaxing lunch without any mishaps." She glared at Douji suggestively before turning and making her way back to the kitchens.
Douji scowled. "What was she getting off just then! It's not like I'm going to start fighting Mizu in the middle of the meal?" She said disbelievingly.
Adina looked away, trying to hide the small smile that was slowly creeping onto her face. For as long as she had known Douji, which wasn't very long, she would think that that was definitely something she would do.
"Anyway, I'd better show you how the setup goes."
Walking over to the head of the seating on the other side of the room, Douji began pointing out where to sit, how to pour the sake correctly, and basically clearing up anything she would need to know.
Not very long after, a bell, similar to the earlier one, rang, signaling the men would soon join them. Douji led her to a seat near the head of the long row of seats, where she assumed Youko sat.
Soon, the male demons started filling the room, some looking at her with interest, then averting their eyes when they realized she was Youko's waitress for the night.
Adina wondered how brutal he was in battle if he intimidated them like that. It wasn't like she minded though, since they were finally ignoring her.
The minute Youko entered the room the men became less rowdy, but still held up their conversations. He took his seat beside her, before nodding at her offering of sake.
After the meal began, they both sat in silence in the large room, which suddenly seemed too cramped due to all of the people. Finally Adina decided she wanted questions answered now that Reico wasn't there to breathe down her neck.
"Tell me, what is the reason you chose me to serve you tonight?" She asked looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Why do you believe it is in your place to ask anything of me?" He shot back at her without looking her way.
"Out of all the things you've put me through, I believe that I at least deserve an explanation for something so small," she said coldly.
"To put it simply, I thought that for once I could sit and eat my meal in peace without my waitress hanging off me. But now I believe I preferred that over your pointless questions," he replied emotionlessly.
"So you don't care for such things? I wouldn't have thought since, after all, you had this awful place built," she taunted.
"Reico believed it would be motivation for the men if there was something for them to do rather than killing and stealing. And it also keeps them loyal."
"Or at least you hope."
"This must not only be the only matter on your mind. Surely you worry about more than what goes on here," he muttered uninterested.
"Actually, I was wondering when exactly you were going to set me free. This isn't really a place I would like to linger," she said trying not to anticipate his much assumed answer.
Youko found himself surprised by her boldness.
"I would've hoped you had figured out that you most likely won't leave here alive."
"I am only questioning whether I will be leaving here on your terms or my own."
"And now you believe that you can escape. Let me inform you that you haven't a chance in hell at getting away with that curse still upon you."
She turned to him, making sure they had eye contact.
"And let me inform you that I will get out of here, no matter what. And that none of your men can stop me."
"You are not on such a position to make any threats as long as you're powerless."
"I make no threats," she turned forward again, "But I warn you that these walls will not hold me for very long."
After the conversation ended, they went back to being silent. Not very long after, the men left, leaving the woman to clean up duty.
Douji, oblivious to Adina's bad mood, chatted about how she would be planning the flute for that week's performance, and even suggested that she should dance.
'I am sorry Douji, but I'm afraid that I will not be here for it,' she thought.
Adina walked with her until they reached the door to their room. Telling her that she had something to do, she started walking the other way before she met Shouen down the hall.
"Where are you going? We have a couple hours before we have to prepare the next meal," Shouen told her.
"I am not feeling well, and I would much like a bath right now. Would you be so kind as to point me in the right direction?" she asked.
After giving her the directions, Shouen questioned whether she would be serving at dinner.
"It depends how I feel at the time, but I will let you know as soon as I can."
Before making her way to the baths, she made a stop in the room, and without drawing attention to herself, she grabbed one of the looser, darker kimonos she had chosen earlier.
After taking her time in the bath, she dried her hair and tail as best she could, making sure to comb out any knots. Slipping into the dark kimono, which to her delight would blend well into the dark night that she was planning to escape into.
'Laquia wouldn't want me to linger here much longer, and I've already wasted precious time.'
Sneaking through the deserted hall, she crept silently through the back door of the large restaurant, and then climbed to the top of the roof. She had to watch the guards' rotations before she even attempted an escape.
From her point of view, she could see the demons switching shifts, and noticed that they were mostly there to keep other demons out rather than prisoners in. This suited her just fine. It meant that she would, for the most part, have a clear path until she actually approached the gate itself.
Satisfied that she had an adequate way out she climbed down the side of the building with ease, ignoring the urge to jump off, knowing that such reckless behavior would give her away.
As she quietly let her feet touch the ground, she allowed her thoughts to wonder back to the topic in which she had been avoiding since she had first developed her escape plan. She couldn't help but worry about what were to happen if indeed she were found before she got far enough from the camp.
The curse still held its power over her, and made it itself known once more as she snuck a look at her wrist. If indeed she were attacked, she would be helpless and doomed to return here.
As Adina wallowed in the idea, she barely noticed that someone had snuck up on her. Turning quickly, she backed away from a drunken man who had found his way to the back of the building.
"What do you want?" Adina questioned anxiously.
"Now, now. What is a sexy thing like you doing back here and not in the restaurant with the other sluts?" Though his speech was slurred, she could tell his mind was still clear enough to make him a threat.
"I'm afraid you must abandon your intentions. I believe your boss told you that I am not to be included in such matters," she said boldly trying to intimidate him into leaving.
"Yes, now that I think about it, Reico did mention something about you being off limits to us. But as I also recall, he also said that your area of protection ends outside of the compound. This the way it is, I can do whatever the hell I want," he responded leering closer.
Adina remembered Reico's words, and was repulsed at the thought of his arrogant smirk. 'No, I will not let any of these pigs have the satisfaction.'
As he drew nearer, she backed into the wall.
"Nowhere left to go now," he murmured dangerously.
She glared at him, before quickly diving down for the ground, and grabbing a handful of dirt, striking him in the face.
Now blinded, the demon whimpered in pain before wildly grabbing for her. Not having any time to get out of reach, she winced in pain as his claws dug into her forearms. Struggling to be rid of him, Adina only vaguely felt the hot blood that was now trickling down her arms.
Without thinking, Adina summoned her power, and hit him hard. He fell hard to the ground unconscious.
In shock, Adina lifted up her sleeve to look at the mark that she felt was still there. Her eyes widened at the sight that met her.
The cursed mark that had haunted her in the darkest black was now glowing the sky blue color the usually surrounded her when she was in battle.
Glancing at the blood that was now cooling, she saw that the mark once again turned darker than midnight once again.
"It was the blood?" she wondered out loud. Then the look of confusion turned into an all-knowing grin.
'Of course it would be that a creature as sinister as him would seal me with a blood curse. It's clear now that any blood will repel its effects momentarily, but the real question is whether that bastard was too thick to realize I would figure it out and made his blood the cure to remove it permanently.'
Without looking back, Adina made her way back into the compound, not caring about the now unconscious demon that lay in what would appear to the common eye as a drunken stupor.
A/N: Thank you all who have reviewed and all of you that will (hopefully)! I am counting on you all for feedback on my fic, though I am afraid flames are not welcome here, not that I am not afraid of a little constructive criticism.
R&R please!
Adria of the Demon Sisters