Chapter 6: Anastasia's Wedding Curse
"Lady Anastasia!" shouted Opal through the door. Anastasia shot up from her warm bed to find herself safe because although Kurando had stayed with her till she fell asleep dreams had invaded her sleep all night. Actually, more like nightmares.
"Coming," echoed Anastasia as she pattered over to the door to find Opal standing there cheerfully.
"My duchess, I bring grand news!" squealed Opal happily.
"Yes?" asked Anastasia becoming excited from Opal's own joy.
"My duchess is to be married! Your mother wants you to hurry down stairs and measured by the seamstress. Hurry, my duchess! This is time for celebration!" shouted Opal in joy.
Closing the door in silence Anastasia leaned against the door. She began to cry once more as the ice crystals hit her window outside. 'God, no…not now…,' she thought.
"Kurando!" shouted Anastasia as she pounded against his door. Soon she realized he was out already, perhaps walking for exercise. 'What am I going to do? I don't want to let him go again…why…why…,' Anastasia fell against the floor in defeat. Then she decided to do the only thing to keep him safe and far. Pain, betrayal, and hate.
"Anastasia, this looks positively gorgeous on you," said the seamstress who measured the long, costly lengths of fabric. Her neck area was cut deeply and with a tight corset to accentuate her chest. Bell sleeves hung beside her cathedral train (that means it is really, really long). An ivory cross was placed on her neck as dangling diamonds were inserted into her ears.
"Mother…who is my fiancé?" asked Anastasia as her mother cooed.
"A surprise," said her mother as they removed the jewels and placed them in a box until the wedding day…tomorrow.
"Fine, but can we place these away I wish to speak with Lucia, Yuri, and Kurando. Please?" asked Anastasia surprising her mother for she rarely said please to her.
"Well, yes," said her mother suddenly as they quickly removed the dress from her pale body.
"I will see you at dinner then, I suppose," said Anastasia as she cloaked herself in a peach coat.
Quickly she left as her mother stared, feeling that perhaps she should talk to her husband about Anastasia's odd mood.
"Yuri!" shouted Anastasia as she saw the familiar older man. Then she noticed a very old man…and a very pale woman she didn't recognize.
"Anastasia, hello. I would like you to meet my wife, Akiko," said Yuri as the woman with white hair tied in a unique braid stepped forward wearing a blue sailor-like uniform. Akiko waved timidly towards Ana as Yuri held her close, "Roger realized that using Seraphim's power I could create a stronger crystal…and I finally revived her." With that said Yuri held the woman tightly and kissed her cheek to which she blushed, but returned equally affectionate. (Warning: In my world Akiko is actually Alice, but I prefer the name Akiko since Alice Elliot is really simple. So basically Akiko ElliotAlice Elliot. Same person, different first name). Ana smiled at Yuri so happily she thought she could forget her moment's sadness, then Kurando joined the group with Lucia and Vivi.
Lucia smiled at Ana as Vivi hopped on her new stilettos(yes, the little girl has that much balance). Kurando looked up at her with a smile as well, which was a big smile for such a samurai. She blushed ever so slightly before grabbing inside the peach coach for reassurance.
"Well, since all of you have come here…I suppose we could take a thorough tour of the city and go shopping. Then I'll ask the servants to prepare a lunch," said Anastasia cheerfully. Everyone agreed happily and Kurando walked close beside Ana as they left the palace. She believed deep down that it wasn't only because he was to protect her. Outside she looked up to see what earlier that morning had been a clear sky, now over head was a dark, gloomy sky seeming to hold countless snowflakes inside for a certain moment. Walking beside Kurando she thought of how she would leave him. Demetri was powerful, but she could finish him off easily. However, his accomplice Evan was a much stronger opponent, stronger than her grand summon even. Suddenly something warm hit her cold hand and she jumped slightly. Luckily everyone else had separated into groups so no one saw her turn red at the realization he was holding her hand.
"Mommy! Can I have that for Christmas?" squealed Vivi ecstatically. Vivi and Lucia had walked by a strange store in which the windows were covered with lush, red curtains that almost seemed like thin blankets. There were no signs indicating what lay inside the store except an oak board hanging by iron chains that read, "Madame Rosetta Nefertiti's Shop." The rest of their group had walked ahead already and the road they stood on was oddly devoid of any snow. Instead, an odd hanging tent-like house the size of a dog house sat near the door. Kneeling gently toward the tent Lucia found it hard to see anything, but then looked into the window and was also disappointed to see only the curtains.
"What Vivi? I can't see anything," said Lucia, bringing Vivi closer to her pink cloak. Slowly the oak door creaked open as a young girl Vivi's age came out. She had long white hair and wore a blue willowy dress that was tightly bound to her by a purple ribbon underneath her chest. Lucia looked up surprised as she looked at the face, but realized she couldn't tell the features since they were hidden by the dark of the room behind the little girl.
"May I help you?" asked the girl monotonously as she stood.
"I want her mommy," said Vivi again pleadingly.
"Vivi, she's a little girl…you can't have her…," said Lucia perplexed by her daughter since Vivi was a very intelligent little girl.
"No, mommy, she's not…I'll do anything…she's...," started Vivi, but was interrupted as a tall, thin and tan woman shoved gently past the tiny girl ahead of her. The woman's collar bones jut out in the model beauty way and if she had hair was unknown, since a tall headdress was placed upon her slim head which elongated her already slender neck. Large, brown doe eyes like Lucia's were set in her golden tanned face above a perfect nose and perfect cheek bones resting near plump, red lips. Only a dream could be that perfect thought Lucia as she took in the gold and black writing bands on her arms resembling the thin tan dress attached to the woman's neck by a jade necklace matching her headdress.
"May I help you? I am the store owner, Rosetta," said the woman standing tall in front of the girl. She didn't seem bothered by the cold air hitting her practically bare body.
"My daughter seemed interested in your little girl…" started Lucia, pointing behind Rosetta, but was interrupted.
"She is not my daughter."
"Oh…sorry. Well, I guess we will be on our way," said Lucia turning her body away from the store, preparing to leave.
"Madame Nefertiti, Ich möchte ihren Fluch tragen " said Vivi rapidly to the woman as Lucia pulled her hand.
"Wait!" shouted Rosetta suddenly, then slowly composed herself, "Would you please come inside Lady Lucia and Lady Vivan." Pushing the door slowly open she gestured them in. For a moment Lucia thought against it, but Vivi seemed ecstatic so she walked inside the strange area where the girl must have disappeared.
Inside was actually lit quite bright somehow by lamps sitting throughout on side tables holding flower smelling candles on velvet tabletops in the front room. In the center sat a glass table without a tabletop, holding china cups filled with some refreshment. The glass table also held some strange bottles, a square-wrapped object in silk, and a black stone with many inscriptions on it embedded upon a dull chain.
"Please sit here for a moment, you may drink the green tea if you wish, but it may be a bit strong since it is chilly outside. I need to change really quick please," said Rosetta quickly. Lucia had just sat in one of the chairs made of a substance like glass to take a sip of tea as had Vivi when the woman came back in a chained outfit resembling a jade belly dancer. "I wish to play your daughter's cards, if you will allow me to Mistress Lucia," asked Rosetta as if she was asking permission from an elder teacher whom was wrong to cross or disobey.
"Perhaps, if I can be consulted first," said Lucia as the woman pulled the silk away to reveal tarot cards she had never seen before. Then the woman pulled the chain over her head and across her collar bones where the jade necklace had been before. She closed her eyes as suddenly she convulsed and Vivi clasped to Lucia. Realization crossed Lucia as she saw the dark stone ripple and shift across the chain and seemed to create a black armor over the woman's shoulders, chest, neck, and remaining body parts. Only her eyes, lips, nostrils, palms, and ears remained humanly tan as she convulsed violently. Then she stopped as the two across from her relaxed.
"Are you ready to see fate Vivi?" asked Rosetta.
"Yes."
Akiko and Yuri seemed too busy fulfilling each other that Roger left them long ago and Ana stood shopping with Kurando for gifts for everyone. She wasn't sure if she could tell him about the wedding, but as he held her hand that was all she thought about. And the kiss, her first, true kiss.
"Kurando, I need to tell you something…" started Ana as she felt his hand suddenly tighten softly.
"Yes?"
"You see, I had no intentions of being with you," said Ana as she blurted out the hideous lie that burned like fire up her throat. He instantly stopped walking after her words.
"What?" he asked her, trying to keep his voice even as he suddenly felt cold wash over his body with shock.
"I…am marrying another man Kurando. He is of grand status and please, would you drop my hand, it's embarrassing for someone of my status to be seen holding a bodyguard's hand," she said, praying for courage to kill herself after the wedding. Kurando quickly dropped her hand slowly, showing courtesy even as she ripped his heart apart.
"I believe I shall return to the castle, if that pleases my lady. I think I forgot something there or perhaps it wasn't there to begin with," said Kurando directly to her as if being proper and true of his feelings in one as he left. If she hadn't loved him she wouldn't have realized how hurtful he was in that statement which showed how much she had hurt and betrayed him. As Ana walked beside the clock store with her large bag of gifts she felt like throwing up and planning how to kill herself. Walking beside the camera store she felt like paying a visit to Edgar, but decided against it. Slowly she continued to walk on the streets before going into a book store. Seconds later it began to hail.
Inside the store Ana met Akiko who was looking over a rather strange looking book of white. It seemed to be made of pink splotched feathers on an aging yellow cover and back. On the front a swirling jewel tear-shaped flowed like a white cream, sometimes swirling with gray or black.
"Hey, Akiko, where's Yuri?" asked Ana, surprised Yuri was nowhere to be found.
"Oh, he wanted me to look around while he went shopping, probably to find me a gift," said Akiko, smiling.
"What's that book?" asked Ana as Akiko opened the first page.
"The Book of Cherubim, stained with the feathers of angels who have died in battles. The jewel shows Cherubim's sadness, the shape of a tear, of course. Perhaps Yuri would buy me this," said Akiko as she surveyed the text. Then as she became absorbed Ana decided to wander around herself. Once covering most of the store Ana decided to leave and ventured into the hail. Each strike against her cheek seemed pleasurable compared to her aching veins.
"Now, before I begin, tell me Vivi, please, about your mother, Lady Lucia, and your father," said Rosetta as she began to shuffle her cards which flapped together faster and faster with each moment.
"Mama is a fortune teller and dancer. She also can mix oils for varying effects. Mother is teaching me, but I have difficulty with the oils and cards. Papa is an explorer and rich man. We don't see him often, but he's always glad when he comes home, right mommy?" asked Vivi, smiling her toothy grin.
"Yes, baby," said Lucia.
"Good, now what about you?" asked Rosetta, and Vivi noticed the cards where now twirling around the woman's head.
"Well, I'm just Vivi," said Vivi a bit uncomfortably.
"More," said Rosetta.
"Um, I'm Vivian Michelle Frescia. I was born in Paris, France a few years ago," said Vivi.
"What about your talents?" asked the woman becoming impatient.
"Mommy?"
"Go ahead, baby."
"Um…well…ah…I can fix puzzles and control things," said Vivi.
"Like what types of control," questioned Rosetta.
"I can only control objects. But…if I get stronger I can break a person's will to control them for as long as my mind binds them to me, but that would be energy draining."
"Now what kind of puzzles?"
"…fmumble"
"I can't hear you, speak up."
"Fate's."
"Explain."
"When I sleep I have dreams that reveal a certain piece that I must nudge to save a person some time. Like when a little girl was lost she would have been murdered but I told mama a little girl was lost and she helped her home. Or when one man was late to work that lived near us and while racing to work he was hit by a bus. When I woke I woke him up just in time so he wouldn't be rushing. Stuff like that."
"I see, the cards see as well," said Rosetta as she chanted three times, in three different languages. The cards stopped and sliced through the air towards Vivi and snapped around her before returning to Rosetta's palms. Rosetta began placing the cards in a creative process as Vivi recognized the type of cards she was using, the Aquatic Tarot.
Later that night at the long, dimly lit oak table the group sat for dinner. Surprisingly only Roger, Yuri, Akiko, and Ana's family seemed cheerful. Roger spoke quite frequently to the Czar as his wife listened contently. Ana stared at her full plate of turkey and dressings layered with gravy as her stomach churned at the stoic samurai standing by the door quietly. He had said he ate earlier and politely refused to sit with the group. Lucia was unusually quiet as Vivi daintily ate her food, but the look in her eyes was full of fear. Dinner carried on at a stiff place unnoticed by almost everyone except for the doting couple Yuri and Akiko. Carefully Yuri grasped her hand for comfort as they sat there noticing Ana and Lucia's full plates, Vivi's inability to eat too much at once, and Kurando's cold gaze. Soon dinner was cleaned away by the servants when a young man came in.
"Lord Demetri, we are glad to have you here, but very surprised as well," said the Czaress.
"I brought entertainment for you when I heard my fiancee' was having her friends visit as a present, my lady," said Demetri smoothly as he walked forward to reveal a musical troupe. "I believed some lively dancing music would appeal to your visitors, my love," continued Demetri arrogantly.
"Thank you, Lord Demetri," responded Ana coolly before remembering that before Kurando she must act like she was in love and choked out, "…my love."
"Would you care to dance Anastasia?" asked Demetri taking in the princess's rich, green dress that was tightened. Although feeling the tensions, Yuri and Akiko proceeded to the dancing area, Akiko's pearl dress swishing against the floor. The troupe played a slow, happy song which allowed much swirling across the floor. Demetri grasped Ana's waist to him tightly, practically grinding his pelvis to her's. Yuri swung Akiko like a professional dancing couple, even lifting her in the air once. Suddenly Kurando asked Lucia to dance, modestly grasping her about the waist. Vivi sat tapping the table before the czar asked her to dance, refusing to pay attention to his wife. So they all danced in different moods even though the song was the same. Quickly the switched partners, Lucia went to Demetri, Vivi went to Yuri, Akiko to the czar, and somehow Ana fell upon Kurando. He clasped her close to him.
"Why did you not tell me you were marrying Demetri?" asked Kurando sneakily as they twirled.
"It is none of your concern," said Ana swiftly, slightly pulling away.
"Yes it is…Ana, please…" began Kurando, but Ana quickly, but neatly left his arms.
"Excuse me, everyone, but I feel exhausted from today. I feel I shall retire now. Please, do come to the wedding tomorrow. Goodnight," she said curtsying low to everyone. Everyone stopped to watch her go before the entire crowd dissipated.
Undressing, Ana pulled the green dress down as the fire in her fireplace grew. Suddenly the brilliant fire turned dark purple and sparked silver as a face appeared.
"Evan!" cried Ana.
"Yes, my sweet little blossom, it is I. Are you nervous of the wedding night? Do not worry I will be there to help you as well," sneered Evan.
"No! You will not have me!" screamed Ana defiantly to him.
"Do not be too sure there, prin-cess," said Evan sarcasticly. Then the bust disappeared, like a hallucination. Crumpling against her bed post, Ana began to cry. She tried not to sniffle much as she heard Kurando's door close nearby. Not even clothing herself, Ana hid under the blankets in her loosened corset and underwear, scared to stay awake, or sleep.
Next time: Ana's Wedding…
Note: Sorry, I haven't had time to write lately cause of MAJOR writer's block and I don't have access to a computer much anymore. Cause I planned on finishing this sooner, but this chapter seems long so I didn't cover the actual wedding just yet. Sorry, you may all throw what you wish at me.
OMG! I CANNOT BELIEVE I PUT AN INUYASHA FIC IN HERE! I'm SOOO SORRY TO FANS! I'VE BEEN A HORRIBLE FANFIC WRITER LATELY. I'M SOOOO SORRY!