Britannia Part 8

ImagawaProvince

Imagawa Castle Square

The green and yellow robes of the small army was assembled and stood in two straight lines, swords at there sides. They looked a headed and waited upon command from the king.

Yoshita then entered the square followed by two right hand men on either of his sides. He walked to the front meeting another man, "General Akata how is the progress of the soldiers?" He asked surveying them as he walked along inspecting them. There were about one hundred armed men.

"Your highness, the soldiers are ready for deployment." Akata said.

Yoshita came back up to the general and looked him in the eyes, "Good job, I want them to fetch the Prince Taichi and bring him to me."

Akata nodded and looked toward his troops, "You heard your king, obtain prince Taichi and bring him here."

"Yes Sir!" the hundred men said each raising their fists in the air.

The Cave…

Sora felt sick that morning all morning long, Taichi had gone out to get some water and possibly their lunch or dinner. They had been hiding out there for two days now, Sora watched out side as it started to rain heavily.

"Taichi where are you?" she said aloud over the rain that poured and pounded into the ground. She wrapped the blanket around her more tightly as she stared out of the mouth of the cave. Then she thought back to two nights ago when everything went wrong.

It was only the moment that felt right with Taichi everything seemed to have faded from the reality of the situation we were in. All the problems seem to melt… she thought remembering the feelings that came to her that night as she danced with Taichi.

As Sora stared into space she didn't notice that Taichi had came back from his hunt for food and water from the stream a couple of meters away from the cave they were staying in. He ran his fingers threw his wet hair trying to get it out of his face so he could see Sora a little clearer then approached her.

"Sora?" he questioned he waved his hand in front of her face slowly, then again. "Sora are you there?" Sora blinked once then looked up to see Taichi soaking wet standing there.

"Taichi! You must be cold, you should get out of the wet clothes else you will get sick like me." She exclaimed with worry as she watched him.

"Don't worry about me, I was more worried about you. How are you feeling now?" he asked as he began to take off his wet cloak.

"I am fine, it has passed somewhat. Yet my stomach feels as though I will be sick once again." She said feeling her stomach with her hand. "There should not be anything to worry about." She said to reassure him.

Taichi sighed his worry was still there but he let it go, if only he could find a doctor for her. If he hadn't kissed that night then she could have gotten the care she needed. "As long as you are fine then we shall not need to worry ourselves." He said.

Yagami Castle…

King Yagami had appointed Hikari the next to line to be the air of the Yagami Province. Although not happy Hikari agreed, she was upset still about everything Taichi had done and what Sora had did to her. But she still missed them and she knew that which ever father did if he choose to bring Taichi back, that Taichi would not come back not with out Sora. She sighed then got up and dressed herself to see her mother.

Meanwhile Yamato and Mimi strolled through the Yagami gardens with out speaking but merely holding hands. Yamato was the first to break the silence, "Though your father and mother have granted me to be you suitor I do feel guilty for Taichi."

Mimi looked at him she smiled, "I know you do, but it isn't your fault. Taichi did it to himself." She said.

"No, I mean maybe I should do something in return that he helped me with you," Yamato said and he looked ahead, "But I do not know where he went with Sora."

"That's the mystery…where they have gone and where they are going to stay." Mimi said solemnly.

In another area of the garden Takeru and Daisuke sat on a stone bench in silence both thinking about one person in particular, Princess Hikari, although they all so thought how the scene from the two nights ago has affected her.

They both looked at each other, "This does not mean that Hikari is not going to be yours." Takeru said.

Daisuke looked at him as though he was crazy, "She is mourning the loss of her brother how can you even think of getting together with her?" He got up from he seat and turned to the young prince, "We should not be talking about such things, when she mourns."

Takeru looked at him and narrowed his eyes, "You dare lie in front of my face," he got up as well.

"Lie is not what I do. I am telling you what I believe and I believe that the princess wants to be left at peace not with us fighting over her like we are doing now." Daisuke replied.

"You are conceded now! Of all people you!" Takeru said angrily.

"I have done nothing! You accuse me of nothing. I am tired fighting over her she is not even interested!" Daisuke said back equally angry.

Takeru glared at him and unsheathed his sword and held it out at Daisuke, "We will see who will win."

"Mystery or not, I am great full you have came back to me." Yamato said he raised his right hand to her face and caressed her cheek.

"As am I." Mimi replied holding on to his right hand as he caressed her cheek. She smiled and slowly leaned forward toward Yamato's lips when she was just inches away their came a cry of pain from with in the garden.

The two looked in the directed it came from and ran to find out what it was. When the came they found a terrifying scene Takeru with a bloody sword in his hands and Daisuke fallen to the ground blood dripped from his gash on his left arm. "TAKERU!" Yamato shouted he looked to Daisuke who was holding his left arm. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Yamato looked at his brother furious.

Takeru looked sicken with guilt the sword from his hand had fallen to the ground, "Daisuke I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." It all brought back memories from the past when he saw his own parents murdered before his eyes. He fell to his knees on the cobblestone pathway.

Yamato frowned then looked to Daisuke where Mimi was helping him up to his feet. "Daisuke are you okay?" he asked.

"I feel the world is spinning around and around." He replied and he began to swagger a bit.

Twenty miles away from the cave…

"Word has that Taichi is in the cave just inside of the Tachikawa borders. We have received word that he and his mistress are living there for the time being from a local squeal." One of the soldiers reported to Akata.

"Very good in about two days time we shall arrive to those coordinates then we will kidnap the prince for ourselves and leave the girl to die." He said, "Go now! Before we are too late in giving request of out king Yoshita!" And off away they rode continuing in southwest direction.

Yagami crown room…

Hikari sat in a chair across from her father and mother and looked to both her parents. "Can I ask what it is that you want from me?" she said still a little upset with everything that has happened.

"We have thought of out circumstances and Hikari we want to make you the next air to the throne." Her father explained.

"Father no, Taichi is not dead!" she cried.

"He might as well be, no son of mine has the right to be in love with some commoner." Haruko said harshly. "There is no place for him."

Kumiko frowned and bowed her head. Hikari saw her, "Mother say something he is your son!" she cried.

"It is as it is Hikari I can not do anything more for you brother." She looked toward her husband, "What ever that has happened can not be reversed."

Hikari felt tears run down her cheeks she wiped them away, "How can you let him…go" she said.

"Your brother chose his own fate so smarten up right now! Because I will not hear more talk of this do you understand?" Haruko said eyes narrowed at his daughter who was in tears.

"I understand…" she said trailing off un happily.

"You will be the next air and that is final." Haruko got up from his seat and walked out of the room. Hikari and Kumiko watched.

"I have nothing further to say to you mother," Hikari said she got up and left the room as well. She slowly made her way toward her bedroom and closed the door locking it from the inside.

"I am no air, Taichi is the rightful air….I hope he is alright…and I hope Koushiro will find something out soon." She thought out loud.

"Do you feel any better from this morning?" Taichi asked as he handed her a cup of water.

"I do, though my stomach feels uneasy a little bit." She said.

Taichi heard something funny he stood up and looked around the cave, "Sora stay here and do not come out." He got up and walked out of the cave hand on the hilt of his sword.

When he exited the cave he looked up and found himself surrounded by horsemen holding long spears directly at him, "Prince Taichi of Yagami you will be coming with us." The man on the middle horse replied.

"Is that a demand? Taichi asked incredulously almost about to laugh at the man until he thought about it a little more and realized he was out number by a wide margin.

"Without all dues, Taichi you will becoming with us." The man said once again.

Taichi frowned he took his hand off the hilt of his sword, "Okay I will." He then thought of Sora, I am doing this for you Sora please stay safe.

Two men from either side of the general go off their horses and walked toward Taichi, "Disarm." One said to him.

Taichi with drew his sword and dropped in on the ground as well as a dagger he had hidden in his boots. The each of the men grabbed Taichi's arms and pulled him with them then threw him in the carriage that was behind all the horsemen. They locked the door with chains and large padlock, and then they were off.

Sora waited as Taichi had requested but she began to worry, "Taichi!" she called, she slowly made her way out of the cave and saw his sword a dagger on the ground ran over immediately and picked them up. "Taichi!" she looked for him for about fifteen minutes but there wasn't no sign of him "TAICHI!" she cried shouting for him.

Koushiro dismounted from his horse and peeked through the bushes he was hiding in. The passing army had a horse drawn carriage with it as well. "This is very interesting… I should check it out."

He mounted back on his horse and stayed hidden until the company was nearly out of site and began to follow them carefully making sure he won't be caught spying.

YagamiCastle…

"I can't believe you attacked Daisuke!" Yamato shouted in a whisper.

Takeru had his head bowed down feeling terrible that they were fighting then he hurt his friend all over the princess. "I feel horrible for what I did. I did not mean to hurt him."

Yamato frowned at his brother, "Without all a dew Takeru, you should have thought about what you were doing." He said folding his arms across his chest.

"That is just it I do not think," Takeru said agreeing with his brother.

Meanwhile, as the two brothers talked. Hikari visited with Daisuke who was in the hospital wing of the castle being bandaged up.

"How are you Daisuke?" she asked looking down at his arm.

"I am fine thanks princess." Daisuke said, "With respect to my comrade he did not understand the full impact of his actions at the time he cut me."

Hikari sighed, "I see, but there is a reason for the fight is there not?" she questioned

Daisuke thought for a moment before answering the princess he knew there was conflict of interest for himself and Takeru but he didn't want to indicate that she was at fault for the fight and for him getting hurt. Takeru was just jealous and as a good friend he wouldn't mention it to her. "Something's come to misunderstandings, Hikari. And that is all it was a misunderstanding."

She nodded, though she could tell it was something more she had decided not to push and further on the subject, "So it was all a misunderstanding, I hope that this is something that will not be left unopened as it were."

"Certainly princess there is not a worry about us we shall be fine." Daisuke said he looked down at his arm, the maid who was cleaning and wrapping it had finished, "Thank you." He said.

"Your welcome Lord Daisuke," the maid replied she bowed to Hikari then left the room.

Daisuke looked at Hikari, "I assume that you have not heard from your brother." He replied saying the last two words silently.

"I am for certain that I will not hear from my brother in a long time…that is if I ever will." She said sadly looking away and walked toward the window looking out across the Yagami territory.

Koushiro looked ahead through the forest brush when the small army arrived to it's destination at their castle the flags waved in the northwestern wind. Koushiro saw the colors of the flags and gasped, "Imagawa…so there is more to the story then I thought there was."

"Have a nice stay in the dungeons, Prince Taichi." The guard threw him into a cell and left him. Taichi got up from the ground slowly he sat on the floor and pulled up his pant leg it was bleeding from a wound when they had thrown him in, his leg had hit a rock that stuck up from the ground.

He pulled his pant leg down then got up on both feet, he walk to the iron bars that held him in the cage and looked back and forth. He let out a sigh then thought about Sora if she was okay, he hoped she would be.

Sora stumbled then fell on her knees she took in deep breaths. She couldn't find Taichi and now she was lost the sun had begun to set. She looked up ahead of her and saw a small road, with determination she got back up on her feet and walked to ward the road. With her last attempt to make it to the road she stumbled and fell once again, she was too exhausted after walking nearly a full four hours. She closed her eyes, "I just need to rest."

A young boy about around the age of seventeen saw her and ran back down the road toward a village, calling his father about women who was lying on the road asleep.

To Be Continued….