Sakura groaned as her stomach rumbled for the third time that day. She had been only able to forage a few berries from the forest. This day was getting worse and worse. She asked an old couple a few miles back when she would reach Edo. They told her she would reach there in two days on foot if she kept walking through the night.
Finally she just crumpled from pure exhaustion and hunger. "Oh Mimi, you should've taught me how to hunt." She considered using Wishing Star to hunt and thought better of it. Using the sword to hunt seemed like dishonoring a great sword like Wishing Star. She didn't know how to use it to hunt anyways.
Sakura picked herself up and continued walking. So much for finding food; she had to continue walking. Wait. She sniffed the air. Was that rabbit she smelled? She followed her nose and came to a campfire. The rabbit was roasting over a spit. Now, Sakura usually had common sense, but starvation can paralyze your mind into doing stupid things.
"And what do we have here?" A small squeak escaped Sakura as the man picked her up by the collar. "Why, it's a little girl. What do you think, Mandarin?"
The Chinese man gave Sakura a look over. "Maybe around four hundred to five hundred. She doesn't like she could do much, but she's pretty though. Put her in with the rest of them." Sakura gave a yelp as she was thrown into a wooden cage. A boy and two girls were trapped in there with her.
The oldest girl of the two glared at Sakura. "Oh look, another one. And look at her fine clothes." Sakura looked down at her clothes; there were just a normal peasant kimono. Then she saw the older girl wearing rags.
"Namoi, leave her alone. Don't worry about her," the boy grinned, "she just likes to bully people. My name is Kaisamaru, what's yours?"
"Sakura."
"Pretty name. You already know Namoi and me. The one over there in the corner is Satsuma. We're all going to Edo to be sold as salves." Sakura blinked.
"Slaves," she gulped. Namoi smirked at Sakura.
"What, afraid of hard work?" Kaisamaru frowned at her.
"Namoi, stop looking for a fight. Don't mind her, she's just testy that Jinn-Shan and Rota caught her. They are slave drivers. Namoi and me are from the city." His voice dropped an octave, so Sakura had to move in real close.
"Satsuma's family sold her because they were so poor and had a big family. I'm worried she won't last long in the city because she's so young and fragile." The girl had a pale face and white wispy upper-arm length hair. She looked about thirteen or twelve. Kaisamaru looked around eighteen, and Namoi looked sixteen.
"Watch out, Jinn-Shan might appear to be nice, but he has a temper. Rota can be fairly nice if he's in a good mood. We get a bowl of gruel once a day. Edo is where we're going to be sold."
"Edo?" Well at least she was finally getting there. But she didn't want to arrive as a slave! Kaisamaru patted her back.
"Don't worry, just worry about your new master." Namoi gave a snort of disgust.
"Lady Daudoji, wait up!" Tomoyo rolled her eyes, but she slowed down…eventually. Her chaperone and friends came panting at her feet.
"Takashi, stop calling me Lady Daudoji; it makes me sound old. We're friends and all of you should call me Tomoyo. How would you feel if I started calling you Sir Yamazaki?"
Chiharu grinned, "Then he would have to start acting his age." All of the girls laughed at poor Yamazaki, who stood blushing. Everyone who didn't know Chiharu and Takashi would think them witty enemies, but they were really courting.
"If Tomoyo started calling Yamazaki by his first name, then people would think something is going on. It is always polite for a Lady of noble birth to call men by their last names," quoted Naoko.
"Um Tomoyo," Rika commented, "I think we're in the bad side of town." The group finally noticed their surroundings. Yamazaki started to freak out. If Lady Sonomi Daudoji found out he had taken the girls to the bad side of town, she might release her bodyguards on him. Or worse, she might skewer him through herself.
"Ladies, why don't we go now? As you know, chaperones came from ancient Egypt and decided where—"
"Come on, Yamazaki," Chiharu tugged on his ear, "we'll get out of here without one of your tall tales!" Chiharu stopped shortly. "I think we're lost." Ahead of them, they saw a slave auction opening up.
"Sakura, wake up!" Sakura groaned as she opened her eyes. Kaisamaru was gently shaking her. The auction is about to start. She could see a lot of nobles gathered before them. Oh no! Matsumoto was standing in the crowd.
Sakura was frightened as Jinn-Shan held her in front of the crowd. She heard the bidding start at four hundred. The bid gathered up as more people joined. Crap. Matsumoto bided eight hundred.
"Eight thousand for all of them." Jinn-Shan gave a criticizing look at the young lady stepping forward. Murmurs went through the crowd and Jinn-Shan heard Lady Daudoji mentioned. The Daudoji were rich and could afford a little spare change for slaves.
"Fifteen thousand, Lady Daudoji."
"Ten thousand, Mandarin, no higher, and they better be delivered to my house."
"Yes, M'Lady." Tomoyo glanced over the scruff she just bought. She sensed something special about the one with chestnut hair and jade eyes.
"All of them will be delivered to my house except the brown-haired one. She will come with me." Jinn-Shan released Sakura.
Sakura stared at the girl dressed in such rich finery. She even looked richer than Lady Akira. The Lady reached out and grabbed her elbow.
"What is you name?"
"Sakura."
"Yes then Sakura, you will be my new masterpiece! Let's go cloth shopping!" All of the girls behind her groaned.
"Hey," Naoko grinned, "I don't have to be a doll anymore!" Sakura looked nervously at everybody. What did that girl mean she didn't have to be a doll anymore? Oh no, she forgot her manners.
"Thank you Daudoji-hime for saving me from Lord Matsumoto." Tomoyo smiled at her new companion.
"No problem. I never liked Lord Matsumoto anyways. By the way, call me Tomoyo and drop the hime. You'll be my new friend." Sakura looked at Tomoyo in surprise; she never heard a Lady denounce her last name.
Tomoyo giggle at Sakura's surprised look and dragged the poor clueless girl off. Her friends sweat-dropped before chasing after her.
Hime (n) princess; woman of noble birth
BNB: I don't wanna pick up trash!
Ken: Damn crazy fans…I blame you for my black eye from Toya!
BNB: You brought it onto yourself. Next chapter, Chapter 6: Legendary Katakis
Phoenix: ReVieW!!!