Chapter 8
A steady 'tap' 'tap' 'tap' was heard through out the corridor. One of the many doors on the hallway, creaked open a sliver to revel a single scaly green eye peering through the opening.
The tapping stopped as the impatient person turned to the source of the sound.
The door shut swiftly trying not to get caught but it was too late.
"Medina stop playing for once, and come out. We need to go." Sighing heavily Merle turned away choosing to ignore the girl that derives so much unholy pleaser out of being a smart ass. Merle's cat like ears twitched at the sound of that same door being reopened. She spun around, but it was her turn to be to slow. "This in NOT a game! The whole castle knows how much you detest shopping. I'd leave you behind if I could, but then again Hitomi would be pissed and also stay behind!"
"Merle what are you yelling about?" Celena asked in a meek voice.
"We heard you all the way from our rooms at the end of the hall." Millearna complained as she Celena and Kiane approached Merle.
"Medina is playing around again."
"What else do you expect? She has the maturity level of a five year old." Kiane Chimed in.
The door opened yet again. A loud and extremely rude sounding raspberry was blown at the group. Then the door slammed shut once more.
"See, that proves my point."
"That was 'so' lady like!" Merle yelled at the door.
"What was ladylike?" Hitomi wondered out loud.
"Oh good you're ready. Now all we have to do is wait on the 'Princess' and the 'pea brain'!"
"Huh?"
"Lady Medina refuses to come out of her room." Celena explained.
"LADY MY TAIL!"
"Do you mind taking it down a few... 'dozen' disables!" Kiki snapped rubbing her temples "Your voice gives me a head ache."
'Man and I thought she was rude earlier, she is a real bitch when Van isn't around.' Hitomi thought to herself.
Kiki glared at Hitomi 'Could she be another perspective bride for Van? No way 'she' could be 'my' rival.' She yawned shifting her weight form one foot to the other. "What are we doing just standing here?"
"We are waiting for Medina." Millearna stated impatiently.
"Why not go get her? We are all women after all it's nothing we haven't seen ourselves." Kiki suggested.
"Fine I'll go get her." Hitomi volunteered since she knew no one else would. cautious she turned the knob and eased the door open. Nothing not even a protest. Swinging it open she was meet with the last thing she expected, silence. The room was deserted. "Merle, she isn't in here."
"What! But I was standing here the whole time. How could she leave with out me knowing?"
"You made me wait on an empty room!" Kiki nearly yelled as they all entered the vacant room to inspect it.
"And to think 'she' is this mad after waiting for only a minuet." Celena whispered to Millearna, who nodded in agreement.
"If she isn't here then where is she?" Hitomi asked opening the large mahogany wardrobe, just incase Medina decided to hide.
"She was in here five minutes ago."
A high-pitched 'PING' interrupted their thought. "What was that?"
'PING'
"Its coming from the window."
'PING'
Hitomi opened the window just to get hit with a small rock. A welt the size of a coin formed on the center of her forehead.
"Heh heh heh... Sorry there Hitomi." An all to familiar voice called from several stories below.
"Medina! How did you get down there?" Hitomi called to the braided figure below.
All of the women where now hanging out the window.
"It doesn't matter how high, no castle walls can hold me." Medina called back to the waiting women.
Kiki jerked back into the room quickly. Her mind raced 'Where do I know that from? Why dose that sound so familiar?' Pieces from a memory long forgotten flashed through her mind.
Hitomi seeing the way Kiki was acting after Medina's comment worried her. Plus the dazed and horrified expression she wore didn't help any either. Hitomi walked over to the snob, laying a comforting hand on Kiki's tense shoulder. Suddenly a flood of images that didn't belong to her assaulted her mind.
Hitomi stood in what seemed to be a grand dinning hall except for the fact that tables, and chairs had been turned over and the chandelier had fallen, it was now only a pile of crystal. The inhabitance stood huddled in front of a figure no more then fourteen years old. All she wore was a tattered blue tunic with a worn piece of leather tied around her waist like a belt. On the belt a sheath hung on either side or the girl. One long and one short the short sheath was empty. She also had long wavy hair pulled into a low ponytail. That is all Hitomi could tell in the dim light except that she was oddly familiar.
A woman in the group spoke up. She wasn't old or young but the eminence amount of jewelry she was wearing seemed to be weighing her down. "Please don't kill us! We will pay you as much as you want just don't kill us." She pleaded though she couldn't take her eyes off the dirk in the girl's hand. It was almost like she was mesmerized by the way it reflected the meager light.
The girl took a step forward growling. "Is money all you can think about? Is that why you sold your people to Zibach as test subjects!"
A large man in expensive robes and decked in jewels the size of goose eggs, began to turn red in the face. "I will not be spoken to with suck disrespect! Guards seize her!" He thundered, while still hiding behind a boy of about eleven. Hitomi had never noticed him before but knew that he would be important somewhere in the future.
Hitomi's attention was brought back to the actions of the strange attacker.
The girl dropped down into a ready position, tossing the dirk from her right to left hand. Then she used her free hand and unsheathed a broadsword.
The captain of the guard rushed at the girl.
With one swift and fluid motion she decapitated the man twice her size with out even blinking. The man's eyes stayed open in shock as his head flew through the air, splattering the crowd with sticky crimson blood. It landed on the marble floor with a sickening thud, and then proceeded to roll to the feet of a girl of thirteen. Her dark hair and rich robes were now speckled with blood, her brown eyes widened in terror.
Two more soldiers rushed at the fighter, one from either side.
The girl swept both of her sword and dirk sideways in-unison, stabbing both men at their navels. Blood sprayed over the girl as she slid the blades sideways. Then with a twist of her wrist she sliced up wards through their hearts.
The younger girl gasped as the intruder removed her weapons from the bodies. Letting the men fall lifelessly to the floor. Then she proceeded to clean her swords on their torn and blood stained uniforms. Stepping over them she started towards the girl. "You and your greedy family will suffer as your people suffer at the hands of Zibach." She spat approaching the princess.
Hitomi like the girl was frozen in place. She had seen enough carnage to last ten lives. Hitomi didn't want to see anymore. She shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the sound of metal slicing flesh and bone. But it never came. Cautiously she opened her eyes.
A tall man in a long black cloak stood in front of the dark haired princess blocking her from the strange attacker. Hitomi nearly gagged in shock at the sight of his metal arm. It was Folken! He stood there silent and strong towering over the girl. His face stayed expressionless as if of a statue, as he held both of the intruder's writs firmly.
"How did you get into the castle undetected?" He demanded though his voice stayed with out tone.
"It doesn't matter how high, no castle wall can with hold me." She struggled to get free.
Folken pulled her close, pricking her neck.
The girl dropped her weapons and collapsed into his arms like a rag doll.
The image faded to black.
To Be Continued.