Femelle Guerrier
By: EmpathicReader
To Swan, for being the absent-minded genius of a friend.
A/N: Thank you to all reviewers… Even though I am a tad bit annoyed as only 3 had the heart to review while the rest… Let's not talk about it… ENJOY!
Cagalli felt her sore right cheek tentatively. She winced when she touched it. Mother sure has a strong slap. Cagalli thought rubbing the stinging patch that was starting to swell. Cagalli knew it for all her life since the year where she started to understand and see things more clearly, Lara has always cursed and hit her. Cagalli felt the familiar prickling sensation in her eyes. Angry at herself, Cagalli rubbed them furiously. She was taught to not feel anything from Lara's constant abuse. Instead, she would smile at her and pretend that she was not affected at all.
Flashback
"Stop screaming!" Uzumi shouted as Cagalli hid behind him.
"What's the matter?" Uzumi asked as Lara glared daggers at Cagalli.
"Ask your precious daughter! I told her to wash the clothes at the stream and none were taken back!" Lara said angrily as she tried to calm down. Uzumi looked at Cagalli questioningly as she moved forwards.
"Well, I was bathing when I found this pervert peeping at me. So I fought with him and the clothes just flowed down the stream." Cagalli explained somewhat heatedly. Uzumi, Lara and Sachi widened their eyes in alarm.
"You! Our family honor is destroyed all because of you!" Lara cried out in despair.
"Did… you wear anything?" Uzumi asked weakly.
"Of course I did!" Cagalli said in indignation.
"How can you be so shameless?" Lara screamed.
"I take my bath and they do their stuff. I didn't ask them to look at me." Cagalli stated in a matter-of-fact voice. Uzumi shook his head in wonderment at her tone.
"Oh, the elders up in heaven are all ashamed to have such a descendant!" Lara said dramatically.
"Mother! I'm sure the elders are not as petty as you are." Cagalli said.
SLAP!
"It is rude to talk back to your parents Cagalli." Lara hissed angrily. Cagalli felt her numb cheek. She saw her father try to calm her mother down. Feeling unneeded, she started to inch away.
"Cagalli! Where so you think you're going?" Lara screeched.
"Mother, I must help out in the kitchen. How about I stay behind and let you scream at me till you're satisfied?" Cagalli suggested with a smile.
End of Flashback
Lord Uzumi was having a tough time. The hot weather was not helping with his task at hand. He watched as Sachi tried to talk Matchmaker Sayo into helping Cagalli find a husband. The Matchmaker was not making any move to help. She firmly refused throughout the whole conversation.
"Please Madam Sayo. Who doesn't know how powerful your mouth is? Even the Makita's daughter, who had pimple scars all over her face and a few loose teeth. You still managed to marry her off. Please just help our Cagalli." Sachi asked pushing the dried food towards the woman.
"It's not that I refuse to help you, but whoever who hears it is your daughter, they run away scared. The Suuchi's would rather have the Makita's daughter than yours." Matchmaker Sayo said. Lord Uzumi could not take it anymore.
"Madam Sayo, look at this jade bangle." Lord Uzumi said. He saw the Matchmaker's eyes visibly widen and the spark of greed in them.
"Oh my. It's so --"Matchmaker Sayo breathed reaching for the bangle. Lord Uzumi pulled back before she could reach it.
"If you could help us, this will be yours." He said pocketing the bangle.
"Of course. Of course." Matchmaker Sayo replied.
Cagalli stared at the pile of clothes on her bed. She stood there rooted to the ground, gaping with obvious disbelief. Astonishment was just an understatement. Cagalli realized, after a few moments, that her astoundingly good imitation of a goldfish is going to be butt of every fishy joke; she immediately clamped her mouth shut. She turned around and faced her beloved mother with a look of defiance painted on her face. Lara just glared and pointed to the humongous pile of clothes on the bad. Knowing that she could not win, Cagalli just nodded bitterly. Another loooong day at the stream…
"As a wife you must act appropriately. You can not talk back to your husband or mother-in-law openly. You must be virtuous and be a good wife and mother." Lord Uzumi said as he limped. He stopped for Cagalli and motioned her to walk faster.
"But father, can't I take these clothes off? It's so hot!" Cagalli huffed. A thin layer of sweat covered her face and it was all red.
"Matchmaker Sayo said that you're a tad bit too skinny. She suggested that you put on more clothes to look plumper. She says that men like plump women. It represents prosperity. So they say." Lord Uzumi explained. Cagalli just frowned in obvious disgust as she walked with her father. She should have known all the clothes were for her to wear. It is going to be a loooong day…
They reached the famous Golden Pavilion Restaurant faster than Cagalli fancied. She was praying inwardly that the man would find her course and distasteful; too plain for his liking. She put on her best defiant look and had her trademark glare on. In short, she was emitting waves of unconcealed resentment and hostility. Her father looked at her pleadingly. Cagalli could not help but soften under her Lord Uzumi's pleading gaze. Sometimes, she wished that she was not that much of a father's little girl. She followed him grudgingly in even though her face showed no emotion.
A/N: What's going to happen in the match-making session? Stay tuned to find out!