Seeing Truth
Chapter 12: Forget the Full Moon Part 3
Oh, sure, the arrow flew, but where? Right under the target; not even close to what I was planning.
"Crap…" I lowered the bow and stared as the blonde just snickered.
"Figures…" I heard him say as I turned to him.
"Shut up." I snapped angrily as I shakily brought the bow back up again.
"Why don't you leave? You're just in the way." He said again.
"You know what? Why don't you leave? We didn't bother you, you bothered us, so leave us alone." I said angrily.
Kado came up from behind me and crossed his arms, "Jade's right. What gives you the right to just come up to us and show us no respect? So, just apologize to her and get out of here."
"Excuse me? What gives you the right to come up to me, and talk like that? Do you even know who you're talking to?"
"Do you know who you are talking to?"
"Why don't you just stay out of this, boy? This is just between me and her, so back away before you regret it."
"And what are you going to do?" I jumped in with my hands on my hips.
"This is none of your business…" the blonde said gruffly as he pushed me aside.
"Hey! You just said yourself this was between you and me!"
The blonde just glared at me than turned to Kado once more, "Hey! Don't treat her like that!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" he said angrily as he made a grab for the collar of Kado's shirt, but only able to grope air.
Kado already had moved out of the way and was staring boringly with arms crossed at the side.
"You know what?" I said angrily as I stepped forward, "Why don't we make a little deal?"
The boy turned to me with a slight grin on his face, "Like how?"
"Well, if I can make one Bulls eye than you'll leave us alone…"
"And if you don't make it? What would be in it for me?"
"Umm…" Okay, now that was a toughie… "Kado? Any ideas?"
He only shrugged as he walked over to me, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."
"No, no… Let's see…What's in it for you?" I thought, folding my arms at the same time and looking up at the night sky.
"How about you work in my land for five years?" after those words had time to process in my head I froze. Now, I felt really pressured, but something formed in my head.
"Wait, wait, wait. That's not fair," I said, "If you wanted five years, it would be like making the bet on how many times I missed. So, if I missed every single shot, I'd have to work for five years. This is only one shot, so it's only one year."
"Who said you could make up the rules?" he retorted angrily.
"I think it's fair."
"That's only your opinion."
"Fine. Kado?" I turned to Kado who seemed to have a smirk on his face.
"Fine with me."
"There you go…"
"Wait, wait. He's obviously on your side…"
I sighed as I turned to the line forming behind us, "What do you guys think?"
"It's fair!" almost everyone said out loud. Heh, time was on my side.
"Well?"
The blonde snorted, "Fine…"
"Thought you'd see it my way…" I mumbled as I aimed, again.
I could feel my muscles tighten as I drew back the arrow, nervousness growing in my stomach. Okay, so I had four more shots left, and if I didn't make any of these I would have to work on someone's land for a whole year. Should I worry? Maybe I could get away and he would never find me, but that would just be going back on my word. I closed one eye, my tongue resting at the side of my mouth, than braced myself. Soon enough, the arrow flew, and I quickly slumped my shoulders. I could hear the blonde snicker, but I decided to ignore it as I felt a hand on my shoulder. The arrow had hit the target, but not where I had wanted it to; it was exactly at the edge, just barely missed.
"Jade…" I turned to Kado who looking at me with a sympathetic expression on his face.
"Yeah?"
"I wish there is something I could do to help you out."
"It's okay; I can do this, I just need some time and—" before I could finish, I felt something soft press against my lips. I held my breath as Kado backed away with a slight grin. He squeezed my shoulder than stepped behind me. I tried to hide the smile that was forming on my lips as I grabbed another arrow, put it in place, than aimed. The arrow flew, but yet again, it didn't make it. It was only three-fourths of the way there. I bit my lip as I stared at the last arrow in my hand. If I didn't make this, I'd be stuck in a farm for a whole year, but maybe by then, I'd be out of here and back home. I sighed; that was completely impossible. I shook my head as I slowly put the arrow in place. Staring behind me, I realized that almost everyone in line had their eyes fixed on me. Well, they obviously knew what was going on. My gaze turned to Kado who was only watching me worriedly. He gave an assuring smile, and I smiled back. Ignoring the boy, I turned back to the target. I had one more chance, and if I didn't make it I was doomed…
The arrow flew…
It hit the target…
Not the Bulls eye…
It was so close…
Too close…
It wasn't real…
It couldn't be real…
It was too late…
I had missed by barely an inch…
Could it be true? I stood in place, slowly shaking as I lowered the bow to my side. I slowly felt it slip from my fingers as the well-built boy walked towards me.
"Well, well… I guess you just lost your own bet. Here are the directions to my father's farmland. Be there tomorrow at three. We'll discuss your hours." He said as he handed me a piece of folded paper. I grabbed it from his hands and nodded, my eyes still fixed onto the target, "By the way, my name is Pierre Rayne."
Well, that explained the slight French accent. With that, he walked off and I only stared after him, my expression full of confusion and sadness. I gulped as I leaned against a random haystack.
"Come on, Jade, let's go…" I heard Kado say as he walked up to me.
"No, no. Didn't you say you wanted to try this?" I said softly.
"Hey, it's alright, I can practice anytime," he said with a sympathetic smile, "come on."
"Kado, we came here because you said you wanted to try this out. Now, here…" I picked up the bow that had been lying on the ground and handed it to Kado.
He shook his head and waved his hands 'no', but I insisted. I knew he wanted to try, but he was so stubborn, "No, Jade. Let's just go try something else."
I sighed irritably, "We're not leaving until you try this."
"What can I do to make you leave me alone?" He asked playfully.
I narrowed my eyes, "Nothing, now, here…"
"Oh, do you want a bet?" he asked with a grin as he stepped closer.
I widened my eyes, set the bow on the ground and turned to him, "Fine, fine, let's go, but it's your loss."
I grabbed his hand and ran out of the archery area. We made our way to another booth that was selling jewelry. Startled as to why I was still holding Kado's hand, I turned to glance at my hand than up to him. I smiled sheepishly, "Sorry…"
I slipped my hand out from his and turned back to the booth to stare at the silver rings. My sight caught on a special silver ring with what looked like a Gerudo design around it. I peered at all the different sizes and tried to choose the best one.
"Do you like that one?" Startled, I turned to Kado.
Before I could answer, "You like?"
"Eh?" I turned to look up at the merchant who surprisingly was a middle-aged woman with red hair tied up in a ponytail and amber eyes, "Oh, no, I was just looking."
"I can give you special price; seventy rupees." She said as she took the ring out.
"What? Seventy rupees? Are you serious?" I blurted out as she handed me the ring.
"See, good price." She continued.
"I'm sorry, I don't have any money." I replied as I handed the ring back.
"Hey, I'll pay for it." Kado jumped in.
"No, no, you don't have to."
"Your boyfriend pay, eh?" the merchant said, handing the ring to Kado.
"Hey, he's not my boyfriend." I snapped.
"It's okay, I'll pay."
"Kado, no, you don't have to. Seriously."
"Let your boyfriend pay. He nice."
"Hey, he's not my boyfriend."
"He boy; your friend. He your boyfriend."
I narrowed my eyes angrily. Before I could retort back, I noticed Kado pulling out his wallet. I reached for his arm and pulled him back, "Kado, no. Really, you don't have to buy that. I'd feel too bad."
He smiled at me, "It's okay. I want to, and besides, it makes me feel the exact opposite."
I sighed hopelessly, letting go of his arm. I checked out my surroundings than noticed a familiar booth nearby. Squeezing through the crowd, I managed to get to the front. I noticed two familiar faces as they worked with customers.
"Hey, Kiyoshi!" I greeted as he placed a ceramic vase in a bag.
He turned to me and greeted, "Hey, Jade! How'd you get in the front so easily?"
"It wasn't easy. How's business?"
"Oh, better than usual, but people are so greedy. They think they can lower the prices so easily because we're kids, but…" he turned to his sister who had suddenly jumped on her chair to stare down a customer. She had a large jade pendant in her hand.
"I'll give you five rupees." The customer said lamely.
"Are you crazed, Sir?" she practically yelled angrily, "The lowest this goes is 200 rupees! Hand-made into this! No lower! Two hundred or nothing."
"Ten rupees."
Kyoko looked like she had swallowed a frog than screamed at the top of her lungs; seemed like a vein would pop, "Get lost, Sir!"
I chuckled as the customer scurried off and Kyoko got off the chair, "Hey, Jade!"
She greeted me so calmly I had to laugh, but after I was done, "Great!"
"She's always been like that." Kiyoshi said as he sat down, realizing most of the customers had run off.
"Want to buy something?" Kyoko asked happily.
"That's okay, I don't have any money."
"Too bad, we were going to give you a special price." She seemed to stare at someone as they passed off. Jumping on her chair again, "Get. Away. From. This. Booth!"
I turned around as a random person began sprinting away from the booth.
"He tried to buy this golden bracelet with the ruby in it for eight rupees. He's insane. Yeah, you!" she explained to her brother and at the same time eyeing the running customer while her brother just stared at her wide-eyed.
"That is not a way to handle your customers." He returned with a wise expression.
"Give me a break! These people are insane! They don't know the cost of a rupee." Kyoko snapped angrily, still on the chair.
"But, you need to respect them…"
"Their respect my-!"
"Kyoko!" her brother said surprised as ever, "You know what father says!"
She only narrowed her eyes as they continued there bickering. I shook my head as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I yelped, surprised than turned to Kado who now stood behind me.
"I was afraid you ran off or something." He said.
"Nah, just visiting friends." He nodded than turned to the bickering siblings. He stared at them, seeming to note not to get on their nerves anytime.
"Anyway, here…" he took my hand and slipped the ring on my left ring finger since I was already wearing one on the other.
"Heh, I told you not to get it, but…thanks, anyway." I said, eyeing the ring.
"Anytime… So, where to next?" he asked.
"I don't know. Where do you want to go?"
"How should I know? You've been to the festival before, you choose."
"I came with you, you choose."
"No, go ahead."
"Uh, no. You."
I thought Kado was the one who had sighed, but it sounded too dreamy…and girly? I turned around to see the siblings, now over their argument and resting their elbows on the booth. Their heads were resting on their hands as they stared at us wide-eyed and smiling.
"Don't they just make such a cute couple?" Kyoko said dreamily, ignoring the death glare I was giving her.
"Yeah, you think they'll get married?" Kiyoshi said.
"Hey!"
"Oh, sorry, Jade, but it's true." Kyoko said happily.
"We're not together." I said lamely, trying not to act paranoid.
"That's too bad," she returned, "Because you two do make a good couple."
"Keep dreaming…"
The two smiled and I turned around as a distant barking caught my attention. Thinking it was just a random dog, I ignored it, but when a large, white wolf came forward. I stared dumbly as it headed straight towards me. The wolf tackled me to the ground as it made an attempt to lick my face, but luckily I had turned around enough so that I was lying on my stomach.
"Yoshi!" I heard Kado say as he kneeled down to pet him.
After a few seconds of realizing that Yoshi was still standing on top of me, I cleared my throat annoyingly.
"Huh? What is it, Jade?" Kado asked as he continued to pet Yoshi.
"Mind to get your pet off of me?" I said.
"Oh, sure, why didn't you say so?" I rolled my eyes as Yoshi got off.
Once standing, I brushed myself off, "You think he recognized me?"
Kado ignored my sarcasm, "I just want to know how he got out of the castle. Or, more specifically, my room."
"Maybe a servant led him out."
"How? I thought the gates were closed. We had to climb down a vine to get here."
"Don't ask me, I'm not psychic."
"And I was really hoping you were one."
"Ha, ha, very funny…" I bent over and pet the wolf's mane. He wagged his tail happily, and I smiled.
"He really likes you."
"I guess I just have that charm." Obvious sarcasm…
"Yeah…"
"I was just kidding, Kado." I turned to him who seemed to be looking up at me with those same hazel green eyes.
I smiled than stood up, trying to find somewhere to go, at the same time, fiddling with a folded piece of paper in my hand.
"So, where should we go?" I glanced his direction to see what he was going to say, but he only gazed up at me with a blunt expression, "Okay, okay…Um… How 'bout…"
Before I could finish saying we should go to the booth with all different kinds of swords and weapons, Kado had wrapped an arm around my waist and turned me around.
"Kado, what are you doing?" I said with narrowed eyes, trying hard not to stare up at his eyes. I tried to push him away, but he only pulled me closer.
He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine, "Hey-mmph!" Well, it didn't sound exactly like it was supposed to. My hands still rested on his shoulders, yet I was still shocked. I didn't know what to do; part of me said to push him away, but the other seemed to say to let him, and I'm not sure why.
Kado parted from me, but continued to stare at me.
"What was that for?" I exclaimed angrily.
He grinned and I blushed.
"Hey, come on. Seriously…" Before I could finish, I felt a sharp pain shoot throughout my body. I fell limp, the lower half of my body turned numb. Before I could completely fall limp, Kado tightened his grip on me and lowered me carefully to the ground.
"General, what is the meaning of this?" I heard Kado say as he looked forward.
I turned his direction, trying to ignore the pain searing through the upper part of my body. I widened my eyes at the same General I had seen not so long ago, and still in his golden armor. Twelve soldiers stood to the sides of him, but my gaze soon shifted to the soldier standing next to him on his left. He wore his helmet like the others, but I still felt like that just maybe that he was familiar in a way.
I guess he had noticed my stare because he reached up and removed his helmet. I gasped as he grinned at me deviously; his light green eyes glinted in the moonlight. I narrowed my eyes angrily, "You!"
"Nice to see you again, Jade." The soldier leered.
"Sorry I can't say the same, Eric." I sneered as I tried to get up, only to realize I couldn't feel my legs or anything below my hip.
"You two know each other?" Kado asked.
"Erm, I guess you can say that." I said as I clutched the sleeves of Kado's shirt.
"Well, I guess these two have a history. Leave them alone, and you can come with me; back to the castle where you belong, and not with these commoners." The General said, and I only narrowed my eyes as the people around us began to protest.
"General, you didn't answer my question."
"Prince Kado, you cannot let this girl get in the way of your father's contract…"
"What contract?"
"You are to be betrothed to Princess Zelda."
"I'm to be what?"
"He's to be what?" I jumped in angrily.
"Oh, you didn't know? Oh, well, now return to the Ball immediately."
"You can't tell me what to do, General."
"By orders of King Oren, I have been told to watch over you to see that you do not get into trouble, but I think, now that I am too late."
"Excuse me!" I said as I tried to get up.
"Don't waste your breath, girl, you won't be able to move for at least another three hours."
"Number one, I have a name. Number two, you're going to pay once I can move."
"Take her to the prison, and Prince Kado, you will be personally escorted back to the Ball, so don't fight it."
I turned to Kado with a terrified expression on my face. He held me tighter while I clutched his sleeve until my knuckles turned white. I felt the soldier's grip on my wrists as they tried to pull me away.
"Kado…" I began, but was cut off as I watched six soldiers try to tear Kado away from me.
"I'll come back for you, Jade. I promise…" Those were the last words I heard from Kado as I watched him struggle from the soldiers. I knew it; they were too strong for him, and since he didn't even have a weapon, it was useless.
As for me, I did all I could to get away from the four soldiers. They pinned me to the ground, but there was nothing I could do to get away with their grips on my wrists and shoulders. I watched Eric as he placed a hand on my chest while another held a cloth. He pushed me further into the ground as he placed the cloth over my mouth and nose. I felt all my senses grow numb as I inhaled the toxic odor. I slowly felt myself lose consciousness, black finally enveloping me. The last thing I heard were the shouts of the folk people as I assumed the soldiers tried to keep them back, and Kado's shouts of my name. He knew what was happening, and I guessed he was worried as hell.
I felt helpless, felt regret, despair, anger, sadness, but I knew I couldn't do anything to help myself, or help Kado. I was helpless, and lost; I regretted everything I had done. I never should have dragged Kado into, made that bet, or even gotten out of the castle. I just wondered what Link would think, but when I thought of him, I thought of him kissing Zelda. It hurt me, but then again, I thought of Kado. At first I thought he was just some arrogant prince who always got what he wanted, but now I know that just maybe he was more than that, that he always had been.
And when I finally lost consciousness, I just wanted him be next to me…
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Well, everyone, but did ya' like it? Hope so, had a lot more romance than I thought it would be, but hey! Suspense/Romance, and this wasn't the cliffie I was planning, but I thought it good to end here! Yay! Thank you everyone for your great reviews!