Chapter Seven:

Freedom?

Takami and Kaneshi stared off at each other, an intense silence falling over them, and the men that followed them. The tension in the air was so thick, Kasumi could scarcely breathe, though some of that had to have been for the presence of her former suitor. It was strange to think a man like him terrified her more than the bandits who treated her like she was dirt. Despite that, however, they still in some small way respected her virtue. Even Kaneshi, with his persistence to take it from her, understood that when she firmly told him no, it meant no. She was sure that other women from villages they plundered told him no numerous times and he ignored it, yet still she didn't understand why he respected her choice. Takami... Takami could be the leader of a rebel army, and be feared by many, women children and men alike, for he did not take no as an answer from anyone. His molestation of her was proof enough of that. She breathed in slowly, and as quietly as she could manage, keeping her gaze down casted, while the men glared death at one another.
"Bandits, what are you doing on this side of the country?" Takami was the first to break the silence that had befallen them.
"Traveling up north," Kaneshi said, heeding the princess's warning to not provoke the young lord. "To marry my girl." He touched the top of her head, and she had to force herself not to cringe at his touch.
"You're from the north then?" Takami questioned. "Don't you know northerns aren't allowed to cross these roads?"
"We don't come from any noble family, and we all have been away for many moons. She has been traveling with us for a month now, and she grows tired of not being married to me. Isn't that right, dear?" Kaneshi questioned, and if she didn't want Takami to see her face, she probably would have slapped or punched the chief for the suggestion.
"I can't wait another moment." She said, lowering her voice an octave. "You've already made me wait so long."
"You see? Quite an impatient lass." He patted her head again.
"I see. I'll let it pass for now, but in the future, remember these roads aren't meant for those not of our lands." Takami said. His eyes were narrowed, and Kasumi could feel his piercing gaze on her person. Was she not convincing enough? Did he recognize her voice? Could he sense who she truly was?
Her heart thundered in her chest like the rumbling of a giant's feet against the earth. She could hear it behind her ears, feeling it turn her blood cold with apprehension. Her fingers trembled slightly in her lap, and as hard as she tried she could not cease the movements. He could see her hands; she just knew it.
Slowly, and as carefully as she could manage, she slipped her hands beneath the sleeve of her kimonos.
That had been a horrible choice on her part. Beneath the reddish brown of the bandit's robes, shined the pale blue sleeve of her strange savior's robes. The surprisingly vibrant shade was too obvious to miss, and with Takami's gaze so zeroed in on her, she doubted he missed that.
"We're currently looking for our princess. We're patrolling the roads to see if she will show up. Do you mind if we look at your woman's face?" Takami inquired, and Kasumi pressed her back into Kaneshi's chest, as if doing so would put her further away from the exuberant young lord.
"Of course I mind! You don't look at the face of a bride to be, even I am not allowed to gaze at her face until we are wedded!" Kaneshi half growled at Takami.
"For the sake of my lands, I need to see her face. Just a quick glance." Takami insisted.
Kaneshi drew his sword out, pointing it at the young lord. A fight would brew between them soon if she didn't stop them. She practically rolled her eyes at the action. Men, and their war driven personalities and aggressive natures. She hasn't met a single man so far that didn't want to fight, or flirt. As far as she was concerned, they were simple creatures.
She eventually sighed heavily, sliding the robe from her head to look at Takami herself, her expression, though typically unreadable, held an edge of distaste. "Your lands? Honestly? You and I both know they are more of my lands than yours. Your older brother owns more of it than even you, young lord." Kasumi crossed her arms, trying to ignore the pleased look on Takami's face.
"Princess Kasumi, consorting with bandits are we? I knew you were a witch, but a whore? You never truly were a princess were you? Killed off your father and destroyed the estate so you could have your bandits in peace." Takami said, the disgust and venom in his voice making her cringe.
"I would do no such thing. I love my home and my father and I would not harm either. Stop your lies." She refused to believe her father dead, refused to believe such news was real, given who it was that was telling her the news. He was full of it, and she wasn't going to make a fool of herself in believing him.
"Oh, I don't lie. Your father is quite dead, and many seek out the thought to be dead princess, to wed her and win the lands." Takami said, leaning slightly on his horses back, giving off an air of confidence and arrogance.
Kasumi's heart shuddered, and fell flat into the pit of her stomach. Her father couldn't be dead. Her last image of him had been too horrid, it couldn't have been his end. She didn't want that to be her last sight of him.
"Hold your tongue! He is not dead! I won't listen to a word from your mouth." She said, allowing her temper to flare for a minute, feeling a swell of her demonic energy in her before it faded away again. It surprised her. She could barely remember the last time she felt her demonic energy. How maybe weeks had passed since then? When was the last time she could feel her fox like energy jumping around beneath her skin?
"If you don't believe me, why don't I take you home myself so you can see it with your own eyes." Takami offered, holding his hand out to her, as if he thought she would take it. She glared at his extended fingers, feeling the same swell all over again.
"I'd rather stay with the bandits then get anywhere near you." She hissed, keeping her body completely protected from his gaze by keeping her arms crossed. She could feel Kaneshi tensing behind her, and the grip he had on his katana tightened.
"Then it looks as if I'll take you by force." Takami said. Before she or Kaneshi could react, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her over the horse's head, and onto his own steed. Kaneshi grabbed at her, attempting to steal back his prize, but he was quickly surrounded by Takami's men. The bandits behind him drew their own weapons out, every single one of them ready to defend their chief.
"Give that back! She's mine!" Kaneshi growled, slashing down with his sword. There was a clang of metal as Takami's own blade stopped the incoming katana.
"She isn't yours, she's mine. She is my fiancée and I don't like her being in the presence of such grotesque looking men." Takami said. He was holding her pressed against his chest on the front of his saddle, leaving her awkwardly placed between somewhere on his legs, horse and saddle. She struggled in his grasp and shoved him away, despite her sitting position, again feeling a swell of her demonic energy. She tried reaching for it, feeling a sliver of it beginning to surface.
"I am not your fiancée! The very thought of you makes me sick! Now release me at once! How dare you put your disgusting hands on me!" She shoved him again, surprising the young lord by her vigor and strength. The swell of energy just kept festering and boiling within her, fueling her rage and strength. "Haven't you learned your lesson, you heathen!" She shoved again, and could hear the clank of metal against the ground as he dropped his sword to keep himself on his horse, grabbing the reins and releasing her. "Not only have I sent you away, but so has my father! And the demon who rescued me when you attempted to spoil my maidenhood with your impurity! Learn your lesson! At least these bandits understand what no means! They have more manners than a foolish lord like you!" With a final shove, he swooped right off the back of his horse, landing on the ground shoulders first. He stared up at the sun baked sky, before the sight of his horse came into view. Kasumi was straddled over the saddle like a well ridden man, holding the reins like an experienced pro, glaring down at him with glimmering, gem green eyes, eyes he had never seen before on this woman. "I will no longer sit quietly by while you touch me. I will no longer remain a prisoner to this world, and if either of you idiots follow me, don't think my wrath can't quickly be channeled into violence. I may be a woman, but I am not weak." She glared at Takami and then to Kaneshiro, motioning her chin to the unhorsed lord. "Just ask Takami there how he got those burn scars all over his body. I'm sure he'd love to tell the tale of how the princess of the eastern lands set him on fire." She flicked the reins with her wrists, and the horse cantered off, before going down the road in a full gallop, the princess quickly fading into the distance, leaving all the men in the surrounding area stunned into silence. Never before had they seen a princess, no, a woman, behave like a warrior.

Kasumi lost track of the time as Takami's horse carried her off. She was aware of the sun setting due west, bringing forth the curtain of night that blanketed the humid air with a cool softness of the moons glow. She could feel the muscles of the horse as it rode on between her knees, it's heavy breathing as it galloped through the country side.
She should stop it, let it rest, but the horse seemed to inherently know where she wanted to go, and she dared not stop it. The muscular colt seemed to scream power, and she was comforted in it, in some odd way.
Before she could blink, she could scarcely see the stone walls that surrounded her estate, at the very top of a hill. With it in her sights, she felt a sense of relief. She couldn't see it very well, but everything seemed normal from where she was.
She slowed the horse down to a trot, and then carefully swung herself off the saddle when he stopped.
She of course fell. She had never actually gotten off a horse by herself. Kaneshi had taken every chance he could to put his hands on her. Lifting her off the saddle, putting her back onto it... granted it made her seem more graceful since trying to do either wearing 3 silk kimonos was a chore. She never realized how hard it would be for her to do it, and once again realized just how large a horse was and how far down of a fall it was once she landed on her rump.
"Really, am I so ungraceful I can't even get off a horse on my own?" She huffed, picking herself up and dusting her backside off. "Come on..." she said, taking the horse by his reins and leading him into the tree lines, hoping to give the steed a well needed rest.