Chapter Two

Morning came much too fast for her liking.

Before she was even fully awake, mother was already fussing over Ichika and her. Her mothers skinny and cold fingers tug at her pink curls - almost yanking - as she tries to tame the mess on top of Sakura's head. She could hear the comments under her sister's breath about there being a raven living in Sakura's hair. Eventually, her mother gives up and braids it as best as she could.

"Thank you," Sakura whispered and pressed a kiss to her cheek for her efforts. She knew she was mentally preparing for a similar, though slightly less as hard, battle with her older sister's hair. Mebuki, her mother, gave a tired smile and handed Sakura a dress - one a warm shade of brown with hand embroidered vines along the bottom of the skirt - and a darker, wood brown, corset to go along with it. Sakura could't find it in herself to mask the look of dread on her face at the sight of the corset, but she took it nonetheless.

"Where is Great Grammy at?" She questioned, slipping her nightdress off and getting ready to put the dress on for the festival.

"She is outside, speaking to Grammy," my sister speaks up after grimacing from a specifically tight yank from my mothers working hands. She nodded, accepting the answer. They lost Grammy when she was thirteen and her sister turned fifteen. Since then, Great Grammy spends every morning speaking to the little pot of ashes we have that we kept after her burning.

As Sakura slips the corset around her waist, she could already envision how difficult and uncomfortable it is going to be to breathe. She didn't wear such tight corsets often - just for occasions like this. Her favorites, if she were to have to wear such things, were the ones that laced in the front. She could do those by herself mostly which meant that she could pick how tight it was laced. Disappointedly, this corset was not like that and Sakura grit her teeth when Ichika comes up behind her and starts lacing the back without a word.

Sakura couldn't restrain the slight wheeze when she was done.

"Sorry," she gives an apologetic look. Sakura supposed she could believe her - just for this once.

"Would you like help as well?" She asks her, turning around to face her older sister.

"Yes, please," she turns around and Sakura sets to work. She is not nearly as good at it as her sister or mother is, but she is able to do the job. The ribbons always escape her fingers and it frustrates her.

"You both look lovely," Their father comes home.

He's an older gentleman, her grammys only son. He has light brown hair that resembles a curly bush on top of his hair and a scraggly beard that did not quite ever fully fill in. His face, though aged and tired, displays kindness and love. It is all they needed as a family.

"Thank you," Ichika says and greets him with a kiss on the cheek. Sakura moved in, giving him a hug and a quiet thank you of her own.

"Are we ready to go?" Mebuki re-enters the room with Great Grammy behind her. Both women looked lovely.

…..

They are truly never actually ready in circumstances like today.

The town is abuzz and the usually quiet human town of Strephia is loud and decorated. The changing of seasons has always been a big deal but with the royalty coming into town, it is best to make an impression. Though, perhaps not too big of one. At that thought, she comfortingly placed a hand on the back of Great Grammy. The fall of Elysia was during a smaller scale event such as this.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asks her, softly, and kindly.

"Yes, child, I am okay. That was many years ago and then - this is now. Times are different."

Sakura gives her a small smile and brings her over to a fountain to sit down. She didn't bring up that things really aren't that different. Humans dwindled in population and are still being senselessly murdered. Their people of today's history are still being killed for their ancestors' mistakes. It almost makes sense as to why history keeps repeating the way it does.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Yes, please," Great Grammy croaks and she nods obligingly before standing up in pursuit of water. Spotting the little drinking well and table that is set up, she digs into the little pouch in her dress for a few coins and drops them inside the little jar before filling a tiny cup with water to take back with her.

As she looks around, she notes children running around carelessly and having fun. Laughter fills the town and it is wonderful. It isn't often that parents let their kids make so much noise - in fear of what is to come or what may come. In the few moments where everyone feels protected, watched, and looked after by the deities, the children are allowed their loud play. Such play that leads to one of them tripping and falling in front of me.

"Oh no, are you hurt, little one?" She keeps voice soothing and she sets the cup of water down as she crouches down to the child's level.

The child, a little boy, looks up at her with tear streaked brown eyes and a bottom lip threatening to wobble and spill out some cries. Kids could be cute - but not when they cried. Sakura was reminded then that it didn't matter how old someone got. Everyone was a ugly crier. She gives him a kind smile and offers her arms, wide open, to which he crawls into them. Despite the ugly cries, Sakura had a soft spot for children. She couldn't stand seeing anyone in pain. She rocks him, quietly, and gives him a moment to softly cry before she tries to pry into where the hurt is. After a moment, she spoke up.

"Where does it hurt, little one," She asks and hesitantly, the little boy lifts the bottom of his left trousers to reveal a cut from the fall. "Oh, I see. I think I know just the thing to fix it.." Her voice trails off before giving him a thoughtful look. "But, it has to be our little secret, okay?"

At his enthusiastic nod, she couldn't help the smile and gives him a wink before settling her fingers gently on top of the cut. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she envisioned the magic inside of her. It coils inside her heart - stretching out and following her bloodstream into her arms, down her arms, and into the tips of her fingers where it flows out and into the cut of the child.

"What's your name?" After a moment, she asks him once she is finished, looking over her handiwork.

"Ryu," his voice is small.

"You are very brave Ryu. Now run along, go catch up with your friends, okay?"

He gives Sakura a tight hug before scampering off. She watched him, a soft smile on her face. Shaking her head and her thoughts away, she picks up the cup of water she set down earlier and begins to stand up. As she begins her walk back to Great Grammy, she bumps into something hard unexpectedly. As she takes a tumble backwards, strong hands keep her from falling but not from the water spilling all over her dress.

"Was that magic-"

"Excuse me-"

They both speak at the same time but neither of them attempt to speak again when they make eye contact. She couldn't even breathe - the water spilt all over her dress all but forgotten. There, right before her, stands quite possibly one of the most beautiful man she has ever seen.

His hair is inky black and short, it spikes out in all kinds of different directions. His eyes are narrow and a dark, dark, dark mahogany. That's when suspicion trickled in. She can almost guess what his teeth look like but she didn't want to know - not really. It would only confirm her thoughts. She couldn't help but think that she found herself in a no good situation, one she didn't know if she could get out of. Sakura could only hope.

"I- uh," her words failed her and as she went to deny that she did any magic, he was being pulled away from her by another male - this one with tan skin and bright blond hair. Once his cold eyes were off of her, she felt herself release a breath.

As they walked away, dread settled into her gut. The insignia on the back of his shirt had all but sealed her fate.

All she could do was breathe and pray that he didn't report her.