Hello there guys, im back!
Well, here it is, the new chapter, i hope you like, there are some things that i want to tell you, but lets wait for now.
SHIDESU! OUT!
Chapter 4: The delusion of the Light.
Hinoka just followed her brother through the halls, looking down and in silence, it was unexpected what she saw a few moments ago, she bit her lip with a frown, just walking through those halls made her realized what just happened and how she failed, every step ahead made her remember how they were running tireless playing tag, or just how they enjoyed the life in the Palace, looking at her right she saw the phantoms of a better time that was lost a long time ago, seeing the trees were they played and most importantly, they spent part of their life's together, the figure of carefree kids playing around the well, how they feed the fishes of the pond, how they watched the star´s illuminated the sky, and what was worse of those memories, how Mikoto watched them all those times, there was a void in her heart hearing a phrase over and over again with every step.
'Watch him for me, okay dear?'
She had to stop after the fifth time she heard her voice, leaning on the frame of the window and with her hand covering her mouth, suppressing her disgust she was barely able to stand, shaking knees and again tears in her eyes, it was too much for her, it wasn't just a betrayal to him, but also to Mikoto, to think that he was in that condition under their care, IN HER ROOM, there was something hideous and disgusting in that thought, it was Ryoma idea? He wouldn't dare to do that, would he? There was a mess in her head and in her heart, of course she was hurt that he chose them over her or her family, she wanted to slap him until reason reached his head, a lot of things she wanted to say or do for what he did, but after seeing him like that, no matter how bad she felt about what happened that day, unlike them, he never raised his blade against them at the border, a hand on her shoulder took her out her thoughts, looking up she saw her brother with a sorrowful expression on his face.
"Are you ok?" he asked, that comment felt like a dagger on her stomach, pushing his hand away his sorrow transformed in anger.
"How can you ask that!?" She spat with gritted teeth's "How could you?! After all what happened in these years! I-I, Y-You! I-i-i can't even look at you in the eye!" Hinoka tried to stand but failed, his shaking knees were making it impossible to stand, it was so wrong, so disgusted with herself, a few moments ago she was ecstatic, now she felt that in a way she betrayed Mikoto´s memory, what she represented, then another frown in her face, remembering the statue that was built in her memory at the plaza, another hit, another insult.
"I know how you feel Hinoka, b-"
"YOU DONT KNOW HOW I FEEL AT ALL!" She yelled "DO YOU EVEN HAVE AN IDEA WH-"
"ENOUGH!" Ryoma shouted with his booming voice resonating through the hall, looking at his sides he saw how the few butlers and maids around him stopped scared of his outburst, Hinoka shrank under his voice closing her eyes for a moment, then looking at him with startled eyes "…Im sorry, but this is not the place, i´ll answer any question, but now, please follow me" he extended his hand to help her but she shook her head and with difficulty stood up.
"i dont want to hear your excuses after this, i want to hear everything" she said still with hurt in her voice, for the rest of the walk they remained silent, Hinoka heart was beating so fast she thought it would jump out of her chest, with dizziness in her head and dry tears on her eyes she just followed her brother to whatever place he was leading her.
It took them about ten minutes to reach their destination, it was strange that from all the places in the castle, they would end at the dungeon, through the hallways and cells, they were finally in one of the private rooms that were underground, opening the door Hinoka was surprised for what was inside, Hinata was eating in one of the corners with his katana at his side, Sakura and Oboro talking with Yukimura, who didn't had a better expression than her, in the only bed of the place was Takumi who had a bandage covering a side of his face, finally the family was gathered after a long time, but the long faces and with the tense atmosphere it was hard to say something, Ryoma closed the door making everyone look in his way "….sorry for the delay, I had to get Hinoka for this" Ryoma said walking to Takumi side, he just huffed and looked away.
"Wh-What happened?" Hinoka asked looking at her injured brother that just remained silent.
"That barbaric thing upstairs, that´s what happened" Yukimura said gaining the harsh glare of Ryoma, instead of recanting or keeping silence he continued "I knew it was bad idea bringing him to the castle, and now one of the royal family is injured"
"You mean two of them" Ryoma said crossing arms
"Im sorry Lord Ryoma, but that man is hardly anything to Hoshido, the only reason he´s here is because he´s the main power source that stop our barbaric neighborhoods"
"Fortunately your opinion doesn't count in the court"
"For now" Yukimura adjusted his glasses "I´m disappointed to hear that you are willing to lose your chief tactician just because i did what Hoshido needed"
"Wait, what?" Hinoka gritted her teeth walking to the man "You mean, the reason why Kamui is hurt is your fault?" she grabbed him from his collar "How dare you?" she yelled "After what Mikoto did for us! You said you lov-" she was interrupted when she was slapped losing her grip on the man, Sakura quickly helped her as she was feeling the sore pain in her cheek
"Yukimura, y-"
"Don´t worry Lord Ryoma, unlike your sister, i remember my place in this war, it´s time to all of you to remember your place as well" Yukimura walked to the door, not before looking back at the silent family "My place as chief tactician may end at the end of this war, but the horrors of the Nohrians wont, remember who you call friend and foe in the next month's Princess Hinoka, now, i must inform the council that the whole Royal family is here, if you excuse me i´ll get everyone ready for your welcome, in the meantime i suggest that you….instruct Princess Hinoka in our last moves" with that said Yukimura left the room, Hinoka was still with her hand on her cheek as Ryoma was massaging his temples, Sakura helped her sister to stand as Takumi remained in silence.
"Just…..What the hell happened?" Hinoka asked her big brother
"….A few months ago, we settle down in a small town at the Nohrian border, after what happened at the border we were planning to bring Kamui back with as few casualties as possible" Ryoma said taking seat and inviting his sister to sit in front of him "We had someone in their lines who was able to contact us and with his help we were able to plan our move"
Hinoka looked at him for a few moments, then with her hand on her chin, she thought for a couple of seconds and frowned "….Kaze"
"Yes, with his help and our scouts, we managed to hide in one of their towns, after a couple of weeks Kamui arrived to our location and is when he did our move"
"B-But what exactly happened?"
"Our original plan was to use their cellar of medicines to spread a special poison that Kagero made, not to kill them but paralyze their movement, with that in mind, we were supposed to just recover him…..but…." He looked as his younger brother "…..Yukimura instructed him with some of our troops to….take advance of our edge"
"A-Advance?"
"Y-Yes, is was really bad" Sakura said with her hands on her chest "They used one of the local diseases of Nohr to infect and weaken their forces…..especially Kamui´s army"
"…..So that´s the reason why…" Hinoka frowned with her hands clenching her knees until they turned white "I…..I can´t believe he did that….but why Kagero or Saizo didn't told you about his plans?"
"Because of him" Ryoma looked at his brother who was still as impassive as before "Takumi managed to distract them until Yukimura and his men managed to sabotage our plan to his benefit, by the time Kamui was at the gate of the Castle it was too late for me to do something about the causalities of their forces"
"….dammit" Hinoka looked down bitting her lip, it was true that the Nohrians were their sworn enemies, but winning like that? There was something disgusting in that thought, for so many years she swore to win that war, but winning like that with those cowardly methods? In the first place how did Yukimura fell so low to use the same tactics the Nohrians were trying to use in them? "Anyone important?"
Ryoma and Sakura were afflicted by her comment "W-Well, there are reports that some of his forces managed to improvise a cure and save most of their troops" Sakura said "B-But Nohr won't forget this, especially when we´re not sure if Kamui´s group survived"
"In their effort to save their people, we don't know if they had enough supplies for themselves" Ryoma added "I don't want to tell him…but we´re not sure if Princess Camilla or Princess Elise managed to survive"
"I-I see….." Hinoka remained silent for a moment, it was true that she hated that woman, how Camilla just added more pain to her wound that day at the mountain of the rainbow sage, but killing her just like that? She didn't know what hurt more, the way Camilla shamed her that day or how Yukimura dishonored her name "….dammit Yukimura, after what you said to her…."
"…..is there something i need to know Hinoka?"
"…..No, nothing…is just….everything is so sudden…." She looked at Takmui "…and Takumi? What…what happened to his face? To his…..arm?"
"…..There was a dispute a few weeks ago, after finding out what Yukimura planned, Takumi tried to break Kamui´s will in the time i was away, there was three weeks ago when they were moving him from the dungeons, Kagero told me that there was a fight between them and despite her best efforts to calm him down, Kamui managed to attack him leaving those scars….since then he hasn't spoken a single word" Hinoka looked again at her brother, he never wanted this, in a way she felt guilty for not being there for them, especially for kamui who despite her best efforts for the same naiveté he has been suffering in all this time he was held as a prisoner in the castle "…for that reason, even if it shame me to ask, could you take care of him?"
"Uh?"
"Right now he only trust Sakura, after that scene with Takumi i´ve to keep a close eye to Yukimura, Saizo and Kaze obviously can't help me with this, Sakura, Kagero and Oboro are the only ones that can be near him without making an scene, but…" Ryoma grimfaced "…im being selfish, Sakura has already seen too much blood for a lifetime, especially for scenes like that"
Hinoka thought for a moment, remembering the scene in the room, and those bandages around his wrist, even if it´s her job to see blood, seeing multiple scenes of ... of him trying to...she couldnt thunk about, it was disgusting that after so many years waiting fir his return they pushed him to his limits, and Sakura waiting for years to see their dear brother just to be the one cleaning their mess, the black bags under her eyes were a statement of her mental condition, not to mention Kamui´s condition "So basically, you´re asking to take the baton….."
"Im really sorry big sister" Sakura bowed "I want to continue but Ryoma won't leave me, he says that it has been a long time since the last time I was in public, it may be suspicious if i stay out of the public view for too long"
"It would be a nice chance for her, and a good opportunity for you, after all y-"
"Stop, just stop" she stood angry for what she was hearing, in less than a day she discovered his lies, Yukimura and Ryoma, Sakura and Takumi state and the worst thing, that basically they swapped a prison for another just with the banner of Hoshido, she felt disgusted, angry and above all, disappointed, she walked to the door without looking back, placing her hand on the frame she stopped with a grunt "…i want to make clear that i´m doing this for him, because KAMUI needs me right now, just….take care of Takumi until he recovers, i´ll kick his ass later for doing this….." with that said she slammed the door leaving them in silence for a brief moment.
"….Well…that was better than expected" Hinata said scratching the back of his head "What now?"
"Now, we´ll wait" Ryoma said leaning on his knees "Perhaps with the time she can forgive us"
"Mother or Hinoka?" Sakura asked with sadness in her voice
"…."
"You didn't told her either" Sakura injected with a hint of disappointment "Another lie she will found out eventually"
"You know the reason why she can't know, it will just add more wood to the fire, dealing with their betrayal is hard enough, but putting me against my own family? It´s too much, at least for now, now we have to look after their welfare" Ryoma said looking at Takumi who in the whole time they were talking he remained oblivious to their world.
"…..Is not fair" Sakura said covering her face with her hands "All i wanted is my family together"
"I know Sakura, i know" Ryoma said with his hand on her shoulder "I promise, this time i won't fail you again"
Hinoka walked through the halls of the dungeons, still with a frown on her face and the memories of her lost childhood in her mind, with dry tears on her cheeks she tried to clean her red eyes but it was just impossible, it didn't helped that the person who practically raised her was behind all that plot, after all, she always thought that Yukimura would respect her late mother wishes as the same way she respected Kamui path even if it ripped her heart out of her chest.
A lone figure with crossed arms leaning on the wall near the stairs stopped her, for a moment she didn´t recognized the figure, short navy hair, the attire was slightly different but the semblance was definitely as she remembered, unlike the last time they saw each other, this time her face was neutral, but when she noticed her presence she bowed.
"Lady Hinoka, it has been a while, hasn't it?"
"Oboro? What are you doing here? I thought you would be with Takumi"
"About that…." She looked down for a moment with a saddened expression "there are a lot of things you need to know, but this isn't the place so, would you like to have tea with me?"
AAAAAAAAAAAAND THATS ALL FOR NOW GUYS!
Shees, sorry for the big delay guys, i was a little sick at the beginning of the month, and after reading and editing my work, i needed to polish some of my pages, and without beta readers available, before i noticed it was already the third week of the month, i don't like to make excuses, but this is the true, so sorry for it.
I hope you liked it, is not much but at least is something before moving the big stage, so please bear with me (get it? Get it? Yeah, i know, im bad at puns :v)
Anyway, there will be an update for this week if i am not mistaken for Lover night, then fated dragon and finally the resume of the tied by bonds fanfiction, so yay…..AFTER my trick ´or treat night :v
As always, any comment, review or PM is welcome, all your comments help me to improve my work, as always, any beta reader is welcome to help me to clean my work, just send a PM if you´re interested.
Have a good night and weekend!
SHIDESU! OUT!
