Heeeeello Guys! Im back (A little late but back xD)
Sorry, the last month has been a really hard one, you know, life and stuff…..
Anyway, i hope you have a great week and day/night!
SHIDESU! OUT!
Chapter 16: Daily life in Hoshido, Part 2.
Lying down under the shade of the treehouse, a lone figure remained quiet with the slow movement of the wind, stirred from time to time as the sun warmed the land. Accompanied with only his thoughts, looking up he wished that the world could stop for a moment, to stay in place to enjoy just the little piece of peace in that place. Closing his eyes, he sighed as he used his cape as a makeshift pillow. Minutes passed as he heard footsteps around him. He enjoyed his alone time and everyone knew it, but also a certain someone knew that she was the only one who could get near him in that state.
'Oh! There you are, honey' the girl whispered, not sure if the albino was sleeping or just kidding with her. Either way she sat at his side and placed her head on his shoulder. He could remember the softness of her hair and the sweet scent of her perfume. It was something that they did every time per week, just resting and relaxing, forgetting that the others existed for a brief moment. She happily intertwined her fingers with his and hummed a familiar song, it was then he turned to kiss her head.
Surprised that Elise didn't hesitate and giggled before sitting in his lap, still holding his hand. Although she was still using her healer attire it was still more comfortable to be in that position, with her head on his chest as he rested his head over hers.
'Thanks again for today' she whispered cuddling tenderly against him. Kamui couldn't help but to embrace her with his free arm. It was certainly something common for them, even Camilla was happy to see how close they had become, a little jealous that she monopolized his attention but happy in the end.
'It's nothing to thank me for' he replied kissing her head getting some giggles from her as she nuzzled her face against his chest.
Now she was awfully clingy, not that it was an issue but in the last weeks, after receiving those flowers she was certainly delighted to be at his side as long as she could, of course without neglecting her chores as a healer, perhaps only a couple of hours per day at the end of the day to share some precious moments. 'Hey…are we going to be like this always?'
That came from nowhere. He could feel how she trembled and could feel something wet in his chest, and without hesitation he kissed again her hair and holding closer her body against his, trying to soothe her worries he hugged her as tenderly as he could.
'Hey, don't worry, I'm here, I´ll always be here.'
'Oh? You would? I don't remember saying that' Kamui stopped breathing for a moment. While his skin bristles and his hands trembled, the world once again stopped as the wind moved his hair. The crimson sunset light faded in a black pitch penumbra as his breathing became ragged, cold sweat as he found a familiar set of feet in his vision. He slowly turned up as again that terrible image of what was used to be Elise appeared in front of him, her eyes with a grey shade as her hair was freely moving with the air. 'You know it´s useless, she´s not her, she will never be her, she´s not longer here.'
'U-uh? Wh-What ar-" Before he could reply that Elise in front of him, the one in his arms started to vanish from existence, like petals moved by the air, every part of her disappeared in the same void around him as he was trying to desperately grab a hold of his beloved, after some seconds there were just a few purple petals in his hands as he could feel the cold in his back and in his chest.
'Good lord, that diviner is trying so hard to "save" us….it doesn't matter, our burden is one that no magic can´t take from us.' Kamui looked again at her, this time her smile widened as she placed her hand on his cheek, caressing it for a moment. Shortly after that her other hand reached his other cheek, slowly and steadily moving from his face to his neck as the black liquid came out from her mouth and eyes, pushing him down as her thumbs were pressing hard against him.
'H-Ho-' Kamui tried to speak again, but his heart sank as the touch of his hands against hers was cold and painful, almost as his own hands were made of glass and were cracking every time they touched her. Although he tried to move or defend himself he was at her mercy. Her smile grew wider as now the liquid was falling to his face, small drops touching his skin that felt that was crawling inside him with the same coldness of her hands.
'There…..let´s just resume where we were before that third-rated mage interrupted us… after all, Elise wasn't the only one who left.'
Searching for help around him, he was praying for someone to help him, to stop that madness. His heart stopped as her face turned in something familiar, something hideous for a moment as before he lost hold of his sanity was a familiar face, her hair blackened as her features shaped with the now white Kimono and black eyes looking on him.
Soon after the afternoon Hinoka was doing just some preparations for the night, perhaps she could stay a little longer with Kamui. Her happy demeanor was interrupted as she heard the same agonizing scream through the walls. She was on the second floor, on the opposite wing of the castle and in the personal royal armory. The walls were thick enough to silence any kind of sound outside the castle, and now she heard as clear as day that scream again, almost as if she was a few feet away. Looking around she found out that the few guards and soldiers that were speaking between them and oiling their weapons stopped distressed by that sound again, some of them were in guard and walking to her side to protect her, she dismissed them as she walked to the door.
Outside wasn't better.
Under any circumstance the guards could move away from their patrols, now most of them were running to her side as some of them were preparing to fight. Hinoka was about to dismiss them again but another scream interrupted her, or at least is what she thought it was a scream. Some of the people including her fell to their knees with their hands on covering their ears. It wasn´t deafening, but surely there was something in that cry that moved their will, soon after that she quickly stood to find that some of the guards and maids were shaking. She didn't lost any more time and started running to the stairs, although she hated it some guards were following her just to be sure. Regardless of their loyalty, perhaps they would be in her way. In the end she had to deal with them later if they saw Kamui.
Looking around with the corner of her eyes she saw in every floor that the maids and butler's were shaken as well as her. Some of them had to excuse themselves as they needed a minute to recover before resuming their chores. As some of the guards at her side stayed to assist the people in the next floors, there was only two with her as she reached the seventh floor she saw how some of the maids were passed out on the floor. butler's and maids helping each other as some of them were refusing to move from their place. Hinoka bit her lip as she continued looking for the albino, turning every corner and not stopping regardless of the shouts of the guards, it took her ten long and terrifying minutes to reach his room, and with every step she tried to run faster. She would be in front of his door but just before turning the final corner she tripped and fell to the ground.
She felt how her shoulder hurt and there was something wet under her feet. "Milady! Are you alright?!"
Hinoka raised her right hand as she was supporting herself with her left. "Yes, I'm ok, just who didn-" she stopped widening her eyes as her hand was stained with blood. Looking down she felt that her heart stopped as there was more blood on the floor, she desperately tried to find the source but the hallway was too stained. There wasn't a clear source. She stood and walked through the hallway, looking around she found out that there was some kind of fight. It wasn't clear who won or who lost, but there were clearly some scratches and cut in the walls, roof and furniture. She was in shook, so much damage around her, and to think that a few hours ago that hallway was perfectly fine. She shook her head and ran again to his room, guards behind her.
Aside from the fact that there was clearly a fight in that place, she was clueless of what happened, or the reason behind it. There was no way someone infiltrated the castle or if that was the case there wasn´t a red alert. What was worse, there was no sign of Kagero or Saizo. They were under strict orders to not leave that floor and to report her any issues or undesired events, and so far the ninjas were standing out for their absence.
Then again, it may be something that only she needed to know. Looking back, she ordered the guards to look in the rest of the rooms to search for witnesses and to give her a lance just in case. Although they were reluctant to the idea Hinoka had to use her title to force them to obey and that they needed to know what happened. Without options the last two guards left her to search for people in the rooms and to assist anyone who needed it. She resumed running and it proved to be true, just a few feet after losing sight of the guards a familiar face appeared before her. Kagero, who had her hair loose and a stain of blood in her abdomen, was about to fall to her left side but Hinoka managed to catch her and offer her shoulder.
"There, are you ok?" Hinoka asked as Kagero shook her head and tried to stand by herself, but for the lack of color on her face and her ragged breathing she was at her limit, so the princess refused to let her go.
"…..East….hall…..third room at…..the right…" was all what the ninja managed to say before walking with her.
"Right room? Isn't that Orochi's room? Why are we going there?"
"….easier….to show you …milady…I'm…I'm….I'm sorry…I…..I failed all….of you…" Kagero said with such regret in her voice. Hinoka just continued walking in silence just for a few seconds before replying.
"Don´t say that, I'm sure you did whatever you could…..just tell me that all that blood back there wasn't yours….." Kagero coughed before she could think in a full sentence. It was unsightly to see the ninja in that state, not even in the battle of the river she was in such state.
"Indeed…..some of it is….mine….but still….it wasn't…enough…."
Now she was making no sense, needing blood? For what purpose? Even if it was something necessary, she couldn't think of something that needed blood, less something related to that scream earlier.
"Good lord, I don't know what happened here, but I'm sure whatever happened is not your fault Kagero, I'm sure that yo-" Hinoka was surprised to feel something in her shoulder, looking to her side, she saw how Kagero's fist was white as she could hear her mumble.
Using her free hand she covered her face "Please….I don't need…..your pity…"
"It's not pity, is the truth. You have been nothing but a loyal retainer to us, I would never think less of you, even if what you say is true, I won't take back my words."
Laughing a little Hinoka managed to release some pressure under the ninja shoulders as she sighed, she wasn't laughing with her, but at least she felt more relaxed than before "…..thank you…..milady…" the ninja looked up to see the room at the distance. She frowned, not sure if she was ready to show what happened, but without options she decided to take whatever she would for her failure.
"There it is…..Orochi's room…." Hinoka commented as she slowly opened the door. What she saw inside was something that she couldn't believe in her worst nightmares.
"Ahh….AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" A girl screamed, waving her arms around her head. She looked distressed but before anyone could see what was going on, a finger hit her nose as she quickly moved her hands to her nose.
"Silence!" Haru said as he was frowning at the poor girl, Azura giggled as Akemi sighed, rubbing her eyes.
"That was rude, Haru! You're so mean!" Jun said still with her hands on her nose "You didn't have to do that, you know…"
"Even if you are Lady Akemi's guest, I can´t simply let you scream like that and interrupt Milady's rest, can I?" he said with his left arm supporting his right, and with his palm on his forehead moving back and forth, trying to make sense of the girl's demeanor.
"Please Haru, go easy on her, she´s just a kid," Akemi yawned, rubbing her eyes again. It has been a while since they decided to use one of the larger carriages so they could use the space to set some bedrolls and rest for the night. Of course the boy was watching outside just to be sure that there wasn't any kind of ambush. After a few moment the young girl was restless in her sleep, and shortly after that she screamed.
"Azura said something," Jun complained, looking at the songstress with teary eyes. Azura just looked at her, at Haru and back to Jun, coughing in her fist she just shook her head.
"Way to go with the children, Haru….I don't know what will happen to Akemi's children if you´re the o-"
"A-Ah! That's completely another story, I would never do something like that to he-" Haru couldn't continue as the girls giggled.
"Yikes, such a beast, serves you well, Haru" Jun said, recovering for the hit and giggling louder than the others. It took them a few moments to calm down, and a really confused guard who knocked the door just to be sure that everyone were fine.
From the looks of it Jun was already calming down. It was when Akemi yawned again and just leaned down. "Then, why were you screaming? A nightmare?" Jun shook her head.
Reaching for Azura, she just pointed to her necklace. Azura arched an eyebrow and she covered her mouth. "…..Kamui?"
"Oh? Lord Kamui? She had a dream about him?" Akemi asked as Azura shook her head this time, she sat and straightened her posture.
"More likely that something happened again…we should prepare for the coming weeks….."
Moving to her side, Jun just placed her head on her shoulder as the Singer slowly patted her head. "So, we are going to hurry our plans for our next visit?"
"As much I would like, without his whereabouts we can´t take any risks, much less with Ryoma or Kaze around…..we need to take him out as soon as possible…"
"Daring, aren't we?" Haru said, sighing and face palming. "You don't realize how much are we risking for this, do you? This i-"
"No, this must be fate, Haru" Akemi said, leaning on her bedroll. "We need to rescue him as soon as possible…"
"Even if I do more than pay for your happiness milady, I highly doubt that acting rash would be useful, not to mention that…." As he was once again lecturing his liege, Azura sighed leaning against the frame of the door. It was curious to see where she was right now, without Kamui or the others.
"Say, Jun….." Azura patted the head of the girl again, "what did you see in his dreams? Something that I should know?"
"Sorrow…" she said with her hands on her chest "…and pain….I….I can't explain it, Azura…. but if we want to rescue him then we need to do it soon….."
Wet eyes, all Hinoka could do was watch the scene in front of her in sheer despair. Orochi was at her right side cursing and preparing like a madwoman, making flasks of different kinds, using a strange black mask, spell tags around her as her elegant hair was tied in a ponytail that allowed her to move in such quick way. She didn't bother to look who entered, she just continued with her potions. On the other side was Miyu and Rin, who instead of having their typical maids uniforms were wearing ninja suit similar to what Kagero wore, were stitching and cleaning several cuts and wounds in their arms, legs and abdomen. They turned to the door just to look down in shame. At the end of the room was Reina without her kinshi clothes, wearing just a normal yukata. Her velvet blue yukata was stained in blood as she looked at something in front of her, white knuckles biting her lip.
In the bed was Kamui.
There he was, lying on the bed, his lower half was covered, his chest was exposed as his forehead and eyes were covered with a stained white cloth, another spell tag on top of it. What was worse was the state of his body. There was as well a white cloth on his abdomen, stuck to his skin as it covered an unusual shape, shaking arms with a shade of gray of the sides, ragged breath as his sweating covered the rest of his body.
He was happy, he was opening up, he was willing to speak and share some of his ideas. He had a small smile the last time they met.
Enslaved? No, even if he was a traitor this was too much, even for them, even for Nohr, even for anyone who had a heart. He wasn´t a prisoner, he was just livestock to any wicked or hideous plots. This was beyond anyone, beyond any kind of excuse, any kind of purpose, and this was called justice?
"Ready! MOVE!" Orochi's voice took her out of her thoughts. Reina instantly reacted, taking some of the flasks and bandages at her desk. Without thinking she just applied one of them on her hands, after that she took a red flask and held his head, without much effort she managed to make him drink, his reaction was to cough violently as Reina tried to maintain as much as possible on his mouth, one after another she continued for minutes. It was until that Kagero coughed that she entered the room and quickly left her with Miyu and Rin, not before walking to Orochi's side, as she was about to talk, Orochi just raised her hands "CLEAR!" after that Reina carefully placed his head on the pillow as Orochi placed her hands on his abdomen, with a chant there was a magic glyph on his abdomen "C´MON STUPID SEAL, WORK ALREADY!" She said as Hinoka was taken back for the force of the magic. After some seconds something happened, the diviner was launched backwards at Kamui screamed, she hit badly the wall as the albino breathing became ragged with the seconds, she quickly ran to her said helping her to stand "Th-thanks Milady," she apologized as clumsily walked back to the bed.
"Explain, what the hell happened, why is he…..why is Kamui….." Hinoka tried to think in a clear sentence, but her mind was clouded as she couldn't process what just happened.
"…Death…..he deserves death…" Reina slowly mumbled as she walked to the side of the princess, with a quick bow she took something from Orochi´s desk and walked outside the room, all they could do was look, Hinoka was still in shock as the ninjas just looked away, her face was one that perhaps it was better to forget, Orochi bit her lip as she returned to her desk.
"He´s…. so …..Inhuman" Rin mumbled as she finally stood, as Reina she bowed and took some of the flasks, doing the same process than Reina "Lady Hinoka….we are…..sorry for this….." it took her a few seconds to realize what she mean, without her maid attire it was strange to see the quiet girl in that outfit.
"Even if you lied to him, I….I understand," Hinoka said as she approached again to him. It was true that they needed to win his trust, instead of placing normal people to interact with him, once again he was deceived with more retainers. She was now seeing him, struggling to breathe and sweating under that cloth over his head, now she understood why Reina was standing there, perhaps they were used to see injured or dead soldiers at the border, but to think that someone was suffering like this feet away from Mikoto´s room, her son no less. Disgust filled her as her knuckles were white, she tried to calm herself with slow and deep breaths. She tried to focus in the problem at hand, "…what I can do to help? Is he stable? Is he alright?"
"Aside from the part that he got pierced in the stomach, broken bones and ribs, almost without energy and one step away of madness, he´s the picture of health!" Orochi said again as she repeated what she did, instead of flying away she just got a sparkle on her fingertips as she quickly drew her hands again. "Dammit! That idiot!" she returned to her desk as Rin handed her some flasks. "No good, we need something more potent, we need raw ingredients."
"Raw? More raw than freshly hunted?" Muyi said as Orochi looked at her, frowning sadly, she placed her palms on her temples and closed her eyes for a moment.
"There should be an Anna tent around the plaza, get some dragon herbs and some elixirs, I´ll boil some herbs and perhaps we can close his wounds."
"Dealing with his wounds is nothing compared with death if we keep using ingredients with ginseng of different providers, rather than an overdose we could use catnip and hops, as base ingredients," Miyu said, taking some of the crates at the corner. "We can use the extra dragon herbs and make an infuse, instead of using up our medical supply guessing what could work."
"Yes…..you´re….you´re right, sorry," Orochi left the flask on her desk and started helping the girl to prepare the ingredients. Hinoka looked at the diviner, although she was hurt she was still adamant to continue. She was lost in the moment, no matter what she tried, at the end all she could do was watch and wait, looking back at the albino she was struggling to contain her tears. She tried to take his hand, but again Orochi took her out her thoughts. "If you want to touch him then use the flask at your left, bathe your hands with it, otherwise you´ll get your strength syphoned," Hinoka closed her fist when she was about to touch him and shyly took the flask. It was pathetic for her, not able to have the most basic skinship, after some moment and with the wetness in her hand she managed to hold his. It was cold and it felt as there were little pins trying to pierce her palm.
"I…I'm sorry" a voice was barely heard by everyone. Orochi stopped placing for a moment the flask on her hands on the desk as Miyu and Rin looked down. Hinoka widened her eyes, looking at his face. His breath was still ragged but he was turning to side to side his face "I…..I'm…..sorry…I'm…I'm…sworrryy…" his dry voice and pained tone was something that broke her heart.
"No…..don't be, Kamui…you´re…you didn't…..gods….." Hinoka cleaned with her free hand the fresh tears on her cheeks.
"Good heavens….he´s…..he's doing it again," Orochi commented as Hinoka turned to see her, her expression wasn't better. "He´s…not apologizing to you…I don't even believe he´s aware…..but it´s been a while since he´s been mumbling."
"Wh-what? Then who is he apologizing to?" Orochi continued as Miyu just finished cutting the ingredients
"I don't know, the only thing I know is that in the last hour he´s been here, every time he does that then it will get nastier…I hope Reina can get her hands on that idiot," she said while doing the same that before, using her magic on him and getting no result, again with a frown she resumed her work on the desk with the maid.
"Then what are we supposed to do? Just watch and wait, and hope that Reina finds Yukimura to stop the curse?"
"He won´t be here soon," Kagero interrupted, finally standing, finishing stitching herself. "I heard that in a couple of days he would be out of the capital, perhaps Reina can get him outside his hideout an-"
"Outside his hideout? At this pace I won't be surprised or bothered if she turns down the entire castle looking for that buffoon," Orochi said, groaning, feeling the pain in her palms. She had used too much magic in the last hours and now she was feeling it.
"Until he´s stopped we cant let our guard down then….." Hinoka said, finally releasing his hand as she moved one of his bangs away of his forehead, "…..can you tell me what happened, Kagero? Miyu? Rin? Orochi?"
There was an awkward silence for a minute until Kagero spoke up "In the afternoon he was taking a small stroll through the hallways. Just before the sunset Yukimura spoke with him and threw something…I don't know what it was but after some minutes he started to run away. I tried to stop it but he was… hysterical, screaming nonsense, and when I managed to get a hold of him…he transformed his arm in a kind of lance, one thing led to another and in minutes he was attacking whatever was in his way. I tackled him and that….that happened…" she remembered how the moment she managed to push him down there was that strange feeling in her hands, moments later Miyu tackled her and that scream that pierced her head. "…..I don't know what Yukimura did, but after that scream he attacked me with fear in his eyes. After that he ran to the stairs, I had to strike him down at the corner of the hallway…..I'm….I'm sorry, milady." Hinoka remained silent for a few moments before she looked at the ninja.
"Look, I won't judge you, Kagero, I'm sure that you want what´s best for him, so you don't have to apologize, let´s just h-"
"I'm…..I'm sorry…" Kamui mumbled again, turning her gaze she just hold his hand again "….m….mother…I'm…..I'm….sorry…mo…..mother…." this time his pained voice make her widen her eyes, this time instead of sadness she was filled with anger, did Yukimura just used her image to torture him?
"Good heavens…that….THAT BUFFOON!" Orochi smashed the table as the others were surprised by her outburst. Her face was red as she facepalmed with a frown. "….I swear that if Reina doesn't kill him, I´ll….. I´ll…. " She bit her lower lip until there was a trail of blood falling. She cleaned the incoming tears from her eyes and continued with her work.
"He won't get away with this….I promise, Orochi…." Is all what she could say before turning back and sit in a chair near of him. "We´ll get there in time…..for now let´s focus on Kamui…."
Trying to think in a way to fix it, Hinoka remembered the events of the last days. Maybe she missed something on the way to the room, since she had to deal with a lot of guards and nobles that were questioning what was happening. She had to contact Ryoma and beg for assistance from the council. There was a harsh path ahead of her, but now, whatever it took, she would not allow that happen again, at least no without consequences from Yukimura. She had to make him pay for his crimes.
Aaaaaaaaaaand that would be all for now….. phew, quite long chapter xD
Sorry for the delay guys, i had a lot of stuf to take care of, but i appreciate your patience and your support, thanks again for reading this chapter, hope you enjoyed as i did writting.
And yes, yes, i´m aware that im late with some promises and projects, i´ll try to update as soon as possible for the pending works, just hang in there xD.
Thanks again to my beta reader who helped me to clean and set this chapter, please leave your review, comments and thoughts about this work, it what it help´s me to improve, as always any comment is welcome.
As before, lets see if someone can find the secret message, as there are some hints in this and previous chapters of what is going to happen next xD, keep looking guys!
Well, that´s it for now, hope you have a good weekend and a good Day/Night.
SHIDESU! OUT!
