"And one, and two, and three~" A voice echoed in his mind, his vision was blurry, as everything around him was fuzzy. "That´s right, dear, both of you are doing great~" his vision focused as he could see Elise dancing with him, her long black dress with golden details on her shoulders, that necklace, her pink lips and free long hair, his heart skipped a beat as she gently smiled. He tried to look around, but his gaze was fixed on hers. "You look so cute together~" she laughed. "Anna was right, those handmade ornaments are the best."
"Big sister!" Elise huffed, looking behind Kamui as they continued dancing. "You said you´d help us, take this seriously!" she puffed her cheeks.
"Oh? And why do you think I'm not serious?"
"You stopped playing!" Kamui finally could look behind, Camilla in her normal attire, just behind a piano, both her hands on her cheeks with a deep blush and gazing the couple, she smiled delighted.
"Aaaww….but it´s not every day that I can see my cute little brother and sister dancing together," Her gaze looked somewhat distant, filled with love and melancholy. "….my true brother and sister….."
"Camilla!" Elise huffed again while Camilla chuckled and resumed her play in the piano, again they started to dance around, although Elise was using a formal dress, Kamui looked himself in the mirror aside, his normal armor on him as they danced around.
"Don't worry, honey," Elise whispered. "I'm sure that after our wedding, father will let you use our normal Nohrian clothes," Kamui smiled tenderly, perhaps it was a secret for Elise, but it was common to know that every person who walked around any land shoeless, it was a mark of his enslavement, even as a "royal child." Curiously, the question why Azura was shoeless too came into the way of marking people with such traditional ways and rules of the war. "…Are you still hurt?"
"Uh? Wh-What?"Kamui was taken out of his thoughts looking at the petty girl in his arms.
"He he he, weeeeell, if you want to stop, maybe we could, I don't….. feel like moving my hips at all for a while," she said with a hard blush on her face, Kamui stared for a few seconds before blushing as well.
"I-It´s not that!" he whispered, taking her from her waist and making a spin to embrace her half way. "I…. mmm…. Fine, I do feel that my legs and arms are going to give away, but is just a form to prove we need to keep training, both our bodies and mind."
"Then….do you want to try it again tomorrow?"
"Wh-What?!" This time his whole face was red as a tomato, his lips quivered a bit as he was trying to articulate a phrase. "Th-This is definitely not the moment to speak about that!"
"Why? You….didn't like it?" she looked at him with a sly grin on her face, still blushing but that sly eyes were making him more ashamed.
"Yeah, Didn´t you enjoy it, dear?" Both of them looked at their right side and jumped from Camilla's sudden appearance beside them, with the same sly grin on her face than her sister. Kamui looked away as Elise coughed in her fist.
"Wh-What are you doing?! You want to scare us to death?" Elise complained as Kamui sighed, walking to the nearest desk to drink some water as they were just talking. It was amazing how easily they could get him out of his mind with just a few words.
"And I did my best so you could get him under your grasp with those tricks under the bed," Camilla had a long sigh as Kamui spitted the water, Elise blushed more and waved her hands over her head.
"Camilla! You promised that you wouldn't mention that again!" Elise complained looking at him with ashamed eyes and then with her palms on her cheeks feeling the heat filling her face.
"Well…..I think it's obvious…." Camilla walked to his side, as she was walking Kamui could feel that there was something odd. His vision blurred for some seconds as he felt dizzy, his head hurt as he could see their figures approaching. "After all….you left us….behind…" He widened his eyes all Camilla lost all her colors, as a piece of ashes, without life in her eyes.
"I'm…sorry…..honey" He looked at Elise, who dress started to wither with her skin and her expression was lifeless. "I'm sorry….that I….wasn't enough….. for you…"
His heart stopped for a moment as the image of that day returned to his mind. Elise crawling on the ground trying to reach him, the feeling of Raijinto on his back and the lighting blinding his eyes, the sudden rush of emotions struck him too quickly falling into an abyss.
He woke up, sweating and with fear in his bones, he couldn't control his breath. "Kamui? What's wrong?" he looked at his side, embracing his arm was Hinoka, who was massaging her left eye. He tried to calm himself down, again in that black room, those comfortable sheets and his sister sleeping at his side to prevent his nightmares.
Or at least, that is what they believed.
Chapter 23: At the edge of the Fall
Kamui splashed the water on his face. It was early on the morning, the sun was still behind the mountains, illuminating the private bathroom with some candles he looked again at his own reflection on the mirror, a sudden pain in the side of his head that he had to grab, the memories of those days surfaced on his mind.
He splashed again water on his face, trying anything to move those memories away, to refresh his sour morning. Looking at his reflection he noticed the few bangs covering his face, with a strand he started to tie his long hair in a ponytail. With his recent rants, they couldn't afford to cut his hair, so now it was long enough to be under shoulders. It has been over four months since he was abducted, two since he arrived to the capital, one since he started to live in a way someone outside would call "normal"….and what? Three days since… "Kamui, it´s ready," he looked at her reflection, and before he could react she gently grabbed his hand, leading the way behind the paper walls inside the bathroom, to another small room with a steel bathtub, enough to fit one person, only with a pair of trousers on he let his body sink in the water.
Warm and refreshing water filled with the perfume and incense of Hoshido, it has been a while since he had that kind of bath. It was a shame that he couldn't enjoy it as much as he wanted. "Ok, here I go," Hinoka sat in front of him, covering herself with a towel. Of course she showed her tongue when Kamui glared at her, without much option he moved his legs so they could fit in the bathtub. It was something that she insisted in the past few days, since she wanted to make sure that nothing could disrupt his slumber or day, she and Oboro stayed with him most of the time. Of course, Oboro wasn't bold enough to bathe with him, and Hinoka wasn't just using a towel. Perhaps it was wrong that he noticed it, but it was hilarious to see that the underwear from Hoshido were similar in Nohr, perhaps they had something in common with the clothes industry?
He shook his head. That was definitely something ugly, he didn't want to compare them, perhaps he knew her underwear, but it was an honest accident the first time. Fortunately only Hinoka and he knew it, Rin or Miyu couldn't be quiet about it, and Oboro would be aggressive with him.
"Is there something wrong?" Hinoka asked, pushing her legs against him to get his attention. She was blushing, but it was probably fault of the warm water instead of the shame.
"No, it's nothing," he sighed, massaging his temples with one hand. "But you don't need to bathe with me, you know, if they found out this, we w-"
"Oh, shut up!" she crossed her arms. "I have been careful, no one knows about this, and it´s not like we´re doing something wrong, brothers and sisters bathe all the time."
"…..so you still bathe with Ryoma and Takumi? Sakura?"
"Th-That's different!" she huffed "only with Sakura from time to time."
"And me?"
"You´re…different, just leave it like that," she nodded "Yes, you´re a special case, so let's enjoy it, shall we?"
Kamui groaned "Fiiiiiine," leaning against the edge of the bathtub he looked at the ceiling. Perhaps something like Miyu or Rin would end that ridiculous scene, or perhaps Kaze? It was outrageous that what Camilla literally begged for years, Hinoka just forced her way in. With his left hand on his face he could hear how she was sinking in the water, her legs raised and she just casually soaking it as the edge of his eyes noticed it, a small curl appeared on his face, she and Elise were so alike from each other in some ways. Elise was innocent and the first bath they shared was special, shyness from both sides. With Hinoka it was different, blunt and direct, but regardless of their personality, both girls were acting so carefree when they were comfortable enough. He sighed again with the sound of Hinoka´s leg sinking again in the tub as she repeated the same with her other, at least with her presence either way he would be executed if anyone find out or without pesky chit chat as Hinoka was reserved when they were together. Perhaps she felt the quiet moment comfortable enough to no disturb the peace? Or perhaps she waited for him to talk? Or maybe she had a strange crush on him? Every time he started to plot something that could explain her behavior he laughed internally with the weirdest ideas he could get, maybe those episodes of madness finally destroyed what little sanity he had left.
Although he didn't have something against her, it would be better if she just left him alone. The past days were strange, and before that, the day that he talked with Yukimura again had a strange feeling on his guts. He couldn't remember what happened, but surely it wasn't something good.
"Hey, aren't you going to soak yourself?" Hinoka asked, touching his right toes with hers, playing pushing them up. "It´s not much of a bath if you don't….um, bath."
"Right, and I'm in underwear with my almost naked sister," he sighed, looking at her. "I don't know why yo-arrg!" he stopped as Hinoka threw her towel in his face, taking it off for a moment his eyes twitched blushing not believing what she was wearing. "…..are you….why would you…..use your fancier smallclothes in the bathtub?!"
"Stop looking so intensely," she tried to cover herself by instinct, but with sheer will she managed to leave her arms to her sides, a red bra with some strings on her sides and white strands, a single strand around her neck that supported it, he couldn't see her 'underwear', but through the bubbles, he could swear it was similar style. "And why you think it´s small clothes?!"
"Isn't it?! You´re not going to tell me it is a swimsuit, even in Nohr, I have never seen something soo… daring as a swimsuit!"
"It´s an outsider style," she huffed. "a two pieces swimsuit," she gently kicked his leg. "Do you think I would bring my underwear here?"
"Well, I do! After all, if you could just let me bathe as I want then you wouldn't be here!" he returned the kick, with much less strength, Hinoka frowned a bit and started delivering low kicks to him.
"Well, I'm worried about you! If you could only stop being so distant then maybe I would be willing to humor you, but for now no-hyaa!" she widened her eyes as Kamui's foot slipped from her toes and arrived to her stomach. "W-Wait! Aaah!- stop it!, I'm ticklish there!"
Kamui glared at her as she tried to contain her laugh, for some moments he was enticed by her smile "….It´s just me, or you gained some weight? It´s squishi-ofh!"
"How rude!" she kicked his guts with her left leg. "Just for you to know, I lost five pounds last week!"
"Dropping your food is not considered a loss on w-nngg!" this time she used both legs to pull his head placing her toes behind his head, and when he was close enough she pinched his cheeks.
"Well, I´m always trying to be…pretty for someone," she blushed still with a frown.
"Then just tell Tsubaki that you want to date him, or is Azama?" he replied as this time she approached with her hands on his shoulders. "It´s not my business, but he´s quite old for you, isn't he? And Tsubaki is Sakura's retainer, I don't think she will agre-leff meh ghooo—" Hinoka pinched his cheeks.
"It´s not them, you should shtoop nhow!" Kamui pinched her cheeks as well.
"Dhonsw ushe mby methosd on me," he tried to sound mad, but even in that weird situation he resisted the urge to leave her, his skin hurt under her touch, but strangely, it felt…..good, Hinoka frown disappeared after some moments when she heard his chuckled.
"Uh? Kamui?" he stopped almost at the same time than her released his cheeks, standing and taking a towel to dry his head.
'What are you doing?' he reproached himself, 'You´re not supposed to have fun, much less in this situation,' his curl disappeared "I'm done, if you want to stay a little more, then enjoy it, I….I've had enough."
"W-Wait! You can't go alone!" she left the bathtub and took her clothes. Fortunately for her Kamui was to engrossed in his own thoughts that he barely heard what she said, making it easy to dry herself as he was strangely slow.
'You can't have fun like this, YOU DON'T HAVE A REASON TO,' He told himself as the towel was drying his arms. 'She is only here to watch over you, not to make you happy, get it over already,' he bit his lower lip 'In the best scenario, she may feel guilty for what happened, so once she has her fill, she can go, don't get to close…..' his sigh was lost in the floor for a moment while he was drying his feet, he sighed after some minutes and prepared his clothes.
"Wait, don't go like that!" Hinoka took his blouse when he was about to take it. "Tell me, what happened? You were having fun, it….it was something I did? Or?" Kamui shook his head trying to get his clothes, but she didn't let him take his blouse. "Hey! I'm still talking, tell me what´s wrong!" Hinoka frowned. "You can tell me anything, I'm you si-hey!" Kamui gently pushed her, his pants should be enough, she was in her casual clothes so there was no point to trying to get ahead of her or even trying to get away of her, he sighed again opening the door. "Hey! You feet are still wet, you´ll slip in the hallway!"
"And?" he left the bathroom followed by Hinoka who was still trying to reason with him. He massaged his temples as there was a white noise in his head, he stopped hearing her for a moment as his vision blurred every time he took a long breath 'You SHOULDN'T enjoy being here.' he said to himself. 'YOU SHOULD BE FINDING A WAY TO GO BACK TO HER, NOT WASTING YOUR TIME LIKE THIS!' his frown deepened with that thought, but what he could do? There was no easy way to get out, and with Yukimura around waiting the perfect time to strike, he couldn't be careless. Perhaps an opening, and fewer distractions, maybe the fall festival? If he could find a way to go beyond the walls, if he could do anything at all. 'I really need to stop being so ca-'
"Ahh!" A sudden and quiet voice stopped his thoughts as he bumped with a frail girl in front of him, the girl fell to her but and massaged where she hit him with her head, he just sighed and offered her hand to stand.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking," Kamui apologized, passing the girl.
"Sorry Bell, I´ll get a real apology from him," Hinoka said as Bell just watched the duo walking away, seeing Kamui´s back with some dissent.
"Wait…..that can't be right…." She mumbled with her hands on her chest. "That´s… That´s Lord Yukimura's control spell…there must be a mistake….."
"…say…. Aren't you a little….. too close?" Miyu said as Hinoka was branding Kamui´s hair, the albino just sat staring at the window as his sister was happily with a comb was undoing the knots in Kamui´s hair.
"They have been like that for hours" Rin said as Reina chuckled.
"Well, they had a small fight this morning," Reina said with a curl on her face. "Apparently, Hinoka was a little upset that some of his bangs get in her mouth when she is in his bed at night."
"And you don't find….odd that someone as big and old as Kamui is taking advantage of Lady Hinoka?" Miyu commented as Kamui frowned.
"I can hear you," Kamui complained looking with his eyes the trio that were sit near them, Reina between the ninjas who were using their kimonos. "And why are you combing my hair?"
"It´s for your own good, lord Kamui," Rin said, sipping her tea. "Tonight is the grand opening, the start of the Fall Festival."
"It´s the time of the year that marks the end of the Fall and the start of the Winter," Miyu continued. "It´s the longest night of the year, and with the weather report, it will be the best night to see the stars in the sky, were the people rejoice and dance under the light of the night stars."
"It´s important to have a good appearance," Reina commented. "After all, it is a festival!"
"Yeah, a festival that I won't be in person. Can't I just, oh, I don't know, prepare the replica and finish this?"
"Nope!" Miyu said with glee. "We managed to get a good replica for you, so even the small movements or the scent/touch from it will be different, and it will replicate your hairstyle and clothes, so YOU need to be formal and clean~"
"Lord Kamui needs to be clean," Rin nodded. "Otherwise, Oboro won't like you."
"Uh?"
"We need to hurry!" Hinoka commented finishing the final touch of his hair. "The grand opening starts in a couple of hours, but we need to prepare and make sure that everything is fine with the replica."
"Then go ahead, sweetie, I´ll be joining you shortly," Reina waved her hand as the girls pushed Kamui out the room.
"W-Wait?! Wh-What? Th-That wasn't the deal Reina! You said t-" Kamui tried to complain, but before he could finish he was already at the door. "W-Wait! Reina! You can't do this! You said that yo-" and with that the door closed, leaving her alone.
She sighed, after she was sure Kamui was away, she stood and walked to the nearest mirror, undoing her ponytail and leaving her yukata fall to the ground. "I'm wondering, what kind of deal you had with him," a voice inquired as she took her clothes from the drawer and started dressing in her casual clothes, leaving her Kinshi armor and clothes in the desk aside of the mirror.
"That I would be with him all the time," Reina replied with some pins in her lips as she started to comb her hair. "That even if Lady Hinoka or Oboro couldn't be with him, I would be at his side."
"And what changed?"
"Nohrians," she started to place the pins in her hair. "I had a report of a certain group approaching from the border. They won't be here until next week, and we can't take the luxury to disturb Kamui with their presence."
"And wouldn't it be better to tell him about them?"
"Not until we know who they are," Reina sighed, placing the last pin in her hair. A similar hairstyle from Oboro, but without the excessive ornaments on her hair, her bangs on both sides to show her hair without her trademark hairstyle in the battlefield, her Yukata matched her hair, as the sleeve were decorated with violet flowers. She moved from side to side to see if there was something amiss before doing the ribbon in her middle section. "I had a word with the scouts from the southern islands, there is still missing some men, but I'm sure it´s because the heavy weather in the past few days, aside of that I know that Lord Ryoma will arrive today later, or tomorrow at the morning, until then, I´ll stay at Kamui's side," she looked back to where the raven ninja kneeled, "….Can I trust the safety of my…..child at the festival?"
"That was the thing that made him happy a few days ago?" Kagero asked as Reina nodded. "Very well, I´ll do my best."
"Are you ready, Lord Kamui?" Rin asked while she and Miyu were finishing dressing the replica, Kamui who was sittting in front of him yawned.
"That´s the fifth time you ask, Rin," he complained. "If I don't have permission to use this thing, then just drop it and let's go back to my room. I´m not too eager to do this," he sighed, leaning on his hands sit on the floor, seeing how the girls were moving and preparing the replica´s limbs to make sure that it could work perfectly. For him it was just a waste of time, as they said, he couldn't be able to talk or eat something, although he had to admit that the resemblance with him was uncanny, he could mistake it with a real person, if it wasn't for the fine lines at the side of its lips, the joints of his muscles on its shoulders, elbows and neck, aside of that it was realistic version of him. "….Shouldn't I supposed to be in my room? Now that I think about it."
"Lady Hinoka and Oboro will be meeting us here, we´ll take your body back to your room, and besides, Lady Reina wanted some privacy," Miyu said as with a curl in her lips she finished. "There we go! Now do your thing, Kamui!" she showed her thump up while Kamui sighed.
Closing his eyes and laying on the ground he took long, deep breaths. "I'm ready" he said, making sure that his body wasn't in an uncomfortable posture. He felt Rin's warm hands on his head. The procedure was simple, since he didn't had any kind of training in the ninja arts or the time for it, one of the girls would help him to 'move' his conscience out of his body to the replica´s. Under normal circumstance, the user and the replica would be in sync as Kagero displayed her replica and tried to guide him in how to use one, but as expected, with the low amount of magic and the soreness in his body it was barely enough stamina and dexterity to allow him to use a replica, so it was natural that he needed their help to use it.
Before he noticed it, his body felt different, his limbs felt heavy and his fingers dull. He opened his eyes as the light blinded his sight, slowly standing up using his left arm to support his body, he felt the gears and the small bumbling stops of the joints.
"IT´S ALIVE!" Miyu laughed as Kamui's sight returned, the ninja at his side as Rin supported his original body, he just pinched Miyu´s nose. "NG-NYAAA!"
"I don't think that´s funny," Kamui looked at his right to see Oboro entering the room, her small curled bangs that weren't covering her forehead, her short hair moved to her sides so her ears were visible, her velvet kimono with white flowers at the sleeves and the middle section. "…What? I look that bad?" Oboro looked away for a moment moving the hair from her left ear.
"I think Lord Kamui just fell in love with you Obo-ngnyyaaaa!" This time Kamui flicked her forehead as he was finally to stand up, and just as they said, it wasn't just a dull movement from his part, but he could feel the 'balance' the body demanded to stand without falling.
"Easy there," Oboro helped him to stand as he tried to get used to it, the clothes that were somewhat tight weren't helping, he tried to speak just to hear noise. "Heh…. You can´t talk, remember?"
"You can always rely on us to tell the others what´re you thinking! Mm….." Miyu looked straight at his face "Ok, that face means 'oh Oboro, please, run away wish mheee, lesh leave ghiz plashe' " Miyu tried to imitated his voice as hallway Kamui pinched her cheeks, Oboro just coughed with a faint blush.
"C´mon everyone, if we don't hurry up then we´ll be late for the first game," all of them looked at the entrance of the room, seeing that Hinoka was already waiting for them at the entrance, her red yukata with golden and white flowers adorning her sleeves and shoulders, that white ribbon at her middle section, he looked at her but there was something similar in her clothes. He couldn't place his finger on it, but there was something familiar on her. "….what?" Miyu approached the princess and stared at her face for some moments.
"….Are you using make up?" Miyu asked while the princess frowned and crossed her arms.
"Never mind that, let's go already!" she huffed as Kamui chuckled, or whatever that replica could call 'chuckle', he took a step at a time. "Are you ready?" she asked as Kamui shook his head. "Uh? what´s wrong?" he looked at Miyu who whistled looking away. "Oh? She will be fine with your body, and I'm sure Rin won't let her do anything….improper to you," she glared at the ninja who sweated bullets, still whistling.
"Well, with that said, let´s go!" Oboro said taking his arm and making sure that he wouldn't trip on his own feet, with her arms around his. It was true what Kagero said, the warm of her body and the scent of her hair, he could feel and smell it, he had to push her a little, being to clingy with her was something he didn't want to do, especially when even if Hinoka didn't complain, from the look in her eyes she wasn't happy to see her so close to him.
"Let´s go then!" Hinoka clapped her hands together as finally they left the ninjas behind. "We have a lot to see, with luck I can stay a little longer before joining Sakura at the grand openings of the main events, and with Orochi and Reina help maybe we can…" Her words were lost as they walked through the hallways. It wasn't like he didn't care, but every time he passed near a window he could see the main plaza, as the people started to gather around and prepare their commercial stalls, with each floor he descended the music from the streets was louder and louder.
Then it happened, his mind wandered for a moment as he was walking down the stairs of the main hallway of the palace, for the first time in months he could see the big red gate that marked the entrance of the place, people coming out and in the palace, using kimonos and yukatas as there were sellers near the gate, what he could guess were nobles and commoners, maids and butlers making their best to present the palace at its best.
When he was on the last rung he stopped. Hinoka and Oboro looked back seeing him. "Kamui?" Hinoka asked "Is everything ok?" she asked, extending her hand.
Although he couldn't breathe, he tried to calm himself by trying to take a long breath. Carefully he moved his feet as his toes finally touched the cold floor, and nothing more.
"See? You can do this!" Oboro cheered as he took another step, now he was officially walking on the first floor.
"Yeah, I knew it would be fine." Hinoka smiled as she helped him to take another step.
Kamui took his time to prepare his mind. It wasn't the first time he tried to reach the main gate, but it was the first time in months that at least his life wasn't in danger. Slowly but surely he took the necessary steps to move to the main hallway.
"Heh, I'm glad to see we can take this trip together," Hinoka said with a victorious smile on her face, waving her hand to anyone who was near to greet the trio. "After all, these were Anna´s best clothes."
His mind stopped for a moment, the world stopped with her words.
'Anna´s….best… clothes?'
He looked at the golden ornaments on her middle section, those golden details on the cloth, it was a long shot, but he knew where he saw that kind of ornaments before, at least his memories could confirm it, those fine lines and those small figures at the corner of the small ornaments, with the edge of his eye he tried to find that pattern, a long shot, the longest and most improbable shot of his life, then there it was, that little cursive A at the edge of the ornament in the ribbon, the smallest and finest carved A.
"…..Anna…. my Anna is here?" Kamui thought as his mind hurt, a mixture of emotions inside of him, the first time he could make something to contact his group, the first time in a what he felt a lifetime to know what happened, all what he needed to do now was to find out Anna´s stall, and maybe he could ask for Elise. "…..Please…..be my Anna, my good friend Anna….." he thought, begging any kind of divinity that could be near him.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the balcony, seeing the whole scene unfolding in front of him, how the royal princess and the personal retainer of Takumi were 'having fun' talking with the albino, a man stood adjusting his glasses, with a frown and without joy or mercy in his gaze.
"Let's show everyone the beast within you, traitor," Yukimura whispered with a small curl on his lips, some parchments and a letter with the Nohrian royal mark on it. "Let´s show them."
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW!
Phee, that was ig i may day, anyeay guys, thanks for reading, hope you liked and have a great week!
As always, your pm and reviews are welcome!
SHIDESU! OUT!
