Mirihanna and the other finally arrived at the great hall were the Ryan-ban and Syaoran were only to find a big commotion of people in it. She could see a lot of destroyed walls scattered around, townspeople everywhere, Syaoran with a cornered Ryan-Ban and even Sakura and Chunhyang.
"Huh? Why are there so many people here?" Asked Fai entering the big room. Mirihanna quickly abandoned the men and ran to the two girls near Syaoran.
"Hand over the feather…That's Sakura-Hime's precious memory. Give it back." Syaoran said with a deadeye expression. The princess wimped the boy's name with her hands in a prayer.
"Wait! Just wait a second! If you kill me…if you take this away from me… I won't be able to bring back to life Chunhyang's mother! That's it! I can do it! With the power of this feather, Chunhyang's mother will definitely come back!" Mirihanna could fell Chunhyang's little body tremble with anger.
"You killed my Omoni! She was protecting this town and you killed her! Omoni said it before, no matter what kind of power you use, a life that is lost cannot be restored! No matter how much I miss her, I won't be able to see her anymore!"
Chunhyang kept screamed at the Ryan-Ban. Sakura had to hold her for her not to jump at him. Tension was rising has the little girl's dramatic pause of speech.
"How dare you try to trick me?!" Mirihanna frowned as she looked at the poor girl. In front of her, Syaoran closed his hands into fists.
"Chunhyang… do you still want revenge?" Syaoran asked darkly making the Ryan-ban gasp in fear.
"It might help you erase the pain but… this kind of person is not worthy enough for you to kill." Chunhyang wipes her falling tears and closed her little hands into fists before speaking.
"This lowlife…he will dirty my hands if I hit him…" Syaoran, determined to take the feather, took one step closer.
"NO! Please, don't come any closer!" Mirihanna glared at him. He was a true coward. The Ryan-ban was crawling further and further away, trying to escape his fate but he met a cage of long sharp nails. Kiishimu had grabbed him and was whispering deadly songs into his ears.
"How dare you…" She started " imprison me inside this palace?" She darkly said. She then looked at Syaoran and like a song, she spoke.
"Give him to me… I will treat him very nicely…" Syaoran just limited to look at them and gave no answer.
"Please STOP!" The Ryan-Ban begged mercy. Kiishimu smirked at his despair.
"I will make sure that you and your son will get a royal treatment at the country of spells…" She slowly backed away, pulling the villain into the portel. Then she looked at the little girl.
"Are you the one called Chunhyang?" The girl strongly nodded. Kiishimu eyes softened.
"Your mother was a great Shinban…She was looking forward to the day when you'll became an even greater Shiban…" Chunhyang tried to control her tears.
"Be strong. Strong enough to rival me one day." Chunhyang bit her lips with a mixture of feelings
"I will…I definitely will!" She said with determination. Kiishimu smiled once more and opened a portal behind her.
"Well then…Goodbye, children." With a screaming Ryan-ban, she vanished through the portal. Syaoran didn't waste any time to retrieved Sakura's feather. He reached the delicate feather and gently gave it to the princess, making it sink into her chest. Sakura's eyes became blank as she was reviving one of her memories and gently fell on the ground with Syaoran holding her close. It was over.
That night wasn't a quiet one. In the small town, people gathered around celebrating their victory, drinking, dancing and laughing with loud traditional folklore music. Mirihanna and the others were at the small girl's house, resting after their adventure.
Sakura was sleeping, still recovering from her memory, Syaoran was besides her, waiting for her to wake up and the two men were surprisingly tired, sleeping lightly in one of the house's room. Everyone was exhausted after their first real danger, but not the white haired girl. She sat on the grass outside admiring the starts with the small Mokona on her lap.
"Mia-Chan…-" It started "-why aren't you sleeping like the others?..." It asked with its squeaky voice and a confused face. Mirihanna picket Mokona from her lap and hugged her gently like a pillow making it giggle.
"Well, because I'm not sleepy, love." She rubbed her cheek on Mokona's fur in a playful way. Mokona giggled once more. She always loved small creatures since a young age and having Mokona around was a pleasant company.
"Hihi, Mia-Chan you are so sweet! Why isn't Mia-Chan like this with the others?" It asked. She looked at it with a sad face.
"…It's hard for me…"
"Yuko-San told Mokona that Mia-Chan had lots of problems with people in her past…" Mirihanna listened to the creature. The wicht's wisdom was beyond her understanding.
"This makes Mokona sad. Mokona wants Mia-Chan to be friends and have fun with the others… not only with Mokona! What happened to Mia-Chan in the past?" It finally asked her. She gave a weak smile and frowned her eyebrows, gently petting it on its ears. She gazed upon the stars once more and closed her eyes, reviving her old memories.
"Are you okay my Lady?" Ryu said closing the door. They were now on the great hall of the emperor. A place were important meeting were made with their leader and also a room filled with secret passages. Mirihanna hugged herself and looked to the ground shaking her body madly.
"My Lady…" He now looked at her with concern. "My Lady." He said now in a demanding tone but she was frozen in time.
"Mirihanna." He said and she finally looked up with teary eyes. "Pull yourself together." He simply said.
"You have to be strong."
"How can I be strong!?" She screamed. Panic had taken control over her.
"How dare you telling me such thing when everyone is dying?" He opened his mouth to speak but she wasn't done.
"They are coming from every direction. We are trapped here. This is the center of the city, there's no were to run and…"
"Enough." He strongly shut her. "We surely won't survive with lack of judgment and faith." Mirihanna looked at him firmly and took a deep breath. Her knuckles were beginning to turn white from the strong hug she was giving herself. She closed her eyes trying to calm down only to fell a warm felling around her. She gasped and opened her eyes only to see Ryu hugging her gently. His strong arms were holding her and his chin was resting on the top of her head. It was the first time he ever did such thing to her. After all, he was he personal body guard. But for many years she had his company and considered him a dear friend and deep in her heart, she felt something more.
She melted on his embrace. Timidly she rested her head on his chest and placed her arms on his neck. She could hear his fast paced heart beat and his breathing.
"I will protect you." She heard him say. "No matter what, I will protect you." The tears in her eyes were now a mixture of sadness and happiness. They stayed quiet for a while until a blast was again audible from a distance. He slowly pushed her away from the embrace and rested him hands on her waist, and she on his shoulders. He had a determined expression on his face and deep looking at her emerald eyes he started.
"You are the Emperor's daughter. You are the vision of hope and leadership if anything happens to you father. You are strong in heart, this I know. But I need you to be strong on the outside as well …for our people's sake."
She listened to his words carefully, trying to ignore that fact that he was being ever so charming to her.
"There is still hope. I will never leave your side." He finally said releasing her. "So be good, yes?" He now said jokingly. She gave a small smile at his attempt to amuse her.
Suddenly the sound of a dragging rock was heard. She recognized this sound. It was one of the hidden passages on the room. From it, she saw her father, a tall slim figure with long fair silvery hair entering the room with several guardians. His skin was pale, like hers and his eyes emerald as well. Although he had this gentle appearance, he had a strong presence. He looked at his daughter for a moment and then at Ryu.
"You look pale." He started. Mirihanna looked deep into her father's eyes.
"Did any harm come to you, my child?" He asked rising his chin.
"N-no, father." The Emperor was known for his coldness but the people only knew him as a ruler. Before his subjects, the Emperor, as their ruler, had always a demanding posture. As a father, things were quite different.
"The mortals are coming from every direction my Lord. Grimma's leading them but something different." Ryu rushed stepping closer. The Emperor looked at him demanding more details and Ryu quickly realized this, spitting out more information.
"He is more powerful… And not just him. Every magic user's more powerful than ever. Their stretch is almost like ours." Mirihanna listened carefully and intensively looked at her wise father.
"Indeed something is off…" The emperor walked closer to them and put his arms behind his back.
"For centuries have we been hiding from the mortals and yet, in a single day all our entrance were discover. Not only this, but the mortals were ready for battle. They did not achieve this by themselves…" Her father started.
"What do you mean, father?"
"It's it obvious, child? For ages have the mortals tried to enslave us into their wars and selfish reasons. That was why we hid, is it not?" Mirihanna slowly nodded.
"Indeed, we humiliated our race, hiding underneath the ground and sun like worms and vermin for the sake of our own survival. In this cruel world, we only wish to exist and enjoy life in nature and with the spirits while the humans plot against each other for money, glory and women. This is why we never mixed with each other. They cannot be trusted. Enslaved we have been in this world and yet, we only wish for peace. Such powerful creatures that we are, obeying our Gods wish, being merciful to such pitiful mortals. And yet they keep pushing us to violence, ignorant to the dormant power and anger inside us."
Mirihanna and Ryu listened carefully to their Emperor's words of wisdom and the room stayed quiet for seconds.
"Yes my love, this little victory of them was not achieved alone. They have some extra help in their side. The only question left is how…"
"But why this massacre father?" She said with teary eyes, getting closer to her father. The Emperor rested a hand on his daughter's cheek and gave a sweet smile.
In that moment, voices could be heard from the other room.
"They're coming!" Ryu said and all the guardians ran to the door to barricade it.
"My Lord, my Lady, we must run." Ryu urgently said to the royals but the Emperor protested.
"No. I shall stay. You must go and leave with my daughter." Mirihanna gasped and quickly objected hanging on her father's clothes.
"Father no! You must come!" The door started to tremble at the blast of magic being thrown.
"My Lord, you must come. It's time to go!" Ryu screamed. Mirihanna never released her father's robes.
"I've lived many centuries, Mirihanna. It is time to settle this once and for all." While her father said these words, he gave her a small golden amulet.
"This will protect you." She was clueless at that time, but her thought were shattered at the sound of a gigantic blast that burst open the doors, killing all the guardians inside.
"It is time for you to go." The Emperor finally said.
Ryu ran for what he though it was hours in the dark corridors. Mirihanna was in his arms in pure silent. He could only imagine what was going through her mind at the moment. The discomfort of losing her home and her family in such ways must be devastating. He was orphan since a child. He doesn't have an image or though of was parents are like, nether her never had a place to call home. He was always on the move, until he was invited to be a royal commander due to his power.
The secret passage led them to a part of the forest near the stream were they were before. He let her down and took a deep look at his surroundings.
"Using magic for now would draw to much attention." He warned her.
"So let's keep low for now." She gulped in agreement.
"Ryu…" She hesitated at first but kept going.
"What are we going to do? We can't just leave everything behind."
"Well we have to. It's the only way to survive." He said.
" We have to find other colonies and try to unite. It's the only way to stay in touch of things. We have to know when to come back, away from harm…"
Mirihanna had a sad expression but understood the plan. On her mind she only though of her father. She was positive that her father would be victorious but still she worried. He was the only family she had.
"First, we need supplies, then some new clothes, these draw to much attention, we need mortal clothes…" He said while walking, Mirihanna was close behind, following every step.
"… then there is our ears…" He said pointing at himself. "These prove to be troublesome."
In a distance they could hear the sound of many soldiers fighting. The battle was yet to be over.
"What do you suggest?" She asked not really wanting an answer.
"Well some folks that live always outside ours lands and city usually cut the tips…" Mirihanna gasped at the sound of his words.
"But I think for now covering will suffice." She took a deep breath in relieve.
"We should try the North route near the coast to…" Ryu gasped in pain. Mirihanna looked at him and release a wimp. A hole in the middle of the air was ripened and a hand wielding a sword stabbed Ryu in the chest. Then as it came, it vanished.
"Ryu!" She cried while he felt on his knees. Blood was coming out of his mouth in coughs. His hands pressuring his wound.
"Curse the Gods…" He said with a smirk "Didn't…. even felt it coming. What… what was that…" Mirihanna didn't know what to do. She also felt on her knees and cried his name.
"Ryu! Ryu! Let me heal you!" She cried placing her hand on his chest.
"S-stop. No." He said, trying to hide his pain. " You can't… It will draw… to much attention, you don't have time."
"B-but you can't die!" She cried once more with teary eyes. He tried to smile.
"I won't…" The sound of marching soldiers coming from the passage was heard now. Ryu seemed to take notice of this and quickly changed his plan.
"You have to go…"
"No!" She objected with tears running down her face. "You promised to protect me." She said almost begging.
"I will…" He sweetly said "Until the end… b-but I need you to run away for now…When I'm finished, I'll come running for you…"
"We can run away together…" She sobbed.
"True, but I'll only slow you down…" She continuously sobbed "Be strong my Lady…" The sounds of angry men were closer now. He rested his forehead on hers.
"I can't… not alone…" He sweetly smiled.
"S-sure you can… be strong for me… like I w-was for you all these years…"
Mirihanna looked down, letting her tears run free and suddenly she felt warm lips touching hers, giving a passionate bloody kiss. She gasped but slowly returned it still with tears in her eyes. It was a short kiss, but had much meaning.
"You are my special person…" He finally said, making her heart step a beat.
"S-so please let me protect you." She rested her forehead once more on his and slowly stood up. She knew he wouldn't go after her. She knew he was trying to be strong for her. Even thought before she started running she asked him to promise her that he'd come back, deep inside she knew that he wouldn't make it. He was just buying some time, for he also knew that his death was another move in the chess game made by someone else. Someone wanted her.
The pain was too much for her. She chose not to believe her intuition. She kept running until a fatal agonizing scream was heard. She stopped for only five seconds… then kept running north.
Mokona patiently looked at the girl with sad eyes. She was deeply in thoughts looking at the shiny stars. She bit her lower lips and a single teardrop rolled on her cheek.
"Mia-Chan! Mia-Chan, don't cry!" Mokona patted her cheeks with its small furry paws, trying to wipe out the wet tear. Mirihanna calmed it down with a weak smile.
"Thank you, dear Mokona…"
"Mokona didn't mean to make Mia-Chan cry…" Mirihanna hugged closer the creature and sat with her knees close to her chest.
"It was not you. It was not you, little one." She repeated, calming Mokona. She gently kissed Mokona's head and took a deep breath.
"In my world…people were very cruel…they took my home, family and friends away from me in a single day… and for many years, I was all alone." Mokona sat on top of her knees, listening with sad eyes.
"Loneliness made me cold, dear one."
"But Mia-Chan's not alone anymore. Mia-Chan has Mokona, Syaoran, Kurogane and Fai! We won't leave you alone! We are like family…" It said fiercely shaking its little paws. Mirihanna gently smiled.
"So please be happy!" She gave a small giggle at its last statement.
"…Only time will tell, I guess. But I'll promise… That I'll try." She said. And with that they both entered the house again and went to sleep.
On the next day, they said their goodbyes to little Chunhyang. Mokona spread its vast wings and swallowed them whole unto a new world. Mirihanna swirled in the darkness as she and the others were falling rapidly in a never-ending loop. Soon, a bright light glowed in the distance and the group was in a new world.
Hey there! So I'm anxious to hear from you guys. What do you think about Mirihanna's past? Don't forget to leave a review for me to see if I'm going in the right direction. I have a lot of ideas and concept about my character fitting in the world of Tsubasa, but even so, I also want to make a good and pleasant story for you guys to read!
I know that we haven't seen much action between Mirihanna and Fai. Having in mind his story in the Manga/Anime, it's quite difficult to just pair him with anyone...but! I promise that from the next chapter and forward, we'll have a relationship slowly growing.
Thanks for reading! Sorry for the long memo :P and have a great day!