"Clean yourself up girl, I'll be back later. You better be prepared to repay me for your treason." Collecting his clothes as he stumbled for the door, he left. He left me exposed and still tied to the bed by my ankles. Every inch of my body ached. I felt so used. I must have looked disgusting, because I felt it. I felt weak. The great princess of Wutai, was weak! Defenceless! Beaten. Weak. Grabbing the bed sheet and what was left of my clothes, I cleaned myself up and redressed as much as I could. Which meant I clothed myself in my ripped crop top and shorts.
"Yuffie?" Her tremors made my blood run cold, my heart rate sky rocket and the colour drain from my face. She'd witnessed that? It wasn't a question really, I could see on her face the horror she now bore. How could she have stayed? I told her to leave. "Yuffie? You okay? I... I... I know you say for me leave, but I..." Quickly switching back to Wutainese she continued. "I couldn't imagine why you would want me to leave you when you needed me most. And now I feel like a traitor for not helping you. I have never seen him so disgusting." She pulled the key from her pocket continuing to fiddle with the ankle braces. "He... He is horrible I hate him. Can we please kill him? I know you said no before but I can't think of anything I want more than to see him gone."
"Angel Face, come here." She crawled so her little legs rested on either side of my body, and her arms wrapped delicately around my neck. This was the most painful cuddle I think I have ever encountered. Each small movement she made rubbed at delicate skin. Skin that could bare no more torture. "Now look angel, we are going to get through this and I'll make you that home we always talked about. You just have to help me for a little longer and I'll look after you, promise?" She nodded wrapping our pinkies together in our perfect little promise.
"Now, help me up so we can find a way out."
"Come through the little hole, he can't fit through there?" I considered her option for a few moments. It could work… But I had a quicker idea.
"Hmmm I was thinking more the window. Help me wedge it open."
It seemed like hours that we spent trying to open the almost welded shut window. Finally it creaked open, a horrendous echo filled the room.
"Damn that was louder than I'd hoped..."We fumbled with the curtains and the window shutters for a few more moments until the window opened fully "Hold on tight okay? You have to promise me you won't let go." Her little head shook vigorously. It almost reminded me of the bobble head dogs you stick in the back of cars.
"Quick lets go." Her nerves were getting the better of her.
Her small frame was slung around my waist as I emerged from the window. How on earth was I going to get down?
There was a three story drop and I somehow had to carry us both to safety... How could I manage this? At that moment I felt Arlia leap from my back.
"Arli... Good job." She'd found a drainage pipe that went all the way to the ground and had started her decent down. We were both about half way down the pipe when we heard the angry roars of Akio, he'd found us. Damn it.
"Hurry." Arlia yelled at me from the ground. "We have to get out of here. Come on."
I released my grip on the pipe and canon pelted to the ground with a thud.
"Ouch shit... Hide!" The grounds were covered in thick shrubs that would easily hide her small frame. I on the other hand was not so lucky.