Duty-Bound: Chapter 7
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The gods hate her, she concluded. Her attempts to escape from the palace were fruitless. She winced when she looked at the bruises she had received while trying to escape last night. Having caught her, the samurais showed no mercy at all. Well, they didn't beat her too hard, but it sure left a few bruises on her. Upon hearing a knock from the door, she sighed. "Enter."
It wasn't surprising to find the head healer of the palace step into her room. When the healer sat down beside her, she offered her bruised arm wordlessly. After applying the ointment, the healer put a bit of pressure on her ugly bruises. Gritting her teeth tightly, she tried her best not to cry out in pain.
"You really never give up," the head healer stated.
She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kaoru-ba-chan."
"Tell me, child. Why are you trying so hard to leave this place?"
Since she was a child, she had really liked Kaoru-ba-chan, Natsume's mother, because Kaoru-ba-chan never called her "Princess" like the others. Knowing Kaoru-ba-chan was waiting for her answer, she let out an audible sigh. "This is no longer my home."
"And why is that? This is your birthplace."
"This place is not where I belong."
"Then… Just where do you belong?"
She replied by gazing at the outside scenery through the half-opened window.
"Don't you want to know why you were brought here?"
"I do not wish to know." Her voice was above a whisper. She sighed in relief when Kaoru-ba-chan released her arm. "Thank you, Kaoru-ba-chan."
"I won't try to change your mind, but you should know that regret always comes late."
Confused, she looked at Kaoru-ba-chan. "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"
Kaoru-ba-chan left her. "I have no right to tell you, child."