Chapter 3- The Princess Of Song
Sakura, aged eleven was walking along a corridor in the Kinomoto castle. Her sword was in its sheath at her hip, she seemed in alert, but her emerald eyes were focused and her ears were listening carefully for any sounds of movement. She couldn't get caught off guard, or else she would probably lose here title.
She approached an oak door; she pulled the gold lion headed handle, and entered the large meeting room. She hadn't been in here for a year, since the day that she had claimed her title.
Her father sat at the head of a large table, patiently waiting for Sakura, they had become closer since Sakura had been able to sustain her title.
"Yes father?" she asked.
He smiled at his daughter.
"You remember the last time you came in here?"
"Clearly."
"Then you'll remember me talking about the war?"
"Yes."
"Yesterday, as you may already know, we won the war. We wiped out their whole kingdom."
Sakura let out a gasp.
"All but one that is. I let a royal live. She is a princess, she is the same age as you, and she also holds a title. She earned it about a month after you."
"Sakura could feel the blood rushing to her head, this was not a good sign for a master swords woman. She was getting angry, and she knew it.
"I want her dead." She bellowed.
"No." He said simply.
"Why not!" Sakura demanded.
"Such a pretty thing she is, it seems such a waste to kill her."
Sakura remained silent at this remark.
"She holds the title 'Princess Of Song'."
Sakura snorted.
"Well that's original." She said sarcastically.
"Hold your tongue!" Fujitaka snapped. "And now, thanks to your little outburst, she is now under your care. She will go wherever you go. I will send her to your chambers in a moment and for your sake, you better be there."
Sakura stormed out of the room, bashing past any unfortunate person that got in her way.
She walked along several corridors and several sets of stairs to get to her room.
She entered her room. It was a pale pink colour; it held a four-poster bed with pink dressings, a pine wardrobe, an oak set of drawers and a large oak dressing table. There was a door at the opposite end of the room; it led to an en-suite bathroom.
She flopped onto her large bed, and after resting there for about ten minutes, there was a knock at her door.
"Enter." She commanded flatly.
A dark haired servant entered.
"Presenting miss Tomoyo Daidouji, 'Princess Of Song'."
Sakura sat up. "Thank you Yamazaki." The servant moved towards the door, he stood there and waited for further instructions.
Sakura looked at Tomoyo, her father was right, she was pretty. Her raven hair was bedraggled, and her amethyst eyes were dull. Her face was pale and laden with cuts and bruises. She was wearing a thin sheet of material; it was tied in a knot at the shoulder. She must feel low, Sakura thought.
Tomoyo curtsied to Sakura.
"When was the last time you ate?" Sakura asked, her voice trying to conceal the concern that she felt.
"Not since last Friday your highness."
"Please, call me Sakura." She said with a pang of guilt.
"Yamazaki, run a bath." Sakura ordered.
Tomoyo smiled gratefully at Sakura.
"Thank you." She said. "Even though our kingdoms were at war, you were still an idol to me 'Princess Of Swords'. You gave me the inspiration to claim a title."
Sakura returned Tomoyo's smile, she was beginning to like her already.
"Pick an outfit from my wardrobe, I'll sort you out with you own clothes later."
Tomoyo walked across the room to the wardrobe, she opened both doors. She stood there, unsure of what to do.
Sakura came over and stood by her side. She looked at her various outfits. There must have been at least a hundred.
Sakura held out a yellow summer dress.
"May I decline?"
"Certainly Tomoyo." Sakura smiled again and put the dress back on the rail. She looked at Tomoyo, her eyes were fixated on a purple kimono, and golden doves adorned it.
Sakura pulled it out.
"Do you like it?"
Tomoyo nodded enthusiastically.
"Then it is yours."
"Your highness, princess Tomoyo's bath is ready." He said whilst emerging from the bathroom.
"Thank you." Sakura said to her servant, Yamazaki.
Sakura led Tomoyo to the bathroom. She turned to leave but a hand grabbed her wrist. Sakura turned to face Tomoyo. She had a pleading look on her angelic face.
"Please don't leave me!" she begged.
Sakura didn't have the heart to turn her down.
"Ok." She replied.
Tomoyo smiled, she still looked beautiful, even with all the cuts. She untied the knot at the shoulder of her sheet, and let it fall to the floor, showing her naked, slender form to Sakura. Tomoyo didn't seem phased by it, whereas Sakura however was amazed and embarrassed at the same time.
As she stared at Tomoyo, a little thing called 'Lust' was bubbling in the pit of her stomach. Tomoyo turned her back on Sakura and stepped elegantly into the large bath. The water consumed her tiny form, until only her face could be seen.
Sakura sat nervously on the lid of the toilet seat; she was staring at the floor, afraid of losing the little self-control that remained.
After a while, Tomoyo splashed some water at her.
Sakura slowly lifter her head up to look at a silent Tomoyo.
They stared at each other, saying nothing for a while.
"Why didn't you want me to leave?" Sakura suddenly asked.
Tomoyo's happy features turned sad. She shook her head, meaning she didn't want to talk about it right now.
Sakura lowered her head and resumed staring at the floor.
Ten minutes passed, and all that was heard was the gentle splashing of water.
"May I have a towel please?"
Sakura rose silently, she glanced at the bath before leaving the room. The bath water was a blood red. She retrieved a towel from the bottom of the wardrobe and returned to the bathroom, where a naked, shivering Tomoyo stood waiting. Sakura wrapped the towel around her, Tomoyo's cuts were still bleeding.
She followed Sakura into the bedroom.
"I'll be back in a moment."
"No!" Tomoyo screeched.
Sakura sighed. "ok I'll stay."
She poked her head out into the corridor, luckily a servant was passing through.
"You, fetch me a bowl with warm water, cloths and bandages please." She closed the door with a gentle click.
They waited and a few moments later, the servant returned with the requested items. She took them from the servant, smiled her thank you., and placed the items on the dressing table.
She frog marched Tomoyo to the dressing table, Tomoyo sat on the chair. Sakura opened a drawer in the dressing table and pulled out a hairbrush and a lilac ribbon. She began brushing Tomoyo's hair gently. Fifteen minutes later, Tomoyo's hair was tied in a ponytail.
She smiled sweetly at Tomoyo and held out her hand as a friendly gesture. Tomoyo slid her hand into Sakura's and allowed herself to b led to the middle of the room. Sakura tugged the towel off. Sakura showed no resistance.
Sakura brought the bowl over and began tending to Tomoyo's multiple wounds.
"How did you get all these?"
"Your soldiers were swarming the castle, like locusts carrying a deadly plague. I witnessed servants being killed and humiliated from my bathroom window. There was no pride in the way they died. A group of soldiers were raping the women and children and forcing the men to do the most humiliating things to each other. My mother told me that she would be back in a moment, I locked the door. Then there was banging, I heard her scream. I looked through the keyhole and I saw my own mother get raped Sakura. They were passing her around like you would share candy. They did it to her even when she was dead."
She broke off, it seemed that she couldn't continue any longer. She fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, sobbing loudly.
Sakura crouched down and rested her hand under Tomoyo's chin, she lifted it up and spoke softly.
"I'm sorry for what my fathers soldiers have done. But you're safe now, and that's all that matters."
She smiled and continued tending to the wounds.
Sakura wrapped a large bandage around Tomoyo's stomach, she made it several layers thick as there was a large slash that Sakura recognised to be the mark of a sword.
She fetched a corset from a drawer and put it on Tomoyo loosely as she was wincing from the amount of pressure that was now being exerted on her cuts. She helped Tomoyo do up her kimono.
Sakura looked at the finished product. It was too beautiful for words. She stammered.
"I…I…I…you look beautiful Tomoyo." She blushed slightly when she realised what she had said.
Tomoyo smiled gracefully at her.
"You're more beautiful than the stars, Sakura.
She inched closer towards Sakura until their noses were almost touching.
"Tomoyo," Sakura sighed before Tomoyo claimed her lips in an innocent gesture. Sakura returned the kiss, much to Tomoyo's pleasure; she could feel her anxieties and fears slipping away, just for that perfect instant.
Tomoyo's kisses travelled up and down Sakura's neck, sucking nipping and occasionally pausing for breath.
They eventually stopped after five minutes of passionate kissing, each breathing in the others sweet scent.
"This isn't right. Girls cant be this way together! Hell, I barely now you Tomoyo!"
"I'm sorry Sakura, I shouldn't have don't it, it's my fault. I'll leave if you want."
"No, don worry about it. Its not your fault."
Tomoyo looked at Sakura's confused face. She was distressed and Tomoyo knew just how to calm her down. She wouldn't have been called 'The Princess Of Song' for no reason now, would she?
She began to sing a slow and soothing lullaby.
'Don't cry my angelAll is not lost
There is still hope
Even when all seems dark
For those who listen
There is always light
Love prevails
Nothing dies
Don't cry my angel'
Sakura wrapped her arms around Tomoyo and held her tightly.
"Don't ever leave me." Sakura pleaded.
"I wont." Tomoyo whispered softly into Sakura's ear.
There was a knock at the door, they released each other.
"Yes?" Sakura called.
Yamazaki opened the door slightly and peered around.
"Dinner is served, your highnesses." Sakura nodded to him.
Tomoyo and Sakura walked hand in hand together behind the servant.
And so, it begins…