Chap 7: Memories
It was… pitch black.
"Haa?" Kagura suddenly opened her blue eyes, searchingly looked around "Where is this place?"
"Your own conscious" A cold voice answered her. Kagura shivered, she knew this voice.
Kagura turned around, to where the voice came from, to the girl with a lose red hair and a pale white skin, like another version of Kagura. The only thing different her from Kagura is that when Kagura stared at her with scary blue eyes, the other girl threw her sharp glance at Kagura through a blood red eyes.
"It's you..again.. What do you want?" The question resounded in Kagura dry throat.
"What do I want? Isn't it suppose to be what you want? Little girl?" The other girl smile "Wasn't it you who agree? Agree to remember…"
Kagura started, sweats dropped down her back, her head's like a cassette, which was non-stop playing some old pieces of memory. Scene by scene continued to appear in Kagura's mind, terrifyingly and obsessively.
Then it stopped, suddenly, after Kagura slumped down on the ground from shock, due to a certain scene:
A woman with a long loose greenish black hair, tied up by a flower pin. A blue veil covered half of her face, left only the cold green eyes.
"It's the woman I met before the engagement party" Kagura reached her forehead, slightly knocked it, like she didn't want to believe this is the truth "She… what does she have to do with me?"
The other girl had come near Kagura, touch Kagura's forehead with her cold fingers. In a moment, Kagura felt like she was threw back to the past.
"Find it out yourself" her voice coldly echoed
"Uhm…this scent…"
It was hyacinth, but unlike usual, the scent was much stronger, like those that belonged to the Yato palace.
Kagura opened her eyes to found herself floating around the starry sky, where she could view the whole garden at her palace.
"Anego?"
Otae stood firmly, her face was serious. Behind her, a girl around 6 years old, with a ponytail and scared gesture, clumsily ran to the garden's gate. In front of Otae is a muscular man, a meaty giant, a crimson eyed woman, and..
A woman with a long loose greenish black hair, tied up by a flower pin…
"It's me…" Kagura mumbled "And her…"
The surprise of Kagura disappeared when she saw the meaty giant started attacking Oate. She screamed to her past self. But when she tried to run to Otae, she frozen, behind her, coldness invaded.
"Shhhh…" With a finger placed in front of her smiling lips, the other girl signaled Kagura to be silent.
Kagura shivered, half from the anger, half from the fear, she weakly clenched her fists, her eyes closed shut at times, she couldn't do anything…
But then, Kagura saw her 10-years-before self suddenly stopped, silently stood.
And Kagura saw her past self smiled, with wildness, and slowly raised her small head, looked at the others with a pair of blood-red eyes. Kagura shivered when she recognized those eyes, that smile. It was just like the other girl.
Kagura turned around, only to saw once again that wild smile, the smile she had 10 years ago in that night. She asked:
" You were there, but why…"
There were too many questions to ask, too many doubts to be solved, but fear prevented Kagura from asking all. She ask only one, before looked back at the corner of the garden, where the flower had been dyed red with the giant's blood, the same red as that in her eyes 10 years ago, when she stood there with the long executioner.
"Who are you?"
"I told you, I am you. I am Kagura Yato" then she flipped her hair, smiled at Kagura "but if you are looking for a more specific answer, then my real name is… Akako…"
"It's time"
Blood continued to shed, making a small river under the feet of the little princess.
"So, after knowing the whole story, shouldn't you thank me?" still the same cold voice, but mixing with a light tone of annoyance and frustration this time
"Thank?" Kagura's fear was replaced by anger "Why should I thank you? You liar!"
"Liar?" Akako's usually smiling lips clenched from anger "At what?"
"At all! All of this…is a lie! Nothing happened that night. This is just an illusion! And so do you. So get lost!" Kagura flinched her hand at Akako, as if she was to erase an unwanted scene
"illusion?" The red lips smiled again "You are wrong, all is truth" Then Akako pressed Kagura's forehead, in a moment, Kagura couldn't move "I exist inside you, Kagura. I am you..and, all of this…" she turned to look at the blood stained scene "…is truth"
"No, no, no way!" Kagura trembled, continuously hit her head.
"Kagura-hime-sama!"
"No, not me!"
"Kagura-hime-sama!"
"It's not me! NO!"
Kagura suddenly awoke , sweating like crazy. She looked at herself, she looked around, and looked at her trembling hand
There's no blood…
Then she lightly place that hand on her forehead, swept away the sweat, painfully smile before she slumped back to the bed
"Damn nightmare…"
"KAGURA-HIME-SAMAAAAAA!" A voice raised suddenly right after Kagura had lay down on bed, made her jumped again. Kagura looked the direction where the voice came from.
It was a girl with a long greenish black hair, tied up by a red string. She wore the maid uniform, but it didn't seem to fit her. Her gray eyes lighted up to see that Kagura had awaken.
"You are finally awake. I've called you forever" She stood up, smiled with kagura, then she headed to the window and pulled the curtains, let the daylight enter the room. And though the light didn't reached Kagura, she instinctively grabbed her parasol, yelled:
" Close the curtain! Close it!"
"Oh, I forgot. Your highness can't stand the daylight" the maid apologized, then quickly close the thick curtains.
Kagura, after putting down her parasol, rubbed her eyes and asked:
"Who are you?" Kagura yawned, she tended to continue her sleepy voice, she stopped to look at the maid and asked in a more serious tone "have I met you before?"
The maid paused for a moment, but she quickly smiled, a smile so innocent, it almost seemed fake, then answered Kagura"
"I have worked here for a very long time, but you haven't met me. Ah, my name is Hikaru, by the way…"
"But I'm sure I have seen you somewhere before"
"Your mind must have played tricks on you, your highness" Hikaru said in an anxious voice, then she changed the topic "But do you plan to skip the breakfast? It's late.."
"Late?" Kagura slowly got off her bed, grabbed her clothes on the way to the bathroom, then asked "How late am I?"
"It's 9am, if I was right"
"What?" Kagura panicked, she finished brushing her teeth, changed her clothes, and run out of the room. Simply because a princess is not allowed to be late, in any case, otherwise she would brought the bad reputation to herself.
"But, your highness, your parasol…"
"Oh, thank you!" Kagura grabbed the parasol, then ran to the dining room "It's too late, dammit. That guy will definitely nag me for this!"
The moment Kagura got out of her room, Hikaru slowly headed toward the closet, and opened it to looked at a small brown-haired girl, being tied and having her mouth covered with a piece of cloth, inside. Hikaru raised a finger up her lips
"Please understand, Hikaru-san" The greenish haired girl smiled, and took out a small bottle, the real Hikaru struggle inside the closet, tried to escape "You'll have to forget…"
Kagura run with lighting speed , leaving behind her a trail of smoke and a bunch of people who she accidently hit. She waved her hand as an apology, then headed to the dining room again. The Okita's dining room is as big as a hall, with two columns of cream-like colored marble pillars, three chandeliers. In the middle of the room is a huge wooden table, covered by a crimson carpet. On the top of the door, is the pictures of the previous king and queen. Whenever there's a wedding, these pictures would be replaced with the picture of the current king and queen. As for now, only Mitsuba, Sougo and Kagura had the right to have their meals here.
Kitttttttt!
Kagura braked in front of the big blue door, facing the two emotionless guards. Recognized her brake sound, the maid opened the door
"We have been waiting for you, Kagura-hime-sama" then she opened the door "Please come inside"
Without having the maid to say another word, Kagura quietly stepped in. She sighed to realize that her fiancé was not here today. There's only Mitsuba, who was smiling as always. Kagura thought she was off the hook this time, but Mitsuba's next sentence started her.
"You are late, Kagura" Mitsuba called a maid to take the left over away " Okita had finished his breakfast and is out for archery training already"
"I'm sorry" Kagura sat down and started eating. AS a princess, she had to eat in a graceful manner, slowly, gently, without letting any food spill on the table, it made her losing appetite a bit. But the yato's stomach was still the same, she cleared plate after plate, making the maid running nonstop from the kitchen to the dining room.
Having finished her meal, Kagura stood up, bowled at Mitsuba and left the room. Walked along the hallway, she smiled to think that Mitsuba was such a nice person, she didn't yell at her for being late. While thinking about what to do next, Kagura heard the noise of stomping horse from outside. Kagura lifted the curtain, stood behind to avoid the sunlight. In her sight, Okita was practicing horse riding and archery. Lose to curiosity, Kagura dragged her parasol to the practice yard, sat behind a bush, she hid herself, but forgot her parasol.
Thunk!
"Bullseye again!" A tall man near there applaused. "Must be the couch" Kagura thought. "You have the talent, your highness!"
Okita remained silent, swept the sweat in his forehead, then climbed down the horse, grabbed the water bottle and poured it down his dry throat. Kagura sat quietly as well, surprised to know Okita was so good at archery.
"Very good! Now let's practice long distance shooting! Take our bow"
"Can't you let me have some water first?" Okita glared at the couch, made him shivered. Throw away the empty bottle, Okita clean his face with a towel, and with it hanging around his neck, Okita rise his bow. Every ounce of muscle was clearly visible , caused Kagura's mind to went blank for a few second…
THunk!
The arrow was released, soaring its way in the air. Wind made a slight shriek. And the arrow flew through the bush, and ended at the wall behind Kagura, inches away from her face. Kagura frowningly unplugged the arrow, broke it in half, and stepped out in the surprise of the couch and the two maid. She threw the pieces of the arrow down the ground, stomped on them, and yelled:
"What's your problem with me?" Kagura angrily asked.
"I don't dare to have any problem with the princess" Okita pompously said "I just have a problem with stalker. Did my sister send you here?"
"Of course not!" Kagura answered " I…"
"Oh" Okita abruptly said "So you come here to see me?"
"NO!" Kagura shyly yelled, but when she saw everyone was staring at her, she snatched the bow from Okita's hand, then promptly said
"Yeah" she fixed "Your sister send me here to watch you! So…" Kagura raise the bow "Do it properly!"
"Yeah…" Okita replied,indifferently "Here's the problem, my watcher, there's a rule that once you are in the practice zone, except for the couch and the maid, everybody have to join the archery." And not letting Kagura say anything in response, Okita took an arrow from his back, threw to Kagura. She caught it, but answer him in an annoyed tone.
"But I didn't know how to shoot an arrow! I've never even touch a bow!"
"We, you are holding one right now" Okita waved to the couch. He ran to Kagura, who was in the puzzle of shoot arrow while still holding parasol.
15' later…
"No no! You are doing it wrong!" He grumbled, tried to fixed her gesture "Like this! What else can you possibly do if you can't even do this simple movement right!"
"I can kill you, barehanded…" Kagura glared at him, immediately shut his mouth. Right at that moment, Okita raised his voice
"You can't teach her with normal lesson" He took another gulp of water "This monstrous strength of her will break the bow or snap the string before the arrow left her hold" then he stood up "I'll teach her!"
Okita came closer, placed a wide-brimmed hat on her head and threw her parasol to the maid. He then wrap his arm around hers. Kagura blushed and yelled
"How can this help?!"
"At least the bow won't broke, you dummy" Okita honestly replied, then release the arrow. It hit the red round from hundreds meters away. Kagura's blush was replaced by a bright smile, but Okita quickly said
"What are you smiling for? It was me who shoot it"
"How dare you question me?" Kagura yanked away from his arm, she took another arrow, raise it up perfectly in the unbelievable eyes of the couch and shoot. The strength she used was just perfect, but sadly, it hit only the outside round of the target. Everyone giggled, except for Okita.
"Nice. Considering this is the first time you try. But practice more on your vision."
Kagura blushed slightly and smiled, but before she could thank him, Okita threw his towel right at Kagura's face
"Clean your sweat. You look like Cinderella"
Kagura threw the towel to the ground and turned back to the palace in Okita's ironic call
"Hey! So you are not practice anymore?"
"I lost my mood" She frowningly said, but then turn around, smiled "But if possible, I'd love to try archery with you again sometimes.."
Okita looked as Kagura ran away, regret he didn't say something to her. But he just smiled. On their way back to the palace, the maids could hear him whispered
"He, so even she has a cute sides"