Chapter 11: Where There's Fire, There's Me
Sweat streamed down his face as he set the heavy sack of supplies at the kitchen door. From the stove, the lady of the house smiled at him, nodding her thanks. He didn't see her, and she followed his wandering gaze to the open run where a few horses peacefully grazed.
"Pretty hot weather, isn't it?"
He started. "W-weather. Yes. Hot. Very hot." His face was flushed; she knew it wasn't the summer heat.
"You like that young lady over there." She had come to the point in life where anything she said, no matter how blunt, would be viewed as observant, not nosy. It was true, too, for the young man blinked at her in utter surprise. He didn't look like he would answer her directly, so she returned to her chopping board and pretended it wasn't important. "Old women like me have a host of special amulets for every purpose imaginable. I believe the most popular ones are the love amulets."
He made a sound between a chortle and a sigh. "I don't want ta' use amulets on 'er. That'd be unfair."
She shrugged, trying to suppress the smile clawing its way out.
The young man, completely taken in by her poker face, continued to stare. His brow creased, and he looked sometimes to be debating with himself. At last he cleared his throat. "Ya know...girls."
"Yes, I do. I used to be one myself."
He fidgeted. "What...they, um...sure like weird things..."
"Really."
"Yes, really." Face almost matching his flaming red hair, the young man jerked his attention back to the yard. Giving him a sidelong glance, the landlady indulged in a grin, wiped her hands on her apron, and raised both eyebrows at him.
"If you need help, it wouldn't kill you to ask."
"I-I don't. Need help, I mean. I don't."
"Men aren't the only dense creatures in the world, if you must know."
He frowned at her. "Whassat s'pposed ta' mean?"
"Nothing. But I make very nice little dolls."
"That's got nothin' ta' do with anythin'."
"It does," she assured him calmly, going back to her cooking. "But you may believe what you like."
He shook his head and began to stride towards the girl struggling to get on one of the horses. But he had not gone three feet beyond the doorsill when he backpedaled. The landlady found herself looking at a very red face.
"Ya gotta make me one 'a those dolls."
"Only if you help."
His face took on a flabbergasted look, mouth opening to begin a protest. But he shut it again very quickly. "Fine. Deal. And...and put one of those amulets in it or whatever."
"I'll keep it in mind," she replied sweetly, watching his retreating back.
"Hi guys." The yawn could no longer be suppressed as Lolita walked through the kitchen door. She was stripped down to a tank top and jeans, grey sweater draped over thoroughly scratched arms and hands. From where he was setting the table, Chichiri called out a reply, pencilled brows furrowing worriedly when he saw her.
"What happened to you, no da?"
"Saddle wrestling," she answered, stifling another yawn. "Would you guys mind if I turned in early? I'm kinda tired."
"Do want dinner no da?"
"No, thank you."
When she had disappeared down the hall, Chichiri turned to Tasuki, who was tossing another piece of wood into the fireplace. The bandit shrugged. "She's been like that fer a while. Must be some crazy woman thing."
"What crazy woman thing?" a new voice asked. Ami walked in, glancing over her shoulder. "Lolita's going to bed this early...?"
Tasuki nodded and returned to the fire. "That crazy woman thing."
Ami picked up some pieces of cutlery to help Chichiri. He smiled at her. "Somebody should check on her, you know. Excessive sleeping isn't normal."
The fire was blazing merrily when Tasuki walked to the door with a snort. "Nothing is too abnormal for her. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to."
Chichiri raised his eyebrows. He glanced at Ami but she lowered her eyes, rearranging bowls and chopsticks over and over again. That was odd. Then again, most things have been different for the last few days. Ever since her accident, Ami didn't seem to be quite the same anymore. The sugar-high laugh was gone, as was the running around and bouncing off walls. Only a half-hearted smile flashed every now and then lightened her solemnity. It was as if she was trying to keep something under wraps...
Or rebuilding the walls he had broken down.
That was it, wasn't it? Chichiri frowned. It couldn't be. He had been inside her mind and there was nothing to hide. His eyes travelled to her face of its own accord. She was pretending to be absorbed in her work, but there was a certain hardness in her eyes that was hard to miss. Was Ami...really hiding a dreadful secret?
He loathed to even think about it. There was nothing she could have done that would exceed his own crime.
No. It was nothing but little moods. Soon enough, he was sure she would come around.
"Chichiri?"
He blinked at the sound of her voice. "Yes?" Ami was scrutinizing him closely, a bowl frozen in mid-air. He hadn't realized he had been staring at her for the past couple of minutes.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, no da. Everything's fine, no da."
She nodded and finally set the bowl down. The scent of dinner wafted in from the kitchen, followed shortly by their landlady carrying a tray of steaming food. Chichiri jumped up to help her while Ami went to call the others to dinner.
Tasuki was easy to find, lounging in Lolita's room. He sat with his back to the door, struggling with something.
"Dinner's ready." He practically flew off his chair at her voice. "Why are you guys so jumpy lately?"
Laughing nervously, he fidgeted to conceal whatever was on the chair.
"Are you okay, Tasuki?"
"Yeah. Never been better." The stiff smile was sliding off his face.
"Well...okay. Come on in to dinner." Ami was turning to go when she caught sight of something on the floor, plainly visible between the bandit's legs. Striding forward, she bent down to pick it up before he could protest. "Is this what you're working on?" She examined the sewn bits of cloth, but could not make out what it was supposed to be. Consideration for the blushing bandit, however, prompted her to smile and hand it back to him without comment. He grabbed it with a gruff "Thanks," and stuffed it into the sewing bag on the chair.
"So let's go!" Tasuki declared a little too enthusiastically, having shut the flower-embroidered lid. Ami just stood before him, still trying to peer behind his back. He sighed loudly. There was no way one could hide girly secrets from girls. He almost regretted asking the landlady the special favour that morning. "I know ya wanna know what I'm doin'."
"No!" the girl replied instantly, throwing her hands up to emphasize the negative. But when he cocked his head and dubiously stared her down, she nodded. "All right, so I am."
He rolled his eyes. "It'sadoll."
She was about to pull one of her "What?" faces again when understanding took over. Tasuki could practically see her jumping from one conclusion to another. "Ooh...I get it." A wide, devious grin spread across her face. He winced. "It's for Lolita, isn't it?"
As usual, she concluded right.
"Yeah," he admitted in defeat, expecting her to giggle and tease.
"Don't worry. I won't tell." The bandit lifted his head, surprised. Ami stood with her hands on her hips, looking at one of the beds where Lolita slept deeply. "She doesn't see it, does she? But I do." Spinning towards him, "This'll be our little secret. That all right with you?"
He nodded numbly. "Yeah, that's a'right."
"Great. Now let's go to dinner."
"Festival daaaay!"
Sleepily rubbing his face, Tasuki rolled over with a groan. So early in the morning and Ami was making so much noise.
"Good morning everybody, no daaa!"
Now Chichiri had to throw himself into the fray. From her bed, Lolita emitted a similar groan of complaint and buried herself deeper under blankets Ami was trying to wrest away.
"Leave me alone."
"Nooo! It's festival day, Lo! Rise and shine!" When her unwilling victim refused to comply, Ami unhesitatingly jumped onto the bed. Lolita shrieked, bolting awake in record time.
"What's wrong with you?" she gasped at the same time Tasuki rose on his elbows to throw them dirty looks.
"Ya girls jez can't shut up, can ya?"
Ami burst into hysterical giggles, sliding off the bed and onto the floor. From where he stood at the foot of Tasuki's futon, Chichiri smiled at her.
Last night, he worried over her listlessness, but "festival day" seemed to have cured it. Just then, he realized how much he had wished her to laugh again while the compulsive part of him wanted to take her on a run through the nearby woods. But... His eyes darkened at the remembrance. That last one wasn't really going to be too much fun anymore.
"Hey." A swat at his legs made him look down. Tasuki was staring up at him. Chichiri raised his eyebrows and received a flickering glance at the girls' direction. He frowned. Shaking his head, the bandit rose and stumbled out. "Jez ferget about it."
What was that about?
Once more, Chichiri let his attention drift to the other half of the room. Ami was still draped half on the bed, half on the floor, telling Lolita something that made both of them start giggling all over again.
"Tasuki and I are going to help with the festival preparations, no da," he called to them. "Are you girls coming?"
"I'm in!" Lolita instantly volunteered, climbing out of bed to trot towards him. "Ami, you in?"
Her face lit up in a grin as she bounded up and tackled Lolita from behind. Still hanging from the other girl's neck, Ami nodded eagerly. "I'm definitely in!"
When their eyes met, Chichiri blinked in surprise, but soon found himself returning her smile. Yes, his Ami was definitely back.
Even though the sun was just going down, the insides of houses were already swathed with shadows. The only light that could rival the brightness of the torches in the town square came from the busy kitchen. The corridors were dark, closed in on either side by walls.
It wasn't particularly easy to look for someone in the growing dimness, even though that someone had flaming hair perceptible from miles away. Lolita had been doing that for the past fifteen minutes, and she was growing impatient. The landlady told her she hadn't seen him, which, after scouring the town and asking around, left her the only option of looking into every single room of the house they stayed in, hoping the witch of darkness hadn't eaten him up yet for playing hide-and-seek after sundown.
She chuckled at the thought. Woe to the witch who actually attempted that.
Every single open door revealed nothing but empty rooms beyond. The only room to try was the last one down the cluttered hall. Its door was closed, but the faint orange light of a lamp seeped out from under the door.
She knocked.
"Yeah, I'm almost done," replied a voice. Tasuki. She couldn't be mistaken. Slowly, Lolita opened the door and poked her head in. The bandit she had been looking for was hunched over a table littered with bits of cloth and thread. If she looked very closely, she could identify the edge of the landlady's sewing box.
"Almost done with what?" His curse drowned in a hiss. Lolita had let herself into the room, which she noticed was the master's bedroom, but edged back at the dangerous scowl on Tasuki's face. "I can, uh, leave..." She fumbled for the doorknob.
"No, no," he protested quickly, expression softening. "Sorry I scared ya. Did'ja need anythin'?"
She noticed that he was trying to hide something that lay on the table. "What are you doing here? And...what's that behind your back?"
He thanked the strong shadow that covered the dark flush spreading across his face. "I was, uh, finishin' somethin' fer the landlady. She said I could...work 'ere, so I...wouldn't be disturbed."
"Do you need any help?"
"No!" he spat out, almost too violently. "I-I mean, I'm good. Thanks. You?"
She looked confused. "What?"
"Why are ya here?"
"Oh. I stopped by on my way to gather some more firewood for the bonfire. The men asked me say they're almost ready for you."
They stood in silence until Lolita turned to go.
"Hey, it's...already dark outside."
"Yes?" she paused at the threshold.
"It might be...uh...dangerous," he finished lamely, eyes downcast. The woods were so thin even a child wandering there in the dark would have nothing to be afraid of.
She shrugged. "Don't worry. I've got a torch." She paused to wait for his reaction before continuing. "Remember what you told me when we left the bandit hold to go to Eiyou?"
He shook his head.
Her cheeks pinked. "Never mind," she mumbled, and left.
As Tasuki stared at the closed door, he slowly brought the nearly completed doll from behind his back. Under the lamplight, its yellow yarn hair glowed molten gold, exactly as Lolita's did. He had been rather surprised to see that, the first time.
They were camping in the wilderness a day's ride away from the hideout, and settling down to sleep. He had probably already drifted away when an incessant rustling noise shook him back awake. Survival instincts kicking in, he shot up ready to fend off attackers, only to see Lolita tossing on her bedroll.
"What th' hell's th' matter with ya?" he had asked. She told him she couldn't sleep; the forest sounds were creepy and the ground was hard.
"`Course it's hard," he muttered, flopping back down. "If it wasn't, ya would've been swallowed up in it like quicksand," he chortled at his own joke. She didn't even giggle. "Yer not laughin'."
"Can I sleep beside you?"
"Hell no!" When he sat up, he saw that she really was afraid, but there was no way he would let a girl get that close to him, even in sleep. With a loud, annoyed sigh, he relit the campfire. "Tell ya what. Ya see that fire? That tiny, little ittybitty bit 'a fire?"
She nodded.
"It'll protect ya." His amber eyes locked with hers. "An' I'm th' fire. So ya don't hafta be scared a' anythin' 'cuz where there's fire, there's me."
...Where there's fire, there's me.
Indeed, the heat from the torch in her hand made her feel safe in much the same way Tasuki's presence made her feel safe. Lolita's ragged breath turned into a shy smile at the memory as she tossed another twig into the basket at her arm. Excited sounds echoed from town. Farther ahead, the river glowed faint orange from the myriad candles set adrift in thanksgiving to Suzaku. Pretty. Very, very pretty. She trudged farther in, her footfalls muffled by a carpet of damp leaves.
"...please...help..."
She jerked upright.
"...somebody...here...help..." the croaking voice came again. Against her better judgment, Lolita inched forward. The voice grew louder, but the pleas remained the same. Her heart lodged itself in her throat. In the underbrush, a lumpy shadow moved, twitching as if in pain...or in that desperation that comes before death.
"Who's in there?" For all she knew, it could be a trap of sorts.
"Thank Suzaku...I'm...here..."
Suddenly, she knew whom the voice belonged to. The silk merchant.
"Are you okay?" Though he was all over the ground, the elder man was all right. He let Lolita help him up, and together they hobbled back towards town. With the light from her torch shining full in his face, Lolita could pick out an assortment of scrapes. She glanced backward; he was close to dragging his feet.
"The Konan guards have been looking for you since you disappeared. They thought you were kidnapped." As she said those words, a guilty twinge bit her. There they were, pretending nothing too bad had happened after Ami was pronounced safe and recovering, while another person was at the hands of the revolutionaries-turned-bandits, probably suffering a worse fate. She whispered an apology.
"The revolutionaries..." the man began, but was gently shushed. They had arrived at the outskirts of the settlement and were making their way to the house the seishi and the girls stayed in.
"Please save your strength. You can talk after you've rested." Lolita looked around for her companions, but almost everybody was gathered around the blazing bonfire. The merchant was leaning more heavily on her each passing minute, and she wasn't sure she could still support the man's weight. "Tasuki!" she called, staggering.
"This is important," the man began again. "The revolutionaries...are coming..."
"They're not. This town is under heavy surveillance. Chichiri! Ami! Anybody!"
"They're...coming tonight."
Her calls died out. "What?"
He nodded weakly. "I heard them plan...the attack. Payback..." then he fell silent, head rolling onto his chest.
Panting, Lolita wildly surveyed the area. If what the merchant said would happen... If it happened. It couldn't happen. The people were completely oblivious. To them, tonight was a night of celebration. They couldn't possibly think anything like an attack... It would be hell, this blitzkrieg. So many would die...
"Tasuki!" still dragging the unconscious merchant with her, she screamed his name until her throat felt raw. Fire. He said she would be safe where there was fire. She had fire; the torch was blazing hot. But she had never felt more scared in her life.
Where there was fire... where there was fire...
A faint thumping reverberated in the distance.
Somebody ran out of the house. It was him, coming to her with his god-given speed to catch her before her knees buckled.
"They're coming," she gasped. "Oh my god, the revolutionaries are coming."
"What are ya talkin' about?" He led them back into the house.
"The silk merchant said...I saw him in the woods. He said they were coming. Payback...then he passed out. They're coming tonight..."
He hustled into a spare room and shoved them into a corner. "Calm down!" Outside, the ground vibrated with the force of horses' hooves. Black silhouettes rushed past the window, highlighted by the glint of sharp steel. Tasuki muttered under his breath. Lolita was close to hyperventilation. "Calm down!" he ordered, shaking her by the shoulders. She nodded, like a rag doll. "I'm gonna go find Chiri an' Ami. We'll hold our ground there as best we can. There's no time ta warn th' soldiers." Removing a dagger from his belt, he thrust it into her hands. "I need ya ta be brave. I need ya ta take care a' th' ole man fer me while I'm gone. Can ya do that?"
"I'll try..."
"Lo! Can ya do that!" His hands steadied her face, forcing her to meet pained amber orbs.
He didn't want to leave her... She nodded, firmly closing her fingers over the weapon. "I can. I'll do anything you say."
"Good girl." He grabbed her torch. "Stay here an' don' make a sound."
"Be careful," she whispered. He nodded, and was gone. The door closed behind him, bathing the room in darkness.
Curling herself up, Lolita rested her forehead on drawn knees. The merchant was still passed out at her feet. She thought it was from exhaustion and did not bother to stir him. It was probably better that way. He wouldn't be talking and luring the revolutionaries to them.
The front door banged open.
She sucked in her breath. They weren't there...it was just the stress...it was just the stress...it was just the –
Heavy footsteps resounded in the foyer several rooms away. Gruff voices called to each other. Doors were opened, and then banged closed again. Lolita lifted her head, dark-accustomed eyes darting around the room. Soon, the revolutionaries would come upon their door. And they were huddled in a corner, completely exposed under any light.
They had to hide somewhere. The voices were coming closer. She was panicking. Where? Where?
Under the bed. Without a second thought, Lolita quietly dragged the merchant across the room and shoved him under the bed, remembering to arrange the sheets so that they draped to the floor. There was only room for one person there, but she could hide in the closet.
The men were only two rooms away now. She scrabbled on her hands and knees, crawling back to where she had come from when her hand fell on something soft. She paused. In the faint moonlight, the lines of a doll were visible, needle and thread still dangling from an unfinished seam on its body. It had most probably fallen from the table beside her. The table...in the master's bedroom...where Tasuki...
"Well, well, well. What have we got 'ere?"
She whipped around, starting to her feet. Light spilled into the room from the open door, through the bulk of the man standing there. Lolita unsheathed her dagger.
"It will really be so much easier if you don't use that, nee-chan," he drawled, sharp eyes flicking towards the blue gleam. He took a step forward; Lolita backwards. It was like a dance. One that would end only at the death of one of the dancers.
"Yer bunch sure has given us some hella trouble." He began ticking off his fingers as he spoke. "There was that little chit of a girl we were supposed to make good money off. Jumped off a cliff and died. Then one of you knocked out my best men and burned down the tavern. You can't believe how much shit that put us in. Then another one of you – a goody-goody – had to go get the Konan Imperial guards. Those boys have been on our tails so long we can't hardly get our act together."
Lolita swallowed. She knew exactly what he was talking about.
"But that's a'right cuz I gotcha now. And Imma make sure ya don't run off get yourself killed like yer friend." He advanced several steps, and she retreated until her back hit the closet. "There's no escape now."
I need ya ta' be brave...
Oh, Tasuki. If only I could. If only... With a desperate cry, she lashed forward with the dagger. It connected with muscled flesh, slicing clean through. The blade whistled, spattering warm liquid on her hands. Her attacker swore loudly and lunged forward. They slammed onto the wall and then slid down to the floor, Lolita pinned underneath the bigger body. She gasped as his weight bore down on her, crushing her lungs. And gently, the drowsiness that had become so familiar settled upon her, slackening her grip on the dagger.
Not now. Please, not now...
Her eyes were closing even as she fought to stay awake. Realizing his victory, her attacker staggered up, towing her with him. Pushing away, Lolita earned herself a gruff reprimand and rough shove towards the door. Her body was shutting down. She tripped over her own feet and walked right into furniture. As she passed by the bed, she heaved a quiet sigh of relief. At least she had been able to keep one part of her promise: the merchant was safe.
She only hoped he wouldn't be found and the building wouldn't catch fire.
"Hey, I don't have all night," complained the bandit, nudging her forward.
The world swam in a hazy swirl before her eyes. Lolita fell on her knees, leaning against the doorframe for support. "I can't stand anymore," she pleaded.
"`Course you can!" He grabbed her shoulders, attempting to hoist her up. "Little tricks like that don't fool me. You were fighting a coupla' minutes ago!"
She shook her heavy head. The pressure of his grip on her arm melted away in a vague dream. Everything seemed like a dream – the fighting, the screaming outside, the soldiers' bloodstained spears...none of them were real.
"...Rekka shinen!" She was even hearing things now. But that was all right, because it was the sound she most wanted for hear since the nightmare began. His voice...signalled the start of good dreams...
"Lolita! Lolita!"
Her eyes closed. "Under...the bed..."
"Under what! Damn!" Kicking away the crumpled body on the floor, Tasuki sheathed his tessen to slip his arms around his new bundle. Chichiri came running behind him, pulling Ami by the hand.
"What happened, no da? Is Lolita-chan okay?"
"I think so," he grunted, moving out the door. "Is it safe to go out yet?"
"The Konan guards have everything under control, no da, and the horses are tethered near the woods."
"Great. Look under the bed."
"Why, no da?"
"I dunno! Lolita said somethin' `bout 'under th' bed'. You guys check. We'll go on ahead." He took off without waiting for a reply.
The battle was still ongoing, but most of the villagers had been evacuated and the soldiers looked like they had the upper hand. Tasuki crashed through the brush behind the house. The horses were in plain view, calmly waiting for their riders to arrive. Grabbing the reins of one to steady it, he lifted Lolita onto the saddle. As he did so, something tumbled out from the folds of her robe.
He stooped down to pick it up, but couldn't quite find it in the dark. Muttering to himself about girls and their little trinkets, he got down on all fours, patting the grass until he felt something soft and fuzzy. Needle and thread still hung from a corner.
She had found the doll.
Something like a cross between relief and pride washed through him at the discovery, and he broke into a great smile, the toy cradled in his hand. She had found it...and kept it. A part of him wondered whether she knew he was making it for her.
"Tasuki, no da!"
He spun around. Chichiri and Ami had returned.
"Get on the horse no da! We have a long ride ahead of us!"
It only struck him to ask when they were racing down the trail. Twisting in his saddle, he eyed Chichiri. "What was under the bed?"
"The silk merchant," Ami replied for him. "We managed to find a soldier who promised to help him evacuate and locate his companions. He's awake and mostly all right. I can't imagine how Lolita knew he was down there."
Holding his precious burden closer to himself, Tasuki grinned. He had asked her to be brave and to protect the old man. And she did.
She really did.
AN: Oh, wow. This actually took up more than ten pages. I didn't think it would take so many words to create a scene...(sweatdrop) I'm sorry this chapter took longer than usual. I just wasn't sure what to do with the story. There were loose ends that needed to be tied up, and I'm proud to say that I've done all that in this chapter! (cough::forgot the merchant::coughcough) Hahaha!
So. You guys know the drill. Please, please leave a review, those people who haven't yet. Geez, this is already the eleventh chapter! And thanks to the one person who never fails to review. (wink) A big hug to you!