Spoil of War 13
Scenes in a Broken Mirror
Hi! Surprised? Am still alive! We have a holiday week where I am and so I finished this chapter :) Enjoy, and please forgive the two cliffhangers!
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Brutality
Finally!
Touya Kinomoto could not express his relief at finding himself on dry land, at last. Though he had been taught to counteract the vertigo that often assailed those who had been long at sea, he still experienced a momentary discomfort upon setting foot on Hong Kong soil. It wasn't vertigo, though—it was a bad feeling. He almost called out to Yukito to stay on the ship, but to do so would insult his best friend and lover. Yukito was more than capable of taking care of himself in a fight.
His sailors quickly secured the warship, and bustled about to introduce themselves at the dock to the royal guards. They politely accepted his scroll case of credentials, and soon, a tall, slender young man in a warrior's green outfit ran to meet them at the dock. Catching sight of Touya, he consulted a scroll in his hands, then bowed.
"Kinomoto Touya, I am pleased to meet you," he said. He repeated the greeting in Mandarin. "I am Li Syaoran's sergeant, Wang Xiu, and I welcome you to the kingdom of Hong Kong on behalf of my lord and his wife, your honored sister Sakura. We regret that matters have detained them both, but they shall be there to meet you later."
Touya clenched his fists, but a warning look from Yukito stopped him.
"Thank you. You received my message that I was coming?" Yukito asked.
"Our princess told us you would be here," Wang smiled. "You are fluent in Mandarin?"
"I am," Yukito smiled, but his smile wavered as a chill passed through him.
"Are you all right? We have tea and a small repast ready in the outpost," Wang said courteously. "My apologies for delaying you."
Eyes flickering towards the Tomoeda magician, Touya frowned. Yukito had grown more and more apprehensive as they had drawn closer to Hong Kong, though he had tried to hide it under his cheerful demeanor, and he knew Yukito was not the kind to fall prey to childish fears. His irritation at not knowing how to help Yukito, his frustration over Sakura's situation, and his weariness of the voyage at sea was making him lose his temper.
Taking a deep breath, Touya tried to calm himself. He'd also had a bad premonition, but he couldn't place it—was it about Sakura? Or was it something else?
Before he could complete his calming ritual, screams broke out from the villagers near the Hong Kong docks. A black flying tiger was raining deadly fire on all in his path. The beating of its mighty wings fanned the flames, which quickly leapt from hut to hut, and those unfortunate enough to be caught emitted such cries of agony, it was unnerving to hear.
Bellowing his battle cry, Touya readied one arm, and found his shield bearer quickly in position. The archers and shield bearers trained to work with Yukito were also in place, and Yukito had his eyes closed, arcane symbols swirling about him as he cast a spell to protect the ship and their sailors. Archers on the ship fired arrows which Yukito enchanted with ice at the tiger; they found their mark and the tiger screamed in pain.
Back at the Li stronghold, Lao Hu recoiled in frustration. Why was it so hard to defeat these upstarts? Then he caught sight of Touya. The aura of strength and power about him nearly blinded Lao Hu; similar to Sakura's, it was however of a martial inclination.
"How dare you not warn me about this man?" Lao Hu roared as he backhanded the dark Yue, who had been watching the arrival of General Touya Kinomoto with him. Silver blood spilled as the black angel's lip split open in several places; some sprayed across the mirror they had been using.
"But I did try, Master, do you not recall . . ." the dark Yue began to protest; he had mentioned his fears about Touya Kinomoto in the past, and Lao Hu had simply laughed the threat off. "I warned you, my lord, that the brother . . . Ah!" he gasped as Lao Hu struck him again.
"You did not try hard enough! You are a useless creation, worth little more than the magic I stole from the Lis I murdered to create you!" Lao Hu rained blows on the dark Yue.
"Master . . ." the dark Yue gasped, "you must not kill the brother, for I . . ."
"You are not my master! You do not tell me what to do, you stupid . . ." Enraged, Lao Hu grabbed a blade and slashed at the dark Yue with it. The dark Yue cried out and fell to the floor. Lao Hu then dragged him by the hair towards the balcony. He hurled the nearly unconscious black angel off the balcony, and smiled as he heard the sodden thump! which meant the dark Yue had hit the ground thirty feet below.
Lao Hu turned back to the mirror and watched the battle. He did not see the dark Yue struggle to stand up, hands grabbing purchase on the wall, eyes glinting with a new emotion.
"Never again . . ." he whispered softly. He painfully unfolded his wings then flew slowly away.
Meanwhile Touya and his group of warriors, joined by Wang and the Li guards, were drawing the evil Cerberus away from the village, engaging it in battle then drawing backwards, away from the fight. Lao Hu healed the dark Cerberus, infusing it with strength from a distance.
"Someone's controlling it," Yukito yelled at Touya.
"Can you see who?"
"No, but its will is not its own. It can ignore pain to the point of destruction."
"This is the same one which has been killing villagers across our territory!" Wang bellowed as he sent arrows flying towards the beast. "But it is supposed to have a companion—an angel!"
"Then we'd better take this one down now," Touya yelled back. "Take the right flank, I'll lead it as far as I can!"
That bastard! Lao Hu thought. Watching the battle from a distance, he could see what Touya intended to do: harry the dark Cerberus to exhaustion, and in turn, himself as its controller. He tried to use a weather spell to send lightning down on Touya, but when the spell rebounded, he realized that Touya Kinomoto was protected by a shielding spell which nonetheless allowed him to move.
The dark Cerberus was forced to land and engage the soldiers, who now had spears to keep them out of range of the dark Cerberus' fire breath. Arrow after arrow buried itself in the tiger, and Lao Hu was forced to disengage his control lest his own magic be consumed by healing the tiger.
Touya, seeing the beast was weakened, sprang forward. Fire arced around him, but he did not pause; he went straight for the beast and dealt it a coup de grace. It screamed, and Lao Hu felt the magic dispel as the beast died.
Furious, Lao Hu quickly reached for the vial holding the blood of the Li elders he had murdered to boost his strength, then he did a quick counterspell. Touya's shield flickered, then vanished—not that he noticed. The clouds above the battlefield began to go gray, but all attention was focused on the disintegrating form of the dark Cerberus.
But Yukito noticed. He attempted a counterspell, and ran up against a very dark, evil barrier. The hair on his arms slowly began to stand up and he knew . . . He left his guards behind and began to run—his magic would take too long to cast, and Touya . . .
When the next lightning bolt came down from the sky, Yukito pushed Touya out of the way and took the brunt of it. Electricity crackled up and down his skin; his eyelids fluttered, and he only had time to gasp, "Touya . . . are you . . . all right . . ." before he fell quietly to the ground.
Touya's scream of agony was lost as the heavens chose that moment to unleash the rain Lao Hu had allowed to gather in them.
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Arrogance
"Send that warning to the Lis," the king of the Chiang Lins said.
"This is tantamount to declaring war," one adviser said. "Do you think the Lis are weak enough, my lord?"
"It's a war we will win," King Bao said arrogantly. "Do you not see? Our hidden ally predicted the deaths of the people in two villages, and the murder of the Princess Fuutie. Our letter contains details only the murderer would know."
"But my lord, I am wary of trusting an ally we cannot see!" the same adviser burst out. "Forgive me, but it may be leading you into a trap."
"Fool!" King Bao backhanded the elderly advisor, who toppled backwards. "You doubt my judgment? Syaoran Li's little whore will lose her brother as soon as he sets foot in Hong Kong. They will fear us all the more when they see how I know how the Li elders died, how Princess Fuutie died, and how more of them will die unless General Syaoran marries my worthless daughter!"
"But the treaty! We have violated it!" another adviser whispered.
King Bao smiled slowly.
"All those who oppose me can do so in the—ahh, comforts—of the dungeon," he said. "Take them."
As soon as the offending advisers were gone, he stared each remaining adviser in the eye. "Is anyone else interested?"
No one answered; instead, one of them handed the scroll with the warning to the captain of messengers.
"Ride hard and fast. Make sure the Lis receive this before dawn."
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Harsh Realization
Princess Mei Hua sagged in the cart, tired from her journey. To her it seemed like she had been on the road for weeks, but owing to Lao Hu's spell, it had been mere days. Her belly, which she caressed lovingly, was distended. It bothered her that she could not remember how long it had been since 'Syaoran' had told her to come to him. Time, memories—all were a blur that made her head ache.
Into view came the large Li stronghold. She smiled, and urged her horses on. Soon she would see 'Syaoran'. Soon she would be in his arms again.
It felt like every hardship in her life had led her to the moment in which 'Syaoran' had entered her prison and given her the first love she had known in her short, miserable life. Called 'useless' for as long as she could remember, Princess Mei Hua could not remember much happiness until 'Syaoran' had come along.
"You will not have that kind of life, my little one," she said softly to the life growing in her womb. "Your father and I will love you. You will have everything I never had. I promise."
She touched the pendant 'Syaoran' had given her, and was surprised when it warmed to her touch. It hadn't done that before, and it made her happy. It wouldn't respond to her if he had not given it willingly, right?
At the gate though, she was surprised when she dismounted and the guards tensed as she asked for Syaoran and showed them the pendant.
"You want to see . . . the General Syaoran?" one of them asked. Skeptical but polite.
"Yes, and he said to show this." The Princess raised the black tasseled ball the false Syaoran had given her.
The guards began to murmur, and she could hear the words "wife," "Eriol," "not good."
"Please. I have had a long journey, and I am tired," she pleaded. "May I just sit in my cart?"
"Yes . . . But please wait here, my lady," the head guard said after shushing the others. A few minutes passed, then out came a tall, bespectacled man in dark robes. Slender and elegant, his long black hair was pulled back into a golden ring, and his midnight blue eyes were intelligent but worried.
When he caught sight of Mei Hua, Eriol barely suppressed a gasp. He vaguely recognized the Princess, having been thirteen when the Li and Chiang Lin treaty was signed. She had become beautiful, but that was not what concerned him. It was the life in her that reached out to him; the child was his blood kin.
A Li! How? Eriol managed to calm himself, and he greeted the Princess carefully.
"Greetings, my lady. I am Hiiragizawa Eriol, cousin to the Li clan," he said, avoiding her title until she confirmed it. To his surprise, she did not; instead, Mei Hua bowed her head meekly and held out Syaoran's pendant.
"Please. Syaoran said this should be given to you, Lord Hiiragizawa. He said it would show you who I am. He said to tell you that we met in dreams.'
Eriol barely avoided clenching his jaw; it would not do to betray his reactions to the young woman. Why had no one foreseen her arrival? And worse, what of Sakura?
No! It is not possible! Logic dictated that Syaoran simply had not had the time . . . but judging from her looks, the Princess was at least eight months pregnant already. Yet hadn't Syaoran already been seeing Sakura in dreams back then?
"Pardon me, my lady, but . . . where did you get this?" Eriol's voice was tight and tense.
"I . . ." Princess Mei Hua drew back a bit, hugging her belly protectively. "Syaoran gave it to me . . . just a few weeks ago . . ."
She was beginning to look afraid, and Eriol put up a reassuring hand.
"I apologize. Put your mind at ease. I realize someone gave this to you. But it couldn't have been Syaoran, because he's been here all this time . . . and we can attest to it. He has been here with his wife, the Lady Sakura." And two nights ago, he consummated his marriage to Sakura, Eriol added in his mind.
The Princess put a hand to her mouth. "Please, believe me! He asked me to come here. I will submit to any test you ask of me!" she pleaded, tears sparkling in her eyes.
"She is who she says she is," a voice rang out, overly loud in the stillness of the morning. Eriol did not turn but he knew it was Sakura.
"Lady Sakura . . ." Eriol began, but Sakura coldly waved him off.
"It is clear that Syaoran has put me aside," she announced, making the guards and the Princess gasp. "I will escort his new wife into the stronghold."
"No," Eriol boldly stood between Sakura and the Princess. "This is wrong! Listen to me, Sakura-san, I can find out what's going on, you're making a mistake. . ."
Forgive me, Eriol-san, Sakura said in her mind. A ringing slap met Eriol in the face, and he did not bother concealing his astonishment.
"Sakura-san!"
"Shut up. You and your cousin of lies," Sakura hissed. "I should have listened to Lao Hu. You knew Syaoran had taken another woman!"
Now that sounded wrong. But before Eriol could say anything, Sakura had taken the reins and whipped the horses into moving.
This is not like Sakura! Eriol tried to follow but Sakura took a turn and slammed the castle gates behind her using magic.
In the cart, next to the grim-looking Sakura, Princess Mei Hua looked at her, frightened. But near the castle, Sakura stopped the horses then motioned her off the cart. Whimpering in fear, the Princess then let herself be dragged to a recess.
"Swear to me your silence," Sakura said roughly, a dagger pressed to the Princess' neck. "You will not speak of what I will tell you now!"
"I . . . what?"
"You must swear it!" Sakura, herself close to tears, said. "We don't have much time!"
Afraid of the wild-eyed woman, from whom she could feel great power, Princess Mei Hua nodded. "I do, I swear it . . ."
At that, Sakura sagged, and her grip on the dagger loosened. "Thank Clow. Now you must listen to me."
"P-please . . . w-who are y-you?" Mei Hua asked, terrified.
Sakura took a deep breath.
"I am Syaoran's wife, Sakura," she said softly, and a tear trickled down her cheek. "Or at least, I was. He needs to put me aside now to marry you."
Gasping in horror, Mei Hua stared at Sakura. "You're his wife! I didn't know . . . I can't . . . I could never . . ."
Not looking at her, Sakura said sadly, "You have to. If you refuse to marry Syaoran, your child will die. And so will Syaoran." The Princess put a hand over her mouth, which had come agape in horror. "Your father is destined to kill him if Syaoran does not marry you. Do you truly want that?"
"No . . ." Tears began to flood the Princess' eyes.
Sakura abhorred herself for having to threaten this innocent woman, just her age. Should she tell the Princess that Syaoran was not this child's father, as she knew from her dreams? The poor Princess had been tricked cruelly, but she was the only way Sakura could see to save Syaoran now, and Sakura would rather see him cared for by a woman who loved him than dead at this woman's father's hand.
"Was it . . . was it all a lie then?" The Princess, not looking at Sakura either, spoke in a tiny voice. "Did Syaoran not love me?"
"If I tell you the truth," and Sakura stared fixedly at the wall in front of her, "you cannot turn back from what I will ask you to do."
"Tell me then," the Princess said quietly.
"Someone else seduced you, in Syaoran's form," Sakura said, sparing no words. "You were—are—a pawn. You have been used—and I too shall use you because I need to save the only man I have ever loved. But your price is your silence. You will never tell him of all I have told you."
Silence. Then . . .
"Who was he?" There was steel in the Princess' voice.
"Who?"
"The one who seduced me. Give me his name."
"You believe me? You ask for no proof of what I say?" Sakura said incredulously. "I came prepared with proof . . ."
"All I want is the name of the man who did this to me," Mei Hua cut Sakura off abruptly. "Proof is nothing to me. I know truth when I hear it. Give me his name!"
"Li Lao Hu," Sakura said.
The Princess said nothing, but she caressed her stomach gently. Both her eyes and Sakura's were dry now.
"What would you have me do?"
Sakura turned to the Princess Mei Hua, who looked defeated.
"You . . . I did not mean to hurt you," Sakura began.
"I know," Mei Hua laughed bitterly. "But I was born to be used. Even my family says I am worthless."
"You can't just give up!" Sakura stared at Mei Hua.
Mei Hua turned to Sakura, her eyes dull.
"All I lived for was to be loved. I thought I had found that—but it was a lie. Now I am here on false pretenses . . ."
"You will be Syaoran's wife. You will love him and be faithful and you will watch over his health and happiness for the rest of his life," Sakura said in an anguished tone. "Is that not enough? Perhaps love can come from that . . ."
"No. He chose you. He will always have you in his heart," Mei Hua said softly. "How can I live with that?"
Stunned, Sakura realized that her plan might not succeed. Not this way, at least. I had intended to make another victim in the name of saving Syaoran, she realized.
"I'm so sorry . . ." Sakura turned to Mei Hua. "I thought this was the only way out . . ."
"You thought?" Mei Hua laughed bitterly. "Did you speak to him whom you love the most about your course of action?"
"No, I . . ."
"How can you say you love him if you do not trust him?" Mei Hua looked into Sakura's eyes. "If it had been me, I would have told him . . . immediately. We would have found a way . . . together."
Speechless, Sakura realized the Princess was right, and she slumped to the ground.
"What have I done?"
"Acted rashly?" Mei Hua was talking to her belly. "If I had the love you have, I would fight for it. You who wield magic trust in it and visions too much. You forget human nature. I would give anything to be you, to be loved like you—and you want to throw it all away."
A long silence passed between the two, then Sakura rose to her feet.
"You're right," she said. "There has to be another way!"
Mei Hua just looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"A way to make sure everything will be all right! There has to be!"
"There always is, I agree," said another voice, and both young women whirled towards the source of the sound.
End of Chapter 13
Continues in Chapter 14
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Who do you think was listening to them? Leave a review! Thank you for reading this far; this will end by Chapter 16! I hope to have another chapter up in a month or so