A/N: I would like to thank all you wonderful readers for patiently putting up with slow my pace. Here is an extra-long chapter as a reward! :D
Also, since many people keep asking me, I actually haven't decided on a pairing for this story yet. At this point, it could be either Fai or Kurogane… or maybe neither of them :P
Let's see how it plays out!
XXX
She is running; her tiny, ten year old feet slapping the cool marble floor one after the other, the sound echoing off the walls in the narrow corridor. She doesn't know what she is running from, nor does she know where she is running to. She is too distraught, too scared to comprehend any of that. The silk robes she is wearing are splattered with blood; her blood and the blood of others. But it doesn't matter. All that matters is the running. She has to run, her life depends on it. She is running, faster than she has ever run…
The scene shifts. She is older, fifteen maybe. Her body feels older, her legs longer – she knows this because she is covering ground quickly now. She is outdoors, the sky is velvety black with a hint of maroon. But one thing doesn't change; she is still running. Autumn leaves scrunch; sharp, dry twigs pierce her bare feet as she runs. The smell and the heat of a raging fire hung like a blanket all around her. She hears the roars of the terrifying creatures; the screams of people she had known all her life as they were being ripped apart, but she doesn't stop, she has to run. She has to save herself, more importantly there is someone else she has to save. She has to save…
The world melts once more. She is around twenty now, a full grown woman. And she is still running. The cold winter air burned her lungs as she takes deep breaths. She is only wearing a thin night gown which gives a crisp breeze the opportunity to bite at her skin. But she doesn't care; she has to run. She has to go as far away as possible. She knows what is going to happen to her. She knows there is no way to stop it. But she has to get away, far away, she has to make sure they don't see it. She runs through the garden filled with pine trees, their branches stooping low with the weight of the snow piled on them. She has to get far away. She has to make sure they don't see it with their own two eyes… she has to make sure they don't see her die.
XXX
Ayame woke up with a start, her heart thundering in her chest, her hands and feet clammy with cold sweat. She had to run, or else she was going to die… she had to run…
'Or maybe not' said a calming voice inside her head.
It took Ayame a moment to realise that she was still in Chunhyang's house. She was still surrounded by the same stucco walls, the same wooden beams supported the roof above. There was the same pitcher of water next to her head and a little far away, the same tin bucket into which she had emptied her lunch the previous day. She didn't have to run; she was safe.
As if to prove that point, Ayame felt a soft, dainty hand squeeze her own.
Sakura was fast asleep next to her, holding Ayame's hand firmly. Someone had draped a blanket over the girl, probably because they couldn't get Sakura to let go.
'She's always had a strong grip' she thought, tugging slightly at her hand.
But Ayame knew just the trick to free herself. It was after years of trial and error, after countless nights of Sakura sneaking into her rooms and wrapping herself around Ayame, that she learnt about a spot on Sakura's wrist, which when tickled made the young girl relinquish her grip.
"Still works like a charm" Ayame chuckled, flexing her freed fingers to coax some circulation back into them.
Ayame stood up cautiously and stretched her arms. There was no sudden rush of blood to the head, no tilting of vision, no pull at the pit of her stomach and no crashing back down to the floor. All her muscles seemed to be working fine. Ayame breathed a sigh of relief; looks like she was finally back to normal. At this, her stomach turned queasily.
Alright then, almost back to normal. But that was good enough too.
Ayame bent down, scooped up her sister in her arms and stepped out of her room. She made her way to the other side of the house, into the room Sakura shared with Chunhyang and tucked the sleeping girl into her bed. Chunhyang's futon was neatly made up. Judging by the angle of the sunlight streaming into the room through the windows, Ayame guessed it was sometime around mid-morning. Chunhyang must have gone into town.
Ayame made herself comfortable on a pillow near Sakura's bed. The silence, punctuated only by the soft sounds of Sakura's breathing, reminded her of another kind of silence… a silence punctuated by the sound of hurried footsteps – her hurried footsteps.
There was no doubt in Ayame's mind as to who the running person in her dream was. She felt the terror, the anxiety, the urgency a little too well for it to be anyone else. But that was all she remembered from her dreams; she only remembered that she had to run, and towards the end, she remembered that she was about to die. But why?
Ayame buried her face in her hands, trying to coax her brain to recover some detail. A small sound in the background, a word, a thought… anything that could shed some light on what was really happening. Why was someone trying to kill her? Who was trying to kill her? However, the more she tried to think about it, the more the details eluded her; like desert sand slipping through cupped fingers. Kiishimu had been on point, her dreams made no sense at all.
The sudden sound of wood grating against wood made Ayame jump.
She turned to find Fai standing at the door, grinning. His blonde head looked like it was surrounded by a halo, courtesy of the sunlight streaming in from behind him.
"Didn't mean to startle you, Aya-chan" he whispered.
Ayame shook the foggy details of her dream out of her head and smiled back.
"I was just thinking, don't worry about it" she said, whispering as well.
Ayame got to her feet, tip-toed to the door and quietly closed it behind her.
"How did you manage to get Sakura-chan to let go of your hand?" Fai asked as they walked into the living room and made themselves comfortable.
"I wouldn't be her sister if I didn't know that trick, now would I?" Ayame chuckled.
Mokona, who was perched on Fai's shoulder, hopped onto her head and said, "Aya-chan is being a tease!"
"And don't you know all about that, Mokona" Ayame said, tickling the creature. Then turning her attention back to Fai, she asked, "How long was Sakura sitting next to me?"
"I can't actually say" Fai said, tapping his index finger on his chin, "But she was there for a while. She was talking to you"
"Talking?" Ayame asked, a little surprised. This was a first. "What was she talking about?"
"Sakura was talking about a birthday!" Mokona piped up.
"It was probably a memory she recovered when she got the feather" Fai explained, "She was saying that she was a little upset that you were not there. It was the first time you missed it"
Ayame instantly knew. Sakura had recovered the memories of her sixth birthday. But Ayame's absence wasn't the only significant thing about that particular day.
"Did she say something else?" Ayame asked.
"She did, actually" Fai answered, "She said there was an empty seat at the table, but she was still talking to it, as if someone was there. And, she felt very happy"
'So this is how the price will be paid' Ayame thought.
A surge of anger and frustration burned like liquid heat in Ayame's veins. Sakura had the right to remember everything about her past life. And Syaoran did not deserve to be reduced to an empty space. It just wasn't fair! If only Syaoran had been a little patient, they could have found an alternative price.
"The empty chair… it was Syaoran-kun's spot on the table, wasn't it?" Fai asked, breaking her chain of thought.
"Yeah" Ayame said, taking a deep breath to calm herself, "It was the first birthday they spent together" She had already delved into the depths of her mind to think of a loophole in the price Syaoran had to pay when Fai's next question caught her a little off guard.
"Why did you miss her birthday, Aya-chan?"
Ayame blinked at him.
"I… I don't really remember" she managed, "It was so long ago"
She was lying, of course. Ayame remembered it quite well. She had been out of Clow kingdom on a military operation to help curb the civil unrest in the lands belonging to one of Clow's allies. Those few days were etched into Ayame's mind – firstly because it was her first mission on foreign soil… and secondly because what happened in those few days had changed something in her. Forever.
An old memory, a vivid one, flashed before her eyes.
'I'm sorry… I have to… I don't have a choice…'
'I did my duty, just as you are doing yours. There is nothing to be ashamed of'
"Aya-chan?"
Fai's voice sliced through her daydream.
"Yes" she answered, pushing the memory back into the rarely touched recesses of her mind.
"Are you okay?" Fai asked, his forehead scrunched into a frown, "You seemed lost for a moment there"
Ayame nodded.
"Just a random thought, I'm fine"
She gave him a smile, hoping that it would be enough to convince him. But it didn't work; Fai fixed her with a questioning stare. He looked like he was about to ask something when the main door slid open and Syaoran walked in.
"Syaoran! You're back!" Mokona jumped off Ayame's head and bounced right into Syaoran's hand.
"Hey, Syaoran" Ayame said, relieved that his timely entry saved her from any questions Fai had.
"Ayame-san!" said Syaoran, his face lighting up a little, "You're up! Do you feel alright?"
"I'm almost back to normal" Ayame replied.
"But that's not completely normal, is it?" he asked, his smile dropping a little.
"Geez, has the mage's impatience rubbed off on you, kid? Give it some time"
Ayame turned around to find Kurogane sitting comfortably in his spot in the corner; arms tucked behind his head, eyes open just a fraction. She hadn't noticed him entering the room. It told her two things – one; he was a ninja afterall, it's probably his second nature to enter rooms undetected and two; her senses were starting to get blunt. The sickness was really doing a number on her.
"He is right, give me a couple of days more" Ayame said.
"Okay" Syaoran said, his eyes scanning the room, as if looking for something.
Ayame knew exactly what… more like who he was looking for.
"Sakura is in her room" she answered his unspoken question, "She fell asleep"
"Again?" Syaoran asked. Ayame wanted to reach out and envelope the boy in a bear hug when she saw the light in his eyes dim with worry.
"Don't be so worried, Syaoran-kun" Fai said, "Since Sakura-chan doesn't have all her memories, she will keep falling asleep. The next time, she might fall asleep when we are in the middle of a battle and that will be very worrying. But we won't stop looking for the feathers, now will we?"
Syaoran shook his head.
"And that's why you should relax" Fai continued, but Ayame noticed a difference. Gone was the happy-go-lucky grin on his face. It was replaced by a gentle smile. A sad, but genuine smile.
"Don't think about unhappy things all the time. Otherwise, you won't be able to forget them, even if you wanted to"
Ayame couldn't help but feel that Fai was not just giving advice, he was talking out of experience. Not for the first time, she noted that the aloof, beaming person Fai usually pranced around as was nothing more than a façade. It was as if his cheerfulness was a reaction to something he was running away from.
"You can smile, you can be happy" Fai went on, "No one will blame you for that, Syaoran-kun. Someone will feel happy for you"
Syaoran thought about it for a while and then, finally, a small smile made its way across his face. It was nothing close to the open smile Ayame cherished so much, but it was something.
"Syaoran is smiling! Mokona is very happy!"
Fai reverted back to his goofy self as he agreed with Mokona, "I'm happy too!" Then with a sideways glance at the seated ninja, he added, "Kuro-pin is happy as well!"
"Don't drag me into this" Kurogane grunted.
"Don't be such a meanie, Kuro-wan!" Fai cooed.
"MY NAME IS KUROGANE!"
"Hey, hey, keep it down, Sakura is still sleeping!" Ayame said, but it fell on deaf ears.
Fai continued to tease Kurogane and the ninja kept yelling at the mage. Just when it looked like Kurogane was going to jump up and break Fai in two, the door to Chunhyang's room slid open. Sakura stumbled out, rubbing her eyes drowsily.
"How did I get here? I remember being in Nee-chan's room…" she said, plopping down on a pillow next to Ayame.
"You fell asleep, Sakura" Ayame replied.
"I'm sorry" Sakura said in a small voice.
"Don't be, Sakura-chan" Fai said, "I know that you are worried because you don't have all your memories. But still, try to enjoy this journey as much as you can"
Sakura looked slightly confused for a moment, but then soon, a smile broke out on her face.
"Yes" she said, "There may be many things I don't understand and because of that, I may get in your way. But I will work hard and do all the things that I can do to help"
'Nee-chan, I know there are so many things about what happened there that I don't understand. But still, I want to help, in any way possible. Even if it is a small thing, I want to help!'
For the first time, Ayame saw a flicker of Sakura's former self blooming amidst all the confusion and nervousness. It filled her with an indescribable feeling – relief that her sister wasn't lost, determination to continue forward, and most of all: hope. Hope that someday, however far that day maybe, everything will be fixed. As Sakura would say, everything will be alright.
Ayame's hands draped themselves over Sakura's shoulders and pulled her closer.
"Nee-chan, what is it?" Sakura asked, slightly surprised by the gesture.
"Nothing" Ayame replied after placing a swift kiss on Sakura's head, "Nothing at all"
XXX
Fei-Wong Reed's hand shook with barely contained irritation. So much that the red wine in the glass he held began to slosh out. But he didn't take any notice of it. His gaze was fixed on the circular looking glass in front of him. He saw the boy, the princess, his pawn and the witch's man zooming through the space-time vortex... with her. As he watched, the group landed in a chilly, snow-covered world.
This, of course, did not surprise him; it was as per his plans afterall. Everything was going according to his plan.
Well, almost everything.
Right from the beginning, the Crown Princess was a thorn in his side; being in places she was not supposed to be, tearing up his intricately woven web. He had smoothened out most of the disturbances, turned them back into his favour, but somehow he had not been able to take care of the root of the problem. The protection placed on her was too strong and she was beyond his reach due to the rules of interference... but now… a wave of glee somewhat washed away his annoyance.
"How things have changed, Clow Reed" Fei-Wong Reed smirked.
Xing-Huo stepped out of the shadows on hearing her master's remark.
"You seem to be in an odd mood" she noted.
"That is one way to put it" he replied, "I was annoyed before, but an ocean of possibilities has opened up to me now. I can't help but feel optimistic"
"Does it have to do with the older Princess?"
"Indeed it does. For so many years, she was cloaked and very well protected. But now, the protection has been lifted, giving me the opportunity to take care of this problem, once and for all"
"Her breaking open that one seal in the previous world turned out to be a double-edged sword I see" Xing-Huo said, her tone flat.
Fei-Wong Reed was not surprised that she had worked it out. Even though her impassive face rarely gave anything away, over time, he had come to realise that this particular creation of his was quite perceptive.
"True" he said, after drinking deeply from his glass, "Clow Reed placed those seals on her because her powers were acting like a beacon. They were so powerful that I could use the distortion they caused to bypass the rules of interference. Once they were cloaked, however, there was nothing I could do. Now..."
"The first seal is gone. Releasing a fraction of her power. But that alone is enough to use as an excuse to intervene" Xing-Huo continued. After a small pause, she asked, "Have you informed them that the subjects of interest are on their way?"
"Yes" Fei-Wong Reed grinned, "And especially he has been waiting for this for quite some time"
With this, he turned his attention back to the looking glass. Now, the mage and the ninja were arguing with the older princess. A moment or so later, she swayed dangerously where she stood. At this, the mage said he had enough and lifted her up with no effort, saying that both he and the ninja would take turns to carry her till they found a place to stay for the night. The princess didn't argue. Soon, she fell asleep.
"I wouldn't be resting if I was you, Princess of Clow... not when the final, eternal sleep is almost upon you"
XXX
Is she standing or floating? She can feel a cool surface beneath her feet, but at the same time the lack of any pressure on them made her feel like her feet were not supporting her. What is the deal here anyway?
Her surroundings are dark; muted reds and blacks and purples; shifting and twisting and turning like mist and fog, as if they are unable to decide their shape and form.
The moment the thought crosses her mind, everything around her starts to change.
The mist begins to swirl with more urgency. Bits and parts of it solidify. A vast, windowless, circular chamber materializes around her. As she watches, the mist gathers at the perimeter of the chamber to form high, pearly white arches supported by equally pristine looking pillars. She counts eight pillars, nestling eight massive, intricately carved dark wooden doors in between them. The floor is made of marble too. Right in the centre of the room is a small pool, filled with water so clear that she can see the grey marble bottom without any difficulty.
Something catches her attention.
She notices the water reflecting back colours – blues and reds and oranges and greens. Her eyes travel upwards till they find the ceiling. It is made of stained glass. The curly, meandering patterns on them seem to be random at first, but on close observation she sees they are words; words of an ancient, long forgotten language… a language she has seen before…
Suddenly, awe turns into panic.
She knows where she is.
She knows this is not a dream.
As if in response to her revelation, the atmosphere in the room tilts.
A terrible dread fills her bit by bit, till every nerve in her body is lit with fear.
The first thing that hits her is the smell… a thick, metallic, pungent odour fills her nose.
The last traces of the lingering mist zoom away. The scene gets sharper. She can finally see clearly.
Marble walls are splattered with a dark, viscous liquid; no longer pristine white, but still beautiful, albeit morbidly so now. More than a dozen men and women; majority in black armour, few in sandy brown battle garb, littered the floor, all wounded beyond repair – their limbs bent at unnatural angles, blood still gushing out of their wounds. Some of the blood finds its way to the pool in the centre, tinging the clear water with a light shade of crimson.
Floating in the crimson water is another body. A woman's. Face down. Her thick, midnight black hair fan out along with her long, silk robes, whose pure white was now tainted with the crimson of the blood in the pool.
She knows where she is… she knows what's happening… and now her mind is covered with a thick blanket of panic.
"No… no… why… what did I do…?"
Through her panic, she hears the sobs coming from the end of the room.
She forces herself to look at the little girl, huddled in the niche between the pillar and the wall. Her face is hidden behind her hands, which are stained with blood, just like her white silk robes. Hair, which was once tied into neat braids, is now a midnight black mess… the same midnight black as the woman's in the pool.
She didn't need to see her face to know who the little girl is.
"You did this, Princess" a slick, smooth, bodiless voice answers.
"No!" the little girl sobs.
No… how could she have done this… it can't be true…
"Yes, you did. It was you. You and your power, they have always been a problem. The proof is right here"
"NO!" the girl is screaming, "YOU DID THIS! YOU CAME HERE! YOU! WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS YOU… KILLED… YOU KILLED…!"
He... he killed her… HE KILLED HER!
She looks around for the source of the voice, but she sees nothing. She has to find him… she has to…
"I was doing what I was told to do, nothing more, nothing less… after all…"
She needs to find him… she needs to know who he is…
"Aya-chan, you need to wake up!"
No…no… she can't wake up… not yet… she needs to know… she needs to see a face…
"Please, Ayame-san… please wake up"
Where is he? WHERE IS HE!?
A figure begins to emerge from one of the many shadows. A man. Tall and lanky.
"Afterall, I am one hell of a butler"
There… that was him… the man who did it…
"Hey!"
No please… she can't wake up… not just yet…
"Nee-chan! Please"
XXX
The dream shatters; the still surface distorted by the ripples created by the voices of her companions.
XXX
"Ayame-san?"
"Nee-chan!"
"Are you okay now?"
"Aya-chan!?"
Even before Ayame could open her eyes properly, the concerned voices filled her ears, clanging inside her groggy head. With some effort, she plopped herself up on her elbows and blinked rapidly. Slowly, the hapless forms came into focus – Syaoran's relieved face, Sakura almost in tears, Kurogane's reassured but slightly annoyed look and finally Fai, who was already hiding behind his nonchalant smile.
"Nee-chan!" Sakura launched at her. The sudden movement made Ayame lose her balance and she fell back into the bed, dragging Sakura along with her.
"Hello there" the hoarseness of her own voice surprised her. Ayame cleared her throat and tried again.
"Hey everyone, I'm awake" she said, her voice sounding somewhat normal now.
"Well you better be, we have been trying for a while now" Fai laughed, "Even Kuro-pin moved from his regular gloomy spot in the corner"
"My name is Kurogane!" the ninja snarled. Then turning to Ayame, he added, "But he is on point"
Syaoran nodded vigorously.
Ayame detached herself from Sakura and sat up. The young girl seated herself comfortably as Ayame made a note of her surroundings.
The bed she was sitting on was the only one in the smallish, square room. Other furniture comprised of one rickety looking table, a couple of chairs and a three-seater sofa. A couple of mattresses and a pile of blankets lay on the carpeted floor next to the table. The pale yellow walls were bare except for a painting of snowy mountains which hung above the mantelpiece. A fire was crackling away merrily in the grate, its warmth giving a sense of cosiness to the room. Her eyes passed over the frost-caked windows. She couldn't see much outside, it was… dark?
"How long have I been asleep?" Ayame asked, looking to the others for answers.
"You're finally asking the right questions" Fai said. Ayame thought she heard an undertone of worry in his voice. "We reached this world around noon and you fell asleep soon after. It's past dinner time now"
"I've been sleeping for more than half a day!?" Ayame exclaimed, "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"
"You've just recovered, Nee-chan" Sakura said, frowning a little, "So we thought it was best to let you sleep"
"And you were fine… till a while ago" Syaoran continued, "You became really restless and began to whimper. We had no choice but to wake you up"
Ayame took a deep breath to free herself from the lingering images of her dream… no… her recently recovered memory.
"I'm sorry" Ayame said, looking at all of them one by one. When her gaze finally rested on Sakura, she took the young girl's hand in her own and squeezed it gently, "I really didn't want to worry you"
Sakura returned the gesture. "Don't be sorry, Nee-chan. As long as you are alright"
"Exactly, Ayame-san. You rest up as much as you need" Syaoran smiled.
Kurogane, however, looked like he was going to snap. He was just about to open his mouth when Fai piped up.
"You know, when you were asleep, I taught Sakura-chan how to make hot chocolate"
Sakura's face lit up immediately. "Fai-san is a very good teacher! And it was very easy. I'll make some for Nee-chan right away! I'm sure the landlady won't mind!" She immediately jumped up and walked out of the room.
Syaoran went after her saying, "I'll help" He gave a brief nod to Ayame before closing the door behind him.
After a few moments of silence, Ayame said, "I don't appreciate your method, Fai-san. But still, thank you for sending those two out before our favourite ninja explodes"
That was the breaking point for Kurogane.
"Those two can be very content with you being just alright" he snapped, "But I want to know what the hell happened after we left you with that woman in the castle"
"He is not the only one, Aya-chan" Fai said, smiling no longer, "Whatever happened, it is serious. First it was affecting your body, now your mind"
"And I keep telling you it's not" Ayame insisted, "I am fine"
"Then what happened just now?" Kurogane's eyes narrowed.
"A bad dream" came the reply.
"No one has bad dreams for so many days in a row, Aya-chan" Fai said.
Ayame blinked at him before she could stop herself. When did he notice?
Her reaction didn't slip past Fai. He offered her a playful smile, saying, "Yes, I did notice"
"So?" Kurogane asked, "Are you going to spill the beans or not?"
"I am not" Ayame answered firmly. After a thought she added, "You two have no reason to feel responsible. I chose this. It's on me. So please, stop beating yourselves up"
Kurogane let out an irritated huff while Fai's brow simply furrowed. But that didn't change Ayame's mind. She herself had not come to terms with her current situation, especially after her recent dream. It would be unfair to burden someone else with her problems. No matter how much Fai and Kurogane pestered her, she wouldn't tell them anything without figuring things out herself. Or till it was absolutely necessary to tell them.
"It is your choice at the end of the day, Aya-chan" Fai said, though there was a sternness in his voice she had never heard before, "But if this keeps up, you will have to answer our questions"
"I understand. I will take care" Ayame said as the door opened and Syaoran walked in with Sakura right on his heels, holding a steaming mug in her hands.
"Here you go, Nee-chan" Sakura said, handing over the mug to Ayame before snuggling close to her.
Ayame shuffled a little to make sure they both were comfortable. When she was satisfied, she turned to the others and said, "Alright, bring me up to speed"
XXX
By the time Fai finished narrating everything that happened since they landed in the country of Jade, with some help from Syaoran and Sakura, Ayame had lapped up every single drop of the hot chocolate, much to the younger girl's delight.
"You know, one thing doesn't add up" Ayame said, "You all managed to get food and rent out this room. How did you get this world's currency?"
At this, Syaoran shuffled his feet nervously while Fai grinned sheepishly. Even Kurogane, who was fuming in one corner of the room, opened his eyes just a fraction. Sakura simply looked at Ayame, then at Fai and Syaoran, and then back at her sister, as if she couldn't understand the sudden shift in the room.
"What did you guys do?" Ayame asked slowly, getting more and more suspicious with every passing second.
"Well…" Fai began carefully, moving just a little away from the bed, "Let's just say, we won them?"
Ayame pulled her legs out of the blanket and placed them on the cold wooden floor saying, "Won them how?"
"We had a few cards… some very sporting gentlemen… and –" Fai's voice dropped so low that Ayame had to struggle to catch the next words "– Sakura-chan's luck"
It took a moment for the meaning to click. When it did, Ayame flew off the bed and gave chase to the already escaping Fai, startling everyone.
"FAI. D. FLUORITE!" she roared, swinging her fists at Fai, who dodged them while grinning like a maniac, "HOW DARE YOU MAKE MY LITTLE SISTER PLAY POKER! I WILL KILL YOU!"
"Ooooo, now I've made Aya-chan really mad!" Fai laughed.
The cat and mouse chase continued, with Syaoran and Sakura trying to stop them in vain, till Kurogane finally lost his patience. He grabbed Fai with one hand and shoved Ayame back into the bed with the other, effectively ending Mokona's late night entertainment.
When tempers cooled down and jokes were shushed with a firm hand to the back of the head, the group finally decided to call it a day. Sakura and Ayame took the bed, Syaoran the sofa with Mokona nestled cosily on his head, and Fai and Kurogane slept on the mattresses.
Sleep rolled in quickly and within no time, the cosy room above the diner was filled with soft purrs and hums of soundly sleeping travellers… well all except Ayame.
Now that the room was quiet and there was nothing to take up her attention, Ayame's mind kept going back to the old memory she relived in her dreams. The dying fire cast dancing shadows which normally would've calmed her. Now, however, they reminded her of the shadows in the inner sanctum beneath the Clow Palace. The memory played over and over again in her head, as if making up for the years it spent locked away. She remembered every single detail – the blood-splattered columns, the bodies, the crimson pool, her mother's body lying face down, the voice of that man in the shadows.
The man who killed her mother and changed her whole life.
Ayame couldn't bear to lie down anymore. She slowly got out of bed, taking care not to wake Sakura. By the time she tip-toed to one of the chairs, the fire had all but died out, leaving the bar of moonlight spilling in through the window as the only source of light in the room. She placed the chair near the window and sat down. Her breath misted the frosted window as she watched the snow fall soundlessly, her mind whirring and clicking in the silence.
In the dream, Ayame had relived the horror of that night. The raw emotions of her ten year old self still rattled in her head – the hopelessness, the helplessness, the sheer and complete terror. Her body began to shake and a lump rose in her throat. She hadn't felt like this in years. For one moment, she wished she never broke the seal, wished she never recovered that memory.
However, the thought was pushed away as soon as it surfaced in her mind. She was no longer a scared, powerless little girl anymore. Ayame was a different person now – a woman who had been through hell and back. However terrifying the memory was, she reminded herself that she had seen worse and she had made it out. Her eyes lingered on Syaoran's sleeping form for a while and then on Sakura's. She had people to look after; she didn't have the time, nor the luxury to wallow in grief and self-pity.
Ayame wiped the tears that had snuck down her face and ran the memory through her head again, this time with an analytical mind. Now that she had her emotions under control, she saw that there were still some missing links. What was she doing in the inner sanctum? How did the man get there? How did all those people die? Who were those people? There was still so much she didn't remember.
She hadn't recovered the full memory.
And there was also that man…
Part of her wished Sakura and the others had not woken her up. If they could have just left her for a while longer, she might have seen his face. It didn't bother her much though. She had a clue, she had a direction. She would find that man… the man with the smooth voice and blood on his hands, and get justice, even if it was the last thing she did.
XXX
A new world, a new wardrobe… and a new headache for Ayame.
After going through a series of dresses, gowns, blouses, bodices, skirts and spending ten breathless minutes in a corset, Ayame finally decided on a few pieces which were somewhat comfortable. (She said that just for Sakura's sake, in reality, she hated them). Honestly, why was women's clothing in most cultures so restrictive?
"It is a little unconventional, ma'am, but I think it suits you very well!" the tailor said, glancing nervously at the pile of clothes Ayame and Sakura had him pull out.
Ayame looked at herself one more time. She wore a tight sleeved, high necked, lavender lace blouse over a matching skirt which had so many layers of petticoat that Ayame didn't bother to count. Both the sleeves and the hem of the skirt had blood-red detailing. The outfit was held together with a simple black belt. She had to admit, it did make her look very regal.
"Now, just one more thing needs to be done" Sakura said, pulling up a chair.
When she motioned Ayame to sit down, the older princess raised an eyebrow.
"You need to get that hair of yours under control, Nee-chan!" Sakura said in a matter-of-factly tone.
"Don't tell me you are going to braid my hair, it's not going to happen" Ayame said, "It gives me a solid headache"
"Stop beating around the bush, Nee-chan" Sakura scolded, "You say that because you are too impatient and restless to handle a braid"
"You wish" Ayame scoffed.
"Please" Sakura pouted.
At that, Ayame finally gave in. She knew there was no point in arguing with her after the pouting began. Even though she grumbled and complained the whole time Sakura worked on her hair, Ayame was secretly pleased to see some fire and life back in her sister.
Sakura had just finished braiding Ayame's hair into an elegant bun when Fai poked his head into the shop.
"Ah! You ladies are ready on time!" he said, "We just came back with our rides" After a quick assessment of their clothes, he added, "Might I say you two look really lovely"
"Thank you, Fai-san" Sakura said.
"And you better stop right there" Ayame warned.
"I see our Warrior Princess is feisty as always, even in such elegant clothes" Fai teased.
"Oh shut up!" Ayame said, blushing a little, while Sakura chuckled.
Fai had a retort ready, but was interrupted when the tailor hurried towards them and handed Sakura a white cloak and Ayame a grey cape coat. Fai paid the tailor what was due and they exited the shop.
The previous night, Ayame hadn't noticed the cold, thanks to the fire in the room. Now that they were out in the open, the frigid air bit at her exposed skin and made shivers run relay races up her spine. An irritated hiss escaped her mouth as she tightened the coat around her and pulled on her woollen gloves.
"Took you people long enough" Kurogane said when they reached the spot where he and Syaoran were waiting with three horses.
"Shouldn't there be four horses?" Ayame asked.
"We were going to get four, Ayame-san, but apparently it is extremely unusual for women to ride a horse on their own in this world. So we got only three" Syaoran explained.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Even though it's barely been a day since they arrived, Ayame was already not liking this world.
"Sakura-chan will be going with Syaoran-kun, Kuro-nii has the luggage. Which leaves you and me, Aya-chan!" Fai said with enthusiasm Ayame was not sharing.
"Let's just go" Ayame sighed.
She mounted the horse first, then Fai behind her. After making a quick check of all their belongings, they set out on the road to the northern country.
Snow crunched and gravel shifted as they maintained a steady pace on the narrow, meandering road. The trees on either side were stripped bare and stooping a little with the weight of the snow piled up on them. Fai said they were wonderfully curved at the perfect angle. Ayame, on the other hand, thought they looked ghostly against the muted grey of the afternoon sky. She looked up and sighed, her breath puffing out in small, white clouds.
"I hope it doesn't snow" she said.
"If I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up" Fai said, looking up as well.
"Brilliant" Ayame huffed.
"You really don't like it here, do you?" Fai chuckled, "Is it the cold?"
"It's more like the kind of cold" Ayame replied, "Even though I'm from a desert country, it can get really cold at night. But that kind of cold is dry. This cold here tends to bite at you" She shivered a little when she said that last part.
"You do have a point there" Fai said.
Most of the journey the little group spent in making small talk. They talked about the weather in their home worlds, they discussed the legend of the golden-haired princess, Fai and Mokona provided a certain amount of entertainment by finding new ways to irritate Kurogane. A while later, however, cold winds began to rip down the path and the talking ceased briefly as everyone focused on maintaining their pace and keeping themselves warm.
Ayame shivered uncontrollably as another gust of wind blew past them.
"Are you sure you won't fall sick, Aya-chan?" Fai asked.
Ayame could feel Fai's breath on the side of her face as he spoke, the warmth sending shivers up her spine.
"I'm sure I'll be fine" Ayame said through chattering teeth.
Fai hummed thoughtfully at her reply, as if he was thinking something through. After a couple of minutes, he said, "I might be able to help you out"
"Help me out how?" Ayame had barely finished the question when she felt cold fingers touch the nape of her neck. She felt a shift in response. The magic in Ayame's blood began to run faster than normal, warming her up instantly.
"What did you do?" Ayame asked, thankful for the relief the sudden warmth offered.
"I did nothing at all" came Fai's reply. The sudden change in tone did not escape her.
Ayame twisted to get a better look at him. His face was indecipherable; his usual cheerful grin was in place, but there was something in his eyes. A look of a person who knows he did something he shouldn't have. As Ayame tried to discern exactly what was going on, sapphire eyes refused to meet her gaze.
Nervous. That's what he was. Fai. D. Fluorite was nervous.
"Fai-san? You alright?"
"Me! Of course I am" Fai said, though the smile on his face faltered just a little, "I didn't do anything to you, by the way. I just kick started your magic to flow faster. That's what is giving you warmth. But it's a temporary fix. So you might want to talk less and save your strength, Aya-chan"
With that, Fai fixed his eyes on the road.
Ayame turned and did the same with an exasperated sigh.
'Just what is up with this guy?'
XXX
"Hey guys look, a signboard!" Mokona said, pointing at a post fixed at a turn in the road.
When they reached the post, Ayame squinted up at the words etched into the creaking wooden sign. She didn't understand the meaning, but the script looked vaguely familiar.
"Can you read it, Syaoran?" Ayame asked, "I think I have seen it somewhere before"
Syaoran was also observing the board carefully.
"Spirit" he said slowly, "I think that's how it is pronounced"
"You can actually read it!" Fai said, sounding impressed.
"That's amazing!" Sakura said.
"It's nothing really…" Syaoran fumbled, an embarrassed blush covering his face.
"Hey" Kurogane said, "It's no time to be joking around"
Ayame followed his gaze and understood what he meant.
They were on a small hill, which overlooked a town Ayame assumed was called Spirit. The road they were on passed right through the modest looking town; with its snow-laden cottages, stables, and a square right in the middle which looked like it could be the market-place. But that is not what caught Kurogane's attention. The moment the small group became visible to the town, the people milling about immediately ran back into their homes. As they approached the town, Ayame could hear the sounds of doors and windows slamming shut and bolts being fastened.
"I feel like we are not welcome here" Fai said with a nervous laugh when they reached the first line of houses.
"It's not 'feel like'. It is the truth" Kurogane corrected him.
Ayame agreed. She could see scared and curious eyes peering out of the windows, but when she tried to make eye contact, they quickly disappeared. Tension hung thick in the air, as if the entire town was on edge.
Just when Ayame had lost hope of finding anyone to ask what was going on, a door in one of the nearby houses clicked open and a girl about nine to ten years old walked out.
"Fai-san, stop right here" Ayame said. She dismounted and slowly walked towards the girl. Ayame expected the girl to run back inside, but she stood her ground and looked up at Ayame with polite curiosity. This was a good sign.
Ayame bent down till she was on eye-level with the little girl. "Hello"
"Hello" she replied shyly.
"That is an adorable toy you have there" Ayame said, pointing at the stuffed cat the girl was holding.
"His name is Kero" the girl gave Ayame an innocent smile, "Would you like to hold him?"
"Only if it's okay with you"
Ayame was about to take the toy the girl held out to her when the door next to them flew open and a panicked woman hurried out.
"How many times have I told you not to go out!" she yelled. She then grabbed the little girl by the arm and dragged her back in. Just before the door closed, Ayame thought she saw the woman give her a look filled with fear and suspicion.
"That went well" Ayame sighed, staring at the closed door.
Suddenly, the air was filled with the thumping of running feet and Ayame and the others were surrounded by more than a dozen men pointing their weapons at them. The sudden movement scared the horses and while Syaoran, Fai, and Kurogane tried to calm them down, Ayame turned to get a better look at the men.
"Who are you people?" one of them asked. He then turned his attention to Ayame and said, "And you, woman. What were you doing to that girl? Were you trying to kidnap her?"
"Kidnap her! Don't be ridiculous!" Ayame protested.
"Tell us the truth!" the man yelled, charging at her.
Ayame tried to get back and retaliate. However, her skirt got in the way and she stumbled.
'This is exactly why I hate skirts!' she thought.
Her companions yelled out in alarm when the man covered the distance between them quickly, weapon raised. But there was nothing she could do, she was a sitting duck.
Just when Ayame thought she was going to get hit for sure; a tall, lanky form appeared out of nowhere. Ayame felt a pair of strong arms sweep her off her feet, startling her. All she could do in her surprised state was throw her arms around the man's neck for support as he jumped up and landed smoothly on one of the nearby rooftops.
"Is this how you treat a beautiful young woman? How tasteless" the man said, not bothering to hide his disapproval. He then set her back on her feet carefully and said, "Are you hurt, ma'am? I apologise for the inconvenience these men have caused you"
The man was easily taller than her. He was neatly dressed in a crisp black suit with a matching tailcoat. His black hair was slightly messy, with a few strands falling down to frame is pale, handsome face. A pair of dark red eyes regarded her curiously.
"I'm okay" Ayame replied, returning the man's gaze. Why did she feel like she had seen him somewhere before? "Thank you"
The man bowed deeply without breaking eye contact and said, "That is unnecessary, ma'am. My name is Sebastian Michaelis, and I am at your service"
XXX
A/N: Oh how I love Sebastian! And yes, Sebastian as in Sebastian Michaelis from Kuroshitsuji. I'm really glad I found a neat way to incorporate his character into the story!
Personally, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it too.
Do not forget to leave a review, they are a big inspiration booster for me.
See you guys next month! ;)