Chapter 8 – Unforeseen Circumstances

"After all, you're only an immortal until someone manages to kill you. After that, you were just long-lived." Simon R. Green, The Bride Wore Black Leather

"I have to pee," Yoshino said out the side of her mouth to her lover and cousin who was seated next to her on a pale cream colored horse.

Rei's head turned to regard the woman she loved. "I told you to go before we left," the senior of the pair replied in a slightly rebuking tone of voice.

"I did!" Yoshino hissed back in her own defense upon be chastised for having to relieve herself. "I always have to go just before a battle!" she continued with as she turned her heard to fully regard the steel clad woman seated next to her.

"I swear you're worse than a kid sometimes, Yoshi-chan," Rei replied with an affectionate smile. "Whatever am I going to do with you?"

"Oh I can think of plenty of things," the petite woman with matching dark braids down her chest replied with a lecherous grin. "However they'll have to wait till after we're done here," she concluded with as her brown eyes turned to look forward and observe the opposing forces that were arranged across the valley from them.

"All the more reason to hurry up and win the day," was Rei's reply with a hungry gleam in her eyes as she regarded the woman that shared her bed at night.

The queen cleared her throat from where she sat astride a dark brown stallion on the other side of Rei. "If the two of you are about done being coy with each other," she said in a sarcastic tone to indicate she meant the exact opposite of her words, "…perhaps we should start this?"

Rei grinned and kneed her mount over next to her cousin's. "My favorite part of each battle," she said with a grin and she leaned over.

"Funny, mine too," Yoshino replied as she tilted her head back slightly and accepted the descending opened lips of her lover. The sweet salty taste of the older woman's mouth upon hers, the warmth of her tongue as it slipped between parted lips and darted within Rei's mouth, seeking to subdue and conquer all the while fending off her lover's tongue which was seeking the same. Tooru, leaning forward in his own saddle next to the Queen's, watched intently and suddenly felt the temperature within his armor rise by several degrees even as a throaty cheer sprang up from those massed behind them awaiting the order to attack.

"Invigorating, is it not," Miki asked with a wicked chuckle as she saw the look upon the former king's face.

Tooru nodded once as he swallowed forcibly. "Among other things," he agreed with the woman next to him.

"It does get the blood flowing," Miki reiterated as she turned back to regard her two generals still locked in a passionate kiss as the soldiers continued to cheer loudly. "It serves as a way to take their minds off of the coming battle," Miki explained as she nudged her steed closer to his so that they could still converse over the noise of the cheering. "Rei kissed her once just before a battle," the Queen continued to explain. "Since then it has become something of a tradition whenever the both of them are present. So far we have not lost once with their public display of love before a battle. Those," she said with a nod to the forces arrayed behind them, "take heart from such an example I think."

"It would certainly encourage them to remain alive to return to their own loved one," Tooru offered with a grin. "Does it help you to fight better and return as well, my Queen?" he asked off-handedly.

"Yes," she replied with a nod of her head. "I want to see that again and again," she told him with a glance towards the two women who were just now separating from their kiss, both panting and gasping for air. "I want to see them together for a long, long time to come and I will fight and even die so that they have the chance to do that." Tooru nodded once as she looked back to him to ensure he understood that some things were worth protecting, even at the cost of one's life. "Make certain you stay close to me during the fighting. I would hate for someone other than me to injure you," she added with a playful grin."

Tooru chuckled at her words, relishing the thought of a life time serving the woman next to him. "As my Queen commands," he replied as he slipped his helmet on but not before she saw the gleam of his smile.

The single was given and both forces moved forward towards each other. The mounted cavalry quickly outpaced the infantry, leaving them to catch up as quickly as they could. The crunch of metal and bone when the two forces collided was almost deafening. Animal and men alike screamed and died. Horses spun and kicked, not caring who they hit or which side they were on. Dismounted riders quickly attacked those still seated either directly or by killing the animal beneath them. As the foot solders arrived, the battle became all out mayhem with little semblance of order. The tides of battle quickly separated Tooru from his Queen.

The woman dropped her sword, both hands grasping her stomach, in a vain attempt to hold her innards in as Miki yanked her sword free savagely from her opponent's gut. As the woman doubled over, Miki rolled across the soon to be dead woman's back bringing her sword around with the force of the roll behind it as she landed upon her feet once more and caught an enemy soldier whose back was towards her in the crook between shoulder and neck with her blade, the force of the blow nearly severing the man's chest in twain. Planting a steel booted foot into the small of the back of the soldier, she kicked forward, pushing the dead body off her sword before spinning about to deliver the coup de grâce and beheading the woman still attempting to hold herself together.

While the Queen would prefer a peaceful solution if possible, she was no stranger to war or the battlefield. Bloodied at the age of twelve with her first kill, she was leading her own company of soldiers by the time she had seen her fifteenth year of life. Her father had ensured that she had the best weapon masters there to train her as she grew up. Her lessons were not limited just to the use of weaponry but also tactics and strategy as well. Given the inherent risks of her kind and the continual state of war her race existed in with the Kyuuketsuki, death and killing were as much a part of life as breathing and eating were. The heat of battle was more than just a dance with death for the Ookami; it was to walk along a fine line that traipsed the edges of insanity. It was a deliciously deceptive sonata, a sirens' call, which tugged at each and every one of them. As the lust for blood raged through one's veins it was easy, far too easy, to lose control. To lose oneself and give in to the animal urges that were always just barely held in check. To be Ookami was to be an animal contained within a form very similar to that of a human. The struggle for dominance between the animal mind and that of its rational counterpart was an ever present battle. It was while in the midst of battle that it was easier for the animal side to rise up and gain dominance over the other and it was allowed and preferred to a degree. Heightened instincts, faster reflexes, speed and an almost sixth sense to danger were the results, yet it was a delicate balance to maintain, allowing the animal leeway while still attempting to keep it on a leash so you did not lose complete control.

The loud clang of metal on metal rang within Miki's ears; her sword caught the blade of her next adversary above her head even as her parched lips within her helm pulled back in a snarl. The Queen's knee shot upwards on reflex, catching the male between his legs, the steel spike on her knee guard ensuring he would never sire a child ever again. As the man dropped to his knees clutching his injured area, Miki drew her arm back and then thrust her sword through the soldier's neck just under the chin ensuring he would never have to worry about being with anyone ever again. Instead of waiting for someone else to come and engage her in combat, the Queen turned and raced off to find another group of enemy soldiers, only to throw herself recklessly into the fray.

The bright sunlight flashed off the steel of her blade, blinding the warrior before her and allowing her the moment she needed to slip through the woman's defenses and sever the sword arm from its owner. The girl's high pitch scream sent a rush of adrenalin through the Queen's body even as she watched the injured woman grasp the stump of her appendage in an attempt to stave off the blood gushing from her body. A quick horizontal swing halted the scream in mid note along with removing the head from the owner's body. Blood surged through Miki's body as she turned to face the next in what seemed a never ending flood of opposing forces. A few brief moments and an additional three enemy were down, never to rise again. A red haze seemed to coat her consciousness as the lust for battle took hold of her, driving everything else away. Instincts, anger, fear and the desire to live took over and controlled her.

"They all must die!" she snarled, her voice sounding vicious as it resounded within her helmet. The sheer ferocity of her own words setting off alarms within the corner of her mind that was still rational. No! This isn't what I want! The Queen blocked an attack and responded by running the soldier through even as she struggled within herself to regain control of her body once again. I can't lose control now! She recalled other times when soldiers had lost control on the battlefield and had to be stopped. Once all control was lost there was nothing more that could be done as the berserker Ookami would undoubtedly shift their form to either that of a wolf or worse yet to the hybrid wolf biped form which was much harder to kill due to its increased size, strength and healing capabilities. An Ookami let loose in that form while in the grips of a killing rage was near on unstoppable and would kill anything and anyone who got within its grasp. Unable to determine friend from foe they were the ultimate killing machine. Among her kind there was almost nothing as shameful as losing control while in the heat of battle. From their earliest years, almost as soon as they could reason, they were instructed in how to control their anger so that it did not control them. With each passing moment she could feel herself slipping further into the abyssal darkness of insanity that came with backsliding into the animalistic mental state that caused the hot lance of fear to shoot through her entire body.

Lost in her own inner struggle she failed to hear the cry 'Ware Archers!' that rang out around her suddenly above the din of battle. A heavy weight unexpectedly landed upon her back causing her to stagger forward even as mail encased arms wrapped around her shoulders. Cries of the injured and dying rang out around her to the sickening sound of wooden shafts hitting home in the flesh of foe and friend alike. Lost within the haze of battle lust and her own inner struggle to regain control of herself the Queen acted on instinct and shrugged off the attacker. Taking a single step forwards she pivoted, turning 180 degrees, and thrust her sword into the gut of her assailant. Hauntingly brown feral eyes looked up just in time to see her attacker's steel grey eyes widen in surprise and pain. The man staggered back, her sword sliding free of his body and leaving a red smear upon it's blade as proof that her aim had been accurate. The injured man slowly sank to his knees, his weaponless hands hanging slackly at his sides, as his lips curled up into their usual amused expression. "My Queen," was all Tooru managed to say before his body fell forward to land face down in the dirt, the three arrows protruding from his back that he had saved her from quivering slightly at the abrupt movement.

-oOo-

Sachiko rolled over onto her back in the large canopied bed, her curvaceous form exuding sensuality with each tantalizingly slow movement. I don't remember the last time I awoke feeling this wonderful, she mused silently with a luscious grin upon her full rose colored lips. Rolling onto her side, her ample bosom threatened to slip free of the sheer blue negligee she wore, she reached for the metallic container on her nightstand without even opening her eyes. Ever since the Kyuuketsuki scientist had developed the synthetic enzyme her days had always started with digesting one of the candy like pills that sustained her life as well as all of her kind. Usually there is a certain feeling of hunger however today I do not feel that. How strange. Eyes opened revealing sapphire orbs set beneath a brow that creased in thought even as a slim delicate appearing hand replaced the container unopened upon the nightstand. Only then did she notice the time. "Damn, I'm going to be late! Onee-sama will be pissed!"

Rolling out of bed she dashed to the bathroom for a quick shower. No time for a bath this morning, she realized glancing at the tub longingly. It was one of her special indulgences she allowed herself each morning, to languish overly long in a hot bath. What's the point of being rich if you can't enjoy it, a soft smile uncharacteristically appear upon her soft lips. Quickly drying her hair she changed into the Lillian uniformed and opened the door, rushing out without looking and nearly colliding with a maid. "Gomen," the raven-haired woman tossed back over her shoulder as she quickly raced for the stairs. The maid, more surprised by the apology than almost being run over, could only stare after the woman in disbelief.

"Good morning Sa-chan," Kashiwagi Suguru greeted his cousin as she stepped into the dining area and quickly crossed to the table. "How are you this morning?"

"Remarkably well, Suguru-san," Sachiko replied without sparing the man a glance as she liberated two pieces of toast and turned to leave. I am remarkably well, she realized, a little surprised by the revelation. Why do I feel this good today? "I would love to stay and chat, Suguru-san, however I am already late for class so I must be off."

Suguru smiled with understanding. "Not an issue, I assure you, Sa-chan," he told her warmly. "I just wanted to express my gratitude for yesterday and to let you know how touched I am by your generosity."

"If you say so," Sachiko replied as she headed out the door pausing only enough to shoot a puzzled glance towards the man before she was past the door and hurrying to the waiting car. Whatever was that about, she pondered absently as she left the mansion and slid into the back seat of the black sedan? I'll have to ask him about it later, she decided, dismissing the matter from her mind as she quickly ensured she had the homework lessons for yesterday completed.

"Please forgive me if I am being to forward, Ojou-sama," Matsui spoke up from the front seat as he drove the car down the private road towards the front gate of the Ogasawara property. "I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations and well wishes for you and your family."

Sapphire eyes looked up and gazed at the rearview mirror, meeting his brown eyes for the brief moment before he looked away as was proper. "Thank you, Matsui-san, though I have to admit I am at a bit of a loss as to what exactly for you're offering me well wishes," Sachiko said.

Matsui smiled as he slowed and waited for the main gates to open. "I understand Ojou-sama. It' is not my place to bring it up and you would prefer to keep it quiet for the time being." The chauffer nodded slightly to himself as he pulled the big black car out onto the road and sped away in the direction of Lillian Girl's Academy. "I just thought that with how happy you appeared this morning that….," his words trailed off after glancing up and seeing the confusion on the older woman's face. "Gomennasai, it is not my place to question."

Sachiko sat in the back seat and tried to recall the past twenty-four hours. What happened in the last day that would have Suguru thanking me? Furthermore whatever could Matsui-san be speaking of? The high school student contemplated these questions for a while as they drew closer to their destination. The more the heir of the Ogasawara house thought about it the more frightened she became as she realized that the last day was a blur in her memory. The last thing I recall clearly was…., a sharp image of a girl in a Lillian uniform advancing upon her with a knife in hand flashed within her mind. That's right! I was attacked…but then what happened? "Matsui-san, how did you hear about it?" she finally asked as she thought it would be best to solve one mystery at a time. With Suguru back at the Ogasawara mansion she could not question him directly so the chauffer was the logical choice.

The driver's eyes darted to the review mirror quickly before returning to the road. "Ojou-sama…" he began hesitantly.

"It's alright," she assured him. "What we speak of within this car, when it is just the two of us will not pass my lips again except in your company. I promise you that, Matsui-san," Sachiko told him in a tone of voice full of conviction.

"Ojou-sama is too kind," the drive replied believing just that. "Two of the house servants were in the room when you made your announcement and they…" the man paused for a moment before finishing his thought, "…are talkative at night."

"Both of them?" Sachiko asked raising one brow in question. The raven-haired woman couldn't help but grin upon seeing the man's cheek take on a rosy hue after her question. Sachiko recalled two of the newer maids who enjoyed wearing their skirts shorter than the others eyeing the driver the previous week and so had a good inkling of who the two might be that had spent the night with the man. "I see," she replied after a long silence. "What did they exactly hear then?" Sachiko asked with a slightly confused and worried look.

"I'm sure it was nothing, Ojou-sama," Matsui replied in a tone meant to sooth and make light of the fact that the maids had overheard something they were not supposed to. "They've probably have forgotten about it by now," he added as the brick wall surrounding the school grounds came into view.

"I assure you they will not be in any trouble," Sachiko stated in a firm voice becoming irritated by the man's hesitation to tell her what she wanted to know and realization that they were almost to school.

Matsui sighed heavily. "Ojou-sama, you truly do not recall?" he inquired looking into the mirror to see her. Upon the raven-haired head nodding he continued. "Ojou-sama came home yesterday all smiles and hugs, was what I was told," he started with. "The maids, never having seen you as such, were very surprised of course. You greeted Ogasawara-sama with a hug and a kiss and then informed him that you were ready to fulfill your royal obligation. Kashiwagi-sama was there and you informed him that he could be the first to father a child upon you." Matsui glanced in the mirror once again only to see the woman in the back seat wearing a look of utter shock and disbelief. "Ojou-sama is everything alright?" he asked as he waited to turn the car about and pull up to the curb.

I couldn't have done that! There is no way I would ever agree to such a thing! The woman's mind reeled under the news that had just been imparted to her. Unconsciously one delicate hand rose to her chest, grasping the front of her uniform however the fingers did not feel the usual reassuring presence of the rosary that normally hung there. I must have forgotten to put it on, she thought upon recalling that she was running late and had barely managed to get a shower. I didn't have it on at that time so I must have left it on the dresser. Slipping her cell phone out from her school bag she quickly dialed the only person she could think of at the moment. When the call connected she heard the older woman's voice on the other end asking her where she was at. "Oba-sama, we need to talk! I'm in a car at the front gate. I need you, Onee-sama! This is an emergency and cannot wait!" Sachiko nearly cried into the phone. Sachiko dropped the call after receiving confirmation that the older woman would be there as quickly as she could. How? How could I have let this happen after all this time? It was only a few minutes before the third year student arrived at a very un-lady-like run. Sachiko slid over and made room in the back seat for her Onee-sama even as she turned towards Matsui. "Take me to my father," she instructed him.

"Sachiko, what's wrong?" Youko inquired, startled by the other woman's demand to be taken to her father.

"I think I messed up," Sachiko said to the woman next to her before she explained what Matsui had informed her of.

Youko heard the other woman out, her mind already formulating what she referred to as damage control. "You don't recall anything from yesterday?" she inquired of Sachiko.

Her Petite Sœur shook her head slowly. "Just a small part of the morning before the First Year Welcoming Ceremony."

"Well then," Youko said thoughtfully as she leaned back into the seat and pondered how to proceed in telling her little sister. "There is something else you need to know then as well, Sachiko…," the sapphire eyed girl could only stare in surprise wondering what else she could have possibly done yesterday, "… do you recall who your Petite Sœur is?"


Author's Note:

My apologies for the slow updates as I realize we're not immortal and hence cannot wait forever. Work has taken a sudden turn for the BUSY and hence I've been working some crazy hours the last two weeks, with no end in sight. Please bear with me and I promise to update as often as the Muse and time allow. Let's see, a little more Sachiko this time around so I'll hopefully give you a little more Yumi next time.

As always, though certainly not required, I do appreciate any and all reviews.

Kind Regards,

EJ Daniels

All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of Oyuki Konno the original writer of the Maria-sama ga Miteru light novel series.

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