Chapter 15 – Obligations
"Our hope of immortality does not come from any religions, but nearly all religions come from that hope" Robert Green Ingersoll
…
"I understand why you feel the need to do this, however are you certain it is the correct course of action to take at this time?" Rei asked in a loud enough voice to be heard over the whipping wind and driving rain. "You risk everything, my Queen. We can ill afford to lose you both at this time!"
Miki offered her friend a weak smile even as she squinted against the stinging rain so she could look directly at her General. "To do otherwise simply wouldn't be me, Rei," she replied, pulling her cloak tighter around her. "I do not believe that any harm will come to me," she offered in the hopes of calming her General's fears and doubts.
"Can you promise me that?" Rei enquired only to receive a curt nod indicating that the promise could not be made. The General's eyes took in the clenched jaw muscles and the look of determination, recalling all to well that when the Queen had her mind set on something there was little anyone could do to change it. Rei held the Queen's gaze for a long moment before nodding once in resigned acceptance of the decision. "I'll see that Maria-sama and the child are protected," Rei assured her. "Yoshino has already left with the advance scouting party to set up the tent and then scout the enemy forces. I instructed her to find me upon her return rather than seek you out directly."
"I may be otherwise occupied," the Queen said in way of agreement to Rei's counter orders, even as her worried eyes shifted back towards the tent flaps a few feet away. "I hope to be done by the time the storm begins to abate," she imparted to Rei even though she wasn't certain exactly when the end of either of those, the storm or her pending task, would actually occur. "I will be there when our forces meet theirs," Miki stated in such a tone that Rei had no cause to doubt the older woman. "Before you leave pass the word to the others under you to ensure that all able bodied soldiers who can are to be ready to move out when the time comes."
"Perhaps if we moved them up to the forward location beforehand?" Rei suggested. "We can stake out a path so no one gets lost in the storm."
Miki shook her head in disagreement. "We're not moving the wounded so once the storm has let up enough it should be fairly easy to move the army to where it needs to be." The Queen's eyes swept the vale they were currently located in to avoid the worst of the storm's wind, her eyes surveying the dismal tents that she could see through the driving rain. "They fought hard and I would have them stay within their tents, where it is drier as well as warmer, for as long as they can. We will have need of their strength so let them rest for as long as they can."
"I understand, my Queen," Rei replied, certain that the men would appreciate the time out of the storm. Once again Rei realized what a skilled leader the woman next to her was. Within her chest her resolve to ensure that her Queen survived this ordeal hardened into an iron fist which she would use to beat a path to freedom even if it was through the enemy lines itself. "I will pass the word."
"Rei-chan," Miki said as she stepped closer to Rei and laid a hand upon the General's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "I want nothing to happen to you. My only command to you is that you don't get yourself killed!" Rei hastily looked up, startled as well as deeply touched by her Queen's words. "If anything happened to you I don't think I could put up with Yoshino," Miki added with a teasing grin hoping that the younger woman knew just how serious she really was concerning her last command. I don't know what I would do without the two of them, she thought to herself referring to Rei and Yoshino. The cousins had long been the rock of her support through everything. When her own mother, the then reigning Queen, had perished in battle it was Rei and Yoshino that had backed her claim to the throne and insured that there were none to challenge her. She owed them much and wanted nothing more than to give them a place where they could live happily together for the rest of their lives.
"It will be as you command, my Queen," Rei replied slapping one arm across her chest while tilting her head down respectfully. After a nod from her Queen the General turned and strode the short distance to her waiting horse that was being held by an attendant and mounted. Taking the reins in hand she steered the chestnut steed towards the path between the tents and rode off into the rain, a company of horseman quickly falling in behind her in orderly fashion.
Miki watched the mounted company disappear into the rain and couldn't help but wonder if she would ever see her dear friend and General ever again. With a resigned sigh that was quickly lost within the roar of thunder and the screams of the wind, the Queen turned and retraced her steps to the tent, entering just as Maria-sama and Sei-chan were leaving the curtained off section where Tooru was currently resting. Tossing off her rain drenched cloak, revealing a low cut burgundy dress which was wet in several places from the rain, the Queen turned with an anxious look upon her features to face Maria.
"He's still resting," the silver-maned woman said upon seeing the questioning look of concern upon Miki's face. "I suspect that he will awaken shortly. Last chance to change your mind, child," Maria said as she reached out and laid her hand upon the queen's forearm. "None would think the worse of you for not remaining."
The Queen couldn't help but smile slightly, unable to recall the last time anyone had called her child. Miki declined with a shake of her head, sending water droplets flying like errant raindrops. Squaring her shoulders she offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I would think less of me," she replied. "I will remain with him, whatever the outcome may be it is of my choice. I make it freely and of my own mind and heart."
Maria smiled knowingly. "I truly expected no less from you," she said as her hand upon the Queen's arm slide down to grasp Miki's hand and raise it towards her, while turning it palm side face up. "I have done all I can for him," she informed the Queen even as she raised her other hand and set two arrowheads with blood stained broken shafts into Miki's waiting palm. "I shall leave him in your care as well as you in his I think. I can't say that I know what will happen," Maria said as she released the Queen's hand and slipped a delicate arm around Sei's shoulder, pulling the child to her slightly. "I can only hope that you treat each other well," she said ambiguously. "Sei-chan," Maria said as she looked down at the small child beside her who was even then staring up at the woman who called her name, "Shall we go and collect your storm?"
"Maria-sama will be with me?" Sei-chan asked as she balled up one of her tiny fists nervously within the fabric of the woman's robe as she spoke.
"I'll always be watching over you," Maria assured the child. Sei-chan simply nodded upon receiving the older woman's reassurance, content with just those few words. "When I leave this tent I will seal it," Maria stated as she looked to the Queen once again. "No one will be able to enter it till either of you leave it or I return to remove the seal. Those outside will not be able to hear or see anything that transpires in here so you needn't worry about such trivial matters," she informed Miki with a look that left the Queen with the impression that Maria knew something of importance yet had no intentions of sharing the information with her at the current time.
Miki nodded once to indicate she understood and then stood there and watched as Maria and the small child known as Sei-chan slipped through the tent flaps. It was several long moments before she suddenly realized that she could no longer hear the storm which raged just upon the other side of the canvas walls of the tent. Bewildered, Miki stepped to the wall of the tent and reached out to touch it. Where once it had felt pliable and damp it now had the texture of hardened stone beneath her fingertips. Pressing upon the material did not cause it to yield in the least. At first fearful that she was trapped within the tent her mind screamed for her to flee after the departed woman, however a low moan from the curtained off area of the tent drove all such thoughts from her mind.
Crossing the small entry area quickly, the Queen slipped between the curtains and into the warmth of the other area, pausing long enough to take in the situation before her. Additional coals had been added to the braziers and they had apparently been stoked as they burned a bright white and red. A scent of something sweet and thick hung in the air, indicating that some form of incense may have been added to the burning braziers as well. The fragrance left her feeling slightly light headed and detached while at the same time calming her racing heart and soothing her frayed nerves. Tooru lay upon the bed, his head and limbs thrashed weakly about as if he was in the midst of some terrible dream. Most of the covers had been kicked off and lay bunched at the foot of the bed. In his current state his movements were small and without much force so there was little chance that he might injure himself. The Queen quickly noted the white fresh bandages about the man's midriff which made sense she told herself, realizing that Maria had extracted the arrow heads from his back and so would have needed to replace the existing dressings when she was finished.
Another low groan from the occupant of the bed drew the Queen's attention once more. The arrowheads, forgotten in her hand slipped noiselessly through her fingers to land upon the ground. Almost before she knew it her feet were in motion, propelling her across the fur lined floor and to the side of the bed. Reaching down she gently took Tooru's hand that was closest to her and lifted it out of the way before sitting upon the edge of the bed and resting the captured hand within her lap. Miki looked down at the hand held within hers, surprised by its coldness and the weakness she felt there. The masculine hand was weathered and worn. Calluses from countless hours of holding a sword or spear now appeared to be out of place upon the thin members and gnarled knuckles. The hand held in hers looked old, as if it belonged to someone far older than the appearance of the man she knew. Is that what happens when they do not feed, she pondered silently. Does their age catch up with them in a short span of time till they turn to dust and blow away in the wind? Where injury and arrow could not kill him, will his own body instead deliver the final coupe de grace? Grasping the hand in hers, determined to not allow his life to end in such a manner, the Queen leaned over the man and gently called his name, "Tooru." At first there was no response. "Tooru," she called once more, slightly louder and more commanding. "I still have need of you! You cannot leave yet as we are not done. There are still battles to be fought and a war to be won. Damn you!" she exclaimed, her fear driving her anger. "You started this mess! Don't you dare leave it all to me now! Tooru!"
The man's eyelids flickered briefly before they suddenly snapped open, glazed and vacant yet with a feral gleam that sent a shiver down the Queen's spine for there was no traces of sanity within them. Before Miki knew it Tooru lunged upwards, his hands shooting out to grasp her shoulders painfully before pushing her backwards with incredible strength and speed. The Queen quickly found herself pinned upon her back on the bed, Tooru posed above her, his eyes quickly scanning the tent like a caged animal looking for a way to escape. As Tooru's vacant feral eyes returned once more to her, a shudder seemed to sweep through the injured man's body which restrained her. His eyes seemed to cloud over and then clear as rational thought returned once more. "My Queen…," Tooru managed to croak out in little more than a sob upon seeing what he had nearly done. "Run," he told her in a hoarse whisper as he shakily released her shoulders and sat back so that she could flee.
Even though Miki knew she should do as he said and that she should be frightened still her heart did not race and fear did not fill her being. The Queen slowly sat up, her eyes never leaving the man before her who even now looked away from her, whether to keep from attacking her or from shame she could not tell. "You really should learn to stop trying to tell me what to do," she told him as a small playful smile graced her features.
"I…I can't hold it back…," Tooru managed to gasp out between clenched teeth, his frame shuddering as he held off the incredible hunger, raging inside of him, by sheer force of will alone.
Miki reached out, the palm of her hand sliding along his beard stubble covered cheek and across the side of his head till her fingers grasped the ridged muscles along the back of his neck. Gently, yet insistently, she pulled his head towards the crock of her neck and shoulder. "It's alright," she whispered to him, her words brushing across his ear. "Take what you need." Unable to hold back the insistent thirst any longer he did not question but instead gave himself to the hunger that had gone unanswered for three days. Miki gasped in pain as she felt his teeth pierce her flesh to draw forth her life's blood. A burning warmth swept through her body suddenly filling her with rolling waves of intense pleasure. Miki's head leaned forward and she bit down on Tooru's bare shoulder in an effort to keep from screaming out in ecstasy as wave after pleasurable wave continued to assail her being. As a white fog invaded her mind, excluding all else from her thoughts, the last thing she recalled was the warm, iron rich taste of blood within her mouth just before oblivion claimed her.
-oOo-
"That will be enough of that," Maria stated, shooting the kneeling Shimako a stern look of reproach before turning to regard Yumi directly. Noting the shocked and awed expression upon the young girl's face, Maria sighed mentally. "Despite what you may have heard, I am not the mother of some religious figure. That was a different Maria," the white robed woman with silver tresses stated as she walked around to take a seat upon the couch next to Yumi. "She was a nice enough girl. Far too quiet and unassuming if you ask me," Maria continued in a slightly disapproving tone. "She waited on those two men hand and foot for all that time. The Church had better have made her an important figure after what she had to deal with," Maria finished with as she adjusted her robes about her. It was clear to those present that she was speaking more to herself than to the others in the room. "So," Maria suddenly stated cheerfully as she clasped her hands together in her lap and looked at Yumi with a bright smile, "You're the one?"
Yumi's large brown eyes blinked once slowly and then once again a bit quicker as her mind tried to process everything at once. So she is not the Maria-sama but she says to have known the real one? That would make her…., Yumi did the math in her head quickly. It wasn't the age that really startled Yumi but the fact that the woman seated next to her knew the very Maria-sama mentioned in the Bible. Age, she had learned long ago, was simply a number. Growing up in the company of immortals who numbered their existence in centuries rather than years, Yumi had quickly learned that one's age was irrelevant. That is unless you're as young as I am, she told herself, realizing just how vastly different they were from one another. Even to the General and Yoshino-sama I am nothing but a babe as yet weaned. Unable to fully wrap her head around the religious ramifications the woman's words brought up or how different their ages made them, Yumi said the first thing that came to mind. "Gokigenyou, Maria-sama."
"You have manners. I like that!" Maria said before looking at Sei. "How much does she know?"
"Nothing as yet, Onee-sama," Sei responded with, having regained her composure after the surprise of her Onee-sama suddenly appearing so unexpectedly. "I was not expecting you, Onee-sama."
"I see," Maria replied softly. "That could be for the best."
"That was my thinking as well," Sei agreed still uncertain if her Onee-sama meant what Yumi knew or that she had been unexpected.
"E...excuse me," Yumi stammered, drawing everyone's attention to her. "I'm slightly confused here. What exactly don't I know and why shouldn't I know it?"
"You know everything that you need to know, child," Maria assured her causing Yumi's facial expression to go from slightly confused to out right bewildered. "My, such an expressive face," Maria said softly aloud to herself causing Sei to snort humorously, earning her a glare of reproach from Shimako. Yumi blushed in embarrassment as once more her face gave away her thoughts. "It's a good thing to have such an open expression," Maria quickly added when she noticed the other girl's discomfort. Reaching out she gently patted Yumi's forearm in reassurance. "It will keep you honest, a quality which is sadly rare these days."
Yumi gave a weak smile, uncertain if she agreed with the woman's assessment about it being a benefit to have such an expressive face or not. "If you say so," she offered hesitantly. Yumi was certain that there was something which was known by Maria and Sei which was being kept from her. "You mentioned that my mother gave you this land?" Yumi enquired hoping that if she could keep them talking that some important fact might slip out and clue her in to what exactly was going on.
"Yes, though it was a long time ago," Maria said, picking up the conversation. "We were to perform a service for your mother the Queen and in return she granted us a large parcel of land."
"You said you were to perform…I take it then that you were unable to uphold your side of the bargain," Yumi enquired. "Yet it seems she granted you the land none the less?"
"Let us just say that our side has not satisfied all the terms of the agreement," Sei interjected from her seat. "Your mother felt that we had earned her trust and so did not begrudge us the use of the land. Technically the Queen still holds the title to the land this school and the surrounding area rests upon. Onee-sama," Sei paused long enough to smile at the woman next to Yumi, "established a place for those with special abilities to come and learn how to master them. We used to travel abroad to find those gifted," Sei explained. "Eventually we grew large enough that the surrounding towns began to notice our presence so we decided to assume the guise of a Catholic Sisterhood. When the Mother Church in Italy finally noticed us it seemed like the best way to hide ourselves."
Yumi nodded slightly, seeing the logic in the choice to hide in plain view. "May I ask what the terms of the agreement were with the Queen?" Yumi asked. "Mother never spoke of this matter and I am more curious than anything else," she admitted. "If it is something secret then I will of course understand if you can not divulge the information."
"Nothing so clandestine or secretive that you can't hear of it," Maria told her with a wave of her hand. "Thank you, child," Maria said, pausing to thank Shimako for the cup of tea she had just placed before their unexpected visitor. "In exchange for the land we joined the Queen's cause to end the war between Ookami and Kyuuketsuki. The war was destroying both races and your Mother's plan to end the fighting seemed most advantageous at the time. We did not want to see either race destroyed and I wanted to start a place of learning. By aligning ourselves with your mother we could accomplish both goals while assisting with her own desire of an end to hostilities."
"I don't understand," Yumi confessed, once more looking confused. "I thought that war ended long ago? Yet you said that you did not deliver on your end of the bargain?"
"The large scale battles most certainly did," Sei replied, taking up the conversation allowing Maria to take a sip of her tea. "There are still many out there who to all appearances are peaceful and compliant yet there are still causalities on both sides almost nightly," Sei explained. "Till there is a true peace between both races we have not fulfilled our obligation. As long as there are Ookami and Kyuuketsuki killing each other then the war still continues."
"Yes, yes. I think that will be enough history for one day," Maria cut in before any further questions could be answered. "I think we have kept these two long enough, Sei-chan."
"As I recall there is a Yamayurikai meeting to discuss the upcoming fall festival. Shimako, when you and Yumi-chan arrive please inform the other Roses that I will be unable to attend today," Sei asked of her Petite Soeur.
"I will convey your regrets, Onee-sama," Shimako replied in her usual soft and serene voice.
Yumi, knowing a dismissal when she heard one rose to her feet and bowed to Maria. "It has been a pleasure to meet you, Maria-sama," the younger girl offered.
"The pleasure has been mine, child," Maria replied warmly. "Please tell your mother that I send my regards." Yumi nodded and then followed Shimako from the room, closing the door behind them. Maria waited several moments before turning to Sei. "You're certain that she is the correct one?"
Sei took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before replying. "As near as we can tell," she offered calmly. "You've read the books, probably more times than I have."
"I know," Maria conceded. "They're mostly gibberish. Shiori's ramblings were always that way and once her mind cracked they became even worse." Seeing the pain in Sei's eyes Maria rose and walked over to sit beside her own Petite Soeur, slipping a comforting arm around the younger woman's shoulders. "I know how painful it is for you to think of her, Sei-chan. If there is anything you can recall from one of her more lucid moments that may help…"
"I've tried," Sei replied sadly, tilting her head to rest against the other woman's shoulder. Even after all these years it still hurt to think of the dark haired woman. "I'll read over her diaries once more and see if there is anything else that comes to mind, Onee-sama."
"I truly am sorry to cause you such pain," Maria said as she turned her head slightly and kissed the crown of Sei's golden head. Reaching out she slipped Sei's hand into her own and clasped it, giving it a soft squeeze. "If there was any other way I would use it."
"Arigatou, Onee-sama. I know you would," Sei replied squeezing the hand that held hers. The two women sat in silence, the youngest taking solace in the presence of the other.
Author's Note:
I took some time off from writing for the holidays to visit with family and friends. I hope all of you were able to do the same. Sorry if you've been awaiting the next installment since the middle of last month. This will be the first posting of the New Year so I hope all of you enjoy it. Before I forget, I hope each and every one of you have a joyful and prosperous New Year!
I will try once again to maintain a weekly posting however with work being busy as well as still writing for my Living The Dream story I may not be able to maintain that. Rest assured that I will do my best though. If I happen to fall behind please save the tar and feathering for after the story is complete. It's terribly hard to type with tar covered fingers you know?! ;-)
As always, though certainly not required, I do appreciate any and all reviews. They really do motivate me to write more! Seriously!
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.
