Chapter 16 – Calm Before The Storm

"We part with tender relations stretching far behind us, that never can be exactly renewed, and with others dawning - yet before us." - Charles Dickens (The Battle of Life)

"Onee-sama, where can I have our driver take you?" Sachiko asked once they had returned to the waiting sedan.

"I'm assuming that you'll not be going to the school then?" Youko queried, fairly certain of the other's answer before hearing it. "We have a Yamayurikai meeting today to discuss the upcoming fall festival."

Sachiko shook her head. "After missing classes all day it would not look appropriate for me to show up for a meeting," she clarified, confirming the older woman's suspicions.

Youko sat back in the seat with a sigh as the car pulled out into traffic. "Unlike you, I do not have a valid reason for missing the meeting. Please drop me off at the rear gate of Lillian though," she stated. "I don't feel like greeting half the school while I walk to the Rose Mansion," she explained upon seeing Sachiko arched brow.

"At least it's only half the school," Sachiko replied with a smirk. "I swear at times I feel as if the entire school is lying in wait for me to walk past. Since when did young girls become so vacuous?" Sachiko asked in exasperated disbelief.

Youko chuckled at her Petite Soeur's tone. "Somewhere around the 11th century," she replied.

"Really?" Sachiko exclaimed in surprise. "Where was I?"

"China," the oldest of the pair commented in a thoughtful tone before adding, "I think. Anyways it was someplace other than home."

"Was I really gone that often?" Sachiko voice was rather curious.

"As often as you could get away," Youko replied. "I think it became something of a game with you. You would appear home and before anyone knew it you were gone again. Kashiwagi-san and others used to take wagers on how long you would be there before leaving." Youko grinned at the very unladylike snort of laughter that came from the woman next to her.

"I should make him give me a portion of his winnings," the en Bouton said while glancing out the car window. Youko's answering bark of laughter made her turn her head sharply back towards the older woman.

"Good luck with that! I'm certain that gold is long gone by now," the current Rosa Chinensis stated. Sachiko could only grin as she had no doubt that Suguru-san had won the wagers a fair share of the time. He knew her better than anyone else after all, with the exception of the woman seated next to her currently.

Just as she knew him, which was why she was certain that gains collected at her expense were spent just as fast as they were handed over. She knew her cousin better than anyone else currently alive. "Speaking of Kashiwagi-san, I will need to speak with him and let him know about our discussion with Father," Sachiko said, her tone turning serious once more.

"How do you think he will take it?" Youko enquired.

Sachiko shrugged slightly. "He's Kashiwagi-san. He'll be fine with it." After a moment or two of silence had passed she added, "What choice does he have? As long as he knows that eventually he'll get his way he'll be content to wait it out."

"True," Youko replied in a long sigh, drawing out the word slightly. "He's level headed enough to see you are worth the wait." Sachiko didn't feel like arguing the point so she remained silent for the remainder of the drive to Lillian. "Is there anything you'd like me to pass along to Yumi-chan," Youko asked as the rear gate of the school came into view.

Sachiko chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment in thought before answering. "No," she said at last. "I'll see her tomorrow and explain everything to her. She seems like a bright girl so I can only hope that she's reasonable as well."

"Alright," Youko said in a slightly disappointed tone. "Just remember that she is a sixteen year old girl, with all the fears and insecurities that entails." The car pulled to a stop and the driver quickly got out and came around to open the rear door for Youko. "I'll at least tell her you are sorry for not meeting her this morning."

"Arigatou, Onee-sama," Sachiko said with a thankful smile. I should have thought of that myself, she silently told herself. "I'll see you tomorrow, Oba-sama," Sachiko offered in way of parting as the driver closed the door and returned to his seat.

"Where to Ojou-sama?" he enquired.

The Ogasawara heir suddenly felt very drained and exhausted. I used to be able to fight for a day and not feel this drained, she bemoaned. Why is it that when it comes to these emotional confrontations they tire me out so much? "Please take me home," she instructed the driver as she leaned her head back and allowed her eyes to close.

Just how did my life get so complicated? she wondered. An image of a young brunette with pigtails danced before her inner eye, causing her tired lips to turn upwards in a smile. What am I going to do with you my little sister? Unconsciously Sachiko licked her lips slowly bringing to mind the taste of the girl's blood. Not only are you cute but you're also delicious. A sudden thought occurred to her that caused her brows to knit into a crease even as her eyes remained closed. "Is it because of you that I was acting so strange?" she asked aloud in a soft whisper. Sachiko knew it had been a very long time since the last time she had tasted human blood but she didn't recall it being as intoxicating as the one lick of Yumi's had been. With a shake of her head she dismissed the notion that a human's blood, even one as cute as Yumi, could have that effect upon her.

As the car rolled through the streets of Tokyo she tried to relax her mind and just rest for a bit. Sachiko realized that she still had over a year of high school left and then possibly four years of college before she had to make good on her foolish offer of fulfilling her obligation. That should be plenty of time to figure out a place to run to, she reasoned to herself. With the vague outlines of a plan forming in her mind she was able to relax for the remainder of the drive to the Ogasawara mansion.

Sachiko vacated the back of the car and walked into the house still lost in thought. Turning to the left she decided to make her way to the kitchen and request that some tea be brought up to her room when she was stopped by a familiar voice.

"You're home early. Rough day at school?" Suguru asked over the top edge of the business section of the newspaper he was currently reading.

Sachiko's blue eyes hardened for a moment and then softened upon realizing who it was addressing her. "I've had worse as well as better," she replied non-committedly, pausing behind a dining room chair and restring her hands upon the back of it. "What brings you about, Suguru-san?"

"Can't I come to visit my beautiful cousin," he asked in a slightly hurt tone.

"I would believe that if my gender was different than what it is," she replied back easily. She was well aware of her cousin's tastes and where they lay. "Regardless of the reason you're here," she continued with, a negligent wave of her hand dismissing the reason entirely, "it saves me a call or trip to see you." Seeing him lower the paper further and arch a brow in question she preceded. "I need to speak with you concerning the matter of birthing."

"I see," Suguru replied, folding the paper and setting it down on the top of the table so that he could give her his full attention. "So the Council has then set a date?"

"No, not exactly," Sachiko replied, dropping her eyes to regard her finger which she ran across the uneven top of the ornately carved chair back. Looking down as she was, she missed the slightly hardening of Suguru's eyes as they regarded her or the cool calculated expression that appeared and was almost instantly replaced by his typical playful smirk.

"I spoke with Father and he will persuade the Council to allow me to finish school first," Sachiko explained as she looked up and met his eyes. Seeing his usual expression she exhaled the breath she had been holding without realizing it. Having grown up together the two of them were close and Sachiko truly did not wish to offend Suguru.

Suguru shrugged slightly and looked down at the paper before him as if resuming the reading she had interrupted. "So just another year or so and then we can begin?"

"There is college after high school," Sachiko clarified, feeling more at ease with how he was taking it. "That will be another four years or so."

Suguru looked up sharply and stared at her for a long moment. "That will give you plenty of time to find a new place to flee to, Sa-chan," he stated matter-of-factly finally having reasoned it out for himself. Sachiko cursed silently that he could read her so easily. A slight tilting of her head was the only indication that he was correct. "Why must you always play these games?" Suguru snapped at her, a hint of anger entering his voice.

"It is easy for you to say such a thing," Sachiko snapped back, feeling her anger begin to rise. Suguru had never before raised his voice to her as he was doing now. This was not the first time she had put off her responsibility and he had always taken it as just another part of her. "You're not the one whose body will be used as a factory against your will!"

"Neither one of us had control over the gender we were given at birth," he countered with. "Do you hate me so much that you cannot bear the thought of giving birth to my child?" he asked in forced calmness, his fits beneath the table, were clenched in anger as he forced himself not to yell.

"It's not that!" Sachiko exclaimed and then quickly turned her back towards him so that he could not see the look of revulsion that came across her face. "I…I can't stand the thought of all the other's…." she had to swallow hard before she could continue. "I mean I don't love them! Hell, I don' even know most of them! Why? Why would I ever want to sire a child by them? I would sooner never give birth than to have their seed enter me and create an offspring!" Her last words were spoken acidly and were nearly dripped with revulsion and loathing.

That's it, Suguru thought to himself almost triumphantly as Sachiko played perfectly into his hands. "If that is the case," Sachiko's cousin replied in a voice of pure understanding and compassion as he rose and walked around the table to stand behind her. "Then there is a way out of having to do that, Sa-chan. Bond with me," he urged her as his hands came to rest gently upon her shoulder. "If you are bonded then the Council cannot force you to bear anyone else's child other than the person you're bound to," he spoke encouragingly into her ear.

All the energy she had recuperated during the drive seemed to drain out of her. For a brief moment Sachiko leaned back against Suguru's chest as she felt his arm slip around her, sheltering her from everything. When they were younger she had always tuned to him when she was upset or when she had a fight with her father, which was often. He had been her friend and her confidant more times than she could count. Still, she had never loved him and hence could never see herself bonded to him.

"Thank you, Suguru-san," Sachiko said as she reached up and affectionately patted his forearm for a moment before stepping out of his embrace. "While that may solve the immediate problem it would just cause issues later down the road." She turned to face him, relieved to see the impassive expression on his face. At least I haven't offended him. Still I had best tell him why so that he knows it is not him.

"You are my dearest friend and cousin. I love you as such however I am not in love with you and therefore I cannot bond to you, Suguru-san," she said as she stepped to his side and gently laid a hand on his shoulder, patting it softly. "If the day ever comes that I find myself in love then I will bond but it will be because I choose to do so," she said as she dropped her hand and moved past him heading for the kitchen to request some tea be brought up to her room.

Behind her she missed the cold wicked glare of hatred that followed her progress till she walked from the room.

-oOo-

Miki parted the tent flaps and glared at the falling rain uncertain if it had slackened or not. "Any word from the General or the others that were sent out," the Queen asked the guards. Miki's knuckles were white where they grasped the tent flap, her grip being all that was currently keeping her on her feet at the moment.

"No, my Queen," the guard on the left replied curtly. "Though the rain appears to be letting up some." This last was apparently added in an attempt to provide some good news.

"I see," Miki replied, forcing herself to stand erect and rely less on holding the tent itself and more on her own abilities. The armor she wore felt three times heavier than it had the last time she'd donned it. Her horse stood only thirty feet away; however it might as well have been a mile given how she was feeling.

Upon wakening she had immediately sat up…and fallen back over as a wave of light headedness assault her senses. While lying there she took stock of her person and realized thankfully that nothing was broken or missing. Damn, I wish someone had warned me! It took far more effort than she thought she had but she somehow managed to pull herself out of bed and get dressed. It was while dressing that she realized something that startled her.

With trembling fingers she felt the puncture marks upon her neck, recalling pulling his head down so that he could drink what he needed to stay alive. Looking down she beheld identical bite marks upon her left breast and right thigh. "What the hell happened last night?" she mumbled to herself as she pulled on her leather pants, that was when she discovered the bite on her left buttock's as well. I feel like I've been chewed up and spat out! "Damn him," she grunted as she tied the pants up and began putting her armor on while attempting to stay upright.

"He bit me four times! I hope I tasted good because that is the last time he'll get to sample this meal," she raved angrily to herself as she sat down to put her boots on, wincing slightly at the twinge of pain in her posterior. "Damn beast must have thought I was a chew toy or something." It took some time but Miki finally managed to get dressed and make her way to the tent flap and open it, thus by dispelling whatever Maria-sama had done to it.

"Send a runner to tell the other generals to get the men ready, we're moving out." Miki told the guard who had spoken previously, who then ran off to see that that her orders were carried out. "Bring my horse over here," Miki said to the remaining guard who looked from his Queen to the horse not more than thirty feet away and then back to his queen again. With a slight shrug he walked over to the animal and gathering its reigns walked it over to his queen.

Miki took the single step forward to the side of her horse and made a grab for the pommel of the saddle to keep from falling down. Please do not let me black out! Not here in front of the guards and everyone else that may be watching, she silently begged as she squeezed her eyes closed for a long minute. Head spinning nearly out of control the Queen looked down at her feet and then at the stirrup, suddenly feeling like it was the height of a mountain from where her foot was upon the ground. Who the hell's been messing with my saddle, she pondered, certain that the stirrups were lower than that previously.

Miki suddenly felt a pair of strong firm hands upon her waist just before she was spun about. If not for the hands holding her she was certain she would have dropped on the spot with the manner in which the world swirled before her eyes. "It wouldn't do to have the Queen be found sitting in the dirt," said a teasing voice she knew all too well.

"Tooru?" she said more than asked as she fought for her vision to focus upon the man standing before her. "You should be resting," she scolded, reaching out and grasping his shoulder to help steady herself as the three images of the man final congealed into one.

"I was, but the bed was exceptionally cold all of a sudden," his voice, laced with barely suppressed mirth replied. "Also someone kept mumbling about a beast and a chew toy or something which made it hard to go back to sleep. I feared I might have to leap up at a moment's notice to defend you, my Queen, from such a savage animal!" he confided to her as the corners of his lips arched upwards rapidly.

Miki couldn't refrain from smiling as well upon seeing his infectious grin. "Yes, well…we shall talk about that when I return," she told him, "In detail and at great lengths," she warned him. "However for now you are to return to bed and rest."

"As my Queen commands," was his soft reply. "But first let me assist you." Without awaiting her approval he lifted her up and sat her upon the saddle before tossing her leg over the horse to the other side. Miki once again winced at the pain in her backside but also at a different pain, one which she had been avoiding thinking about.

Since awakening there had been a dull ache centered below her waist that she had taken as a pulled muscle. Sitting astride a horse with the hard saddle rubbing unforgivably upon her most intimate of places let her know it was most certainly not a pulled muscle. Just what the hell did happen last night, she wondered as she tried to recall. Her vision blurred as the world felt like it was spinning and once again she had to grasp the pommel of the saddle to stay erect.

Tooru held firmly upon the back of the Queen's back armor so that the woman did not fall out of her seat. Damn, I must have drunk far more than I thought last night, he swore silently at himself. There were parts of the previous day and evening he could only catch glimpses of. Hazy flashes that appeared and then disappeared just as quickly before he could see them clearly. He did recall clearly waking up in what he believed to be the middle of the night, to pull the covered up over their nude bodies though. That was an image he was certain he would never forget.

"My Queen. I fear I may have drunk too deeply from your well last night," he told her softly so that no one else could hear him. "Perhaps it would be best if you did not go? If you were to fall from your horse in the heat of battle you could be trampled."

Miki waited for her vision to clear before looking down at him. For an overly long moment she regarded him, taking note of the bite marks upon his shoulders as well as the claw marks that crisscrossed his chest and abdomen. She would not be surprised to see the same or worse across the whole of his back. "You look like hell," she deadpanned, causing his sagging grin to return once more to its prior brilliance.

"It was a hard fought struggle," he chuckled. "However, it was well worth the effort," he told her as he reached out and laid a gentle hand upon her thigh even as his eyes sparkled playfully.

Miki chortled softly as she gathered the reigns in one hand before dropping her other to cover his hand, giving it a reassuring pat. "It doesn't look to me as if you won," she said as she slipped her feet into the dangling stirrups.

"I doubt very much that I did," he agreed with her. "Though I think I got the better end of the deal by far."

"We shall see," Miki said before her expression turned serious once more. "For now, tie me into the saddle," she instructed him. Not needing to be told a second time, Tooru attached the straps attached to the saddle to the Queen's armor. Normally the straps were used by those utilizing lances so they were not knocked from their saddles when the wooden weapon struck its target. The straps would ensure that the Queen, no matter how lightheaded, would not fall from the saddle and embarrass herself or her troops. "I'll see you soon," she told him once he was done. With a tap of her heels to the animal's sides the Queen rode off, a dull ache of pain traversing up through her core with each jarring step the large horse took.

As soon as she joined the mustering forces she instructed the generals to start sending them out. In groups of a hundred at a time they left. Part way through the process Miki nodded her approval and then rode off, headed for the bluff where they were all assembling. The longer she was awake and astride her horse the better she began to feel. The ache between the juncture of her legs subsided a little and her vision no longer blurred. The world remained as it should and no longer spun out of control.

Half way to their destination Miki reined in and moved off to the side of the trail upon seeing Rei riding towards her. As soon as the her General caught sight of her, Rei dug her heels into the side of her horse and hurried over. Once near, Rei pulled hard upon the reins stopping the beast and slapped one mailed fist to her chest, flinching as her ill fitted armor rubbed a particularly raw spot. "My, Queen!"

"General," Miki replied with a tilt of her head, once more feeling sympathetic for the woman before her. Yoshino's services will be in high demand tonight, Miki thought with a mental grin. "How stand we?" Rei glanced to the side and the two of them rode further away so that their discussion could not be overheard.

"It doesn't look well, my Queen," Rei replied once they had reached a discrete distance.

"Then you have heard from Yoshino?" Miki asked.

Rei nodded curtly once. "She reported in just before I left to see that our forces were moving into position. The enemy is larger than we first expected," Rei reported to her Queen. "From what Yoshino could make out before the thinning rain and approaching dawn forced her to withdraw, they have roughly five times the numbers that we do."

Miki frowned upon hearing this, the hand upon the hilt of her sword tightening reflexively. The Queen remained looking down and lost in thought for several long moments deciding what to do. The supply trains are gone. Destroyed or captured by this force before us now. If we do not have those supplies then we will perish.

No stranger to war, Miki well understood that should they turn tail and run they would be hounded every step of the way. Their forces would eventually be ran to ground and destroyed. "What of our, allies?" Better to die in combat than upon the long suffering road home.

Rei shifted in her saddle and slipped a hand beneath her mail neck guard and rubbed vigorously at the tired muscles along the back of her neck. "They returned to camp even before Yoshino reported in. Maria-sama stated that all was in readiness and that they were only awaiting your presence."

"What did they do all night?" Miki asked, arching a brow slightly.

"That's the strange thing, nothing that I can tell," Rei replied before continuing to explain. "We set up their tent right where they requested it to be. Just before we rode out to start patrolling the area the child asked for an arrow, which I gave to her. When I checked back in on them some time later, Maria-sama wasn't present and Sei-chan was seated before the open tent flaps. She had her legs drawn up to her chest and was rocking back and forth while humming to herself," Rei finished her report, the note of uncertainty in her words not escaping the Queen's notice.

"I don't like the fact that Maria-sama was absent," Miki confessed as she thought about the possibly ramifications. "Was she off telling the enemy when and where to expect us?" Miki shook her head slightly. "What is your opinion of them both Rei?"

Rei shrugged slightly, her shoulders raising her armor and once more causing her to wince in pain. "They haven't given us any real reason to mistrust them. Maria-sama could have simply been off relieving herself when I happened by," Rei offered. "How is the General?"

"He is well," Miki replied as her entire body went warm at the thought of him. "He is back at the camp resting."

"Then that is something," Rei said.

"Yes, however I do not feel it is reason enough to trust her," Miki countered with quickly. "I want you to have Yoshino keep an eye on them. If they plan any treachery we need to know as soon as possible."

"I'll see to it right away, my Queen," Rei replied with a smack of her forearm across her chest once more before she turned her horse about and rode off at as fast a pace as it could muster in the poor weather. Miki turned and looked out over the rain covered landscape, noting the bands of men and women making their way to where the next battle would be. The monarch couldn't help but wonder just how many of them would live to see the sun shine once again.


Author's Note:

My apologies that there was no update last week. I took the time to complete my Strawberry Panic! fic entitled "Fates". It had been sitting on the back burner for a while and suddenly decided to boil over. I think the Muse just wished to have it finally finished after a year. The good news is that this chapter is ready as is the next one…more or less. Well it will be as soon as my editor finishes her wonderful work on it.

As you'll see in this chapter as well as in chapter 17, things are starting to develop on more than one front. The past is become a little clearer perhaps as well? I think we are heading into the meat of the story now. I hope it continues to hold your interest and occasionally cause you to scratch your head in wonder.

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.