*BANG* *BANG*
Wow, way to break up a dream like that.
The only door's window was opened, and it was very dark.
"Lady Weiss," voiced the face's eyes in the window, "Please stand on the opposite wall."
After looking and hearing those words, my eyes returned to the floor. Who could it be that would want to visit a supposed 'royalty of Hoshido, taken at a tender age' at this hour?
The window was shut and the doors were opened. Three figures entered my vision, darkened by the light from the door. Not even the window's light could show their faces.
"Shackle her to the wall."
The jailors went behind me, bound my arms behind my back, and chained me to the wall behind me.
*clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick* *clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick*
"Secured."
"Secured."
"Good. Have her seated, and review her room."
Both jailors had me sit down. One of them let go of me, and looked around the room. I guess they were making sure that I wasn't hiding anything from them at this point, but what was there to hide after being here for only a day?
"She has eaten everything."
"Good."
"Her bedding…it…it is wet."
"Okay." *clap clap*
A fourth figure entered the room, carrying what looked to be new bedding. In a swift motion the old bedding was in its hands, and the new bedding was where the old bedding was. Finished, the figure exits.
"Bedding replaced."
"Good. Remove her shackles-we're done here."
The jailor reviewing my room, held his knife at the ready, while the jailor over me removed my shackles.
*clackclackclackclackclackclackclack* *clackclackclackclackclackclackclack*
Everyone left the room and locked the door as they left.
I was now too tired to continue thinking, thanks to that initial jolt. I ended up laying in the new bedding. It was warm.
Just like that nightmare, that dream I had about Xander and Elise it was horribly fragmented. What I would do to relive that dream again, before and after those events, maybe have it take me away from whatever nightmare this is.
At least I wasn't sweating from that last dream. I should be fine to dream whatever you have for me.
We're done for now. Sleep.
…
Another dream. Are you lying to me, now?
*pet* *pet* *pet* *pet*
My head was in someone's lap.
"I'm a good person...I'm a good person..."
"Camilla…"
…
*knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock*
Morning already? The light from the window seems to say so.
Food from the bottom slot of the door. It was breakfast, and I had a better look at the contents-a large leaf carrying a measure of rice, another strange vegetable salad, two slices of fish and a small bowl of soup. More eating with my hands, but I noticed this time around a pair of sticks that were in front of the rice.
Go on. Grab them.
I grabbed the pair by the thicker end and managed to grab some of the vegetable-
"Ah-"
It ended up going on the ground. Maybe I should drink the soup first, and then use it as a way to get the other foods in my mouth a lot quicker.
…
"Haah…"
That was very tasty. The rice and fish were good, but the highlight was the soup and the vegetable salad. I wonder if-
*BANG* *BANG*
Window from the door opened. "Lady Weiss. You have a visitor."
Familiar with the routine, I walked to the opposite wall.
Two guards enter the room and grabbed my arms to shackle them. One of them forced me to kneel. My eyes were also to the floor and what was in front of me on the floor.
"Secured."
"Thank you. Please wait outside."
The pairs of boots that shackled me left the room, along with what was left of my food. Replacing them were a pair of boots and a pair of rope sandals; a pegasus rider and a samurai. Following behind them was a pair of wooden sandals; a shrine maiden.
Good, you seem to know well about the Hoshidans.
"Lift your head, Lady Weiss."
I slowly lifted my head. I was right-a warden, a pegasus rider, a samurai, and a shrine maiden. The pegasus rider and samurai were covered in armor and had a familiar Hoshidan insignia. The warden looked at the shrine maiden and motioned her. "Lady Sakura?"
The shrine maiden stepped forward and looked at me. The pegasus rider and the samurai had their weapons at the ready.
"A-Are you my sis…ter?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
"Ah, I made a mistake."
Why wasn't I angry at that?
The shrine maiden took a deep breath. "I-Is your n-name…Weiss?"
I nodded. "Yes. My name is Weiss."
The shrine maiden looked back at me quickly and took a step back. She was smiling. "M-Mother will be overj-joyed to see you! You're finally back home w-where you belong."
"Mother?" All my life, I knew Camilla as mother-like, but an actual mother? "What do you mean?"
"Your birth mother. Queen Mikoto."
I shook my head. "…I'm sorry, Princess. The only mother I knew of had died when I was younger. She was my mother, and the one over me now is someone that would be pained even further than the one that you're saying is my Mother."
The shrine maiden's eyes widened, then turned away right after our eyes met.
She was silent. I guess I need to do the talking. "Was that all you wanted to ask me, Princess?"
She seemed unsure as she was trying to find the words to say to me, as she was looking around for a bit.
"Well…I'd like you…to know…that I'm your younger-"
"Milady," the advisor interrupted, "you have your answer. Let us leave her and be on our way."
"But, b-but-!"
"We have no time for this. We must return."
They were ready to leave.
"So passive in your dealings." This was infuriating. "Why are you making decisions for her?"
The pegasus rider of this group stopped. "What did you say?"
"I'm not talking to you, but to the Advisor-why are you making decisions for her?"
"She is a noble that requires guidance and protection."
Typical. My answer? "She is a noble with education, a noble with status-she would be over all of you in that respect-and she took her time to come here to see me. I want to hear from her, but I can't do that without someone else making the decisions for her. Heavens, I don't even know her name, for starters."
The pegasus rider cleared his throat. "Her name is-"
Agh! "Not from you, retainer! The girl you serve! I want to know her name from her mouth."
She stood forward and looked at me. "I…am Sakura."
Stay calm in front of her. She seems scared. "Thank you, Lady Sakura. Now, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"
Sakura smiled. "I'm…your younger sister. I heard…that I had a-another older sister, so I asked to see you."
She was clearly naïve. "Lady Sakura. I do not know you, and I believe that you are mistaken-I don't remember having a family of Hoshido, let alone a royal one. From what I can tell about you, you're very courageous, brave even, to come to a person that you know only know of by word of mouth."
"But it's the truth! …I believe it, and maybe…you will…w-when you see your Mother…"
I don't want to scare her, but she's being irritating with that 'Mother' of hers. I sighed and bowed my head. "Lady Sakura: I am Weiss, Princess of Nohr, Lieutenant of the Northern Fortress, and the daughter of King Garon. All my life, I have known only of-"
*zing*
No you are not.
That familiar headache, but it was a lot stronger! Endure…
"-my family in Nohr, and no amount of convincing will cause me to-"
*ZING*
Remember yourself…Empress.
"AUGGGGGHHHHHH!"
"Milady! Stand back!"
A headache came to me, and that vision of seeing her fighting with her family, against my family. The headache was stronger than when I was dreaming, and it mentally draining me! I saw Sakura, and three others that were with her. They were all in armor, but the white and red colors were dulled with a grey tinge, as if worn from battle. They were all closing in on me, swords and whatever they had were drawn to attack and kill me!
"Who are you? What are you!?"
shatter*
"She's free! Hiyah!"
I was suddenly slashed and stabbed.
The image disappears, and I find myself back in the prison. My left shoulder and my chest felt like fire was burning! I looked down.
"Blood…blood…"
thump*
It hurts…It hurts…
"Oh no! Weiss!"
"Get the medics over here and stabilize her!" The Advisor. "She cannot die until her audience with the Queen!"
"I-I can do it." The princess.
"No, Lady Sakura. It's unwise, and she did this to herself."
"I-I am a healer. I've trained myself to h-help those that are i-injured."
"She did this to herself, milady. Let the healers take care of-"
"N-no. I will not let her-"
"Lady Sakura, it's not a bad injury-"
"Tsubaki, it is still a wound; it must be-"
"Don't do this, Lady Sakura-!"
"Hanabi-all of you-stand aside!"
Everything stopped.
"Lady Sakura?" the advisor asked.
"S-stand…aside."
My eyes were barely opened. I saw the princess's slippers, and then she kneeled down in front of me and brought her hands close to me. A faint aura emanated from her hands. That burning sensation was now reduced to a warm sun embracing me. I looked at…Lady Sakura. She looked determined to see me recovered from the wounds her retainers delivered unto me.
"Lady Sakura, that's enough-!"
"No, Hana! Don't ruin her concentration."
"Tsubaki!"
"Hanabi," the advisor snapped, "let her be."
"…Understood, Advisor Yukimura."
Seconds later, the aura from Lady Sakura's hands faded. She looked tired from just healing me. "Are you alright?"
It felt rather drafty, but I felt better. My demeanor of her lightened up. "Are you sure about doing all of that for me, Lady Sakura?"
She looked scared, but determined. "Yes. Y-Yes, I am."
I knelt up straight. I smiled a bit and placed a hand on her shoulder. "My eldest brother always said to believe in your decisions. It might not be right in the eyes of others, but if you know that it's right, do what you can to show everyone that it is. One of them will understand. One of them must."
She smiled back, with tears in her eyes. "…Thank you."
Sakura stood up and left the room.
I returned my hands back to my sides. I looked to the advisor and Lady Sakura's retainers. "Alright. Do what you need to do to keep me bound here until my time to meeting the Queen comes."
The advisor tilted his head a bit. The samurai, Hanabi-
THWACK*
…
"Out like a light."
"You're getting pretty good at that Hanabi."
"It's painful with or without the sheathe. So-Advisor-where are we moving her?"
"Another room. Make sure the seals on the shackles there are current this time."
"Yes, sir."
And Hanabi and Tsubaki would move Lady Weiss to her new room.
Meanwhile, I, Yukimura, would be taking the time to examine the strange power that emanated from Weiss, and damaged her old room. What kind of power was that?