Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Jyuunishi no Enkei Monogatari ❯ 11th Zodiac: Inu ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and all its characters are properties of Takaya Natsuki-sensei and Hana to Yume comics. Everything else in this fanfic are figments of my imagination. Any similarities to name, places, yada yada yada are simply examples of the world's many coincidental mysteries.

January 29, 2003

Jyuunishi no Enkei Monogatari

11th Zodiac: Inu (Chapter 5)

by Ina-chan

The sun was shining brightly, but the cool breeze blew away whatever uncomfortable heat it was emitting. Yet, the mood of the small caravan trekking towards the Souma territories was as jovial as a lark singing a song under a thunderstorm. Save for a random small talk among the ranks, the entire procession was uncomfortably silent.

The Meishu secluded himself in his carriage, refusing to talk to anyone. The healer's young apprentice was wearing a miserable expression on his face since the day before. It was only a clear indication that whatever ill feelings transpired behind closed doors after the young master's unfortunate… circumstance… was still being carried over today. A line of worry furrowed the strategist's forehead…

He didn't want to be insensitive to everyone's feelings with his thoughts, but if this continued, there was no way they could hope to succeed with what they were trying to get away with.

It was only logical to send the Mizugawa princess as a substitute envoy. In fact, Yukino would have been a better choice for the negotiation process. But one doesn't need to be a genius to realize the risk that they were taking. The Souma Clan was expecting the new head of the Mizugawa Family. Regardless of the situation, seeing the heir's sister instead would cause serious complications. It will look very bad if the Souma Family perceives Yukino's appearance as a form of underhanded deception…

…of which ironically, bead of sweat slid down the strategist's forehead as the thought occurred to him… was what exactly what they were doing. It would seem that from here on, everything from here on, would depend entirely on Yukino's skill.

To be honest, he was just as surprised as everyone else to see the ice princess appearance that morning. It wasn't a secret. It was expected after the commotion that happened the night before. However, it still cane as a shock… if not sacrilege… to see their princess, whose beauty rivalled that of the legendary Princess Kaguya… dressed up and disguised to look like a pubescent boy... a rather effeminate-looking boy… but still a boy nonetheless.

Kouyou-kun even started bawling uncontrollably at the sight.

What a mess! There was no way they could introduce their ice princess as Kaji. But it was even more impossible to introduce their leader's impostor's true self. The strategist has been wracking his mind on thinking of a plausible excuse for the new Mizugawa leader's absence. So far, the best plausible situation he came up with was a temporary debilitating accident and a trusted new and very young advisor was personally sent as the young Master's envoy. Kaji let out another long sigh, there's still enough time to brief the entire troop before they reached their destination… and as long as Yukino manages to control herself and allow him to do most of the talking… they should be able to get away with murder.

But before anything else, he had to figure out a way to mend the rift between their ranks, or the Souma Clan will immediately sense that something was amiss.

His eyes strayed to the front of the group where the ice princess was riding between her two self-proclaimed protectors. They have been riding for more than half a day. It will still take them until the next morning before they arrive to their destination. Though they just had a rest break a few hours ago, it was obvious that she wasn't used to long travelling by horseback. The weariness in her body was clearly showing despite being hidden underneath her brother's armour. Both brothers had been trying to convince the princess to retreat into the carriage. Of course, the young woman repeatedly refused. Obviously, it was due to the combination that stubborn streak and the desperate need to prove her self.

Mizugawa Kenju made an involuntary glance to the healer's carriage near the end of the caravan and made a long breath of exasperation. The desperate need to prove her self to a certain person, to be exact. Despite of himself, a soft chuckle managed to trickle out of his throat.

Definitely… like mother, like daughter. The scholar hastened his steed to trot faster, silently motioning her bodyguards to make way. The two younger men complied as they slowed their paces to a short distance away, to give them privacy. The scholar desperately tried to keep the amused smile that threatened to touch his lips as he rode beside the young woman in relative silence.

"It took your mother three days," He simply stated

"What?" The Ice Princess immediately turned to the scholar in bewilderment

"When your mother was your age, your father was given his first responsibility. He was assigned to lead a trading convoy to Tokai. It was an arduous weeklong journey just to get there. Ta-chan was apprenticing under his father at the time, so he came along to purchase supplies. I went just for the heck of it… and of course, your mother refused to be left behind, seeing all three of us going," The scholar said, his face softening at recalling the memory, "Your grandfather would not hear nothing of it, of course. After all, riding in a week-long journey accompanied by smelly men was not something young women of fine upbringing are supposed to do. More so, as the daughter of the Family Head."

"So what happened?" Yukino asked, her curiosity awakened

"She disguised herself as a soldier and snuck in the ranks of the convoy," Kenju replied with a chuckle

The young woman's eyes widened in surprise, "Mother managed to disguise herself as a soldier?"

"It was a challenge, but it wasn't too hard. Your mother was an excellent marksman, her skills in archery would probably have become infamous, had your grandfather allowed her the chance to show it off publicly. She would probably lose based on strength and endurance, but your mother's hand to hand combat skills was quite impressive too," The older man grinned, "Of course, she also had a lot of friends in the lower ranks who were willing to protect her with their lives. She probably would have gotten away with it."

"How did she get caught?" Yukino asked

"Well… your mother may have been successful in taking the guise of a soldier… but it didn't mean that she was one. Like I said, it was an arduous weeklong journey. On the third day, she fell off her horse out of pure exhaustion. Dislocated her shoulder and almost broke her neck in the process," The scholar sighed and shook his head in exasperation, "Your grandfather was furious! Actually, both your grandfathers were… they had a big fight that almost ended up in a duel to the death. Fortunately, your grandmothers were both sensible women and they managed to come up with a plan to avert it."

"How?" The young woman asked again

The scholar closed his eyes, "Your father married your mother. It was only logical and the most honourable thing to do. After all, it happened during your father's first duty."

"I see…" The young woman mumbled quietly, as an unreadable expression crossed her delicate features, "So they married out of duty."

"Actually… It was more complicated than that… At that time, there were two other men who were more than willing to take responsibility for what happened. But in the end…" Kenju sighed, before making a small sad smile, "…your mother decided between the three of them based on the wishes of her heart."

"Kenju-san…" Her voice was so quiet that it was almost inaudible. The ice princess bowed her head, hiding her eyes behind her newly cropped hair. Her hands tightened reflexively on the reins of her mount and fell into relative silence. For a moment, he thought that he was not going to continue what it was she was going to say. "Kenju-san… why are you telling me this?"

"I just wanted conversation," The scholar shrugged in casual non-chalance, before breaking into an impish grin, "Besides, if you keep up with this tension, by the time we reach the Souma Territories, you won't even have enough energy to lift a finger. Tatsu will be more upset than he is now if that happened."

The Ice Princess remained silent. The scholar swore under his breath as he sensed the young woman burying even deeper into her shell.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that," Kenju quickly continued, turning on a more serious tone. "It's difficult, isn't it? Being born in a position of duty."

"Oniichan doesn't seem to be having a hard time with it," Yukino replied quietly

"Ah, that's because your brother is a man. When it comes to matters like that, men don't have the privilege of being allowed to act based on emotions. It makes us look less…" Kenju paused for dramatic effect, "… manly."

The young woman frowned, "But it's not fair. Everyone treats me like I'm some kind of fragile flower that needs to be protected. I can take care of myself. I bet I'll be less of a burden if I was born a man…"

"Stop it," There was an uncharacteristic hardness in Kenju's normally light-hearted voice that even their horses faltered with their steps in surprise.

The young woman looked up to stare at the older man, only to find a hardened and angry face glowering back at her. She opened her mouth to say something, only to find her voice stuck inside her now parched throat. All her life, she's always seen the Mizugawa Family's head strategist and advisor as the easy-going opposite of the Mizugawa Family healer. Like a lot of people, she too silently questioned at times how this man was able to attain such an important position in their clan when most of the time he acted more like an overgrown playful puppy.

Then again, dogs could also become ferocious, especially when protecting something they held dear.

"If you say another self-depreciating word, I will put you across my knee and give you the spanking a spoiled little brat like you deserves," The man continued in his low and angry tone, "In my opinion, when it comes to skill and talent, I believe that you are more suited to be the Mizugawa Family Head over your brother. But all your skills and talent are all useless because of that attitude."

"My attitude?" The young woman managed to utter

"Your attitude," Kenju stressed firmly, "Belittling yourself and whining for not having what other people have. It only proves that underneath that illusion of adult maturity, you are nothing more but a spoiled little brat. Your brother may not be as smart as you, or as well composed… but he tries his best. He tries to fulfill all the responsibility given to him by using all of his abilities, and resourcefully asking help from those who support him on matters that are beyond his reach."

The Ice Princess turned away and bowed her head once more, feeling humiliated as the older man's words stabbed painful daggers on her entire being.

"It's only natural for Tatsu to be angry. I know that your intentions were good, but still… what you did was wrong and very selfish," The scholar's voice dropped to a more gentler tone, "But what's done is done. You're our leader now. Your father and your brother aren't here to protect you, and all of us are looking up to you to protect us. If you really want to prove yourself worthy… then take responsibility for your actions." With that, the older man directed his mount to trot faster towards the front of the convoy, to leave the Ice Princess with her thoughts.

"Yukino," Izumi called out to her worriedly, trotting closer beside her after noticing that his charge posture still hadn't changed long after the older man had left her

"Izumi… am I being childish?" The Ice princess asked in a quiet tone

"Ha?" Izumi gave her a bewildered look, "What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing," The young woman shook her head before lifting her chin to face him and give the young man one of her heart-stopping smiles, "Ne, Izumi-chan. I'm feeling a bit tired now. I think I'll ride at the back in the carriage."

A line of concern furrowed on the young man's forehead, "Are you sure? Tatsu-meishu is back there after all. He still looks very scary…"

"Yes… I'm sure," A bead of sweat lined on the young woman's brow, but her smile didn't falter, "After all, it's time that I start taking responsibility, ne?"

"Ha?" Izumi uttered again in that same bewildered manner

The Ice Princess simply let out a peal of laughter as she manoeuvred her mare to turn around. As the young man made his mount to pause to make room for the young woman's horse, a gust of air swished just a few inches from his cheek before causing a strange sickening thud. The young woman's horse whinnied in surprise. Izumi immediately grabbed the other horses' reins to calm the animal, while his elder brother rushed other side the young woman.

"Yukino are you----" Izumi began, only to stop in horror at the image before him

"What's wrong?" Yukino's voice barely came out as a soft rasp as the young man's horror-struck expression immediately registered on her face.

It was as if time itself stopped. There was a strange tightness in her throat and she instinctively reached out to her neck only to find a long foreign object expertly lodged between the spaces of her armour, piecing the delicate flesh above her collarbone. It was only then that she noticed the strong salty metallic taste of the liquid quickly filling her mouth, threatening to drown her, accompanied by the painful throbbing in her throat.

"Ittai…" She whined almost inaudibly as fell backwards, Nagusami deftly catching her in his arms.

"AMBUSH!!!"

Everything was a muffled blur after that. She barely felt Nagusami carrying her away. She barely heard the sound of fighting in the distance. She barely saw the anguished faces arguing above her. She already knew what was happening. She was being trained to be a healer, after all. The world around her no longer mattered. There was no longer any need to see, hear, or feel the world around her. Her heart ached in sorrow as the image of what's most important flashed brightly in her before her unseeing eyes.

She failed. She failed before she's even begun. And he was crying. He was crying because of her. She reached out for him, her own tears of grief generously flowed from her eyes, as she felt a pair of hands cover her own.

I'm sorry…

I couldn't protect you…

I'm sorry…

I'm sorry…

Oniichan…

End of 11th Zodiac (Chapter 5)

Author's squawk:

"Tokai" is a made up place. The word literally means "city".

I was actually dreading for this chapter to come. I hate killing off characters… but it has to be done! HAAAA! The climax of Ina-chan's version of Jyuunishi tale has started to climb! Special thanks to my chat-comrade-in-arms… Rae-chan, Mona-chan, Juuji-chan, Merrow-chan… most especially Rae-chan and Merrow-chan who really helped me get back my focus on this storyline by allowing to me to throw my ideas at them. ^_^. ARIGATOU!

To everyone else who read this fic, as well to those who reviewed it… I know it's a big pain, since it's more like an original story than a FURUBA fanfic, so you need extra effort to get to know the characters. So I really appreciate the feedback! Your comments are my guidelines to remind me if I'm steering the story toward the right direction.

Well then, comments, criticisms, bricks… you know where to send them! ina_chan@yahoo.com

Ja!

Ina-chan