Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Were It Not That I Was Lost ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Author's Note: I have an idea where this story is heading, but if you have any suggestions, opinions on characters, or ideas - I'd love to hear them! - Psyche

Chuin had thought a large amount on the ride across the desert. Erato, she would complicate things, but she wasn't someone he could have just left behind. He may not like her, but he didn't have the heart to abandon her in that situation. She had been in the same situation as he had. On only that level could they relate. Though now, he knew she'd stay with him and would be harder to shake off.
Their journey continued through the forest that led on through the day. Riding without sleep Chuin drifted off a bit, it was the horse that led the way. Allowing his eyelids to fall, Chuin could have sworn he heard Zane call his name. Perking back up, he looked at his surroundings. The bright green forest seemed to go on forever, and would be dangerous during the night. So as the sun set Chuin began to worry.
"I thought you said there was a town out here," Erato asked after they had dismounted the house in a small clearing.
"We must have gone in the wrong direction," he kept lying, "Either that or its still further on, but we can't ride during the night, it's just too dangerous."
"I don't want to sleep here."
"Well one of us should stay awake at all times-"
"I don't want to be here." through the last rays of the sun, he could see the fear in her eyes. He looked down, away from them.
"I don't want to be here either," he confessed. "I don't know where we are. There's no town out there. I don't know why I'm lying-" it was as if she hadn't heard a word, because she had turned her back to him.
"Chuin..." she spun around, eyes searching frantically. "Where's the horse?" Scanning the trees around them, he could have sworn he'd tied the horse to one of them. It could have gotten loose, but how far could it have wandered? "I'm scared-" she grabbed him by the arm and clung on as if he could protect her like a warrior. It really wasn't the role he was fit to play, but he had to be the man now.
"Now, it's got to be-" taking a step forward was the wrong thing to do because it was too close to the wrong bush from where a rope flung out around their ankles.
"Ha! Got them!" a quick handed figure secured them at the ankles before tending to their wrists. A hard fall to the ground knocked Erato out cold, and Chuin saw this, but decided after hearing this figure's voice, he'd close his eyes and play unconscious, "Hello there, ladies."


***

It turned out that there had been a city near by at the edge of the forest. Chuin wouldn't find this all out until later, but when he opened his eyes from what turned out to be a dreamless sleep, he was in a windowless room with a single door. There was the muffled sound of loud talking and laughing coming from the other side of the door, all of which came from deep male voices. Erato laid still by his side, both were bound hand and foot and the only light was coming from a lamp in the corner.
Sitting there in confusion as to where he was and what to do, Chuin had to have been there for a good half-hour before someone opened the door. By this time he'd thought far enough ahead to stuff his shirt as to play a role he could handle. With his hair down, he hid some of the more masculine edges of his face. Though he was quite the bishounen and his pretty eyes could pass him as a female.
"Come on," the dirty man came in through the door holding a club and kicked Erato to wake her up. "It's time to sell yourselves." They were untied at the ankles, but were handicap with their hands. Chuin was on his feet as Erato was opening her eyes. Hurried out into an open tavern-type atmosphere, there had to be fifteen or so men drinking away their lives. Chuin knew his training would have been useful if there'd only been a handful of them, but he knew he was well out numbered. Erato's shaking hand already had his as she stepped on his ankles behind him. Ugly faces grinned to them and made remarks. Chuin shuttered at their appearances having always kept himself exceptionally well groomed.
"What pretty hair," Chuin felt the filthy fingers twirl pieces of his thick long hair. Knowing it would not be wise to hit a man twice his size, he instead clutched his fists tightly absorbing his own anger.
"I prefer males," a voice tickled his ear, but Chuin didn't feel the warmth of a breath. "Don't you?" turning only his eyes, there stood the boy. The blue haired creature that could get into Chuin's head and speak to him stood so close that it caused Chuin to back up. He glared at the boy who seemed to jest, "If you would like me to assist you, you'll have to stop looking at me so coldly." It was as he spoke that Chuin felt the ropes bounding his hands being untied, he would then quickly tend to Erato.
"I know where you like to be touched," Erato backed away from men's hands and closer to Chuin who wasn't feeling the circulation of his hand.
Can you get us out of here? Chuin knew he only had to think it since the boy obviously had ways of getting in his head.
"See that man near the door behind the counter?" the boy spoke clearly filling Chuin's thoughts. "He's out." That was all Chuin had to hear, though the boy kept speaking as dragging Erato behind him, he climbed upon the counter lined with men. Aware this would attract attention, Chuin knew what had to be done.
As if there was a bouncing beat playing loudly in the background, Chuin became the perky little dancer Erato had been at the festival. There wasn't much he could do besides flash his eyes at the gawking men and pose. Erato's hand was all that had her swaying with the what seemed like crazy boy. Her worried eyes kept jumping from the dancer to the hungry men. Frozen there on the counter, her stiff muscles didn't twitch once Chuin let go of her. Coming around the still Erato, Chuin had to spin her around, reach down her shirt, take out a piece of underclothing and toss it into the wild crowd of men. With the most of them distracted with the bait, Chuin pulled Erato behind the counter and out their only exit.
Pigs. Chuin would later work hard to get that memory to disappear.
Discovering that they were in a rather large city, it was night and the streets were lit by lanterns. Erato stumbled behind as the two ran from the whore-selling tavern. Chuin wasn't sure where the boy had gone, but he didn't have time to worry about that now. They had no money, no destination, no clue as to their own whereabouts. Even the stars couldn't guide them now with the city's light pollution. There were few people out at the hour and they tried to stay away from the shadows not knowing who or what lurked within them.
"Hey!" Chuin turned a corner hearing the call of that boy's familiar voice.
"I can't run anymore," Erato collapsed to her knees. Out of breath she had trouble breathing. "My chest, its on fire. I can't keep going."
"Come on." Chuin urged her. He stopped feet away ahead of the fallen Erato worried that he had lost the boy.
"Are you alright?" from behind came a different voice. In the moonlight, Chuin saw an older man kneel down to Erato's aid. Looking back ahead of him, the boy was gone. "You two girls know you shouldn't be out at this hour alone."
"We don't have anywhere to go. We're lost." Chuin could have smacked Erato for giving a stranger such information. It was then that he could have brought the lash upon himself for thinking of hurting someone the way their fathers would have. Trying to rearrange his thoughts, he barely heard the old man,
"Come with me," helping Erato to her feet, he spoke kindly. "My wife and I live down this way. You are welcomed to stay with us. Please, come." Chuin blinked realizing he was being spoken to and seeing no other way to go, he followed.