Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Blood of the Gods: Part One- When the Sun Sets ❯ Lost Hearts ( Chapter 8 )

Lost Hearts

 

 

The sisters sat high up in a pine tree, silently watching the night with their brightly glowing eyes. “You want to tell me who he is?” Aki looked sharply at her sister on the branch beside her, “What did you say?” “Do you want to tell me who he is?” “How?” Moriko shrugged, “I am your sister. I know all.” Aki slowly moved her head back to look out at the forest swaying hypnotically below them, “No.” Moriko fell silent, listening to the fluxing tempo of Aki's heartbeat. She grinned, “You like him do you?” Aki sighed quietly, “Yes. I think I do.” She gazed out at the moon, full and bright against the darkness of the sky. “What do you think about this guy?” “I do not really know what to think Moriko. He is a puzzle to me.” “That is men for you.” “No. I mean that I cannot figure out what I feel for him.” Moriko looked over at her, “What do you feel inside Aki? Tell me, and then maybe it will be easier to tell yourself and him.” Aki closed her eyes and took in the moon's light, drawing strength from it. “It is as if I have always known him, and yet, we have never met before not long ago. I feel as if I have been waiting for him. Like I already know him.” Moriko listened as her sister's voice became soft and dream- like. They watched a black hawk float by, the wind carrying it through the air. Moriko pointed at the bird, “See it?” “Yes.” “See how it just lets the air move it through the sky?” “Yes.” “Let yourself float Aki. Do not worry about anything unless you have to.” “I do not understand what you mean.” “Just go with it. Just let yourself get close to this man.” She sighed, “I guess.” They sat in silence a little longer, just being in the forest, just existing for a while before returning to the real world.

 

* * * * *

Two small children were sneaking clumsily through the old sacks of grain in the storeroom of the lord's manor. The boy held a small white candle up higher to light a little more of the dark floor ahead of him. A girl held tightly to his back, peeking over his shoulder. He stopped, “Stay here Hikari.” She held him a little tighter. “It will be alright. Come on. Let go. I will be right back.” She looked up at him, the fear in her bright green eyes illuminated by the candle. “Promise?” “I promise.” “Are you sure Atama?” “Yes.” She slowly unclenched her fingers from the cloth on his back. “Stay here.” He turned the corner, taking the light with him. She stood in the dark with her eyes closed and huddled against the sack of grain behind her. She never noticed as the bobbing light of a lantern moved closer to her, the light followed by the footsteps of the guard holding it. “You're not supposed to be in here!” He reached to grab her just as she opened her eyes. She quickly closed her eyes again and hoped that her brother would save her. Hikari screamed.

* * * * *

Moriko and Aki jumped to their feet, startled from their resting by a loud ringing scream. They looked toward the Capital, “What the hell?” “That was just a girl.” Aki dashed out of the tree line and made for the Capital wall, Moriko yelling behind her. She leapt up onto the wall and crouched down, hiding from the people below. Her ears moved, searching for any lingering traces of the scream in the air. She looked in the direction the scream had come from and saw a huge manor. It was like a palace. Moriko caught up to her just as she was running along the top of the wall, moving pretty fast even though she was keeping low as possible so as not to be seen. Moriko followed, easily keeping pace with her sister. They approached the manor and slowed to almost a stop. There were guards everywhere, all armed and armored. Moriko stopped Aki, “What are you doing?” “Something is not right.” “Like your head.” Aki glared at her. She sighed, “If I go look, will you go back and wait?” Aki gave her a defiant look. “Just do it Aki.” She turned back to the manor, “I will find out what is going on.” Aki was reluctant, but slowly ran back along the wall. Moriko picked up a swift pace and stopped closest to the manor as the wall would allow. She watched the guards and waited for the right moment to jump to the ground and run to the wall of the manor courtyard. She listened for the position of the guards befdre easily jumping over the shorter manor wall, landing in the tall grass. She snuck to the edge of the grass and looked around. She stopped. Something was calling her. There was something near to her that was important. What is it? She waited as she felt it move gradually closer.

A guard came around the corner of the outdoor corridor, dragging a small girl by the arm. Her eyes were tightly closed while she tried in vain to pull away from his grip. She had dirty black hair that was done into a messy braid that fell to the middle of her back, reeds and various other small things in her hair. She wore a ratty looking peasant child's dress with no sleeves and ended at her knees, an out of place strip of black cloth holding it closed. The dress was pink with fades orange flowers painted along the bottom. She had worn looking reed sandals on her feet and a faded red cloth was wrapped around her head, tied badly and crooked. Moriko was frozen, like she was stunned until she heard the girl whimper. Anger. She laid her ears further back in her hair and instinctively growled viciously. The guard stopped, startled by the unfamiliar sound. Hikari opened her eyes to search for the origin of the noise. She felt something just then, like she knew that sound from someplace far away. The feeling was strong, making her want to run to the snarling woman in the grass. Moriko didn't know why, but she knew that the child was very important to her. There was a presence deep inside that told her so. She felt the strong need to protect her. Love. She felt a strong bond of affection towards this girl, felt that she had to get her away from the guard and keep her safe or she might never forgive herself. But why? Why do I feel this for the child? How do I know her? Hikari looked directly at Moriko. The yellow eyes seemed so familiar. Moriko saw Hikari's bright green eyes and she absolutely knew that she knew the child. Hikari felt the connection she and Moriko shared and tried to move toward her, but the guard held her back. She strained against his grip, reaching out with her other hand. The guard saw this and pulled her back, holding her in the air, “Stop-” “If you do anything to that girl, I will hit you so hard you will not even be conscious enough to feel it when you hit the ground.” He turned to Moriko, annoyed by her presence. He paused, her eyes frightening him. They glowed brightly in the dark, menacing in their power. “What are you doing here woman? You have no business here.” She spoke through clenched teeth, trying hard to not reveal herself anymore then she already had, “Release her.” The guard stood straight, Hikari now with her feet back on the ground, “She has been caught stealing from the lord's storeroom. She is to be punished.” Moriko stood up to her full height and narrowed her gaze at the guard, effectively pinning him where he stood, “She is my responsibility and I will punish her as I see fit.” “You lie. I have seen this girl on the streets many times with only a boy as company.” The mentioning of another caught her attention. Why do I feel like I was expecting another? She suppressed the urge to twitch her ears in interest. “You will leave the manor grounds woman or I will have you `escorted' out.” He pulled back on the girl's arm. Hikari stained against his hold and reached fro Moriko again, “Mamma! Save me!” Then it dawned on her why she felt so drawn to this child. The two souls that were lost in the forest that one night, they must have been the cubs of the soul who crashed into her. It all made sense now. One of the souls must reside in this child. She was, in a way, her daughter. My daughter… I have a child… She did not care anymore. If force was the only way to get the girl, then so be it. She snarled loudly, baring her fangs at the stunned guard. Her tail unwound from her waist and bristled, lashing angrily behind her. “Release her!” His eyes grew wide, “Do not try anything! I will-” “Beg the gods for help.” She lunged at him. He screamed as she tacked him and bit into his shoulder causing him to release Hikari before they fell to the ground, her fangs still buried deep within his flesh. She released him and lowered her claws until they dangled just above his face, “Will you release the girl to me?” He nodded, eyes wide. She stood, pinning him with one last glare as he grabbed his bleeding shoulder before turning in time to catch a running Hikari, “Mamma!” She did not really understand why she knew that this woman was her mother, but she accepted it happilly. Moriko scooped the girl into her arms and held her close to her chest. She heard a sigh, “Mamma…” Her heart swelled at the name. She pulled back and looked into the child's dimly glowing green eyes. My girl. They turned at the sound of running footsteps and saw Atama skid to a stop on the wooden floor, “Hikari!” He stopped and looked confusedly at them. He had on a brown shift that was to big for him and knee length farmer's trousers. He wore reed sandals and there was a tan cloth tied around his head much like Hikari, the knot work just as bad. He had the same green eyes, but short and unruly brown hair. The other soul…this boy? He looked softly at her, mixed emotions flickering in his eyes. He took a small step toward her, “Mother?” Moriko smiled. Yes. She knelt down and opened one arm, the other still around Hikari. He looked slightly reluctant. She smiled lovingly at him, her eyes glowing with her affection. “Mother!” He ran up and hugged her around the middle, burying his face into her. She wrapped her arms around the two and began to purr loudly with her happiness. A thought tried to weasel into her mind. Am I ready for this? The little boy in her arms hugged her tighter and she realized that, at the moment, she really did not care. Her purrs echoed in the dark, warming its natural chill.

The guard Moriko had wounded was stumbling down the corridors, blood dripping on the ground behind him. He turned the corner and stumbled into another guard. “Wha-?” “There. Around the corner and down the corridor. A demon. She is there.” He stopped and panted, exhausted from the effort of walking so far on so little blood, “She attacked me, bit my shoulder.” The wounded guard leaned against the wall and breathed heavily, faint from blood loss. The other guard ran down the corridor, yelling about an intruder. Moments later, the sounds of many running boots filled the air, all responding to the alarm.

Moriko froze at the sounds of yelling and running men. Crap. She stood, Atama and Hikari still held tightly in her arms. “Hold on. Mamma has to run really fast for a while.” She felt them nod and hold her tighter. She dashed into the tall grass, the blades whipping her legs as she moved passed. She paused to gather herself before jumping onto the wall, vanishing before the other guards saw her. She glanced at the Capital wall, but was forced to run another way, unable to jump to the top of the wall with the added weight of the two littles. She weaved in and out of the huts and buildings, running practically blind until she found some familiar ground. She ran through the empty bazaar and slowed when she came to the manor. Moriko set Hikari and Atama on the ground and sat in the dirt to catch her breath, wheezing a little from running for so long. “That was fun mamma!” She laughed dryly, “It was huh?” “Yes! Tell her Atama.” Atama pushed his sister, “Shush. People are sleeping.” “Oh! Sorry.” Moriko heaved herself to her feet, her tired legs screaming their protest. She grabbed a hand from each child, “Come on. Mamma's tired.” She led them through the gate, the guard sleeping on the ground. She laughed again, “He has the right idea.” She walked through the courtyard and into the dank halls of the Guard's house. “Is this where you live mother?” “For now.” She led them to the room she shared with her sister, to find her already asleep on the straw pallet. Hikari tugged on Moriko's arm, “Who is that mamma?” “That is my sister, Aki. Be quiet so we do not wake her alright?” The nodded and followed her to bed. She nudged Aki over and laid down, the straw never feeling more welcoming then it did right then. Hikari crawled over and curled into her stomach, falling quickly asleep when Moriko's arm pulled her closer. Atama snuggled in between Aki and Moriko, content and warm. Moriko waited until the sounds of steady sleeping heartbeats filled her ears before letting her tired body fall into sleep. She purred quietly, feeling some of the missing pieces of her heart find their way back to her in her sleep.