Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction ❯ Tsubasa: Revolutions ❯ Gypsies and Theives ( Chapter 9 )

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

It’s dark now, and eerily silent. The light of the golden half moon comes through the torn curtains and casts strange, dull shadows across the room.

I’ve crawled onto the bed to sit beside him after I took a few minutes to bandage up his hand and wrists. And to wash the blood off his neck and chest.

But I can’t sleep.

I don’t think I’d want to if I could. The truth is, I’m quite content to just sit here and watch him.

I cannot help but wonder though, what things are going to be like when he wakes up. Are we going to pretend like nothing happened? Or will it just lead to another argument? Or something else entirely…

It kind of scares me to think about.

But it’s all I can think about.

And how I wish that he would wake up and kiss me again.

But even when he does wake up, I can’t imagine that he would. Stupid Kurogane. I can’t believe he didn’t push me away sooner.

Did he do it because he knows I’ve been five days without anything to eat? Or did he just not realize I had taken so much from him?

He really is frustrating some times.

I wonder what he’s dreaming about.

I hope it isn’t anything bad. We’re away from our shelter of good dreams now. All alone in a world full of dangerous things.

It hasn’t turned out to be that bad really.

Well, not taking into account that I was taken captive and then locked in a room and left to die of course. And Kurogane has obviously been locked in here for days, and judging by his wounds, its safe to guess he was tied up and possibly beaten a little.

Which, while I’m thinking about it. I should check him over to make sure he doesn’t have anything else that needs to be bandaged.

He’s passed out cold, so he won’t be able to argue with me about it. Normally he would. He hates people “treating him like a damn baby” as he likes to put it.

But like I said. He can’t argue with me about it right now.

Having him already shirtless makes things much easier. A few of his ribs are bruised and there are some scratches on his back, but otherwise, he looks fine.

I wrap some bandages around his ribcage just to help him heal faster.

My bandages are nothing but pieces of a bed sheet I’m tearing to bits. I don’t have anything else to use anyway.

I… don’t know about his legs though. He didn’t seem to be limping or anything. But I don’t know if I should check them anyway.

And no. It isn’t an excuse for me to get his pants off.

What fun would it be for me if he is asleep?

I crawl to the foot of his bed and sit by his feet. Carefully, I remove each sock.

His ankles are just as raw as his wrists. So I bandage them as well.

If he’s this beaten up, I really should check the rest of him over…

There is no easy way to do this I suppose. So as carefully as possible, I crawl between his legs and reach for his belt.

I’m sure my face is as red as a strawberry right now.

Thank whatever heaven there is right now that he’s asleep.

I manage to unto the buckle and then my luck runs out. And I find myself stuck in a very precarious position and my wrist suddenly captured by a ninja who is supposed to be passed out.

He grumbles something to me that I would imagine is equivalent to the words, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I can’t even explain myself! And unfortunately it looks like I am trying to take advantage of him in his sleep. Which I’m not!

I try to pull away from him. But he doesn’t let me go.

His face is stern, but not angry. I’ve seen what his angry face looks like many times by now, to know that’s not it. And his brow is furrowed as though he can’t seem to figure something out.

I can tell he is still quite groggy. He will be for a while. At least until he can get something to eat.

Maybe he just doesn’t have the energy to yell at me.

He grumbles again and shakes his head.

“You going to promise me you’re not hurt anywhere else?” I hold up my makeshift bandages with the hand he hasn’t managed to place a death grip on.

He just glares for a moment.

I’ll take that as a yes.

“Ok,” I smile. “Ok, I’ll stop. Go to sleep.”

He’s still glaring.

What do you want?

I throw the bandages on the floor and try to back away from him again. And this time he finally lets me go.

He’s asleep again in no time.

Stupid Kurogane.

I’m really not tired though. I’ve pretty much done nothing but sleep for the past few days, and now that I’m operating on a full stomach again, I’ve got all the energy in the world.

Maybe I’ll go find him some breakfast.

This is a palace after all. They’ve got to have good food. And I doubt they’ve been feeding him well.

“I’ll be back in a little bit,” I whisper quietly before I go.

I knock, as instructed, three times on the door.

The same girl is there almost immediately.

“He likes you,” she says flatly.

“Why would you say that?” I ask nervously. Was she spying on us or something?!

“He didn’t threaten to kill you,” she raises one eyebrow suspiciously. “Normally he just yells and throws things.”

“Yeah. Usually he does that to me too, actually.”

“So… he doesn’t like you?” she asks, tilting her head like a puppy.

“I have no idea,” I can only laugh. “Is it ok for me to walk around?”

“As long as you don’t go up into the royal family’s wing, Lord Sarûs said you were free to do as you like.”

That’s oddly… hospitable.

What is his deal anyway?

“Then could you kindly point me in the direction of the kitchens?”

“Kindly?” she laughs, obviously mocking me. “Who talks like that?”

“I guess that would be me.”

“The kitchen is three corridors down and to the left.”

And just as she said it was, here it is. It is unsurprisingly spacious and a little bit noisy in here. And I have no idea what I’m even looking for.

“Can I help you?” a tall, rather large woman with short blonde braids asks as soon as she spots me snooping around. It is obviously a “What do you think you’re doing” type question though and I immediately turn to her and smile innocently.

“Just looking around.”

“For anything in particular?” she almost growls.

“You know anything that is good for blood loss?” there isn’t any harm in asking I suppose.

“A band aid,” she says in annoyance.

I guess I walked right into that one, didn’t I. I guess maybe I should elaborate. I laugh a little, “No, I mean food. If you lose a lot of blood, is there something that will help you… get some back faster?”

“I don’t know, honey,” she shakes her head. “I hear orange juice is supposed to be good for that. But I don’t know if its true.”

“Do you have any?”

“Orange juice? It’s in the refrigerator,” she’s watching me like she doesn’t really know what she’s supposed to do about me. Not that I would know what to do with me either if someone were to walk into my kitchen and ask me weird things.

So I take the orange juice out of tall metal box I’m assuming to be this refishanator she’s talking about. I’ve seen them on other worlds before, but I’ve never really known what they were called. I also help myself to a couple tasty looking puddings, and a bowl of cold rice.

“Thank you!” I holler to her over my shoulder before leaving.

Thinking about it, walking back to the room, this is undoubtedly one of the oddest days of my life.

I did start the day out, locked in a cell and starving. Until the King of Evil rescues me and brings me to his home, and invites me to stay in his ultra-modern fancy castle. And then I learn that Kurogane is here as well but that he is not an invited guest like myself, but a prisoner. But I can see him as often as I want. So when I go to see him, he does not kill me like I thought he was surely going to. Nope, he kisses me and then passes out. And now, I’ve just raided the King of Evil’s refisedater. Refishiaher? Religitator? It’s a word like that….

I don’t know why I’ve decided to call Sarûs the King of Evil either. So far, he seems rather nice actually. People like that though, are the worst kind of evil sometimes … because you don’t ever see it coming until its too late: they’re the kind of person who smiles as they drive the stake into your back.

“You’re back already?” the girl with the keys looks at me oddly.

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“You sure aren’t shy about asking questions, are you?” I smile.

“I’m the guardian of this corridor. That’s my job.”

“To ask questions, or to guard the corridor?”

“Both,” she shrugs. I don’t know why I didn’t notice before, just how young she was. She can’t be more than a year or two older than Sakura-chan. If she is even that old.

“Can you let me in again?”

“No,” she just shrugs at me and sits down on a small, red leather-top bench

Wait.

Did she just tell me no?

“Why not?” I blink dumbly. I was not actually expecting to be told no, for some reason.

“Lady Werra said I couldn’t let you in right now. You have to wait until she’s finished.”

“Werra? Werra-chan is in there right now!?”

“Yes. So you have to wait.”

What!? I haven’t been gone ten minutes! When did the she-dragon swoop in?

I really don’t like her.

And I don’t say that about people very easily.

But I don’t.

I don’t have anywhere else to go or anything else to do, so I sit beside the girl with the keys and wait. My arms are still loaded with food.

Maybe I should have grabbed a cup or a spoon or something for him to actually be able to eat any of this with. But I don’t feel like going back to get anything.

“What is she doing in there?” I ask, letting the curiosity get the better of me.

“I don’t know. I’m not allowed to ask.”

“I thought that was your job to ask.”

“Not Lady Werra.”

“Who is she anyway?”

“Lady Werra is Lady Werra. You do not ask questions about Lady Werra.”

Ok then… That helps a lot.

So I guess I’ll just wait.

It is several minutes before we can hear a dull thud on the other side of the wall, and muffled yelling.

A smash.

Some more yelling.

But most of it seems to be coming from her.

Not a moment later, the door is practically ripped off its hinges as she swings it open and storms out.

I assume she had every intention to just keep on walking. Until she sees me sitting here. As soon as she sees my face, I see her eyes flash with anger and she just jabs her finger at me and screams “Things would be a lot easier if you would just die like I wanted you to!”

And she keeps on walking.

Someone’s not getting a Christmas card from me this year, that’s for sure…

What the hell is her problem!?

“You can go in now if you like. He’ll be in a bad mood though,” she looks up and says flatly.

“Thank you,” I can only smile.

He’s on the floor next to the bed, in the same place I found him last time.

I would be lying to say I wasn’t a bit concerned, seeing him sitting there with his heads in his hands.

“Kurogane?” I say softly. I’m not if he knows I’m standing here or not.

He doesn’t even look up. He just hurls a piece of what was once an alarm clock straight at me.

I hear the shatter before I feel the glass cut my skin. Chocolate pudding is now everywhere.

I don’t think he was expecting the noise either and he looks up at me with his dazed, tired crimson eyes. The grumble he directs towards me shortly afterwards I interpret to either mean “Go away”, “Its just you,” or something very similar.

He doesn’t throw anything else at me at least. But I do stop to set the rest of the food down on the dresser, just to be safe.

Tiny shards of glass are stuck in my coat and hand, and chocolate pudding is all but dripping down my right side from about the chest down. I would be a lot more welcoming of this if…well… ok. I’m not going to go there right now.

I use a bit of the torn up sheet I had been using for his bandages to wipe of some of the goop before I approach him.

He looks so worn out.

“You should get back to bed,” I say to him, crouching in front of where he sits. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ready to jump to my feet to avoid, well, bodily harm in general. Punches, kicks, flying objects, or otherwise.

He brushes me away like an annoying fly as I try to help him to his feet. Too proud to need help from the likes of me I suppose. I can’t say it surprises me. “Come on. You need your rest.”

He says something.

I have no idea what it could have been.

And finally, he flops back onto the bed.

I am deeply curious as to why he got out in the first place. I may never find out though, considering the language barrier we have at the moment. And while it is true that there is one other person who would know the reason, I am doubting she would have any desire to tell me a damn thing, considering she obviously wants me dead.

Which brings me around to the rather peculiar question… of why I’m not.

Why did Sarûs bother saving me?

What in the world could he want from me?

I… don’t think I want to be thinking about this.

Maybe…

Maybe while I’ve got him awake, I’ll force Kurogane to drink and eat something.

I return to him in a moment’s flash with my pathetic stock of nutrients. And he immediately scowls at them as I offer them, and then scowls harder at me directly.

“It will make you feel better,” I argue with him. I don’t know why I’m bothering to speak.

I don’t know why he is either.

But we argue pointlessly for a moment until he gives in. And by gives in, I mean I dip my finger into my one cup of chocolate pudding remaining and shove it into his mouth while he is in mid sentence.

I can literally see his thought process through his eyes.

His face goes from reading “What the hell are you doing!?” to “I’ll bite it off if you try it again,” to “that was actually kind of tasty, but I’m refusing to let you know I think this.” And then ends with him stealing it from me.

Victory is mine!

Since the pudding went over well, I offer him the orange juice next, which he takes from me with very little argument. He drinks half the pitcher in about two gulps before shoving it back in my face and mumbling something else.

I can only stare at him dumbly and blink. I have no idea what he’s saying, so… I smile.

“Better now?” I grin once he finishes half the bowl of cold rice as well.

I wonder if they’ve been feeding him at all, with him practically inhaling everything. Maybe I should go get more….

He seemed to really like the pudding.

“Do you want more?” I smile, pointing at the empty pudding cup.

He shrugs and hands me a now empty rice bowl.

Shrugs could mean anything Kurogane. Work with me here…

“More?” I point to the cup again.

Another shrug and now a raise of his eyebrow. I guess that must mean maybe.

I get up and return the pitcher of orange juice to the dresser top before leaving.

I hear him say something again, but the “No,” really grabs my attention. I’ve already raised my hand to knock at the door when I turn to see him throw the covers back off of himself and try to stand up.

“No,” he says again and stumbles toward the foot of the bed.

And towards me.

Well obviously I’m not going anywhere now.

“Get back in bed!” I holler to him and point at it to emphasize my point. “Or you’re going to fall and break something else.”

He’s shaking his head at me and I cannot help but be slightly disconcerted now, seeing the obvious look of worry in his eyes.

I don’t know if its me he the worry is directed at… or something else entirely.

Something tells me though, there isn’t much need to concern over me just now.

I make it to him just before he stumbles and falls flat on his face, and then work on lugging him back to the bed. “What did she do to you?” I ask for myself more than him really.

It’s the only conclusion I can come to.

This is the third time I’ve had to help him into this bed. In one night. And hopefully the last.

“You should rest. It’s been a rough night for you,” I smile, pulling the covers over him like a mother taking care of her sick child.

Why am I always the mom?

He must be exhausted. He can barely hold his eyes open. But while he still can, he looks at me and says something. Not a threat or a complaint. A question.

And with one hand, he pats the empty space next to him.

“Ok,” I nod. No smile. No frown. “Ok. I will stay.”

For now.

For now, I will stay with you.

Until I can find a way to get you out of this mess I’ve caused you. Until I can find a way to disappear without causing you trouble…

I will stay.

I don’t know why you want me to.

I don’t understand you at all…

Why?

After all of this? Why?

My coat and pants a cold and wet with pudding still, so I remove them before climbing in beside him. Tossing them carelessly on the floor, I find it odd to smile at the fact that they remain there.

Perfection and peace and a place without pain is a very long world away from us now.

But even so… things are not all bad.

We have shared a bed countless times before. We’ve been to bath houses before. Hell I’ve been crammed into tiny little cages, all sticky and sweaty before with him.

It’s never really mattered.

The sound of his rhythmic breathing lets me know that he’s finally drifted to sleep, but I myself am wide awake.

I’m not tired.

So I lay here in silence and wait for the darkness of night to lift and the early rays of a new summer morning seep through the tears in the curtains.

It seems to take half an eternity. And now that there is light, I am still alone. I imagine he will sleep for most of the morning.

He needs to.

I can’t sit still any longer though, so I go to the window to take a look. I haven’t gotten much of a look at my new surroundings.

The single window of the room looks down into a courtyard from six stories in the air. Below, the concrete courtyard is wide and clean, with a large fountain of dancing water perfectly in it’s center. A few, well placed benches and statues and pillars are scattered about, but otherwise it is void of any movement and life.

I mindlessly watch the water dance in the fountain below. Watch a pair of black birds flutter down for a drink, search the courtyard over and then fly away again. I watch a boy run across the open area from one door to it’s mirror on the other side – he must be late today.

Already, I feel the heat from the air pressing at the window. The sky is void of picture perfect clouds. Today will be very hot.

I wonder if there is somewhere I can take a bath? And maybe a change of clothes? I am, after all, standing here in… pretty much nothing.

There isn’t anything else to use, so I wrap myself in a blanket before I go to the door and give it the three knocks.

As expected, the girl opens the door for me, and looks at me with wide eyes.

“Is there somewhere for me to wash up?” I ask her, not stepping foot out of the room.

“The room at the end of the hall,” she points, trying to peek her head in to look around the room.

Apparently coming to the door dressed this way has raised her curiosity.

“Thank you guardian-chan,” I smile. “By the way… I’ve never asked you your name. I’m Fai D Flowright.”

“My name is Kimi.”

“It’s nice to properly meet you Kimi-chan.”

“You’re… weird.”

I cannot help but laugh at this. Nor can I deny it. “I suppose I am.”

“Do you need clothes?” she raises an eyebrow, still looking at me funny.

“Do you have some?”

“I can get you some. Go on and take your bath and I’ll bring you some.”

“You’re a very sweet girl, Kimi-chan.”

“No. Not really,” she shrugs and moves out of the way for me to step past her. Of course, she has to lock the door behind me.

As she said she would, she drops a change of clothes for me inside the door while I shower. It’s been several days now since I’ve had one, so it feels very refreshing.

The pants are a bit loose on me, but I should not complain about getting free clothes I suppose. Everything else fits well though. Just plain jeans and a black button down shirt. Nothing fancy.

I hate looking into mirrors. I’m still not used to my reflection. I don’t know that I ever will be.

I hate the way I look now.

But I can’t do anything about it for the moment.

I tie my hair back with a ribbon, even though it’s still a bit damp, and then leave. Maybe I should do something with my… bed sheet?

Nah.

I’ll leave it there.

“Better now?” Kimi says with a smile. She’s sitting on the floor, next to the door, just waiting for me.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“What are you going to do now?” she hops to her feet.

“I don’t really know. What are you doing?”

“Waiting,” she shrugs. “That’s what I do. I’m always here.”

“Do you live in the palace?”

“I live here,” she just shrugs again.

I have a sinking suspicion that she can’t actually leave…

“Where do you live?” she looks up at me with curious purple eyes.

To this I cannot help but laugh. Because, how am I supposed to answer her?!

“I don’t exactly have a home anymore.”

“What happened? Are you like… a gypsy or something?”

I never thought of it like that, but I guess maybe that isn’t entirely inaccurate. “I suppose you could say that.”

“Is that guy a gypsy too then?”

“Yes. We travel together.”

“Werra says he’s dumb because he talks funny.”

“He isn’t dumb. He just only speaks in secret gypsy language,” I say with a smile.

“I didn’t know they had a secret language…”

“Well, have you ever been a gypsy?” I smile. I have no idea why I’m messing with her. I’ve got nothing better to do…

“Well… no?”

“I think you’d make a very good gypsy.”

“Really!?”

“Sure.”

“But you’d have to learn the secret gypsy language too…”

“Could you teach it to me?”

“Maybe later,” I smile. Once I learn it myself…

I’m not looking forward to when everyone actually finds out that I can’t understand a word that Kurogane is saying to me. When Sarûs or Werra come down and want me to translate. The only plan I have for that is just making stuff up and lying to their face…

Unfortunately, I have a slight suspicion they’ll see right through that. Which sucks.

A lot.

I walk past Kurogane’s room. I bet he’s still sleeping. So I think I’ll walk around.

Kimi did say that Sarûs himself has given me permission to walk around the palace as long as I did not try to leave or go into the private, family wing.

I wonder if Sarûs has any family.

I wonder if Werra is his family.

They don’t really look much alike. But I think someone would have mentioned if she were his wife.

Kimi follows after me, but stops at the edge of the corridor. “Where are you going Fai-chan?” she looks up at me.

How cute. She just called me Fai-chan.

“For a walk,” I say and shrug my shoulders. I’m not entirely sure where

“Are you coming back?”

“Soon,” I nod to her and flash a smile before continuing.

I take to wandering about the vast corridors, receiving hardly a second glance from passers by. I have no idea where I’m going. I just hope I’m not about to wander into the family sector of the palace.

I really would rather stay out of trouble as much as possible.

I wonder… if Sakura’s feather is here in the palace somewhere.

I probably shouldn’t do this. But, I don’t think it will do much harm. Closing my eye, I concentrate; I haven’t done this in quite some time.

I try to shut it out now. Anything magical at all. But that does not mean that it isn’t there still. All I have to do is try and feel it. It is but a fragment of her power, I can feel it – above me and straight ahead.

I remember seeing a stair case back a while ago, so I turn around to try and find it again.

The staircase is guarded by two very stern looking men with very large swords.

Swords? That seems a little out of place.

“Do you have business here sir?” one of them asks me.

“I live here now,” I lie with a smile. “I was told to take a look around and make myself familiar with the place.”

“You live here?”

“By invitation of Lord Sarûs himself.”

“Since when?”

“Yesterday. You can ask him if you like.”

“We will,” he snarls. “Until then, this sector is off limits.”

I suppose it was worth a shot.

At least I know there’s something up there worth posting guards for.

“Ok. I’ll see you later then,” I smile and turn around to leave.

I suppose I couldn’t have left them at a better time. As I round the corner and disappear from sight, I hear the regrettably familiar voice of Werra holler down to the guards from above. “My package will be arriving any minute. Don’t give them trouble.”

“Yes ma’am,” they holler in unison.

I’m a curious kitten. And I have nothing else to do.

I think I’ll stick around just to see what this ‘package’ is that Werra is referring to.

Leaning against the wall, I occupy my time studying the various odd paintings hanging on the wall; obscure swirls and splashed of bold, dark colours set into expensive gold frames. They almost make me dizzy if I look at them too long.

A thunder storm of footsteps echoes through the hallway.

Stomp.

Stomp.

Stomp.

It’s like the march of an army.

It IS a march of an army.

Black uniformed men with expressionless faces fill the hallway. Left. Right. Left. Right. There must be two dozen of them.

They say nothing. Not even to each other. They just press on, straight for the stairwell.

The only other sound I can discern from the echoing march of footsteps, is the quiet sob of what I assume to be a young girl. But I cannot see her anywhere.

I wait for them to all march past me before I follow after.

They all look straight ahead, and the drum of their feet easily drowns out my all but silent footsteps behind them.

Its really rather ridiculous that I’m just… following after them.

And because the crowd is so large, the staircase guards have completely moved out of the way. I don’t even see them. They might actually be ahead of them, showing them where to go.

I duck into the first room I find as soon as I reach the top. Breathing heavily, I lean against the door and laugh to myself.

That was probably much easier than it should have been.

I have no idea what the purpose of this room I’m in is. It is dark and practically vacant except a chair and an easel at the center, the late morning sun glows behind a heavy blue velvet curtain.

If this is an art room, it’s about the most boring art room I’ve ever heard of.

It isn’t long before the footsteps of the soldiers passes by the door. They must be going back down now.

That’s an awful large party of package deliverers.

I like to think that the phrase “curiosity killed the cat” is just sort of a… myth. Cats don’t really have nine lives anyway. Why should that phrase be any more accurate.

And it hasn’t killed me before, after all.

I wait until I hear nothing but silence before leaving the sanctuary of the dark, pathetic art room. The hallway is wide, airy and filled with the golden light of summer morning. For being “evil,” they sure don’t decorate accordingly.

That makes me laugh, for some reason.

I walk, slowly, lifting my feet carefully and placing them silently back onto the polished grey marble floor. But as soon as I hear the screaming, I stop in my tracks.

It is a shrill, terrified scream that raises the hair on the back of my neck and hurls my heart into my throat.

“Please! Please don’t! I didn’t do anything wrong!” she screams through her sobs.

I hear another voice. A woman. Werra.

But I can’t understand what it is she is saying.

They’re behind one of the nearby doors, so I can’t make out her calm, collected words.

There isn’t a soul in the hallway.

“Please, no! Just let me go!” another scream.

Two doors down, the voice is the clearest.

I press my ear against the door soon enough to catch the last of what she says.

“— I don’t see why they’ve bothered to send me such a whiner. You should be happy to be assisting your kingdom in such away, so stop your crying.”

“We were told that harvesting was over,” the girl chokes out without a scream this time.

“That is because there hasn’t been a soul worthy enough to harvest lately. But that isn’t the case anymore….”

“But I’m not even the strongest!”

“You’ll do,” I hear her say arrogantly with a laugh.

The scream is so loud I have to plug my ears. Deafening. Sickening. I can’t quite explain the sound of a young girl screaming as she dies.

The last sound she makes is the dull thud of her lifeless body hitting the floor.

I don’t know what else I can do except run and hope not to get caught.

I reach the bottom of the stairs and find myself back in the familiar corridor before have time to take a breath.

I hear her Werra’s words ringing in my mind though.

“Too bad you were just practice.”