The Plan
(daybreak, around 5:30)
The clanging of pot and wood rang inside the huts. The sound was made by a tall gangly lad with a bush of brown hair placed on top of his head. He was more commonly known as Taichi, the right-hand man.
"C'mon! Get up! Time to put your energy to work!" he yelled while continuing to do his racket.
After five minutes of yelling and Syd cursing at Tai for being such a pain during mornings, all twelve were lined up outside with a sour look on their faces. Taichi smiled and placed his hands on his hips.
"Morning!" he greeted, showing a row of perfect teeth.
"The sun hasn't risen up yet and you tell us to wake up?!" screeched a tall brunette lass called Mimi. "You are a pain!"
Syd nodded his head. "I told you Tai, I wasn't the only one who thinks so."
Tai shrugged his shoulders. "Don't tell me that! After all, you said I'm the right hand, I take orders from our pal." He answered.
Taichi stared at his comrades with a sheepish grin. There they were, lined up according to their heights, all facing him. The tallest one, Syd, stood there. His eyes trying hard not to close. Next was Joe, fighting back a yawn. Beside him was Daphne, with the most cruel look on her face glaring at Taichi. Next was Mimi, running a hand on her brown locks, hoping that her precious hair still looks good. Beside her is Niobe, yawning for the tenth time since they stood there. Next stood Izzy, dazed. Followed by Kiyo, a huge frown plastered on her face. She complained she was in a middle of a wonderful dream when Tai woke her up from her fantasy land.
Taichi smirked and looked at TK and Davis, both arguing should stand closer to his sister. Hikari, Tai's sister, stood between them, too sleepy to stop them. Beside them stood Iori, covering his ears with his hands. And the last one was Little Maia, though she refuse to be called Little because she states that she's already a growing lady.
A gentle hand rested on Tai's shoulder. Tai looked behind him and smiled. "Yamato." He said at his blonde comrade.
Yamato stepped beside Taichi and called the others attention. "We need to work early today." Yamato started.
Daphne's dark brown eyes softened upon seeing Yamato. She likes him. She knows him. Daphne knows that standing as a leader for them is a tough job yet Yamato does it like it's something natural for him. "Yamato…" she whispered.
"You see, " Yamato continued, calling his friends to gather round him. "We need to talk later about an important thing. So, we have to finish our works after lunch."
"Is it about the Plan?" Davis asked.
Everybody looked at Yamato with confused looks. They know Yamato was having trouble to decide whether or not they should continue to rebel. It's something dangerous and they're just young adults. Yamato turned his gaze to Davis. "Just be back here at lunch time. Then we would talk about it."
The Market Place ( in Toulouse)
Mimi sat down beside Maia and sighed. Only three people bought their flowers and pastry. And since they sell their stuff for low prices, their costumer's payment isn't enough to buy them food.
"Mimi, why don't they buy us?" Little Maia asked.
Mimi smiled and shook her head. "You mean, why don't they buy our stuff. Well, you know people these days. They want quality over quantity. They think our stuff is not good enough to suite their needs."
Maia just nodded, though she didn't understand what Mimi just told her. When she looked back, Mimi was now talking to Niobe. Little Maia then stood up and thought of a way to find some costumers. She walked in the busy streets and thankful that she knows the whole of the city. Her black eyes then caught sight of a lady standing in front of a dress shop. She was pretty, with long reddish-brown hair. She approached her and pulled her skirt gently. "Lady?" Maia whispered.
The lady looked down and gasped in surprise. She smiled and crouched down and examined Maia. "What is a pretty little girl doing her all alone, huh?" she asked. Maia smiled. "We sell bread and flowers." Maia said. The lady opened her purse and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the dirt on Maia's face. "Really?"
Maia nodded. "We don't have any costumers and if we don't have any, we wouldn't eat lunch." Maia said, looking at the lady with concern. "Would you please buy? Just one bread please."
The lady smiled, touching the girl's curly black hair. She stood up and looked inside the store and saw her aunt fighting the clerk again. "Okay. Lead me."
Niobe was now in frantic. Maia is missing and she didn't even notice. She sat beside Gica, who was still playing the lyre. "Oh Gica, if Mimi doesn't find her, my sister would hate me forever." Niobe murmured, biting her fingers in panic. Gica smiled. "Niobe, can you not feel her? Little Maia is coming back."
"Niobe!"
Niobe stood up and saw Maia running towards her. She welcomed her in open arms and let out a sigh. "Don't ever, ever, ever leave without my permission!" Niobe reprimanded. "If Daphne knew this, she'll get very angry." Niobe waved her hand in the air and called Mimi. Mimi walked back to them and smiled at Maia. "Promise me not to frolic around the city without anyone of us knowing it, okay?"
Maia nodded her head and pointed at something. "I found us a costumer."
Mimi and Niobe looked at where Maia is pointing and let their mouth dropped open. The girl, which Mimi thought is a year or so older than her, walked towards them and smiled. She was beautiful and has poise. And by the way she carries herself, she's one of the first class women.
"I'm here to buy some bread and flowers." She said in a very polite tone, unlike other people. Mimi studied the costumer. The girl was taller than her by a few inch, her coat and dress fascinated Mimi.
"That's probably worth a fortune…" Mimi whispered to Niobe.
"It's about 2000 francs, I think…" Niobe answered.
The girl smiled. "How much for two loaves of bread and some flowers?"
Mimi shook her head and got over her little 'fascination'. "50… just 50."
Maia pulled the girl's skirt gently and looked up at her. "It's not that much."
"Maia!" Niobe hissed. "Your hands are dirty. You'll ruin her dress." The girl shook her head and smiled again. "Oh, I don't mind it. Your sister is really sweet." The girl got the paper bag from Mimi and kneeled down in front of Maia.
"You shouldn't run off like that. You made them worried." The girl said to Maia. She then turned her face to Gica, who was playing the lyre. "My mother sang to me the same tune you are playing, madam."
Gica smiled. "Come closer. I will tell you something." The girl approached Gica and held her hand. Gica closed her eyes then looked back. She tightened the hold of the girl's hand and said, "Your destiny is about to open…"
The redhead girl blinked at first, confused at what the old lady said, then stood up giving the payment to Maia. She opened her purse and got her handkerchief out, not noticing a locket that fell from her purse. "Here's something to remember me by." The girl said, giving her clean handkerchief to Maia.
The girl stood up and nodded her head at Mimi and Niobe. "I hope to see you all soon."
"We will, my lady, we will…" Gica said, as the girl proceeded on her way.
Maia handed the girl's payment to her sister, Niobe. Niobe gasp. "She gave us 500 francs!" she shrieked, poking Mimi on her side.
"What?! That's enough for a week of food!" Mimi answered. Maia looked down and saw the gold locket. "This is hers…" Maia looked around but the girl wasn't there anymore. She smiled and stuffed the locket inside her dress pocket. "I'll give it to her when we see each other again." While Mimi and Niobe were talking about the girl, Daphne appeared with some money she got from joining an archery contest.
"Girls, I brought us 75 francs! Isn't that great?!" she said. Niobe called her and told her about the gorgeous lady earlier.
"She's conceited." Daphne remarked, causing Mimi to disagree.
"No! She's so kind, polite, so…so… perfect! She's unlike those imbecile first-class people."
Daphne rolled her eyes. "She gave 500 francs because she pities us. She thinks we're so low and that we were born to serve them." Daphne muttered. "It's about lunch time. Let's go back there."
The Pier
Yamato carried the box of freshly caught tuna and looked at their boss. "Where to?" he asked.
"The left side of the fish market."
Yamato nodded and took a deep breath. He carried twenty boxes this morning, and every box cost 10 francs. So, he'll earn 200 francs today. That's already a lot.
"Hey Yamato."
The blonde looked at Taichi, who was already cleaned up. The blonde nodded his head at Taichi. "You go ahead. This is the last one." Yamato called out.
Taichi nodded and waved his hand. "It better be! We'll wait for you."
Yamato then made his way to the market, which is almost near. He just have to pass the wide street where most first class people come about. Yamato bit his lip. The box is heavy and he feels as if his arm is going numb. He's so busy thinking about the box that he almost crashed into a lady.
"Tú estupid muchacho! Why are you not looking? My god, you smell awful!!" the woman said, whacking Yamato's head with her purse. Yamato looked at the lady apologetically then his eyes turned to the girl accompanying her. "I'm sorry…" Yamato mumbled, still looking at the girl's red wine eyes which were so mesmerizing that he doesn't listen anymore to what the woman is saying to him. She smiled at him then turned to the woman. "Auntie, leave the lad alone. He didn't mean any harm…"
Her auntie glared at Yamato with disgrace. "Just standing beside a man of low class like you is humiliating…" she hissed, then strolled off. The girl smiled softly trying not to stare too much at his naked upper body. "Don't mind my aunt. I'm sorry for what she said…" she nodded her head, then followed her aunt. Yamato sighed.
"At least one of those first-class knows that low class people like us have feelings…"
"Where have you been?"
The girl's auntie soon asked when they were already inside their carriage. The girl pointed to the paper bag beside her. "I bought some bread and flowers."
Her aunt snorted. "What will you do with that trash?"
The girl looked at her aunt with wide eyes. "They're not trash. The flowers are really lovely and the bread tastes good."
Her aunt twitched her lips and looked at her dress with disgust. "Look at you! Just look at you, Sora! You're full of dirt and dust. How are you going to present yourself to your fiancé?"
Sora sighed. Fiancé… "I don't want to marry him auntie. I told you I don't love him." She closed her eyes, feeling tears forming. "You should be thankful that among all the beautiful women in this place, he laid his eyes on you. You have a sure future ahead of you." Her auntie answered.
Sora didn't bother to say anything. She glanced outside the carriage and watched the scenery go by. She never wished to be married to a rich man. She never wanted his money. All Sora wanted is to find a peaceful place where she can calm herself from her bad past. I don't care if I don't have any money at all, I just want to find peace… she thought.
Sora's parents died simultaneously in a fire nine years ago. Luckily, she survived and was taken in an orphanage where she stayed until she was sixteen years old. Then, her Aunt Francine, her mother's far relative. She worked for her, and everything she earns went to her aunt's pockets.
Three months ago, her aunt was invited to Lord Pierre's homecoming. Pierre was the Duke's son who studied in Spain. Dressed in nothing but a simple old rose dress, Sora accompanied her aunt. Upon arriving there, Pierre was immediately captivated by Sora's uniqueness and charm. Everyday, Pierre would visit Sora's lair and give her bouquets of different kinds of flowers. Then, one day, he surprised Sora with a beautiful ring, asking her to marry him. Out of the consent and blackmail of her aunt, Sora sadly agreed though she doesn't love the man.
"Your destiny is about to open…"
Sora thought about what the old woman said to her. Can it be that she's talking about her lifetime with Pierre? A small frown appeared on her face. I'll be a prisoner… she thought.
Like it? I've been doing this story during my spare time and when I was experiencing writer's block froom Soulmates and Dreams&Wish. PLs review and tell me if you like it. This is a sorato, of course! Thanks!