If I could only understand you: A story about death, destruction and disease, and the heartwarming possibility of love despite the prince of china, and a captured young woman from Japan, speaking two completely different languages.
Chapter 1:
Ages:
Sakura – 17
Tomoyo – 18
Sayoran – 21
-Sakura's POV:
Pain. That was the first feeling I felt. Why or when it happened, I didn't know. All I knew was that I felt horrible.
"Unn...my head hurts..." Slowly my eyes open and adjusted to the dim lighting. Every part of my body hurt. The pain was so excruciating, it was hard not to pass out again. I've never felt this type of pain before. I wonder what happened. Carefully I shifted my weight so I could sit up. I winced as my sore muscles adjusted to the sitting up position. Sitting up made my world suddenly tilt, and my stomach lurched.
A pair of arms, suddenly came up behind me to hold me up. Cautiously I looked to who held me up. My emerald eyes met kind violet orbs, that looked oddly familiar to me. I blinked a bit as she pulled me closer to her body. It was then I noticed that her light purple kimono was in tatters and was covered with blotchy brown blood stains. Whoever she was, she was in a battle of some kind... suddenly my eyelids drooped. It hurt to think...it hurt to be alive..
"Sakura-chan? Are you alright?" Her melodic voice asked, sounding quite concerned.
Sakura? Who was this 'Sakura'? Was I Sakura? I forced my eyelids open once more, the image of the long raven haired princess becoming blurry. I had to at least find out who I was before I fell back into the darkness again. I needed to have meaning to wake up again.
"My head...it hurts." She chuckled, that familiar chuckle from back from my childhood, that made me feel loved when I was sad. I knew her, yet I didn't know her. I had to ask her..
"Who are you?"
I felt a very sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, when her faint smile turned to a frown. Had I said something wrong? I needed to know...it was becoming difficult to stay awake. The girl leaned down and brushed her lips over my forehead. She moved back up, murmuring to herself, "a slight fever, a great likelihood of having a concussion, and possible amnesia." One of her cool hands, caressed my cheek, and she smiled.
"I'm Tomoyo, your cousin. Anyway, you should rest. It's going to be a long trip ahead."
I smile a bit, and let myself drift off to the nether regions of the dream world.
-Tomoyo's POV
As I take my watch over Sakura-chan, I look up to all the rest of the captured Japanese civilians in the bowels of the Li ship. Partial families huddle together, weeping the loss of their family members. The elderly stare off into space. They are too much in shock to realize what is truly going on. The stench of blood, urine, and disease ravage the dark prison we have been thrust in. The metal cuffs and chains chaff and cut our wrists, no matter how hard we try to escape. We were once free, and now...we are prisoners.
I look down to Sakura, tears rolling down my eyes. A lot of people died trying to fight back the invasion. It came too quickly for any stable order to push them back. How could we push them back? Their plan was the kill everyone in sight practically, and steal the old, children, and women. They didn't want the men, because they were too set in the Japanese way.
What makes matters worse, is that Sakura and I are of our Marriage years. How can we find suitable partners when obviously we are going to a place that will treat us as slaves? The Chinese sailors and guards think I can't understand their Chinese gibberish, but I know that they intend to sell us to the emperor Xiao Li, or anyone else who can bid a high price. In a way I'm thankful now that I took the time to learn Chinese, rather than perfect my mannerisms with Japanese. I can't read or write it though, I never was able to get around to that.
I look back down to Sakura's sleeping form, seeing the ugly swell of the goose egg on the side of her head. It doesn't surprise me that she has a concussion, but it worries me, because...what if she dies? Then i'm all alone...with no family in a strange country. Then again, what if I die and leave Sakura all alone in a strange country? Oh no...I must not think of it...too much has happened today as it is. I must get some rest, so I'll be able to help support others.
Meanwhile in the fast approaching capital of China...
-Xiao Lang's POV (Sayoran/Xiao Lang is the same person in this story. :D )
"You did WHAT?!" I yelled as I burst into my fathers study. He was sitting at his desk, writing letters to the commanders in the northern empire. I could tell by the type of ink he used. He always used the ink jar with the emblem of a tiger when he was writing to the northern empire. Probably trying to impress someone...again.
My father looks back at me with his serious amber eyes. The same amber eyes I inherited at conception, although his personality was more dignified and proud while my personality consisted of anger and pride. Obviously he was unphased by my outburst, and looked back down to the letter he was writing, which angered me more.
"I thought it best that I invited all marriage eligible young Chinese women to a ball next week, in hopes that you find a bride." His reply was clipped, serious, and not to mention annoying.
Why is it that everyone in this kingdom thinks I want to get married just for the sake of being married and having kids?! This was ridiculous! I didn't have time to even think about girls as it is, and Father thinks it's like the most normal thing in the world!! He's seriously being an ass lately, trying to push rich girls from southern Japan on to me. Heck, he even tried to arrange my marriage to Meling. That was a joke. She liked me, alot, and would cling to me. Naturally I would blush, I'm only a red blooded male, but would push her off...if I could. Thankfully she ended up going for a suitor that at least returned her feelings.
"Father, I can rule a country by myself! I don't need a bride." He has to see reason...he just has to!
"You need an heir Xiao Lang, and to get an heir, you need a bride. I believe this discussion is over, until you pick out a bride."
I sigh. This was bad. Really bad. It was bad enough that Mother kept hinting at grandkids from me, when she has plenty of children from my sisters marriages. Truth be told, I love my nieces and nephews to death, but children of my own? I'd rather get them hooked on the sweets we import from Europe and send them back to their mommies.
"But father--" I'm interrupted when a messenger suddenly bursts into the room. Surprised by my presence, because I was really close to the door, he bows lowly before myself and then to father, and hands my father the scroll. Father takes it nods to the servant who then leaves. He breaks the seal on the note, reads a bit, and motions me over. Which I obey as he begins his fatherly, instructive speech:
"We will discuss your bride situation later, for right now you should be aware that we have successfully have seized a mass portion of Japan, and will have more slaves to add to our castle staff in a few days. I want you to oversee the slave breakers to make sure they don't beat the life out of our investment. You have the authority to take a slave into the castle and put him or her in whatever position you see fit. I know I have you working on the lower levels of a house keeper, but when you become emperor you need to at least know how to keep your home and castle in order."
I seriously hated the feeling of watching some of the aristocratic Chinese lords beating people. They didn't just stop at beating. I heard plenty of stories of them raping the women, and killing the offspring they produced. Said they weren't 'pure' Chinese, and would drown them in the yellow river. It didn't feel right that my father sent orders to conquer territory in a kingdom much smaller than our own. But there wasn't much I could do, considering I was still a prince, and an unmarried one at that.
I was of the high class, but my Father, Mother, and older sisters, still overruled me. Until I married, I wouldn't be able to pass the boundaries my parents and siblings possessed. Damn hierarchy.
"Father...is this really necessary--" I started moving to the door. I wasn't interested in this ruling junk.
"Yes, Xiao Lang, it's necessary. You need to rule with a firm hand, and need to set your prospects to new heights. Your interests in sword fighting, and the art of fighting will come in use in the years to come, but for now you need to learn organizational skills and how to work with people." Emperor Xaio, got up and put his large calloused hand on my bony shoulder.
"It may not seem worth it son, but in the long run it will help you in more ways than you think."
I sigh, instead of getting out of marriage I get more responsibility. Damn. Isn't my life just peachy? I get up and leave to return to my quarters. Maybe beating up that stuffed dummy in my private gym will allow me to work off some pent up energy about this marriage deal.
-Emperor Xiao Li's Point of View.
Why hasn't my son found a bride yet? I give him so many prospects and options, and he doesn't even bat an eye at any of them. I know young men's testosterone levels are running high during the age he's in, but he just seems...turned off to girls. I truly don't understand it. I was long married at his age with Xeifa already born and the next girl on the way. I sigh, and return to my letter to the northern kingdom.
Truth be told, I didn't like this business of invading Japan. We had been on good terms with king ..., and his family. But my spies in Japan reported back to me a possibility of a plot to invade china because there were troops gathering in Hokaido, Edo, and I had to squelch that spark before it spread. I have my son and country to think about.
It would have been nice to at least wed him with the princess of Japan...but obviously she's dead, along with the rest of the royal Japanese family. Bummer.
I hear a knock at the door. I wonder who it could be this time.
"Come in."
Yelan, my beautiful wife of thirty years, walks in gracefully and sits on my lap. In all that time, I do not regret every marrying her. She has been my light, joy, inspiration, and support through all the tough times in the kingdom. I pull her close to me and she smiles hugging me back. Her wise nature has also helped sooth my spirit when I felt depressed, Irate, or even lifeless. I could only hope that same kind of blessing for my son. I want him to feel love to someone, just as much as I love his dear mother.
"Did you talk to Xiao Lang about the ball?" She murmured in my ear.
"Yes, I even talked to him about the Japanese slaves coming in a few days." I close my eyes and inhale her scent of mixed spices. So exotic and beautiful. "Did you talk to Clow about the bride whom he should be married to?"
My wife giggles, and snuggles up closer. Oh I love it when we get cozy like this.
"Of course I talked to him. And as usual, he gave one of his odd riddles that doesn't make sense."
"A riddle?" I loved riddles, but knowing Clow and his predictions, it was a look...into the future.
"Yes a riddle. Would you like to hear it?"
"Keh, you know I want to."
"Alright. He said:
The little wolf born unto the land of the Tiger,
will be wed to the blossom born unto the Dragon.
Wherest the two souls meet, none can ever know,
Since time, earth, water, and light change.
She is the reverse to red, and aura hue to the pink sunrise.
He is the reverse to purple, and aura the matching hue to her eyes.
Language of the two souls are mix and intertwine,
but once together will never separate.
For the fortune of the couple, this I do not know,
because the water stays murky, longer still.
This can be a bad omen, or a good omen, Take it as you will
but heed this last and final warning:
There are futures at stake. If either the Blossom or wolf
wed another, other than each other...
The stability in the empire of the Tiger,
and the land of the Dragon,
will cease to exist."
"Do you know what this means?" I asked my wife. She shook her head, her midnight black locks framing her delicate face.
"Not entirely, but there are a few pieces I can pick out. Obviously Xiao Lang comes from the Middle kingdom, China, but as to where the kingdom of the dragon is, I can't tell you."
"We at least have a description of her eyes." I heard myself day, thoughtful about the entirety of the description of the calamity that may come into existence.
"How do you figure?"
"Clow said, 'He is the reverse to purple, and aura the matching hue to her eyes.' We both know that Xiao Lang's eyes are the same hue and color as mine, and that his aura is a green. So naturally that means the girls eyes will be green." smiling like a cat that got the cream, I start to twirl a finger in my love's long tresses. Winding it round and around and around...
"Finding a girl in China with that eye color will be difficult. Isn't that the eye color of the royal family in Japan?"
"I hope not, although it would be quite possible. But the royal family is dead, thanks to my invasion. Oh we know quite well from Clow's previous riddles that they come true soon enough. All we have to do is bide our time and wait."
and maybe, juuuuuust maybe, my son...will find a bride...
Two days later, at the docking ports in the capitol...
-Tomoyo's POV
Sakura-chan was doing better today. Her green eyes weren't quite as glassed over as what they were when we first were put on the slave ship. Most of our skin abrasions healed, excluding the chaffing and cuts on our wrists from the chains, but we were happier. Sadly, quite a number of children died on the ship. A common disease in Japan is the white plague, which commonly affects young children. In Japan it's treatable with a common flower that grows there, but since we were on a boat with no medicine, and no love for human life...the children died.
Sakura held one of the young boy's who's twin brother died, and were in the process themselves of dying of the same disease. Like the chicken pox, it was unlikely that Sakura would develop any symptoms of the disease from holding the child, so it was alright for her to try to comfort him.
I know she wasn't used to being around so many people. She tried to put up her best front to try to comfort the dying, tend to those who were hurting, and cry with the broken hearted. We were all broken hearted. Especially since...we were now docked at the Capitol of China, and were about to be auctioned off like slabs of meat.
We were all dreading today. It was the day, all familiarity would be stripped from us.
-Xiao Lang's POV
I really didn't want to go down to the slave docks to pick up the people who were kidnapped from their homeland and take them home so that they can become slaves for the rest of their lives. I especially didn't want to go alone. So I took Eriol with me. Why I took my annoying 2nd cousin along with me, only the god's know. His family is much poorer than mine, but is amazingly rich. The family is mostly dependent on themselves to make a good income, but will rely on servants to clean and do work for them. As Eriol and I made the journey to the docks, he had mentioned that he was coming today only to purchase one servant. Apparently he didn't get out much among the world and wanted to at least have someone to talk to.
In a way I do understand his thoughts, and I wish I could have his life. Oh joy. I get to pick twenty people to train to work in the place.
The docks were dirty as all get out and reeked with the stench of fish, rotting flesh, blood, and the ever popular...excrement. Yes, it wasn't normal for a palace official or a prince to make his way down to the docks to pick up slaves, but you'd think they would take some time to make it smell livable right?
Pulling up to the docks, Eriol and I stand with the rest of the other Chinese aristocrats, also looking for a good bargain. As the slaves come off the ship, I notice that most of them are women in their late twenties, early thirties perhaps, along with young children. Eriol too looks bored with what he has to choose from until one of the teenagers or girls of marriage age comes off.
It was interesting to see normally uninterested Eriol looking entranced in something so simple as a girl. I should have known...another bachelor to bite the dust. So, I decided to poke fun at him:
"Did you pick one out yet?"
"Uh-huh..."
"The black haired one?"
"Uh-huh"
"The one with incredibly huge breasts?" I get the impression he's not listening to me.
"Uh-huh" Thats it...time to go in for the kill...
"The one that looks so pregnant that she looks like a cow?"
"Uh-hu—wait." Hah, now he's catching on. "No. Are you making fun of me?!"
I laugh, oh it's been a while since I've done that. I pat him on the back and have a glare returned. Heh, I did have that coming, but responsibility first...then fun. The sailors lined up all the old men, women and children in a line for buyers to look at. All I can say that all the aristocrats are disgusting. I hate how they look lustily on the girl Eriol pointed out. She seems to be keeping her cool, although the brown haired girl next to her seems to be frightened out of her wits and tries to hide behind her friend.
It's then I notice the color of the brown haired girls eyes. I don't think I've ever seen a prettier shade of green eyes in my life. And green is my favorite color. Yup, most definitely on my list, and thankfully I have first pick. To guarantee Eriol the girl of his choosing, I offer to buy her as well, along with a good number of the mothers and children together so that no families have to be broken apart. I know Eriol will pay me or my family later, so it's no bother.
I exchanged money with the sailor while trying not to look back at the girl with emerald eyes. I can't seem to keep my eyes off her. Which is weird because I really don't like girls, or not in that way. Suddenly there is a commotion from where my group of now 'palace servants to be' are. Oh good gods...what is it now?
-Sakura's POV
These men are scary. They keep looking me in a weird way that makes me feel sick on my stomach. I want to hide so badly, but these chains barely let me get behind Tomoyo. The one guy keeps saying gibberish that I assume is Chinese, and looks at how my tattered kimono hangs. It makes me blush and makes me really uneasy. Then when I'm trying to shy away from someone else, he comes up behind me and starts to pet my thighs. I screech and kick him hard. I don't know where I hit him, but I just wanted him to stay away from me!
Suddenly out of nowhere, my back is hit with a paddle, and suddenly it's hard to breathe. I hit the ground like a heavy sack, and the beating continues. My body seems to flashback to the day I was brutally beaten and kidnapped. Time seems to slow to a crawl, as I feel blow after blow hit my head, my shoulder, my back, my legs...everywhere. Tears are rolling down my cheeks, but no one can see them because my face is in the dirt. The man is screaming mixed words at me, but I can tell his voice is full of malice and hate towards me.
I hear Tomoyo's screams, and pleas for them to stop, but the beatings continue. It hurts...it hurts soo much...and deaths long nails had sunk into me already.
A very loud angry, masculine voice falls over the crowd, and I hear a smack of flesh hitting flesh. At first I though another person had joined in on my beating, but as I turned my bruised face to look up, the man was crumpled on the ground. Whoever hit him was strong, and I could only wish he didn't use it on me. I cringed when I heard the same loud voice yell to the rest of the men who had been eying me, and suddenly they backed away afraid.
It hurt too much to keep my head up, so I layed it down again. Even though I was beaten to a pulp again, it felt good to feel dusty dirt that than the stinky moldy dungeon. Tears pooled in my eyes, as I heard the loud man walk up to me. I wish I had more energy to get up and bow to him, for fending off the perverts, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't see his face or anything as he stooped down and assessed how badly I was injured. Tiredly I closed my eyes.
I wish I was dead...
-Xiao Lang's POV
I asked Eriol to direct the other aristocratic clan members away from the scene. It was enough for a day. I knew the men were grumbling as Eriol told them to go home, but not quite as much as Wu Fei, who got a nasty hit in the nose. He had it coming. He knew better, yet he had the audacity to fondle one of the future servants.
It was hard not to be irate to those respected men when they beat up servants or slaves. They knew better and yet they still went out of their way to piss me off. Erg! Seeing the girl lying in the dirt, some of her injuries swelling and bleeding didn't look promising. She's going to have nasty bruises for a while. Her long raven haired friend suddenly seemed to snap out of her stupor, due to my loud voice, bent down next to her friend and spoke a foreign language next to her.
I assumed she was probably asking her something in Japanese, although what it was I couldn't tell you.
The injured girl tried to make a move to get up, and I realized she was taking all the strength she had to get up. I smirked to myself. At least she's a fighter. Thats good. The raven haired girl turned to me and said,
"Do you think she'll be okay?"
I blinked. Not once. Not twice. But three times. This girl knew Chinese? Great! This could make things much easier! Realizing that the girl asked a question, I nod, although I know I'm not that reassuring. I bend down and gather the beaten girl in my arms. As I picked her up, I heard her sudden intake of break and figured I was touching one of her bruises. I know this is way past princely protocol to pick up an injured servant, but I hate seeing anyone hurt. It was really hard to ignore the sparky zing that went up my arms as I picked her up, and the sudden warm feeling that settled in the pit of my stomach as I held her like a baby in my arms. Her flushed cheeks were wet with tears, and dusted with dirt, not to mention her kimono was more torn now than was before.
Her eyelids opened one last time that day. She looked up at me with those beautiful lush green eyes of hers, which I might add look a lot better close up, smiled a tiny bit, and let her eyes drift close again.
It was in that five second span of her eyes opening and closing, I realized I held my breath, and my heart was thumping quite heavily. What was this feeling? It was weird. But in the mean time I had to get this party back to the castle as soon as possible before something else bad happend.
D046: Wow...that was a lot longer than what I thought it would be. 4,000 + words? Oo Man. Last time I checked while writing that was when I was at 2,000 words. I decided to combine a what would have been 2 chapters, cuz I'm lazy, and want to get the story going rather than have it be long and drawn out. Kids, dont write at
Just a note: I really hate writing poetry, and fore-shadowing. In a way I feel like I'm giving away the plot, but I know i'm not really giving ALL of it away. Oh and about the reverse colors thing, if it's confusing, just think what color goes with red to get brown (answer: green). Yeah, I'm bad I'm putting in some art class stuff into my writing, which is okay..I hope. Anyway...Please review people. I wanna know if my writing still sucks. ;; ::feels like a noobie::