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part 4

The crack of dawn lit the misty sky; Sade woke up from a peaceful sleep and stretched himself from head to toe. Thanking for the comfortable leaf bed. He checked his equipment and glanced over to where Akina was still asleep peacefully. Then a weird combination of color suddenly caught his attention. Lady Melina had warn him not to look at her face, but why? Sade was beyond curious at this point, so he came closer to Akina, he noticed her hood was off. He couldn’t believe his eyes, straight, long, lustrous hair of a silver-light blue shade of color started from on top of her head, and then turned to amber, and then pink. What sort of hair color is that? Then he slowly gazed at her face. Holy Christ, it-it is worse than I thought! Sh-she-she is— Sade couldn’t believe his eyes, and rubbed his eyes with his hands, he gawked at her some more. Her skin completion is a perfect ivory, a perfect oval face, cheeks is blushed light pink, long eye lashes, a stubborn nose and chin, and her lips— it’s rosy red. Why in the bloody world would she want to hide it? She-she’s beautiful, mor-more than an angel! I wonder what eyes color she has.

In an instant, Akina fluttered her eyes wide open and stared at him right in the face, fear confronted her features as she saw him sitting, studying her, “Get away from me!” She shrieked as she turned her head away.

He suddenly fell aback from her deafening screams. Her eyes were definitely green, spring-green to be exact. She’s gorgeous, like a fairy tale princess. Even more! How strange, looking at her felt like I was sucked into a dream, illusion, fantasy… “You have strange hair colors…” It was all he managed to say as he stared at her back, with her hair glittering in the early dawn, “It is the colors of early dawn, exactly like so…” Then unexpectedly, Sade grabbed his left chest with his right hand as he felt a major pain spreading in to his heart. “What the—?”

Eye-Za promptly flew in front of Sade’s view, blocked him from staring at Akina.

Akina rose up swiftly, “You shouldn’t have looked at me, Sade, and now you-you’re cursed…”

Totally confused and still in pain, “Cursed? Wha-what sort of a damn curse?”

Akina’s voice suddenly weakened, “A-a horrible curse that will put you to death on the next nine sunset. The pain you felt right now is the first symptom, it jolted into your heart, then on the nine sunset, it will automatically shut you down and…”

Sade saw the guilt and serious look on her face and stood up, “What? There are more symptoms? On the next nine sunsets? You must be joking—” Then Sade suddenly remembered, “Whatever you do, Sade, you must bring her back safely to me before the next nine sunsets.” “Lady Melina had said the same thing. Did she see into my future…? No, it’s not possible! How?”

“I-I don’t really know. It was not my choice to put it upon you. I-I was born with that horrible curse. Only my loved one’s were immune to it.”

“Immune? Love one? How many have died from seeing you?”

“I always have some sort of cover or hood on, so there isn’t many— I rather not tell you about it.” Akina made a little cheerful face toward Sade, “Hey… At least now you know when you are going to die… But cheer up Sade, I heard it was a peaceful death for those who died…” Akina said nervously and walked away.

Sade chuckled loudly, “Great one Akina, of all the serious you put up, you finally jested.” Sade felt his knee buckled, and sat himself down to adjust. She had to be jesting. I’m too young to die! Lady Melina, you better have a better explanation for this! On the other hand, I don’t really give a damn if I die today or later as she said. Life is cruel that way. Sade looked up, “Akina, where are you going?” He yelled out at the walking figure of Akina toward some newly found fruits trees.

Birds tweaked lovingly in the early morning, sun lazily rose above the horizon, and Akina turned to Sade with a toss of her hair and said cheerfully across the brightened forest, “I’m going to make up for your upcoming death Eye-Za and I are going to search for some breakfast, so sit still and stay calm, all right? We will be back momentarily.” Akina kept on walking with Eye-Za floated by her side.

Sitting still? That I am doing. But stay calm? How could I stay calm when I’m about to die in nine days hence? A breakfast as a payment for my death? Great! My death worth a single breakfast, who would have thought… Sade looked down to his left hand and realized he was rubbing the ring of Destiny on his middle finger for the last ten minutes. “Destiny eh? Well, what do you know, I really have a destiny after all. Yes, my damn destiny is to die after I bring this strange haired and cursed beauty back to her Auntie. Great, what else could have happen!” Oh this! Sade focused on the food Akina just popped in front of his face.

“Here, Eye-Za found these while we were searching in the forest. Could you just imagine all these berries were here all along? We didn’t even have to eat that poor monkey if we could have found these yesterday.” Akina laughed softly.

It was a nice laugh, he thought. “Berries? Are you sure they’re safe?” He looked at her curiously.

“Why yes, of course they are! You dare doubt me?”

“No, I dare not, not even after you turned angry red when I’ve tricked you into eating that monkey.” Sade said sarcastically.

“Just eat those damn berries, so we can be on our way back to Ferrah, all right?” Akina added hastily.

“Hmmm… all right, since you were being so nice to me lately, not to mention cursed me to death. I’ll eat this anyway, I don’t like to die on an empty stomach.” He stared down at a large green leaf full of all sorts of colors and shapes of berries in his hand. Then he looked down at Akina hands with another cloth full of berries, “Aren’t you going to have some?”

Akina studied him as he put a few berries in his mouth and started to chew, “I already ate on the way back here. This other half is for the way if we ever get hungry. Besides, you won’t have to kill anymore animals. Isn’t that grand?” She said happily.

“Yes, sure,” he said with his mouth half full, “theseberries are good, especially these green ones.” Sade held up a few tiny green berries and put it in his mouth.

“Great!” Akina clapped her hand together and then turned to Eye-Za, “Come now Eye-Za, we should clean and gather our stuff.”

“Akina? Is there any chance there are rum in these berries? How come everything is so blurry and…” Sade collapsed backward on the ground, front faced up.

“Lord Sade? Sade, are you all right?” Akina bent over and slowly poked Sade in the arm. “Eye-Za, it really worked!” Then when she focused her attention on the sleeping Sade, she suddenly felt guilt, “Sade…” She sat down by him and slightly touched his left cheek, “I’m sorry for everything, especially the curse I put upon you. You were kind to me— part of the time that is.” She traced his dark brown eye brows, realized how handsome and beautiful he is in the sunlight, “You were right Sade, you’re not ugly or old at all, you’re very handsome indeed.” Her voice hardened with pain, but now gently stroking his rich brownish blond hair, “I must continue on with my quest. It is up to me to kill Eliasius. Rest at peace in the future, Sade…” Akina emotionally turned away in guilt and about to stand up.

Eye-Za widens her red eye in shock.

“To rest in peace am I?” Sade grabbed Akina’s right hand to stop her from running away, and he slowly sat up.

Really shocked, Akina turned around and she found herself staring into a devious grinning face of the handsome, Lord Sade, as those she was confronting the devil himself. “Ho-how-how did yo-you…?”

“Come on, Lady Faye, tell me again about the part how handsome I am.” Sade pushed on with the subject as he pulled her down to his eye level. “Don’t tell me you’re shocked, Lady Faye. Your mouth is open, close it my dear. Yes, that’s good.” He said playfully as he looked into her pretty face, which he could not stop looking at it. Damnation!

“Yo-you tricked me again! I take back everything I said— Oh I-I hate you!” Akina said blindly.

“Really?” Sade held her pretty face between his hands. “Hmmm…”

“Wh-wha-what are you doing?” Akina said hazily as he lured her face to his. Her brain was telling her to get away, but she didn’t.

“Aki…?” He spoke softly.

For a moment they rested their eyes on one another, “Sade…?”

“Do you know how beau— You have really soft skin. I cannot see a single pore. ” He jested, then pinched her soft pink cheeks.

“As for you… I can see plenty of pores!” Akina clutched both of his cheek and wringed them with no mercy. Then they both giggled with no restrain.

Eye-Za just blinked in disbelieves. Both of them have met their match.

They helped each other as they stood up, Sade was the one first to speak, “Don’t think that we are laughing that I will go soft on you, Lady Faye.”

“I know you won’t. But how did you know? I saw you eat those berries with my own eyes.”

Sade pointed at the floating eyeball, “I made Eye-Za show me, when I went back from the waterfall. I knew you were up to something, when you were standing quietly by the berry bushes, and I was right. Eye-Za almost showed it willingly too, I think she likes me. You’re a sneaky little imp all right. Trying to feed me those sleeping berries did you. Good thing I spat it out when you were not looking. I advise you to never try it again. Got that?”

“I can not believe it, Eye-Za betrayed me to you. Of all the nerve!” Akina said loudly with her hand on her hips. I should have known he was too smart for that… Guess I should come up with a better plan. Speaking of a plan…

Sade saw through Akina’s thought, “And no more next time, or else I won’t be as kind. Now let be on our way to Ferrah, shall we?” He then saw an object in Akina’s right hand.



* * *

“There is an inn nearby. Are you hungry?” Sade asked Akina, walking slowly behind him, “No, I’m not hungry!” Akina said coldly.

“Come on, don’t be so brooding. Are you still mad? I told you before that I wouldn’t be so kind. If you were not trying to hit me with that large branch over the head, I wouldn’t have to tie you to me like this.” Sade held up his left hand, where a strong tanned, rope bonded from his wrist to both of Akina wrists.

“My wrists hurt! I feel like a prisoner, being dragged to the beheaded stadium. And Eye-Za, she wants to come out and see.” Akina complained.

Sade looked up and down on Akina, “Hey that is exactly what I’m planning for others to think. I have to admit, I prefer you without that damned hood. But we could not risk anyone being cursed, like myself here. Also, Eye-Za, she a magical creature, that’s why she must hide in your sleeve, until it’s safe from all the seeing eyes of the peasants in this large market. Well, come on now, we’ve been walking for more than a day and a half now, you must be very tired from your aching feet.”

“No, my feet feel just fine. It is you who is the tired one. Besides, I have these berries to strengthen up my energy.” Akina said smoothly.
“Yes, if only you would share them with me.” He said vainly.

“Too bad!” She said mockingly, “May we continue on, the Fearless Lord Sade?” Akina held up her tied arms toward the crowded market ahead.

“As you wish, my lady!” Sade slightly yanked her forward as he cursed her silently.

Sade and Akina kept on walking through the crowed passage. Everyone’s eyes were on them, whispering about the Gods knows what.

“Maybe we should take another passage. Everyone is staring at us.” Akina nervously said as she studied everyone below her hood.

“Me either, but this road is the shortest shortcut to Ferrah. We should be there in seven hours or so.” Sade said blankly and walked close to her in caution.

“Seven hours of more walking?” Akina complained, she felt her feet aching to death, but she couldn’t let him know.

“Why? Are you changing your mind about resting at the inn for a while?”

“I never said that! Just keep on walking, you arrogant bas—”

“Just shush up, or else, I’ll go shut you up myself.” Sade warned her humorously.

“Ay you up there! Knight man with the big sword! ‘ave you seen this pretty woman before? Her title was Akina Faye, Lady of Tandonia.” Sade looked down at the short bulky man who had popped a piece of fabric drawing up to his face.

Sade immediately realized the man was a minion of Eliasius. Grabbing a safe hold of his sword, Sade looked closely at the picture. This seeker here is searching for Akina, but the picture did not do her justice at all, in fact, it was all-wrong! “Wow! She’s pretty! Blond and Blue eyes!” Then he answered smoothly, “Nope, sorry! Never seen her, gosh, but I wish I did…” Sade made a sympathy sound. Well, what do you know? Not even Eliasius has seen the real face of Lady Akina Faye. If he saw the real Akina Faye, he would be in a real shock. A shock of death that is! Hahaha!

Akina hastily jumped out in front of Sade, “He didn’t, but I did!” Akina yelled to the urchin like seeker.

The man immediately hopped over to Akina, “You did? Where is she now? Tell me!”

Leaving Sade irritated. In one fast pace, Sade was in front of Akina again, he then explained to the seeker, “Look, whoever you are, I don’t want any trouble, but this girl hasn’t seen a thing, for she is blind. She been for the last five years, that’s why she covered her face down to her chin like so!” Sade put his right hand over Akina’s mouth in panic.

Akina managed to shove away his hand for a few second, “Yes I did! Because I am her, help get me away from this man, he— umph… captured me— umm…hm…umph…” Sade blocked her mouth again.

“You don’t really look like ‘er, put down your ‘ood lass.” The sturdy man demanded as he stared up at Akina’s hood in disbelief. Then reached out his dirty dagger, crammed with dry, old blood.

A small crowd formed, talking, staring, and whispering around them. Soon, everybody stopped from what they were doing and joined in the crowded circle.

“Of course she can not, because she is not the beautiful Lady Faye. My ugly slave here just wanted to run away again. Yep, last time she tried to run away, I sure gave her a lesson she wouldn’t forget. I poked both of her eyes out! Then she tried again yesterday, I caught her just this morning. So when I return to my castle, I’ll chop off both of her pathetic legs.” Sade faked a chuckle and studied around the huge surrounding crowd that had gathered. Sade bent down a few inches lower toward Akina’s ears and whispered, “Damn you woman, what were you thinking! I can recognize at least a dozen of Eliasius’ minions standing in those crowds, and they are about to jump in and kill. I know you want to find Eliasius badly, but have some decency to keep the civilians safe from their ruthless ways.” Sade put his hand away from Akina’s lips.

Akina looked at the large crowd herself, then turned to her seeker, now looking very impatient, “My master is right, I’m not Akina Faye. I just wanted to run away from him.” She said in disappointment.

“You dare lie to me? You’re goin’ to pay, blind woman!” The seeker angrily launched his dagger toward Akina.

In one smooth stroke, Sade had his sword pointed across the seeker’s throat, “Don’t you think you should ask her master first?” He said coolly.

“Stay away from this, pretty boy! I’ve many friends here, you won’t get away with— Ah-aww!” The man whined in pain when Sade slowly slit a part of his neck.

end of part 4