“You can do this. You can do this,” Yura told herself as she walked along the abandoned corridors. She held a flask in her hand, filled with the freshly brewed oolong tea. “Just ask him if he’d like some tea. If he says no, you can just give him the flask and go away.”
She stopped mid-stride.
“Wait, no, that isn’t quite right!” She shook her head. “I’m so confused!”
Yura hid her face behind her free hand. She was nervous, but a deal was a deal, and she wasn’t going to bring shame to her name by not holding up her end of the bet. She took a deep breath, straightened, and opened her eyes.
“I can do this,” she whispered as she marched on toward the pagoda, where fate awaited her.
“We’ll have a celebratory drink together later, and you can tell me about it,” Shizuru told her at dinner.
“But we don’t know if he’d agree.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” another servant piped up. She was a few years older than Yura. “He’s crazy if he doesn’t go out with you.”
“Either way, we’ll be having a drink,” Shizuru ended the argument. “Whether it be in celebration or to drown our sadness, it depends on you.”
“What? Our sadness? It’s my heart on the line!” Yura protested.
Shizuru smirked at her. “Go make him yours.”
“Shizu!”
Yura shook her head as she remembered. Shizuru sometimes came off as demanding, maybe even aggressive, but her heart was in the right place. Soon, Yura saw the pagoda and could make out the figure standing guard near the path leading to it.
Damnit, her nerves were acting up again.
“Keep calm, deep breaths,” Yura told herself. “You can do this. I can do this. Here I go!”
She stepped toward the path confidently. She made it to a few paces before she was distracted by nearby voices.
Is that Ciara-sama? What is she doing here? Yura stopped and altered her course, following Ciara’s voice. Soon, she heard someone else. Orihime-dono? Yura’s eyes got big. She had to do something to help her lady!
She hurried over to the scene, catching up to the women quickly.
“Ciara-sama!”
Ciara startled as she heard Yura’s voice. She looked over her shoulder.
“Yura? What are you doing here?”
“I… I heard you and wondered…”
“Wondered what, servant?” Orihime bit out.
“Hey, don’t talk to her like that!” Ciara admonished.
“Psssh,” Orihime turned her face away.
“What is it, Yura?”
“I thought… maybe Milady—I mean, Ciara-sama would need some assistance.”
“That’s sweet of you, but I’m fine, thank you.”
“Oh. But…” Yura’s gaze found Orihime who had turned her back on them.
“Are you coming or not? I don’t have all night.”
“Sure, your majesty,” Ciara said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. “Yura, you don’t need to—”
“I’ll help!” she quickly jumped in.
“She doesn’t need your help,” Orihime said, disdain coloring her voice.
Yura frowned, but her expectant gaze was on Ciara, who was reminded of a puppy. She couldn’t just leave Yura behind, not like this. Ciara sighed.
“Please don’t tell anyone until morning, but I’m leaving.”
“L-leaving?”
“I’m going back home.”
“Why?”
“None of your concern, girl,” Orihime replied.
“I can speak for myself, no need to butt in,” Ciara told her, irritated.
“I’m helping you. You either come now or you’ll lose your advantage,” Orihime explained. She nodded toward Yura. “That is, if that servant girl can keep her mouth shut.”
“Yura, please go back to your room, and don’t tell anyone—”
“May I come?”
“I’m sorry?” Ciara blinked in confusion.
“May I come with you?”
“Why would you do that? You have a life here.”
“I can’t let Milady go alone. You’re not familiar in these lands. Anything could happen to you!”
Ciara smiled and walked over to Yura. She put a hand on the top of the girl’s head. “You’re very kind, but I’m an adult. I can deal with it.”
“I remember when you arrived with Katsuo-sama,” Yura whispered. “You were pale as a ghost. And I can see it in your eyes—”
“See what?”
“Pardon me for saying this, Milady, but you don’t know war. You don’t know how to survive here.”
Ciara gasped in surprise. Yura was far more perceptive than she gave her credit for.
“Yura—”
“Oh, gods, I can’t take this anymore,” Orihime groaned. “Take care of them.”
“What—?” Both Ciara and Yura snapped their head in her direction, but the only thing they could see was a shadow descending on them. It was already too late for them to react.
Their world turned to black as they lost consciousness.
Orihime sighed in relief.
“Finally! That chatter was starting to give me a headache!” She massaged her temples with delicate fingers. She looked at the figure dressed in black who had knocked out Ciara and Yura. His face was obscured by a mask.
“I see you’ve come to a decision. Good choice, coming to our side.”
The person inclined their head.
“Now, we have to get her to Juro.”
“Consider it done. What about the servant?”
“Do as you wish. I don’t want to manage such miniscule tasks.”
“I see,” he said, bending down to pick up Ciara’s limp body. Orihime was already walking away, not sparing another glance at her victims.