S A K U M I ✿
Something is tickling my nose and I keep swatting it away but it keeps coming back and it's irritating until I slap my own face out of triggered. Bolting upright, blurry eyes focused and with the little light the morning sun gave me, a looked around the room. Still oozing, after collecting myself together I freaked out and stumbled on my bed and open the window and the sun is already out!!!
"I'm late!!!!!!!" I shouted in panic and rushed myself to change. I'm racing and burst in thoughts the door and saw a man cleaning my tutors room. "W-where is she?" I asked while panting and wipe the swear on my forehead.
"Oh, she's with lord Endemion in the yard and..." I immediately rushed myself and went to the yard, i catch my breath and saw my tutor glaring at me and I smile sheepishly.
"I'm sorry" apologized and flinched when I felt a terrifying aura rising above her.
"Madam I'll take it from here"
"I apologized for my student" madam sweating, an evidences that she just failed to teach her student with discipline, time management and etiquette.
"It's okay" he said calmly and madam left with a slight bow and his mood just change quickly. His glaring deep into my soul "You, come here" he just called someone and I looked back and it was just me standing and no one and I pointed myself.
"W-who me?"
"Ay hindi siya" pamimilosopo pa nito at lumapit ako. He gestured his hand and someone approached him and gave him a wooden sword. And he just tossed it to me but I was not quick enough to catch it and it hit my head. Ang sakit kase tumunog bungo ko sa ginawa niya.
The butler rather gave me a look that as saying your dead and he walked away and sat beside the post where lantern sat on. There was a bench and a four legged table. I turned my face back to him and his ready to attacked me, He aligned the wooden sword and just leapt forward and I scream and run away while his running after me.
"Fight!!"
"Fight yourself ahhh mama!!"
I was scared at that time and I'm running in circle. Finding a safe place to protect and won't be hit by his attack. I don't know where to exit even I saw the obvious path away to get away from him but my foot is not listening to me its just moving on it own. I look back and his slashing his sword, he's like a hungry predator and want to eat me. I didn't even have my morning breakfast yet!
Iniiwasan kolang siya ng iniiwasan ang bilis niya Hanggang sa natapon ko nalang ang hawak ko at may narinig nalang akong bumagsak at pagkalingon ko nakasungadngad siya sa damuhan niluwa ang nakain niyang damo.
➖➖➖
I'm standing right beside the chalkboard while ten books place on my head as a punishment, spreading my arms either way. I saw him scowled at me, I saw bandages on his face and few scratches on his cheek
" Atama ni kuru!! "
[I'm loosing my temper!!]
" My lord I'm so sorry" madam freaked out and whacked my head
"You shouldn't be, I can do it alone to serve the prince sent this woman back home"
"But your father told me, you both should get along, since she's the one who brought the runaway crown prince captain Valor'e told me that she managed to drag the prince effortlessly to the ground and about to strike him on the face"
"So, she's that woman huh" he stood up and went to my direction, towering me, looking at me below him like a child. My hands were shaking because its getting heavier. "Interesting" he said it with a nearly-whisper voice. He took the book away and a few moment the class continued. I darted my eyes to his direction, while his writing something on the tutors study desk. I turn my eyes back to the topic.
It's about the changing season. Four deity of season are on their journey, walking around the world, balancing the season accordingly to it's time. If it's not the world will be in chaos.
This world here are different from back home but this is no home anymore. This is vermija the first city that I have laid my eyes on.
Being new here is challenging, I need to adapt in order to survive. I have no parents here and relatives to save me so I must challenge myself to work harder everyday. I can't rely on anyone anymore, I'm on my own now.
She put down the chalked and I write them on my notes to study for later. I have scheduled already, and I have a sparring lesson and martial arts activity to worked on.
As she dismissed me I walked around the hall and heard a metal clanging nearby and I I look outside the window and saw two individuals sparring in a real swords. Their skills and footwork was unbelievable. The other one flip backwards to avoid the foe's blade and he landed perfectly on the ground and leapt forward to attacked. Both of them are excellent and they bowed to each other and walked away separately. I flip opened my books to study about plants. I'm a plants.
I'm a walking stem like they said. Flowerless and ugly... Sheyt.
I was surprised because this world are the once who brought the season into balance and visited our land. I tried to encourage myself to work hard but I ended up messing around.
I knocked my forehead with a sighed of frustrations. Ano kaba self ayusin mo nga ang ginagawa mo!!
I went back to my favorite spot in the manor, willow tree, I hop on the stone bridge leading to the willow trees to relax myself, burying myself on books again. I peered around and I see no one, yokong may mangyari na namang tulad sa nakita ko. I shivered in disgust when I tried to remember what happen.
An arrow tap my book and I glanced up and saw him. Giving me gesture to follow him and gave me a bow. I stood up and take it with one brow raising. I checked on my schedule first if I missed a class. Bukas pa ang arrow lesson namin e. Gusto kong tanongin pero hinayaan ko na.
He dragged me to the stable and saw a horse neighing and he pull the rope, releasing the horse and I walk back while my hand is raising " I never rode a horse before" I said
"Who told you to rode my horse"
"Kala ko kase"
"D'you know how to used the arrow?"
"...uh" he just asked me
He sighed "You were recruited then you can't even used an arrow or master swords?!"
"I'm sorry okay, I didn't even agreed to come here I was just force but I don't want to regret for not my whole.life for not taking this opportunity maybe this will help me on the future"
"Ambitious eh" He sighed and massage his forehead " Fine then I had no choice"
He just sneered at me I flinched when he touch my waist and assisted me up to his horse and he hop in front of me and he drove us out and went to the woods and he locked the arrow into his bow and fires at a target that were hung on the branches.
The horse leaped over a log and he shot another arrow in the mid air and hit another target. When they landed he turned around and fired at the target behind us perfectly. He halted the horse and asked me to what he did and I took one arrow and locked them like he did, but the arrow kept moving and I'm struggling to pulled it back and I hit his nose. I released it and the first one failed, and another and another until there's nothing left.
"I'm sorry"
I saw how he tried to calm himself from storming out of control, his eyes were blazing in fire already. He hopped down and looked for the arrow that were landed somewhere and I waited patiently, my hands were trembling and my thought keeps whispering to me. Patay ka talagang bata ka
Medyo natagalan siya at nung dumating siya nakita ko ang basa niyang damit, mukhang nahirapan sa paghahanap ng mga palaso. He hopped on without a word until we stop at the edge of the cliff and saw a big target that were hang on the tree.
He hopped down and extended his hand and helped me down and tied the horse.
He arranged the target first and walked towards me and straighten my back from slouching.
I was attempting to shoot an arrow at a target drawn all the way back and Lord Endemion was behind, me helping me. Aim perfectly.
"Deep breath" he whispered and I shivered as I felt his breath on my neck. And he flicked my ears "Will you focused!!" He exploded and I froze in spot " Release when I told you so, but first look at that red spot on the center" he arranged my posterd and I finally released the arrow and it hit the bark of the tree. " Again!"
•••
"Again!
•••
"Aim it first before releasing! Again! Don't just release focus on the target!"
.•••
"Okay not bad, keep doing it, release the arrow and think like its the last one out of two enemies approaching you, how will you be able to kill them by just using one arrow"
•••
"Nasan ba mata mo!!"
•••
"Again, konte nalang" He sat down on the patch of grass and put out a small notebook from his pocket and worte something "Focused on the target not on me"
I looked back and the wind causes the target to swing. As my sweat drop I finally released it and it hit on the rock and bounce back to our direction and his breath ceased when the arrow strike between his legs. His eyes slowly raised to me and I gulped. He rose up and I raised my hand up an act of surrender and tears started to form on the bloodshot on my eyes.
"I'm sorry, I'll try again"
"What am I gonna do with you Sami, I guess I should talked with cap to sent you back, a woman should be at home it's not safe for you to embark on a journey with me"
"It's sakumi my lord, please let me try it again, I'm sorry it's just my first time I'll work hard so you won't be disappointed on my performance" I replied as elegantly as possible. Although I don't think it came out as I had expected it in my head. I should put some effort in my tone. He just place his hand on my head and patted my head like a kid
"Okay I'll give you chance..."
"Yesss!!!" I cheered and he put his hands on his ears. I raise my toe and planted a kiss on his cheeks and bow gently "Thank you my lord"
He shifted his gazed away while his hand on his cheek, he was slightly shock and confused, blinking several times wondering. "what was that for?"
"Huh?" I was dumbfounded
"The kiss"
"... Oh, my mom told me to give kiss to someone as thank you"
"So you kiss someone before me..?"
"Nope it's just you, it was awkward to kiss someone other than my parents, but I guess it'll eased your frustrations a bit "
"It didn't you just made it worst.." he was a bit stunned and I apologized for kissing him out of nowhere, he walked away and pick the sword and gave it to me. "Let's start again"
"Yes sir"
He teaches me again. It was tiring and difficult to balance my body and how to move the sword while dodging the foe's attack.
"Are you sure to die"
"Die?!" That was a shocking word to hear
"I thought you surrender yourself in terms of serving the monarchy"
"Then why die?"
"It's... Ahmp.." he groaned in mock annoyance. He raised my face and made me look up to him "if you don't want to meet the grim repear then better master the sword. You thought in serving a noble is just a game or messing around it's not, as you started in service, you must act like one, be a person who served the king, your life is in danger now Sami. This world are surrounded with different hardship, test and sacrifices to make. But you still have the chance, a choice to picked either serve the king or go home"
Those words were like a spear tossed and penetrated to my chest. Until I blood gusted out my mouth. It was terrifying. I should go home now but I want to make my oarents proud and also for the new life of the bloomix. It was a hard choice to make.
I darted my eyes to him and he waited for my response "Will I die alone?"
That made him quietly laugh at me "Why'd you think that?"
"Because.."
"You're forgetting I'm here, I can protect you, if, you want to be my partner. But I can't force you, your a lady, you must go back home so you'll be safe.."
"No, I'm staying with you"
"Sami" he's eyes told me that I should think about it rather than forcing myself "Or you could just stay in the manor and work as my personal maid atleast your safe"
"No, I'm going on a journey that's final" I don't want to be a maid, I had a promise to teach that good for nothing prince so that one day he'll bless Fluerishian new baby bloomix. Ones life must serve as a sacrifice for a new generation.
Mom, dad watch me grow into someone that will protect you from any harm.
"Let's test your ability, are you ready? It'll hurt badly, I won't be easy on you cause in the real world enemies won't give a chance to live"
"It's okay this is my final decision"
He click his tongue with a sighed of dismally "I have belittled your little head for choosing life over death but your a hard headed one, why don't you just go pack home"
"Because back home nobody wants me except my parents"
"..ouch"
"Was that bad?" I asked and he just smirk at me while resting the scabbard on his shoulder.
"We'll see, if you can last long"
"I--i can last long" I said fiercely and clenched my fist to covered my trembling fingers.
I puff and air and withdraw my sword. A real one. The weight of the teal sword in my hand felt familiar, and I knew that every strike could be my last. Andreline surged through my veins, heightening my senses and sharpening my focused.
"One chance Sami, go home"
"I'm staying!"
"Then I'll leave you no choice!"
Lord Endemion's eyes with a predator gleam, as he launch another assault. His sword whistled through the air, leaving a trail of charred marble in his wake. I side stepped his initial strike, but he followed it up with a quick series of slashes, forcing me to panry with all my strength. The force of his attack sent shockwaves through my arms, and I gritted teeth, not letting it go to affect my focus.
He took a deep breath, and suddenly, the air around him seemed to crackle with energy, he was preparing for a powerful technique, and I knew I had to act fast.