This Alliance

Chapter 3: No change

"You stare at me as though you haven't brought harm," the Orochi said, never turning to face her.

Naomii jumped. Harm? What does he mean by harm?

When she looked farther beyond the assassin, she could see something laying at his feet. She dared herself to take a step closer.

"You do not bring honor with you..."

The Orochi stepped away to the side, letting the object on the ground be revealed. The blood trail continued a little further just before stopping.

Naomi's heart caught in her throat. The Orochi was her father. She knew from the look in his eye and the very manner in which he held himself. Yet the thing before her was...

***

Naomi woke up in a cold sweat. Breaths of precious air filled her lungs as though she had at last broken the surface of water. Her eyes gazed up to the ceiling of something familiar. Something soft and warm covered her body as she laid still.

She was home.

Naomi breathed in a sigh of relief and clenched her fists to see if anything was real. Still here. A groan escaped her lips when she sat up, the moment of her dream still fresh in her mind.

The cold winter of Valkenheim. The mountains that never got any closer when she walked through the landscape. Her father dressed as a Samurai warrior.

The thing she saw in front of her father...

What did she see again?

Naomi had to remember, but only the little details came into her mind. She remembered the crunching under her feet of the snow mixed with blood. She remembered the armor that her father was wearing. She even remembered the way her father looked at her with disgust, the way it made her feel.

She pondered this dream as she got ready, washing up and putting on her kimono.

"Naomi!" A muffled voice of a child yelled.

The wooden doors slid open, revealing a girl of about nine years of age. She held two pieces of string in her hands, with one end on each being worn down.

"Can I borrow your string? Mine broke."

Naomi frowned, "Naoki, you can't just keep breaking your string."

The girl's eyes widened as she folded her hands, "please. I'll ask father to go into town tomorrow."

Naomi gave an exasperated sigh then nodded. She went across the room and opened her closet to look for her storage box. The box was small enough to sit in the corner of her shelved closet but easily found with symbols of golden snakes came to view. She opened it and picked up a string within. As the sting left the confines of its box, rough, beige paper revealed itself underneath.

For a small moment she forgot she had that paper. She quickly closed the box and handed the string to her sister waiting patiently. Though, Naomi could see that she was getting a little jumpy.

"Will this work?"

The girl's face brightened. She grabbed the string and let out a quick, "yes, thank you!" before scurrying back to her room and sliding the door shut.

"I expect to have that back!" Naomi yelled out, but she doubted if her younger sister heard it.

"You're not getting that back," In the corner of her eye a figure walked by until it came to full view.

A young boy, older than Naoki, of about 12 years of age. His shorter hair was in a mess and his eyes were undertone with dark spots. He walked as though there was a heavy weight on his back. His steps mimicked this way too. With each one he took he just dragged them across the floor.