Voiceless

3- Encounters and Confusion

The atmosphere was hectic. Everyone seemed to be happy and active, even the old men and women. There was a wedding in the village and since this was such a rare occasion relative or not, friend or foe, everyone was participating. There was so much work to be done, so this was a good thing. Everyone in the village ended up lending a hand in any way possible.

Sora too wanted to do her part for the wedding since it was her cousin Ami who was getting married. Ami was the eldest daughter of her father's sister. She was marrying a village farmer's son. Sora was very happy and excited about the event so she was busy all day. She had been carrying various messages, arranging the clothing and jewelry, and doing many other odd jobs that needed to be done. She had just been showing some of the villager women to weave flowers into a crown for the bride's headdress when Yuuto, Ami's husband to be came by and asked her if she could go to the forest and pick some fruit for the feast after the ceremony.

Sora happily nodded. She looked around for a stick and found one under a tree. And then wrote, "What fruit do you want?" "Oh um... Apples, mangos, berries anything is fine. No peaches though. We seem to have more than enough of those." Yuuto replied with a smile. "Thank you for all this Sora. You've already done a lot for the two of us." Sora smiled and ran off towards the forest.

When she reached the forest Sora immediately began scouring the trees and bushes for edible fruits and berries. She put them into the wicker basket she had brought with her.

She was wandering around blissfully in the forest looking for more and more fruit to fill up her basket. She had gone deep into the forest without her own knowledge. When she was picking some berries she suddenly felt something cold move to her neck. It was made of metal. Iron to be exact. It was the blade of a sword.

* * *

Runa ran up to Ami and hugged her from behind. Ami turned around and hugged her back. "Hello Ru-ru, where's Sora today? I didn't see her by the peach tree." Said Ami. "I think she was teaching the old women to make those flower thingies that she always makes me." Replied Runa distracted. She was following a butterfly as it flew from one flower to another. "Do you mean a wreath?" Ami asked laughing at the little girl's antics.

Runa made no effort to reply. She was now occupied with a small blue bird on a low tree branch. "I need her to help me with my dressing. She's really good at that you know..." Ami said. "Hey Ru-ru, will you help me find her?" "Huh?" Runa said. She had resumed following the butterfly again. "Sure! I want her to tell me a story." Runa smiled as she skipped after Ami on their way to look for Sora.

* * *

Yoshihito's company was moving along the forest paths when they heard a noise in the distance. Without hesitation, Yoshihito ran in the direction of the noise with all the grace and speed of a lightning bolt, his hand on his sword. A specially crafted Japanese katana. "Lord Yoshihito wait for me!" Pochi the imp screamed after him.

* * *

The blade was starting to cut the neck of Sora's kimono. "Who are you?" Asked a voice of a man behind her. Sora was shivering in fear. Her breath quickened. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears. This was the first time she had experienced situation like this. No one had held a sword to her a neck before.

* * *

"Grandma!" Shouted Runa as she let go of Ami's hand and rushed forward to hug Sumiko. "Having fun are we?" Sumiko asked the small girl. "Something like this won't happen again very soon so enjoy yourself okay?" "Okay!" Runa smiled. "Ami, would you happen to know where Sora is? She didn't eat any breakfast this morning so I wanted to know if she ate something." Sumiko asked kindly.