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.
"Oh, we were looking for her as well!" Ami exclaimed. "That girl, where has she got to?" Sumiko wondered out loud.
"Well, well, what are you young girls doing out here do early in the morning?" Asked Yuuto as he passed by carrying some sake for the feast. "Yuuto, I suggest that you should visit the doctor about your eyes after the ceremony. I'm hardly young." Sumiko deadpanned. Yuuto laughed heartily. "Ever the optimist aren't you lady Sumiko?" He asked.
"Oh Yuuto, do you happen to know where Sora is? We've been searching everywhere for her." Ami said. "Why just a little while ago I sent her to the forest to get some fruits for the feast." Yuuto explained. "She'll be back soon."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but did you say that Sora is in the forest?" Asked the village headman, an old man with a long white beard that went down to his elbows. "Yes I did. Why?" Asked Yuuto confused. "Oh no, that is worrisome indeed." Said the old headman scratching his beard. "I've just received word that the demon king is in the area."
The gathering was shocked to hear this news. Ami gasped and nearly fainted. "But- but S-Sora..." She stammered. Sumiko was too shocked even to speak. "Is something bad going to happen to Sora?" Asked Runa. She was genuinely concerned about her friend's safety. "Demons are... Bad right?" She asked hoping that she was mistaken.
"No nothings going to happen to her. I sent her to the woods, so I'll just bring her back." Yuuto said bravely. He laid a hand on Ami's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll bring your sister back." He said and ran towards the forest.
"I'll organize a search party just incase." Added the village head. "Stay positive. I'm sure she will be fine. Sora wont leave us that easily." Sumiko and Ami nodded while Runa began crying and saying, "Sora, please be safe." "She will Ru-ru. Don't worry. Yuuto will bring her back safe and sound." Said Ami doubting her own words. 'I hope.' She added in thought.
* * *
"Who are you?" The man demanded more harshly than before. Sora welled up her courage and turned around. "I asked you who you were human! How dare you come near the demon king!" The man shouted. He had golden hair which had a slight orangeish tint, blood red eyes and pale skin. He tightened his grip on his katana and pressed it against Sora's neck.
Sora tried to back away but to no avail. "Don't try to move you useless human. Learn to answer the questions asked from you, you scum!" The self proclaimed demon king lifted his sword to strike when a cry came from the undergrowth. "Master Yoshihito! I finally found you!" Shouted Pochi as he ran into the clearing. "Eh?!" Was all he could say after seeing the scene unfolding before him.
"No! Lord Yoshihito you mustn't!" Pochi shouted trying to stop his stop his master. "You've killed enough demons and humans on our journey to lady any other a lifetime! This one was obviously only here for fruit. Leave her!"
"Then at least she should have enough courtesy to answer my questions." Yoshihito said lowering his sword reluctantly. "Is she that ill mannered? Well, what do I expect, she's a human after all." This made Sora forget her shock and fear, but it also made her very angry. 'What's wrong with being a human?' She thought. She then started to shake her head furiously.
"Now what?" Asked the demon lord, annoyed that the human was finally making some form of communication. 'They probably don't know sign language.' She figured. So she put her thumb and index finger together and dragged them across her mouth trying to signal that she couldn't speak.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Asked the demon lord. Now this girl was really starting to annoy him. 'Why can't she just say what she wants to say clearly? I let her go already. Do why doesn't she run away?' He wondered.
'Okay, so my first attempt went to waste. No big deal I'll try again.' Sora thought. This time she pointed to her mouth and shook her head. "Huh?" Was the only answer she got from the demon before her. But the tiny frog like creature behind to him seemed to have got her message. "Are you mute? Is that it?" The creature said.
She nodded sadly. "So that's why you did answer my lord's questions. I knew there must have been some sort of reason." The imp, which she figured the little green creature was, said. Sora nodded.
"So then can you tell us your name now human?" Asked the demon king showing no concern for her muteness at all. Sora thought for a moment. Then she pointed towards the sky. Which is what her name meant, Sora meant sky.
"What are you pointing at?" Asked the demon king. Frustrated, Sora pointed at the sky once again. "I still don't understand." The demon deadpanned. "Do you know sign language?" Asked the imp creature. Sora nodded. "Speak in sign then. I'll translate." He said and she did.
"Oh, so your name is Sora!" Said the imp. Sora nodded happy that they finally understood. "I'm Shinpachi, but everyone around me seems to call me Pochi so you can too. This is lord Yoshihito the king of demons." The imp introduced themselves. 'Sora, so that's why she was pointing at the sky...' Yoshihito thought. Meanwhile Pochi and Sora were having a very lengthy conversation using sign language.
"How long have you been mute?? Pochi asked. "Since birth." Sora mimed. "Really?! That so sad." Pochi admitted. Sora thought that even though he looked weird the imp was actually very nice. "How old are you?" He asked. "Fifteen." She replied. "You're so young!" Pochi exclaimed. Sora smiled. 'This imp is really kind.' She thought. 'And they haven't killed me yet!'
The demon lord had been staring at the two and decided to step in. "This conversation seems very one sided." He observed. "Sadly I do not understand sign language. So Pochi... Translation please?"
"Oh, yes Of course my lord." Pochi said and relayed everything the girl had said to the demon lord. 'I wonder how it feels...' Yoshihito thought. 'To be mute that is."
Author's Note:-
Hi guys! So here's chapter three. Thanks for reading. Vote and comment! I get reads but not many votes or comments, so I'd really appreciate it if you press that button or take the time to give me some idea about how you feel about my story. It would mean a lot. Thanks.