Chapter 4 – The Ardent Task
Aoi woke up to a sleeping Haku by the side of her bed as she rose and sat up. She looked at his calmful expression and caressed his cheek, as she wondered about Raku’s words that haunted her mind. Once again Aoi shook her head knowing that daggermen could only spread lies and rumors to get the swordsmen upset and cause them to attack first. Getting up and changing into her natural everyday apparel making sure that she would not wake Haku, she walked out of the room not knowing that Haku had caught a glimpse of her back while she changed.
She walked over to the kitchen and looked at the chef preparing breakfast for the whole clan, as she sat down and walked the young man cook. The chef turned and looked at Aoi as he waited for the bacon and eggs to be cooked.
“Lady Aoi! What are you doing here in the kitchen?? You know its off limits while i’m cooking for the clan!” He stood shocked seeing one of the leaders of the clan in the kitchen.
“I’m sorry Dart, you know I just love it when you cook, the wonderful smell seems to fill up the whole mansion!” Aoi giggled as Dart seemed to sigh.
“Aoi don’t you know that your father asked you something? I suggest you meet him in the meeting hall.”
Aoi could only nod as she took a piece of french bread to snack on and left the kitchen and headed to the meeting hall. As she passed through the endless pictures of her past clan leaders, from the very begininng of the clan to the present leader of the clan. She ignored the picture of her father posing with great pride and joy in the portrait careful not to look at the picture as she continued her way to the meeting hall. Upon arriving she saw her father speaking to a hooded man as he took his words seriously and always kept his hand at his sword unsteady about the man’s trustful honor.
Raku prepared to head out of the ruins as he looked in the broken mirror and seeing his refreshed and healthy face once again. After the fight with Aoi, he had been resting for the past two weeks trying to regain his strength again. As he was about to leave, his father called him to the other room as he was about to be presented a task.
“Rakuen, you have nothing to do today do you?” His father scratched his beard while Raku slumped against the wall facing him.
“Father you know that all I do is go around our territory seeing of any Swords come. Isn’t it our duty to make sure that those dumb swordsmen don’t come on our territory?”
“Rakuen, do not talk to me in that type of childish manner. I have a very important task for you. And you must do this task.”
Great its probably like go look for more food supplies since we live in this stupid dump… His mind began to wander as his father spoke again.
“Go to the Swords clan and tell them that we know they have the mystical dagger. And if they do not give the dagger up that there will be blood spilled on their grounds…”
“What the… FATHER you told me that conversing with those no gooders are useless and futile! Why would we warn them of our attack?! How about we attack them when they are at their weakest?!”
“Because… Rakuen I want to kidnap their next leader. The young girl that you presumed was oh ‘hot’?”
“What the… how in the world do you know what I think?!” Raku prepared to unsheath his dagger and attack his own father. “Are you really my father!?”
“RAKUEN PUT YOUR DAGGER DOWN! DO NOT EVER POINT YOUR WEAPON TOWARDS ME!” His father punched him in the face as he fell to the floor. “Hmmph! You seriously do have your mother’s attitude when I first met her! Besides I heard you talking the other day while you were resting.”
Raku rose and wiped the blood from his mouth as he felt only utter hate towards his father. His blood began to boil and his mind screamed at him for vengence against his father’s rash action, but he turned and faced the other direction and sighed painfully.
“If this truely is your plan father… then as your son I will help you carry this action with no remarks or comments…” As he spoke these words he disappeared in the setting sun that cast the ruin’s shadow over his father.
As he approached the Swords’ mansion he cloaked himself with red cape, making sure that his face was hidden from any of the swordsmen that guarded the area. Yet as he entered he felt a warm and loving aura that seemed to cover the whole mansion, he was not only shocked but he was surprised that the leader was waiting for him in the room that he entered in.
“I have been expecting you Rakuen Rotsu…” The man held his sword at the ready as Raku seemed to chuckle.
“Don’t worry old man Akari, I didn’t come here to assassinate you, I just came to bring a message.”
Still not believing Raku’s words, Ryn still had his hand on the hilt of his sword, “What message?”
“Simple old man, cough up the Mystical Dagger or there will be punishment upon your ground.”
As Raku spoke these words, he saw the Aoi staring at the two of them speaking. He could only see the worried look in her eyes as she began to tremble her lips and call for help.
“It’s you.”