Disclaimer: Clamp owns CCS. I only own the plot and the ideas that come with it. Copyright goes to me when I introduce new characters and any new items. Please don't sue or plagiarize. Kamoku No Otome means 'silent maiden'. Enjoy!
Um, Kero and Yue won't be in this story, while the Cards will.
Wow! Yay! I got reviews! I got reviews! Also, Rsaitoshi, a friend of Lit Shack, has recently approached me on writing a story on SFTH. You know the bit where she takes her own life� Stuff like that� Anyway, I feel so honored! I mean, how many fan fiction writers get their work become fan fiction of another writer's?
Thanks to Lynniss, I got a new name for a new certain someone who's likely gonna enter the story sometime. Also to Kellie, Megan, Debbie, Shalu, Audrey, Ching and Mira for their help in creating these foods and items which are to become part of the narrative.
If you wish to know what these foods mean, please scroll right to the bottom of this chapter for the uses.
So, here's the next part of the story.
Kamoku No Otome
Chapter 3: Departing Travellers
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
- The Lord of the Rings, the Road goes ever on�
J.R.R. Tolkien
*-----*-----*
The day was bright, clear and fine unlike the night before where the fast approaching storm had soaked the inn with cool rain. By now though, the rain was evaporating in the brightness of the sun.
It was noon.
And Mei, Syaoran and Eriol had been out since the start of the morning, at the markets of town.
Meilin was laden with many useful items which she had neatly bought, for as a most prolific healer, these items were very essential to the wayward.
Items such as a bunch of ananabay, which was 8 Bo for a bunch, a much desired bottle of oakey finokey, which was an expensive 500 Bo for a container, 120 Bo acad nemflas at 40 Bo for twenty strips ordered for their long trip and 2 bags of unununium at 250 Bo for a small bag.
Needless to say, Syaoran's leather money pouch was much lightened when they made their way to a local eating place.
Tomoyo had announced to them before, that they were to once again meet at the eating place, and so anticipating a very nice meal, according to what Tomoyo had hinted, Meilin and Eriol dragged the rather reluctant Syaoran in.
Ushered to a secluded room, decorated by yellow and green, Eriol smiled at the waiting Tomoyo Daidouji. Meilin gasped seeing warm, lovely victuals arranged neatly so that the food would be in easy reach of the eaters. Syaoran narrowed his eyes at the cape of Kamoku, who was sitting at the table next to Tomoyo, which hid her face.
Kamoku once again did not show her true features, deciding this time that she would not show even her masked face. Meilin, who had by now sat down and had delicate wooden chopsticks in her hand, peered worriedly at her.
"Are you alright?" she asked, forgetting about what Tomoyo had said yesterday.
Not even acknowledging the comment, Kamoku remained motionless.
Looking up, she saw Tomoyo's eyes on her.
"Please, don't talk to her."
Blushing rather lightly after remembering what Tomoyo had said at their first meeting, Mei bowed her head in response, starting on scooping some vegetables into her bowl.
'Why does she try� why does she care?'
The soft voice echoed in Tomoyo's mind, waiting for an answer. Deep in Tomoyo's eyes, she felt pin-pricks of tears. Her cousin sometimes acted like a child, innocent and naive. Sometimes she acted like she was thousands of years old.
'Because she is a true healer, caring and kind, always wanting to know if everyone is fine. If she thinks something is wrong, then she tries to help. That is the way of healing�'
The quietness in her mind, told her that her answer had been heard.
"Tomoyo? Hello?"
The slightly callused hand was waving in front of her. Blinking, something she often did after talking to Sakura, she saw the concerned look on Mei and Eriol's face, her bowl of jumbalya cold.
"Sorry. I was just day-dreaming." She said, stirring the peppery soup.
"So, what are the plans?"
Syaoran spoke for the first time ever since the three of them had stepped into the room, his brown bangs falling softly in front of his eyes, which he swept aside.
"Kamoku and I will leave with you tonight, at around 12:00 midnight. We'll travel through the woods until the break of the dawn. By then we would have reached the edge of Mill Way, an old path used only by animals of the woods," said Tomoyo quietly.
"Why at 12:00 midnight? Some certain reason?"
"Just trust me. Even walls have ears. I dare not speak here. Only at midnight will Kamoku and I be able to leave."
Nodding, she left a sufficient amount for the food, stood up and she and Kamoku left the room.
And it was only then that the three, the magician, the warrior and the healer realized that Kamoku hadn't eaten a thing.
*-----*-----*
Tomoyo knew Sakura had to eat a proper meal before she left on their tedious journey. The moon was waning and so, knowing only the pure light of the moon would remove the mask, Tomoyo knew it was Sakura's only chance to eat before the moon showed her pale face once again. It would be three days before the mask would be able to be slipped off.
That was the reason for the late time. After all, Sakura liked to nap with her mask off when she had the chance. Tomoyo guessed it reminded her of olden days.
When Sakura and Tomoyo had played together as little children, sleeping in Sakura's wide, comfortable room, where Nadeshiko would sing them to sleep, playing with her daughter's soft auburn hair. All this was done with the moon out.
The moon was the only condolence that Sakura had.
She watched her cousin's pale form lying limp on the bed. Soon she would have to slowly pat Sakura awake.
'I wish things had turned out differently�
That none of this had happened�'
Grabbing the two bags that had her and Sakura's clothes, including the essentials that they needed, Tomoyo slung both of them onto her shoulder before striding over to Sakura to softly nudge her.
Kamoku was awake in a second.
After placing a pouch of Bo, enough to pay for their stay and a bit more, Kamoku and Tomoyo Daidouji met Eriol at the front of the inn.
He told Tomoyo in whispers that Meilin and Syaoran had already gone ahead and they would meet them at the edge of the forest where Mill Way started.
So, silent as ever, Kamoku led the way, across the streets, the paths until they reached the old forest while as Tomoyo took the middle, dressed as a hand maid and Eriol took the back, letting his senses tune into any strangers or unusual noises.
But little did they know that evil followed. While it wasn't physically there, it was following the trail, like a wolf to a kill.
And who knows what would happen when it caught up.
*-----*-----*
"Meilin, if you stop one more time to look at another weed, I will leave you behind."
Syaoran was sloughing ahead while Meilin smirked at Syaoran's back while she dug potatoes from under a root.
"You know you would never do that, Syaoran. You would get in so much trouble from Eriol. Remember what happened last time you tried?"
A quick flashback of an angry and red Eriol, a sulking Syaoran and a rather wet, soggy Meilin by a fire.
Syaoran turned, grunting as he pushed her away from a stubborn root. Looking along the ground, he spotted a suitable piece of wood, then rather cleverly pushed away the plant and got the stubborn potatoes from the ground.
Grinning while scooping the potatoes off the dirt, Mei dropped the grimy potatoes into her bag before setting off on the track that Syaoran had been following.
After walking like 20 metres ahead, she realized that Syaoran wasn't behind her. Puzzled, because normally he took lead, she back tracked to see him wipe his soiled hands.
"What are you doing?"
He ignored her, and took the lead.
Only when she turned once again to look at the potato leaves that she had nearly wrecked, she realized that he had planted them neatly back into the ground.
With wonder, she understood.
He cares.
Chapter 4, soon!
jumbalya: (j-um-baa-lie-yah) 20 Bo each for each bowl. A red, peppery soup, unusually made with river shrimp.
oakey finokey: (oak-key-fin-o-key) 500 Bo for a bottle. Black oak wine, made from the black oak's sap, normally made so the drinker is refreshed and clear-minded. Also helps to push away pain, helps in injuries.
acad nemflas: (a-car-da-nem-flas) 40 Bo for 20 each. A hard meat, full of nutrition and was made for long travel.
unununium: (u-knee-i-um) for a small bag. A silvery powder to induce sleep, carried around by healers to help their patients sleep while they administer to wounds. Called sleep dust, some call it the Sandman's dust. Rumored to be made from ground up unicorn horn.
ananabay: (a-na-na-bay) 8 Bo for a bunch. A green herb, it often known for its healing properties and how it eases headaches. When picked at dawn, it has a lovely earthy smell.
Silverymare's page
Email Silverymare