The Vicious Queen

n i n e

I wake up in the middle of the night at the sound of loud crashes coming from the living room. Soon Azura is also awake. We rush out of the room and we come face to face with Azul and Rune in the hallway as well.

When we reach the living room, we see Mr. Yoshida on his knees, begging, his eyes pooled up with innocent tears. "Please, don't! I beg you! Please sir, don't!"

A man with a big beard stands in front of him with a knife pressing against Mr. Yoshida's throat. Egoism radiates from him. Morgan.

"Grandpa!" Azura calls out for him worriedly but Morgan is the one who looks up.

He smirks when he notices me. "Hello, little girl."

I glare at him with eyes shining with hatred. "Let him go, Morgan."

"And what if I don't?" he cackles massing the tip of the knife deeper into Mr. Yoshida's throat. "What you gonna do? Punch me with your little wrist again?" That's when I notice the bandage wrapped over his right eye.

"My little wrist knocked you down though." I sneer confidently.

His eye twitches with anger as he scowls at me. There are more men with him than on the market. He orders his men "Kill them!"

The men hasten to us fast roaring and a wrist flies in the air but I dodge it. I lift my leg and with a spring, I kick him in the face and he's down. Everything feels so intense. Everything happens so fast.

I turn around to see my friends fighting as well. Rune looks my way and yells. "Watch out!"

I immediately spin around coming face to face with another man. He tries to punch me but my hands instantly goes to his hips. I lift him up and I throw him against the floor with a loud thud. My back throbs and I groan.

I spot a man with a knife slowly pacing towards Azul behind his back. Without much thought, I grab a nearby wooden chair from the table and slam it against the back of his head.

The chair's leg detach and saw dust hovers through the air. The man clutches his head and collapses onto the ground. His knife slides across the room and I seize it.

I approach Morgan with the knife. He's up against the wall and his eyes are full of both surprise and fear. Cold anxious sweat drips down the nape of his neck. His knife unconsciously slips from his shaking hands.

I tip the knife straight at his throat and hiss "If you ever think of harming anyone ever again, know that I'll slit your fucking throat open."

He nods rapidly with fearful eyes and quickly staggers out of the house with his men without looking back.

I turn around to look at my friends and they all are looking back at me. Mr. Yoshida is standing next to Azul, safe. I flash him a quick polite smile.

Everyone takes heavy breaths. I approach them and we stare at each other for a split second, uttering no word and then we all laugh from our chests.

I look at them and leer through heavy pants.

"We make quite a good team, don't we?"

****

The shurikens flies across the air and pierces only the tree trunk that is in front of me. It doesn't even touch the other trees surrounding us.

"Is this how you do it?" I ask, even when I know I haven't done much good, turning to look up at Azul and a bright beam of sunlight hits my eye.

He studies it without looking at me. "Yeah, not bad. You caught up quite quickly but it needs to be faster. If you get what I'm saying."

"Mhm..." I ponder with my arms crossed over my chest, studying the shurikens.

He pulls out a piece of black clothing out from his pocket and before he ties it over his eyes, he says "Watch". He walks to the tree and pulls the shurikens out from the trunk.

He takes some careful steps back. I observe how focused, sharp and controlled his gestures are. Then he stops for a second.

He slowly lifts his arms and suddenly flicks his arm while turning into different directions as fast as a shadow.

The dozen of shurikens cut through air. It digs deep through the trunks around us within less than half a second. He smiles proudly to himself. I stare wide eyed, impressed.

He draws away the cloth. "It's all about focus and having control." He affirms.

Then he places the shurikens and the cloth on my palm. "Practice makes perfect." He says over his shoulder as he strolls away.

I stare at my hand for a second and then back at Azul but he has already disappeared. I lift a shuriken and examine it for a second. I gently press my thumb into a sharp tip. I instantly pull my finger back and suck it, frowning. "Ouch."

I tie the black cloth over my eyes completely blinding myself. For a second, I'm still as a statue, confused. Then I take a deep breath calming myself down.

I let myself cool down. I focus hard. I take another deep breath. Then I feel the warm breeze tickling my skin and my long hair strands floats in the air. I hear the calming swoosh of it.

I hear the gurgling and burbling of water from the small stream of clear water nearby. I hear the chirping and rattling of the little birds up on the branches. I hear them as if the sounds are in my head. I'm suddenly aware of everything around me.

I slightly bend my legs and lift my arms, pointing the shurikens forward. I take one last deep breath and flick my arm turning around. I hear the swishing sound of it flying through the air and hitting the trunk.

I unbind myself and the second I do, the shuriken drops to the ground. Some are even lying on the ground. I deflate with a sigh. Not enough strength, I think.

Just when I'm about to give up and go, I turn to look back at the shurikens lying on the ground. I stare at them for a second and then I pick it back up.

If it's easy, it won't be worth it. I tie the cloth over my eyes once again but with more determination this time. I snatch the shurikens off the ground.

I sure was aware last time but I wasn't determined. I sharpen my focus and take a deep breath. I hear and feel everything and I'm aware of my surrounding again. Then I take some cautious steps back.

I remind myself my first sword fighting and martial arts practices. I remember the memories of Joseph yelling at me in my first days.

'Focus, princess. Focus! Only think about your goal.'

'Believe in yourself and your capabilities'

'Sword fighting isn't just using your body strength. Feel the rhythm of it and move your body along with that rhythm'

I remember how I reminded myself how we danced in balls and how I swung my arms and legs to the rhythm with swift moves.

I tie the cloth again blinding myself. I lift my arms and bend my legs a little. I don't take action right away, I stay still for a moment taking back my focus. I move my arms and legs slowly along with the rhythm of the swoosh of the comforting breeze.

I use all my body strength and flick my arm as I spin around swiftly. I hear the fast whiz of the shurikens piercing through the air.

I eagerly unwrap the cloth and turn around happily seeing the way all of the shurikens have digged deeply into the trees. I smile at myself surprised as I sigh out loud in relief.

I draw them out of the trunks and I practice until the black curtains cover the blue sky.