Sakura's Secret: Tales of Evermagic, Book 8 (excerpt)

A Sad Fox

CHAPTER 3

I didn't know what she wanted with me, and I didn't know why I was being handled so roughly. Takahiro was downright rude! He carried me like that all the way out of town and into a little turn off where there was a winding path.

At least Gaspare wouldn't look for me down here. It was too well hidden and out of the way. He might not even know it was there. At least now I might have some time to throw him off my trail. If he couldn't find me...maybe, he would move on.

Ales was set down in one of the rooms of the home. To her it looked like a traditional dojo from the paintings her grandmother had brought from her home. All the rooms looked the same save for what was furnished in them, and the walls slid and were made of paper and wood. It was all very clean and all very plain. There wasn't much in the way of decoration, and that which did decorate it was minimalistic. There was little in the way of furniture also, there being only pillows to sit on and some tables low to the ground.

They sat at one now, Yuuna across from Ales and Takahiro gone to make some tea. They were silent even when he returned with a pot and three cups. Not put off by the heavy atmosphere, he knelt at the table and poured for them, not breaking the quiet.

Yuuna sipped hers first and then set it down, her eyes lifting to rest on Ales who swallowed and took a sip of the tea also. She sighed at the perfume it left behind in her nose and relaxed. It tasted like the tea her grandmother had brought from her home. So they were of the same land. Ales looked up to consider them. Takahiro was seated at the side between her and Yuuna as if he were at the head, but she doubted very much that was the case.

"What is your name?" Yuuna asked after a moment.

Ales frowned at her. Did she give her full name or the nickname she'd been given by Serren, or what she had the men of her crew call her? She parted her lips to reply but still didn't know what she ought to do.

"You are to tell my mistress the entirety of your story," Takahiro stated matter of fact. He stood, not looking at her, and she gawked at him. "I have things to do." He turned then and left.

Yuuna and Ales looked after him and then back at each other. "For now, however," Yuuna said, lifting her cup to her lips again. "I wish to know what to call you by."

"You mean. What I am most comfortable with?" Ales asked, hoping that was all. It made things easier. Yuuna nodded. "Then Ales," she said, a little surprised that she preferred it now.

"Ales. A peculiar name," Yuuna said, setting her porcelain cup down with a soft clink. "It is a shortened variation of your full?" She asked.

Ales nodded. "Alessandra," she said quietly, her head ducked. She didn't want to insult her by not being honest. After all, Takehiro had saved her from being discovered by her brother. Though she was certain that was more out of spite for Gaspare ruining his day off than any desire to protect her.

"I did not ask," Yuuna stated. Ales nodded. Yuuna glanced out the sliding door that was opened and Ales peeked that way also. They watched Takehiro pick from the garden for the meal that evening, both quiet. "Now is not the time to discuss your past," Yuuna muttered as if more to herself than to her companion. Ales stared at her and waited until Yuuna looked back at her. "Do you promise to look after yourself, clean your own clothes, cook your own food and the like?" She asked.