intertwined fate

1; a tutorial on being lost

"Nohime! Are you okay?!"

Nohime?

Bright lights swarmed Haruna's field of vision and she squinted her eyes. When she opened them fully, all she could see is a sea of heads, all looking down on her.

She let out a short yelp as she scrambled to sit up. "Kichou-sama! Take it slowly. Don't force yourself." A woman, about Haruna's age, come rushing forward and held her back, supporting her gently.

"Ah, that's okay." Haruna said, sitting up. Pain instantly shoot to her chest and she yelped. The woman--whom she assumed is the manager of the historical village--gave her a concerned look as she motions her to lie back down. "Don't move, Kichou-sama. We'll find a doctor."

Haruna tried to smile. Her smile falters as she scanned the crowds. "Where's Hansol?"

"Hansol?" The historical-village manager asked, brow slightly furrowed in confusion.

"Yes. Where is he?" Haruna demands, sitting up again, ignoring the stinging pain in her chest. "Did he go to call the doctor?"

The manager opened her mouth, but before she can utter a word, a man came rushing. "I am terribly sorry for coming so late, Lady No."

"And you are...?"

The man bowed his head low. "My name is Ikeda Tsuneoki."

Tsuneoki?

That name rings a bell, but Haruna couldn't exactly pin-point why.

"Are you the doctor?"

The man bowed his head low again. "Apologies, Lady No. The doctor is waiting for you at the Nagoya Castle."

Haruna felt as if her head is going to explode. All this formalities and such! And the name calling! She had heard and witnessed the fact that the staffs at Disneyland are not allowed to break free from their characters, but she have never heard or witnessed the same rule being applied to a historical village.

Even if that's the case, as it seemed to be here, surely they are supposed to break free from their character in an emergency situation?

Surely a guest being hit by a spear would classify as an emergency situation?

"Lady No?" The man--Tsuneoki--say her name again, this time in a questioning tone, and Haruna closed her eyes as she took deep breaths, calming herself down.

She was alone with a circus crew, and her only hope of being given medical treatment is on them.

And where the fuck is Hansol?!

"Kichou-sama is in so much pain. I think it's best if we let her lie down here a little more." The manager said. Tsuneoki furrowed his brows. "But the ceremony is already late enough as it is..."

What ceremony? Haruna did not feel the need to ask. She opened her eyes. "If your events is already late enough as it is, then let's just get going."

"Kichou-sama!" The village manager shrieked, look surprised. Haruna forced a feign patient look as she opened her mouth. "It's okay--" She glanced at the manager's chest to read the name-tag pinned. Surprised that she didn't find any, she opened up her mouth again. "--I'm sorry, but I didn't quite catch your name."

The manager looked at her with a shock-stricken face. She quickly composed herself as she stuttered out her name. "It's... Oyuki, Kichou-sama."

Haruna smiled tiredly. "Well then, Oyuki, Tsuneoki, shall we get going then?"

"Ah, but Kichou-sama--" Oyuki let out a sound of protest as Haruna forced herself to stand up. She stumbled a bit but managed to composed herself, blood draining from her face.

Tsuneoki looked at her with a look that can only be described as a newfound admiration.

"Which way is to the castle?"

"That way, Lady No." Tsuneoki points to their left. Haruna squinted her eyes, but she couldn't see anything.

"Are you sure it's the right way?"

Tsuneoki nodded. "Yes, Lady No. If we travel by foot, we will be able to reach it before nightfall."

Haruna's mouth fell open in surprise. "Are you kidding me?!"

She had just being hitten by a spear! And this man wants her to walk--Haruna glanced upwards to see the bright sun--until nightfall?! Screw this village, she will definitely sue the management!

Even as a joke, this isn't funny.

She looked at the village manager, Oyuki, with displeasure in her eyes. Oyuki opened her mouth and snapped at Tsuneoki.

"With all due respects," She began, "But my lady had just been attacked by bandits and hurt herself very badly. She will not be able to walk there. Unless there is another means of transportation, she will not be going anywhere."

An odd speech, coming from a manager. Especially considering the fact that Oyuki, given her position as a manager, could just order this Tsuneoki-guy around, assuming he is a staff.

But the speech seemed to have the intended effects on Tsuneoki, seeing as the man bowed his head low. "I am terribly sorry, Lady No. I forgot that women's body are so fragile."

Well, aren't you just sexist?

Haruna opened her mouth again, but Tsuneoki beat her to it. "With all due respects, I will be humbled if you travel with me on my horse. If we travel by horse, we will surely arrive in two hours time. Then we can treat Lady No's wounds. Not to mention that Lord Nobuhide will be very pleased if we arrived before nightfall."

To be honest, Haruna didn't catch what he said. The words she did catch, however, are treat Lady No's wounds and surely arrive in two hours time.

And that's why, Haruna found herself sitting in front of an almost-stranger male, on the back kf a racing horse.

Life couldn't get any weirder, can it?

Boy, was she wrong.