Post by Seirei Hisakata on Apr 17, 2012 14:28:09 GMT -1
The sun rose gracefully behind the mountains that bordered the Land of Yoru, just like every other day.
Mei Hisakata lay happily in the grassy courtyard that was only accessible from her room, which surrounded the square space in the south wing of the palace. Singing to herself, she plucked daisies from the lush lawn, fitting each one between her toes, her sky-blue tail flicking from side to side. The courtyard was her special refuge. A few years ago she had ordered the original stone slabs to be taken away so she could make it her own little garden inside the high walls of her home.
Besides the distant chirping of birds, the palace was silent. Her mother had decided to visit a distant aunt, taking the majority of the handmaids with her, and would not return for a couple of weeks, whilst her father was always busy seeing to the demands of the land, so she was not expecting an exciting thirteenth birthday. As the youngest female in the family, Mei had learnt that she must always come last, whatever the occasion.
The peaceful moment was broken by sudden woops and barks, making her jump. The noises unmistakably belonged to her two brothers, Seirei and Kurai, who must have just returned from another daily adventure of theirs. As the shouts grew louder, Mei sighed and reluctantly moved out of the sun and stepped onto the cool, polished floorboards of her room.
"Mei! Open up!" Seirei's fifteen-year-old voice called from behind the walnut door on the other side of the room.
"Yeah, we have something to show you!" a second, slightly deeper, voice belonging to her seventeen-year-old elder brother, Kurai added. Praying that the two boys weren't just planning to play a trick on her, Mei opened her bedroom door with a click of the latch and there they were, with big grins on their faces.
"What?" she asked.
"Like we said," Kurai responded, "We have something to show you."
"You didn't think we would forget our little sister's birthday, did you?" Seirei said with a wink. Mei flushed a little with pleasure; she knew someone must have remembered.
"Where is it?" she asked, now curious.
"Oh, somewhere secret." Seirei teased.
"Somewhere only us two know about." Kurai said.
"Guys ..." Mei moaned, but still with a smile.
"Kidding! Kidding!" Seirei laughed. "C'mon, we'll take you."
"I don't know ..." Mei hesitated. Their father wouldn't be happy with his youngest daughter leaving the palace without permission.
"Oh bend the rules, just this once." Kurai said impatiently. "Father won't mind if we're with you."
"Well, ok then." Mei agreed. "But let's not be seen."
"Follow us!" Seirei said cheerfully, and the three of them dashed through the many winding corridors of the palace, passing through the central courtyard and into the northern wing. What with many of the guard being in the throne room with their father or escorting their mother on her journey, it was easy for the three wolves to slip out a side gate and into the village, without detection. Ordinary citizens stared as they dashed as fast as they could through the busy market place, across the stone bridge over the river and out into the empty plains of the north.
