The Unfinished Story by Char Marie Adles (best books to read in your 20s .TXT) 📕

attacked. I kicked my horse forward and pulled out my sword.
The rest of my company held back, but for Kail and Sen.
I was still forty yards away and could tell who was being attacked but I knew I had to hurry.
There was a big fancy carriage and twenty or so men were struggling against a guard that was trying to protect five women. When I was within a few feet of them I jumped from the back of my horse and slashed the neck of a man who was holding a knife to the throat of a young girl dressed in fancy clothes. I pushed her aside and other men all dressed only in ratty old pants and covered in dirt came at me.
Before they could even get near me they fell to the ground. That left three men who were quickly loading the girls into the back of a small wagon. I became enraged as I saw what they were doing to them and I ran at them sword up rose. They fell. I stood there covered in their blood and wondered when my heart had become so black to be where I could kill without thinking or even caring.
I smiled, and I knew it was a cold smile.
Sen and Kail looked at the men while I took care of the girls.
One girl no more than thirteen was hiding in the back of the carriage that was raided. She was crying and covered in blood. Soon I realized that she was holding someone to her chest. I got in a smoothed a hand over her hair. She looked up eyes filled with terror and glazed with fear.
“It’s okay. I have saved you and the others. Let me see the one you hold,” I said in a gentle voice.
She shook from head to toe and I reached for the person she held, she tightened her hold and then realizing what I said. She held out her arms and the person in them. Tears still fell from her eyes, but she no longer was sobbing.
And I looked down at the person who was now in my arms. A young man maybe about nineteen. I carried him out of the carriage and laid him out on a mat. I looked him over and saw it was bad. He was bleeding to death from a deep wound on his abdomen.
I hurried to get a needle and silk thread. I cleaned the wound best I could.
“How is he?” I heard Kail ask.
“Bad.” was all I said.
I sewed up the wound and wrapped him the best I could. I was shaking by time I was done and as the others readied to be leaving once more, looked around me.
The guards of the young girls lay on the ground as well as the men who tried to take them.
Blood was covering everything. I walked to where the girls sat together. When the girl who had held on to the young man saw me she jumped up and ran to me. Grabbing handfuls of my kimono.
“Where is he?! Is he okay?!” she asked, almost begging he was okay.
I laid my hands over hers. “He’ll be okay. I did my best but we must get him to a doctor soon.”
The relief in her eyes told me she thought he had died. She let go of my clothes on took a step back.
“I am Ash and you and your friends will be coming with us. We are going to the Imperial City. We are a few days from there so we will have to move fast. Do you trust me?” I asked them all.
I heard five “Yes,” from all of them. I nodded and we were off. I rode in the wagon with the young man, who laid unconsciousness.
That night we stopped at an Inn and brothel we got rooms for the night and we took turns on watch. It was about two in the morning and I was over my watch and checking in on the other and now I was in Kail’s warm arms.
“Kail do you think with I did was right?” I asked, my face pressed against his neck.
“Yes. What you did was right,” he pulled back, “But never do that again. You scared me half to death. But I am glad you saved them.” he kissed my forehead softly.
“Kail I feel the nightmares coming back and I do not wish to sleep. Please hold me,” I whispered in his ear. “Make me forget, make them go away.”
I closed the door behind me. The heat of his body told me I was not alone anymore, and my heart raced along with his.
The world seemed to freeze around us and offer us a secret moment.
He looked into my eyes and smiled a smile that could only mean one thing. He picked me up and laid me on the bed. He caressed the side of my face and kissed my lips.
He kissed my neck and in my ear he whispered a sweet promise of secret.
In the waning hours of the morning before dawn I found that he was indeed gentle and tender, it was he just didn’t notice. I lay peaceful in his arms listening to his
humming and slipped into peaceful oblivion. And the nightmare seemed so far away.
I woke a few hours after dawn and set the men to packing up for the ride to come. I slipped into the girls’ room and sat with them. They seemed shocked I would do this. But then again I was in my men’s clothes and being a boy for the moment.
“I need to know your names and where we will drop you off when we reach the city, I could tell by the way you were dressed you must be a noblemen’s daughters. So may I ask?” I asked.
The oldest that looked about my age bowed to me. She was a few inches shorter than my about 5’ 3’’. She had long black hair like the others, but her eyes were a gold brown.
Not black brown. “I am Mira. The eldest of my sisters.”
A girl about a year younger then the first bowed. “I am Lyn. The second eldest.”
Next was a shorter, but serious girl of maybe fifteen. “I am May. The third youngest.”
Next was the girl I had saved first. She smiled sweetly at me. “I am Bia. The forth youngest.”
The last was the girl who had held the young man who almost died. She looked at me with kind eyes that told me she like me somehow. “I am Yume. The youngest and I thank you for saving his life.” she bowed deeply.
I bowed back and smiled at them. They all blushed. “I promise we will get you back safely. I am truly sorry I could not save your guards though.”
I talked with them for a while till the men were done packing.
I sat on my horse deep in thought wondering about what I would have to do when we get to the Imperial City and when I have to meet the Emperor, and then Momo come to ride along side me. I gaped at her.
“You’re riding a horse!” was all I could say.
She giggled. “Well I saw you do it and it turned out not to be that hard. And I find it fun. So what is your plan for the five little princesses?” she asked.
“Take them with us and have them sent home when we get there. I have a few problems to worry about. Momo you lived in the Palace for a while. Tell me about the Emperor.” I said.
She grinned one of those grins that Sen had when he had an idea. “Well he is very serious, but if you can get him loosen up he isn’t so uptight. But he has five daughters as you know, and he has two sons. He has no concubines now for the mother of Prince
Ryuuko died last year-” she went on to tell me more about him and some of the thing
heard…when she was done my mouth was hanging open in shock.
She leaned over and closed it.
“What in the Hell?!” I moaned. “I have to meet a guy like that?! Just my luck! Thank god I have Kail as my lover.”
“True, but see your problem is the way you have to meet the Emperor. He doesn’t know who saved him so he doesn’t know you are a girl or not. So I would be better if you make him think you’re a guy.”
“Yeah, thanks,” I said. I hadn’t really been listening.
Kail was soon by my side.
He smiled he sweet smile for me. “What is it about you that make me want to lock you away and never let another person see you?” he wondered aloud.
“I believe it is my smile,” I said with a grin.
“No I believe it is your sweet self that just drives me to It. “he said.
My grin faded as I thought more into-
“What is wrong? There need be no worries as to what will be to come. All will be well. You’ll see.”
Sen was now on my other side with his usual bright smile in place.
I sighed then nodded. All would be well soon.


*~*~*~*~*


That may be what I told myself but in truth that was not what it seemed as I looked before me. The girls I had saved were trying to sneak off into the Imperial City. They had covered their heads with veils and were now trying to get some of the horses including mine.
I sighed and walked over to them. I took the rein of the horse and for good measure glare up at them.
“Do you know that stealing my horse would make me mad? And not to mention I was the one who saved you from being killed or even raped. Is this how you show your thankfulness?”
They when from looking mad to pale-faced shame.
The youngest spoke up. “We are sorry, but we needed to get home as fast as possible.
We would have sent your horses back with a gift.”
“That is not the point. We are guarding you and keeping you safe so you better live with it.
When we get to the Imperial City in a day or so I shall let you go on your way not before is that clear?” I asked.
They all nod and I take them back to our camp.
That night I skipped supper and so did Kail.