A STORM OVER BLOSSOMS

CHAPTER 16

SHADOW AND NIGHT

Umi lay awake beneath rotted, silk sheets and tried not to think that Takeru might be creeping to her room at that precise moment and that she had no way of keeping him out of it. She had not been able to barricade her door with the chest that night. She had woken to find it missing from her room, even though she had not heard the door opening or it being moved. In any case, it probably wouldn’t have done her much good.

However, the jade figurine of the dragon made a little hollow beside her in her pillow, and she curled her fingers around it. Its cool solidity was reassuring, although she did not know if she would be able to wield it successfully. Physically, Takeru was much stronger and quicker than she was. She would have one blow and she would have to time it exactly right, or else he would wrestle it away from her. She would have no chance against him once that happened. And, when it came right down to it, would she even be able to bring it down on her fiancé’s head? Would she be able to hurt or even kill the man she knew she loved, even if he did try to rape her?

Untangling herself from the sheets, she got to her feet and walked to the basin in the corner of the room. She needed to splash her face and get a drink of water, if only because she knew she would go insane lying in bed and doing for a moment longer. There was nothing worse than waiting for something terrible to happen and knowing that she was powerless to prevent it. She could defend herself if and when Takeru finally made his move on her, but she could not stop him making it.

She had a sick feeling that he would choose tonight to act. For the first time since she had awoken from her long sleep, he had not been to see her that day. They would walk the corridors of Y’ha-nthlei together, or he would bring her rare and expensive gifts, or he would try to teach her a complicated game that used an ivory board and pegs. At the very least, he would eat dinner with her. Tonight, however, his same, strangely invisible servants had left a laden tray at her door with a knock. Yes, she thought, Takeru was planning something and she was afraid to find out what it was.

As she bent to splash her cheeks, she saw her reflection wavering in the surface of the water. It brought back memories that were so faint and strange that she was sure she had dreamt them. She had been floating in the middle of a vast, blue ocean. A man had been standing in front of her on the waves, as terrible as he was beautiful, and he had asked her why she was weeping. He had called her the Child of Sunlight too. That recollection brought back another one that was equally strange. This one was of a talking cat that had tilted its head and looked at her with gem-bright eyes. It had asked her who she was, and she had replied. . . .

“Hikari. I’m Hikari,” she finished in a whisper, “He lied to me. I’m not Umi. I’m Hikari. Takeru lied to me . . . unless he lied about who he was as well. Maybe he’s not even Takeru. Maybe he’s someone - something - else . . . .”

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a key scraping in the lock. Time seemed to slow around her, as the door swung open and she saw Takeru - she didn’t know what else to call him - silhouetted in it. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and her breath came too quickly. She felt like she was going to be sick. After hours of waiting and planning and fearing, the time had come and she was defenseless. Her jade dragon was only a few feet away from her on her bed, but it might have been a million miles away for all her chances of reaching it.

“You’re look so pale and afraid, my love,” his voice was caressing, and made her skin crawl, “You have nothing to fear from me. I love you. I’d never hurt you.”

“Then, don’t do this,” she knew no amount of pleading with him would change his mind, but it might buy her a bit of time to come up with another plan. She began inching away from him towards the wall on which all the objects were displayed. She could not get away from him, so she would have to try to fight him and she needed a weapon for that, “Please don’t do this, Takeru.”

“I know you’ll enjoy it. It may hurt a little at first, but you’ll soon come to enjoy it,” he took a step towards her, “I love you. You love me. What could be more natural than us expressing that love?”

“Well, I know I have to consent,” she spat, continuing to edge away from him, “Otherwise, you’re a rapist.”

“And who will find me guilty?” a nasty smile curved his red lips, walking towards her, “This is my kingdom, Umi. I am judge and I am king and I am god. I make my own laws, and they are the laws of desire.”

“If you love me, you won’t do this.”

“If you love me, you will.”

She had reached the wall. Behind her, her hand closed around the first object it found. Water-rotten wood splintered beneath her fingers, leaving her with a slimy handful of velvet, and she let out a little sob as she realised she had grabbed the music box.

Before she could reach for something else, Takeru was upon her. His hands closed around her wrists and his legs pressed hard against hers, pinning her to the wall. Hot, acidic panic rose in her, and she tasted bile in her mouth. She was trapped. He had her trapped. He had her . . . . Breathing heavily, he bent to kiss her. She bit his bottom lip as hard as she could, and tasted brine instead of blood. She had no time to think of what they meant, as he gasped in pain, and pulled away from her slightly. She took the opportunity to free one of her legs and kick him hard in his stomach. He yelped, but he did not release his grip on her wrists for a second.

“I wanted you to enjoy our first night together, but that is not necessary,” he hissed, “I will take from you what I need, whether you consent to it or not, whether you enjoy it or not. And I will hurt you, if you do not comply with my wishes.”

As if she were no heavier than a rag-doll, he threw her across the room. She slammed into the table on which the basin was resting, sending it toppling. The bowl shattered, sending shards of porcelain and water flying. Bleeding, bruised, she tried to get herself upright so she could run away from him. Her feet couldn’t find any purchase on the wet floor, however, and she slipped back to the ground. She could hear his footsteps drawing near to her, see the puddles water vibrating slightly as he walked.

Helpless tears rose in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks, mixing with the bloody water on the floor. She had done her best and there was nothing more she could do. Maybe it would be best to give into him, to let him do what he wanted without resisting, to spare herself more suffering. It would be over in a matter of minutes, then he would be gone and she could think about escaping from him and his shipwrecked kingdom.

“You’re not the real Takeru,” she whispered as he came to stand above her, “The real Takeru would never do this to me. He’d stop you, if he were here.”

“Do you want to know about your Takeru?” he bent over her, his teeth bared in a smile, “Your Takeru is a weak, scared, little boy who could never stop me without his Digimon. He could not defeat even one of my servants by himself. He does not deserve your love, your power, your radiance. You should be my queen by all rights,” he grasped her robe and flipped her onto her back, before he moved to straddle her, “You will be.”

“NO! NO! NO!” she yelled, as he pushed her legs apart with his knees, “STOP IT! GET OFF ME! HELP ME! SAVE ME! TAKERU! TAKERU, PLEASE!”

****

Sitting in the throne-room, Demon heard the clam-shell shatter. . . .