Loving the Lost: Chapter 1
#1 of Loving the Lost
Loving the Lost
Chapter 1: The Girl in the Forest
It was around the year 1500 A.D, a time of war and change in Japan. My name is Lea Yang, a blue dragon and the sole heir to the Yang Clan, one of the most powerful and influential clans in the land. I had just turned 24 and my main mission in life besides protecting my empire from the war that raged around us every day was to find a wife, an honorable woman able to bear my child in case I was to die in battle, in order to make sure the bloodline didn't die out with me.
This meant lots and lots of arranged dates that my father Hugo set up with the daughters of the many nobles and to tell the truth I was sick of it. Every day was the same routine, breakfast, combat training, studies, a date at lunch, another date in the afternoon, and another one at dinner. 3 or more dates a day with women I knew absolutely nothing about! But I did my best to be a kind and noble man, giving the women the respect they deserved while sucking up my pride, knowing I was doing what was best for the empire. Hell my father only married my mother because it added more land to our territory. Love was not a factor in a marriage in my way of life, I had to do what was best for the people, but I wanted to at least feel something for the woman who would bear my child.
On this day in particular, I was on a date with the daughter of a wealthy noble. She was a pretty wolf with eyes like brilliant jade stones. The only problem was she was as dumb as a post. I understand that these girls were raised to be pretty and find a man to support them, but they could at least have a personality.
We were having a picnic in the woods and I was just zoning out as she rambled on about how great I was and what an honor it was to be here with me until I finally had enough. I had to get out of here, now! I just couldn't take this anymore!
"Hey, I'm going to go use the bathroom" I said as I stood up slowly, scanning the area for a route I could use to make my escape.
"Hurry back, I'll be waiting for you Lea-Sama" She said smiling as I headed into the woods, wanting to make a total run for it.
"Oh you'll be waiting" I thought to myself as I walked through the woods not knowing exactly where I was going, but anywhere was better than here.
Eventually I got lost, having left my map at the picnic site, so I just walked through the forest. I knew eventually I'd run into someone that would know where the way out was. All of a sudden a beautiful noise graced my ear. It sounded like singing, the voice was faint but beautiful, and was coming from further into the woods. So I followed the sound of the voice, curious as to who was singing such a beautiful yet strangely sad song.
As I got closer the forest started getting thicker, branches creating small tears in my robe, exposing my sapphire scales to the light and scraping against my wings. But eventually I stumbled into a clearing, where I found a large shrine, it was old and had seen better days, but it was still standing and looked like someone had been living there. As I explored my surroundings I noticed that the singing was coming from behind the building.
I walked around and took a peek behind the building and was amazed by what I saw. It was a beautiful white tiger hanging up exquisite silk kimonos on a washing line, while singing to herself in the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. She looked up to hang the next kimono and saw me and stared in shock, not paying attention to her surroundings. She fell off the stool she was standing on and landed hard on her bottom not letting her eyes leave me for a second as I walked over and extended my hand to her.
"Are you ok?" I said worriedly as looked at her "I didn't mean to scare you".
"I...I'm fine" She said faintly and shyly as she looked away blushing, taking my hand to pull herself up.
"Are you sure? I could take you to a doctor"
"I'm sure, I've done it before" She replied looking at me with a mix of shyness and fear, letting go of my hand as quickly as she had grabbed it
"I'm Lea Yang" I said as I examined her, she was beautiful, dressed in a red and black kimono, her eyes a gorgeous ice blue and her fur smelling of pine. She looked frail and scared, like she was afraid of me.
"I'm Felicia Sarrows" she said as she looked down at her feet
"Do you live here?" I asked as I looked around at the surroundings
She nodded in response and kept staring at her feet shyly. "I used to live here with a nice lady until she died, and now I live here alone."
"It's just you?" I said in disbelief "But how do you support yourself or find food?"
"I sell those" she said as she pointed to the kimonos "The lady who took care of me taught me to make them"
I reached out and touched one, admiring the amazing handiwork as she watched me, they were all different colors with wonderful designs and patterns, all of them completely different but all equally beautiful.
"They're beautiful!" I exclaimed as I examined each one "You made these yourself?"
"Yes" she replied as she blushed gently "I don't think they're very good"
"These are some of the finest kimonos I've ever seen" I said as I looked at her in shock
"You really think so?" she replied as she looked at me, her voice losing some of the shakiness it once had as she began to smile
I nodded and walked back over to her as the sun started setting, if I took much longer, father would probably send out a search party to find me, and dealing with them was never fun, neither was dealing with my father when he's angry. So I asked her if she knew the way back to the city and she nodded, giving me the directions I needed. Before I left I asked her if I could come back tomorrow, and she agreed as she waved goodbye to me as I began to make my journey back to the city.
I got back to the palace just as the moon was coming out, and as I walked inside I was stopped by my father's advisor Hiro. He was a tiny little dragon, scales a light sickly green. He told me that my father wanted to see me and that he wasn't happy. I sighed and began my walk to his quarters, mentally preparing myself for the lecture that was about to come.
I slid open the door and walked inside, the candles giving the room a soft but ominous glow as my father watched me. He was an old dragon, scales a dark red, like the color of fresh blood, his eyes an intense gold. I sat down in front of him and looked him in the eyes as he stared at me with a gaze that could pierce through the hardest armor.
"Where were you today?" He asked in a booming voice that commanded respect, his eyes noticing the rips and tears in my clothing.
"I went for a walk" I replied, matching his gaze with one of my own, not letting him scare me one bit.
"You abandoned your date, my son" He said as he glared menacingly
"You don't understand father, she was so boring and I needed to get away from her"
"So you abandoned her to sit in the forest for 3 hours while you ran off?"
"Well kinda sort of, abandoned is such a harsh way of putting it"
"There is no excuse for doing that, you dishonored our family today with your stupidity"
"But I don't want to be like you and mom! I want to actually feel something for my mate!"
"Love is not a factor! You do what is best for the clan!" He yelled at me as smoke flared from his nostrils. "Now leave my sight!"
I rose and bowed in respect before leaving the room. I walked to my quarters slowly and quietly as the people in the halls watched me, knowing what I had done today and the lecture I had just gotten, their eyes leering at me with disrespect as I entered my room.
I threw my torn clothes aside as I sat down on my bed, weary and exhausted from my day. All I wanted was to actually find love, not live in some shell of a relationship for the rest of my life just to benefit the clan. I wanted to actually be happy and not turn out a bitter old man like my father. As I finally laid down for the night. I kept thinking about that girl, I wanted to know more about her and I knew I would get my chance tomorrow, and I didn't care what my father thought about it.
To Be Continued.......