Dearest Sorrow
#1 of Tail Underground
BACK STORY: The world of the Tail Underground is known as Ellysia. The country Ian lives in is known as Arca, named after it's leonine homophobic king. There is a country far to the east of the country known as Han-Ma, an ancient land that represents the oriental races of Ellysia (A country I had created for his world, which is now Canon in his world) How ever Han-Ma is a land that was long forgoten by the rest of the world, even the child-like creator goddess of the world Ellysia. This story takes place just before what is known as the 7 year war in Han-Ma. The country is ruled by an emperor and a council of nine, similarly to the way the American Government works now. Tang had plotted to over throw the current emperor and his family to take the throne himself. He would have poisoned the current emperor himself, but he didn't have to thanks to a deal he made to the fire elementals of Han-Ma. With the emperor now dead, he had to work on his three children, in which the chosen prince to succeed him is Xing. He decided he would assassinate the prince at his wedding. This backfired as Xing's lover, Lady Yue, jumped in the way of the arrow and struck her in the heart and literally died in his arms. This is the aftermath of that assassination attempt...
The darkness cloaked the edge of the cliff just outside of the city of Ryo-Ma. It was raining hard upon as the prince to be emperor Xing stood close to the very edge. Cloaked in his finest red silk clothes, the fox closed his eyes gently as he fell to his knees dangerously close to the edge. There was an attempt on his life tonight, instigated by his once trusted councilman Tang only moments ago, and yet he still lived. His lover, the young vixen known as Lady Yue prevented it. That moment played over and over in his head as she dove between him and the arrow that was to dispatch him. The arrow strikes Lady Yue in the heart, inciting a riot within the palace walls. He looked into Lady Yue's gentle green eyes as she smiled one last time and slipped away in his arms.
The fox screamed in utter rage, tears pouring from his eyes in rivulets of pain and misery as she continued die over and over in his mind's eye. Over and over again that scene would play for him, sending him deeper and deeper into despair.
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Xing yelled as he threw his paws over his face. "It should have been me!"
He slowly stood as he looked over the edge of the cliff he stood upon. He watched as the ocean lap at the high cliff wall. They called this cliff Lover's Peak. This was because those who have lost their loved ones sought to jump to rejoin their loved ones. He stepped closer to the edge as lightning begins to strike in the air. He knew this was it; he knew what had to be done. Unbeknownst to him, watching in sorrow stood as he contemplated his end. She was dressed in her finest wedding kimono, the female red fox vixen watched in utter horror as events unfolded. This was the spirit of his recently dispatched fiancé Lady Yue.
"Xing!" she screamed in vein, not having the power for him to hear, "XING!!!"
"He can't hear you..." came a voice behind her, startling her.
Behind her stood white furred fox dressed like a ronin, a masterless samurai, adorned with a daisho at his side, wearing a plain red kimono and a pair of wooden sandals. He slowly approached and bowed his head as he placed a paw on her shoulder gently as they watched.
"I know what it's like to want to help the living, but it's no use." He said softly, "you might as well look away if he means something to you."
"Who are you?" she asked the ronin behind her.
"My name is Miyamoto Yojimbo." he said softly as he looked to the scene that was playing before them. "Trust me, I'm wishing he'd change his mind myself, but there is nothing we can do. Neither of us are strong enough to effect the material world."
"What stake do you have in my lord Xing's death?" she asked politely.
"Xing is the decendent of my own son..." he said, shaking his head, "Long story that we will have plenty of time to talk about, but we mustn't watch."
As she was turned around the the other fox, she furiously shook her head and screamed aloud, "NO!!!! I WILL NOT LET HIM THROW HIS LIFE AWAY!!!! XING!!!"
As she quickly turned to try and grab her lover, his ear suddenly perked up, as though he had her her screams. He quickly turned around and dried his eyes. "Yue?" he asked softly to the darkness around him, he looked directly at her, but couldn't see her. Suddenly, he felt a cold and almost electrical surge run through his body as she tried desperately to grasp on to him. Through her asserted will, she stopped in his arms as though she were material. His eyes widened as to him, she slowly manifested in his arms as a whisp of wind to color her profile.
"Xing..." she said in what sounded as a whisper to him, echoing in his head.
"Yue?!" he said as he tried to keep hold.
Thanks to the will of both lovers, the were able to share this embrace. He could tell it was his fallen lover from the smell her aparition exuded, that orchid perfume in which she loved so dearly. He couldn't help but cry more at this point.
"Yue..." he sobbed. "Why? why did you save me? Why did you have to die?!"
"It's because your people need you My lord!" she said as she gently carressed his face with her paw.
Again, he felt that staticly charged cold against his fur as she did so. "But Yue," he finally choked out after awhile, "I am nothing without you..."
She gave a gentle smile as she looked into his eyes with a loving gaze, "You do not need me," she said weakly, obviously loosing her strength to keep her form in his arms. "You need only to be strong, not just for me, but for this whole country. But I ask only for one more kiss before you go, one last goodbye from you... my love."
Xing simply nodded and gave her lips a warm embrace as they kissed for one last time. Slowly yet surely, that static charge slowly died away, and he was left alone on the cliff again. He fell to his knees weakly, as though some of his own energy had been drained away. He looked up once again to find himself alone. He slowly stood up and began back to the palace slowly.
"I will Yue..." he said softly, turned back around towards the cliff, where he had just held her aparition. "I will do as you ask, and believe you me, Tang will pay for what he has done today!"
As he walked off, the now invisible spirit of the vixen , fallen over onto her knees, panting heavily as she felt drained herself. The white fox quickly ran to her aid and offered to help her up.
"Lady Yue!" he exclaimed as he knelt beside her to help her up, "How... How did you do that."
She could only smile as she slowly began standing up and looking over to the samurai, smiling warmly, "That my dear Yoji, is the power of love..." was all she replied.
As the two spirits stood back up, the watched as the young prince made his way back to the palace, knowing full well that one day, the man shall one day lead the country to a world of peace...