115 Sakura's Tale

Robin was hesitant to had the baggie over to Olivia and then thought better of it. He dug out the baggie from his pocket and placed it in her hand. "You don't need a lot of blood, a small drop really but just get it on this handkerchief or clean rag and quickly seal it on this bag. Once you have try to hand it off to one of the girls they will be able to pass it along."

Olivia nodded her head in understanding. Everyone was awkwardly silent as they stood I'm the foyer. Mrs. Sentis looked at Olivia fiercely as she walked over to her. She raised her arms and pulled her into an embrace. Her face was stoic as tear ran down her face. "None of us doubted you." she started to say as she tightened her grip around the girl. "But we are disappointed that you didn't come for our help sooner."

Olivia could feel her heart squeeze as she spoke. She clutched the fabric of Mrs. Sentis's dress as she hugged her back. "I didn't want to lose anyone else.... but now I know I can't do this alone." Mrs. Sentis released Olivia from her embrace and brushed back a lock of her hair from her face. Her grey eyes were trembling as she stared at her. "You will never be alone,you have your mother and father watching over you and the little one growing inside you. So please don't do anything reckless and rely on is a bit more."

Olivia rushed to embrace her. She didn't want to let go of the warmth. "I won't forget." Was all she could say. After a few more minutes she let Mrs. Sentis go and watched as she and Robin started to turn and head towards the door. Olivia bit her bottom lip and grabbed the back of Robin's coat, stopping him from taking a step further. He looked back and felt dread as he saw he once lively niece turn into a shy maid.

When Olivia felt his gaze on her she raised her head to look at her uncle and pulled together all the remaining courage. "How is Amy and the kids?" Robin sighed and figured she would want to know how everyone is doing. "Amy and the kids are safe they are in a place where 'she' can't touch them and are going to stay there until this is over. Your grandmother is devastated over loosing her husband and to lose her son too... right now she's in a psychiatric ward that the Alteet own. As for Edmond... he's alive and is being watched over at the moment you will need to patiently wait for him. Now we need to go or else we will be caught." He said as he watched Olivia release his jacket.

"Thank you." She whispered as she dropped her head. Robin clenched his fist he knew she wanted to hear more but couldn't risk stressing her out anymore then she already was. He unclenched his fist and rubbed the top of her head. "I will come see you again." He promised and left with Mrs. Sentis.

Olivia turn to Loreley and Laila. "Alright, are you guys hungry? I made stew." She said with delight. Loreley shrugged while Laila said "Sure." They made their way towards the dining room and stuffed their faces. After they were done they decided to meet up in Laila's room, since Agni was out cold. Olivia took advantage and de decided to take a nice, long, soak in Laila's tub.

As the steam and warmth gently wrapped around her body, she couldn't help but feel sleepy. She tried to fight it off but her eye lids became too heavy. Losing the will to fight she drifted off into a deep sleep.

A soft melody was playing in the distance and she realized that it was not sleep that was calling for her it was Sakura. She ran with all her might under a moonless night, she didn't know where she was going but allowed her bare feet to fiercely make contact with the dew covered grass. The melody was starting to sound louder and clearer the further she ran until she finally reached her.

Sakura sat peacefully on the grass as hundreds of fireflies gently hovered around her as if they were entranced from the music. Olivia slouched down a little and tried to catch her breath. "I... I... finally know... the truth." She panted as she finally straightened up her back and wiped the sweat off her brow. Sakura absent-mindedly kept playing her tune as she stared off into space.

Olivia started to feel frustrated, she had finally learnt the truth behind her family's curse and was even called by Sakura so why did she ignore her? Olivia took a couple of deep breathes in and decided to go a different route. She did a little mini curtsy, making sure to gently pull the light pink night gown outwards with her hands in opposite directions. "Esteemed grandmother, I am honoured to find out that you and I are related to one another and would like to know how to appease your anger."

Sakura missed a note and strummed her biwa a little for forcefully. Her usual playful smile had completely vanished, her eyes that held the stars were now black holes that could suck in Olivia's very soul. She threw her biwa to the side as the fireflies dispersed into various directions. She got off the ground with ease as she scowled at Olivia. "Grandmother!" She hissed. "GRANDMOTHER! WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO CALL ME GRANDMOTHER! WHAT ENTITLEMENT DO YOU HAVE TO ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH MY BLOOD! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DESCENDANT OF A SL*T!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

Olivia let go of her night gown and straightened up her back. Her gaze never wavered as she looked at Sakura with clear eyes. "Why pretend to be so mad?" She said gently as she took a few steps forward. She started to extend her arms out as she walked a little closer. Smoke was starting to come out of Sakura's nostrils as her body started to lose its shape. It started to violently morph into various points that stretched outwards as it started to lose colouring.

Olivia continued to move forward, the points retreated as she approached them. Olivia kept her gaze on Sakura and watched as her body kept changing form until she was toe to toe with her. She stared into her transparent face and she looked downwards, her body held a light blue core that illuminated her whole body. She gently wrapped her arms around her body and noted that even though she looked how the water nymph looked, she felt warm and soft.

Sakura froze in place, too afraid to do anything to Olivia. "Why are you not afraid of me?" She asked with a fleeting voice. Olivia tightened her grip around her know trembling body. "Why will I be afraid of my own grandmother? You have been nothing but loving and helpful. Not once did I ever feel my life was ever in any danger when I have been around you."

Sakura lifted her head into the night air and allowed giant droplets fall from her eyes. Her form started to turn more solid as the tears gently rolled down the side of her face and onto Olivia's hair. The moment the droplets touched the ends of her hair they ruptured into tiny, twinkling pieces of glitter that lit up where they stood.

Once Sakura's cries started to turn into sniffles Olivia released her from her embrace. "Will you talk to me know?" She asked sweetly. Sakura nodded her head. "You are correct... I am your grandmother." She admitted ad she raised her hand. She called forth two stumps then waved her hand onto the air and brought for the moon. "Do you regret it? Is that why you started warning the women in our family?" Olivia asked as sat on top of the log.

Sakura sighed as she sat herself down. "Yes and No.... in truth I just want all this nonsense to end. Too many young ones are left without their mothers and .... and your poor mother and uncle were left without both parents at such a young age.... my heart is bleeding more than I can take." She said remorsefully as she allowed her head to drop and her sleek hair lightly tumbled downwards. Olivia sat there quietly as she watched Sakura wallow in self pity.

Unable to take to silence any longer, Olivia stretched out her hand and placed it over Sakura's. "I want to hear your story." She whispered. Sakura pulled her hand away and placed it on top of Olivia's, making sure she had a firm grip as she held it. "I was young, stupid and innocent. I can't remember my real name anymore but I do remember my past. You see the night before my wedding ceremony I broke the tradition in my clan and snuck out to see my future husband."

"I was so infatuated by him, he was strong, confident, handsome and brave... there was a problem though, he was an outsider with no backing. My parents did not approve and I forced them to let me marry him... sigh... I was really stupid. You see my parents were not people who discriminated buy they had strong intuition, they sensed something wrong. So when I snuck out I couldn't find him. I searched and searched and searched until I found a glimpse of him." Sakura let out a heart breaking laugh.

"He was acting so... strange. So I followed him that is until he reached the forest. I had to use all my courage to keep following him." Sakura started stop wrap her arms around herself as she trembled. "He was a monster, a blood thirsty monster that lead a group of thugs to pillage and destroy my village. I hide and watched as those men savagely killed the men, raped the women, some were left for dead while others were abducted. They enslaved the children and burned my clan and homes down."

"I couldn't take the guilt. It was my fault... all my fault... if I didn't pressure my parents then all of that would have never had happened. So I left, I wondered for so long wanting to die, wanting to live that is until I found the nymph. I offered myself to her and in turn she offered me a sanctuary. I thought only of myself and not of others, so when your grandfather found me I readily gave myself to save me beloved sisters."

"Who knew that I would be stupid again and lose the love of my life, toss aside my life and curse my descendants just because I let jealousy take over reason. You probably figured it didn't you little one?" Sakura asked as she finally lifted her head and let herself go. Olivia nodded. "She tricked grandfather and was already pregnant with another's child."

Sakura started laughing at herself hysterically as tears started to gently roll down her cheeks. "I was betrayed for one night yet he did so much to lift the burden of his heart, even after I passed her did his best but for what? It was too late." Sakura finally calmed down and looked at Olivia sympathetically.

"You must know pick up where your mother has left off. To break this curse you must do what I failed to do and that is find love for my reincarnated sisters then and only then are you allowed to live your life to the fullest. You see after I died, I ruined a part of their hearts. Each and every single one of them wished to be reunited with me and live a blissful life but because of my rash decision my soul has no chance of standing before the wheel of life. You my dear granddaughter, a child with a drop of my blood flowing threw your veins is the key to granting their desires and setting me free."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't understand." Sakura cocked her head and gave her a gentle smile. "My sisters have made their souls go through endless tortures by reincarnating everytime one passes away. Your mother was able to associate with two of my sisters but Dhara passed away young. She had reincarnated again, you have met her and second but was able to find her true love first. You have been moving along so well that I have such high hopes for you."

"I don't understand, I thought you would tell me who they were so I can break this curse!" Olivia cried out as she clutched the night gown's fabric. "Yedda, you have met the moment you were born and found her love second. While Vaidehi will prove to be your challenge." Sakura said indifferently. Olivia couldn't take it anymore she stood up and grabbed Sakura by the shoulders. "Please I beg you tell me who they are!"

Sakura placed a gentle hand onto Olivia's cheek and her eyes twinkled. "Fate is helping you, you do not need my help. You will be the one to break this curse." She said gentle. Olivia felt that she was being called back as the ground beneath her started to crumbled. Olivia tighten her grip and refused to budge. "No! Please grandmother! I need your help!" Olivia pleaded as the earth gave way. She hung on to Sakura keeping her gaze locked with hers.

With a sad smile Sakura removed one hand from her shoulder and watched as Olivia desperately clung to her with just one hand. As she removed the other hand from her other shoulder she started to say something. Olivia strained her ears but couldn't hear anything but the sound of everything collapsing. Sakura smiled at her one last time before she released her hand and watched her fall down into the black pit.