Roses Cry Blood ~ Stardust Saga ~ 100 Part D

The morning sun warmed the general's backside as she climbed the peak of a crumbling cliff.

Tigerlily drew her sword upon hearing a rustle in the far-off woods.


"Glad to see that palace life has not dulled your senses, General."

The commander said nothing as her blade followed his every step.


"Can we talk for a moment?" He requested. "Ranks and stripes aside?"

Tigerlily raised a brow, but dropped her weapons' cache.

The pair stripped off their cumbersome jackets, wearing nothing but thin tunics and chainmail.


"I wanted to apologize for recent behavior, Lu. I was out of line and more importantly, you're my friend. I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out on you."

The general leaned back while briefly closing her eyes.

"Lu, now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. I forgot you cheeky bastards kept calling me that instead of Lieutenant," she smiled.

"Consider yourself lucky, no other authority has earned such devotion and camaraderie." He spoke, nudging her in the ribs.

"I see. And is this where your frustration comes in?"


Oroku Saki's smile cemented into a hard line.

"No, my frustrations comes from Hamato Yoshi! I loved her! He knew that and he took her from me! Me!"

"You do realize that a woman is flesh and blood, and not just a thing, don't you? Tang isn't a child, Saki. She had just as much a part in it as he did."

"It isn't right!"

"Of course, it isn't. But that isn't the only thing eating you, is it?"


"How can you sit there and ask about his well-being so calmly? You got kicked out because of him! You took an arrow for him and look how he repaid you! Does that not make you boil?" He jumped to his feet as his thoughts exploded.

"No, it doesn't."

"No?!"


"You really ought to stop obsessing over the man, its not healthy. No, I'm not upset with Hamato, never was. I made the decision to step in front of that arrow. I knew the risk - I knew there was a probability that my gender would be revealed inadvertently while recuperating from injury.

But I was lieutenant. And a good leader goes in front of his men, not behind them.

And did you honestly think that scrawny Splinter could really put up a fight with the Masters? They would've barged in one way or the other.

If you really want to place blame on someone, blame the doctor. He is forced to report all of findings. You know the tribunal, and what they would do if they suspected deceit.

Besides, it all turned out for the better. As I've said, I'm the most powerful figure in Agrabah without a crown. I'm happy building sandcastles, Saki." She said with warmth in her heart. "The happiest I've been in a long time."



Saki shook his head and folded his arms as he sat back down again. "You make it impossible for a guy to hold a grudge, you know that right?"


Tigerlily shrugged her shoulders. "You know me, always defusing bombs."


Speaking of weapons," Oroku said coyly, "I noticed you have a new member in your sack."

Now it was her turn to cross arms. "And what of it?"

"May I see it?"



After brief hesitation, Tigerlily coaxed the blade out of her sack. She unleashed it, allowing the sword to bathe in the sunlight before striking it in the earth.



"You have the blade of Excalibur?" He asked in shock. "I thought it was merely a legend." He circled the sword, inspecting it. "My great-grandfather spoke legendary tales of its power to me as a child to pass the time."

"You know me, legendary is my middle name."


"Well, Legendary, legend has it, there is a sister blade. It is said that when one has the two blades together, it will unify into one."

"A double-blade?" Tigerlily asked, suddenly curious.

"Yes, to balance the yin. One could be consumed, a prisoner of their own darkness and rage."


"I must find this sword," She thought.


"Is it true?" Oroku asked, interrupting her thoughts. "Does it claim its own power, like they say?"

"The power is intoxicating, yes. Saki, what would you say if I told you that it was also controlling, alive almost?"

"I would say I feel safer that its in your hands and not some weak fool. No one breaks barriers like you do. I would also say I am here to help whenever you need it. Perhaps, in this war, you will also win the battle over your metallic enemy as well as your flesh ones."


Tigerlily smiled softly as she returned the heavy jacket across her body.

"Thanks, Saki."


"We've burned enough daylight gabbing. Ready to set some traps, sir? Explore new terrain?" He saluted.

"That I am, lieutenant," She saluted back.



                                    *******************



Hiding in the bush, the general whispered to her second command. "What do you see?"

Looking through his monocular, he answered, "A man. I can’t tell if he’s one of ours, but he appears to be tied and wounded."

"What do you think? Should we help him or let the vultures take care of him?"

"Well, if he is one of them, we can always tie him back up."

Tigerlily grinned at his dry humor. "Cover me; it may be an ambush."

"Yes, sir."


The general crawled on her belly as there was little in the way of protection. As she was a few clicks away from the body, she poised into a low crouch and inched slowly towards him.


Excalibur tingled  in its holster, sensing blood nearby.


Tigerlily severed the cloth binding the young man.


"Aladdin?"


The general dropped to her knees to inspect him by touch.


Dust coated his ebony hair to a fine sandy brown.

His lips were cracked. Blood had long since ran and crusted his golden skin.


The mystic blade showed her his injuries as she ran her fingers over them.


He was punched twice in each shoulder, as well as a blow to the chest.
A bruise surrounded his ribs, probably broken.

Tigerlily felt a hideous bump when she lifted his unconscious head, tilting a canteen of fresh water to his parched throat.


The boy moaned softly as the liquid evaporated on his arid tongue. Already, he could feel the burning in his lungs.

“How long have I been out?” He choked.

“I was hoping you could tell me.” His general replied.

“Do you know who did this to you?” Saki asked, as the two put their arms around the boy, helping him stand.


Aladdin was a lot of things, but a snitch, he was not. Too embarrassed to admit he was weak and couldn’t hold his own against Razoul, he lied.

“Guess I must’ve been blinded by that sandstorm and tumbled down the sand dune, hitting rocks on my way down.”


Saki surveyed the area and briefly wondered for whom this cadet was covering for. The mouth of the mountain only led to one terrain, to which he and the general had been exploring all afternoon. The ground was a plateau, truly one of the few grassy areas left. There were no sand dunes to speak of.

Whoever did this dragged him here and left him to die.


The commander’s ears churned as Aladdin stepped onto a metal trap.
“Don’t move, Al. You’re on a mine."

“Then why aren’t I exploding all over the place?”

“It’s a reverse bomb. You’ll go boom the second you step off.”


Tigerlily stepped in front of him, so close that their noses touched. She stepped her feet over his.

“What are you doing?”

“Jasmine is going to want kids someday, and you’re going to have to get used to having your little princess step on your toes when you teach her how to dance.”

“What does that have to do with –"


The general cut him off. “Slowly, I want you to slide out your foot and place it over mine. One at a time.”


Before he could set down his second foot, Ty shoved him hard.


“Saki, get him out of here! Prepare for the raid tonight. Everything continues as planned.”


“Yes, sir. Right away, sir.” The elite tugged Aladdin to his feet. “Let’s go, cadet.”

“What about Tigerlily? We can’t just leave her!”

Saki jabbed and twisted his finger into Aladdin’s broken ribs, causing him to double over in pain.


“We don’t have time for this! That’s an order!” The Foot ninja threw Aladdin over his shoulder and headed back to camp.