Chapter 4: Dominion Underneath I

A near tangible silence rested over the area as all eyes locked tentatively onto me. My brother, wearing a face that suggested annoyance at having been made to wait so long, stood still. 

     “I-It can’t be!” Breaking the silence with the drop of her spear, Tsuna stammered toward me with moistened eyes. “I’m dreaming right? Is that it?” Her legs nearly locked with each other as she walked cross legged toward me.

     Daiki, looking petrified, stood stiffly at the side of Tuwar, uttering not so much as a gasp at my frail, yet lively appearance. He clasped his spear tightly as some form of coping, but I could see the weakening force of his grip. 

     “Princess Yukina? Is that…” She peered desperately, hoping for a confirmative response. “..really you?”

     “Yes..” I meekly spoke, almost muttering in the process. “..Tsuna ..it’s me” I began to purposely appear drowsy, aiding my weakened appearance and urging my guards to cut to the chase. 

     “B-But..” Tsuna’s face scrounged sorrowfully. “That can’t be.” She resisted, still uncertain of whether she should believe what her eyes and ears made clear. “It was reported that…that you—”!

     “—Perished?” I chuckled. “Far from it, my dearest guard”. 

     Swaying a bit, I stroked a lock of hair from the bridge of my nose, emphasizing the dark bags that sagged beneath my eyes. “I've merely—” I stumbled over purposely, causing the guard's woman to dart toward me at the speed of a fearful gazelle. “—had a rough time getting back is all”.

     Catching me by the shoulder, she helped level my weak willed stance. Daiki, finally deciding to make use of the other parts of his body, motioned to support her. 

     “Lady Yukina!” Tsuna cried as both she and Daiki hoisted me up. “Quickly, let’s get her inside”!

     They carried me toward what I originally had assumed to be a doorway of some kind, but I was shocked to see that it wasn't. In fact, there was nothing there at all; just solid, unworked stone. Hana placed her hand against the surface and for a moment, she closed her eyes. 

     “P-Permit thee entry, Oh Goddess Picea!” She quivered in prayer.

     My eyes widened With childish glee as the stone wall began to shake, forming a rectangular shape that appeared as if the wall was being cut into. The carved stone popped out and with the droppings of dust and rubble scattering, an earthen door swung open, revealing a metallic platform with handrails supporting each side. 

     “Watch your step!” Hana warned an eager to move Daiki as we walked to the top of the contraption. 

     “Hey, sea man!” Daiki called for Tuwar. “Quit dawdling already and go retrieve our weapons!” 

     I could hear Tuwar’s unrelenting grunt before obediently doing just as the guardsman commanded him to. After collecting them, he was slightly hesitant to join us, eyeing it and me with caution. 

     “Are you perhaps waiting to be swept off your feet as well, or did you suddenly gain a fear of elevators?” Daiki asked, annoyed. “We’ve gotta get the princess to the royal palace, immediately ”!

     “Right!” Tuwar finally shook in agreement. He walked atop the elevator, standing directly beside me. Some distance was suddenly created as Daiki stepped away with a brow lifted in discomfort. 

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     Tsuna rushed over to a small lever attached to a large wheel with rope winding around it. Once she had begun whirling the lever backward, the platform began slowly descending to the deepest depths of the mountain. With Tsuna toiling at the wheel, we quickly arrived at the entryway of a wide cavern with a worded indentation at the center of its top. The contraption suddenly stopped and a subtle click could be heard as Hana locked the gear in place. 

     We moved quickly, heading toward a wide room with multiple iron doors at the end. The flooring had been paved with light colored stone and shaped to be triangular. While the gems from the cavern were mounted onto the walls, lighting the surface of each doorway. The door farthest to our right was chosen. 

     “Good call,” Daiki spoke. “It’d be hell having to fight through that massive crowd at town square”. 

     Tsuna stopped at the door and began digging behind her breast plate.

      “Need some help?” Daiki insisted while

Smiling lecherously at Tsuna’s chest. 

     Ignoring him, she brandished a silver, fork-tooth key. After inserting the key, she twisted it twice, releasing the mechanisms in the door and allowing her to open it. “Watch your step” Tsuna warned, her eyes scanning the walls of the entryway. Pressing her index finger against it, she began gliding it across the smoothened surface. “Ah, here we are”! 

     I leaned my head over a bit trying to make out what she was looking at, but stopped short at the sound of her soft-toned voice. “Great emitter of light, great vanquisher of darkness, show us the way” she spoke. Just then, the once pitch-black cave—aided only by the light at the entrance—lit up and the path ahead grew clearer. 

     We paced on, following Tsuna who sped downward through the path, only slowing down once, when we arrived at a split in direction. 

     “We’re almost there” Tsuna breathed, leading us through a cramped entryway. 

     “Damn it, Tsuna ! Couldn’t you choose a more spacious path? I’m carrying an entire human here!” Daiki pulled me inward, lowering his body and tucking his elbows inward to avoid rubbing against the walls. “Not everyone has all of their body weight compiled at the rear, you know”! 

     “Shut up, Daiki!” Tsuna retorted, a tinge of red brightening her cheeks. 

     Tuwar followed behind, wordless since entering the mountain. He did, however, survey the area around us, taking care to monitor each turn we took and the distinct designs painted onto them. 

     “Finally” Daiki breathed, his fingers gripping in and out of my tender flesh. 

     I looked forward once more, as the barely glimmering path grew brighter and a small door stood at the end. The exit was near and I could see the emerald-color of a much larger area before us and a bustle of chatter and foot-steps along with it.

 

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