Deja Vu

18. The Story Teller Continues

"It is written that both unwilling brides were confined to their husband-to-be homes" The story teller locked eye contact with Rain, "The family was committed to keeping them safe.  Because reports were coming in about threats to their lives.  Rain's life seems to have been the main goal"  

The storyteller continued to look at Rain, "You see, there was more to this threat than that met the eye.  The family thought it was just because the business deal.  But it went deeper, we know that now that, money and passion.  They are powerful motivation for some people, to those that desire it too much it can turn into an obsession" 

The storyteller moved from Rain to Phayu, he seem to be trying to say something with his eyes, "Someone that obsessive, can destroy multiple lives and not care, so long as they have what they want so dearly" He lent forward, "Look beyond the horizon, think outside the box.  Maybe if this family did that, I would be telling a different story" He signed.

He sat back and continued the story, "The grooms family always held a gathering and it was here that the two friends were united.  The night was glorious but in the darkness, shadows waited to strike".

400 years ago

Rain and Sky were standing next to each other.  Their meeting had been strained as they could not talk freely with their husbands-to-be standing next to them.  They had greeted so many guests, Rain was sure that the mansion must be bursting at the seams.  

Soon they came face to face with the families that had entered the mansion uninvited a few weeks ago.  Makok and his wife glared at Rain, their hatred was like electric in the air.  Once again Phayu placed himself between them, he glared back until they bowed and walked away.  Ple, their daughter, looked after her parents.  She turned back and bowed deeply to Rain and Phayu, 

"Lord Phayu, please accept my apologies for my parents" Her soft voice begged, "They just need to time to relieve their disappointment!"  

Rain felt sorry for this girl, clearly she was trying to make amends, "Please don't apologise" he said as he brushed past Phayu and helped Ple stand up. "Sometimes our parents do the strangest things in order for us to have life easier" He told her kindly.

Ple looked so sad, so Rain smiled and told her, "Smile, your look beautiful when you do" he said honestly, Ple giggled and blushed, "Thank you Lord Rain".  Suddenly Rain was pulled back roughly to Phayu's side.

"Lady Ple, please enjoy this evening" He said with gritted teeth.  Ple smiled and walked towards her family.  Phayu just glared at Rain.  Rain was confused to why he was looking at him like that.

Sky tapped Rain's hand, "Why did you say that?" he asked.  He had watched Phayu's reaction and realised that he was jealous.  "Say what?" Rain asked confused. "You told her she was beautiful!" Sky looked at his best friend.  Phayu got even more tense.

Rain looked at his friend, "But the lady was beautiful" he said.  "Rain, why are you flirting?" Sky was at the end of his rope.

Rain tipped his head, "Flirting? Who was flirting?" he asked, "Ple is beautiful, it is a fact and facts are not flirting.  Plus telling her that fact made her smile again after suffering the embarrassment of her family.  So it was a good thing to say" the kind hearted Rain explained.  

"You was trying to make her feel better?" Sky asked, "Of course! What over reason could there be?" Rain was still so clueless.  But Phayu started to relax after hearing Rains explanation.

The party was noisy and after a few hours Rain was starting to get a headache.  He looked for Phayu and saw that he was in deep conversation with someone.  He did not want to disturbed him, he saw a garden to the left of him, no one seem to be there.  He slipped away from the party and rested along the ponds edge.  He closed his eyes and breathed in the fresh air, suddenly he felt like his was being watched.  He spun around and saw Ple walk around the corner, "Lord Rain!" she gasped as she jumped out of her skin "You scared me!".

"My apologies, my lady" Rain bowed, Ple smiled at him, "Its ok"  She looked round and then looked back at Rain.  "Why are you hear all alone?" she asked

"The party was too loud and made my head ache" Rain said, "Ahhh" Ple nodded her head in understanding, "We are the same! I normally try and sneak away for some place quite too" she confirmed why she had left the party.  "Please have a seat" Rain offered, "Thank you".

The two sat in stillness just watching the lanterns on the lake.  Ple looked at Rain, "My Lord, may I ask you a question?" she asked.  "Of course" Rain invited her.  "Do you feel ready for marriage?" she asked.  Rain looked at her, she seem to be interested in what he had to say, "Yes and no" he said, "Yes, because I know my role in this noble life, when your parents decided on a match, you have to obey".  Ple looked out at the pond, looking like she was deep in thought.  She then nodded her head, "yes I understand that" she replied, "So what about the "no" part?" 

Rain signed, "The no part, well I guess I thought I had more time.  There were things I wanted to do and experience" His voice drifts off, he looks down sadly at this feet, "But I guess that will never happen now.  I will be stuck here".  Ple looked at him with wide eyes, "Rain" she started to say when suddenly a man rushed out of the shadows and attack them.

"Ple, Run" Rain shouted as the man slashed his sword at them.  Ple tried to run around him when the man tried to stab her to stop her from raising the alarm, he caught her arm and she cried out in pain.  "PLU!" Rain shouted and tried to make his way over to her.  The man rushed at rain and plunged a dagger into his side, "Die whore!" he said.  

SMASH! the attacker groaned and fell to the floor, Plu stood behind him. While his back was turned she picked up one of the pots and brought it down hard on his head.  She stood there looking at the man, he moaned and tried to get up.  Plu panicked and picked up a heavier pot and aimed for the mans head again.  This time he stopped moving, breathing hard she looked at Rain who was laying down, blood poring from his side wound.  "MY LORD" she shouted and rushed to his side.  She held her hands over the wound and screamed for help.

Phayu, Pai and the guards rush towards the screaming, Phayu heart jumped out of his chest at what he saw.

They rushed Rain to Phayu's room and called for the Doctor.  Plu was also brought along and through her tears she explained what had happened.   She still had Rain's blood on her hands and the doctor advised the men that she was in shock.

"I am sorry my Lords" she blabbered as she looked at Vegas and Kinn "I broke two pots".  With that she cried again.  "It is ok, my lady, you saved my son in law" Pete comforted her. 

Plu was lead away to be treated.  The Doctor came out from the bedroom.  

"He is fine, my Lords, The knife just hit the his side" The doctor explained "He will need rest for and no heavy actives until the wounds have healed, it should take about a week"

The doctor was then lead out. Phayu raced to Rain's side and sat down.  He held his hand and stroked his face.  "They would go this far to stop the wedding?" he asked 

"What of the attacker?" Kinn asked.  "Dead, My Lord" Arm told him, "The second pot was heavy and smashed his skull" 

The men looked grim.  "When Rain is healed, they will marry" Vegas said, he looked at Boom-Nam, "We have to bring the wedding forward, we need to stop these attacks" 

The room was in agreement. 

Phayu did not leave Rains side all night