A/N: This is shuu/yui, so if nobody likes Yui or the pairing, then there's no need to read out of obligation. This is AU, and the characterizations are implemented from the original works as needed, of course, I happily welcome constructive criticism and insight into the DL universe. Yui's origins are altered, and Shuu may be slightly out of character since this is AU, but no major changes. The story is one that gradually spans over time, focusing on the development of their relationship. As you read the summary, this is a what-if story. Instead of Yui being becoming acquainted with the vampire brothers after Cordelia's death, what if she was sent over to meet them during childhood? Origins differentiate as needed. More things will be cleared up as the chapters progress.

Disclaimer: I disclaim.

I couldn't find Yui's actual birthday in here, so she's a winter baby in this fanfic. Does anyone know what it actually is?

Run, My Dear

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Chapter I

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Possession

The Sakamaki clan. A ruthless faction of vampires that were especially feared in the underworld as the most dangerous beings to cross. The terror they unleashed in the human world was no different, despite their identity being largely undisclosed.

It was the eve of Shuu's seventh birthday. Being the heir of the Sakamaki clan, all vampire nobles within their compound gathered to formally greet him. As far as Sakamaki birthdays go, they always seemed to be more of formal meetings than actual celebrations. The word "fun" was only used for commercial purposes. After years of tradition among the higher ranking nobles, boredom only affected the children. Then again, what did the rest of the elders care? So long as the children maintained their poise and perfunctory manners, speaking only when spoken to, there was no issue to be unearthed.

Seven-year-old Shuu stood solemnly next to his father Karlheiz, the head of the prestigious clan and king of the underworld. The little boy's face was rid of all emotion, and if there was one… it would be blatant boredom. Standing adjacent was his uncle, Richter. Across from the vampires stood a cloaked man who bowed before them in reverence, murmuring and holding something akin to a white cross.

Shuu stared at the man who continued his litany of prayers before gravely meeting his father's gaze. His blood isn't that of a vampire's, he realized, closing his eyes as he breathed in the man's scent. A human?

It wasn't just him, however. In fact, there was a small group of sturdy humans cloaked in brown. Their faces were just as emotionless as their leader's. They stood there without a sound, barely acknowledging the party around them. They kept their eyes trained distrustfully on his father as though preparing to strike should something go awry.

"Shuu-sama is now seven," The human began, glancing down at the said boy before meeting his father's gaze once more. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Karlheiz smiled indulgently. "I've gotten good reports about your parishioners' latest... exports. I believe this trade will continue to benefit the both of us in order to maintain peace between our people."

"So long as your hunters know their place," Richter intercepted smoothly, his smile just as benign, but Shuu could sense the sharp edge behind this seemingly friendly gesture. "On a lighter note, I hear your wife is expecting. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Lord Richter. We are hoping for a strong boy much like Shuu-sama."

Karlheiz smiled slightly, turning his gaze downward to a small child clinging to the stranger's robes, "I see little Yui has grown. My, you're growing into a beautiful, young lady." His words of appraisal made the little girl blush, causing her to shyly bob her head in his direction. "She will be turning five this year, correct?"

"...Yes. She is at the admitted age, as promised."

Richter's smile became sharp, "Good to see you upheld the agreement without a fight. Sometimes, it's best to let precious things go. What a fine present she will make for your son. What say you, brother?"

A chortle escaped from the patriarch, "I couldn't agree more, Richter." Unbeknownst to everyone except his daughter, the stranger's jaw tightened. The little girl, as though sensing his spike in anxiety, tightened her fingers around his cloak.

As Shuu listened to them speak about this person named Yui, his gaze dropped to a girl younger than himself. Most of her body was hidden behind the stranger, with her upper body peeking out. He wondered why he hadn't noticed her sooner, as she seemed to be the only one wearing a brightly colored dress, pale pink, to be exact. Her drifting eyes met his, and for a moment, they simply stared curiously at each other. His interest piqued at their exchange. Yui moved to hide her face in the stranger's robes once again, but decided otherwise at the last moment and gave Shuu a kind smile. Shuu felt taken aback by this at first, but eventually found himself returning a small smile to her.

Like the stranger, she didn't possess vampire blood running through her veins. She was human as well. He'd never interacted with one directly save for the thralls within the castle, but they were lifeless things that walked the earth with an empty look in their eyes.

This did not go unnoticed by Karlheiz, who glanced down at his son, "Shuu." His muted voice caught his son's attention. "What do you think of little Yui? It would be nice if she could become your new… playmate."

Shuu, not knowing what to make of the implication in his father's voice, stared up at him in mild confusion. Then he paused to mull over his answer thoughtfully before coming up with a reply. Cupping his palm near his mouth as though telling a secret, he whispered, "Who is she, father?"

Karlheiz's smile widened a fraction, but only smiled in reply. Shuu blinked. The patriarch chuckled and turned back to his guest. Suddenly, all amusement fell away from his face as a serious look emerged. "Then, I will take her under possession now, and in return, I will ensure there will be no more attacks in your village. Thank you for following through with the agreement, Father Komori."

"Yes. I leave my daughter in your care." Komori answered gravely, prying the girl's fingers away from his cloak. Yui looked warily between her father and vampire nobles, not knowing what was going on. When she saw her father turn to leave with the other hunters, she began to follow until a hand rested on her shoulder, freezing her in place.

"Come now, little girl." She turned to look up fearfully at Richter. Her fears only intensified when he gave her a cruel smile, something akin to a savage beast. "It's rude to keep us waiting." He chided softly, reaching down to grab onto her wrist and whisk her away before she could utter a sound. As they walked past Shuu and his father, Richter cast a dark grin down at his nephew, tightening his grip on the girl's wrist. "This won't take long."

Shuu grew alarmed when the girl began to struggle, dragging her heels as Richter roughly pulled her into the shadows in order to prevent a scene. When she opened her mouth to scream, he merely clamped a hand over her mouth before disappearing into a dark corridor.

"Father, where is uncle taking her?" Shuu asked, eyes wide as he searched the shadows for any sign of them.

"To be branded. Those brooding fools from the hunters association demanded we leave their settlements be, in exchange for that little girl." A chuckle. "It's time you learn how to properly associate with humans, so consider this a birthday present from me." He craned his head to regard his son, "From this point on, her life is yours."

Her life… is mine?

Hours after midnight…

Slicing the knife through her skin, Richter ignored the girl's cries of pain as he forcefully lowered her bleeding hand over a glass vial on the table. He murmured an enchantment as the tome in his hands came to life, operating the spell as her blood dripped into the vial, filling it halfway. Magic surged into the blood, causing everything to light up.

Soon, the markings on her neck began to glow, causing Yui to thrash wildly and cry for her papa until Richter delivered a hard slap to her face, causing her to tumble to the ground. She immediately stopped crying, too shocked at what just transpired.

This man- he hit her. She'd never been struck down like this before, not even by her Papa.

"Keep silent, girl." he growled sinisterly, yanking her back up by the arm, "Birthday present or not, I'll have you boiled alive if you insist on disrupting my concentration. Understand?"

Yui whimpered, nodding frantically and clutching her reddening cheek. The pain was still fresh and searing into her skin.

"Speak up, girl! You will refer to me as milord!"

"Y-y-yes, m-milord…" Her knees were trembling so hard she could barely stand. Where was her papa? Why did he leave here with these strange people who were hurting her? She didn't like this place. She wanted to go home.

Richter grunted in approval and continued in silence. This time, Yui didn't show any form of resistance, even when he was squeezing the blood out of her wound to the point where her fingers grew numb.

Once the light disappeared, Richter slammed his tome shut and relinquished his hold on her.

"It is done."

Yui said nothing, instead, she rubbed the spot where he'd grabbed her, wincing at the dark bruises accompanied with the blood trickling down her forearm. For a moment, Richter seemed to tense as he eyed her open wound, licking his lips as his eyes glowed. Then he shook himself out his trance to restrain himself, instead grabbing her by the arm and shoving her into the hallway.

"Listen well…" he murmured as he regarded her with an air of cold indifference. He waited until her gaze met his, ever wavering. "The boy you met earlier is Shuu. He is your lord and master as well as the heir of the Sakamaki clan. You'd do best to remember that, girl." He snarled the last bit, making her tremble, "As skilled as he is already, it is expected of you to make use of yourself. From now on, you are his thrall. You will give your life for him as well as any other member of the head family. That is your priority above all else."

Even despite being frightened, she didn't once break her gaze from his, "Y-yes, milord."

"For us to go through this much trouble for a mere thrall… but especially for a little girl? What is brother thinking…?" he muttered mostly himself before turning his wrath on her again. This time, he showed her the glass vial filled with her blood. "This is your blood phylactery. It contains an essence of magic. We will use this to track you down should you ever try to escape." His eyes then glowed red for a moment, scaring her. "Be a good girl and never attempt such a foolish thing. It would be very unfortunate if you were to find out just what we do with runners." He then smiled condescendingly, "In other words, you will never leave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, milord." She finally dropped her gaze to her feet, feeling her heart plummet to the pits of her stomach.

"Know this now. Your father left you here. He's abandoned you for us to make use of you, understand? He will never return to you." Yui's head shot up with a shocked expression, her mouth opening to deny his claim, only to be silenced with a threatening glare. "It's true, so you better get that through your head if you don't want to get hit again."

"Tomorrow morning, you will train under the head maid. You will learn basic footing. Now, get out of my sight this instant." He coldly dismissed her with a wave. "You will share the kennels with the death hounds. Usually, our thralls are kept in the dungeon deep below the castle grounds where no light can reach, but… as you are a thrall of the heir himself, that gives you some leverage. To sleep with dogs is considered a luxury for your kind here. Be grateful." Finally, he slammed the doors shut, leaving her standing in the dark hallway alone.

When Yui heard a collective gasps of laughter coming from the ballroom, she winced and rubbed her fingers over the new marking on her neck. She felt tears brimming her eyes but tried blinking rapidly to dry them away. Glancing around, she found herself staring at the moonlit garden not too far from where she was standing.

Entranced by the blooming flowers, she made her way into the empty garden.

Shuu sat next to Reiji and his mother at one of the guest tables, idly tuning out their gossip and gushing over his apparent cuteness. Tomorrow morning, he would begin his official training as the heir. After shortly entertaining his guests with a spar against his father, he was then summoned by his mother to pass the time entertaining her friends. As young as he was, even he was aware how well his training was progressing. He remembered hearing constant murmurs amongst their guests that he was the prodigy of the clan.

Then he felt it. Aware of the pair of eyes were burning into the back of his skull, he mentally sighed. The owner was none other than his brother, Reiji. As of late, he'd been the receiving end of his recently developed hostility. He must still be angry about being denied his request to study all night as opposed to attending his elder brother's birthday event. Shuu hadn't missed the sour look on his face when their father presented him with a beautiful violin, not that he cared much about Reiji's pettiness to continue mulling over it.

Rather, he was more curious about where that girl was now.

I wonder if I'll see her tomorrow…?

"Shuu, are you listening?"

He broke out of his trance, nodding, "Yes, mother."

"As I said, the human girl you met is your thrall. She's an exception apart from the others." Beatrix's calm, low tone was enough to quiet the ladies' gossiping out of consideration for her to speak. She took note of the way his face brightened slightly at the mention of his thrall, deciding to take a more serious approach to the matter, "When the time comes, you will activate the brand on her neck using your blood. But as she is your human, you are the only one who may drink her blood. Still, do not let her presence interfere with your studies. Is that understood?"

"Yes, mother."

"Very well. You are free to do as you wish." She watched him carefully as he slid out of his chair fluidly before adding with an amused chuckle, "Say goodbye to our pleasant company."

Shuu inwardly deflated and suppressed a groan when he reluctantly turned to the waiting ladies. Before he could get a word out, they began gushing all over him again and pinching his cheeks. When he finally managed to get away, he all but bolted out the door.

With a sigh, he decided he had enough of the party and made his way towards the balcony, not particularly feeling tired enough to turn in for the night. There was a full moon tonight. The young vampire was staring across the courtyard where his favorite tree stood forty feet away. He could've just as well been three feet away. Though the sky was dim, he had no problem seeing it. His senses were unnaturally acute, eliminating any disadvantage of the tree's distance. With a daring leap, he made it across the long distance and landed on top of a thick branch.

He was perched in the garden's oldest tree, his body shrouded in its great hawthorn leaves. The tree was overlapping with shadows even during daylight. It was his favorite hiding place to escape from his dreaded lessons. No one's prying eyes could reach him here, and he was content.

Silently, he brought his gaze up to the moon, its light falling on his face. His skin held a paleness that brought out his sharp eyes of bright sapphire. His face wasn't round, but more angular. Light gold hair hung in those bland eyes. He closed them, briefly, bored as he was, until the sound of quiet sobbing from below caught his attention.

Curiously, he leaned forward and brushed aside several leaves to pinpoint the source of the crying until his eyes fell on a small, pale figure hunched over the fountain near the rose bushes.

A ghost… no, an angel, maybe?

Wrong. It was that human girl from earlier.

Normally, he would've just left by now, but he recognized her pale pink frock and froze in place. Instead, he crouched on his knees to take a closer look.

Shuu winced at the particularly piercing wail she suddenly made. He could deal with equations far above his age level, formulate a plan to deal with an infestation of dread wolves. But crying girls he did not know how to handle.

With that in mind, he decided to head back to his room after all. Standing to his feet, he turned to leave until-

A hiccup. He turned around again. She hiccuped again. This time, it was more like a bleat, really. From the reflection in the fountain's water, he could see her starting to get tired. If she kept this up, she would definitely fall asleep here. It was bad enough she was wandering here by herself, but if his uncle or one of the older servants found her here, she would definitely get punished. When it came to punishing thralls, their methods could be particularly… brutal.

…

Feeling pity for the human, he reluctantly decided to at least ask what was wrong, and then send her back wherever she was supposed to be.

He jumped off the branch he had been crouching on and allowed himself to fall terra firma in complete silence. Then he approached her from behind with such lithe steps that she didn't notice him. Curious at how upset she appeared, he kept his eyes trained on her quivering back as he tread through the grass in silence.

"Hey," The older boy started, cutting into her sobs. He saw her shoulders tense and her head move to face him. When he saw her puffy red eyes and wet cheeks, he felt something strange squeeze in his chest. He inclined his head in an inquiring manner, though his eyes remained expressionless, "Why are you crying?"

"S-Shuu-sama…"

He rose an eyebrow at her before crouching over the fountain as well, their reflections shimmering in the moonlit waters. "You didn't answer my question."

"I-I'm sorry…" Her head bowed low as she wiped her tears away furiously. "I'm… it's just hurting me a little right now."

"What's hurting you?" He asked, searching her body for a sign of injury, keeping his nose trained for a whiff of any possible blood. His attention caught onto her as she brushed aside her hair to reveal the branding on her neck. It was black, shaped like a wiry rose that symbolized her as a thrall that belonged to his clan. "Oh… that." He paused, staring at the mark intensely. For the first time ever, he truly took notice of the branding all the thralls wore. "Does it hurt a lot?"

She sniffed, "No… it just aches sometimes. Besides, I…" Her thoughts trailed to her father and mother, but then she bit her lip, not wanting to think of how badly she missed them right now. "It will go away eventually."

Shuu tilted his head in deep thought. Then he reached over to place his palm on her neck, his fingers brushing against her seal mark. "Does that feel better?"

"U-Um…" She appeared startled at the close contact, the beginnings of a small flush coloring her ears. Having been raised in a monastery, she'd never been allowed to play, let alone touch a boy. Her father had always been strict about her upbringing.

Digging into his pocket, he fished out a handkerchief and promptly dipped it into the fountain, raising it to her neck. He gave her a small smile. "There, now how do you feel?"

Yui was more surprised at his kind gesture than the ice-cold water dripping down her neck. She didn't think Shuu-sama would be this nice to her. If anything, she had expected him to make fun of her.

"M-Much better… the water feels nice. Thank you, Shuu-sama."

With a frown, he guided her hand to apply pressure on her neck before moving away. Sighing dejectedly, he sat up with his back facing the fountain, watching her follow suit.

"I'd rather you not call me that…" Yui stared at him blankly, tilting her head in a questioning manner, so he went on to explain, "Everyone calls me that just because they're supposed to… but I'd like it if you didn't at least."

"O...Oh, okay then. W-What should I call you then?"

"Hmm…" He shifted from one side to the other, appearing at a loss.

"Um… h-how about Shuu-san?"

He threw her a disgusted glance, "No, I don't like it. That makes me sound old."

"B-But you're seven now. Th-that makes you older."

"I said I don't like it. Besides, I'm not that much older than you."

"Oh," she giggled lightly, "I-I suppose you're r-right. Um… niisan then?"

Only a few minutes alone with her, and he already found her company more pleasant than his brother's. Still. Not even Reiji called him that. As entertaining the thought was. By the looks of her, she didn't look like she'd make a bad little sister. But...

"I'm not your brother, though."

"Oh… um… Shuu-kun?"

Shuu's once thoughtful expression brightened as he turned back to her with a smile. "Yeah, that sounds much better!"

"I-I'm glad to hear that." She giggled again, making his smile widen. "Y-You're really nice...um, Shuu-kun."

She might've as well had told him that his hair was purple or that cows could fly to the moon if the surprised, slightly bewildered look on his face indicated anything otherwise. "...Huh, am I? You think so?"

"Y-Yes," she nodded fervently, twiddling her thumbs, "M-Most of t-the other kids from where I grew up are… t-they're kind of mean to me a-anyway."

Shuu narrowed his eyes, "Why would they be mean to you?" Part of him felt a strange protectiveness as well as indignant disgust boil inside him.

She looked sad, "I… I don't know. They just say some things…"

"Say things like what?"

She lowered her gaze at her swinging feet, "T-They say I'm ugly b-because of my h-h-hair and e-e-eyes. A-And my skin is really pale, too, so I always get easily burnt by the sun. S-So… everyone calls me a g-ghost…" At first he was taken aback, but his momentary shock morphed into pure hostility. He felt his fists inadvertently clench at his sides, and he also felt like going in search of those certain perpetrators who would hurt his thrall. Just as he was about to stalk off, another round of sobbing stopped him immediately. He sighed audibly. Mother said she was my thrall now, that she should be serving me, but... somehow, I feel like I'm the one exerting myself for her. He moved closer to her and awkwardly placed a hand on her arm.

At the touch, she looked at him through tear-filled lashes, hiccuping slightly. She was still gripping onto his handkerchief with tiny clenched fists.

"You're not," he simply spoke, "Ugly, I mean."

She eyed him doubtfully, wiping away her tears. "Really?"

Shuu blinked, finally figuring out the one phrase that usually made girls stop crying, "You're pretty." And to be completely honest, it wasn't a boldfaced lie. "You remind me of an angel. I read about them in a book once. Angels are pretty, like you." he told her, not really minding the fact that he was being strangely talkative tonight. Rarely did he speak to the other vampire children like this. Usually, he didn't feel this comfortable speaking so freely.

Her eyes went wide at his declaration. Red flooded her cheeks in embarrassment, but her heart swelled with happiness. She couldn't help feeling tingly all over from his compliment. It was the nicest thing anyone ever said to her.

"T...then y-you don't find me scary? You don't think my eyes are creepy…?"

Shuu studied her features. Her hair was even paler than his and her skin practically glowed in the dark of the night… he had to admit that even he had mistaken her for a ghost when he first saw her hunching over the fountain like this. Her only striking trait were her cardinal eyes. The color of blood.

"Well, no..." He replied quietly, shifting awkwardly as before meeting her eyes with his own, gauging her reaction, "Your eyes look fine to me."

Yui was unable to help the elated smile that nearly split her face. Overcome with emotion, she flung her arms around his neck. This, of course, caused Shuu to feel a rush of heat spread across his face. For a moment, he just sat there, unsure of what to do. Seldom did he ever receive hugs even from his own mother. The Sakamaki were known for their respect and ability to save face. Additionally, vampires weren't exactly known for… physical tokens of affection.

Still, he had to admit it felt nice. Her body was warm unlike other vampires. His nose detected a whiff of camellia oil as her curls tickled his slightly flushed cheeks . Deep down, he wouldn't mind getting used to this. His arms hovered hesitantly before wrapping around her smaller frame.

One month later…

Beatrix entered the room with her dress trailing behind her, closing the door swiftly as she approached her husband. She noticed him calmly drinking a cup of hot tea, which was considered an indulgence for vampires. He only drank tea when he was deep in his thoughts. Karlheiz acknowledged her with a nod, gesturing her take a seat across from him. Across the room, she noticed Shuu's old tutor preparing more tea. Beatrix sat down, her statue-like expression perfectly in place.

"My lord." She greeted, meeting his eyes.

"My dear Beatrix… do you know why I summoned you here on short notice?"

"No, I do not." She replied evenly, nodding her gratitude towards the kindly old vampire who gave her a cup of tea. "Please enlighten me."

Karlheiz nodded before standing up to gaze out the window, his hands behind his back. Beatrix watched him from her position as he drew back the curtains. Most of their kin were out on scouts this time of day, so he had no fear of them overhearing them. Karlheiz always did prefer the window open, just like now, usually so he enjoy this spectacular view of his garden. His eyes fell on the pair of children sitting and talking near the flowerbeds. It was none other than his son and his new thrall.

Yui was picking and gathering flowers to create something, keeping her back to Shuu so he wouldn't see what she was doing, much to his curiosity. Unable to resist, he tried to peek over her shoulder to see what she was making, only for her to giggle and force him to look the other way, much to his disgruntlement.

A short chuckle of amusement escaped his lips as he cast his first wife a sidelong glance. "And how is Shuu progressing in his formal training?"

Repressing a sigh of frustration at the question, she instead closed her eyes, "He is not progressing as quickly as I'd like him to. He is brilliant with his lessons, but lately, he has been lagging. He lacks the motivation to become a proper heir. In short, he has no true ambition." She took a sip of her tea to hide her grimace, "I'm afraid to admit that as a patriarch, he would be quite deficient." For a moment, she paused before adding somewhat bitterly, unable to help herself as she gave him a pointed look, "Additionally… that human girl you presented him to be his thrall… he's been promised many times by his tutors that if he finished with his lessons, he could play with her later on. I believe they are too involved with each other."

"It's natural for children their age to get along." He chuckled, "But he is getting his studies out of the way, isn't he? You ought to be pleased, Beatrix."

Beatrix didn't reply at that. Although Shuu did exert more effort into his studies since this past month, it wasn't for the right reasons she hoped for.

That said, didn't she specifically tell Shuu not to allow her presence to distract him from his studies? The absurdity of it all.

Karlheiz turned his gaze back to the children playing in the garden, focusing more on little Yui happily presenting Shuu with a crown of flowers. She placed it on his head and giggled when a petal fell on his nose, exclaiming about how nice he looked with her hands clasped demurely against her chest. Shuu stared at her impassively for a moment, his usual apathetic expression slowly changing into a small smile. It was a strange sight. Rarely did he see his son appear genuinely at ease.

"There is motive behind me specifically choosing her as our son's thrall. Young Yui is unique for a human." He began, "Unlike the others, she will prove beneficial to our cause. I have plans for her to make our clan more powerful. We will use her in order to become a formidable race… and then we can stop worrying about the vampire hunters' association." His lips curled into a dark smile. "Those fools will never see it coming."

Beatrix stared at him, recognizing the calculating expression on his face. Inwardly, she was very confused. How on earth was this useless human greatly needed? Nothing was adding up.

"May I inquire her role in your plans, husband?"

"I will answer you properly in due time, my dear. It's too early, after all." He answered smoothly, making her jaw tighten in response. She didn't show her frustration, but she felt it boiling inside. She should've known he wouldn't tell her anything. That was simply the way of their system. Women weren't entrusted with their plans of where their clan was headed. She knew this when her father married her to this man out of convenience and status, but this didn't make her feel any less bitter about the arrangement. More importantly, she didn't like having to see her son freely associate himself with anything other than his studies, much less a mere human. She also did not approve of the way she addressed him, despite his insistence. She would have to speak to him later about this again. Shameful as it was, she has been too lenient with him.

"I implore you to help me understand what your plans are for these children." She spoke calmly in a controlled tone, not daring to raise her voice against him. Still, she maintained a firm countenance to let him know she wasn't allowing the topic to drop in obscurity.

Karlheiz didn't reply for a few moments and instead kept his gaze focused entirely on the two children playing in their carefree nature. He almost wanted to laugh at seeing Shuu blindly walk around wearing a blindfold in search of his thrall. Obviously, they made rules earlier about Shuu not using his vampire senses to seek her out. Without using his bloodline limit, they could almost resemble a pair of normal children playing hide-and-go-seek.

"Since Shuu is still a child, he's yet to experience a vampire's natural killing intent. The game of conquest. He does not yet know what it means to sacrifice his needs for a greater cause. Because he has been doing nothing but train inside this fortress, it's only natural he would get a little bored at his age. Therefore, we must prepare him for what he must do in the future. But he has yet to take anything seriously." He paused, watching Yui running up behind Shuu to tap him on the shoulder before darting off again. Shuu spun around quickly with his hands grasping at thin air before continuing his blind search, occasionally stumbling into topiaries. He noticed Yui standing behind a tree with a hand poised against her mouth to contain her giggles. "Thus, we must teach Shuu how to differentiate people who are different than us and what must be done to retain power over others. We must harden him into an effective leader." He glanced over at his wife who nodded hesitantly, struggling to understand the point of his lecture. "Therefore, we must teach him that strength… is built on the foundation of the weak. He must learn to never value weak things… or they will be his weakness. That girl will be the key."

Karlheiz turned to watch the children once again. He saw Shuu removing his blindfold in time for Yui to tackle him to the ground. His typically reserved son had the biggest smile on his face, and Yui was giggling with glee. Both of them erupted into laughter while Shuu's arms were locked around the younger girl's body, lifting her into the air as he swung them around. It was such a touching scene, really.

If Karlheiz were truly capable of compassion, he would've certainly felt some degree of remorse for his plans for the two children. Alas, he himself thought it was unfortunate that such a powerful being lived without feeling capable of feelings of love. Such as it was, he could only admire it from afar before attending to other matters.

"I look at Shuu now, and I have never seen that boy smile and laugh as much as he has been this past month. I've been watching him closely, and I've come to a conclusion that this newfound happiness is because of none other than little Yui. He has found something precious to him."

...which is why it must be broken.

Beatrix's eyes widened slightly at the revelation. So the hunter's daughter was useless as a the hunters' future abbess, but she managed to get Shuu to do what even herself as his mother couldn't? But still... while it warmed her heart to see her son so happy… they were going to grow up someday and realize their differences. Vampires and humans have been at each other's throats for centuries. How was this human "greatly needed"? She stared intently at her husband. "Then you are using her for our son's sake to mature into our ideal heir…?"

What could possibly be gained from this?

"Whether it be Yui or not, anyone would know our son doesn't need a thrall to fight for him or give him blood. He could easily raid a small camp in the forest in order to hunt, or drink from other thralls in the castle." Karlheiz paused to glance back at the two children, who were now just sitting near the fountain. "Sakamaki tradition states that every possible heir to the throne needs to have a protector, preferably a powerful thrall. While Yui will still technically be Shuu's thrall, I would like to give her a different role in the matter."

"Such as?"

"I would like her to be Shuu's caretaker." He turned to Beatrix to gauge her reaction.

She looked at him incredulously. Any lesser woman would've dropped the teacup from her hands, but never Beatrix.

"Caretaker?" But he already had his nanny, governess, and family butler to provide and protect Shuu at all costs.

Karlheiz nodded with a smile. He walked back to his study and sat across from her, taking a sip from his tea before sternly regarding his second wife. "Beatrix… I need you to make me a promise. I trust you wholeheartedly to carry this through long after I'm gone."

Beatrix's stoic face softened, "Of course, my husband."

Karlheiz nodded before glancing away, "I have foretold my own death, but I do not know the exact details, but I will be here for as long as possible. Therefore-"

"My lord, what-"

"I am very old, Beatrix. I would like you to promise me when the day comes that I am no longer… here, that you would make sure little Yui will always be by Shuu's side."

"My lord…"

"Please, Beatrix. The ancient beings have foretold a prophecy about one of our heirs becoming the next powerful being who will lead our conquest to greater heights. Who else could it be but our genius son? He has accomplished many feats, but little Yui is key to his greater achievements. I have had a vision. For our son's sake, I must ask you to abide by my will. Promise me this."

Beatrix furrowed her brows, swallowing slightly. Then she lowered her head and closed her eyes, "I've smelled it on your body for some time. You are good at preserving your body with your medicine, but… your body is actually decaying, isn't it?" She let her guard down to express her concern freely, "Tell me, husband, and do not lie to me. How much worse has it gotten?"

Karlheiz sighed, "I feel as though my body is worn… and I tire more easily. Fortunately, no one has caught on since I am able to save face and mask my exhaustion to the others. Still, I do not know how much time I have left."

"I see." Beatrix leaned away slightly and turned her gaze towards the window. Such a weakness could be exploitable by their enemies, but at the moment, she was more concerned about how her son would fare without his father there to teach him, how he would lead their people to greater heights. It wasn't as though she meant to act callous about her husband's fate, but it would be pointless to grieve over the inevitable. She schooled her features into a serious gaze as gaze as she once again met eyes with the Sakamaki Head. "As your wife, I faithfully promised to keep your contraction of the endzeit disease a secret… so as your wife… despite my doubts, you have my word that I will see to it that little human stays by Shuu's side."

There was no doubt Karlheiz was pleased to hear this, for he expressed it freely. "Thank you, my dear. I know it isn't easy for you to follow without knowing everything… but, you have my word that everything will go according to my plans. My will has been passed onto our most trusted council, so they will act in my place when I am gone." Noticing her disconcertment, he added on, "If it puts your mind at ease, I will have Richter explain everything to you in due time after my passing."

For the first time in years, Beatrix allowed a small smile to grace her lips.

A moment of silence passed between them, giving them both time to dwell on their thoughts. Then Beatrix raised her head to regard her husband questioningly.

"… I understand that you are using this girl purely as an asset to our cause, but… what if she leads Shuu astray from his path? The human heart is a poisonous influence. What if he chooses to follow his own course because of her?"

Karlheiz let out a chuckle, "He won't." he watched nearby as a butterfly got caught in a spider's web. It wasn't long until the spider trapped and devoured the creature, making his smile widen. "You'll see."

There was something rather foreboding about the way he answered her. She did not like it. A shiver ran up her spine as she closed her eyes, thinking of her son. In many aspects, he was showing such promise. And yet, she could not rid herself of the fear that this little trial intended for him would be much more harder on him than the others, and that he would not get over it so as easily as heretofore.

Unbeknownst to both of them, six-year-old Reiji was waiting just outside the door, having overheard their conversation. He stared at the books in his arms with a seemingly blank expression before pulling away from the wall, returning to the library.

It was like Yui's previous life was a dream.

Several weeks went by as Shuu's constant schooling kept them from speaking to one another, but she was usually permitted to stay by his side. She was only ordered to keep silent while he was occupied with his studies. His old, kindly tutor had taken a liking to her. Often when Shuu was away for training, they would walk around and he would tell her stories about the Sakamaki family, sometimes about the other young masters who weren't present at this time, or other times, it was about how be a competent servant in the clan, such as throwing daggers or pouring tea.

She still greatly missed her parents and the village she grew up in. There were many nights when she would cry herself to sleep thinking of them, yearning for her mother's soft voice and gentle fingers running through her hair, dreaming of the low rumble of her father's voice as he recited prayers in the monastery.

Still, she had no choice but to take on the lessons under the strict head maid's wings. When she wasn't with Shuu, she was either scrubbing the floors of the main hall or making endless trips down to the boiler room while carrying piles of heavy laundry. Often she was reprimanded for her slow and clumsy nature, but she always strived to do better each day.

After almost two months of living in this dark castle, she eventually discovered what these people really were. Vampires. Her papa had warned her about them and what they did to people. She'd seen some of the vampire nobles firsthand biting into the necks of lifeless-looking thralls, their clothes suggesting that they were from other villages.

Most days, Yui was terrified. Nothing frightened her more than those red eyes and sharp canines piercing into her skin. She'd seen the way they looked at her. The only one that prevented those monsters from laying a hand on her was Shuu.

Shuu… the times they spent together were the only times she could feel completely safe and at ease in this frightening place. When he saw her, he'd gaze down at her with kind eyes, allowing her to hug his arm when she was afraid of the elder vampires passing by or sneak her past Richter.

Yui woke up early morning on the day of first winter. It was evident that she did not want to wake up so early on such a cold occassion, but it couldn't be helped that it was her own master that had roused her awake. Shuu had come in early to wake her, saying he wanted to show her something and that it couldn't wait. Now, he was urging her to come with him before anyone could notice.

When he led her outside beyond castle grounds, she felt the icy wind blast against her body. She shivered and hugged herself tightly, focusing her eyes on the snow-covered grounds. A wide smile parted her lips in delight at the newly fallen snow. By the look on her face, anyone could tell that winter was something she had fallen in love with. She glanced over to her friend to see that he'd noticed her constant shivering and put his winter cloak on her shoulders, brushing off her protests and saying that the cold didn't bother vampires like it did for humans.

The orange tint in the sky confirmed that the sun was still rising, so it must've been really early since everyone was still asleep. Yes, although most of the castle inhabitants were vampires, they weren't susceptible to the sun. Perhaps it was because this was the underworld, or perhaps the urbans were wrong. She looked ahead to see her older companion dashing across the training grounds and stopping at the side entrance.

"Yui!"

She snapped her attention to him. He was calling to her, his voice hushed so no one nearby could hear them, and then she saw him motioning her to follow. With a nod, Yui glanced around before quietly padding over to Shuu. When she caught up to him, he turned away from her and started pushing against the door with heavy concentration, trying not to make any noise.

"S-Shuu-kun?" she whispered.

He grunted, digging his heels to push his body against the door with all the strength a young vampire like him could muster, "What?"

"E-er… um…" she swallowed, poking her index fingers together nervously, "I-Isn't it, w-well… won't we get in trouble if we l-leave the castle… um… w-without permission?"

"Not if we don't get caught."

Almost there. Just a hairline away.

Just one more push...

"B-But i-it goes against y-your mother's rules… a-and she's a-always worried what might happen t-to you if y-you get lost out here by yourself..."

Shuu stopped budging the door long enough to cast his friend a sideways glance. He regarded her blankly for several moments before a small smile crept onto his face. "Well, I'm not worried, Yui. It's not like you'll let me just go out by myself and get eaten by wolves, right?" When she shook her head frantically, he had to actually stop himself from laughing. "Plus, we'll be back before anyone notices. I promise."

Yui looked up at him fearfully, shivering in her spot. She remembered all the times the head-maid punished her for all the times she did something wrong. If they were caught, it wasn't only Shuu who would get in trouble. She would be blamed for not stopping him from leaving. It wasn't something she wanted to go through again.

But she trusted Shuu. If Shuu said everything would be alright, then surely it would. Yui nodded to herself to bolster her confidence, "O-Okay."

This time, Shuu's smile reached his eyes. With one final nudge, he managed to open the door wide enough for their small bodies to squeeze through. Once they stepped outside the perimeter, he motioned Yui away so he could close the door behind them.

"Right, Yui. Let's go." He abruptly took her hand in his, guiding her into the nearby forest. It wasn't long until they broke into a run.

Shuu led her deeply into the forest, passing by a huge trench that was so dark she couldn't see the bottom. The snow-covered trees towered over them like sleeping giants, their shadows stretching across the glittering snow. Even with Shuu's heavy blue cloak, Yui could still the cold tremors running up and down her spine. She would've been freezing if she weren't concentrated on their entwined fingers. Despite the fact that Shuu's hand was cold, she felt unbelievably warm. Since the moment he grabbed her hand, she felt a hot blush surging to her cheeks. She hadn't realized she was smiling until her teeth started chattering.

"S...Shuu-kun?"

"Just a moment, Yui. We're almost there." He replied quickly, never turning back once to face her. Yui made a noise of affirmation and continued running behind him, their small hands still connected warmly.

Yui wasn't sure just when they reached a small clearing, nor did she realize that Shuu had stopped running, causing her to harshly collide into his back and stumble back onto the ground. "Ow!" She felt a sharp pain when her bottom landed on the rocky ground, though she was grateful that the snow cushioned her fall.

Tears filled her eyes as her vision began to water. She did, however, notice the hand that was reaching out to her. Blinking away the tears, she studied the open palm more closely until her gaze trailed up the arm, finally looking at Shuu's amused expression.

"Are humans your age the same as you in terms of grace?" he teased lightly, "There's no need to cry, you know."

"I-I'm sorry…" Yui lowered her gaze to the ground before wiping her tears away.

Shuu sighed, "Stop apologizing. I'm the one who dragged you out here, remember?"

The bashful little girl blinked up at his amusedly stern face.

"Well? Come on. I've got something to show you." He opened his palm wider and gestured it closer to her. Yui smiled shyly and accepted his hand, allowing him to pull her up. Once she was standing, she followed him as they ran to the docks of a shimmering lake. In a few fluid motions, he released her hands and stepped onto the water.

The moment he touched the lake, the water around him froze around his feet. It was ice.

Just like magic.

"Uwah…!" From the dock, Yui marveled in awe and slight envy as she watched Shuu glide over the lake with ice forming at his feet. It didn't take maturity to know that she was witnessing a truly breathtaking sight.

"Look! Isn't it cool? I learned to do this yesterday." He called back to her as he skated faster and faster over the tide until a good portion of the lake was completely covered in ice. He skidded to stop, right in front of her, grinning. "Do you like it?"

Yui began clapping her hands, her eyes wide with amazement, "That was beautiful! Are you a magician, Shuu-kun?" He shook his head, though it was apparent that he was glowing from the praise.

"No. But depending a vampire's ranking, some of us can do really cool things. Since my mother is a pureblood and my father is the king of the underworld, that means I can do this," he gestured to all the ice around them, "This is my bloodline limit."

"Um… w-what's a bloodline limit?"

"Basically, they're abilities passed down genetically within vampire clans, preferably purebloods." He recited from a passage in a textbook he read the other day, making Yui's mouth formed an 'o' in fascination.

"W-wow. Shuu-kun knows so many things…" She leaned forward on her tiptoes, clasping her hands demurely behind her back, smiling.

He shrugged out of modesty, though his ears began to pinken from her appraising stare. He looked up at her with an expectant look on his face.

"Well, it's your turn to try."

"Eh?!"

"Well, aren't you coming?"

"U...Uh… i-is it really okay for me to w-walk on it?" She sounded hesitant, unsure, so Shuu crossed his arms over his chest in impatient waiting.

"Of course it is, dummy. It's solid ice I'm controlling, so it won't break." Upon noticing that she looked genuinely afraid, his features softened slightly. He tested the ice with his feet, waving his arms out, "See? You can do it."

Yui nodded slowly before sliding down from the dock. With her arms spread out to balance herself, she took a few tentative steps onto the ice. She gulped and tried to make her way closer to the young vampire. A few seconds later, she felt her feet slipping before tripping over a pebble. With a squeak, she squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for the inevitable fall.

It was only when she realized that she hadn't hit the ground that she warily turned to look over her shoulder. She found a pair of arms tightly wound around her stomach. Shuu was holding her up, and his face was extremely close to hers.

"You really are clumsy." he stated bluntly, though he looked highly amused, and a little smug. Yui, too embarrassed to reply, felt her cheeks heat up more than ever while Shuu helped her stand properly. Then she felt him pulling her forward as he glided backwards, making them move across the icy lake.

"E-Eh? W-What are you d-doing, Shuu- eek!"

"Relax." Shuu responded with a smile as he glanced over his shoulder, gracefully gliding over the ice he created like a swan. He pulled a panicking Yui along by the wrists, trying to quell her worries as they moved over the waters. "I won't let you go. Just glide with me."

At his words, Yui forced herself to take a deep breath before releasing all the tension from her rigid form. Looking around her, she realized they were practically skating in the middle of the lake, something she imagined doing in her old village.

When Shuu suddenly spun them around, she made a surprised noise and had to stop herself from stumbling. Wincing, she shook her head to rid her anxieties, determined to get the hang of this. Shuu was exceedingly patient and gentle, never letting her hit the ground when she tripped. After a while, she gained enough confidence to keep up with him.

The breeze tickled her cheeks as she let out a breathy laugh, a hot puff of air escaping from her mouth. Her scarf fluttered around her as they moved. Shuu was pleased with himself at seeing her glowing face, asking her if she was enjoying herself.

"Of course I am! Can we go faster?"

She didn't have to ask him twice.

A shriek of laughter erupted from Yui as Shuu maneuvered them with a wild swing of his arms. He picked up the pace and soon, they were moving in a flurry across the ice-covered lake, the wind billowing through their hair and clothes. Equally thrilled as Yui, he couldn't help but show off a little as he formed splinter-like patterns splaying outwards from their pathway, making her marvel in awe.

They stayed like for who knows how long. It was just them enjoying childhood bliss without a care in the world. But such moments have to come to an end.

When they finally stopped, Shuu took her by the hand, leading her off the ice and safely back onto the dock.

Yui was positively beaming, panting slightly from exertion, "T-That was really fun! Uhm… t-thank you, Shuu-kun." she spoke meekly, and he just smiled in response. Neither of them noticed that they were still holding hands. They stood there, staring at each other for a few moments before Shuu's face suddenly brightened.

"You wanna see something amazing?"

Again? Yui blinked in surprise. What could possibly be more amazing than what he just showed her? He seemed to know what she was thinking because his eyes glinted knowingly.

"Come on, let me show you." Tugging her along, he led her toward one of the numerous trees surrounding the small clearing. Releasing her hand, he knelt beside the roots and started sifting through the snow. Yui couldn't help but smile at the unusual sight; right now, he looked like a puppy looking for a buried bone. After several minutes, he finally stood up and turned around, blocking her seeing what was behind him.

"Close your eyes, it's a surprise." he told her in an unusually stern voice. He only used this voice when he was dead serious or annoyed with his brother.

At the seriousness of his tone, she quickly obeyed. Shuu waved a hand in front of her eyes to make sure she wasn't peeking, and when it was confirmed she wasn't, he moved to the side and pushed her to the tree. "Okay, open them!"

The platinum-haired five-year-old slowly opened her eyes, focusing on the the tree in front of her. "A tree?"

"No, not the tree. Look near your feet." He moved to stand next to her, watching her with anticipation. Yui's eyes drifted down to where Shuu mentioned, and all at once, her eyes went wide, and her hands flew to her mouth to contain a gasp of surprise. She bent down almost immediately to get a better look at the small treasure. There, in lieu of all the frosty snow, was a small patch of white flowers. The petals were lightly dusted with snow, but that only added to the beauty of them. Yui reached out to graze the petals with her fingertips before eventually cradling a full blossom in her hand.

"I remembered seeing these when I came out here a few days ago to train with uncle and Reiji." Shuu spoke up while watching Yui caress the flowers. "Uncle said they're called Daphne Bholua or something."

"Daphne Bholua?" Yui murmured, smiling in delight at the full-fledged blossoms.

"Yeah. He mentioned they're one of the few flowers that can withstand winter." He suddenly went quiet, looking more at Yui's joyful face rather than the cause of her happiness. He felt his cheeks heat into a blush even though he didn't really understand why. "So… this is your present." He plucked one of the flowers, and using his ice powers, he crystallized it before handing it to her. "Happy birthday," he muttered, noticing Yui's attention was solely on him, mouth agape and all. He shifted his weight back and forth between his feet, feeling somewhat nervous. "Y-you're always in the garden, so I thought you might… want to see these." Shuu looked down at the snow-covered ground, avoiding her gaze.

"Shuu-kun…" her voice was soft, but he couldn't tell what kind of expression she was making.

"Do you… like it?" he finally asked quietly, hearing nothing else but their breathing. A moment of silence passed between them. Just when he was about to look up thinking she didn't like it after all, he felt something soft and feather-light brush against his cheek. His eyes widened when he realized that Yui had just given him a kiss. It only lasted a second, however, since Yui pulled away quickly, looking just as embarrassed as he did. She was trying to hide her reddening her face behind her hands.

At her mortified expression he nearly smiled, almost. Until he realized… oh. A girl just kissed him.

...Ew.

His first initial reaction was to recoil in horror and run for the hills. Of course, being the laid-back boy he was, he wasn't that far gone as to leave her there all alone. Believing that the tingly feeling in his stomach was due to disgust, he made a noncommittal noise before looking away from her, staring far off into the distance. After a moment of thought, he lightly touched the spot where she'd kissed him, his expression suddenly becoming very pensive as though he didn't know what to make of this sudden turn of events.

Yui, seeing the not-too-thrilled look on his face after she pecked him, puffed her cheeks with an exasperated sigh. In fact, if she didn't know any better, she'd've said he looked disappointed!

Boys!

Her initial indignance subsided when her eyes fell to the crystallized flower she was cupping in her hands. Then she broke into a soft smile, clearing her throat so that she caught his attention.

"T-Thank you for remembering, Shuu-kun…" She smiled widely with a giggle following afterwards.

Blinking, his stony expression eventually fell away to a smile as well. He stood up, motioning her to follow. "We should head back now, Yui." He looked at Yui and couldn't seem to tear his smile away. "Well, I'm glad I was the first one to tell you happy birthday."

A/N: As for a certain date for daily updates, you will have yours… presently. ^_^; Consider me a hobbyist writer of otome. I suppose I could learn Japanese if I really wanted to, but Spanish. Thank you for following the development of nevermore.

Preview of next chapter…

…

Yui's eyes went wide, "You have four other brothers?!"

…

Shuu was also aware of how Richter liked to torment her when he thought he wasn't looking, often coming to her aide by dragging her elsewhere before shooting a distrustful glance at his uncle, who always approached her with that sickly smile that made her feel ill.

…

"U...uhm… here. It was your birthday when we met, but… I didn't know, so…"

…

"Thank you." He murmured those strange words to himself, closing his eyes as he stared up at his ceiling. This, as well, is noteworthy, as it was- at the time- a record for how many times he'd thanked anyone.

…

"How unseemly. To think Shuu would associate himself with lower creatures like you." Reiji seethed to her as they continued watching Shuu interact with the boy hunter from behind the bushes.