In this frightful place he stood in his glory. His silver mane flowing with the vengeful, winds while bloods drips from his gleaming sword. His eyes fills with victory and his last enemy is slain, he stood tall and proud. With this victory his land is safe and peace will rein upon his lands and his loves one will be safe. With that thought his mind went to those he fought to protect. His lovely wife who wait for his return and his son and daughter.
Two lovable twins who take both after him and their mother. With dark raven hair, stripped with silver, one with deep blue eyes while another is a amber gold, both twin took the aspect of their parent. One with red stripped while the other has violet. One has a crescent with a teardrop on the forehead while the other has a crescent with a star, the marks significantly their royal birth, prince and princess to the North. He remembers them in fondness as he prepare to leave the battle field.
The war is fought and won, and the time to go home has come. He would be with his family again as well as his warriors. He, Irako, lord of the North, look out onto the sunrise that shine for this new day and stay until his men calls. He will enjoy this day and the day of his return.
But it will not last long for he does not know of the betrayal in his castle in his absent, and the news of his missing family will burden his to grief as his servants panic for his return.
Somewhere far away
A bunch of villagers found a body and two \ children by the riverbank. They approach the body and the two children. In the lead is a woman in miko garb. A priestess. She near the bundle, and look to see twins, from the look of it. Youkai twin at that, and maybe nobility birth or even at least royal birth. She look from the bundle to the body that holds it and gasp in surprised.
The multiples wounds on the person body are extensive and the amount of blood is great. She knows for a fact that this person will have a short time to live. She hesitantly remove the cloth that cover the person face to reveal a woman. A youkai. The miko is uncertain on what to do for mikos and youkais are enemy since creatures start living on the earth. She was still in this thought when the youkai open her eyes to reveal deep blue eyes fills with sadness and pain.
She grip the sleeves of the miko outer garb and gasp out, "Please, protect the children. They are the savior of this land and its people. They are the prince and princess of our lord. The heir to the throne. Please, protect them and raise them until the time is right for them to return."
The miko took this calmly although a frown appears upon her face.
"Why did you run? The war is over. There should be no trouble. And what happen to you for you to come this far with the children when they are so helpless?"
"I had no choice. There was an betrayal upon our midst, trying to kill the prince and princess. The queen entrusted me to escape with her children while the castle was under attack and the lord did not still return. He, who did this, wants to ensure that if the lord doesn't return, he will be lord and if the lord does return, he would be the heir. When I escape, there were some men who saw me and attack me. I fought and ran trying to keep the children safe. I manage to lose them a way back but I kept going in case they will later try to follow."
"Whom is he that you speak of?"
"He goes my the name Aratian on the road but known as Kiyaku. He is Telaru, the lord's younger brother."
"I do what I can to help you. The children should be fine."
"No, I know I would not make it. Here…", reach inside her kimoo and gave the miko two pendants, "on their 18 birthdays, give them these pendants and tell them whom they are. Until then, they should not know and will be put out of harm way. Promise me this."
"Yes, this I promise I would do. May I know whom you are?"
"I am the queen's younger sister and I am Miyu, wife of Hisoka, the general of the lord of the North's army."
"Miyu-sama, I do my best."
"Thank you miko-same."
And with that, the last breath of Miyu left her body and the life dims. The miko slowly took the bundle from Miyu-sama arms and hold them tight to keep them warm.
"Miyu-sama. May you rest in peace."
And with that she rose and face those around her.
"Bring the body to the village. She will have a proper burial."
"But miko-sama, are you really going to take the children?" , one of the villagers ask.
"Yes. A promise is a promise. They will be staying with me."
"Well then, you do what you have to do and leave this to us." , a different villager said.
"Thanks you, Sei."
"No problems. Men, let get to work. Bring the stretcher."
"Hai, Sei-sama." , the rest of the villagers replied.
And with that, the miko walks back to town to feed the now crying children.
Back to lord Iraku
He was arriving soon to his destination and he was happy as his men. They were looking forward to meeting families and loves one again. Each fighters where joking with each other, while waling merrily. They did not expect the scene that was enfolded to them as they near the castle. Smokes where coming out of the window, whil flames burn everywhere. Cries of pain fills the air as the castle and village burns. An image out of the deepest dept of hell this was.
Each warriors where consumes with shock, dread and denial. Of course that did not last long. Soon each people were running to their home, searching for their loves one, to see if they are well. Naturally the lord was the fastest to reach his home. He did not care for the state of his castle, only wanted to see his mate and children. He search every level, every room to each corner. He found not his mates but servants who were severly injures and ask them where his mate is in deperation. He follows what he was told until he reach where she were supposedly located. When he open the door, he was fills with shock for there she lies, cover in blood, with a sword on her grips and bodies lying around her. He ran to her side and hold her tightly, afraid that she was dead. So far in his grief and panic that he didn't realize that she was alive and the majority of the bloods around her are not hers but other. It took him a while to calm down.. By that time she had awaken.
"You fool, what are you moaning about? I still alive. He he he. Barely. Help me up."
He did what he was told.
"Aiora, do you realize how afraid I was?"
"Yes that I did. But I still alive and kicking."
Several moments pass before she exclaimed, "The children. We got to find the children."
"What happen? Do you know?"
"I gave them to Miyu and told her to run. We were surrounded by so many men that I was afraid for their life. Alas, she ran but I saw some men ran after her. I tried to reach her but was surrounded. I want my children back!"
By then she was hysterical. The lord was struggling to calm his beast and his mate's tear and anguish pulls at his heart.
"Who done this? Who dare attack me?"
"It was Telaru. It was him who did this. I didn't believe it at first until he killed Jun. He really slain Jun with his own sword. How can he? They were going to get married. He killed her."
"No. That cannot be. It not possible."
Iruka was in shock. His own brother attacked them. No, maybe it was an imposter. But that can't be.
Only his aura and power his sword. Then it really was him. He killed Jun. He is a traitor. He will suffer. He was brought out of his thought by his mate.
"We need to find the children. They just have to be alive. They just have too."
With that she collapse onto the ground.
"Aiora! Aiora! AIORA!"