DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters except for the obvious.
SUMMARY:
If you are looking for the longer and more detailed story, read the Pawn, but for a quick review, please read the following.
Hanabusa's world was rocked and shaken by Sayori Wakabe, those close to her referring to her as Yori. They fell in love through a grueling game of touch-and-go love in Cross Academy only to be separated by the startling revelation of Hanabusa's life-long engagement to a vampiress by the name of Lilith. Unfortunately, Zero had perished in the final battle between Rido and the Kaname, finding that his love for his classmate, foster-sister, and friend was too overwhelming. Yuki was never able to truly recover from this great loss. Torn apart, the main couple are once again reunited at a ball, welcoming Yuki Kuran into vampire society. Yori finds herself pregnant and goes into hiding until the birth of the child only to have Lord Aidou, Hanabusa's father, and his son's fiancée plot to steal away the child without her knowing and have it impersonated as Lilith's own. Yori is crushed by the "loss" of her child and is shocked to return and find that Hanabusa has been coerced into marriage with his fiancée and not only that, having a daughter as well, named Aria, the exact name of that she wished to have named her own. All the while, Kaname fights relentlessly against the growing discontent of the vampire society at the sudden elimination of the Ancient Council. What few boundaries that dictated vampires had now evaporated.
The child, Aria, becomes immediately enthralled with Yori and as a result, the pained woman leaves for the Aidou estate to care for the child. From there a series of twists and turns leads to a war where Hanabusa is taken away to battle to fight alongside his lord, only to find out just before his departure the true origins of his daughter, but for the her safety and happiness, he must keep this secret from Yori, who in reality had already realized that the child was her own from the moment she saw her. Yuki at this time finds that she is pregnant and in testament to her still pained heart at the loss of her dear friend, she names her son Zero. Aria, still unaware that she is the daughter of a human, instantly develops a close connection with the young pureblood and is at his side wherever he goes.
With his absence, Hanabusa is sorely missed, especially by Yori, who realizes that it is no longer possible for her to repress her feelings towards him and they are once again united in their sinful and scandalous relationship. Hanabusa inevitably leaves for battle and is unknowingly followed by Yori into battle, dressed as a young man. During her time in training she befriends a large man by the name of Vaugt who evidently knew of her true gender, but remained "oblivious" until the last moment.
Seeing the tolls of the war, Kaname comes to a difficult decision to give his blood to four select nobles, Hanabusa, Seiren, Ruka, and Akatsuki. This in turn opens up a new danger to not only himself, but that of his beloved wife and son. The taboo and cultural disapproval is thrown off balance and leaves his family vulnerable to power-thirsty vampires.
Yori's identity is only revealed when she blocks several arrows intended for Hanabusa, unaware that he could not be harmed by them, falling instantly into a near-death state. Against his sovereign's wishes, Hanabusa shares his now mixed blood to the dying woman in hopes of saving Yori's life and is successful, but now, the young woman will not wake, suspended in time refusing to rise from her slumber. It is a slumber as potent as death, yet she does not wither or change.
Once the war is over, Hanabusa returns with Yori's sleeping body and places her in the care of Lilith who has resigned herself to be the surrogate mother of Aria and the unloved wife of the young Lord Aidou. Aria and Zero are now closer than ever, but upon Kaname's return he announces that the Kurans would be leaving to 'attend' to problems throughout the country and would be gone for an undetermined amount of time. The two children are ripped from each other's arms, not knowing when they would once again see each other.
It is best kept in mind that due to an evolutionary gene, vampire's offspring develop quickly in the womb and up until their coming of age, explaining Aria and Zero's rapid growth throughout the years. This is why the author is unable to give an exact age for the children. It is only after their coming of age that they begin to develop slower. Hanabusa has always expressed regret at not being there to watch as his daughter developed to an age where she could absorb whole books at a time.
A rule to clarify is that Aria is capable of drinking blood and accomplishing other vampire habits, however, she has always been naturally resistant to them. She did not burn as a child in daylight, and she is able to eat large amounts of human food without feeling the need for blood. She does not however heal quickly which was not explained in the previous story. She has fangs, but they are obsolete in her daily activities. She is simply a human who wears sharp incisors and ages slowly, almost that of an immortal only without the attribute of immunity to physical harm.
So here begins the story: To Each His Own. Please read, review, and enjoy!
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The clock ticked quietly in the corner as Hanabusa sat slouched darkly in a chair. His lips were hidden by his clasped hands as his elbows rested gently on the armrests. His eyes were alert as he watched the sleeping figure on the bed in front of him. It had been over three years now and she had not moved at all. To prevent bed sores, he personally rolled her to and fro and sought to make her as comfortable as possible, though hardly anyone could tell if she wasn't since she was in such a state. During these moments, no one was allowed to enter and disturb his quiet coaxing for Yori to return to the world of the living.
Despite this unsaid rule, a timid knock came to the door. Hanabusa did not move as a slight creaking of the door announced someone was entering. A shaft of light blazed through the darkness to illuminate his hunched figure. Lilith's voice wafted in from behind him.
"Hanabusa, your father wishes to speak with you."
"Tell him I will come to him later."
"It's about Aria." Whenever his daughter's name was mentioned he showed little resistance in instruction and now was no exception. Sighing heavily, Hanabusa stood up and stretched slowly before turning to the woman in the doorway.
"Tell him I will be there presently." With a nod, she disappeared. A lot had changed between them. They were definitely not as close as they were when they were younger, but at that time Yori had not come into his life like a scent drifting in from the window. It happened without them unawares and by the time they knew it, she had become so engrained in Hanabusa's life that it was irreversible. The only thing that kept Lilith from complete insanity was the desire to see her husband happy and so she cared for Yori with a tenderness that was hardly to be expected from a woman who had stolen away the other's child and plotted to steal away the man the other loved. Despite all of her best efforts, she and her father-in-law had failed and she lived with this regret every time she looked at her daughter only in name. She knew that Hanabusa appreciated this and took only a little comfort from this knowledge.
Aria had grown so much over the last several years and into a beautiful young woman at that. She certainly showed signs of youth and coming out of a stage of awkwardness, but she seemed unhindered. After the departure of the Kurans she hadn't truly been the same vibrant young thing that everyone had grown to cherish and love. She buried herself in her books and went out on lonely walks in the evening. When things became too much she would sometimes slip from her bed into the sun's rays and wander through the gardens, listening to the birds and chatter of the day life. She was a sharp young thing and made her parents and grandparents very proud. Though she was sheltered, she held an air of knowledge and aloofness that many found somewhat disturbing.
Hanabusa was an extremely jealous and protective father. Only those who went through his complete scrutiny could ever so much as spend more than ten minutes alone with his precious daughter, five if they were male. Though Aria found it tedious at times, she only interpreted it as the degree of her father's love for her and she returned it with happy smiles and affectionate pecks on the cheek. No longer was she of the age where he could carry her around on his back, or make small insignificant jokes and this seemed to burn at him, but it was all a part of growing up.
Stepping carefully, Hanabusa knocked and instantly let himself into his father's offices. There he found the same damned crow, pecking away at a bowl of seeds and his father standing nearby watching. The cursed thing didn't age! Clearing his throat, Hanabusa plopped down onto the nearest overstuff chair and waited for his father to speak as was customary.
As an outsider, many humans would find it strange to see such a young and vibrant looking man to be the father of a young woman and then even more disturbed to see how young this young man's father looked in the same breath. That was the way of the vampire; ageless and indestructible by time.
"How is she?" Lord Aidou asked. Hanabusa looked down and examined the toes of his buffed shoes and shrugged, well aware that his father did not see him. Seeing that the situation remained the same, Lord Aidou turned to son and cleared his throat loudly.
"I wished to speak to you of Aria. It will be another year and I believe she will be able to be presented to society." Hanabusa rebelled instantly.
"I will not have this happen until Yori is with us again," he said defiantly. Obviously being a long and contested argument between the two Lord Aidou rolled his eyes.
"And that might not happen for a very long time, if ever. We cannot wait forever, Hanabusa. Aria is growing up and needs to be presented properly, or else she will not be accepted. Even Yuki-sama was given a proper presentation." The memory stung slightly, being as it referred to the night that Aria was conceived. "Society is waiting for her arrival quite anxiously," Lord Aidou continued mysteriously. "I've had several inquiries from other families. Some wishing to offer their sons in marriage." Hanabusa shot up.
"You will not marry off my daughter as you did to me!" he said angrily, his hands clenching into tight fists of rage.
"I will do no such thing! She is my granddaughter and I love her as much as you do. I would never do something as low as that, however, I would encourage her to meet others her own age. She is so wrapped up in her own world that I'm afraid if left this way much longer she will never be good company for anyone! Even you must admit to this." Hanabusa hung his head glumly as he further contemplated the walls, bookshelves, the bird, anywhere but his father. His silence however spoke louder than words.
"She must forget Kuran. You know of whom I speak of. It is unacceptable and you know for what reasons. This is the best way to alleviate that threat." Hanabusa hesitated before agreeing slowly, afraid to corner himself. He was not one much for reasoning against his will, but when his father spoke so logically of his daughter's future, it was hard to argue back.
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Aria stood outside the office listening quietly and felt her arms tighten up as her hands wrapped around her waist. The conversation put her teeth on edge and her immediate reaction was to burst into the office unannounced and tell everyone within hearing range that she would never forget Zero Kuran and that if her coming of age and presentation into society meant forgetting him, then she would rather stay a child forever! Using a well-honed skill of temper management, she took a step back away from the door and counted to ten. When that had not steadied her racing heart, she spun in the direction of the stairwell and took two at a time. She wanted to find some kind of comfort somewhere and she went to the first place that came to mind.
Entering the room slowly, she gently closed the door without a sound. The sleeping woman remained always the same, ready for her visit and with closed eyes. It was as if she was listening, but not responding, exactly the person Aria wished to speak with in times of distress. She took in the hair just past the shoulders and the angle of the other's nose and the way the chin went just this way. What was so important about this woman to everyone? To her? She grew up knowing that this woman held a special place in everyone's lives, but what did it mean to her? Why was she always drawn to her especially in times of need? Feeling somewhat calmed, she settled into the chair her father had only recently vacated and took the woman's hand into her own. The woman who had cared for her as a child was a blur in some instances and in other moments she was as vivid in her dreams as ever; alive and well, smiling and gently admonishing her for messing her tidy clothes. Never did she give her an angry look or sharp words. The memories left her somewhat warm.
"What do I do, Ms. Yori? They want me to forget him, but I can't. Why do they want me to forget?" She placed her forehead on their clasped hands. The other's twitched and Aria sat straight up. Had the other responded? No, it was impossible. There was no way; she had remained in this slumber for so long. "You can hear me right?" There was no response. Sighing, Aria released the other's hand and sat back in the chair heavily, sitting rather boldly for a lady.
"Perhaps it is hopeless," Aria said quietly to herself, or perhaps to the sleeping woman. Seeing as she was not to gain any further comfort, she stood and opened the door only to glance back. She had not moved at all as was usual. Gently, the door closed behind her long before she could witness the hand twitch once again ever so slightly.