THE FALLEN KINGDOM
Author's note:
Hey guys, i decided to write a fic for Twelve kingdoms. I feel in love with the series recently. So this is gonna be a slow burn love story, but I'll try to make some interesting story around. :D There is gonna be a lot of jealous Youko, resisting Keiki, tempting Shoryu and bewildered Enki. And OC of course, trying to handle all of them. Hope you gonna like it. Please, let me know what you think. ;)
Description
A mysterious female Kirin crushes at Kinpa palace. Can Youko handle encounter with a woman who can melt Keiki's facade in a second? And how will Enki do as wingman for Shoryu, who's interested in female Kirin? Will they be able to safe The fallen kingdom together?
THE FALLEN KINGDOM
Chapter 1 - Guests
"The celebration is gonna be grandiose. And I insist you both have to be there!" Shoryu said to Youko and Keiki while having afternoon tea in Kinpa palace. He was shining with excitement. He and Enki arrived only to invite his friends to anniversary party. It's gonna be 550 years from the beginning of his reign in just a few weeks.
"Yes, well be having fireworks, parades, parties and many diplomatic guests from other kingdoms. Great opportunity to get to know everyone." Enki added, leaning on the railing. They sat at the terrace, having a nice talk, tea and sweets. Sun was shining, but it was not hot anymore. A cold wind indicated autumn is about to come soon.
Keiki had his serious look on, as always. But Youko smiled at her guests.
"Sure we are going to come to your celebration, thank you for having us!" She said.
Keiki was about to say something disapproving, she thought, from the look he gave her, but he didn't have a chance as the blow echoed through the place.
With a shock everyone stood up and looked at the roof above, where the sound came from. The sound was followed by falling roof tiles that ended at the floor near them.
Right after that, a white shadow jumped over their heads and ended standing in the garden only a few meters from them.
Everyone gasped.
It was a Kirin.
Beautiful white creature with long mane that was blond at roots and red at the tips. The Kirin was breathing hard, foam at the mouth, staring at them with fear in the eyes. It's body was covered with open wounds and blood.
Keiki made a step forward, his face full of emotions. Youko never seen any of them before.
At that moment the queen's guard crushed the terrace from inside the palace. They heard the noise and hurried to safe their ruler.
"No stop!" Youko ordered and her men froze in place.
She wanted to ask her Taiho who the incomer was, but Keiki was already moving away from her.
The moment Keiki moved, wounded Kirin fell to the ground as it's legs could not bear it anymore. After a second, Kirin changed its form to human.
At the grass in front of them a naked woman laid, most of her nudity covered with long blonde and red hair.
As fast as Keiki got to her, he took off his cloak and covered her with it.
Everyone was silent as they watched Kei-taiho helping the she-kirin, who could not stand on her own feet. She was bleeding heavily and Keiki's own strength was fading fast, sensing all the blood. He took the woman in his arms but as he tried to stand up with her, he found he can't. He was sweating and his every muscle was in pain.
"Hyouki" he called his shirei and the creature appeared next to him together with Hankyo.
"Take her to my chambers immediately."
"Hankyo" he ordered "go and get the healer there!"
As both of them disappeared Keiki managed to get to his feet. But he stayed leaning against his knees, heavily breathing.
The autumn wind blew again and sent all the blood scent to the queen and her guests. Enki, who was covering his nose for the whole time, leaning against the wall not to fall, could not bare it and passed out. Shoryu hurried to the boy and took him to his arms.
Youko was confused, not really sure what was happening.
"Help Kei-taiho" she ordered her man and watched as they moved to help her Kirin who was also falling to the ground.
Youko exchanged worried looks with Shoryu.
"These Kirins…" he said with amusement.
But Youko did not feel amused at all.
She had three unconscious Kirins at the palace. And she had no idea who the new one was.
"You say that Keiki tried to help her even when she was all covered in blood?" Suzu asked in surprise.
Joko nodded.
They were at her chambers. Youko sitting at the corner of her bed, Suzu sitting in chair and Shoukei standing near.
"I never saw Keiki like that. Even his face changed as he saw her. I did not know he is capable to show fear that strong." Youko said, not really sure how she feels about it.
"It is not usual for Kirins to have any bonds amongst themselves. I know some of them are friends, but what you describe looks like a completely different story." Shoukei said with a hint of something that made Youko feel a little uneasy.
"You think they could be…." Youko was not sure which word to use. "... more?"
"I don't know. You saw what happened, not us." Shoukei replied.
"I think it could be possible. The last queen fell in love with Keiki, right?" Suzu started: "And from the stories I heard around the palace she went mad because she was jealous. Some say, it was all because of the only woman who Taiho showed some emotions to. And the queen could not bear it. It could be her."
Youko's heart was beating fast. She was starting to feel dizzy.
"Why did I never hear about it?" Youko asked.
"Well it's only rumours. I never thought it was important. And besides no one ever saw Taiho with a woman."
"Until today." Youko said with a sad voice.
Shoukei took Suzu's hand: "Come on, let's see what we can find about new guest."
Joko nodded and girls left the room.
As the doors closed behind them Shoukei said: "You shouldn't have told her that."
"Why not?" Suzu asked, obviously confused.
Shoukei was not sure how to say it right:
"The relationship between her and Keiki is fragile. These rumors are not going to help it."
Suzu covered her mouth in shock: "You're right, I'm sorry. It doesn't have to be true."
"Let's see what we can find out." Shoukei said and they hurried through palace corridors.
Enki opened his eyes, blinked a few times and posted his hand on his head. He had a headache and very bad. As he breathed in he could still smell the scent of blood around the palace.
"So you're finally up" Shoryu said. He was sitting near the boy's bad, keeping an eye on him.
Enki sat up, looking like a disaster: "How long was I out?"
"Just a few hours." Shoryu answered: "I guess Keiki is going to be out for much longer."
Enki snorted: "Yeah I'm sure about that. What was he thinking?"
"Well she probably means a lot to him." Shoryu said and leaned into his chair: "Do you have any idea who she is?"
"Kirin of some Kingdom?" Enki said without really thinking about it.
Shoryu rolled his eyes: "Yes, thank you. I know that! But which one?"
Enki found it hard to think with a headache, so it took him a while: "Well we do not have so many options as there are only six female Kirins. She certainly can not be Hourin, who is a newborn now and new Kourin is not even hatched yet. I know Renrin personally and she doesn't have red mane so that leaves us with Hanrin, Sairin or Sourin."
His answer did not seem to please his majesty as he stood up unpantiently:
"As soon as you'll be feeling well I need you to find out who she is."
Enki sighed: "No way I'm not going near to that creature anytime soon. You can just ask Keiki."
"No one knows when Keiki is going to wake up. And there is something going on in one of the Twelve Kingdoms. We should get to know as soon as we can."
With that, Shoryu left the room and Enki decided to take a nap for a few more hours.
"My lord, a message!" a small soldier called out as he hurried through the door of throne room.
An older man with long black hair who sat on the throne stood up and narrowed his sight at the incomer. The soldier zigged zagged around the dead bodies on the floor and made his way to his leader.
"Its from our forces at Kerei province" he added as he finally stood in front of the throne.
The leader took the scroll from him. He frowned as he read the message. The soldier tried to read the events from his expression and he knew the message was not good.
"My lord?" he asked, leaving all his questions hanging in the air.
His leader sat down again and his eyebrows were almost one. There was a moment of silence, before he spoke up.
"They were not able to catch the Kirin."
The soldier breath in heavily. "I see…. But if we don't have her we can't stop the royal army when they arrive here."
The leader didn't move and only started to one place, somewhere far away.
"No we can't."
They fell silent again and the atmosphere in the room was almost visible.
Then the leader finally moved and left the throne. He handed the scroll to the soldier who read it quickly. Before he was able to react his leader was already half a hall away.
"But my lord! This is not a bad news! She was wounded! She could have died somewhere on the way. That would only make things faster!"
The leader stopped his track and turned to face the soldier. But he was watching the throne more than the man. "Yes. But if it turns out she is alive she will turn everyone against us. As long as there is a Kirin, there is always hope. It will be better to wait."
The soldier made his way through the room again.
"But my lord… infiltrating the royal palace was hard. We may not be able to do it again. This could take much longer than we thought."
The leader held soldiers arm and smiled at him.
"Then be it. We can not convince the whole country over a night. Not without a Kirin. This is for the greater good of all our people commander Toki." The leader made his way out the door.
"When the royal army arrives, make it look as a fight. They can not know we are leaving our posts on our own."
Young commander frowned at the floor. He and his men fought bravely to get the royal palace to their hands and now they had to leave everything behind. All just because of a Kirin.
"She will not have a place in the new word we are going to create…" he said to himself and left the room.
So what do you think? Anyone interested in this story? :P Please let me know ;)