Hey guys! Welcome to my first story 'Duties Before Happiness'. I really hope you enjoy it!
Talking
Thought
Chapter 1
I looked in the trees surrounding me and eyed a crow that sat on a branch not too far from me. Something about it didn't seem normal; it was bigger than regular sized crows. I quietly growled at it, making it squawk at me and fly away. It's the same one ever time.
"Onee-sama! Hurry!" I was knocked out of my thoughts as I looked up to see that my 4 year old sister, Akari, had picked all the flowers around her. Placing the flowers I had in my basket, I rose to my feet and strutted over to her. I bent down to her to look at her; she just smiled bright at me, her brown cat tail swinging happily back and forth and her cat ears erect.
"Akari-chan, you weren't supposed to pick that many flowers." I said. Her tail and cat ears fell and she looked to the ground.
"But I want my room to be filled with flowers just like yours" I placed my hand on her cheek and wiped the dirt off with my yellow and orange kimono sleeve. Then I began to wipe off the dirt from her pink kimono.
"My room is filled with flowers because Katsuo gives them to me." I looked at her basket and picked out the withered flowers and weeds. "Some of the flowers are going in vases and some going to be made into crowns. We only want the pretty ones, these just won't do." Akari went to her knees and helped me take out the unwanted ones.
Suddenly I felt a pain in my heart, which made me clench my chest and curl into a ball. My breathing quickened and I felt faint. "Onee-sama, are you okay! Onee-sama!" My sister asked worriedly putting her hand on my shoulder, though I couldn't answer her; the pain was just too much. I felt her touch disappear and the sound of her foot-steps fading. More worried about where she had run off to, I looked up to see her gone and her basket tipped over.
"Akari!" I yelled. There was no answer, which made me start to panic that I looked all around me. "AKARI!" There was rustling in the woods around us when suddenly Akari and Katsuo popped out. I sighed in relief knowing that my sister wasn't kidnapped.
"Tamiko, are you alright?" Asked a concerned Katsuo. My breathing had slowed down a little though the pain was still there. "Can you stand?" I tried to straighten myself out but I fell to the ground tipping my basket over. My face hit the dirt and I was surrounded by darkness.
Music? Classical ballroom music? I slowly opened my eyes to find myself standing in a ballroom with a grand stair case on the other side of the room. People were dancing the waltz and conversing on the side. The Orchestra was hid behind a screen and hors d'oeuvres were scattered on a long table. I looked around the room and stepped forward but was stopped.
Looking down I noticed that I was now in strapless red and black Victorian dress with black gloves that reached my elbow. My feline ears and tail were gone and my super wavy, waist length light brown hair was half up half down being held by a black bow. No wonder why it's a little difficult to breath. I looked around for an exit but there was none to be found.
"May I have this dance?" I gasped at the sudden voice and turned around to see a man with reddish-brown eyes and dressed in all black holding out his hand. Saying that this man was attractive wouldn't be the right word, he was more than handsome. He was….gorgeous, though something about him seemed sinful. The pain that I had once felt in my chest was replaced with a yearning feeling.
I looked at his hand and then back at his face. Slowly taking his hand he led me to the middle of the room and placed his unoccupied hand on the back of my waist. He touch was soft and warm, which only made me blush. "I'll warn you now, I've never danced before." This comment only made him chuckle a little.
"This dance is easy to learn, my lady" He explained. "You just follow my lead." His voice was smooth and alluring that my mind went blank. He moved and flowed with the music, dragging me along with his movements. I looked down at my feet to be sure that I wouldn't step on him, but the man suddenly grabbed my chin, lifting my head to look back at him. A smirk was planted on his face. "It's rather rude to not look at the person your dancing with."
"And may I ask for the name of the person to whom I am dancing with?" I requested though it sounded more like a demand. The man just kept dancing and smirking. "I asked you a question and I would like an answer." I said with a more serious tone. As he was about to answer the music ended and we stopped our dancing. The man bowed and began to walk away heading up the stairs. He was at the first step when he looked back at me, holding his hand out again. I lifted my dress a little and began to walk forward.
With every step I took, it seemed like the further he seemed to be. Wait! Please wait! I kept thinking I finally reached him and hesitantly took his gloved hand. Once our hands connected his being became black and he transformed in to billions of black birds. I gasped and lifted my arms, for protection, as the crows flew straight toward me. Turning around I noticed the birds flying in to a bright light.
"Tamiko." I heard the man's voice say.
Tamiko…
Tamiko…
"Tamiko?" My eyes fluttered open and adjusted to the brightness in the room. I met with my sister's teary eyes first, and then connected with my father's and Katsuo worried eyes. I gripped my head and groaned as I tried to sit up, but my father place a hand on my shoulder. "Take it easy. You're still not well." I looked around the room to see that I was now in my room, laying on my futon.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Maybe you could tell us that." My father said. There was a knock and the door slid open revealing a nurse. The nurse walked in and sat beside us. "Is there something wrong, Cana?"
"I've looked over all the test and they've all come back with nothing to report." She said. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as did the others around me.
"Then what about that pain in chest. It felt like my heart was being squeezed." My father gasped next to me, making me look at him.
"Was there anything around you, anything suspicious?" He asked. I looked at my lap, at my hands. Suddenly I felt the warmth of the unknown man's hand and remembered the crow that been following me for the day pass few days.
"There was this crow that's been following me for the pass week." I said then explained the dream to them. My father and Katsuo thought for a while until my father signaled the nurse and Katsuo to leave. They stood up and walked out, Katsuo carried out Akari, who was resisting. Once the door closed, my father looked at me with a rather serious face.
"It seems that your mate has appeared." Now I was even more confused.
"What do you mean?" I asked. My father sighs and rubbed the back of his neck.
"I really thought your mother would be here to explain this." He took a deep breath and continued. "Kagura told you want mates were right?" I nodded.
"Mates are our destined one that if we find them we will be with them forever. Though for our kind it's hard to find another pure bred cat demon mate." I remember the man's reddish-brown eyes and felt warm. "He didn't look familiar, and was dressed on a weird way."
"The way that you described him he sounds like an Englishmen." My father sighed. "And here is was hoping that your mate would be Katsuo." I giggled and placed my hand on his.
"Father, I've told you and Katsuo a thousand times, I only love him as a friend even a brother."
"I remember you saying something like that." He chuckled. "Now the problem is what to do." I swear the more he talked the more he confused me.
"What is there to do? He's in England and I'm in Japan." I said folding my arms. "I'm not leaving just because my mate is in another country. If anything he can come to me."
"But don't you want to be happy?"
"I am happy. I'm happy right where I am." I said with a smile. "My duty is to my kingdom and my personal life can come after."
"You shouldn't have to worry about the kingdom at your age."
"I'm a 22,000 years old; I think I'm old enough to worry." I said, slightly raising my voice.
"What would your mother say to this?" He surprisingly asked, raising his voice more than me. "Akina would want you to live happily and not worry about other things." My face dropped as I looked away. I knew in my heart what he was saying is the truth; I just don't want to believe it.
"Can… I think about?" He slowly nodded as he stood up and opened the door. Next thing I knew I was engulfed in a hug my Akari. I place my arms around her and petted her head, as my father closed the door. I sighed sadly.
"Onee-sama?" Looking down I saw that Akari was looking at me with a worried expression. I smiled at her. "Is something wrong?" I shook my head and hugged her tightly. That was another thing, if I were to leave who would raise Akari? Who would teach her the good and the bad things? Who… who would she call…mother?
The next few hours were silent with the interruption of dinner and the journey to my room. Akari and I braided each other's hair and I placed a flower crown on her head, she was excited about that. Then Akari finally asked a question that I had been dreading to think about. "Are you going to leave, Onee-sama?"
I looked at her and then at the floor. "Yes. Yes I am."
"I won't let you!" She yelled at me, standing up. "I don't want you to leave. I don't want to be lonely again!"
"You'll have father and Katsuo, even Kagura-sensei." I said sadly. She started to pout and tears formed in her eyes.
"But I don't want them, I want you!" She cried throwing herself into my arms. "I want my mother to stay with me!" My undead heart would have broken if it were beating.
"Akari…" I had thought long and hard about what to do and I had made my decision. "This is something that I must do. For my own happiness."
"What for?" She asked looking up at me. I took a deep breath and began to explain
"I have to go to England, to meet someone." I said as I started taking out the flowers and undid the braid.
"Why?"
"This person is special and it's been decided that we must meet each other."
"Why?" She yawned. I slightly pulled her to lay down on the futon. She might as well just sleep with me since it was so late.
"Would you go to sleep? You're very nosey when you're tired." I said with a slight chuckle. She giggled and then snuggled up to me. Sure enough she was fast asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, though I stayed up. She called me her mother; I don't know if I'm supposed to be happy or just disappointed. I'll happily take on the mother figure in her life but what if she had grown to hate me. I shook my head quickly getting the thought out of my head and sighed. Laying my head on my pillow, I stopped thinking of the negative and started thinking of the positive.
I'll be happy...Yeah that's all I got…
The next more I was woken up by a knock on the screen door and Akari moving. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was up, why didn't anyone wait us up? It was only Katsuo wishing to talk to me; I slowly got up and left the room leaving Akari sleeping. I turned toward him, trying to straighten my hair out. "Is there something wrong?" He shook his head.
"No it's just that it's time for breakfast." He said. I nodded and jumped back into the room to wake up Akari. I brushed our hair and dressed into different kimonos. I was now in a black and red kimono with colorful butterflies, with a red bow coming out of the back and Akari was dressed in a brown and pink one, with a pink bow. We let our straight hair down and brushed out our tails.
The three of us made our way to dining to see that my father was already walking in there. Quickly following in, we bowed and then took our seats; Katsuo sat on his right while Akari and I sat on his left.
"Good morning father/Akio-sama." We greeted. The maids brought our food and then left.
"Good morning girls, Katsuo." He replied. As we began to eat, the room remained silent which became a little uncomfortable. I knew he was just waiting for my answer and I have made my decision. I looked up from my half eaten meal and glanced at my father.
"I come up with my decision." My father immediately stopped and looked at me with a worried expression. "I-I'll go to England." The boys gasped and Akari teared up until I placed my hand on her head. "But only if Akari can come with me."
"No going to happen."
"And why not."
"England is a dangerous place. There are murders, thieves, and kidnappers; I'll be damned if any demon of the Nekomata clan disappeared especially my youngest daughter." He said as he finished his meal.
"And she won't. She'll be with me every moment."
"Please papa! I promise not to leave Onee-sama's side!" Akari blurted out. We looked at her and she hugged my side. "I want to be with her." She insisted.
"It's too dangerous, Akari."
"Onee-sama will protect me. Please let me go. The first moment that I miss behave, Onee-sama can send me back." She gave him the biggest pleading eyes she has ever done, knowing that she would get her way. My father rubbed his face and groaned.
"Fine you may go." Akari squealed and hugged my father tightly. "But I demand that I receive frequent reports." I giggled and nodded. The maids cleaned up the dining room as we all walked to the courtyard talking happily. That was until we saw a messenger owl waiting in a cherry blossom tree. Katsuo quickly grabbed the note and commanded the bird to return home.
"What does it say?" My father demanded as I hugged Akari close to me.
"It seems that there have more inu-yokai spies near the border. Their numbers have doubled." I gasped and Akari
"Then we will do the same to our security. Order our men to take down any dogs they find." My father ordered. Katsuo nodded and left us. I hugged Akari closer as four big, bulky warriors appeared in front of us. They all wore different color armor; red, blue, orange, and green.
"My Lord." The red one said. "We have been ordered by Katsuo to guard you while he is away."
"Protect us well then, especially my daughters." He said.
"Yes sir!" They said and created a 'border' around us.
"Now let us get you both ready to your departure."
"We're leaving early?" I asked as we walked through the halls.
"The enemy has become fiercer and I'd rather have you both out of sight then in danger." He said. "You'll leave in three hours." I gasped. It was a reasonable time but I wasn't mentally prepared. We pulled up to Akari's room to see maids already packing kimonos for her. Supersonic hearing comes in handy sometimes. I helped along with the packing by going to my room, my father wanted to talk to Akari so they wondered of somewhere. Opening the closet in my room I grabbed a rather large sized box. I opened it to expose a snowflake designed kimono with a white obi and a blue and white jewelry box with snowflake design on top. The maids in the room gathered around me.
"What is that hime-sama?" One of them asked.
"Yes, it's so pretty." Another said. I smiled and opened the jewelry box, revealing a blue and white kanzashi. It took the shape of a snowflake and had a trail of small white balls.
"Mama gave this to me before she died. She wore this when she met my dad and when she mated with him." My thought floated to memories of my mother. "I believe she would want me to wear it when I met my future mate."
"FUTURE MATE!?" The maids exclaimed. I looked at them nonchalantly, then back at the item.
"I've found my future mate and I'm off meet him." I looked back up to see them in my face. "What?"
"Is he handsome?"
"Is he sweet?"
"He isn't fat is he?" We all looked at the one maid with raised eyebrow. "What? If anything I want a mate with big muscular arms, not some fat ass that will order me around to cook for him." We laughed at that last comment and continued to pack. Once it was done, I requested help in changing into my mother's kimono and putting on the kanzashi. My brown hair was styled in a high ponytail and curled the rest, which now made it meet the middle of my back. I now sat on the floor brushing out my tail as my bags were put at the door.
The door slid opened to reveal Katsuo which shocked me. "Shouldn't you be with the troops? They might get attacked." I joked smiling at him. He chuckled and walked up to me.
"I think they can handle a few hours without me." He said. "I've gathered 6 men to go with you on your journey."
"Thank you. You always had that protective brother trait toward Akari and me." At that comment he sighed in disappointment. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?" He rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's just this whole situation has me a little pissed off." I gave a confused look to him as he continued. "It's just that we've grown up together and lived here for a long time. You've grown into such a beautiful demoness that I've grown to…to love. I was really hoping that I would be your destined mate but I guess my hopes were just too high." I smiled at him and place my hand on his cheek. I always knew he had feelings for me, it just that my main focus was always Akari.
"I'm sorry I can't return your feelings. Knowing that you care makes me feel better." I said as I place a small kiss on his cheek. He smiled sweetly at me embraced me.
"As long as I hold a place in your heart somewhere, I kind of don't mind being rejected. Just know that if anything bad happens, you have a pair of loving arms to come to." He said as he slightly blew into my cat ear, which made me squirm away. The maids in the room giggled at our actions toward each other.
"Katsuo-kun, you know that tickles." I exclaimed. He laughed and placed a hand on my back.
"Come, I've prepared the fog carriage to take you." He instructed. I nodded and we both exited the room and made our way to the court yard. Father and Akari were waiting there with the six guards packing up the luggage. My father was smiling at Akari as she showed him her flower crown that was until he looked at me. He walked up to me and smiled widely with misty eyes.
"You look just like your mother. I'm about to reconsider you going at all." I laughed and threw my arms around his neck.
"I'm going to miss you, papa." I said making him chuckle.
"You haven't called me that in a long time. Not since Akina." I slightly giggled and pecked him on the cheek. "Be careful and watch out for your sister." I nodded and pulled away from him to let Akari say her good byes. The maids and guards bowed as a farewell as we boarded the carriage, the maids that were in my room were tearing up and even bawling. The six two of the six guard hopped in and the rest surrounded us. Once I took my seat Akari sat in my lap with a sadden face.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"I'm happy that I get to stay with you but I'm also sad that I had to leave." She said.
"Well how do you think I feel?" I said. "There's a saying that an old wise demoness once said."
"What?"
"Change is never easy, you fight to hold on and fight to let go. Live for the future and not for the past." Akari looked at me confused.
"Who said that?" She asked. I smiled widely as I brushed out her bangs.
"Mama did. Before she died." I said. "You would have loved her." I hugged her closer.
"Really?" She asked. "What did she look like?" I thought for a moment.
"Well, kind of like me but older."
"She must have been really beautiful then." Her eyes sparkled as she started asking other random questions. I'm glad she started to take interest in wanting to know about our mother so I gladly answer her question as we enjoyed the ride to our new home in London, England.
Thank you for reading this story, really appreciate. If you like it please review and even if you hate it review anyway and maybe I could make it better with your suggestions. you'll find out what happens in the next chapter.