I hope you all enjoyed reading the previous chapter. This is chapter is focused completely on Youko Kurama.

Chapter 2

A young boy stood at the window sill, gazing intently at the stars. His beautiful golden eyes were misted by tears. He was hungry; he had had no food all through the day because his tutor had given false complaints about him to his father. His cheek was still swollen and the cut under his knee was still hurting badly, but he did not care.....he was used to it. He focused his gaze on the beautiful full moon instead and watched as it ascended its throne on top of the world.

"You are so lucky" the boy whispered as if talking to the moon "Your life is so simple, you just come out every night and go off. You are so beautiful and everyone likes you" .His voice was soft, exceptionally so for a guy. He would have been stunningly handsome had it not been for the fact that every inch of his milky white skin was pale and badly bruised. His eyes hardly brightened and a smile was one ornament that he hardly wore. He was the only son of a very old kitsune leader, but except for a lavishly decorated room and an endless supply of silk, there was no indication that he, the prince of the fox clan was the heir to one of the largest clans of the demon world. Youko felt the breeze gently lift his hair, how nice it was to be alone and enjoy the beauties of nature.....

A few hours passed and the serene look on Youko's face was replaced by fear. He could sense his father coming and dreaded it, but there was no use. Nakago would be here in a few minutes. Shaking with fear, he crawled on to his bed and curled up, trying to make himself small and dissolve into the shadows. As expected the door slammed open and Nakago smiled nastily at him. Dressed in his usual blue silk, he staggered into the room. It took Youko only a few seconds to realise that his father was drunk. He curled into a tighter ball, biting his lips. Compared to the torture he received on drunken nights, the normal cold and merciless nights seemed almost heavenly.

Within seconds Nakago was at him. Picking him up, he threw Youko bodily to the opposite wall. As he fell he wondered if he would get tortured until 3 in the morning again. His head hit the wall hard and uncontrollable tears of pain raced down his cheek. Nakago laughed an insanely mirthless laugh and said "This is why you shouldn't be feather light". Ignoring the pain, Youko managed to stand up, waiting silently for the inevitable. For a few seconds there was a bone chilling silence and then his entire demeanour changed. His eyes became mere slits and rage overtook him. He kicked Youko hard in the ribs and screamed "WHY?" but silence was his only answer.

"I asked you a question boy!" Nakago shouted, punching him squarely on his jaw and turned away.

"I – I don't know" Youko managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What was that?" nakago asked, as he whirled about to face him again. His hand reached for his hair as Youko whimpered a weak "I don't know my lord". The minute the words were out of his mouth, the rose whip slashed across his skin. He yelped with pain and fell back only to meet the whip again. Damn it for being everywhere! Then as suddenly as it came, it stopped. Blood dripped to the floor and mixed with his hair.

"What do you know? You can't even make the smallest, easiest plants grow and yet you are the clan leader's son! .................. You – are – disgrace – to – me!" he said punctuating each word with a kick. He lifted Youko by his neck and as he gasped for breath, nakago looked deep into his eyes which reflected the hate on his own face and said "I don't get it, 3000 years..........never once........but you........the very first time...........how?" he seemed to struggle to string 2 words together, but stopped his efforts as a tall and slender woman walked in. Her long hair fell a little below her shoulders and every inch of her plain features was etched with pain.

"Please Nakago, stop this insanity!" she said. He dropped Youko to the floor and as the child fainted, nakago turned his back to him and faced the woman instead. His eyes were now filled with grief and his body shook with anger as he asked "Insanity? You call this insanity shiori? Well you are wrong! I'll tell you what insanity is! IT IS A WOMAN SHOWING UP AFTER A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND TELLING ME THAT THIS CHILD IS MINE!" His voice rose steadily into a raw throated yell and his hand once again reached for his hair.

"I understand my love, but please go take some rest.........please dear" shiori pleaded. He gave her one sharp look, then picking up a glass vase he found in the room, he threw it at Youko and then staggered past her and out of the room. The vase fell precisely on its target and Youko's arm started bleeding. The minute he was gone Shiori rushed to Youko. She gently lifted him and put him on his bed. His normally pale skin was now chalk white from the blood loss and his temperature was rising. She immediately summoned a healer and waited anxiously till she was done.

"How is he?" she asked, her ancient eyes glistening with tears.

"I am surprised he is alive! Indeed it is a miracle. No child of such tender age can survive such brutality. But his condition has worsened my lady and you must prevent such happenings in the future." The healer said as she walked away. She nodded then proceeded into the room. Getting on the bed, she gently placed his head on her lap, pushed away the silky strands of silver from his face and kissed his forehead. She looked at him intently for a few seconds. Even after the miss-happenings of the night, his face had a serene look on it, as if he was at peace with everything and it always surprised her how he never lost his elegance even while he was unconscious. He was exquisite agile, light weighted and thus swift, excellent at any weapon and an amazing martial artist. While fighting too he had a graceful stance and was extremely polite and courteous which was astonishing for grace, elegance, politeness and courteousness were a few things that foxes genetically lacked. Apart from his behaviour, his looks too were invariably different. Foxes were generally tall, muscular and well built, their sharp features usually dripped with cruelty and their merciless laughter spoke of their cunning and untrustworthy nature. Except for the height factor Youko lacked all of the above. He was slender and had no visible muscle tone, though his features too were sharp, they had no cruelty in them. His eyes were soft and purity was the one thing that radiated from him all the time. Those beautiful golden eyes gave a silent promise of assurance that your secrets were safe. She smiled sadly and started stroking his hair subconsciously as the bitter sweet memories of the past came back to her as if from yesterday.


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