Now that the morning sun was well risen, the activity around the castle and the surrounding village was growing.
Kurogane bent low to the ground; no small feat considering his burden was still a dead weight in his arms. He had taken one of the longer and more treacherous cliff paths to avoid being sighted by any fisherman who were casting off, and now he simply had to avoid being seen by any watchful villagers while he skirted round the outside of the palace wall.
The climb up had been uncomfortable, not least because Kurogane had to keep one arm wrapped around the creature while its hair- dry now- tickled annoyingly at his neck and its limp hands waved and brushed against his shoulders.
Glaring out into the village, Kurogane considered his situation.
He was fully aware that his absence must have been noticed, and here he was with a man-like-fish-thing draped across his shoulder, trying to break into the palace defences he himself had designed.
Breathing out harshly, Kurogane stole a few meters forward; still fairly well hidden in the path's tangled undergrowth. Having reached the west outer gate, he and his burden were now hidden from any village eyes, but any passing sentries might still spot them.
Grunting, Kurogane roughly hoisted the creature off his shoulder to lay it out on the grass. It's blue tail glittered fiercely in the direct sun, but though it's pale chest rose and fell steadily, it's eyes remained tightly closed and it's head lolled gently to the side. For a few moments Kurogane found himself re-examining that strange form, distrusting the being even while it was deathly still. Then, in a single movement he pulled off his shirt and swiftly wrapped it around the creature's abdomen. As large as Kurogane was, the shirt fell short of the last few inches of that tail and the spectacular transparent fin – as he had suspected. Still, it would have to do, and at least it would stop the tail radiating like a beacon.
As he heaved the still figure over his shoulder again, he was eerily aware of the pale skin pressed against him – like none he had ever felt and so different from his own; too smooth and soft to be natural. Then, thrusting the thought from his mind and becoming intent once again, Kurogane treaded forward; making sure to stay in the shadow of the wall.
Well aware that announcing himself with a fish-man at the main gate would cause havoc, Kurogane moved swiftly towards the castles only weak-point; where the wall was lowest and easier to scale. Usually he would have removed any flaw in the palace's defences, but after an attack two summers ago where the youngest princess had only escaped by climbing over it, Kurogane had made sure the wall was kept low. With the cliffs dropping down just beyond this point, it was already difficult to get to and only a minor defect in any case.
Having reached the wall and scowling at the idiocy of it all, Kurogane nevertheless grasped for a handhold and began climbing. Having to use the hand that had been securing his burden, the creature now lay limply over his shoulder as he climbed, once or twice slipping so Kurogane had to shrug hurriedly to keep it from falling.
His arms burned slightly as he neared the top; strong as he was and as light as the creature was over his back. Growling in irritation under his breath, Kurogane levered himself and his passenger over the wall, dropping down on the other side.
Glancing around and seeing the guards were patrolling farther off, he stole intently towards the corridor that led to the main part of the palace.
The hallway was mercifully empty, and Kurogane was able to carry his passenger some distance before having to duck into an empty room to avoid an approaching maid. When the woman had passed, Kurogane headed directly towards his private rooms, intent on getting the creature inside.
Though most of the guardsmen slept in communal barracks outside the palaces centre, Kurogane had been given his own quarters inside by the younger princess when he had come to live at the palace as a child. He kept them now as they were closer to the princesses' rooms and he could reach them more quickly from there in case of a threat.
Unbarring his door, Kurogane relaxed slightly as he stepped into his lightly furnished lodgings. A large but plain bed took up the majority of the room but there were a number of shelves crowded with various books in the corner opposite. A window opened out to overlook the palace gardens – though Kurogane had drawn the long curtains across for privacy.
Shutting the door behind him and striding over to the bed, Kurogane let the creature fall rather roughly from his shoulder onto the sheets, stripping off the shirt from its tail as he did so.
It lay sprawled there, it's large fin flopping over the bed, and refused to make any movement.
Kurogane paused, hit by the thought that it might have died in the journey to his rooms, hesitantly he bent down till his ear was close to the creature's face.
There – a shallow whoosh of breath was leaving it's mouth, and now, close up; Kurogane could see the gentle rise and fall of its chest. Satisfied it was alive, Kurogane began to pull back - then froze; the creatures' eye lids had begun to flicker again. Slowly, Kurogane stood up, waiting to see if the creature would move, unsure what it would do.
After a drawn out minute, where Kurogane glared intently at the form on his bed; now laying perfectly still, he snorted and turned towards the only other door in the room, opening it to a small bathroom.
Stepping inside, he examined the square tiles that were built up from the floor to form a tub for washing in, and then decidedly turned on the large tap to fill the bath.
With the water gushing steadily and beginning to rise in the tub, Kurogane strode back towards his bed and once more gathered the limp creature in his arms, this time however, instead of throwing it over his shoulder, Kurogane stepped back into the bathroom and held the creature steady over the rising water. With the bath already half full, he carefully lowered the being, satisfied that the tub was just big enough to enclose the creature's entire body.
As soon as it's skin touched the water, its eyelids began to flicker again, and its cracked mouth opened slightly. His intent gaze never leaving it, Kurogane settled the creature a little more in the tub and had begun to withdraw his arms when, finally, the beings eyes fluttered open and fixed on Kurogane.
For minutes Kurogane stared back at it; completely still while it's blue gaze never left his own. It's expression was surprised – bewildered, but was empty of fear; simply laying in the water as Kurogane leant over it, his arm still partially around its pale shoulder.
Then as Kurogane began to withdraw and made to stand up, the creature jerked from his hold and fell with a splash into the tub, splattering the floor with water and soaking Kurogane completely. Stunned and furious, Kurogane took a large step back as the creature lifted its tail and let it fall back into the remaining water with a resounding smack.
"Don't-!" Kurogane snarled as the creature tried to flip over in the tub to look around; sending water cascading over the edges.
Resisting the urge to strangle it immediately; Kurogane angrily grabbed its thin wrist and held it. The creature stopped flailing at once and turned to look at him; surprised.
"Don't." Kurogane growled again, uncaring whether the creature understood him or not. Apparently, it did; it's tail relaxed once more into the water and lay still.
Since the bath was overflowing, Kurogane reached over and jerked the tab off; still watching the creature for movement. It stared back at him inquiringly, with an expression Kurogane would have described as amusement, on any other face.
Suddenly furious and feeling fully idiotic, Kurogane swung around and stomped out of the bathroom, sure that the creature was still watching him from the tub. Striding over to his drawers he pulled out a set of clean clothes and tossed them on the bed; grabbing the abandoned shirt and roughly using it to dry his dripping hair. Out of view of the creature, though he could hear it splashing quietly, he stripped of his wet garments and changed, fully aware that he had to make an appearance to his men and the princesses soon or risk trouble.
Once dressed, he stomped back towards the bathroom to check on the creature; it was laying still, its eyes closed and expression of concentration on its face. For a second, Kurogane paused, once more tracing its burnt skin with his eyes and wondering if it was in pain.
Becoming aware that it was being watched, the creature opened its eyes and glanced over with what looked like a partial, bemused, smile on its lips.
Kurogane glared at it for a full minute before venturing to speak.
"You- fish-thing' he growled, intent it should get his meaning. 'Stay here until I get back."
The creature flipped his tail at him and grinned, though whether it had understood or not, Kurogane wasn't sure. Still, the thing had a tail after all. Kurogane figured –hoped- it wouldn't be able to move around and escape.
Irritated, Kurogane turned and stalked out of the bathroom. Just as he was closing the door behind him a soft voice rose from the creature in the bath, making Kurogane pause with it halfway shut. The sound was incomprehensible to him though, and after a moment of silence where neither he nor the creature spoke again, Kurogane wearily closed the door behind him.
Utterly exhausted and frustrated, Kurogane strode out into the corridor and once again barred his rooms, trying to put the strange creature from his mind.
Fai remained still until the human's footsteps had faded away. Then, wearily, he sunk deeper into the bath; trying to recall when he had last been aware of his surroundings.
He remembered being on the beach – the sun beating down, and he remembered the human who had glared at him with such intent red eyes, but there on his memory failed him.
Fai winced slightly as he shifted in the water, becoming aware of just how much his skin stung from its ordeal.
He'd been sure he was going to die out on the sand, after laying for hours and feeling his lips crack and the burn of the sun, and yet here he'd awoken to those strange red eyes glaring at him again.
Fai flicked his tail slightly in the water, thinking about the human who must have brought him here; who'd bothered to rescue him from the beach, wondering why.
Glancing around, Fai inspected the strange air filled place, so full of strange objects. His curiosity was enough to make him want to climb out of the water and examine it further, but he could hardly raise the strength to move.
Drained, he sank back into the water and closed his eyes, his thoughts still resting on the red-eyed human.