Amby-kun: Thankies for all the favs, follows, and reviews they are much appreciated. I am sorry this took so long for me to write out as I had finals coming up and I got sidetracked in writing down a one-shot from a scene in Chasing Mavericks that I still need to rewrite since I am not happy with most of it. I do have my last final tomorrow at 9am but I wanted to hurry up and post this tonight so that I could come home and see all the new favs, follows, and reviews. :3
Once again I am writing this story out with pen and paper before I type it since I'm notorious for typing them out and then forgetting about them with all my college homework and helping my mother out around the house or helping my father with stuff.
Disclaimer: Does it look like I own this series? No? I thought so, if I did Yokozawa and Kirashima would be the main pairing and not Onodera and Takano :3
Coming up over the ridge Takafumi came to a stop slowly flicking his tail back and forth observing the kingdom he grew up in until he was fifteen. The palace walls were made up of an ivory colored marble, the human school lessons were telling him that this palace should be a pile of rubble. Takafumi knew the only reason it wasn't was because of all the magic each new ruler infused with the marble once they took the crown. It still looked the same as it first did several thousand years later. Sucking in a deep breath, releasing it through the gills on the sides of his neck, Takafumi headed down into the marketplace just outside of the palace gate. Steeling his nerves Takafumi swan down the busiest and most crowded aisle in the marketplace, purposely ignoring all of the shocked stares he was receiving. After the merfolk's initial shock their expressions melted into happiness as the adults bowed low and the children stared not knowing that the man was one of the sea princes.
'Well, considering I haven't been here since I was fifteen I should not be shocked at all the stares of amazement.' Takafumi mused silently inside his head.
Glancing around at the venders wares as he passed, he couldn't help wanting to stop and pick something out or Zen and Hiyori but that blasted rule was in place. Up about three stalls a young merboy a little younger then his beloved Hiyori trying to hide behind his mother's tail. Softly smiling at the sight, Takafumi caused the merchild to try and hide some more as Takafumi swam closer, the mother finally saw her child trying to meld with her tail, looked around in alarm. Catching a glimpse of Takafumi staring at them, she relaxed softly laughing o herself before leaning over whispering something into his ear. By now Takafumi was close enough to hear what the mother was saying.
"Avalon, do you know who that is?" Coming to a stop in front of the duo, Takafumi saw him shake his head negatively. Clicking her teeth softly she continued while gesturing at him.
"That merman is Yokozawa Takafumi, one of the four prince's who rule the seas. Prince Takafumi welcome home." she finished then addressed the gently smiling royal.
Avalon's eyes lit up in wonder as he stared up at the prince he wanted to meet the most. He had heard the stories of how this prince was the most kind out of all of them.
"P-pleased to m-meet you, your highness." Avalon stammered giving a formal bow. By now the whole marketplace had stopped to watch the returning prince. Frowning slightly at the formal-ness, Takafumi tucked his tail under him as he sat on the floor to be level with the merchild. Avalon's blue eyes opened in shock as he felt a lare hand ruffling his curls followed by a soft laugh.
"Your Highness is too formal, call me Onii-chan like my daughter does." Takafumi softly chided with gentle eyes. Avalon's eyes widened even more as his mouth dropped "Your daughter!" he practically shouted. The adults started a bit at this new information, the prince had already mated and had a daughter?
Feeling the whispering going around Takafumi curled his hands one over the other as he let his magic flow, a white-ish blue light formed in between his hands growing bigger as Takafumi spread his hands wider. A picture of a human Takafumi standing closer to another man and a little girl, both with brown hair and eyes, all three of them smiling at the camera.
"This is my mate Kirishima Zen and our daughter Kirishima Hiyori." Takafumi spoke watching as the small child examined the picture of this mate and daughter.
"She is really pretty." he spoke looking up at the royal. Letting the image fade he replied "She is." Gathering his magic one more time in his hands Takafumi crafted a small toy bow and arrow much like his own set and held it our to the boy. Looking to his mother, who nodded Avalon carefully took the bow and arrow set from the prince then rushed up to hug him. To say Takafumi was surprised was an understatement but nevertheless the hug was returned. Rising back up off the ground Takafumi waved goodbye at the crowd that had formed to watch the young child clutching his new toy in one hand waved excitedly a large grin plastered to his face. Laughing softly Takafumi waved back before coming to a stop in front of the palace gate.
The two guards took one look at Takafumi before wordlessly opening the gate, the coal hair and steel blue eyes easily recognizable to the Yokozawa Clan, especially the five siblings. Takafumi slowly swam down the long hallway filled with portraits of the past Yokozawa family and other important merfolk, which included his favorite painting of his great grandfather's grandfather. The resemblance between them both was lie looking in a mirror except Takafumi did not have the long over the shoulder ponytail his great great great grandfather had. Letting his gaze wander over the painting he recalled when his parents would take, at the time, the three of them down this hallway, his sister only being serious about the healers in the royal family the rest of the time spent getting himself and Yukio in trouble for laughing at past rulers paintings. His steel blue eyes saddened at the reality of knowing that he could never bring his mate and daughter through this hall, a small bundle of joy created by him and his mate wrapped in his arms as he recited what he wad learned as a child to his children. His left hand came to rest on his stomach, as long as he remained on land with his mate he would never have a child to call his own. Of course he had Hiyori but it wasn't the same as holding a child you personally brought into the world. Takafumi would never admit this to anyone but himself but at night his dreams would be filled with himself his mate hiyori and a little boy the perfect mix of himself and Kirishima with Kirishima's wild brown hair and facial structure but his eyes were like his own, steel blue that marked him as a royal by birth. He dreamt of the four of them swimming down the very hall he was in answering the seemingly never ending questions from Hiyori scolding his son for swimming to fast around the hallway and blushing like a crab when his mate would tease him making their children laugh and eventually himself as well. Shaking his head to clear out the impossible dreams and wished of his heart, Takafumi slowly moved on silently cursing the blasted rule that was in place to keep them from becoming a human's science experiment. No human was allowed to know of their existence, if they were discovered the humans memories were erased and a false set were placed in the other stead, He knew his brother took his title very seriously after their parents died so trying to convince him to chance his mate and daughter was like arguing with a rock. Realizing he had come to a stop Takafumi gave a deep depressed sigh before schooling hid features into a mask of cool indifference with a hint of regal-ness then swimming toward the large ornate blood red doors at the end of the hall.
Bracing both hands against the doors to push them open Takafumi paused noticing his bands that identified him as a royal were missing. Pulling his magic from within Takafumi directed it to his wrists biceps and neck. The bluish white light faded into the weightless golden bands he had not sen in fifteen years. Their intricate patterns resembling what humans would call Celtic wound their way all the way around the cuffs, while a massive sapphire sat dead center of his wrist bands. A small stinging on his right ear drew Takafumi to a small hanging mirror off to the side and began examining his ear.
'Well that's new' he thought lightly touching the pearl and sapphire teardrop hanging from his earlobe. Dragging his gaze further down he noticed his choker now held a small sapphire nestled in the center of this throat. Seeing nothing else new Takafumi drug his hands though his hair in an attempt to make himself a little more presentable before he saw his brother. Feeling a little more presentable Takafumi went back to the doors took a deep breath then pushed them open.
"I can assure you by my right as a sovereign ruler my brother Takafumi will be a wonderful mate to any of your children."
The opening of the double doors had everyone's attention, the small group of merfolk stood there confused and Takafumi entered while the kind looked surprised but delighted.
"Well this is a most welcomed surprise brother." the kind spoke swimming over to his younger brother slinging an arm around Takafumi's shoulders leafing him back to the group of people still standing there. Stopping in front of a young woman with shoulder length flowing brown hair and an off shade of lilac color for eyes Takafumi's brother continued.
"Takafumi I would like to introduce to you your future mate, Tekeshi Kikiyo." a cold pit formed in the 'Wild Bear's' stomach before heating up to a white hot fury at the thought of being seperated from Kirishima. Balking, Takafumi threw off his brother's arm turning to face his brother Takafumi spoke.
"Yukio, as my brother and King I must follow your every whim to demand but for once in my life I am going to refuse this. I will not mate with this woman or any other mer in this ocean world!"
A frown formed across Yukio's features, expressions ranging from saddened to outraged crossed the groups features. Crossing his arms Yukio retorted with an edge of authority.
"Yokozawa Takafumi! You have no say in this matter, you are mate-less and the Tekeshi clan's children have become of age, you will mate with one of them!"
Feeling bolder then he had when growing up with his brother turned King. Takafumi curled his hands over one another letting his magic flow, creating a circle like shape the size of a dinner plate. The audience stared waiting to see what would happen next. An image from the human world appeared, then a young man with light brown hair and eyes appeared, next to him a little girl with the same coloring stood mixing something in a bowl. The male reached over for something and the girl smacked his hand with the wooden spoon in her hand. Somehow the batter of whatever she was mixing got on the mans cheek making both of them laugh. To the audience's surprise a human Takafumi stepped into the picture leaning over, licking the batter off the mans face. Said man in return kissed Takafumi on the mouth who gladly kissed back. Raising his eyes from the image Takafumi spoke looking directly into his brother's eyes defiantly.
"I have already mated brother. The man in the circle is my mate Kirishima Zen and our daughter Kirishima Hiyori."
Rage contored Yukio's features "That man is human!" behind him an elder of the Tekeshi clan spoke out. "That man also already has a child!" Bristling Takafumi shifted to an image of Hiyori sitting on Takafumi's shoulders both laughing at a pouting but happy Kirishima as he stood beside them.
"As you can see I love that child as my own since I cannot reveal to him what we are." Takafumi shot back hotly. Letting the image fade Takafumi looked pleadingly at his brother.
"Brother, ever since we were little I have done each and everything you asked of me. Please let me be selfish for once and let me stay with my mate. Please I am beggin you to not tear me away from them!"
It was dead silent before the King spoke again, "I can see that you are truly happy with this human and his daughter, I have not sen that since our parents, so I will allow you to continue to live on land with them." Takafumi smiled at this, turning to the Tekeshi clan Yukio continued
"As since Takafumi is mated the union is now void," shout and grumbles filled the room, "But!" he continued "we have another brother who is of age to be married."
Stifling a chuckle Takafumi felt sorry for his younger brother, as he quietly made his way out of the side of the room and continued towards his room a small smile on his face at the prospect of a quick nap.
