Shadow: I think I love Mokona. ^^
Warnings: Shonen-ai, boy x boy. If you don't like it, and read it anyway, please don't waste your time complaining. There will also probably be spoilers for the latest chapters of XxxHolic and Tsubasa at various points, and general magic, violence, woe, and the potential of bloody mayhem in the future. Just so you know.
Ever After
Chapter IV: Secrets
Once upon a time, a decent enough amount of time ago – let's say nine years, as that's an interesting number –, there was a country called Nihon, built upon the ruins of a country called Valeria. It was a prosperous, pretty country that saw all seasons, but was occasionally troubled by strange creatures – demons, oni – that stole in from the enchanted woods and the sea that bordered the land. Nobody knew where they had come from originally or why they came – they only knew that they did come, and they killed many when they did. The provinces nearest the sea and the forest were given to the strongest of nobles and warrior provinces sprung up, fiercely loyal to the capital Shirasagi.
The territory of Suwa, which ran near the whole length of the forest's border with Nihon, was one such warrior province. The people of the region prided themselves on their prowess in battle, ruled over by their greatest warrior and lord Kurogane. He was a good man – just, firm and kind -, who tried to do his best by the people he watched over. His wife was the same, the lady miko who, although quite frail in health, had a will as strong as her husband's, and a beautiful smile. She maintained the barriers – kekkai - that stood against the oni who would ravage their home otherwise; her lord the one who slew the monsters that got through when her wellbeing faltered and she took to her bed, ill.
They had a child together, a boy, Youou. He took after his father in so many ways – looks, manner, prowess with a sword -, vivacious and full of life. The lord's son's spirits were impossible to dampen for any extended period of time, the child forever climbing trees or swinging his training sword (wood, so he wouldn't actually hurt anyone with it), picked up by his father and swung playfully into the air as his mother looked lovingly on.
They were happy, almost blissfully so. The oni attacks in the area had been slowly decreasing, eventually fading away to nothing. Life in Suwa became peaceful, the lady-miko's barriers being maintained at an all-time low as the people had no need of any higher defence. Her health improved as the magic demanded of her became less taxing, her husband and son pleased to see the healthy glow in her skin instead of sickness' pallor.
In the year Youou turned thirteen the oni attacked again.
They came from the forest, rising from under the trees to shriek over Suwa's walls. They were terrifyingly strong, ripping through the lady-miko's first barrier and devastating a small village that lay close to the trees. The people living on the outermost edges of the province ran for the relative safety of the centre, their lady summoning up her greatest barrier to defend them as they fled. Her lord took out his sword, the legendary Ginryuu, and rode into battle with his men at his back, the blade blessed with the miko's gift, the man blessed with a kiss and wish for him to return home safely.
Youou watched them go, proud of his father, but a little confused. He'd wanted to fight the oni too, but his father had told him to stay home, to defend his mother. The lord rarely required Ginryuu being blessed; that was reserved for the strongest of foes, but his father had ridden off with smile and he was only going to be fighting a few stupid oni –
His mother collapsed. She was weary from holding such a high kekkai, coughing up blood, but still demanded to be taken to the stronghold's Inoriba, the Place of Prayer. The spiritual feeling there would help the miko focus her mind and her magic on the barrier. Although deeply worried the servants took their lady there, and sealed her in and they were bid. Youou took up watch outside, pensive, hands tightened into fists on his knees.
The moon was waning that night, sickly as it hung, yellow, in the dark sky. The air was thick and heavy, cloying in the mouth. The scream from inside the Inoriba sliced through the still sharper than any blade in Suwa, twisting in Youou's gut as the boy jolted to his feet, diving for the sliding doors that stood between his mother and himself.
There was blood everywhere inside the place supposedly for peace and prayer. For a few stunned seconds Youou's mind stumbled around trying to work out how it was physically possible for one body to hold so much liquid inside of its frail skin, and then the horror struck him. His mother –
The youth concentrated only on the body of the fallen woman, rushing to clutch at his mother's hand, catch the dying glimmer in her eyes. If his feet crunched on the broken glass from the Inoriba's mirror he never spoke of it, occupied by the bleeding sword-wound in his mother's stomach. Blood bubbled and clung and Youou pleaded for the woman to hold onto life a bit longer, shrieking for the servants to aid him, to save her. "Mother – mother!"
The lady-miko could only smile at him, sad, silent, and then she died. The servants, arriving at a run to the Inoriba's doors gasped at the sight, and then they screamed as the kekkai protecting Suwa died with the lady-miko, oni forcing themselves through and advancing on the home.
Youou clutched at his dead mother, cradling the woman in his arms, glaring as the demons advanced. This – this wasn't a coincidence, and –
One of the oni carried Ginryuu in its mouth, the blade still clutched in the hand of its owner. The hand was missing a body to go with it, sword and limb meeting the ground with a sickening thud as the demon opened its mouth to let loose another shriek to the sky, ungodly triumph.
Something inside of Youou snapped then, breaking into a thousand and one pieces that could never be truly remade to form a solid whole ever again. The boy's red eyes reflected only blood, lit by the fires of the sick moon, of a soul driven past the end of sanity. Too much – there had been too much lost too quickly. Youou was only a child, only thirteen. Too young.
Morning came as it always does, soldiers arriving under Shirasagi's banner coloured by the light of the red dawn. They arrived at a smoking crater, Suwa in ruins, blood and ash, black and dead. There was no life, the sunrise picking out the tragic picture without feeling, shoving rude light into places that no light should ever have to reach.
A boy sat amidst the ruins of the centre, the body of a dead woman in his arms, the sword curled in the shape of a silver dragon in his hand. He was covered in ash, eyes white with wildness and pain. When addressed by the proud woman at the head of Shirasagi's soldiers he attacked her with his father's sword, men and women crying outrage at the act, and the empress, Amaterasu – for who else could it be? - , decided to have the child forcibly restrained. It was clear he was out of his mind with grief.
"Don't." It was a little girl's voice that spoke from further back in the ranks, a small delicate hand that pushed aside the rich curtains sheltering her from the sight of Suwa's devastation.
"Tsukoyomi…" Amaterasu had not wished to bring her little sister into such a wasteland, but it had been the princess who had had the dream of Suwa's fate, the princess who had the gift of foresight. Tomoyo-hime, the princess-miko.
She was a tiny thing, drowning in her dress-robes, with wide eyes and long, curling hair. At seven, she was trusting, but she wasn't stupid. So when she quietly said, "let me," her sister, Kendappa-ou, reluctantly listened.
Youou tried to attack her. The princess-miko stopped him with her magic, reaching the boy's side and kneeling there, long dress smudging the dirt and ruin beneath her. Sadly, she looked up at the crazed youth towering over her, at the beautiful dead woman in the boy's arms. The lady-miko of Suwa had been a lovely woman; it was such a pity she had to see the death of her home and son's sanity with such wide open eyes.
"Come…" Tomoyo's voice was high with youth, lilting and sweet as the princess laid a hand over the lady-miko's eyes, sliding closed the lashes for the last time, "let's let your mother rest now."
Youou broke, curling in on himself, sobbing out what was left of his bruised and bleeding heart. Tomoyo went to him, holding him, and rocked him as she cast the charm that would lead him into dreamless sleep.
When Youou awoke later, much later, in Shirasagi, he was Kurogane. He swore to serve the princess-miko, Tomoyo, with his life, to become her shinobi, her warrior. His parents' memories were precious but he didn't dare to dwell on them too long, the strange circumstances behind their death sinking into the past as Kurogane tried to stop himself, slowly growing up, from drowning in the loss.
In Shirasagi, it was noted that oni never came from the forest to attack Suwa again. Only the idiotic decided that that was because there was technically no Suwa left to attack. Suwa's fall had been for a reason – but surely, there was no reason to be found in such madness?
The dress was red – form-fitting, figure-hugging, with a low-cut top and a high-cut hem, criss-crossed with bands of black that pushed in the waist and up the ample cleavage. Yuuko was a woman confident in her own sexuality, the rest of the world be damned, and Kurogane hate, hate, hated her ilk with their knowing gazes and wide, red-lipped smiles. (One could say he'd had too many bad experiences with beautiful women.)
"Yuuko-san!" Tomoyo's delight at seeing the older women was evident by the bright smile on the princess' face, the girl clasping her hands in her customary gesture when faced by something – in Tomoyo-hime's world – that was utterly delightful.
Kurogane, impatiently pawing the beautiful marble beneath his feet, snorted at the sight of the witch through the portal, and looked aside.
"I have the price for your wish."
Kurogane looked back at that, his interest clearly caught. He didn't speak though, not yet. This was a deal between a miko and a witch, and Kurogane's mother had taught him quite well that one did not interfere when they could help it with mikos and witches. Female by their very name and nature, upsetting one of them could land people in very undesirable situations.
"Thank you for your quick reply!" Tomoyo's genuine happiness wasn't diminished at all by the black cloud lurking at her side – she'd known Kurogane far too long to let the shinobi's dour temper affect her own eternal sunshine.
Yuuko favoured the girl with a rare smile of her own, slight, but meaningful. "There are stipulations to the wish, terms that must be matched and followed for its fulfilment on top of the original price."
Kurogane snorted again. Trust a witch to add conditions. "Name them." His good graces – and resolve to avoid incurring witchy wrath – were quickly dying.
"The spell to break your curse will take a year, during which time you will be obligated to leave Nihon and live in the forest with the mage responsible for the removal of your curse." Kurogane let out a low growl, quiet rumbling thunder, disliking immensely the thought of being gone from his duties for a whole year. If it were necessary, however – "You're also going to have to propose to him."
"WHAT?!" Kurogane's roar of anger/confusion/absolute fury was drowned out by Tomoyo's squeal, the Tsukoyomi' hands clasped together (again) as her loyal shinobi swore he saw rampant stars glittering in her eyes.
"Kurogane's going to be getting married!" The little miko looked like she was either going to faint or explode in joy, the delicate chimes on her elaborate headdress ringing with her effusive movement. "I'll have to tell onee-chan and we'll organise a banquet – Yuuko-san of course you're invited -"
"The hell she is!"
" – And I'll get Souma-chan to see to some fireworks, and oh!" Tomoyo ran as close to the portal as she could possibly be, fixing pleading eyes on the amused witch on the other side. (Both women were completely ignoring the incensed Kurogane.) "I'll make the dresses! Yuuko-san, as guest of honour, you'll simply have to have a complimentary furisode – I've got just the cloth, a lovely deep blue; it would look wonderful with your hair. Do you think mage-shi would suit white and gold? I'll have to make something beautiful for the new addition to Nihon – but ah, you'll have to get me his measurements!"
Yuuko smiled again, gentle, more than a little dismayed at having to so burst the other's precious dream-spun bubble. "Whilst I'm sure Fluorite-san would look simply charming in one of your creations, Tomoyo-hime, I'm afraid their existence would be unnecessary. The spell to revert Kurogane to his human form requires only a bond between the mage and the cursed one, an engagement would be sufficient."
Tomoyo visibly drooped. "Kurogane's not getting married?"
"Not unless he wants to," Yuuko sadly informed her. (A wedding would've really brightened up her day too, especially one between such a grumpy shinobi and whimsical prince.)
"I don't want to." It was really quite a good thing they weren't standing on expensive matting to have the conversation, else Kurogane's claws would've ripped the costly material to shreds.
"As you wish." Yuuko fought to hide her laughter, trying to continue on with details of the spell and curse. The children really were terribly alike, even if they seemed so different at first glance. She focused back on the wolf, uncaring of the gleaming teeth bared in her direction. "Fluorite-san does not know he will be breaking your curse, Kurogane. His magic will wear away at the enchantment upon you unconsciously regardless of whether he knows you are cursed or not – and I advise strongly that you do not reveal the nature or the circumstances surrounding your curse to him in any way."
"Why?" The question was blunt – Kurogane was a warrior and always would be a warrior, the witch's subtleties irritating to the way he did things.
"You are cursed because you stole his brother from his resting place, by a hex that their guardian laid upon the crystal case." That…was a little surprising. Not much, as it didn't take someone with a lot of intelligence to link the sleeping/enchanted boy Kurogane had carried from the forest to the curse Kurogane was currently suffering through, but still. "Fluorite-san does not know the nature of the curse and does not really care to – he is still hurt by the loss of his sibling."
The same lesson again: don't upset the person capable of turning you into a frog.
"A year is a long time, Yuuko-san…" Tomoyo, to her credit, had finally brought up the issue that had plagued Kurogane before. "Will Kurogane-san really be a wolf for that long?"
"Yes and no, Tomoyo-hime." Witches who managed to be both specific and vague at the same time worried Kurogane (not that he'd ever admit that, even under torture).
"Meaning what, witch?" He had no patience left; froggy futures could come as they pleased.
Yuuko smiled at him, the expression colder than the one favoured on Tomoyo and edged with dark amusement. "From the day you first enter engagement, you will be a wolf for a year – during the day. When night falls you shall regain your human form - a bonus to being bound to such a strong magician -, but you cannot let another living eye see you as such. The curse upon you is a sentient one, and will become aware of itself should another's eyes inform it of you defying its laws. At the end of the year the curse will break entirely."
Tomoyo looked worried. "Yuuko-san, what will the curse do if someone should see Kurogane as a human before the year is through?"
"…I do not know, Tomoyo-hime. The hex was not of my crafting." The witch was lying; Kurogane could see it in the slide of her red eyes. "And now…the price."
Some of the princess-miko's worry had faded, but the Tsukoyomi still looked serious. "You may have anything that is in my power to give, Yuuko-san."
Kurogane was…mildly touched at the proclamation, but hid it by turning aside for the third time during the conversation, unimpressed with Yuuko's timing. "Tch. Like I'm giving that witch anything."
The shinobi could hear the laughter echoing in Yuuko's response. "Are you really going to allow your princess to pay the entirety of your price?"
"Of course not!" Kurogane snapped, lips drawn back in an impressive snarl. (He rose to the bait every time, something that made him a delight to tease. Kurogane had yet to realise that was why the women of Shirasagi took such delight in tormenting him so.)
"Very well." Yuuko smiled, and it was just a touch too indulgent for Kurogane's manly pride to stomach. He growled, lowly, but kept his tongue. "From you, Tomoyo-hime, I will have your song, your ability to sing." The princess-miko was famed throughout the land for her beautiful singing voice.
The Tsukoyomi nodded. "Done."
"And from you, shinobi…" the witch looked back at the wolf, "I will have Ginryuu."
"No way in hell!" The vehement response was growled out.
"What use have you of a sword, when you have no hands to bear it?" Yuuko seemed amused by the wolf's refusal.
The witch was not getting his sword. Kurogane was very attached to his sword. "It's mine."
"It's part of the price for your wish."
"You're not getting it."
"Stay as a wolf then." How did women always manage to pull off looking so haughty? Yuuko had Kurogane trapped between the proverbial rock and hard place, and neither side looked all that appealing.
"…Fine." The words were ground out between gleaming canines, the look in Kurogane's red eyes positively murderous. "I'll trade the sword." He couldn't remain as a wolf – he just couldn't.
Yuuko smiled like she'd known that exactly what he'd say – but then again, she was a witch; she probably had known exactly what he'd say. Damn her. "I'll call to collect the payment for your wish noon tomorrow." She looked down, meeting Kurogane's gaze directly. "Enjoy this night in Nihon; you won't be seeing your home for a long while." And then she was gone, the portal falling to nothing in the blink of an eye.
Tomoyo looked pensive as she thought to herself and Kurogane couldn't quell the unceasing growl in his throat, fur bristling, uncomfortable. Yuuko's final words had rung with more than a touch of prophecy, more meaningful than the year outlined in the curse-breaking that was to come.
…Damn the witch. Damn her to hell.
Syaoran contemplated the giant rock-face that was before him with a critical eye, suddenly extraordinarily grateful he wasn't afraid of heights. A large waterfall tumbled down the cliff to his left, liquid plummeting from the river above to smash down into the pool below, crashing into the rocks there in a mess of white foam and spray that drenched everything nearby in liquid. Syaoran, after having been there for ten minutes, had already been drenched though to his skin, his hair clumping together and sticking unpleasantly to his face. (The reason he was soaked afterwards though – that was for another reason entirely, much to his own displeasure.) His brown eyes were, however, still determined, set on the task ahead.
He had to get up the cliff. Yuuko had made that very clear when she'd told him of his first quest (sometime between Watanuki shrieking something and diving out of the shop and Yuuko abandoning her pretty blond guest to immerse herself in a discussion with another client via a magical portal), for the Ame-warashi he was trying to see was an antisocial creature and wouldn't come down for a human. She lived up there, in a sacred place that could only be accessed by climbing halfway up and going behind the waterfall – Syaoran had tried using his magic originally to lift him but some enchantment in the area had blasted him out of the air, sending him straight down into the pool at the waterfall's base. It was really quite a good thing he hadn't been that high up when he'd been thrown down – if he'd been too high the impact with the water could've killed him, or at least knocked him senseless long enough for him to drown.
But no – he'd lived. He'd risen with his magic, got blasted down by fey magic, and got very, very wet. And now he had to climb the cliff, because the Ame-warashi had something Yuuko wanted, and he, Li Syaoran, was duty-bound to get it.
(The boy supposed he should at least be thankful Yuuko wasn't making him wear an apron.)
The forest on the edge of Nihon was a beautiful place in the sunshine, although undoubtedly weird. No birds audibly chirped under the trees, and no animals visibly rustled in the undergrowth. They existed, Watanuki knew, as he'd asked Yuuko about it once (and been forced to make ichigo daifuku and sake as payment), but they kept always out of sight and out of hearing, the creatures wise to the rules of the kingdom under the leaves. Watanuki, although having lived under the trees in Yuuko's service for a few years, was still struggling to keep up.
Yuuko never let him be certain of his place. Every day with the witch was a new adventure, another round in the never-ending chaos of the shop on the island in the middle of the forest's lake. (Yuuko had never said just why, exactly, she'd established her shop on that island, and only gave vague answers whenever Watanuki attempted to pry. And then demanded more food. Pig-witch. She deserved to be fat. Even though she wasn't. Life hated Watanuki; it had long since been made official.)
But…at least…he was getting to see Himawari. As anyone who had ever come into contact with Watanuki Kimihiro after the boy's fateful first meeting with Himawari Kunogi could tell you, Watanuki had a thing for the pretty black-haired girl. A significantly large thing – with blossoms and flowers and music and sparkles - that was blindingly obvious to all but Himawari herself. At least, that was what most people-fey-things assumed. Yuuko only smiled in her usual mysterious way at the situation, and let things continue as they would.
Watanuki marched forward with a spring in his step – alright, so it was somewhat more of a prance, but it wasn't as if he particularly cared right then -, bentou tucked carefully into the bag over his shoulder. It was really the cheeriness of his movement that alerted him to the fact he felt a little lighter than usual – and then he realised the reason why; he'd left Mokona back at the shop. Watanuki had no doubt Yuuko would give him her version of hell over it, pouting and crying alongside the stupid black manjuu because Mokona loved his walks, and wasn't Watanuki mean and cruel and horrible to poor, poor Mokona –
Himawari's tower finally came into view. It was a stunning construct, a white tower rising from the shadows of the undergrowth to touch the edge of the canopy overhead. The trees in the enchanted forest were ridiculously tall; Himawari's tower was just that little bit taller, the window furthest away from the ground just brushing the tip of the tallest tree nearby.
Watanuki approached the base, resting one hand on the smooth stone that formed it and looking up. The rock was hard and slippery beneath his palm, with no purchase to be seen anywhere in sight. Watanuki had no idea how anyone could climb the thing, even had they a rope. There wasn't a foothold anywhere, just a sheer vertical face leading up to Himawari's window.
Yuuko had put her up there. Yuuko was evil for imprisoning such a lovely girl as Himawari – the witch was probably just jealous of Himawari's prettiness and grace and had decided to try and eliminate the competition, as it was. Vanity could be ranked right up there alongside drunkenness as one of Yuuko's vices apparently; the witch with her evil smile and wicked eyes and long body she insisted on draping everywhere it wasn't wanted when Watanuki was attempting to clean the shop.
"Watanuki-kun!" A light, delighted cry sounded from above, Watanuki immediately craning his neck backwards so he could beam and wave up at the girl leaning over the window ledge above him that was the closest to the ground.
"Himawari-chan~!!" It was like a switch had been flipped in the temperamental Watanuki – the Himawari trigger. The moment the girl came into sight, hearing or mention Watanuki was all smiles, the image of a besotted (if slightly inept) swain.
"Watanuki-kun looks so happy today!" Himawari's green eyes were bright as she looked down at the boy below, dark curls swinging through the air around her face. "Did something good happen?"
"Yuuko-san was busy so I got to come and talk to Himawari-chan~!" Watanuki stated this as if it were very obvious, not trying to hide his dislike for his 'employer'.
"Watanuki-kun shouldn't be mean to poor Yuuko-san," the girl above him playfully scolded. "Yuuko-san is very kind!"
No, no, no. Himawari was the kind one, saying such nice things about the wicked witch who'd locked her up in a tower. Watanuki shook his head, before pulling the bentou out of his bag and waving it up at the girl. "I made inarizushi!"
Himawari sparkled, clapping her hands together in delight. "Watanuki-kun is such a good chef!"
Watanuki practically fainted from the praise.
"He'd make a wonderful housewife."
Watanuki face-faulted, and fell over. Hard. On his behind.
"Watanuki-kun!" Himawari sounded worried. "Watanuki-kun, did you trip? Are you alright?"
"I'm alright!" Watanuki leapt back to his feet, unwilling to trouble his beloved for another second. Talking of seconds, he was painfully aware of time pressing on… "Himawari-chan should throw down her rope so I can send her bentou up."
"But…you fell…" The girl still sounded troubled, but the end of a long silver rope came slithering down the side of the tower regardless, the other end tied somewhere secure in Himawari's rooms.
"Himawari-chan shouldn't be worried about me!" Watanuki was beaming as he tied the bentou securely to the rope-end, tugging it once to let the girl know it was alright to pull the food up. Himawari-chan was just too cute.
They babbled for a little longer, the boy and the girl. (Well, Watanuki babbled; Himawari heaped praises on Watanuki's head for the good food, and Watanuki blushed.) Eventually, Watanuki mournfully admitted he had to be getting back to Yuuko's shop, and Himawari waved him goodbye, all smiles. Himawari never stopped smiling.
Watanuki was smiling his own idiotic smile all the way back to the shop, skipping along completely unmindful of anyone or anything watching him. He was in his own little happy bubble of a world, and completely missed the dark gold eyes watching him, somewhat stoically, from behind a particularly large bush. Gold eyes and things with stalker tendencies hiding in bushes did not factor into Watanuki's happy-happy world of Himawari and he –
And so skipped Watanuki Kimihiro, all the way home.
Night fell and the lights came on in Nihon, muted golden glows that attempted to chase back the darkness. Kurogane avoided the brightness, the huddle of people in the warmth as they spoke in whispers of his 'condition', keeping to the shadows as he trotted around the places he knew, the places he'd be saying goodbye to the following day for at least a year.
He would miss this place, he knew. This calm – the peace of it, even the stupid sakura petals getting caught in his dark hair. Kendappa-ou's harp lilting through the night, Souma scolding him for some breach of etiquette or the other, Tomoyo-hime, the child-princess, drowned in her dress robes as he'd scooped her up and carried her to her bed back when she'd been younger, smaller, curled up fast asleep in his arms. The smell of her perfume mixed with the scent of Nihon's flowers, her laughter when he'd done something to amuse her, her crocodile-tears when she was trying to convince him to do something he was set stubbornly against.
This was home, his…family, he supposed, these strange people who he ranted at constantly and yet protected with all his strength. He didn't really want to leave; who knew what chaos the princess would get into without him around? And Souma…Souma would probably get too caught up in mooning over the empress and – and –
He didn't want to go. He had to go. He didn't like it.
Syaoran squished as he took a seat in the kitchen in Yuuko's shop, expecting – and being rewarded with – Watanuki's wince of mingled sympathy and dismay.
"What did you do," the black-haired youth asked, moping over the massive puddle on the nice clean floor he'd just finished prior to Syaoran's entry, "fall in the lake?"
"Pool up by the waterfall." Syaoran tilted a head in the direction of the waterfall where he'd spent the better part of his day, only trooping back to Yuuko's island when evening fell.
"What were you doing up there?" Out came the mop.
"A job for Yuuko-san." Syaoran didn't really need to say anymore. Watanuki paused for a moment, mop in hand, and the two boys shared a commiserative silence. "I had to go get something from the Ame-warashi."
"The Ame-warashi?" That was one of the higher-ranking fey… Something niggled at the back of Watanuki's mind, something…he'd heard that day. "Ah!"
Syaoran almost fell off his chair at the other's sudden outburst. "What is it?"
"I heard the flowers talking about her today while I was out!"
"Watanuki-kun…you heard…the flowers talking."
"That's right." Watanuki seemed oblivious to the disbelief in the other's voice. "They were daffodils."
Syaoran raked a hand back through his hair. "…Why am I even surprised by this?" He'd seen weirder things in Yuuko's shop, a few talking flowers should be no big deal. He turned back to an uncomprehending Watanuki. "What did the daffodils say?"
"Apparently the Zashiki-warashi's birthday is coming up, and the Ame-warashi is making her an enchanted music box as a gift – only the Ame-warashi can't find a sound pretty enough to put in the box, and has been terrorising the forest as a result."
Syaoran…wasn't really sure how that helped him, but he nodded regardless. And then he sneezed. Watanuki shooed him out of the kitchen, and told him to go change. Feeling distinctly henpecked Syaoran went, squishing all the way.
The morning sunshine intruded most ungraciously onto Fai's eyelids, slicing through the small crack he'd left in the sliding door from outside and hitting him directly in the face. With a sleepy grumble the blond rolled over, burying his face in his pillow, wondering why it was he'd ever opted away from his traditional sleeping pose in the first place to try lying on his side.
'Shh…'
The futon was comfortable, the blankets over him were deliciously warm, and slumber was but a half-step away –
And then the doors to the room were flung open with the proverbial, and quite, quite literal, bang.
"Good morning, Fai-san~!"
"Up, up, up! Time to get up!"
"…Yuuko-san," Fai rolled over again at the sound of the – incredibly loud – voices that had just invaded his peace, unsurprised to see the grinning witch and a hyperactive Mokona ricocheting around the room in which he lay. Their good mood was infectious, slumber rolling away as his eyes brightened with their singing. "Mokona - good morning."
"Time to get up~!" Mokona cheerily repeated his wake-up call, bounding over to perch in Fai's cupped palms and snuzzle against the prince's cheek. "Fai-san has a busy, busy day!"
"Indeed." Fai favoured the little creature with a warm smile, Yuuko nodding her own agreement and standing at the base of her guest's futon, hands on her hips. (Fai actually quite appreciated the view, hedonist that he was – there was probably a reason Ashura had kept him from meeting most of the other people of the forest.)
"Today is an important day, Fai-san, is it not?" Yuuko's smile told the blond she (probably) knew exactly what he was thinking; her rich scarlet dress just as bright as the glow in her eyes.
"Very much so, Yuuko-san." Fai wasn't to be underestimated, even after just having properly woken up. He rose to his feet, white and blond versus crimson and black, taking the woman's hand and pressing the kiss to its back he should have bestowed upon it the day before. "But you look a vision in red – are you really going to so upstage the bride?"
Mokona cheered as Yuuko laughed, extricating her hand from the teasing mage's hold. "Your 'groom' will have eyes for no other than you, Fai-san, I assure you."
Fai would've replied, but something shrieked from the garden outside the shop, sound slipping in through the sliding door to outside much like the sunshine. It sounded like a bird, but it was louder than any bird Fai could ever recall seeing or hearing.
Yuuko went to the door to investigate, before pushing the barrier open with her usual drama and stepping out. "My," the witch really couldn't be anything other than elegant, sweeping into the garden proper in her royal red (much like a queen), "news certainly does travel fast."
"What is it? What is it?" Mokona bounced after Yuuko, Fai just a step slower as he went to the door and gazed at the giant bird now perched in Yuuko's largest tree, golden eyes looking down upon the approaching witch.
Fai, although slightly taken-aback at first, quickly recovered his usual intelligence and moving to catch up with his hostess in the morning air so he could better see the mark upon the bird's – it looked like an eagle - medallion. "…That's the Royal Crest of Faerie." He'd seen the symbol of enough of Ashura-ou's robes to be able to easily identify it.
"Indeed," Yuuko didn't look at him, inclining her head gracefully to the majestic eagle so that her hair slid forward around her face like a waterfall of ink. "This is an emissary from the Faerie Regent."
"Faerie has a Regent?" Fai was unmoved by the bird, even when golden eyes fixed upon him with an intensity that would have unnerved countless others, recognising him, measuring him. He was half of the thief that had stolen the Faerie King away, after all – Ashura-ou had whispered it in his ear that the Court would know the twins for the rest of time.
"Of course," Yuuko moved to collect the bundle the eagle had been carrying, the bird's great claws opening and releasing its load into the witch's waiting arms. "Who do you think has been attempting to keep control of the fey in these woods whilst Ashura-ou has been with you?"
Fai paused, words and breath catching in his throat as his mind spun and whirled away from him for an instant, brought back by the touch of white fingers to his cheek, Yuuko smiling at him like a mother would, package still cradled in her other arm.
"Child, you should not hide from such things. Just because you stop yourself from seeing what waits in the dark does not mean what waits in the dark cannot see you."
Fai smiled, trying to blind the witch from her insight. "Forewarned is forearmed?"
Yuuko smile didn't move, seeing through the child's ways easily. She did drop her hand though, moving to untie the package she held. As soon as it was undone –
"Yuuko!" A white thing leaped out of the bundle, long ears trailing in the breeze, cuddling into the witch's neck like there was no tomorrow.
"Mokona!" Yuuko seemed delighted to see the creature happily pressing kisses to her cheek, warbling out what Fai could only assume was a happy little song about friendship and distances and –
"Mokona!" The…other Mokona – the black one – leaped up onto Yuuko's other side, the two bouncing all around the witch's person in their happiness at being reunited.
"Wah!" The white Mokona – who had a slightly more feminine voice than the black one – bounced onto Yuuko's head, extending pale paws in supplication. "Mokona missed Mokona!"
The black Mokona bounded up to join its partner. "Mokona missed Mokona too!" There was lots of…Mokona-hugging and happy little twittering noises. And then both Mokona turned on Yuuko.
"Mokona missed Yuuko too!"
Fai watched in amusement as both Mokona proceeded to shower the witch in kisses, Yuuko petting and rubbing noses with the little creatures to comfort them and welcome the white Mokona home. It was really quite sweet, a smile – truer than any of the others the blond had worn that day – edging onto Fai's lips at the sight.
"Yuuko-san…"
The Mokona stopped their kissing at the new voice among them, but still remained cuddled into Yuuko's neck as an image projected itself from the medallion around the eagle's neck, the picture of a fair-faced…fey person appearing before those in the garden, black-haired and golden-eyed.
"Ashura," Yuuko nodded cordially at the fey on the other side of the portal. "To what do I owe the honour of speaking directly to the Faerie Regent?"
"A wish of mine I was hoping you might be able to grant…" The faerie's mouth was curled, absent, but his/her eyes were focused as they swept the scenery beside the witch, alighting on Fai.
Fai himself, was more than a little surprised, but covered up his feeling with a carefully bland expression. The…Faerie Regent was called Ashura? That…that couldn't be a coincidence, but Ashura-ou had never mentioned –
"What is your wish?" Yuuko ignored the Regent's wandering gaze, calling attention back to herself as she idly petted the white Mokona. "You've returned my Mokona to me, a significant payment, so it must be a significant wish to match…"
"I heard my father's favourite was getting married." Fai couldn't stop the widening of his eyes at that. 'Father', then – "I came to offer my best wishes, and a gift for the soon-to-be-newlyweds."
"Sadly, the groom has not arrived yet." Yuuko's tone was perfectly pleasant. "He hasn't proposed yet either."
"But he will?"
"He will."
"Then my good wishes still stand, as does my desire to grant a gift to the one my father so dearly…loves." Ashura looked to Fai again, smiling, but the blond couldn't hear any real sincerity in the faerie's words. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Ashura-sama." Even though Fai had never heard of the creature until the start of their conversation. Ashura-ou should have told him of Ashura - but then again, Ashura-ou should have told him of Yuuko as well. How many things did Ashura-ou keep secret?
"But first – Mokona, if you'd please?" The Regent nodded a head to the white creature on Yuuko's shoulder, Mokona nodding and opening its mouth –
And two rather dense bottles flew out, landing in Yuuko's eager arms.
"Faerie wine!" The witch practically squealed when she saw the bottles, beaming at the Regent on the other side of the portal. "You do like to spoil me."
"One bottle is for the happy couple…" Ashura's eyes sought out Fai's (again, the creature really was trying to make his/her/their point very clear, weren't they?), the faerie pleased when the human gave him a terse nod of thanks. Even that small action was an effort of will – it was clear the Regent didn't really like Fai, and Fai's own hackles were slowly rising as a result. "The other is yours, Yuuko-san, as thanks for your aid in this transaction I'm about to ask of you."
"Ask away." Yuuko was cuddling the wine.
"I want to wish for a house to be built for the newlyweds, adapted to their needs. I had heard there were…'special circumstances' around this union; let the house solve the problems that arise from those circumstances. The fey lands beside the waterfall north of your island should be sufficient ground for the site." Fai knew the place; he also knew it was a place where very many fey didn't go, out of the way. Establishing a home there would be inconvenient to visiting Ashura-ou often – not that Fai was really in the mood to see his guardian right then, hurt by the King's withholding of information. "The ground there is sacred, and should aid any magic my father's favourite may cast."
Yuuko nodded, slowly. "…The wish is acceptable; I shall grant it. Fai," she looked to the prince beside her, the blond perfectly impassive, his original morning laughter having drained away completely. "Will you accept this gift?"
Fai smiled again, but his expression held a slightly bitter twist. "How could I refuse?" He bowed to the Faerie Regent, low, hiding his face. "I thank you for your generosity." By the time Fai looked up again the image of Ashura was gone, and the eagle in the tree had taken to the air, flying for its home.
The two Mokona and Yuuko were looking at Fai, the former sympathetic, but the witch's gaze was knowing.
Fai forced some feigned cheer, trying to brush the conversation off with his usual ease. "I never knew Ashura-ou had a child."
The Mokona looked at one another, silent, and then, as one, took off for the inside of the shop. Yuuko waited a moment longer. "The greatest secrets are the ones we keep from our loved ones." And then she was gone, no doubt to badger Watanuki for some breakfast.
Fai stayed outside for a lot longer, trying so very hard to think of absolutely nothing, and stared at the morning sky.
A/N: It has just recently come to my attention how bad a deal the females in this story get. (I'm not a misogynist, I swear.) And yes, I'm including Fai in the 'female' description. As my dear once crys put it elsewhere, it's not exactly as if he's 'one of the guys'.
Also, the devil really is in the details – or at least Yuuko-san is, anyway. I swear her little excursions of speech where she outlines prices and conditions take at least three times as long as anything else to write…