The Fallen Kingdom, A Mysterious Return: Chapter Four
Author notes at the bottom
...
"I remember," Kuya whispered staring at Rei-Nai as she prostrated herself in front of him.
"Don't do that," he whispered moving forward to take her hands with his own. "Stand up, don't ever do that again," he said pulling her up to her feet. Rei-ai shook as she let him pull her upright so she was almost eye level with him.
"Ku.. my lord," she whispered softly but the Kirin of Hou put a single finger on her lips to silence her.
"Kuya, that is my name. I will not be be called by any other name than mine," he said looking into her eyes. Rei-Nai laughed shaking her head in disbelief at him. Even though he was the Hous Kirin, he was still the same Kuya that she was in love with.
"OK, Kuya," she said with her soft laugh. Kuya kept a a light grip on her hands as he led her from the room. The Nyokai vanished into her masters shadow ever watchful as she had always been.
"Where are we going Kuya?" Rei-Nai whispered softly as she was lead out a side entrance.
"We need to leave this place, there is to much death and blood lingering here," he said. Rei-Nai not able to smell the old found blood that was lingering in the stones and wood. Quietly walked up to Kerai, the shirei let out a loud chirp like purr as its master came up.
"Greetings Kuya," the deep voice boomed from the large youma turned shirei. The other people in the courtyard gasped hearing the youma speak out of nowhere.
"Greeting Kerai, we must go to Mt Ho. I have much to learn and figure out," he said to the shirei. Kerai locked its large eyes on Rei-Nai next to him.
"Yes she will be coming with me once again," he said in a firm voice. The shirei fur around his neck and back stood up a bit in almost annoyance, but there would be a great laugh.
"Then come upon my back and I will carry you both to Mt Ho," Kerai said as he lowered his great body down so the pair would be able to climb up. Kura jumped up first onto the large beasts back. He then leaned over and reached down for Rei-Nai putting him in front of her. The woman reached out and gripped the fur of the shirei tightly as it would jump into the air heading towards the south-east, the center of their world.
...
Gekkei stood staring at the ocean clouds, silently watching as the wave clouds parted to show the twinkling lights of Hoso the capital of Hou below.
"Your Majesty?" a voice came from behind him. Gekkei didn't shift to look at the one behind him for he already knew whom it was.
"Good evening Shouyou," he said to the Chosai of Hou. After the ruler dies in a kingdom it is traditional for a chosai to help run things until a new ruler ascended the throne. Shouyou, the Chosai of Hou was an older looking and simple man more focused on his country than himself.
"I have looked into the rumors as you have asked," Shouyou said pulling a scroll from the folds of his robes, unfurling he scanned it slowly.
"Well?" Gekkei said almost as if he was impatient.
"According to my reports a pair of young people were brought to be questioned from one of the outlying villages," Shouyou said reading from the scroll. "But soon after they were brought here they took possession of a youma and escaped. the old man seemed a bit skeptical as he kept reading. "It was believe that the girl was the kirin but from the reports I have from the guards that witnessed them escaped, it was the young man that tamed the youma," he said rolling up the scroll.
Gekkei was silent for a long time before he would take the scroll and skim it himself. "Perhaps then it means that the sun will soon rise on this court of the moon." he said with a slight smile on his face. "We will await for word from Mt Ho to see if Hou will have a shozan for winter solstice."
Shouyou lifted his hands together and bowed his head slightly to Gekkei. "Will you go upon shozan your majesty?" he asked the interim king with a sliver of hope that it would be so.
Gekki shook his head slowly, "It is not ment for myself I have no right," he said still looking at the ocean clouds and the twinkling lights below.
Shouyou lowered his hands slowly, this kind of statement he was used to hearing from Gekkei. He knew it was foolish to argue with him but he just bowed as he would leave from him then.
Gekkei stood there still for a long time until he would turn to walk back to the chambers he had taken in the palace. He refused to used the one that had been designed for the ruler after the death of the previous king. "We shall see how things will fall now," he said.
...
Rei-Nai startled as she found herself again nodding of. They had been traveling for almost the whole day and passed over Kyou before hitting the inner sea. "How much longer do you think Kuya?" she said looking back at him.
Kuya looked down at the woman in front of him. "Within the hour," he said softly, his grip on her tightened. It would be not long before they would see the peaks and crags of the 5 mountains.
"Beautiful," Rei-Nai whispered softly as they flew over the Koukai's forests and crags. She had never been to a place like this all, all she remembered was discolored land from her year s in village. To see all the green and lush plants was very strange.
"Yes beautiful," Kuya whispered. He searches with curious eyes as he tried to find the best place to land. They would pass over a large complex with many woman in side of it. Some of them were startled as the shadow of the shirei and the two riders passed over them. "There land over by the tree," he said to the shirei.
"Kuya," Rei-Nai whispered softly as Kerai landed at the foot of the hill that held the one of a kind tree. The shirei laid his body to the ground so the pair could climb off the back. Kuya jumped off first and then gently lifted Rei-Nai up off the shirei. "What is that tree?" she whispered as he would take her hand and slowly lead her up the hill.
"That is the shashinboku," he said as they walked up to the tree.
"It is the one that kirin are born from?" She asked him softly. Her arms wrapped around her tightly as she looked at the tree.
"I would think so," he said lifting his hand up towards the tree branches feeling drawn to it.
"Stop," cried a tense voice from behind them. The couple turned and Kura stepped infant of Rei-Nai as if to protect her. A small group of the woman were climbing the hill lead by a woman with long brown hair pulled into two long ponytails twisted into rabbit ear shapes.
"Who are you? Kuya asked, he felt like should know this woman but could not place why.
"I am Tei-ei," she said calmly. She folded her arms inside the sleeves of her robes. "Please why have you come here?" she asked him. The shirei moved along the outside of the group of Nyosen letting out a soft growl as her watched them.
"Kerai, that is enough. If I need something I will call upon you," he said. The shirei vanished with out further question. "Please excuse him, he is not trained much yet," Kura walked up to Tei-ei and looked at her for a long moment. "I have returned, I am Kuya, but you would know me as Houki," he said. There was a collective gasp from the nyosen at his statement, startled by his statements.
"How is this possible?" Tei-ei said as she looked at the young man before her. His dull yellow hair was cropped pretty short to just above his shoulders. It had come out of the top knot he had put it in a few days before. He was quite tall for a kirin and looked strong from all the years of working in the fields..
"There is still much that I cannot explain, but I know who I am, that I am certian," Kuya said with a frown. Tei-ei looked over his shoulder at the woman behing him. "She is a friend," he said simply his hand gripping Rei-Nai's behind him. The nyosen whispered amoungst themselves about at how strange this was as no one remembered the Hou ranka on the tree.
"It is a blessing that you have returned Kirin of Hou," a new voice spoke from beyond the group of Nyosen.
"Lady Gyokuyou," Tei-ei said as the leader of the Nyosen came up the hill, the other nyosen bowed low to her as a sign of respect. Rei-Nai would let out a soft gasp as she would quickly kneel down on the ground and she put her head to the ground.
"Come, let us get the m both cleaned up and comfortable, it has been a long journey," she said. Kuya would lead down and gently pull Rei-Nai to her feet. "They are our guests, please make sure they are treated as such." The other sages would gently come up the the couple and lead the back down the mountain towards Houro palace. Lady Guokuyou put her hand gently on Tei-ei's shoulder to have her hold back as the watched them walk down the path.
"Is it really possible to have one that we don't know about?" she said, wondering where he had been all these years. It had been 25 years since the last Hou kirin had passed away.
"Anything is possible Tei-ei," Lady Goykuyo said. "There is something odd about him, not unlike that of Taiki," she said in thought. Tei-ei looked jup at the older woman with a curious expression.
"Do you mean that you believe his horn was also cut off?" she asked her. Lady Gyokuyo shook her head.
"No, or he woudl not have the ability to command a shirei as Taiki had lost that ability when he returned for the second time," she said. Slowly she started to walk down the path waving with her hand for Tei-ei to walk with her.
It had been many years since Taiki had returned but the information that the nyosen received was limited. The country of Tai still seemed so closed off to the outside world, but as some say that is a story for another time.
"Do you believe that his horn is intact then?" Tei-ei questioned.
"Yes but there is a chance some trauma was caused to it. That could explain why he is only here how," Lady Gyokuyo said as they walked down the path.
"The only way we will know how bad it is will be to see what he looks like when he metamorphose," Tei-ei pointed out.
"Yes but we must have faith that he will recover. What troubles me is how we were unaware of his existence until now. Why was his Nyokai also unknown to us?" Lady Gyokuyo pondered as the pair reached the end of the path that opened up into a beautiful meadow. There they would sit down on a bench next to a shimmering lake.
"Nyokai of Hou please be known to us," Lady Gyokuyo said and she was rewarded with Tensa appearing . The Nyokai tensed a bit as if she was not happy about leaving the from the side to Houki.
"I am Tensa," she said simply, her wings twitching as she stood in front of the pair of Nyosen.
"Please explain how this happened," Lady Gyokuyo asked softly. The Nyokai clasped her hands in front of her and she seemed to collect her thoughts before speaking.
"I was born during a storm, I remember coming from the roots and hearing my name in a rush. There was a powerful wind blowing, I knew that Houki was in danger. He had just blossomed earlier that night, no more than a few hours old." she paused remembering the incident was hard for her.
"A shoku pulled the ranka from the shashinboku, I watched it be ripped from the tree. I jumped into the vortex to follow it into the void," she whispered softly, tears brimming her eyes, the memory of that night still fresh in her mind.
"I searched for many months until I found him, always in the shadows of the other world but I knew I would find him. Houki was at a home for children that were abandoned, the girl that bore him abandoned him after giving birth to him. He was still an infant when I found him, i heard his cry and him feeling my hand and hearing my voice soothed him."
"You did your best Tensa, do not fret," Lady Gyokuyo said gently, "Please continue."
"I spoke to him each time I could told him of his destiny, the kingdom that waited for him. He listened and anticipated when we would be able to return, but it was not to be. One day a man and a woman took him from the home, I followed ever watchful. This man and woman tried to raise the child as their own but he kept speaking of me, one day the man got upset and struck him," Tensa gripped her hand tightly together.
"What happened to the man Tensa?"
"I killed him," she said simply, "He hurt Houki..." she said and she hesitated for a long moment. "The blood sent Houki into a shock, it was the first time he had seen something as that," She said and looked down ashamed at herself. "He panicked and caused a shoku which I used to bring him back to our world." She said.
"But you did not come back to mt ho why is that?" she asked her. Tensa frowned, "We were separated once we arrived back, I was able to locate him quickly but his horn had been damaged after he had arrived back. I am not sure how it happened but he did remember me," She said softly.
"What about that girl that is with him, whom is she to him?"
"They have been together as long as he has been in Hou, they lived together in a Rike after he forgot himself," Tensa frowned. "I am not sure of their relationship with him but they care deeply for each other, separating them will not be the best option," She advised. Lady Gyokuyo nodded her head.
"Thank you Tensa, you may return to the Lord of Mt Ho," she said. Tensa would slip into the shadows without another word. Tei-ei looked to Lady Gyokuyo watching her for what her take was.
"Very interesting," she said as she slowly stood up, Tei-ei followed her an rose from the bench, together they walked back down towards the buildings of Houro palace.
...
Kuya frowned as he saw the woman clamoring around each other to get a look at him, he could hear their whispering at how strong he looked. They had directed him to a bath where he would be able to clean himself up. "Please, I am able to bath myself," he said tensely, it was odd to have so many people fawning over him. Having finally convinced them to leave him alone as he bathed.
Relaxing in the hot water that had been provided for him to bath in he washed the old blood and dirt from his body. Takeing a bath was something that he never did in the rike and this was his idea of true luxury. Nimbly he would let the water become cold before he would get out and dry off. After he was dry he would find the clothes they had laid our for him. Frowning at the frills of all the robes he would select a short sleeved white under robe. Over that he would pull a blue and gold robe with simple clasps in the front. They felt light on him as he moved and he was satisfied for now.
Kuya looked about the room and found a mirror, curious he would walk over to it and look at his reflection. He would notice that his hair seemed to fall a different way, it was parted no more and pulled back on its own so his forehead and eyes were exposed better. Tenderly he pushed against the scar on his forehead, it made him feel a seering pain in his head and he sat down in a hurry. He would grip the edge of the chair tightly as he felt the pain start to slowly fade.
"Kuya," Rei-Nai called softly from the hallway.
"Come in," he said an he heard the door open slowly and Rei-Nai came in. She to was wearing more formal clothes, she was wearing a white robe under a dress of many colors and patterns. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a simple pair of loops and wrapped around buns at the side of her head. "You look beautiful," he said taking her hands. Rei-Nai seemed hesitant to let him touch her but she smiled looking at him.
"You clean up well yourself," She said with a bit of a laugh. She was nervous he could tell, his hand gently moved to her cheek. "What will you do now?" she asked him softly.
Kuya would frown, "Tensa says that my horn was damaged, I pressed my hand where it should be and I was double over in pain." Rei-Nai looked at his forehead and she would gently reach up and stroke the scar. Surprisingly he didn't feel the seering pain when she touched it, strangely it actually felt soothing. He would close his eyes as if he was enjoying her touching there. Rei-Nai would laugh softly.
"You must have forgotten that when we were little kids I would do this and you would feel better," She said and she pulled her hand away from his forehead. Kuya frowned slightly when she would pull her hand away but he took her hand and gripped it tightly looking down at her. Rei-Nai was startled by his actions and she tried to pull away from him.
"No, don't start to act different just because of how I was born," he said his body shook with emotion as he watched her eye looking at him. "I love you, how is that so strange," he said said wrapping his arm around her and pulling her against his body. Rei-Nai would let out a sob and she clung tightly to him.
"I love you to, but will we be punished by the heavens?" she whispered softly. Kuya would lift her chin up so she would look at him.
"From all the years we have been affectionate toward each other I do not believe so," he said and he would slowly lenn down to place a gentle kiss on her lips but before he was able to do so there was a knock on the door. Rei-Nai jumped back out of his arms and turned from the door her face having a deep flush on his face.
"My lord please forgive me for disturbing you but Lady Gyokuyo wishes to speak with you," one of the nyosen called out. Kuya would let out a long sigh and he would look at Rei-Nai.
"I will be back soon," he said gently to her takeing her hand and kissing it gently. Kuya let go of her and left the room to go and speak with the head Nyosen. Rei-Nai would let out a soft sigh and she sat down on the chair he had been sitting on before as she started to try to remember the first time she had met him.
...
Author Notes: Much more to come. I had intended for Kuya to be the kirin from the beginning, I feel that ones raised away from the sheltered life are much different and that is why Kuya is so different from the others.
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Until next time