After the festivities ended, Hiei and Valery returned to Mokuro's realm. Hiei resumed his training for the Demon World tournament that was now 2 months away.
Valery made her way one day down the corridor leading to the training room. She opened the heavy door and called out for Hiei.
"Sorry to interrupt your training." He wiped some sweat off his face and came closer.
"What's wrong?"
"I wanted to know how much longer you are going to use the training room today?"
"Why woman?"
"I was thinking of also entering the tournament and I need to train."
"Everyone take a break." Hiei stepped outside with Valery.
"You are not to enter the tournament."
"What?"
"It's final. You are not to compete."
"Anyone can enter right? Any creature?"
"Besides the point I am making. The tournament is a blood bath with fights after fights. You don't do well in multiple fights."
"How do you know?"
"I do. If you train now and push yourself we might end up where we started or worse."
"I can handle it now."
"No." she watched him with fierce eyes getting mad at his straight expression.
"I want to join and you can't stop me."
"Don't piss me off. You can't withstand the tournament. Not in your condition."
"Condition?" she said flaring up her dark powers. "Yes." He answered unfazed "You can't overexert yourself or your heart night stop again."
"Bullshit, I have trained since then and you said nothing." He came closer and lifter her chin up "They will all rip you apart out there. You being defeated will be a much bigger prize than willing the tournament. In the preliminary fights they will team up against you."
"And I will carve the flesh from their bones before they touch me."
"If you win what then?"
"I will be the leader of Demon World."
"Why would you suddenly want that?"
"To give you back your home." He took a step away from her trying to understand how the idea formed in her head in the first place. "I don't need to belong here."
"Don't lie to me. You don't get to see that look in your eyes, but I do. You never look nostalgic when we enter Human World, but your eyes soften when we set foot in Demon World. The men look up to you. You have earned your keep. Now it's time to give it back to you." He glared cursing in his head the fact that he was letting his guard down near her, letting her see too much.
"Do what you want then. Just don't get in the way of my training." And with that he left a very mad Valery all alone in the corridor. She soon left to train in Human World for the tournament. Everyone was getting ready in order to withstand that test of endurance. After a week, Hiei was starting to feel uneasy about not knowing what she was up to. Mokuro also picked up on his gloomy mood.
"You could take a break and track her down."
"Hn."
"I don't understand why you are fussing over this, she is a fighter after all."
"She's participating for the wrong reasons."
"I hear you two talking." Hiei glared "She's not wrong. Plus if she wins, she needs you besides her. You can't have a queen without a king."
"I am no king."
"But you have the qualities of one. You have a very strong perception or right and wrong you are honest and disciplined in the art of war. With her by your side, ruling and maintaining peace in Demon World will come easy." He looked at her and just let the words sink in his mind. In all of Hiei's days only a few have been peaceful and held meaning for him. Finding his sister, becoming part of the team that kept humans safe, meeting Valery. Apart from those few happy moments, all was dark and the days blended into one another. Lost and lonely, without a purpose.
Hiei went to Valery's location. Where she was training it was like night settled in. Shadows were roaming around providing the combatants she needed to train. In the middle of a field where life could not be found stood Valery fighting off the dark apparitions. He watched her graceful stance and the rhythm of the battle. Her former scars were taken over black tribals plastered on her skin. In that transformation her hair was black as night and her eyes hallow and sinister. Her fangs shun when she screamed in battle and her demonic voice echoed in the clearing. She gripped her swords, her long claws clashing to one another in an unbearable screeching sound.
She felt him approaching and called off the shadows but not her transformation. She placed the swords near her and just looked at him. He went in front of her and extended a hand to her face having her only back away. "Don't. I know you won't hurt me." He caressed her cheek "You can enter the tournament. I know you have every intention to win, but so do I. If we come face to face in battle, I don't want us to hold back." She nodded slightly. His eyes were calm and he was seeing past that form before him.
"Until then train, but be mindful."
"I will."
"But also I have another reason for coming here. I don't want an answer now because I need you to truly think about it. You have time to answer me by the time the tournament ends. If you become queen of Demon World I want you to let me be your king. If I win, I want you to be my queen and marry me after the tournament." Her eyes widened and she felt her transformation fading, revealing her true self. "You know I am not a patient man, but I want you to really think this through." He leaned in closer and kissed her before departing back to Demon World.
They were both ready to train in order to win the tournament, one wanting to offer the other a better future. Word of Valery participating reached all the worlds like wild fire. In Demon World after training Hiei surprised a discussion between two soldiers.
"If she participates she will rule Demon World. She is not of Demon World."
"You're right. But sure beats having a bastard as a king. I heard rumors Mokuro wants to step down and leave Hiei on the throne."
"That union will be the death of us." Hiei appeared from around the corner, his fists clenched and his eyes throwing daggers. "Those words will be the death of you." They started shaking in fear. "None of us will destroy this stupid world even if you would deserve it." He passed them taking direction to Mokuro's room. She was looking out the window.
"Demon World is restless. Demons everywhere are already starting to take sides swearing alliances to one or the other. But the names spoke by the majority are yours and Valery's."
"They're just scared."
"Good, fear keeps them in place. Ever since you marked each other you have been the talk of the world."
"Not interested." He said pouring himself a drink to quench the thirst after training.
"I believe it is since you will be king."
"I never said I wanted your place."
"You have earned it by just those words." Hiei looked over and finally gave in. "I've asked her to marry me after the tournament."
"With the condition that either of you win?"
"Yes" he replied enraged "If you both loose and she will say no due to that reason then she just wanted power. But I highly doubt it. What did she answer you?"
"I told her to think until the end of the tournament."
"And it's eating you up I see." He just pushed his drink closer to his lips and didn't answer. "You truly are a simple man."
"What did you call me?" Mokura watched Hiei carefully "You want simple, normal things, but you obtain them with a lot of effort because you complicate them. When will you truly face yourself?"
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"You are still living in the past, but everything is happening now. I've known you for years. I know when you train for pleasure, or to forget, or to punish yourself. You are damaged and won't allow yourself to be more. You wanted power to kill and be feared. Now you want to keep someone safe. Allow it to take control over you, it won't be bad. I promise."
"You really are an annoying creature."
Valery took some days off to return to the feudal era she was once cast to. She was standing in front of the tomb they have built for her when she died. The captain approached.
"We can take it down if you want."
"No, it's fine. A part of me did die here."
"You look troubled."
"I am about to participate in a demon tournament."
"Why are you doing that if you are not a demon?"
"My mate is."
"You truly are a strange woman."
"Can I spend the next days here? I could use some of that tea and company."
"Of course, the men will be thrilled to know you are back." He motioned for her to follow, wondering what was truly going on in her head. He knew she hatted demons and wanted to not partake in their weird customs and rituals. Yet here she was years later having a demon mate, participating in their tournament and living in their world.
