A/N I don't own Vampire Knight nor do I make any profit from it

Chapter 9 - Duty to One's Husband


Over the next few weeks, Hikari and Kaname barely saw each other. This was nothing out of the ordinary but Hikari's loneliness was on the increase. Hanabusa tried to visit her whenever he could but even he had his own family affairs to attend to. Sara would visit to have tea but would then have to leave.

However, one early morning, Hikari was woken up by Hana, "My lady, Lord Kaname wishes to see you in his office!"

Hikari groaned sleepily "Really… did he say why?"

"No, my lady, he just said that it was important," Hana replied. Hikari groaned but sat up and stretched. As she climbed out of bed, Hana picked up a brush to brush Hikari's bed head and placed her silk dressing gown over her shoulders. Hikari placed her arms through the arm holes and tied the silk cord around her waist. Before walking out the door, Hikari slipped her dainty feet into rose coloured, velvet slippers. Hana followed the drowsy princess towards West Wing of the Kuran Manor.

"I wonder what he wants to talk to me about," Hikari asked, "He never calls me to his office."

"I am unsure why, my lady," Hana replied, "It must be something important."

As they walked, most of the servants were awake and scurrying around, trying to prepare the manor for the day ahead. When they spotted Hikari, they would shy away and keep out of her way. Hikari thought that that was a very sad state of affairs but it seemed that the Kurans were particularly nice to their poor servants. Occasionally, she would cast a small smile in their direction but even that wouldn't put them at ease.

Eventually, Hikari and Hana arrived at Kaname's office. The door was made of heavy mahogany and ornately carved with the Kuran family crest and other beautiful images.

"I cannot go in with you but I will wait outside," Hana said as she gestured for her mistress to open the door. Hikari nodded and stepped forward. Knocking, she heard a quiet "Come in." Taking a deep breath, she twisted the cold golden knob and opened the door. Kaname was standing up and looking out of the window.

"Lord Kaname, you wished to see me," Hikari said coldly. She hadn't wished to sound cold but it just came out that way. Kaname turned to her. He was wearing a black silk shirt, which had the first few buttons open, revealing his smooth chest. He also wore comfortable white slacks.

"Yes, I did," Kaname said, "There is something I wish to discuss. Please close the door behind you."

Hikari nodded and closed the door behind her, "What's going on?"

"We need to discuss when we will consummate our marriage," Kaname said bluntly. Hikari gasped sharply and clasped a hand over her mouth, her cheeks becoming a very deep shade of red, "Don't tell me you've forgotten about that?"

"Well, no, I haven't," Hikari replied in a small voice, "I just assumed that you didn't want to so I didn't bring it up. After all, you're not in love with me."

"This isn't a question of love," Kaname replied, "This is a matter of duty. As my wife, you must submit to my every need when I have need of you."

Hikari fiddled with her small hands, "Well, when did you have mind?"

"Tonight," Kaname said, again in a blunt and unforgiving tone. Hikari almost died of embarrassment, "You knew it would happen eventually. We are already three months into our marriage. It should have consummated itself by now."

"That's true but you will not even sleep in the same bed as me so how do you propose we do this," Hikari replied haughtily. Kaname scoffed slightly before answering.

"You will come to my bedroom," Kaname said, "After dinner, you will come to my room."

Hikari fidgeted and squeezed her legs together, "But Lord Kaname, I haven't had any time to prepare myself. You do still realise that I am a virgin, don't you? I'm going to lose something I will never get back!"

"Of course, I do," Kaname replied casually, "I'm not stupid. Your virginity will be lost to your husband. What's more honourable than that?"

"Well, aren't you going to put me at ease? You're still my husband, no matter how political this match is," Hikari cried. She hung her head, tears threatening to fall, "Please."

Kaname stared at her for a moment, "I will not hurt you if that's what you're worried about," he said nonchalantly. Hikari nodded.

"All right, I'll do it for the sake of duty," Hikari said quietly. She turned on her heal and opened the door before Kaname could say anything else. Hana looked up at the distressed young woman as she ran down the corridor, back towards her room. Hana slowly followed her back and when she eventually arrived back at Hikari's room, Hikari had thrown herself on her bed and was sobbing into her pillow.

"My lady," Hana said tenderly, "What happened with Lord Kaname?"

Hikari stopped sobbing for a moment to face her maid, "He wants to consummate our marriage tonight."

Hana gasped and her cheeks became cherry red. She certainly wasn't expecting that, "Oh."

"Is that all you can say," Hikari shouted, "I am going to have my innocence ripped away from my by a man who doesn't love me. I am so… so… scared of displeasing him."

Hana was lost for words, not knowing much about sexual matters, "Well, perhaps I'm not the best person to talk to. Perhaps you should talk to Lady Juuri! She must know everything about that!"

Hikari wiped her tears away and sniffed, "Do you think so?"

"What's better than getting advice from an experienced woman, eh, my lady," Hana said gleefully. Hikari blushed deeply.

"All right, I will see my mother in law this afternoon," she said as she climbed back under the covers, "May I have breakfast in bed today? I don't think I wish to face Kaname just yet after what has happened."

Hana nodded with a small smile, "As you wish, my lady, I will have your tray brought up to you," she said as she left the room. Hikari stared at the door as it shut closed. She fidgeted uncontrollably, unable to think about anything. She wanted to refuse him, she really did. Every fibre in being screamed at her not to do this, to keep her innocence for the day she could be finally free of a man who didn't love her.

However, she knew that it was her duty to consummate the marriage and produce an heir. If she didn't give it up for him, rumours would go around court of how she couldn't seduce her own husband and how she was infertile. It was a perilous place to be.


After her breakfast in bed, Hikari climbed out of bed and proceeded to get ready. She dressed in a smart, powder blue, sleeveless, sixties style dress with a white collar. The buttons were large, white and round: four of them kept the dress closed to the waist. The dress was quite short but she wore white tights with a rose design on them. Her shoes were high healed and they had a bar over them to keep them on her feet. Her hair was back combed and a white ribbon was tied in her hair as an Alice band.

Taking a parasol and a small white handbag, she walked from the Kuran manor towards her in laws smaller manor. Luckily, her mother in law was sitting outside with her pet Yorkshire terrier running about the green, "Good morning, mother," Hikari called out. Juuri looked up and smiled brightly.

"Hello, my dear! Come and sit with me," she said patting the chair next to her, "How are you? This visit is so unexpected."

"Well, there's something which I need to talk to you about," Hikari said hesitantly. Juuri cocked her head the side, her luscious, chocolate curls cascading over her shoulder, "It's something delicate."

"Oh? Please tell me," Juuri said kindly.

"Lord Kaname wishes to consummate our marriage," Hikari said, "I'm unsure about it."

Juuri nodded slowly, "So, when does he want to do it?"

"Tonight," Hikari answered, "I don't know the first thing about anything intimate like that."

"Well, that's to be expected. You're a virgin after all," Juuri said, "So you've come to me for advice, have you?"

Hikari nodded, "Yes, if you don't mind."

"No of course not," Juuri said, taking a large intake of breath before letting it go, "Well, you've come to the right place. So, do you have any questions?"

"Well, one thing I've heard is that it hurts and that you bleed on your first time… is that true?"

Juuri nodded, "Bleeding can happen. It doesn't happen to all girls though. Also, it doesn't always hurt either; it will just be a foreign feeling."

"I see," Hikari replied, "I don't want to be in any pain."

"Well, if Kaname properly prepares you before the act of sex, it shouldn't hurt you too much," Juuri said discreetly. She went into all the details and how she would experience a thing called "foreplay". It was all a bit complicated and quite embarrassing, her face becoming red more than once.

"This all too much too soon," Hikari said uneasily, "Kaname just dropped this bombshell on me this morning and is expecting me to just mentally prepare myself for something which is just too…much!"

"I understand completely," Juuri said, "But don't worry, Kaname is an experienced lover. He will treat you with care."

"But he's been with her…" Hikari replied, "How can I be with someone who has no love for me? This marriage is a sham! I don't care if it is a political match. He's in love with someone else! I also fear myself being attracted to another man. It's painful, truly it is. We barely talk and we barely see each other. A few weeks ago, we had a formal dinner and his mistress, Lady Hanaka, was there and flaunting her closeness to him."

Juuri gazed at her daughter in law for a moment before sighing heavily, "Well, I don't think it is right for him to be doing that to you. I would also stay away from having a lover for now because you will find yourself in a lot of hot water. Remember, you are a woman, a young woman with no experience of court life. You would have no idea of how to fight the opposition you would have put before you."

Hikari suddenly burst out into bitter tears. Juuri pulled Hikari into a tight embrace, "I don't want to see you hurt, my little Hikari," she said sweetly, "It Haruka's idea to marry him off to you. I didn't think an arranged marriage was the answer but Haruka is stubborn."

Hikari nodded, "I see," she pulled away slightly and Juuri placed a soft kiss to her forehead.


Later that night, after dinner, Hana prepared Hikari for her husband. She oiled her hair with sweet perfumes, bathed her and dressed her in a simple, white nightgown with her rose coloured slippers and dressing gown.

"Lady Hikari, you'll be fine," Hana said comfortingly, "Most like, when he's finished, you'll be sent out anyway."

Hikari nodded and Hana walked over to the door, opening, "Let's go," Hikari nodded again and followed her maid out and down to the West wing. Her nerves tingled with anticipation and her hands became clammy. All too soon, Hikari arrived at the place where her innocence would be lost.

Knocking on the door, she knocked and turned the handle of the door, taking a step into the abyss.


Keep reading to see if she goes through with it…

Please revew!