(A/N) I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even describe with words how guilty I feel for making you all wait so long. Good Goddess, I'm worse than Clamp! I'm so evil. Almost three months. I feel like I owe those of you still reading an explanation. You see, my creative writing professor wanted to see what I was working on and I'm completely devoted to this story right now, but he's got some sort of vendetta against fan fiction, so I basically had to go through, change everyone's names in the existing story and remove other overt manga references and basically just rewrite whole chunks of the existing story. I feel awful but, heh, at least I got an A in advanced fiction workshop. He totally ate it up. School tried to eat me, but I've been on break for about a week and working my arse off to get these two chapters finished. I would have been done sooner, but trivial things like food and sleep kept getting in the way. Again, I'm soooooo sorry and I hope I still have readers. Everything we've been waiting for is about to happen. I hope all of you remaining readers enjoy…
La Belle Au Bois Dormant
Chapter 8: Visions
Fai's first instinct when he heard footsteps approaching the cottage was to draw his bow. It wasn't anyone in his family. Doumeki was just around the corner, skinning a deer he'd killed. Watanuki was making breakfast and Yuui was helping Himawari with the mending. They hadn't been making Yuui do too many of the heavy chores recently. She'd been going around with a tired, secretive smile on her face. A timidity that hadn't been present before the incident had taken up residence in her personality, but despite that, there were times that she seemed to fairly glow.
The guardians had tried to dismiss it when their daughter had failed to bleed after the attack. It was a fluke; Himawari had tried to reassure her, a trick of her diet. These things happened sometimes. But no one could turn a blind eye when she failed to bleed a second time. This, coupled with the fact that the young woman was suddenly unable to eat breakfast because of her violent illness most mornings, confirmed what they had known all along, but had been too horrified, scared, and guilt-ridden to admit to themselves. Yuui was pregnant.
The men, of course, had been treating her like glass. After the horrible things that had been done to him…and the awful thing that had happened to his sister…Fai's desire to protect himself and his own was very strong. It was early…therefore it could not be Kurogane and the others. It could only be…danger.
"Who's there?" Fai called out. He couldn't yet see anyone through the morning mist, but he could definitely hear footsteps. Unfortunately, his bow and quiver were sitting in the cottage. The stranger did not answer.
"I'm warning you! If you don't identify yourself now, I'll shoot you!" he shouted with more conviction than he felt. He could feel his body beginning to shake with fear.
"Forgive me if I must contradict you, young one," a voice finally called through the mist as a figure began to take shape at the edge of the glen. "But you do not carry a weapon."
"Physical weapons are not the only kind there are." Damn it! Why couldn't he stop shaking?!
"True enough," the figure replied as it drew closer.
"It's okay, Fai," Soel consoled him. "It's not him."
"How do you know?" Fai whispered.
"Do you smell that?"
Fai concentrated for a moment, trying to pick out a different scent other than the usual ones of magic and the forest itself, finally coming up with…
"Peaches?"
"Uh-huh. Each faerie has a distinct scent. Seishiro doesn't smell like peaches."
"What does he smell like?"
"Soel doesn't…remember," the small creature lied. It didn't want to say it…but it could detect a faint hint of Seishiro's scent among the peaches. The scent had been clinging to Fai, filling the air on the night he'd awoken covered in the dark prince's essence.
The scent of blood.
"You don't need to fear me, Fai-kun," the stranger said softly. Fai could finally make him out. He did indeed have that aura that all of the fey were possessed of. He was taller than Fai by an inch or two and his hair was black. He was clothed in green and his eyes sparkled that same hue in the early morning light. He smiled gently as he extended his hand, but Fai couldn't help but flinch at the small movement. The stranger's eyes widened in concern at this. "Why do you recoil?"
Rather than explain that both he and his sister had been brutally raped by faeries and would probably bear the scars forever, he simply went with, "How do you know my name?"
"Your family is…well-known in Faerie. I am Lord Subaru Shiro, master of the Shiro Clan."
Fai took a few steps back, his eyes narrowing as he did. "Great," he muttered. "More fey nobility. What do you want now? Once wasn't enough?!" His voice was starting to rise. Soel could see that it wouldn't take much to send the boy into hysterics.
Subaru shook his head regretfully. "That isn't what I meant when I said you were well known. I meant no disrespect. None of us wanted to hurt Yuui-chan. Fuuma-san did what he had to."
That was the breaking point. Fai's eyes flashed with anger. "You were in on it?! How dare you come here?! How dare you speak his name?! You presume to be worthy enough to speak her name?! My sister is inside right now, suffering, with your friend's child gnawing away at her insides! Get out! Get out right now!" When he raised his fists to give the faerie a good punch, Subaru easily caught his blows.
"Fai-kun, I'm sorry for what happened to your sister! But it couldn't be helped."
"Bull shit!" Fai muttered weakly, the feeling of his hands incapacitated instantly summoning up memories too painful for the light of day and too harrowing for the peace of night. "Leave us alone!" he cried, his voice getting weaker as he sank to his knees.
"Fai-kun!" Subaru cried out worriedly as he, too, moved to his knees, moving his hands to Fai's shoulders. "What's wrong?!"
No! No! It's happening again!
When he did not have Kurogane with him to keep the memories at bay…they consumed him. Without his lover's touch, he could not keep the awful scars suppressed and they rose to the surface of his conscience.
"Please. Please. Kuro-sama!" he moaned weakly. "Make it go away!"
"Let him go, Subaru!" Doumeki ordered, suddenly appearing from around the corner of the cottage. Subaru glanced toward the assassin. Considering the purpose of his visit, he knew this probably didn't look good.
"Doumeki-san. I…I didn't…I wasn't-"
"Let. Him. Go," Doumeki repeated forcefully as he moved swiftly toward them. Subaru immediately backed off, allowing Doumeki to take his place. The assassin enfolded his son in a hug, pressing his head firmly against his chest. The boy was shaking so badly.
"Breathe," he whispered to him. "Just breathe."
"I…I c-can't…I-I need-"
"I know. I understand," he whispered soothingly. "But he's not here right now. You have to keep it together…for his sake."
Fai clutched desperately at his guardian's tunic, trying to focus on his breathing. In…out…inhale…exhale…He pretended that it was Kurogane's arms wrapped so tightly around him. He could almost hear him whispering in his ear…running fingers through his hair…I love you. I'll hold you. I'll keep you safe. No more nightmares.
"I…I think I'm okay," he finally choked out.
"Are you sure?" Doumeki asked as he loosened his grip on his son. Fai nodded, closing his eyes as Doumeki helped him to his feet. Subaru didn't dare ask what had happened. He felt like he had intruded on something private…had witnessed something not for his eyes.
"What's going on out here?" Watanuki asked as he swept out of the cottage. Rage lit his mismatched eyes when they fell on Subaru kneeling in their front yard and Doumeki still supporting a shaking Fai. "What are you doing here?" he asked calmly, trying to keep his anger in check.
"I need to see Yuui-chan."
"No," all three of them said without hesitation.
"I'm sorry, but she needs to know what happened. You need to know what happened."
"Take him inside," Watanuki said to Doumeki. The weather sprite obeyed without question, leading Fai and Soel back inside the cottage. Then Watanuki turned his attention back to Subaru. "It seems fairly clear to me what happened. Fuuma got it into his head to pull an heir out of Yuui-chan! If that's what you came for, you can tell Fuuma that he's not touching this baby! This child belongs to Yuui-chan!"
"You know we didn't do this to create an heir for Fuuma-san. This was all for Yuui-chan!"
"We?! What we?! Who all was involved in this plot?!" Watanuki asked dangerously. Apparently, their decision not to inform King Reed of the attack had been a wise one. Fearing that there were games afoot in the court, they had decided that the fewer people knew about Yuui's condition, the better. They hadn't even reported the attack on Fai. It had been…terrible…absolutely terrible when it had happened to Fai, but the difference was that they could have at least expected an attack like that from an enemy. To have it come from someone who was supposed to be their friend and ally…was somehow worse. There was clearly some sort of plot forming in the court, as evidenced by the fact that Clow hadn't even seen fit to inform him that he had entrusted the Shiro brothers with Fai and Yuui's secret. If word spread that the twins were vulnerable, that they were that fragile, their enemies would only increase. Watanuki knew that the less involved Faerie was in their lives, the better off they would be. But he also knew that it was impossible for Fai and Yuui to ever be completely removed from Faerie. It was part of them…just as it was part of Doumeki, Himawari, and himself.
"Just myself and Kamui. Fuuma-san had nothing to do with it. He only did it because we asked him to. He didn't want to, but you know how much he loves my nii-sama." There had been another involved. In fact, Seishiro had been the one to suggest it…had said that it would give his competition a leg up on him. However, Subaru knew that it was unwise to reveal his lover's involvement in the shaping of events. It wasn't yet time. "Please. Let me speak to her. Let me apologize…and explain."
Watanuki sighed in defeat. "You can speak to her, but nothing else, and certainly not in private."
"I understand. Thank you for this chance, Kimihiro-sama."
Watanuki turned and Subaru followed him into the cottage. They found Doumeki setting the table for breakfast and Yuui on her hands and knees, vomiting into a bucket beside the hearth while Fai held back her long hair and patted her back soothingly. Himawari was standing sadly off to the side, observing the tender moment between the siblings. She would have loved to be by her foster daughter's side now, holding back her hair and telling her how brave she was to have this baby, but if she touched her, she risked something awful happening. She might even lose the baby.
Soel and Larg were sitting quietly beside the bucket as Yuui wretched, loudly and violently. When she was finally finished, she leaned back and Fai held her in his arms, comforting her.
"You're okay, Imouto. You're alright."
"Thanks, Fai," she mumbled weakly, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Oh, dear," Subaru whispered.
"No sudden movements," Watanuki warned him, giving him a small push forward. Yuui and Fai glanced up at him as he stumbled toward them.
"H-hello…Yuui-chan," he greeted nervously. The moment the scent of peaches attacked her nose, Yuui scrambled right back to the bucket and started to vomit again. When she finished this time, she couldn't quite summon up the energy to get back to her brother's arms and she collapsed on the floor. Fai quickly moved to her and pulled her back into his arms.
"Would you mind toning it down a little?" Doumeki asked as he brought Yuui a cup of water.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" he blustered, flushing as he wove some glamour around himself. As Yuui gratefully sipped the water, Subaru's aura dimmed and became something less fantastical. The twins couldn't quite figure out why, but he seemed altogether more human. More importantly, however, the strong scent of peaches had faded away.
"Who are you?" Yuui asked, her body still trembling from her last bout of sickness. Subaru bowed low before the twins.
"Greetings, Yuui-chan. I am Lord Subaru Shiro, master of the Shiro Clan." Subaru didn't fail to notice the way she flinched or the way she clung tighter to her brother when she heard that he was a faerie lord.
"What do you want?" she asked, a note of bitterness in her usually cheerful voice. It hurt Subaru to hear it.
"I came here to apologize for what happened," he said softly as he knelt slowly before her. "None of us wanted to do this to you, but it had to be done. I don't expect you to believe me now, but you will understand someday. I believe that if you come to Faerie with me, Fuuma-san will-"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!" Watanuki and Himawari burst out at the same moment.
"Do you honestly think we'd trust you with her after what's happened?!" Watanuki spat out. "She's staying right here!"
"Fuuma sent you to take Yuui-chan away from us, didn't he?!" Himawari accused. "You can't have her!"
"I swear on my honor, that isn't my intention!" Subaru insisted. He remained where he was, kneeling before Fai and Yuui. "Kamui and I just thought it would be best for both of them if Fuuma-san had a chance to talk to Yuui-chan. He feels so awful about what he's done. The guilt is tearing him apart. We just want her to understand."
"My sister's not going anywhere with you!" Fai hissed dangerously, hugging his pregnant twin even tighter against his chest.
"Please!" Subaru begged. "She'll come back! I give you my word!"
"You tricked me into allowing you into our home so that you could propose this vile kidnapping plot to Yuui-chan's face! You think your word means anything to us?! I want you out of this house now!" Watanuki shouted.
"PLEASE!" a distraught female voice suddenly rose above all the others. Everyone turned to the object of their argument, amazed that she could summon up the energy for such a scream. "Please," she repeated in a more calm voice. "Don't yell at Subaru-san." Yuui couldn't explain why, but she felt a kinship with Subaru. After everything that had happened to her, it was downright stupid of her, she knew, but she felt like she could trust him.
"His word isn't something to take lightly," Doumeki reminded them. Unlike humans, the fey did not give their word lightly. To be seen as a breaker of one's word in the eyes of the fey was the ultimate disgrace.
"Doumeki, this is Yuui-chan we're talking about here!" Watanuki rounded on the weather sprite angrily. "You weren't there! You didn't see it!"
"Neither were you. You showed up after it happened," Doumeki reminded him. "Perhaps they really didn't mean to hurt her? Maybe Fuuma was trying to make it easier for her by blocking it from her memory?"
"Why are you defending them?!"
"I'm not saying that I condone what they did to her. I imagine that if I had been in your place, I would have reacted the same way. But we need to know everything. We can't afford to make enemies out of people who could still be our allies."
"I'll go with you," Yuui said softly to Subaru, breaking into her guardians' argument. "I'll speak to him…just this once."
"Yuui-chan! You don't have to do this. You might never come back!" Himawari warned her, her hand darting out to touch her shoulder but stopping just short of it. A look of hurt flashed across Yuui's face.
"Yuui's not going anywhere without me," Fai told Subaru as he helped Yuui to her feet.
"That's fine, but you've really nothing to worry about," Subaru said to the three guardians. "I will have them back before sunset and no harm will come to them. You have my word."
The guardians all raised an eyebrow. That was a very dangerous oath to make. After all, not all hurt that could possibly befall them was within the sphere of his control…and yet he made the vow anyway.
"We'll trust your word, Subaru, but that doesn't mean we'll stop protecting them. I'm going with you," Doumeki informed him as he went to fetch their cloaks.
"Doumeki…don't you trust us?" Yuui asked.
Doumeki turned to meet her pleading gaze. Of the three guardians, he was likely the one that trusted them the most, but this…
"There are things about Faerie that you don't understand," he said simply, handing Fai his and Yuui's cloaks. "You might need my help."
Himawari and Watanuki both looked devastated as they watched the twins put on their cloaks and the Mokona hop up into the hoods.
"I don't want you two going anywhere on empty stomachs. Especially you, Yuui-chan," Watanuki said, bringing them each an apple. "Do you think you can keep something down?"
"I'll hold onto it," Yuui said, tucking the fruit into her cloak. "Maybe I'll be able to later."
"Please," Watanuki said as he pulled both children into his arms. "Come back to us."
Himawari moved to hug Doumeki. "Keep them safe," she whispered to him. As the twins moved toward Subaru, Watanuki approached him. He seized one of his ears and pulled him very close.
"You'd better take care of them!" he hissed in his ear. Doumeki said nothing for a few moments, but then he grabbed Watanuki's chin, forcing him to look up at him. The nature sprite felt his breath catch in his throat as the assassin's amber eyes gazed steadily into his.
"Don't worry," he finally said, releasing Watanuki as he went to join the small group. The moment they were out the front door, Himawari vanished into her own room, knowing that it wasn't safe for her to even be near Watanuki with Doumeki not around. Watanuki himself remained in place, staring at the closed door, feeling for all the world as if a part of his heart had been ripped out.
XxX
The journey through the forest was made in silence. Doumeki and Subaru walked in front with the twins in back, holding hands as they walked. Yuui rested her free hand protectively against her abdomen. It wasn't visible to someone who wasn't looking, and even then, it was hard to spot, but there was already a slight swell blossoming out of her flat stomach. It wasn't much, but Tomoyo gushed and cooed over it whenever they were together, insisting on kissing ever inch of her pale belly. Only Tomoyo could make her feel truly happy about the baby. Other times…it was harder. It was harder on the days when she couldn't keep breakfast down. It was harder on the days when she felt Watanuki's inadvertent resentment of her baby as he gazed at her. It was harder when Tomoyo wasn't with her. It was hardest on the days when she remembered that a part of Fuuma lived inside of her. It was hard…and she knew that it would only get harder.
Sensing her distress, Larg cuddled up against her cheek. She nuzzled back with a sigh, feeling just a little better.
"Are you alright?" Fai whispered to her, squeezing her hand just a little tighter.
"I'm fine."
Before too long, the group reached the shores of Spirit Lake. Kamui was waiting there with a small rowboat. The scent of thistles was in the air about him.
"Your group has grown a little," the dark-haired captain commented. Then he knelt before Fai and Yuui. First, he took Fai's hand and pressed his forehead against it. Next, he took Yuui's hand and kissed it. "Greetings, Fai and Yuui. I am Kamui Shiro, captain of my otouto's guard."
The twins were no longer surprised to be meeting faeries who knew their names. They both nodded as he stood aside and allowed them through to the boat. Once the entire group was onboard, the boat slowly began to move away from the shore on its own. The morning mist was only just beginning to drift apart. Tsubasa Island was just barely visible in the distance. When they'd gotten about halfway to the island, Doumeki took Fai's hand and Subaru took Yuui's.
"What's going on?" Yuui asked, her free hand instinctively reaching for her growing child.
"The journey into Faerie can be a little…jarring…for someone who has never made it before," Subaru explained. When Fai heard this, his eyes found Doumeki's.
"You've…been to Faerie before?" he realized.
Doumeki nodded, keeping Fai's gaze. However, before he could ask anything more, the boat, suddenly and quickly, sank beneath the surface of the lake. It happened so fast that both twins began to gasp in shock. However, before the water had a chance to flow into their mouths, the boat resurfaced. Fai coughed…and was very surprised to find that the action did not produce any water. Yuui shook her head, but her long hair yielded no droplets of water. They were all completely dry.
"Is this Faerie?" Fai asked, looking around as the boat sailed itself to the opposite shore of the lake.
"It is," Subaru said softly. "We're still sailing on Spirit Lake, but we've crossed the bridge. Spirit Lake is the mirror…the gateway between worlds. No one really knows how the realms came to be connected, but the fact remains that they are."
Neither of the twins could see much of anything. As far as they could tell, the lake was resting in an endless field of lush, green grass. Yuui thought she could see a village in the distance, but that was about it.
"So…where, exactly, are we going?" Fai asked as Doumeki helped him out of the boat and onto the shore.
"You can't see it because you've lived your life as a human," Kamui started to explain. When he climbed out of the boat he reached his hand back to help Yuui out, but she shied away from his touch. Subaru and Kamui exchanged looks and the young lord reached out his own hand. Yuui did not shy away from him. "Just give it a few minutes."
"Do faeries pass between the realms often?" Yuui asked.
"Quite often," Subaru answered.
"We're at Spirit Lake all the time. How come we've never seen any?" Fai asked.
"Well, you don't tend to see what you're not looking for, now do you?" Kamui explained casually.
"Can humans do it?" Fai continued.
"No. Pure-blood humans cannot pass between the realms without the help of a faerie."
"Could we do it?"
"Yes. You have enough fey blood in you for that."
Fai looked thoughtful for a moment. "Say…Kamui-san…you're a faerie."
"Glad you noticed," he said sarcastically.
"If we're…part-fey…you wouldn't happen to know who our parents are, would you?"
All three faeries froze for a hairsbreadth of a moment. Doumeki quickly threw Kamui an icy glare from behind Fai.
You've taken so much away already. If you say one God damn word-
"No," Kamui finally answered. "It happens all the time. Some woman takes to bed with something not human and walks away with a child. In this case, two children. It could be anyone."
"I see," Fai said softly. He knew when he was being lied to. Goddess knew he had lied to Kurogane everyday before his sixteenth birthday. He had learned to recognize the signs. He had realized not long ago that their guardians were lying to them as well. If not their human parent, Himawari, Doumeki, Watanuki, and now Subaru and Kamui, all knew who their fey parent was. However, he didn't believe that possessing that knowledge would make things hurt any less. He thought he could see quite plainly what had happened. Their mother had had a one-night stand and ended up with a pair of unwanted babies. Either their human mother had been afraid of having half-fey children or their fey mother had been ashamed of having half-human children. Whichever scenario it was, that mother had left them alone in Celes Forest to die. Some bitter part of his heart wanted to see the shock on that mother's face if she ever found out they were still alive.
Sorry to have inconvenienced you…mother!
"Don't think like that." Fai suddenly heard his guardian's voice in his ear. Then he was being pulled into Doumeki's strong embrace right along with Yuui. When he heard her crying softly, he realized that she had been thinking similar thoughts.
"What other way is there to think? We were unwanted," he whispered against their guardian's chest, trying desperately to hold back his own sorrow at his revelation. "That's plain to see."
"That's not true," Soel squeaked.
"Fai and Yuui are wanted," Larg chimed in. "Soel and Larg love Fai and Yuui!"
"Don't ever think that you're unwanted," Doumeki whispered fiercely to them. "Watanuki wants you. Kunogi wants you. I want you. Fai, Kurogane wants you. And Yuui, Tomoyo wants you. Your child wants you. It doesn't matter who your parents were. There are people who want and need you now. There are people who love you…who will always love you…no matter where you came from."
"You know…don't you?" Fai whispered back. His tone was just as fierce as his protector's, but it contained a note of harshness where Doumeki's held only devotion.
Doumeki could see that Fai was trying to be tough, but he knew him too well to think that it was anything but a front. He'd never had any trouble reading what these children were thinking. He could see how lost they were right now.
"Yes," he answered honestly. "But you and I had a deal. I'll tell you everything…but not a moment before your eighteenth birthday."
"I really do hate to break this up, but we should be on our way," Kamui interjected.
"Way to where?" Yuui asked softly. However, the answer became quite clear when the twins pulled away from Doumeki. A grand palace had appeared on the lake's shore…a palace far more grand than even the one in Shirasagi.
"When…did that get there?" Fai asked nervously.
"It was always there. It's like I said, your eyes just needed time to adjust."
"You should keep your hoods low when we enter," Doumeki warned them as he pulled his own hood further down.
"Why?" Yuui asked.
"Quite a few of the courtiers will know you have mortal blood just by the scent of you," Subaru explained. "We don't need to provoke them any further. We must be as inconspicuous as possible." When the small group was ready to move forward, the faerie lord held out his hand for Yuui. She took it hesitantly. She didn't say anything, but she'd been unnerved by his use of the word provoke.
Kamui led the small group toward the main gates of the palace. Subaru came after him, leading Yuui, and Doumeki came behind them, leading Fai.
"Why aren't there any guards?" Yuui asked as they passed through the gate, remembering her experience with gates in Nihon.
"Heh, only a fool would attempt to enter King Clow Reed's sithen uninvited," Kamui replied, smirking lightly.
As their guides led them through the palace, both twins stared resolutely at the floor. Fai because he had no desire to see the realm that had produced Seishiro and Fuuma. He had heard tales of Faerie from his guardians, his friends, and his lover. He would not be taken in by whatever beauty it had to offer. Yuui because she was trying her hardest not to get sick again. With every new fey courtier that passed, a new scent attacked her defenseless nostrils. Her morning sickness hadn't yet subsided and she didn't know how long she could last. It would be utterly mortifying if she had to get down on her knees and heave up the last of her dinner in front of all these faeries.
If the siblings had been looking, they would have seen all the curious stares they were receiving. However, none of the castle's inhabitants stopped the small party to question them about the mortal taint that suddenly walked among them because Kamui looked like he was on the warpath.
After what felt like hours of misery for Yuui, she heard Subaru whisper to her, "We're here."
It was something both terrifying and relieving. She would be out from under the scrutiny of all these strangers…but she would have to face Fuuma again. Could she even…handle it?
"Don't be afraid," she suddenly heard Fai whispering to her, his hand slipping into hers as the door to Fuuma's chamber was thrown open. "I'm here with you."
"Larg and Soel are here, too," Larg added, nuzzling up against her cheek again. Yuui swallowed hard, grateful to be surrounded by family in this moment as she followed Subaru into the room.
"Fuuma!" Kamui called. "Fuuma! Are you here?"
When Fuuma entered his sitting room from his bedroom, he was actually looking a little bit happy to hear Kamui's voice. His scent filled the room and his eyes shone dimly. But then he saw who was with him.
For a moment, they both froze. Then Yuui promptly collapsed to her knees and began to vomit all over the plush blue carpet. The scent of cinnamon was just too overwhelming after the trek through the palace.
Fai and Subaru were immediately on the floor next to her. Fai held her hair back and Subaru placed a hand on her shoulder. That hand immediately began to glow. The vomiting stopped soon after Yuui felt the warm glow of his magic. After awhile, the churning in her stomach stopped, as well.
"Feel better?" Subaru asked. Yuui nodded as he and her brother helped her stand and walked her over to one of the couches. Fuuma continued to stare the whole time, even as Doumeki began to clean up Yuui's mess.
"Why…are you here?" he finally managed to choke out. He hadn't had a moment of real peace since that night in the labyrinth almost two months ago. He hadn't even been able to sleep very well because he could only ever see Yuui's accusing eyes in his nightmares. However, there was nothing accusing about her as he looked at her now. All he could see was a tired, miserable girl.
And he'd done that to her.
Yuui couldn't bring herself to look up at him. She just sat on the couch with Larg in her lap, her hands folded around it, seeking comfort from its warm weight. Fai's hand was on one shoulder and Subaru's was on the other.
"There is…something I have to tell you," she finally whispered. She could feel tears gathering behind her eyes.
He waited silently. He knew what she was about to say, but he didn't want to face it.
"I am going to have a child. Your child."
The faerie lord remained completely frozen, as if he were made of stone. Some part of her wanted him to hold her, like an ordinary man holds his woman at such news, but he was not an ordinary man, and this was not an ordinary situation. The only time he had ever touched her was as a prelude to taking her.
Hold me. Show me some sign that this news is a joy to you. Please! Tell me that I wasn't used! She wanted to weep from frustration, but she would not be the first to do so before the interview was over.
"A gift from the Goddess," he finally murmured.
"Yes," she returned weakly. "Do…do you not wish to hold me?"
He hesitated. For a moment, she thought he might be about to soften. But then he said, "Your condition is delicate," and turned away from her.
"Wait a minute!" Fai shouted as he got to his feet. "Is that really all you're going to say to her?! I think you owe her something better!"
"Fai-kun, calm down," Subaru tried to cajole him as he, too, stood.
"No! I want him to treat my sister with a little more respect! He thinks he can take what he wants from her without any consequences! It's easy for him to walk away from her like nothing ever happened, but she'll have to deal with the consequences of his actions for the rest of her life! Don't think I'm just going to let him walk away!"
As Fai continued to argue with Subaru and Kamui, Fuuma slowly turned to face Yuui once again. She wasn't looking at him. She was staring at her hands, twisting nervously in her lap. Larg was nuzzling up against her belly, trying to calm her. God, but it tore him up to see her like this. She shouldn't have to deal with something like this, but here she was, two months pregnant and in his sitting room on the verge of an emotional breakdown.
That's your fault.
As the others continued to argue, Fuuma moved toward Yuui, kneeling before her. When Larg noticed this, its first instinct was to lash out at the Monou lord, but then it saw his red eyes. Yuui gasped lightly when he laid his head in her lap next to Larg and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I'm so sorry, Yuui-chan," he said softly as tears began to spill down his face. At the sound of his voice, everyone else fell silent. "I never wanted this. I only did what I had to. I don't remember anything either."
"What do you mean?" Yuui asked, tears gathering at the corners of her own eyes.
"I drank the same potion you did. I don't remember anything that happened. But you have to understand…every moment that you weren't with child was a danger to yourself and everyone you love."
"I don't understand."
"For now, it is probably best that you don't," Subaru said, retaking his place by her side. "All you need to know is that you had to have a child. You can never do that with your own lover, so we had to take matters into our own hands."
"How do you know about Tomoyo?"
"We're fey, Yuui. It isn't difficult for us to get information when we need it," Kamui replied.
"You…you could have asked me."
"Would you…could you…have believed us?"
"The end justifies the means? Is that what you're saying?" Fai asked bitterly.
"Yes. That's how it is," Subaru said softly. "We're forbidden to tell you anything now, but you will learn the truth on your eighteenth birthday. You will understand why it had to be done. We will never bring harm to you or yours again. From this point on, your guardians will not be the only ones protecting you. We will be watching over you as well."
"What exactly is her baby to you?" Fai questioned.
"Everything," Kamui responded sharply. "This child is everything. If you wish it, we three will swear the formal oaths of knights. The three of you are everything and we will protect you."
"I don't understand why this is so important."
"Fuuma-san is the heir to King Reed's throne," Subaru explained. "He must have an heir of his own."
"But…why me?" Yuui asked as the tears finally started to spill down her cheeks.
"That is the part that we cannot yet explain, Yuui-chan. I'm sorry."
"If…if you want…I don't even have to be part of the baby's life," Fuuma whispered against her. "If you wish it, I will walk out of your life forever after this moment. I won't ever try to take your baby from you. I don't need to be its otou-san."
"As far as I'm concerned, this baby belongs to Tomoyo."
Fuuma nodded, allowing more tears to slip down his face. He did want to be part of his child's life, but he would respect her wishes.
"But she will know who her otou-san is. She will know who gave her life. I won't shut you out."
The faerie lord glanced up at Yuui, surprise etched into his tear-stained face. A gentle smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth. Confronting him like this, she had begun to see that he had suffered just as much as she had. Then she gave him the words that he'd been longing to hear ever since he had been given his dreadful task nearly two years ago.
"I forgive you, Fuuma-san."
He stared at her for a moment, shocked. Had she really just…
"Thank you!" he sobbed as he collapsed back into her lap, his tears of relief and vindication soaking her blue skirt. "You're an angel, Yuui-chan! Thank you!"
"I think I understand you now, Fuuma-san. I know you made a lot of mistakes, but now I see that it wasn't all your fault. I think…that you deserve to be in your child's life."
To both Fai and Yuui's surprise, both Kamui and Subaru were suddenly kneeling before her on either side of Fuuma.
"Thank you, Yuui-chan," Subaru said, taking her left hand and kissing it.
"You are truly worthy of the Goddess' love," Kamui said, copying his younger brother's actions with her right hand. "From this day forward, we three will be your knights. We will guard you, your child, and your brother."
"Thank you," Yuui said softly. "I still don't understand what's going on…but I trust you."
"Are you sure, Yuui?" Fai asked, still glaring suspiciously at the three faeries kneeling before his sister.
Fuuma looked up at her, suddenly curious as to her response. Seeing his expression, Yuui ran gentle fingers through his hair and pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of his head. He seemed so much like a lost child.
"I'm sure. I think…that we're all caught up in something bigger than ourselves. It's no one's fault."
"Alright. If that's what you want. Doesn't mean I'll take my eyes off of them, though," Fai warned, eying each of the three knights warily.
"You won't be the only one," Doumeki said softly. "These three have yet to redeem themselves in my eyes…and I imagine they will have trouble redeeming themselves in the eyes of the king."
"But…Uncle doesn't know."
"He does now."
At that very moment, the door to Fuuma's chambers opened wide, revealing King Clow Reed and Lady Kotori Monou.
"Oh, Goddess!" Fuuma cried out, turning away from his family and burying his face in Yuui's lap again. He had just faced her. How could they expect him to face them, too?
"Nii-sama?" Kotori whispered gently. "Why won't you look at us?"
The Monou lord mumbled something, but it was lost in Yuui's skirt. Kamui and Subaru quickly moved to kneel before their king. Doumeki, too, bowed low.
"Please, Your Highness," Subaru pleaded. "Have mercy on Fuuma-san. None of this is his fault."
"I know. I heard everything outside. Remember?" he said solemnly as he moved past the two brothers. As he approached Fuuma and the twins, Yuui lowered her head and Fai bowed, keeping his hands on Yuui's shoulders. Fuuma finally pulled himself away from Yuui and knelt before his uncle.
"Why do you lower your eyes?" Clow asked, gazing sadly down at Yuui as he lifted her chin up to look into her eyes.
"You are…Clow Reed…King of Faerie," she said softly. It wasn't exactly a hard conclusion to draw.
"Be that as it may, young one, there is no need for the two of you to lower your heads before me."
Fai straightened, joining Yuui in looking surprisedly up at the king. Both could hardly believe how tired he seemed.
"I'm sorry to have brought this on you, my girl. I wanted to keep you both out of this, but I-"
"It's not your fault, sir!" Yuui insisted, jumping to her feet. She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't stand the thought of this man being unhappy. She had known him all of five minutes and she already felt close to him.
"Please don't, child. You have no idea of the mess you've been pulled into. It is my fault. I am king here. Everything is my fault."
All are punished.
"Please, don't be sad," she begged. "I'm happy. Really, I am. Tomoyo and I can have a family this way."
Clow gave her a small smile. "You want a family with her? You really want to be with your princess that badly?"
"More than that, even," she said with a fond smile.
"And you, Fai-kun? How badly do you want to be with your prince? Would you want a family with him?" the king asked him.
Fai's initial thought was to ask how he knew about him and Kurogane, but he was beginning to learn not to ask how faeries knew things. Instead, he said, "I'd give anything to have a family with Kurogane…if it were possible. I…I love him. I'd love to give him the family he deserves, but…even though I can't, I'd gladly stay with him forever."
Because I'm too selfish…too weak…and I can't give him up! Even if it means the end of his line, I want to be with him always. I want to be near him until the last breath leaves my body…and even beyond that.
Fai's breath caught in his throat when the faerie king caught his gaze. Something in him knew that he had somehow heard his despair…his need…his love.
"I think, Fai-kun, that you are the only family that boy needs. You shouldn't fear."
The mark of the God and the Goddess is in your eyes, child. Nothing, not even death, can truly part you from him.
The twins couldn't even begin to explain why, but they both suddenly felt like they were going to burst into tears of relief. Somehow, this ancient being had made them feel that everything was really going to be alright.
"Kotori-chan, would you please remain here? Shizuka-kun, I wish to speak with you in private."
Doumeki just nodded and followed the king out of the room.
"Doumeki knows the king?" Yuui whispered to Fai, wide-eyed.
"Oh, yes," Kotori said with a smile. "Doumeki-san is a very great friend of our family." Holding out her arms, the noble came forward and swept Yuui into a big hug. "Welcome to the family, Yuui-chan. I believe that's my niece you're carrying."
"You're-"
"Uh-huh. Lady Kotori Monou, Fuuma's imouto, but you can call me Kotori-chan."
Yuui took a step back from Kotori, taking a moment to size her up as she'd been too distracted to do since she'd entered the room. By the mere feel of her presence, the young woman had suspected something about the noble, but when she looked into her eyes, her suspicions were confirmed.
"You're like me," she said softly.
"Yes," Kotori replied, still smiling. "We're the same."
"How do you know that baby is a niece, Kotori-chan?" Subaru teased as he moved back toward the small group. "Maybe it's a nephew?"
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Kamui shot back.
"Kotori knows everything. She's so smart," Soel cheered.
"Oh, Soel-chan, you're making me blush. I don't know everything," Kotori tried to wave the white creature off as she sat down on the couch, pulling Yuui down with her. Then she turned her attention to her brother, who was still kneeling on the floor at Yuui's feet.
"Nii-sama, please, come up and sit with us."
"I'm not worthy enough to sit beside Yuui-sama," he murmured, placing a hand on her knee and reminding everyone very distinctly of a dog.
"Fuuma-san, please don't be like this," Yuui said, taking the faerie lord's submissive hand in hers. "I accept your vow of service, but I'm not your master. I don't want you treating me like some kind of noblewoman, because I'm not. I'm just an orphaned forest brat. I didn't forgive you so you could grovel at my feet. Please…come sit with us."
"As Yuui-sama wishes," he said, kissing her hand and moving up onto the couch.
"Nii-sama, this isn't what she wants. She just wants you to be her friend."
Fuuma sighed. "I don't understand how you can even stand to look at me."
Kotori shook her head as she took her brother's face in her hands and turned him to face her. The look in her eyes told him what he needed to know.
"You…knew?'
She nodded.
"And do you know why I didn't step in?"
Fuuma just shook his head.
"Because I can also see a day after this one. I can see your baby smiling and laughing, learning to walk and speak. It has your ears, Yuui-chan's beautiful hair, and Kaa-san's eyes. It will be a beautiful baby…and I want to meet that child, Nii-sama."
Fuuma relaxed a little and Yuui, upon hearing her words, got that serene, secretive smile on her face again as she placed a hand against the small swell in her belly.
"What were your kaa-san's eyes like?" she asked. She wanted a complete picture of her future child.
"Kaa-san had the most beautiful green eyes you've ever seen. They looked like little flower buds ready to burst into bloom whenever she smiled. They were so lovely…until they turned red…" she trailed off.
"What?"
"Blood is red. It's sweet and salty, life and death. It flows…drips, ripples, and pours…hair turns red…"
"Kotori-chan?" Yuui whispered nervously.
"You should feel honored that she lasted that long, Yuui," Kamui said softly. "Normally she's only that lucid around His Highness, Fuuma, Subaru, Kero, and myself."
"What are you talking about?" Yuui asked, never taking her eyes away from Kotori's suddenly glassy expression.
"Kotori-chan suffered some…traumatic experiences…when she was very young. She hasn't been truly the same since," the captain said sadly. "There's no telling when the shifts will happen."
"Nii-sama," Kotori began softly. "I think my hair is going to turn red."
Fuuma's face hardened briefly and he pulled his little sister into a tight hug. Her face remained mostly expressionless.
"Don't talk like that, Imouto. That's not going to happen again."
"Oh, dear," Subaru whispered as he sat down on the couch opposite them. Kamui reluctantly joined him, both of them staring sympathetically at the pair of siblings. Fai stared at the babbling faerie noble in morbid fascination as he moved around from the back of the couch to sit down beside Yuui. In his eyes, faeries had always seemed to be the epitome of power and control. To see one like this…
The young man was pulled out of his thoughts when he noticed Kotori staring at him. She had shifted in her brother's arms and her glassy, unfocused eyes seemed to somehow be focusing on him. She was humming a soft lullaby, and before long, words were slipping out of her mouth.
--Hear this song
And remember,
Soon you'll be
Home with me,
Once upon
A December.
"Your hair's going to turn red," she finally said to him. Soel and Larg both gasped and the Shiro brothers' eyes opened wide. Fai and Yuui both suddenly felt extremely cold, though neither of them understood what she was talking about. But then Kotori scrunched up her face, as if trying desperately to remember something buried deep in her mind.
"No…red's not visible…in the dark…not when hair turned red mixes with black hair. Eyes of the sky will turn red, too…just like the green ones did…but that doesn't matter when they join with demon eyes…eyes that will kiss life back into the sky with rivers of blood flowing from the edge of his sword. The land will turn red that his love should remain pure."
Then Kotori wriggled out of her brother's embrace and leaned across Yuui as if she wasn't even there. Fai remained frozen stiff as her delicate fingers closed around the moon pendant resting on his chest.
"The moon is the hidden prince, reflecting the sun's light, holding him in his arms and revealing his true warmth. Only the moon truly knows the sun and only the sun can see the true face of the moon. Without the moon, the sun would be unable to hold his great head high. He would be unable to rise from his bed each morning to face his celestial court if he did not have the moon at his back. The moon belongs to the sun, just as the sun belongs to the moon. Only in each other's arms will they know true happiness…and just as the moon will awake to new life in the arms of the sun, only in the arms of the moon will the sun at last be redeemed. The sun king will soon lead the people in a great battle…and the moon king's time draws near. He will no longer be the hidden prince. He will be the catalyst that rouses the sun prince to become a king and together they will bring either light or darkness to the world."
As the last words left her lips, Kotori's eyes fluttered closed and she collapsed in Yuui's lap, sound asleep and leaving a shocked silence behind her. Still shell-shocked, Fai slowly turned his gaze down to his charm.
The sun? The sun prince? The sun king? She couldn't have been talking about…Kuro-tan…could she? But…the hidden prince…the moon king? It couldn't possibly be…me…could it? The sun and the moon…could it mean that…we'll really be together? But…she's crazy…isn't she? But she's also like Yuui.
"I don't understand," he whispered despairingly as he fingered the pendant. For a moment the cool depths of the sapphire charm seemed to glow, but the glimmer was gone so fast that he was almost certain that he'd imagined it.
XxX
"How far along is she?" Clow asked. The moment he and Doumeki had stepped out of Fuuma's quarters, he had erected a kekkai around them so that no one who happened to pass by would be able to see or hear them.
"About two months now."
"How long have you known?"
"For certain? About a week."
"Why didn't you tell me this?"
"My apologies, my king, but you did not see fit to tell us that you had informed the Shiro brothers of the secret carried within Fai and Yuui's blood."
"I didn't."
Doumeki stiffened briefly. "Then…if you didn't tell them…who did?"
"It couldn't have been Fuuma-kun. He was just as affected by this plot as Yuui-chan was."
"Seishiro," Doumeki said sharply, everything suddenly coming together in his head. "It has to be."
"What do you mean?"
Doumeki sighed. He had to tell Clow the truth, even though they'd all promised not to. "Your Majesty…Seishiro raped Fai."
The king's eyes widened in horror. "What?"
"Nearly two years ago he used his Hand of Illusion on him…and raped him in his mind. The experience…almost killed him."
"Why did you not tell me about this?"
"We were afraid for his safety. We feared that if we told anyone, it would compromise the twins. The fewer people who knew, the better. It would seem that our fears were well grounded. Seishiro probably already had his attack on Yuui planned when he came to Fai that night. It must have been him who told Subaru and Kamui about Fai and Yuui. He must have tricked them into believing that he didn't want the throne and that the best way to prevent it would be to get a child on Yuui," he speculated.
"But that is the best way. I don't see what he stands to gain from this."
Maybe Clow couldn't see, but Doumeki certainly could. He had watched his poor children suffer the effects of Seishiro's mind games. It was true that they both had people who could help them through their nightmares, but their hellish experiences were never going to truly leave either of them. Seishiro had gained…he had gained infinitely more than anyone had been able to foresee.
"He gained the complete and utter annihilation of their innocence. He knew what he was doing. Will Fai really be able to stand against him when the time comes?"
"So Kimihiro-kun told you?"
"Yes. In all honesty, I can hardly believe I didn't see it sooner. Yuuko must have had another reason than vengeance for lusting so blindly after them for eighteen years. And instead of attacking them directly, she had her knight undermine their defenses from within. They're so vulnerable right now…if he or Yuuko makes another attack…I fear for their survival. He could break them with a word."
"So…you think…that all these years…my son was just using Subaru-kun?" Clow asked stiffly.
"I think it's the only explanation. It would probably be wise to warn him against seeing him from now on. Fai and Yuui are too important to risk on Lord Shiro's naivety." Neither did Doumeki mean that the twins were important politically. He meant that they were important to the hearts and sanity of three faeries and two humans.
But…my son loves Subaru-kun. I know he does…and Subaru-kun loves him! Some part of Clow Reed just couldn't bear to give up the hope that his child still existed somewhere within the Sakurazukamori. The happy boy whom Yuuko had carried in her womb…and nursed…and whom they had both loved…the boy who had so loved his parents…the boy who had loved his mother enough to risk sacrificing himself for her wish…the one who made young Subaru's green eyes sparkle so brightly…he couldn't really be gone forever…could he?
Doumeki, however, was not willing to hinge the lives of the people he loved on such a pale, fragile hope.
"There is also the matter of Yuui's engagement to Prince Kurogane," he said softly, breaking into Reed's thoughts. "Surely by now you are aware that Amaterasu is under the control of the Dark Court. Selling her to them now would be careless, dangerous, and heartless. Watanuki and Kunogi both agree with me and…we were hoping that you might speak with Sakura and Syaoran. As much as we love them…it's not our place to speak for them. We…don't want to see them get hurt."
Clow stared at the weather sprite for a long, silent moment. To someone who did not know the stoic assassin, he would have seemed as emotionless as ever; but to someone who had known him from the moment of his birth, he was displaying a boundless sea of love, worry, and heartache. His time with the twins had opened him up in more ways than even he, himself probably realized. Perhaps…those babies had even helped him start to reconcile his role with his nature…something that not even his own mother had been able to do. Listening to him now, Clow realized that Fai and Yuui were just as much his children as Seishiro was his child.
Dear God, Merciful Goddess! What have I done?! They have such a wonderful life…and I'm going to drag them all back into this war. This beautiful little family is going to be destroyed. Powers in Heaven! What have I done?!
"Yes. O-of course," he finally managed to get out. "I will do my best to intercede on your daughter's behalf."
Doumeki's eyes widened infinitesimally at hearing Yuui referred to as his daughter, but he let the comment pass.
"Thank you, Your Highness. We would be most grateful."
"How fare Himawari-chan and Kimihiro-kun?" They had at least informed him of Seishiro's attack on Watanuki and the curse Kyle had placed upon Himawari. The king felt guilty for all the suffering he'd made his loyal subjects endure, but at the same time, he was always awed by the self-sacrifice he saw in each one of them. Watanuki, Himawari, and Doumeki gave almost no mind to their own pain. Everything was for Fai and Yuui.
"Watanuki is fine. He's become a bit more sensitive to dark magic, and he's recovered well from Koryu's attack. But Kunogi…she is struggling. It's very hard for her…not to be able to hold them as she once did." Himawari was suffering day by day. Without the touch of her sweet babies, she was slowly wasting away to nothing. What would become of her…on the night of their eighteenth birthday?
"I see," Clow said sadly. He knew that this would be hardest on Himawari. She was their mother in everything but blood. It was killing her not to be able to hold them close…and it would destroy her when she had to give them back to Sakura. It would kill something in each of them.
And I've brought this on you. I asked you to do the impossible.
"If you will accept my sincerest apologies, my king, it is about time I was taking the twins home. It will be night in the mortal world soon. Subaru has been very kind to Yuui. I would not make an oath breaker out of him," Doumeki said with a polite nod of his head.
"Of course, Shizuka-kun, by all means," he said softly as he released the kekkai.
"Thank you, Majesty," Doumeki said before moving back into Fuuma's quarters with the king following silently behind him. "I imagine we'll meet again before too long."
Reed smiled sadly to himself as he watched Doumeki gather the twins and the Mokona from among the other pairs of siblings. He did not have the heart to tell him that…
…No. You and I will never meet again in this lifetime.
"Goodbye…Shizuka-kun."
XxX
Kyle stood before the full-length mirror in Amaterasu's chambers, steeling his nerves. He couldn't believe what he was about to do…but it had to be done. The queen had no child of his body. He would have loved to have a child off of Tomoyo, but the court would ask far too many questions if she were to suddenly become pregnant. Besides, if his suspicions were correct, then he might not even be able to-
Don't you dare think like that, Kyle! It can't possibly be your fault. You just need to try something different, that's all.
Having managed to partially quell his fears, Kyle raised his hands and chanted a few words. Then the mirror began to glow. However, when the glow ceased, the glassy surface reflected neither the queen's bedchamber nor the one he was seeking. It was simply black.
"Koryu?" he called out. "Koryu, why is this mirror blanked?"
"Hmm, let's think about this for a moment," the Oni lord's sarcastic voice dribbled from the opaque mirror. "Why, oh why, could I possibly have my mirror blanked?"
"No need for sarcasm, Koryu. I just needed to speak with you."
"Oh, fine," the young noble grumbled. The next moment, his bedchamber was reflected in the mirror's surface. He was sitting up in bed and, as far as Kyle could tell, he was naked. He could just barely make out the head of blonde hair lying in the bed next to him. Upon closer inspection, Kyle slowly started to notice something about the bed's other occupant.
"Koryu…is that…a human?"
Koryu glanced down at his dazed bedmate. The young man was only half-awake and he was mumbling incoherently. He knew Kyle couldn't see it from where he was, but he was holding his hand beneath the blanket.
"Why, yes, I believe it is."
"Since when do you sleep with humans?"
"Don't see how that's any of your business," Koryu growled softly. In truth, it was a habit he'd taken up soon after becoming lord of the Oni. Being master of the clan was putting a severe strain on his energy. He had become a much more subdued faerie and he was beginning to develop a healthy respect for his older cousin. He could hardly fathom how Kokuyo had managed to master the Oni and still be as virile as he was. He had his nights when he was still up for a little rough fucking, but those nights came less and less often. Nowadays, he preferred gentler partners. He would venture into the bars of Shirasagi and Cephiro and seduce human men and women. Noble or beggar, soldier or whore, he didn't care. He took them all to his bed…whomever happened to catch his interest. This particular conquest had actually been a bit of a challenge. It had taken a great deal of magic to seduce him away from his post. He was one of the ninja who guarded the gates of Shirasagi. He was fairly certain his name was Saiki…or something like that. He'd had to knock out the other guard because he really just had not been interested in a threesome tonight. Then he'd taken his new toy out for a few drinks before bringing him back home. He'd been an absolutely brilliant lay. He was most definitely a beacon among mortals. Hell, he was almost as good as some of the lesser fey. Koryu was almost tempted to erase his memory and take him on as a new pet…almost. He knew himself too well to think that his desire for him would last more than a few months.
"Alright. Alright. Message received."
"What was it you wanted to speak to me about? I'm a little busy right now," he lied. They'd been done for awhile when Kyle's summons had come. He was simply enjoying the warmth of the man he'd shared his bed with…another odd habit he'd only recently begun to indulge in.
"Would you be up for a little bit more excess this evening?"
"Depends on the excess in question."
Kyle stood aside to reveal Amaterasu lying naked on her large futon, staring listlessly at the face in the mirror. Koryu took one look at the broken queen…then turned skeptical eyes toward the older faerie.
"So?"
"I need your help."
XxX
"Hold still just a few more minutes, Yuui," Tomoyo scolded her, seizing her hair.
"But it hurts, koibito!" the blonde whimpered through clenched teeth, clutching her knees in pain.
"Don't worry. I've almost got it through. Just a few more seconds," the princess soothed her distraught lover as she fought for the last few inches with all her strength.
"Please…please, Tomoyo, hurry! I can't take much more…I can't…stand it!"
"Oh…stop…complaining!" Tomoyo cried out, giving a small cry of triumph as she finally managed to pull the hair ribbon taut around Yuui's blonde tresses. Yuui slumped forward as Tomoyo stood back to admire her work. She'd been battling with Yuui's silken blonde hair for quite awhile now. First, she had had Yuui bathe. The blonde had teasingly suggested that they do it together, but Tomoyo had insisted that they at least wait until after the ball. Once her hair was dry, the princess had started brushing it out and pulling it high atop her head. Ultimately, her long hair ended up tied atop her head with a green ribbon, cascading down her back in loose curls. Yuui was currently rubbing her sore scalp.
"Don't mess with it too much. I'll never forgive you if you ruin it. It took us so long to get it just right," Tomoyo scolded.
"But it's so tight. Why do I have to wear it like this?" she whined, massaging her stretched hairline.
"Because this is how Valerian nobles wear long hair. If you don't embrace the fashions, how will we ever pass you off as a young Valerian lord?"
"Don't worry," Larg tried to console from its place in front of Tomoyo's mirror. "Yuui is still pretty. Yuui and Tomoyo are both pretty."
A masked ball was being held in Shirasagi tonight, March thirty-first, in honor of Kurogane's marriage the following evening. Nobles from all around both kingdoms were going to be in attendance. The party would last well into the evening and the next day the wedding guests would all make the journey to the Valerian capital, Cephiro, for the long-anticipated event.
Fai, of course, had been spiraling ever further into depression as the days ticked down to Kurogane's wedding. So, in an effort to cheer him up, the royal siblings had invited him and Yuui to the ball. Tomoyo had also come up with something she considered to be a brilliant joke. She would attend the festivities on Yuui's arm, just as she had always dreamed of doing…only Yuui would be dressed as a man. Tomoyo had helped her into the many layers of one of Kurogane's old kimono: an exquisite piece of craftsmanship made of dark green silk and stitched with a pattern of golden oak leaves. The pattern was honestly better suited for autumn, but Tomoyo simply could not stand how handsome Yuui looked in it and had insisted she wear it. They had had to bind her voluptuous bosom very tightly, but the folds of the kimono easily concealed her four-month baby bump. Her delicate, feminine face would be concealed by a mask of green feathers made to look like a butterfly. Even wincing in pain and dressed as man, in Tomoyo's eyes, her love was still breathtaking. She herself was dressed in a furisode made of purple silk and patterned with tiny golden swallows and her face would be hidden by a purple-feathered mask that bore a strong resemblance to a cat. She and Yuui went so well together, she could hardly stand it.
They were going to tell anyone who asked that Fai and Yuui were the children of some noble along the southern coast of Valeria. After all, there were simply too many nobles to remember each and every one by name. To that end, Tomoyo had secured a very impressive ring set with a green Valerian pearl to match Yuui's outfit. It was hard to get one's hands on Valerian pearls, so this would help them sell the joke. In regards to pearls, Fai's outfit would be even more impressive. She had picked it out herself and she could hardly wait to see it.
"Koibito, you should at least be grateful that you get to play the man tonight. Do you have any idea how much more complicated a woman's kimono is?"
"Oh, I have an idea," Yuui said playfully. "Remember the part where I watched you put the outfit on?"
"Why yes, yes I do," she returned just as playfully, kneeling beside her lover. Yuui just shook her head in utter amazement.
"You are so beautiful," she whispered in rapture, taking both of Tomoyo's hands in hers.
"No more beautiful than you are, my love," she said softly, leaning in closer to steal a kiss from her.
However, just as their lips were about to press together, the sound of a door sliding open interrupted them.
"Now, now, Tomoyo-chan, you wouldn't want to smear your makeup, would you?" Souma asked as she swept into the room, a note of teasing present in her voice that couldn't usually be found whenever she stumbled upon her friends like this.
"Is Fai-kun ready, Souma-chan?"
Souma nodded, her eyes sparkling with glee. The excitement of the evening was getting to even her, though she had to dress in a kimono and do all of those things that she so detested. She was clothed in a bright yellow furisode that was patterned to look like the rays of the sun were shining upon it. The sunrays were stitched with golden thread, just like the patterns on hers and Yuui's kimono. In her hands, she held a golden tiger mask.
"May I present…Lady Fai of Valeria."
Kurogane was actually the first to enter the room upon her announcement. A meticulously carved red dragon mask was held in one hand. With his other hand, he led Fai. The prince was dressed in a kimono of fiery red silk that had been made especially for the occasion. A pattern stitched with black silk thread made it look like the garment was made of flashing scales rather than fabric. The intensity of the kimono further enhanced the fire that always lived within his crimson eyes, making them appear even more fiery and impassioned than usual. It was either this…or the fact that he had whom he considered to be the most beautiful creature in any land on his arm…that made him seem far more fierce than normal.
Tomoyo had known that she wouldn't be disappointed. Fai was…beautiful. He was dressed in one of her furisode. The soon-to-be-eighteen-year-old was a vision in the shimmering garment, crafted of fine blue silk with a gentle pattern of white feathers floating lazily across its folds. Fai had used magic to make his hair grow and his now long tresses were pulled back and held in place with a set of exquisite jade combs. His face had been powdered and his lips had been painted red. Souma had outlined his eyes with black kohl and the blue powder on his eyelids, along with the rich color of his costume, only served to enhance his already dazzling eyes, making them even more vivid than even the bluest depths of the ocean. A necklace made of Valerian pearls rested delicately around his slender neck and a set of matching pearl bracelets adorned his wrists. Pearl earrings hung from his earlobes, as well. They had also tucked pieces of scrap silk into the white hiyoku, the robe-like lining beneath the furisode. Held in place by the blue and white obi, the fabric gave him the faintest appearance of a bosom. Tomoyo could barely see it tucked away in his obi, but she knew it was his blue and white mask, made to look like a phoenix. Soel sat proudly atop his head, grinning like a maniac. Fai looked so much like Yuui. They truly were identical now. Yuui would have the court maids sighing and Fai would have all the men, young and old, chasing after him by the end of the evening. It was a veritable recipe for disaster.
"Fai's soooooo pretty," Soel sang excitedly. "Mokona bets that Kuro-prince wants to take those pretty clothes right back off and have him right up against the wall!"
Kurogane snarled as he lunged for Soel, but he was held back by his formal wear and Soel was much too fast anyway. In no more time than it took to blink, Soel was sitting beside Larg and the two were smirking lasciviously at him.
"You know something, Mokona? I think you're right," Fai teased, taking Kurogane's hand in his and turning the warrior prince to face him. He could almost feel his heart speed up as he leaned in close to him. "I know I'd like to do that."
Kurogane could feel himself blushing when he saw the look in Fai's eyes. Seriously? Does he always have to…in front of everyone…why can't he just-
Oh, who are you kidding? You want him to kiss you and you know it.
But of course, he didn't. He leaned in just close enough to kiss him, but then he teasingly backed off.
"I'd take any excuse to get out of this outfit. Do you know how many pieces it has? There are a million different linings hidden under this thing."
"But you do have to admit that it's funny, brother mine," Yuui retorted with a smirk.
"You can talk. You get to wear a man's kimono. I'll be tripping over these sleeves all night. Even if I manage to make it without doing that, I'll probably just melt right out of it."
Fai gave a small yelp when he suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap possessively around his middle and yank him back into a very warm embrace. It wasn't that he didn't know who it was. He just hadn't been expecting it.
"If you tease me anymore," a heated voice began to whisper in his ear, "we'll find more than one way of doing that tonight."
Fai shivered with anticipation as Kurogane's lust-tipped voice sent shudders of desire down his spine.
"I'll look forward to it, Kuro-horny."
As he knew it would, the nickname caused Kurogane to release him instantly. Fai turned, smiling teasingly at the blush spreading over his lover's face.
"I win," he said lightly, taking out his mask and putting it on.
Oh, we'll see about that, Kurogane thought, sneering wickedly as he put on his own mask and followed Fai out of the room.
The three girls exchanged glances before shrugging and putting on their own masks. As they headed out of Tomoyo's chambers, the Mokona simply continued to sing their almost lewd ballads.
XxX
Fai swallowed hard as Kurogane led him into the great hall. For all his earlier bravado, he had never attended a royal function before. What if he just messed everything up? He didn't think he could bear it if he spoiled their…last night…together.
"Don't speak if you can help it," Kurogane whispered to him as the eyes of all the guests turned to look at them. He hadn't planned to anyway. He wouldn't have known what to say when he started to hear the whispers flying throughout the hall.
"Who is she?"
"I've never seen her before."
"She's so beautiful."
"Who's the pretty girl on the prince's arm?"
"Maybe she's Valerian-"
"Perhaps a little snack after the evening's festivities…before the wedding."
The out-of-place forest boy was suddenly eternally grateful for the mask that hid the violent blush on his face. It wasn't like that last whisper was entirely false, but it was just the way the elderly noble had said it that made him blush and shiver with disgust. He latched onto Kurogane's arm even tighter. Thankfully, the prince was not deaf to the flying gossip.
"Don't worry," he soothed, placing a hand on the pale hand that held his arm. "You're mine…and no one else's. If anyone else tries to make that otherwise tonight, they'll have me to deal with."
Normally, Fai would have teased his boyfriend over such a possessive statement, but tonight, he clung desperately to it. He wasn't going to deny it. He was terrified. This was not his world.
As Kurogane continued to lead him through the crowd, Fai used his free hand to take out the fan Souma had given him and gratefully started to fan his exposed neck. On this warm spring night, the many layers of the furisode were unbearably hot and the blushing caused by some of the comments he was hearing and his overall feeling of dread weren't helping in the slightest.
"K-kuro-tan…I'm scared," he finally admitted.
Kurogane stopped walking and turned to face him, a teasing smirk lighting his eyes.
"You control more magic than these old fakes could ever dream of…you could have them eating out of your hands…and you're scared of them?"
"Don't tease, Kuro-sama," he whined softly, turning his gaze away from him. But then he felt his warm hand on his cheek, turning his face back toward him.
"So you're allowed to tease me, but I'm not allowed to tease you?"
"I was being serious."
"So was I," he said, the teasing fire in his eyes instantly becoming gentle. "You have nothing to be afraid of. No one's going to try to take you from me."
No one except your enigmatic fiancé, dear Kuro-rin…dearest love…soon to be a love lost.
Kurogane chuckled softly as he raised Fai's hand to his lips. Fai's own lips turned upward slightly when he felt the warm pressure of his love's kiss against his hand.
"Dance with me?"
Fai nodded, feeling a little better as Kurogane led him to the lines of dancing couples. He took several deep breaths as they started to dance.
"Don't think about them," Kurogane whispered to him as he drew him closer, much closer than they should have been when they were on public display like this. "There's no one else here. There's only you and me."
Fai just nodded again, snuggling gratefully against Kurogane's chest as they waltzed in time to the slow, lilting music.
"You're a wonderful dancer, Kuro-rhythm," he said after awhile. "You never did dance with us in the forest."
The dark-haired prince's growl clashed slightly with the music. "Just something else I couldn't get out of learning."
Fai giggled and a small smile worked its way onto Kurogane's face to hear it. As they continued to move together, the world seemed to fall away and it really was just the two of them. Suddenly, Fai gasped.
"Kuro-sama, this song! Isn't this the song you sang to me?" he asked, recognizing the soft tune. Kurogane just nodded, quietly singing the words as he spun Fai around. The blonde sighed longingly. They danced on, blind and deaf to all but each other, completely oblivious to the fact that they'd begun to draw an audience.
The two partners blended seamlessly together as they danced. They seemed to be two halves of the same whole: blue and red, fire and ice, yin and yang, the dragon and his phoenix. One could hardly not notice them. For all the attention they drew, they may as well have been the Lord and Lady themselves walking among the party guests. The love in their hearts was so pure and so powerful it drew almost every eye to them. They were the very image of love. They were so undeniably together, so clearly of one body, mind, and soul, that the partygoers simply became incapable of questioning the fact that the prince was with someone else the night before his wedding. The thing that glowed between them was much too beautiful for the likes of that. Even their sisters stopped their dance to watch them.
"They are just too cute for their own good," Yuui sighed dreamily.
"It's even sweeter, really," Tomoyo said, placing her hand on the spot where she knew Yuui's baby to be. "Considering what's going to happen tonight."
"Something's going to happen tonight? What have you seen? You have to tell me! Tell me right now!" Yuui demanded.
It would appear that I've seen a lot that you haven't seen, koibito.
"Alright, I'll tell you. So long as you promise not to spoil the surprise."
Unfortunately for the shining couple, it was not just this adoring kind of attention they were attracting. They were also drawing what both would have considered to be unwanted attention.
"Well, well, well," Kyle hissed from his place on the royal dais beside Amaterasu. "What have we here?"
"What is it?" Koryu asked. He was attending the ball as Kyle's personal guest.
"Do you see the maiden the prince is dancing with?"
"It's kind of hard to miss them with everyone staring at them like that," he snapped.
"She is one of the Fluorite twins. I'm sure of it," he whispered to him.
"You…you think?" Koryu queried, taking a second look at the happy pair. "Would their guardians really allow them to come here? Especially considering what tomorrow is?"
"More than likely they are unaware," he theorized.
"Then what are we waiting for? The other one must be here somewhere. Let's take them now!"
"No, you fool. There are far too many witnesses. Syaoran and Sakura themselves are here. Besides, why expend precious energy needlessly when Yuui is going to walk so willingly into our arms tomorrow night? There is no need to make a move. More than likely, it would be detrimental to our health to attempt to touch them now."
"So shoot me. It was just a suggestion. I thought you liked scoring points with the queen."
That is true.
Kurogane and Fai, meanwhile, were blissfully unaware of all the plotting that was happening around them. They were lost in each other…lost until the very moment the music ceased. Fai sighed, burying his face in Kurogane's chest.
"I love you, Kuro-koi." He knew that he'd said the words a million times, but he would say them a million more. He would say them until he could no longer draw breath to speak.
"I love you, too, baka," he whispered back, nuzzling Fai's soft hair. He wanted to kiss him so badly right now, but he knew that that would be a foolish and dangerous move in their present company, so he settled for softly resting his lips against the crown of Fai's head…not exactly a kiss, but close enough for now. "We just have to get through dinner…then it's just you and me…all night…until sunrise."
A wry grin softened Kurogane's features when he felt Fai's lips twist into a smile against his chest.
"I'd like that."
Their tender moment was suddenly and harshly interrupted by the applause of the assembled revelers. Fai's head jerked up, a faint blush becoming visible beneath his makeup as he glanced around at their audience.
"Everyone's staring at us."
"Wow, I honestly couldn't have called that," his partner returned sarcastically. But his manner turned serious again when he heard a small cry issue forth from Fai's lips. He turned and found Kyle standing right beside them, with Fai's right arm gripped tightly in his hand.
"May I cut in, Your Highness?" the leech asked, his ever-present lascivious smile on his face.
He's dangerous, Kurogane! Fai and Kurogane must get as far away from him as possible!
Separate Fai and Kyle at all costs. Get Fai away from him!
Kurogane didn't know where the little Mokona were hiding, but he knew it was them. He didn't need to be told twice that Kyle was dangerous. Only the fact that his hands were still on Fai kept him from tearing him limb from limb.
"No, you may not," he said, struggling to remain civil under all the scrutiny. "Kindly take your hand off of her."
Kyle did not. In fact, he only tightened his grip on Fai's arm. Kyle couldn't see it from where he stood, but Kurogane could see the utter terror building in Fai's eyes.
Please, Kuro-rin. I don't like this. Make him stop touching me! What if…what if he-
"Do it now!" he growled, the full force of his glare hidden beneath his dragon mask.
"Just out of curiosity, Majesty…what will you do if I don't?" he asked, keeping his tone light. But Kurogane still sensed the underlying threat in his words.
"I will kill you," he said simply, his need to protect Fai kicking in. This bastard had no right to be scaring Fai so badly. If he laid one more finger on him…it was his funeral.
"If you insist, my prince," Kyle said, finally relinquishing his hold on Fai's arm. Fai immediately snuggled back up to him, slipping both arms around his waist. Kurogane wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders and turned his fiercest glare on the worm.
"You've no business scaring her like that."
"'Twas all in good fun, Highness. I can't say that I blame you. This one is quite beautiful. If you don't mind my asking, young miss, who are you?"
"Her name is Lady Yuui," Kurogane answered for him. "She's from the south of Valeria."
"Ah. Lady Yuui, indeed?" Kyle murmured, a spark of something that Kurogane couldn't identify lighting his dark eyes. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. My compliments. Enjoy your evening, my dear lady." Then he was gone, right back to Amaterasu's side.
Kurogane growled low in his throat as he hugged Fai protectively against his chest, thankful that the other guests had already gotten back to the party and they hadn't created a scene.
"Th-thank you, Kuro-sama," Fai mumbled weakly, clinging to Kurogane as if he would collapse if he let go. "I…I don't like him. He's too much like…him."
"He won't touch you again!" Kurogane promised fiercely. "If he does, it's his head."
Fai giggled, desperately trying to shake off the terror and disgust in his system. "Kuro-prince is my hero. I know he won't let anything bad happen to me ever. He'll keep all the villains and nightmares away."
I was so scared, Kuro-chuu. Thank you…for protecting me.
"You're damn right I will," he said, pressing a quick kiss to the blonde's ear before leading him away from the dancing couples. However, that was the very moment the real commotion started. A loud clatter and a small cry of disgust echoed from the direction of the small buffet table.
"What was that?" the prince queried with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, no," Fai said, shaking his head. "Yuui's found the appetizers."
Yuui, having survived her first trimester and the intense bouts of morning sickness brought on by carrying a baby that was more than three quarters fey in her mortal body, had moved on to the point where she was eating everything in sight…all at once. The baby was putting massive demands on her body. The other night, Fai had awoken to find her bed empty and had gone down to the kitchen to find her shoveling carrots, bacon, and chocolate cupcakes into her mouth all at the same time.
Currently, the pregnant cross dresser was shoveling roll after roll of the kingdom's most expensive sushi into her mouth, indiscriminate of what kind they were. Tomoyo was standing beside her, having a good giggle while the courtiers stared at the spectacle.
"It's going to be here all night, you know?" Tomoyo chuckled.
"I can't help it, Tomoyo. I'm hungry. I need it. She needs it," she said, a small glob of sticky rice falling from the corner of her open mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," she scolded her, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder as she continued to indulge.
"Do you…maybe want to slow down a little bit?" Kurogane asked as he and Fai came up behind them. "I thought the idea was to not draw attention." Having said this, the prince wrapped a hand around her wrist and attempted to pull her back. At this, she turned to him and growled, smiling sweetly all the while. The growl so shocked him that he almost let go of her…almost. He didn't think Yuui had ever growled before.
"Kurogane-kun?" she began in a sickeningly sweet voice to match her arsenic smile. "You do know that I can tear your head off with my mind, right?"
Kurogane blinked several times. Yuui had never threatened him before either…not seriously, anyway. It was that surprise that allowed her to escape his grasp and go right back to scarfing down the sushi. However, the prince's next words stopped her cold.
"You think you'll be any good to that kid dead? Because that's what you'll be if you attack me. Either that or you draw too much attention to yourself and get arrested for not being who you say you are."
Yuui's lower lip began to tremble and her eyes shone brightly with tears. Then she flung her arms around her friend and gave a small, muffled cry as she buried her face in his chest.
"Ano…Fai…a little help?" he requested as he tried to pry Yuui's arms from around his body.
"Sorry, Kuro-koi. This is much too amusing," the blonde said with a giggle.
You'll pay for this later. I'll make sure of it.
"I'm so sorry, Kurogane-sama!" she cried. "I can't help it. I need to eat. My belly feels like it's on fire. I can hear my baby crying out that she's going to die if I don't eat. I promise I'll be quiet. Just please let me eat. We need it."
"Alright. Alright. I get it," Kurogane capitulated. "Just don't be so messy about it."
A bright smile instantly lit Yuui's tearful face and the desperate grip became a cheerful hug.
"Thank you, Kurogane-sama. Your niece loves you very much," she said before happily starting back on the sushi.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say she was excited about something," Souma said with a grin as she joined the small group. "But do you really think you should let her eat nigiri?"
Tomoyo and Kurogane both turned horrified eyes back to Yuui just as she shoved a piece of tuna nigiri into her mouth. The moment she began to chew, her eyes began to water and she threw her head back, a very odd cry escaping her lips. Tomoyo rushed back to her, grabbing her by the shoulders to keep her calm.
"That was intense," she said, shaking her head to try and clear it. For a moment, it had felt like someone had fired an arrow through the roof of her mouth and into her head.
"I'm sorry Yuui. I should have warned you. Nigiri rolls have little dollops of wasabi in them."
"You don't have any more of that, do you?" Whatever wasabi was, it certainly packed quite a punch.
Tomoyo just shook her head, mirth gleaming in her violet eyes. "Oh, Yuui. Yuui. Yuui."
All of the friends were having a good laugh over it when Yuui suddenly got a very strange look on her face and her hand shot to her stomach.
"Are you alright?" Tomoyo asked, all mirth disappearing, only to be replaced with concern.
"She…she moved," she whispered, an exulted smile working its way onto her face. "My baby…my little girl…she just moved."
The smile immediately returned to Tomoyo's face. She seemed to glow in the same way Yuui did. "Can…can I feel?"
Yuui nodded eagerly, taking Tomoyo's hand in hers. "I don't know if you'll be able to feel her through all these layers, but you can try."
The young women smiled softly at each other as Yuui placed Tomoyo's hand against her womb. For that small, frozen moment, they could gaze only at each other, wrapped up in their own little world. Then Tomoyo's eyes widened when she suddenly felt the faintest, tiniest little nudge against the palm of her hand. Her eyes shot straight to Yuui's stomach.
"I…I felt it," she breathed tremulously, placing her other hand on Yuui's stomach. She wanted to embrace her, to kiss her and tell her how happy she was, but she knew that would be a foolish move with so many curious eyes around, so she settled for gazing adoringly into her blue eyes. "She's strong."
"Yes," Yuui whispered back. "Our baby is strong."
"She will be beautiful."
Souma shook her head as she smiled at her two friends. They were being so painfully sweet and romantic with each other. She almost wanted to feel sick over it but, at the same time, she found that she could not. They were so happy…and this was such a beautiful moment…she could not help but wish them every happiness, much as it pained her.
She had realized only recently that she loved Tomoyo…as more than a best friend or a sister. The thoughts and feelings that had raced through her being over the years had suddenly become clear. However, she also knew that she could never say anything. As much as it pained her to keep these feelings buried in her chest, seeing the princess be happy with someone who was also her best friend every day of her life, she knew that she would only hurt Tomoyo more by telling her how she felt. She knew Tomoyo. She would feel guilty that she could not return her feelings. It would taint the happiness she shared with her true beloved. She couldn't bear to cause Tomoyo pain…no matter how much it pained her.
Both Kurogane and Fai gazed at their friend with similar looks of pity as she watched their sisters. Even if Souma had never said anything, they had guessed at it…all four of them had, though the two young men felt that they could better sympathize with her than their siblings ever could. Tomoyo and Yuui had not had to go through the many years of fear and heartbreak that they had suffered…wishing desperately for the one they loved but at the same time, terrified of rejection. Being dreamseers, Tomoyo and Yuui had known, almost from the start, that they would be together…that they belonged together. But Souma…she was suffering in much the same way they had, and unlike them…there would be no end to her pain…unless she could find someone else whom she could love just as deeply, just as purely.
Kurogane, of course, appreciated the fact that his little sister was so loved by someone so capable of protecting her, but he also knew that Yuui was just as capable, and loved her just as much, if not more, and Tomoyo loved her in return…with a passion to rival his own for Fai. He knew that Souma would never try anything…she loved Tomoyo too much for that…but he would still do anything to protect their happiness, just as he would do anything to protect Fai. It was such a strange rift that had grown up between the five of them. How could anyone have possibly foreseen it?
The prince was drawn out of his thoughts by the feeling of Fai's hand on his shoulder. He glanced over at his lover in time to see him slide his hand down into his, twining their fingers together. He could see his eyes clearly through the phoenix mask and they couldn't really be assigned to a specific emotion. They simply said, Let it be. There is nothing we can do. For now…we have each other. Let's enjoy the few precious hours we have left.
Kurogane just nodded, leaning his head lightly against Fai's as they held hands. As they languished in each other's presence, a very loud gong suddenly sounded in the hall. Then a page announced that dinner was served. First, Kyle and Amaterasu rose from the royal dais and moved toward the dining hall. Once they were in, the other guests began to follow. Fai glanced nervously back at Yuui as Kurogane led him toward the dining hall. She was already salivating buckets at the mere mention of food.
Amaterasu and Kyle sat at the head of a very long table. The seating arrangements were such that Kurogane, Tomoyo, and their guests were on the queen's right hand, and the three guests of honor, King Syaoran, Queen Sakura, and Koryu, were on her left. As such, it ended up as Kurogane across from Syaoran, Fai across from Sakura, and Tomoyo across from Koryu, whom the princess could not help but notice, could not seem to keep his eyes off of the twins. Yuui found him to be quite suspicious. Fai might have agreed with her…had he been able to stop staring at Queen Sakura. She, of course, was oblivious, as she was caught up in a conversation with Kakyo, who sat on the other side of Koryu, and whom Souma was seated next to, looking miserable. Kurogane was also oblivious to all of this at first because he couldn't stop glaring at Kyle, who, in turn, was giving him a very lascivious sneer as his eyes occasionally darted over to Fai.
Well, this was certainly going to be a very interesting meal.
"Prince Kurogane," Syaoran finally started, attempting to engage his future son-in-law in conversation. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
"Yes," Kurogane returned, the very faint edge of a growl in his voice as he finally managed to tear his eyes away from Kyle. "It is an honor to know that you and Queen Sakura have journeyed so far to be here tonight. You have my thanks." He hated saying it. He'd almost rather have tossed his goblet of rice wine in the king's silver wolf-masked face. He had no intention of following through on someone else's promise to marry his daughter. But the polite façade had been ground into him from the moment of his birth. He had no other choice but to nod and make small talk…no matter how little patience he had with all of it.
"Are you looking forward to marrying my daughter?" the king asked, his eyes shining with a father's pride.
"Yes, Your Highness," the prince replied, fighting his hardest not to grind his teeth together in anger as he lied through them. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to unite our two great kingdoms into one." Unconsciously, his hand tightened its grip on Fai's, which he still held under the table. Fai himself was barely aware of the increased pressure. The jade-eyed queen across from him held his attention captive. It was nothing to do with her beauty, though she was certainly beautiful, dressed in a pale blue kimono patterned with pale pink sakura blossoms and wearing a dove mask…it was simply that something about her…stirred something deep inside the young man. An odd scent filled his nose…something long forgotten…something from the past. A memory hovered just on the edge of his consciousness…warmth…warm skin…gentle arms…holding his tiny body close…a soft voice singing of love and protection…
I love you more than my own life.
…the scent…of a mother…
You are…my miracle.
"Excuse me."
Fai was instantly snapped out of his thoughts by the queen's voice. She had noticed the "young woman" staring at her and her curiosity had been piqued.
"I don't believe I've seen you before, young miss. Who are you?"
For a moment, Fai was struck dumb. His first instinct was to tell her the truth, but that immediately clashed with the fact that he was supposed to be incognito. Kurogane, however, saved him from having to answer.
"This is Lady Yuui. She and her otouto are of the Sengoku family."
"Did you say…Yuui?" Sakura whispered breathlessly.
"Yes."
For a moment, the queen couldn't quite catch her breath. She hadn't heard or spoken her daughter's name aloud in nearly eighteen years. The names of their vanished babies had become something of a taboo in Valeria.
"Sengoku? That's a border family, right?" she asked, still looking at Fai, who just nodded. The royal siblings had prepped them well on their fake history. The Sengoku family lived in the south of Valeria, along the few miles of border the country shared with Nihon. Apparently they didn't get out much. Hence, Sakura could forgive the small infraction. She hadn't seen the Sengokus for many years. She hadn't even known they had children yet. Though, judging from the girl before her, she'd say they'd had children for awhile now.
"How old are you, Yuui-chan?"
"Seventeen," Kurogane answered for him. "My apologies, Sakura-sama, but Yuui is suffering from a slight cold this evening and she's lost her voice."
"Really?" Sakura asked, immediately feeling concern for the girl. "Should you be here? The journey from your home must have been long. Perhaps you should be resting?"
Fai shook his head violently, almost dislodging his phoenix mask. He briefly raised his and Kurogane's clasped hands from beneath the table.
"It was her wish to attend tonight. Yuui and I have been good friends for some time now and she is my guest this evening," Kurogane explained.
As the prince talked, Sakura couldn't help but notice the way "Yuui's" eyes gazed adoringly at him from behind her mask. Her eyes…blue…so blue…her own Yuui's eyes had been blue…surely her daughter must be as beautiful as this young woman. Those eyes sparkled with love and life. As she watched the way they interacted, a dreadful revelation was suddenly born in her heart.
Oh, no. They…those children…they're in love. Maybe…maybe my own child is in love, too? Can we really…tear apart love like this…for the sake of an alliance?
Sakura tried very hard to concentrate on her wonton soup as her world started to fall apart. But her conversation had sparked her husband's interest.
"Your parents aren't here, are they, Yuui-chan?"
Fai shook his head.
"It's just her and her otouto," Kurogane answered.
"And he is?"
"That would be me," Yuui answered, pitching her voice slightly lower as she raised her hand. She was barely able to draw her attention away from her own bowl of soup as she spoke to the king.
"And your name is?"
"Fai Sengoku."
"F-Fai?" the king whispered, shocked. He had been suspicious when Kurogane had proclaimed the blonde beauty as Yuui, but now…it couldn't really be…his son, could it? Could the fey have hidden them with some noble family all this time? "How old are you, young master?"
"Sixteen," she answered, finally looking up at him. They had decided it would be safer if people didn't know they were twins. Tomoyo had invented a complete history for them. Apparently they shared the same father, but had different mothers. Fai was the daughter of their father's wife, but she was the son of his true love, the woman he hadn't been able to marry. Their mothers were caught up in a bitter feud for their children's succession to their father's position, but despite all of this, they loved each other dearly. The story went on from there, according to Tomoyo, but Kurogane had stepped in at that point, insisting that they didn't need anymore than that.
"Oh," Syaoran said, finally able to breathe easy again. They weren't twins then. However, it was still quite an amazing coincidence. What had the Sengoku lord been thinking? As he watched the boy eat, he couldn't help but wish that it somehow was his son. He had to admit that he was quite handsome…even if he did have a bit of a feminine cast to his features. Neither had he failed to notice the stares of many of the young women…either in longing at this Fai, or in jealousy at the princess, the one lucky enough to be on his arm. But he could also see that, when the young man wasn't focused on his meal, he had eyes only for the young princess he escorted, who would occasionally slip him glances of utter adoration. He hadn't been watching them for very long, but Syaoran could already see that these two young people had something special. Maybe they could be wed someday? Perhaps…he could even put in a word for the boy's family with Amaterasu?
As the meal progressed, Fai never once loosened his grip on Kurogane's hand. Kyle had yet to stop raking his body with those lust-filled eyes. It made him feel like he was locked in a dark room with the man…naked in the dark…trapped…claw-like hands reaching for him…tearing the clothing from him…NO! Stop! Please stop! No more!
Only the returned pressure of Kurogane's hand in his kept him sane and anchored as those eyes raped him again and again. He could barely manage to handle the chopsticks Tomoyo had taught him how to use. After awhile, he gave up on eating and just stared forlornly at his food. Never in his life had he been so grateful to be wearing a mask as he was right now. By the time Kyle stood up to make an announcement, Fai could barely manage to keep his body from shaking.
"Dear friends! Honored guests!" Kyle called to the room at large, flashing them a smile that could have charmed a king out of his kingdom for nothing more than a kiss…not that Kyle would have settled for that.
"As you all well know, we are here tonight to celebrate the marriage of our own Prince Kurogane, whom, tomorrow at the stroke of midnight, shall be married to Syaoran's daughter, who shall finally be returned to him after eighteen long years."
A great roar of applause followed Kyle's words. The only people who seemed unhappy were the ones being talked about. Kurogane and Syaoran stood and exchanged friendly nods, but Kurogane just looked angry at the smugness only he seemed to be able to see in Kyle's face. His and Fai's clasped hands were now fully exposed and he knew that the only thing he could do that would be more foolish would be to kiss him outright, but he no longer cared. Fai needed this right now.
Syaoran just looked uncomfortable. He couldn't figure out why, but mention of his daughter in Kyle's mouth somehow made him feel sick. Sakura was no longer certain about the wedding at all. Fai just looked devastated…as if he might cry at any moment.
"However, friends, we have not just this one joy to celebrate this night…but four. Our dear Tomoyo-Hime is to be betrothed to Lord Mong Ryong of Koryo Province. They shall be married on the eve of the princess' seventeenth birthday."
Applause broke out again as Tomoyo and Mong Ryong stood from their places. Mong Ryong was seated beside Souma and as he moved toward Tomoyo, the princess turned to look at Yuui, waiting for her lover to look shocked or hurt or betrayed, but none of these came. Yuui looked…resigned.
She knew.
Tomoyo briefly glanced at the older man as he came to her. A pained, resigned smile graced his face. Apparently neither of them was enjoying this. She lowered her head demurely as she offered him her hand to kiss. He took it and lightly brushed his lips against her knuckles. Then they separated and went back to their seats. Traditionally, they would have sat together, but neither particularly cared to. Both had lovers to think about, after all. Kurogane tried to catch Tomoyo's eye as she sat down, but she wouldn't look at him. Why hadn't she told him about this?
"As if that weren't enough to be celebrating, Her Highness and I have wonderful news," Kyle continued, taking the nearly catatonic queen's hand. She didn't even look up. "Her Majesty and I have conceived a child in her womb and we shall be wed at the time of its birth."
This time around, the crowd was much less enthusiastic. The lords were all trapped in a stunned silence, their eyes darting back and forth between Kyle and Kurogane. Was this the power play they'd been dreading? Was the prince…in danger of loosing his crown? Kurogane himself just stood still, holding Fai's hand, his face unreadable. He did not care what obstacles Kyle threw in his path. He would not be shunted aside by him. Neither would anything or anyone take Fai away from him. He had made his decision.
As the guests all stood from the table, Kyle led Amaterasu out into the crowd to gather congratulations. When they passed by Fai and Kurogane, Kyle laid a hand on Fai's shoulder. When he felt those cold fingers digging into him, it took everything he had to keep himself from screaming.
"My Lady," he whispered in his ear. "Enjoy your evening."
As the couple moved away from them, Fai really felt like he might pass out. After Kyle's suggestive glances and his touches, he felt truly violated. He clasped Kurogane's hand in both of his, leaning close to him.
"Kuro-tan…I…I don't want to be here anymore. Please…can we go back up to your chambers?"
"Yes. I'll take you back up right now," he said softly, nuzzling his ear very briefly before helping Fai up from the table. "We'll talk later," he said to Tomoyo as they passed her and Yuui. The princess nodded.
Fai felt even worse as Kurogane led him out of the dining hall because it was impossible to block out the whispers he was hearing.
"Well, she's in for a long night."
"Right in the middle of the evening, no less. How unseemly."
"Sleeping with a man about to be married? Her parents must be ashamed…"
"…don't care how much of a slut she is, I'd take that in a minute."
God, please! Please make it stop!
"Just ignore them," Kurogane whispered in his ear. "They don't matter. They're just a bunch of useless idiots with nothing better to do than make other people miserable."
They were almost free…almost. But just as they'd reached the door, Fai felt the cold, claw-like hand grip his arm again. He couldn't help it this time…tears began to fall from his eyes.
"My Prince, Lady Yuui, where are you going? The night is young yet."
Fai did not turn to look at the wicked consort. He could not bear to. It was taking all of his control not to collapse into a weeping mess at his feet.
"Kyle," Kurogane began warningly as he turned to face him. "I don't care what kind of power you think you have. If you touch her again…I will kill you."
Kyle just sneered through his lizard mask, drawing closer to his prisoner. Then he leaned forward and kissed his ear. A tiny whimper escaped Fai's lips as more tears spilled down his face.
"You should learn to be more respectful of me, Prince. I shall be king regent when your otouto is born." As he spoke, he trailed searingly light kisses down Fai's neck. Fai couldn't stop the small sob that Kyle's touch forced out of him. "I am well within my rights to ask you for the use of your friend tonight."
This time, the sob of terror was too much for Kurogane to bear. Without letting go of Fai's hand, he lunged, grabbing Kyle by the collar with his free hand.
"You're dead," he hissed in his smug face. "The next time I see you, you're dead. Do you hear me?!"
"Oh," Kyle crooned, still leering smugly as he finally released Fai's arm. "So unwise."
Kurogane tossed him aside, never once looking back as he led Fai from the room…though he did feel his stomach twist slightly when he heard the doors close behind them. He knew those words heralded ill for all of them…but he couldn't bring himself to care in this moment. Right now…Fai needed all of his attention.
"Oh," the younger man gasped lightly as his legs suddenly gave way beneath him. Almost the exact moment he was aware of falling, he was in Kurogane's arms. The prince easily lifted him into his arms, carrying him as he moved. Fai was sobbing openly as he clung desperately to Kurogane's neck. "O-oh! Kuro-r-rin! I'm so s-sorry. I've…spoiled everything!"
"It's not your fault," the ninja told him soothingly. "It's his. I promise…I'll kill him for you. I'll bring you his head. I don't care who the bastard thinks he is. It's high time he was toppled."
"B-but…it's our…l-last night…and I've…ruined it!" he sobbed.
"Don't say that!" Kurogane said harshly as he carried Fai into a small side alcove and stood him gently against the wall. "Don't even think it. You didn't do anything wrong. Kyle's just a sick pervert. Please…don't think about him. I just want us to enjoy the night. I only want to think about you right now…and I want to be the only thing on your mind." As he spoke, Kurogane first lifted the dragon mask from his own face. Then he undid Fai's and lifted it away. The makeup was running down his face as he cried, mixing in a colorful swirl of white, black, red, and blue. Ignoring the muck on his face, Kurogane leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the forehead. Fai sighed lightly as his ninja kissed his face, leaning into the gentle caresses. As they kissed, Fai tried to apologize again.
"I'm sorry…Kuro-pon…sorry I couldn't…handle myself better. But…when he put his hands on me…and when he looked at me…it was just like…two years ago." The blonde shuddered in disgust. "I couldn't…stand it."
"Shh. It's alright. You don't have to say anything," Kurogane soothed, pressing his lips to Fai's for an achingly tender kiss. "I understand. That's not something you're going to get over in a hurry. You'll have to banish it by inches."
"Help me, Kuro-koi," Fai suddenly whispered, clutching Kurogane's shoulders tightly in his hands. The prince looked confused for a moment, but his meaning soon became clear from the look in Fai's eyes as he gazed up at him. "Please…help me to forget him. Make me forget!"
I want our last night together to be…magical.
Kurogane nodded briefly and leaned forward again, kissing him with all of the passion and desire that he had denied himself all evening. Fai moaned softly against the pair of lips covering his own. Whenever Kurogane touched him like this…he was in heaven. The blonde moaned again as Kurogane began to slide a hand into the folds of his kimono, deftly negotiating the many layers to finally brush his fingertips against his bare skin. Fai groaned, gripping tightly at the warrior's hips as he caressed his skin. Both of his hands were inside Fai's kimono when their passionate embrace was interrupted by a small gasp.
Both of them looked up to see a young serving girl staring at them, mouth agape. Kurogane quickly extricated himself from Fai and went to her. Fai could hear them exchanging a few whispered words as he straightened himself up. When they had finished talking, the girl nodded and quickly disappeared, clearly happy to get away.
"What did you tell her?'
"I told her to have food and wine sent up to my quarters. You need to eat. You barely touched your food," Kurogane reprimanded.
"Kuro-pin is so sweet, always thinking of me," Fai giggled. Kurogane just rolled his eyes.
"I also told her to have someone draw hot water for a bath. Then I offered her a small fortune to make sure she doesn't tell anyone about this."
Fai giggled again as he and Kurogane walked out of the alcove holding hands. Thoughts of Kyle, Seishiro, and their impending separation had been pushed to the back of his mind for the moment. He was so eager to be one with Kurogane once again.
XxX
(Notes) 1. Sithen – a term from Celtic mythology. A sithen is a Faerie Hill, a place where faeries live. 2. Kimono – I think it's safe to assume that you're all somewhat familiar with kimono. I'm not as well versed in kimono culture as I could be so I may have made mistakes describing that. If anyone else knows, feel free to point it out to me. 3. This chapter's lullaby is "Once Upon A December" from Anastasia.
