Chapter Ten – You're the Empire and the Sun
During their sprawl of figuring out what it was that they both wanted, Yuuki and Kaname made their way upstairs from the kitchen.
Night had eventually fallen, both the Kuran children away, more than likely minding their own business.
The service, with the diligent Ruka to lead them, prepared for the welcoming of their king.
It went flawlessly well, and everything had come together.
In no time to prepare, the best of the best food offered by a high-class caterer.
Musicians were brought in to play for the evening, too!
The house hadn't been this lively in a thousand years.
Even through all the distraction, something forced its way in.
It wasn't spoken of, but everyone could feel the ruse in the air.
Ruka had left the meeting Aidou had invited the old friends to with a feeling of truth in his words.
She was very aware of the night and kept up a heavy guard during her preparations at the request of Yuuki.
Of course, everyone was coming to their old master's welcome back party, but none of the aged vampires could bring themselves to truly feel a sense of welcoming toward Kaname since a fear was roused.
During their meeting, Aidou discussed with them his concerns, and explained he'd like them all to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity during the evening of this event.
Shiki and Rima would be cautious about the night gathering.
Ruka requested their "assistance" for help with the guests coming to the Kuran mansion.
They'd greet them as hosts, and accept invitations given out at a last minute's notice.
No one of vampire nobility would refuse an invite to the great Kuran home, no doubt, especially if someone in the darkness of the shadows was planning something.
This would be the best place to begin.
Rima was no stranger to publicity thanks to her decades of experience as the center of attention with the media and beyond that, and learned how to read people, even if they weren't interacting.
She was no stranger to the manipulation people were capable of to try and hide something or get something they were after.
Shiki felt the same, mostly.
After being used by his father as a tool and a host, his temperament toward anyone was untrusting.
They were good at hiding any signs of emotion as well because of their fame.
Takuma and Aidou both agreed for now it'd be best not to bring it to the attention of the Kurans or the Hunter's Association in fear of a bad reaction because of Kaname's awakening.
They'd would work as a middleman, in part, to introduce and reintroduce Kaname to members of their species.
If they didn't pass Rima and Shiki's test, they'd keep an eye on said individual.
If they did pass through their initial test, Aidou and Takuma wanted to be a second set of eyes toward anyone in case of a hint of suspicion.
Ruka planned on keeping her husband near Kaname as guard in case something bad happened to him or Yuuki.
She would watch Yuuki's children.
Anything could happen.
Of course, Yuuki was confident in the events to take place.
Though it wasn't talked with to her, Ai herself was feeling a little weary in her own mind.
She recalled the attempt at an uprising because of Ren and how she herself somehow managed to get mixed into the whole ordeal.
She had no hopes to mix herself in such a situation again.
She was going to keep a lookout tonight since the dark society was going to rear its head.
Ai decided she'd keep this to herself – even excluding Ren.
Ren wasn't concerned with anything about a rise or society.
He wasn't even worried about anything to do with his mother or Kaname.
He was never happy when it came to parties because it made him miss his father.
The first time he'd ever went to a party, he was a girl.
Since then, times had changed, and he was going to be the man his father was.
He wore his best dress clothes.
Yuuki explained to Kaname of a business event that would be occurring this evening and had the service assist him in his preparations.
Yuuki went about what she and Ruka chose this morning.
Her hair was already to her satisfaction, and, because of her positive attitude thanks to Kaname's rays of light shining onto her metaphorical valleys of doom, warmth had overcome her.
Proudly, she nodded to herself in the mirror.
She saw her mother and smirked happily.
She had almost next to no memories of Juuri or Hakura, but when their memories twinkled through her thoughts, she wasn't filled with sadness, but with warmth in appreciation of their sacrifice for her.
She was forever grateful they gave her eternal life to experience this moment – a moment that couldn't be possible as a mortal.
A moment of love's reunion with the other half of their soul.
Dressed in regality fit for royalty, Yuuki smiled at her reflection again and headed out of her quarter toward the room Kaname was in.
The light roar of the evening began ringing quietly in their ears.
The Kurans could tell the guests were arriving.
Kaname could hear it, too.
Knock, Knock, Knock…
"Kaname? Are you done"? Yuuki's voice shyly asked through the door.
It was quiet with no answer.
She stared at the door as she waited.
Quickly, the door opened.
It caught her off from what she was expecting because she heard no footsteps.
"I'm done", he answered with a small smile on his face.
It looked like it always had.
That shouldn't have really crossed her mind.
Why would his face have changed if it was frozen for a thousand years?
"You look great", she smiled at him, stepping back so the door could swing out and he could exit.
"Thank you", he said, then back at the servants who assisted him and gave them a head bow of appreciation.
He then exited the room and walked toward his beloved Yuuki.
"You're so beautiful", he told her, bringing his hand to her cheek.
He caressed it carefully as he lovingly gazed into her eyes.
She blushed in embarrassment.
"T-Thank you, Kaname", she giggled nervously, still holding her smile.
She adjusted the pearl strand decorating her neck.
"Shall we"? he asked her, offering his arm.
He wore an old-style jacket and trousers with a white dress shirt popping out at the top of the buttoned coat.
"I hope you aren't nervous", she matched him in confidence, taking the arm he extended to her.
They locked arms.
Far behind them down the hall, Ai was watching them.
She could tell something about them was different than other people as she watched them together.
It was like they were the missing piece to the other's puzzle.
It was the perfect shape, slipping right into the hole that needed filled.
She let them go first, planning to grab Ren and join after the commotion of their ballroom calmed down a bit.
She was still nervous for Kaname's debut.
She wasn't sure what the Hunters told the dark society, but she was confident they didn't release the information the old man was resurrected.
Ai was also confident that their noses were keen enough to tell of an old and powerful essence screaming for attention, like a magnet pulling lesser forces toward it.
Through the walls, the soft classical music of the evening could be heard.
There was now a decent amount of people in their house.
Where are her parents now, Ai thought?
She listened carefully, noticing a sudden stop in all the business.
The clinking of a wine glass rim could be heard.
"Thank you for your attention this evening, ladies and gentlemen", the voice belonging to Takuma began.
Attention was brought to the vampire.
"Please turn your heads toward the entry way and give welcome to our awakened king, Lord Kaname".
Gasps could be heard.
Ai sighed and turned her head, and saw Ren standing next to her.
Downstairs…
Slowly, Kaname and Yuuki arm in arm walked through the entry way, the people in the large room staring at them.
Unmoved, either of them noticed no malicious intent beyond what they were used to.
The gazes they offered up told them they simply wanted to consume them because of their blood.
Yuuki smiled as she brushed her face against her brother's arm.
It took a bit of time before the unexpected hushed through the room.
"Welcome back, Lord Kaname", voices on either side of the vampires whispered.
Giving acknowledgement in return, the newly reborn Kaname nodded in their direction.
"So familiar", he uttered to Yuuki.
She snickered.
"I'm so glad to hear you say that. I wanted everything to be how you were used to".
Reintroduced to society, Kaname made his way through, now being met by his friends.
Aidou and Takuma escorted Kaname through the crowd.
Yuuki was left with Ruka.
She turned to her old friend.
"Do you think… I did okay"? She asked.
Ruka smiled.
"Yes, I do", she answered.
"Lord Kaname, this is Lady Miyabi. She has been a great bridge between vampires and humans. She is one of the representatives of the current vampire society", Takuma said toward the one he introduced as Miyabi.
"Pleasure", Kaname said, simply.
Lady Miyabi bowed.
She had long golden-brown hair, with yellow eyes to match.
She was slender and tall.
Her thin lips curved into a smile of welcome.
"It's an absolute pleasure to meet your acquaintance, my lord. I never thought I'd live to see the day your lordship was alive and well. Now you can see the fruits your contributions of sewn for us and humanity", she said to him.
"I look forward to it", Kaname said.
Aidou gestured to Takuma to continue through.
They gave their gust a final bow before walking to the next guest to meet.
Kain followed behind at a distant only showing a "I don't give a fuck" kind of aura.
He found the face of his wife and looked at her.
No words were needed for her to answer the question he was asking.
She just nodded his direction, causing him to turn back to Kaname and watch him.
"I just want Kaname to be happy", Yuuki sighed.
She was so oblivious it was frustrating Ruka.
The old Yuuki was very absent minded, and Ruka tried hard to overlook it but it made her annoyed.
How could Yuuki not see the potential dangers right now?
Of course, this evening needed to happen if Kaname were to live in society again, but she felt Yuuki needed to be more aware of the dangers lurking in their society stained with sin.
"He will be", she bluntly replied.
Eventually in the same fashion, Ai and Ren entered the ballroom.
They didn't need an announcement for some of the evening society to turn to them and offer their bows and other respects.
Ai was on the edge of her seat.
Her senses were peaked.
There was no escaping it because of her fears from her past trauma.
"Hello Lady Ai", an older man said.
"And Lord Ren".
They turned to the voice.
"Oh! Mr. Yokomura"! Ai almost stammered.
She didn't really like men outside of her family.
They made her uncomfortable because of the strange lust for power about all of them.
"Hello Mr. Yokomura", the tall Ren said.
"How her ladyship and his lordship fairing this night? Taken away by Lord Kaname's return"? the man asked the Kuran children.
"Extremely", Ren answered, short and quick.
"Yes", Ai answered.
She pressed on Ren, suggesting they go a different direction in the crowd.
Seeing their attempts to escape, the older man backed off.
"What is this all about? Dangling ourselves out like a piece of steak to a dog"? Ai questioned, squinting her right eye in awkwardness.
Ren didn't say anything.
He observed everyone as Kaname twisted himself back into the center of their world.
It wasn't forced.
It was natural and simply flowed like the water in a stream.
Kaname Kuran was like the sun, causing everything to gravitate toward him in orbit.
He was a mighty empire the rest of the world bowed to.
His power shook Ren.
A potential father to both himself and his sister, Kaname's unshaken crimson gaze met with Ren's, establishing something that's context yet made sense to him.