I've been so busy with my two other fan fictions that I haven't had time to update on this one. I hope you can forgive me *makes puppy face*.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha ToT
Claimer: I do own Hoshiko, Haruki, Yasuo, Amarante, Rya. I also partially own Midori, Amaya, Ren, Katsumi, Yuki, Kigura, and Kimmiko.
Chapter Ten: Irises in Bloom
Today was the day; today she would wed Prinsu Haruki of the oka clan. With this single act of matrimony she could finally bring peace to her island that had been paralyzed by war for so long. It was her father's dying wish, and their only chance to live life the way they had intended to live it from the start. Today she would sacrifice the chance to fall in love with someone on her own accord; she would sacrifice her freedom to be bound by a circular chain in the disguise of a wedding band. A heavy price to pay to deliver happiness to a suffering world. Was their any other way? Did she truly have to become a bride? All these questions and more swamped her brain as she rose off the bed to face the dawn. Her choice today would not only effect her, but the entirety of everything they had worked to establish on the little coral island of the neko clan.
"Hoshiko-sama, are you awake?" A soft voice asks from the outside of the cabin's wooden door.
"I'm up. What is it that you need?" Hoshiko replies turning to the source of the whisper.
"I was wondering if I could speak with you a moment, Oujo." The little voice asks again now creaking the door open.
"You may." Hoshiko answers to the now fully exposed hanyou.
Pushing the door open Yuki soon appears with Kimmiko and Kigura by her side. Ushering the group of three into the cabin, Hoshiko takes a seat on the bed. Following Hoshiko's instructions, Yuki pushes Kimmiko and Kigura into the room before entering herself. Kimmiko letting off a shy smile treads lightly to the Oujo's side prior to asking with her eyes if she can take a seat. Acknowledging her question without having it asked, Hoshiko pats the bedspread tenderly. Scrambling up onto the bed Kimmiko crawls over and into the neko youki's lap. A look of shock plays across Hoshiko's features until finally she realizes the little hanyou wants nothing more than a bit of affection. Petting her head softly, the Oujo then turns her eyes to Kigura who has curled up next to her thigh. Smiling, Hoshiko then looks to Yuki who has taken a seat on the floor in front of her.
"Well, this sure isn't what I expected." Hoshiko giggles amethyst and gold speckled eyes looking to those of the hanyou and youki surrounding her.
"What do you mean, Hoshiko-sama?" Kimmiko asks turning around to face the Oujo dazzling baby blue eyes.
"I wasn't expecting to see such adorable faces this early in the morning." Hoshiko coos rubbing noses with the little inu.
"You thought we'd be asleep?" Yuki wonders silver orbs filled with curiosity.
"I just didn't expect you to be up with the others. I thought that maybe you would have been still asleep in your beds." Hoshiko explains looking to the dark haired oka.
"We rise with the sun. Always ready for an order given to us by the Prinsu." Yuki states getting the facts straight.
"Hum. This Prinsu Haruki must really be something." Hoshiko mutters rolling her eyes.
"He's a good leader. Strong, just the kind of ruler we need in a dire time." Yuki says lifting the fire neko up off the bed.
"Mew." Kigura meows red eyes blinking a couple times adjusting to the light.
"Hoshiko-sama, why you?" Yuki asks abruptly warm hands brushing over Kigura's thick fur.
"Why me?" Hoshiko questions hands refraining their fluid motion over the mounds of Kimmiko's ebony colored hair.
"Oujo, why are you to wed Prinsu Haruki? Why a youki neko and not an oka?" Yuki wonders a frown gracing her rouge lips.
"It was the wish of my father King Rya, Yuki-chan. My father wanted me to marry the oka Prinsu and unite our kingdoms." Hoshiko whispers remembering the conversation her and her father had shared before she departed.
"The oka's and neko's have feuded for so long. This matrimony will either spike in more destruction or actually bring us some sort of calm." Yuki responds her voice barely whisper.
"We responded in the only way we knew how. So much bloodshed I had learned how to become accustomed to. Amarante was the problem, and she'll somehow be the solution." Hoshiko smiles chocking on the words escaping the velvet.
"Amarante-sama? You mean the neko queen? Is that who you speak of, Hoshiko-sama?" Yuki asks looking at the Oujo's distraught expression.
"That's her. If she had only known not go off alone. It wasn't the oka's fault, it was just a band of rogues. They attacked her…took her life. Rya reacted so brutally towards the okas after that. He wanted them dead…every single one of them. That's not what she wanted." Hoshiko cries tears starting to stream down the sides of her face.
"Hoshiko-sama, why are you crying?" Kimmiko gasps suddenly as she feels the moisture starting to soak into the depths of her hair.
"I'm sorry." Hoshiko apologizes her tears falling more rapidly. "I'm so sorry for everything."
Looking up at the Oujo with confused eyes, Kimmiko places her warm palm against the side of Hoshiko's damp face. Eyes clenched tightly together Hoshiko can not bare to look at the sweet little girl sitting in her lap. Yuki placing Kigura on the ground inches closer to the dark haired neko who's tears send pain pinging into her heart. Why was she apologizing? Then Yuki put two and two together; the beautiful neko queen Amarante was Hoshiko's mother. She was the reason their clans had feuded all these years. A war of vengeance to try and restore the love that had been lost. Standing up off the floor in front of Hoshiko, Yuki orders Kigura to go fetch Amaya and Midori. Fast on his paws Kigura soon returns with youki and hanyou by his side. Caught off guard by the sight before her Midori races to Hoshiko's side and drops to her knees. What was going on in here?
"Hoshiko-sama, what's happened?" Midori exclaims worry evident in her jade orbs.
"She started crying, Midori-sama." Kimmiko replies still unable to understand the sudden outburst of tears.
"Yuki-chan, do you know what has upset her?" Amaya questions the silver eyed oka.
"Talk of her mother queen Amarante. It's my fault, Amaya-sama. I shouldn't have stuck my nose where it didn't belong." Yuki quickly apologizes.
"Her mother is queen Amarante? The neko who was killed by the rouge oka youki?" Amaya breathes throat tightening with every breath.
"She blames herself for the war. Only once has she told me her mother's story. Never again did she speak of the gentle queen." Midori frowns petting the Oujo's hair.
"When will Hoshiko-sama stop being sad?" Kimmiko wonders looking to Amaya with a torn expression.
It is just then that Hoshiko lifts her head to look at the worried eyes around her. Midori, Amaya, Yuki, Kigura, and Kimmiko standing there watching her cry. Watching her while she is weak and vulnerable; everything an Oujo shouldn't be. Drawing the little girl on her lap close to her chest, Hoshiko wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her kimono. The looking to the small window exposing the port, an insignificant smile gracing her lips, she answers her question.
"When the irises bloom, I'll be okay."
This was an emotional chapter. There are going to be two more flashback chapters after this one and then the inu gang are back in motion. Hope you liked it! Thanks and please review!! ^-^