Four Seasons

Ch 12

Hey everyone ... how are ya? I know I said I would get this up yesterday, but I was busier then I thought. So anyway its up now, obviously. Im also working ona profile thing in my profile... up soon. Anyway, enough blabbing! Read and review!

A few days later, the day had arrived, Shigure and myself were going to ask Akito for his permission to marry. I confess that I was slightly nervous, it was hard to forget what had happened to Hari in the same situation, and Akito hadn't seemed like the most accepting person. But my love for Gure overcame my worry.

Gure and I hadn't told anyone else other then Hari and Aya about our engagement, but boy were they in for a surprise when they found out.

The hour arrived, Gure and I walked down the front steps and called goodbye to Hari and Aya who were waving from the doorway. With linked hands we walked down the path, avoiding other people on our way to the main house. It was a silent walk, both of us didn't feel like talking and anyway if we did, it would have been awkward.

When we came to the main house Gure took my hand, squeezed it, and knocked on the door. A while after the door slid open and Kureno stood there, looking at us.

"We're here to see Akito." Shigure calmly told his cousin, Kureno nodded and moved so we could pass by him. Then after we were inside he shut the door and motioned for us to follow him.

Gure and I exchanged looks, and then followed until we were standing in front of a sliding door. Kureno paused, raised his hand and knocked on the door.

The cold voice that I remembered responded, "Yes, what is it?"

Kureno looked over at us, then called back, "Shigure and Elizabeth are here to see you Akito-sama."

There was a soft sigh. "Fine, let them in."

Russet-hair slowly slid the door open, I don't see what these people have against swinging doors, and waited for us to go in.

Gure entered first, not looking at Kureno again, then I followed him closely, nodding slightly at Kureno who smiled grimly back, as though sorry we were doomed. We were not doomed!

I walked in to see Akito laying on a mat or something nearby the partly open outside door. Gure was kneeling facing the head's back, and when he saw me, Gure gestured with his head for me to kneel next to him. I followed his directions and kneeled uncomfortably on the other mat (plus I was wearing a skirt so it was a little awkward).

Akito sighed and slightly shifted his position. "So you finally decided to come visit me."

Gure and I exchanged glanced, and then he responded. "Yes I did Akito-sama, I'm sorry I waited so long. And Elizabeth came with me. You remember Elizabeth?"

"Yes I do." This time Akito sat up then turned to face us. I shifted uncomfortably under his dark gaze, he was kind of scary. "Hello again Elizabeth."

I bowed slightly. "Hello Akito-san." He smirked at me, then turned to Shigure. "What do you need from me?"

Shigure looked at me uncertainly then back at Akito again. "Well, you see," I nudged him, "Elizabeth and I wish to be married."

There was a long awkward silence while Akito, Shigure and myself had a three way staring contest. No one moved or spoke… only stared.

Suddenly Akito began shaking, then silent tears started running down his face. Shigure looked at me surprised, then worriedly when Akito began crying loudly.

"Traitor, you traitor!" He sobbed, wiping away the tears. "You said you loved me! You said so!" Now he was practically shouting.

I looked curiously over at Gure who shrugged and whispered. "It was a long time ago Ellie, we were both young." Gently I squeezed his shoulder and slowly stood up. When Akito didn't react, I walked over and knelt in front of him.

"It's alright Akito-san, I'm sure Gure still loves you." I told reassuringly, pulling my handkerchief, yes I'm a dork, out of my pocket and handed it to him. I watched as he used it to dry his face and blow his nose. Sure he's the head of an important family and slightly mentally imbalanced, but he's still just a teenager.

Akito tried to give me my handkerchief back but I shook my head. "Keep it Akito-san, I have lots more."

He put it on the floor next to him, sniffled and looked over my shoulder at Gure. "Do you still love me?" Akito asked hopefully.

Shigure smiled at him reassuringly. "Of course Akito-sama, I always will." He stood up, walked over to us and wrapped an arm around Akito's shoulders. I realized that I felt slightly jealous of them, I wished Gure could hold me like that.

Akito smiled slightly, then looked up at the two of us. "So you want to get married?" We looked at each other then nodded simultaneously. "Does she know?" Akito asked Gure while pointing at me.

"Yes, actually surprisingly enough she found out on her own. We, I, didn't need to tell her." Shigure admitted.

"Really." Akito said, turning his gaze on me, studiously, his dark black eyes boring into me. Man I wish I knew what he was thinking. Instead I nodded. "That's interesting." Under his gaze I tried to erase the expression and emotion from my face. Without taking his eyes off of me, Akito ordered, "Shigure go wait in the hall. I want to talk to Elizabeth here alone."

Obediently Gure stood up, smiled at me and exited the room, leaving me alone with Akito.

He smirked at me. "So," I wanted to say 'so what?' but I bit my tongue so I wouldn't.

"Yes?"

"So you know about our curse." Akito stated, standing up to circle around me. I could feel his gaze boring into me again and shivered as old haunting memories threatened to resurface. "And Hatori hasn't erased your memories about it yet?"

I shook my head. "No Akito-san. He said that since I hadn't gone into hysterics or started crying when it happened that there was no point in erasing my memories, unless you ordered him to do so." The memories of my own childhood came flooding back, threatening to make me dissolve in tears. The times of then I had to erase my sibling's friends' memories when they had accidentally transformed.

"What is the matter with you? Why are you crying?" He demanded, leaning in closely to my face, but I lowered my head so my eyes were covered by my overgrown bangs.

"I'm not crying." I disagreed, wiping my eyes, then I looked up to see Akito glaring at me.

He glared at me and I withheld my tears for a few minutes until Akito suddenly grabbed roughly by the chin and forced me to look at him.

I did so obediently and without fighting, falling back into the habit of letting people do what they wanted without fighting, from my childhood. It was scary, I mused, how even now 15 years later I was stuck in nearly the same situation. I suppose that people always hold to their beliefs.

"You're hiding something from me." Akito accused as he studied me, moving my head back and forth. I didn't respond except to calm myself so he wouldn't read an answer from my emotions.

He hissed when I didn't confirm or deny what he had said and raised his hand to slap me. For the first time in my life I winced, closed my eyes and turned away from him. This time Akito did hit me, then jerked my chin back so I had to look at him again. "Look at me and answer! Answer me!" He yelled.

I closed my eyes, wishing that Gure or someone would come to rescue me, but they didn't.

I sighed, opened my eyes and made sure to mask any emotions I had. "Kiss me then."

He withdrew his hand to stare at me. "What?"

"Kiss me."

Akito studied me doubtfully for a few seconds then leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. I swiftly turned my head, still looking at the floor, so instead his lips landed on mine.

A few seconds went by before there was a 'pop,' cloud of smoke and I transformed. I could feel Akito staring at me as a grown woman disappeared and an adult grey wolf took her place. Then, after a few minutes went by, he suddenly started cackling with laughter.

"Ha ha ha, so you are cursed too!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands together like a child would. "But yours originates in America, how interesting."

While he continued talking I focused my mind on burying the hatred and fear and recently released memories of my childhood, those days that I wanted to forget forever. Suddenly I realized that I would change back soon and raised my head. "Turn around." I growled, getting to my feet.

(Change POV)

"Don't you order me around." Akito hissed, glaring into grey eyes. The wolf sighed. "Do you want to see me naked?" It asked reasonably, causing Akito to roughly shake his head.

"No! Of course not."

"Then turn around." The wolf growled clearly, changing back into a woman as soon as Akito had turned.

"Wait." She ordered, quickly changing back into her clothes. Finally she announced, "Alright, finished."

Akito turned back to face her, studying the girl in front of him. Her expression and eyes were different now, she looked scared and haunted, yet calm enough that he reasoned that she had been previously been treated this way. 'That will make it easier to get her under my thumb.' He plotted, then stepped towards her plotting.

"Now Elizabeth, tell me a little about your curse." He ordered gently, as if speaking to a child.

Ellie looked away and said quietly, "I'm not supposed to talk about it with strangers," she commented childishly.

Akito growled and slapped her roughly again. "Tell me!" He ordered, causing Ellie to turn back and look at him with grey, emotionless eyes. "Tell me!" He repeated.

"Only my brothers, sister and I are affected by the curse. As you saw, when a member of the opposite sex kisses us, we transform into an animal representing one of the four seasons. I'm the eldest of the four." Ellie told him in a deadpan voice, looking him straight in the eyes the entire time.

Akito smirked and kneeled down in front of her. "Well you can be my little okami-chan then." He murmured quietly, leaning against her while stroking her cheek and running his hand through her hair.

"Won't you?" He demanded, pulling away from her slightly while still cupping her cheek. She looked at him and he sawfear in her eyes, then Akito smirked at the sight as she obediently responded, "Yes Akito-san."

"Wonderful." Akito paused thoughtfully then continued, "I will allow you and Shigure to marry, if you come to visit me every week, alone.

Ellie nodded, not trusting herself enough to talk. Akito smiled and patted her on top of her head. "Good, then go tell Shigure the good news." She stood up and moved towards the door. "I'll expect you sometime next week." Akito called after Ellie as she walked out and shut the door behind her.

Ellie found Kureno standing nearby outside the door, he gave her one worried look then led her down the hall and out of the main house.

As the door shut behind them, Shigure, who was standing out in the yard, turned around to look at them. First he took in Kureno's worried but knowing expression, then looked at Ellie who was standing a step below the rooster. His heart wrenched as he had a brief glimpse of her scared and haunted expression before she realized he was watching her and smiled happily at him, skipping over to her fiancé.

"Well?" Shigure asked, leaning towards her and holding her left hand. She grinned cheekily at him, her grim mood obviously forgotten. "Have you chosen your best man or tux yet?" She asked innocently.

Shigure shook his head. "No, no I haven't. Why?" He asked curiously. "Well you better soon, cause we're getting married!" Ellie ended loudly, smiling and swinging their hands.

For a few minutes Shigure just stared at her wide-eyed, then finally he managed to splutter, "Y-you're serious? H-he said yes?"

Ellie managed to look sadly up at him while hiding behind her bangs. "Jeez Gure, I thought that you would be more happy about it," She slowly drifted off, looking at the ground.

"Oh Ellie." He sighed and lightly wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I am happy, very very happy."

Ellie turned slightly in her arms to look up at him, "Course you are, you're getting married!" She squealed, hugging his arm. He kissed her quickly on the cheek. "And you will be a beautiful, blushing bride." Shigure gently tugged her arm and they began walking down the path.

As they neared the gate, Shigure noticed Ellie look back at the main house once more with a haunted and fearful expression in her eyes. But when she looked back at him, Ellie smiled happily at him and he didn't question her about what had happened.

"Any more adjectives that start with B stored in that dictionary of a head of yours?" Ellie teased as they cleared the gate and started down the next path.

Gure tapped her nose with a finger. "I think those are enough." She nodded and led him up to Hari's house again. Aya answered the door after one round of knocks. "Beth! Gure! How wonderful, come in, come in!" He energetically waved them inside, then closed the door.

They managed not to blurt anything until the three of them were seated inside Hari's office, without the dragon present, and Aya finally asked, "So, will there be a wedding?"

Ellie and Shigure exchanged looks, then she asked, "Do you have a tuxedo ready?"

Aya reprimanded her, "Nonsense! Ayame Sohma does not wear a tuxedo and never will!" He announced, rising to his feet.

"No, you just wear brightly colored what you call clothes that leave people wondering if you're gay, actually a woman, or just plain odd." Hatori commented, entering the room then closed the door behind him. He noticed how badly Beth had jumped and how scared she looked when he walked in as he strode over to the desk chair and sat down in it.

"Where were you Hari?" Shigure asked curiously, leaning forward. Hatori raised both eyebrows but only said, "By Ayame's protest about wearing a tuxedo I gather that Akito said yes?"

Shigure nodded. "Yep, that's what Ellie said." Hatori looked over at Ellie who had that haunted look again, and he noticed her shivering slightly although it was stuffy and hot in the room. "Beth?"

She started and looked up at him, grey meeting brown, and he could see the fear easily visible there. "Huh?" Ellie asked blankly.

"Akito said yes?" Hatori repeated, noting her reaction to the family heads name, but she nodded. "Yes, he did."

Aya slapped his hand on his knee. "Well I think we should celebrate. Lets go out for dinner." He announced, standing again.

"Hear, hear!" Shigure agreed, also rising to his feet. Then he took Ellies hand and brought her to her feet. "Sound good to you?" When she nodded he grinned and lightly hugged her.

Ellie noticed Hatori looking at her questioningly and worriedly, but she smiled back and took Gure's hand as he led her out of the house, following Aya. Behind them Hari caught up with them until he was behind Beth, then tapped her on the shoulder. "Beth, can I talk with you?"

She turned and hesitantly nodded her consent. "Go ahead with Aya, I'll catch up soon." Ellie told Gure who nodded and ran up to Ayame, then she turned to Hari, "What's up?"

Hatori gave her a stern look and asked, "What really happened with Akito?" He noticed her flinch and saw fear flicker in her eyes before she withdrew behind her mask again and smiled innocently at him.

"Nothing happened Hari, we asked Akito for permission to marry and he said yes." Ellie summarized. "There was more then that; he did something to you, didn't he?" Hatori said sternly, eying her again. In response, she flinched and looked off into the distance, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Y-yes." Ellie whispered in a shaky, weak voice. She sighed again, "He, he," her voice broke off and she silently wiped her tears away on her sleeve. "It was just like before." Ellie whispered shaking.

Hatori put a hand reassuringly on her shoulder and held her as closely as he was able to. "I'm sorry Beth, but listen," he leaned down to look her in the eye, "don't let Akito scare or threaten you. Everyone will make sure he won't lay a hand or finger on you."

Ellie laughed grimly. "He's the head of your family, you have no authority over him. Just how do you expect to protect me?"

"We'll do anything we have to Beth. You're important to our family and to Shigure, we'll protect you as if your one of us." Hatori reassured her, his hand still under her chin with his eyes meeting her desperate grey ones.

Ellie frowned. "Well at least you'll try." Her frown broke out into a genuine smile. "I'm hungry, what do you say meet up with Aya and Gure and get something?"

Hatori nodded. "Alright." He agreed, glad to be able to get Beth's mind off her problems for at least a little while.

So... did you like it? Sad I know, but I had to put that part in, plus I never really liked Akito... no offense to anyone. Next chapter more suprises... cept happy ones.

If anyones wondering about the sudden change of POV, I just got tired of writing in first so I went back to third. Pretty sure the rest will be in third.

Thanks to my reviewers:

Tuki, NoCare, hiddenstars and Yanikei

Alright everyone... thats it for now!

dewa mata

mijichan