Chapter eleven
After the war had been in bloom for three long years Jesse and Jung-woo and just again lay it to rest for now, both of them knew that it wasn't time to spring the full war. Besides they were running out of troops and they needed to train new troops and Jung-woo wanted to go home and see his family. And Jesse wanted to take a thousand pain killers from the previous battle he had fought in.
"My lord, I don't think that we should put the war on hold. Jung-woo might back-fire on us."
"Nah, Kyo saw him leave this morning to China. This time it will be again on hold for about two years maybe even longer. Besides Rick don't you have to go see Kryn? You haven't seen her in three years . . . I'm sure you could use some, intimate time together." Jesse joked and Rick growled.
"You have a point jess, but mating her isn't on the menu." Rick said as he went over to his horse.
"Why? You love her don't you? You have the next two years to spent time with her and raise a pup."
"Jess, I should be saying the same for you. You and Alex are mated and yet you refuse you put her with pup. If you want pup then why are you making her drink the tea to prevent her from becoming pregnant?"
Jesse remained silent.
"Is it about what happened with amber? Listen I know you lost your mate and pup that day but that only means that someone has given you a second chance to be with pup. If I were you I'd take the advantage and put Alex with pup."
Jesse sighed and leaned up against a tree. "You may be right Rick . . . but I can't . . . I couldn't handle losing another mate and pup. That's why this time the pup will have to wait."
"No, the pup will not wait . . . what if you die? What will Alex have then?" Rick knew he was right and was just waiting for Jesse to admit it.
"You're a pain in my ass Rick, get your ass going and go see Kryn." Jesse joked and walked away as both men started laughing.
"Papa!" Kisa exclaimed and piled into the only man she knew was her father figure.
"Kisa? I thought that you were at home with Alex."
"I know but I Alex told me that I could come outside and play and then I found you!" she giggled.
He chuckled and sat up rubbing his head. Cassandra had passed away two months ago from a high fever and thus Jesse adopted the small griffon pup. But even if he was now her step father he knew that she was still the princess of the griffon territory.
"Guess what. . ."
"What?" he asked as he got up and dusted himself and rain off.
"I love you papa, and I know you're not my real daddy but I love you like you were." she said as she hugged him around the neck.
Jesse looked down at her and smiled as he hugged her back, he loved hearing those words just a moment ago.
Alex watched from behind them and smiled but was also hurt, she also wanted to know the real reason why Jesse would not put her with pup. She wanted a pup she could call her own; but Jesse didn't allow her to fulfill her wish. She just sighed and went back to the room and cleaned it up a little. As Alex cleaned she thought of many possibilities on why Jesse didn't want her to be with pup; but then again it was odd . . . he had broken her and yet he still refused to let her become pregnant. For now she didn't think much of it.
When Jesse returned he made Kisa clean up for dinner and wrapped his arms around Alex from behind; she squeaked and whirled around. "Jesus, don't ever do that." she scolded.
Jesse just simply smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you too my love."
"Why are you here so early? I thought you had to go to a meeting."
"Nah, it was boring so I and Kisa went to go for another walk." Jesse said as he snatched a piece of the sushi.
"Jess, responsibility comes BEFORE walks with Kisa. You are a lord, you need to take your responsibility seriously." she said as she stirred the rice.
"And I don't need my mate to be my mother!" he snapped.
She gasped and lowered her head. "Yes my lord. . ." she turned off the stove and bowed to her mate and left. She understood right then that Jesse wanted to be alone.
Jesse blinked and watched her leave and cringed at what he had done to her. He cursed to himself and for now just decided to give Alex her space for now.
Kisa sat at the table feeling a little guilty.
"Papa is Alex okay?" Kisa asked a little worried.
"She just needs time alone Kisa, but she'll be okay." he said giving her, her dinner.
Kisa said her thank you and she ate all of her dinner savoring the food that Alex had made. Both Kisa and Jesse always ate more then their fill, with Alex to Kisa and Jesse it was food made by an angel.
Rick sighed as he reached his castle, right now all he wanted was Kryn and a nice long time in the hot springs to relax his sore and aching body. He went up into his castle and was greeted by all his servants, but he was on one mission. When he got to his room he saw that Kryn was still asleep peacefully in his bed; and so plopped down next to her and snuggled himself into her.
She mumbled something under her breathe and buried herself into his chest; knowing who has joined her in her sleep and Rick would be punished later for being gone too long but for now she buried herself into him and just fell into more of a peaceful sleep as she inhaled his scent.
That night Kryn woke up and smiled as she saw at the peaceful look Rick had as he was passed out. By the looks of it he really needed this long awaited sleep; and now that it took over his body there was no waking him for days. She slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen to eat her dinner. After she ate she went back up to the room and giggled as she looked at Rick.
He was on his back and his mouth was wide open with one of his fangs showing, one of his legs hung off the side of the bed, one arm was draped over Kryn's side of the bed and the other was behind his head. Not to mention he was snoring slightly.
Kryn's judgment was right Rick really needed this time to sleep, he looked as if he hadn't had a peaceful sleep the day he left her again three years ago. For hours she just watched him sleep, she was beyond happy he was home . . . but by his scent he had been injured internally; and by the smell of it, it didn't smell too good, this worried her.
1 week later
Rick finally awoke and yawned greatly, he looked around for Kryn and grumbled when he couldn't find her.
She giggled from the doorway; going over to him she went to him and lay down in the bed with him. "Are you okay?"
He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck and cuddled her. "Now I'm okay, I was missing my company."
Kryn rolled her eyes and snuggled into him. "You're silly." she whispered.
"I love you too."
She blinked and sat up looking at him. "What?"
He sat up and looked at her. "I said I love you."
Kryn blushed and looks down.
Rick lifted her chin with his index finger and tilted her head towards him and madeher look at him. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure?" Kryn turned a bright red as he gazed down at her, his eyes holding a loving gaze as he kept his finger in place so that she could not turn away from him
". . . Will you give me the honors of making you my mate and you becoming the queen of the southern lands; ruling by my side."
Her eyes widened.
". . . In other words will you be my mate?" he asked as he leaned down closer to her.
Kryn nodded "Of course." She was happy to finally hear those words come from his mouth.
He smirked and pinned her to the bed and kissed her deeply. Kryn smiled against his lips and kissed him back.
Over the years Heero had become cold and emotionless, even for a four year old he had no heart.
Shiro even watched what he said around his son, the boy wasn't one you should back mouth talk too. "Heero have you finished your studies?"
"If I'm outside and practicing my techniques for my katana then it means I'm finished." the boy snapped; his icy glare looking at his father straight in the eyes.
Shiro cringed and walked away. "Damn that boy scares me sometimes." He whispered as he went into the castle.
Mary-ann sighed as she and her twin-tailed fox Dark went on a walk.
Dark looked at her and nudged her "What's wrong my lady?"
"Mommy can't stop thinking about daddy and we think that Jesse got the best of him."
Dark chuckled, "I highly doubt that Miss Mary-ann, I think it would take the entire world to take your father down."
She giggled
"Mary-ann!" Rika called. "Get over here now young lady!"
"Uh-oh, I think mother found out we didn't do our chores." Dark snickered.
"I think you're right." Mary-ann said as she and Dark headed back towards the castle.
Once there Mary-ann gasped and Dark blinked"Holy shit. . ." Dark said his jaw dropped to the ground.
"Daddy!" Mary-ann cried and tackled her dad, her arms around his neck.
He held his daughter close. "It's good to see you too Mary-ann." he said as he got to his feet and walked up into the castle, Dark and Rika following.
Joseph sighed as he plopped down on his bed, he was still having dreams of the strange maiden who came to him three years ago. As he thought of this more and more he drifted off into a long deep sleep.
DREAM
Joseph blinked when a girl appeared before him, she wore no cloths but she looked familiar for some odd reason.
Red ribbons of light spill from her chest and surround her body, then clears like feathers on the wind, as a shinning white dress appears. A snug fit strapless dress with silver ribbons that formed a corset-like pattern around the front of her torso, a sheer ribbon tied in a bow just above her lower back, long flowing sleeves that attach with a silver band just off the shoulders and a crown made of diamonds strung together that fall through her hair. Her aura of light and purity shines around her, giving her an angelic look. She opened her eyes to reveal beautiful turquoise colored irises, expressive yet blank.
Joseph cautiously went over to her and reached out to touch her when she turned her head and looked at him.
"Joseph-kun . . . H-help me . . . set me free . . . help me escape the nightmare . . . free me. . ." she said in an echoing voice that made him tremble.
". . . Free you? From what?" he questioned. "Who are you?"
"Don't give in to the Kingdom of Shadows . . . don't let him consume you. . ."
"What are you talking about?! Who is this Kingdom of Shadows?!"
"You are the Kingdom of Shadows, Joseph. . ." the woman said.
"Who are you?" he asked as he again reached out for her.
The girl winced and in an instant the only thing left of her was her white angel wings that flowed to the ground.
END DREAM
Joseph groaned as he tossed and turned in his sleep, he was so confused on why this dream played over and over all night long.
Koji watched as the Defender's Realm began to shut down for the evening. His guilt for what he made Tsuki did still had caused him not to have anything to do with the war. If only he could turn time back Koji would take Tsuki back and they would be on their way to having their first pup. But since he screwed up he paid deeply.
Kyo went over to him and stood beside him. "How are you feeling these days?"
"I could be better," he said in a hushed whisper.
Kyo chuckled and pat his friends back, "Look it's not your fault. Tsuki made the choice to kill herself."
"Yes it is I'm the one who fell in love with another. I had forgotten that Tsuki was my fiancé."
Kyo sighed. And he and Koji just talked while they walked around the Defender's Realm.
While they did memories of Tsuki shot through Koji with intense force.
FLASHBACK
Tsuki had reached the Defender's Realm and asks Kyo where she could find Koji and snuck up behind him.
"Lord Koji." a familiar voice whispered from behind the mighty lord.
He blinked and turned around, "Tsuki? What are you doing here?"
"I came to apologize; I didn't mean to blow you off like I did. Can you forgive me and can we start over?"
"The apology I can accept but we being together again it is not going to work." Koji said as he looked down at her with a guilty look across his face.
"Why?" she asked shocked.
"Because I'm with someone else right now; that's why we can't be together right anymore. She doesn't treat me like shit." he said as he smiled at the girl who walked over to him and stood next to him.
"I'm Shiori, it's good to finally meet you I've heard a lot about you miss Tsuki." she said sweetly and smiled.
Tsuki took a step back her eyes wide in horror, her heart shattered and her soul broke into tiny pieces. She bowedand walked away her eyes blank as tears formed and fell to the ground
Koji watched her and he and Shiori went back to their room.
Tsuki fell to her hands and knees crying she was too late, her fiancé had fallen in love with someone else and she was forever more removed from the picture. The mark that Koji had placed on her neck vanished, she was no longer half his. She was alone.
Kyo went over to her and hugged her after standing her back up. "I should have told you about Koji Tsuki I'm sorry."
Tsuki just cried into his chest trembling as she broke down. She wanted to escape and disappear as Kyo just held her close and tried to comfort her.
"I'm scared! He betrayed me and I can't do a thing about it."
"No honey you betrayed him, you threw everything in his face. He was just trying to get the poison out and he's not one to trust doctor's you should know that by now."
"I know, I don't know what I was thinking." she looked up at him. "Tell Koji the next time you see him that I'm sorry and he won't ever see me again."
"You still love him don't you?"
She nodded. "He is the one who after all claimed me and told me that when the war was over he would make me all his. Now it's too late the mark he gave me is gone." she walked away.
END FLASH BACK
He growled and shook his head trying so hard to forget those painful memories. But more came.
FLASH BACK
Koji went into Tsuki and his room and made sure she was still asleep before he removed the bandages from his wrist and looked at the now closed wound. By the scent of it he knew it had gotten infected. He cursed to himself and went into the bathroom and locked the door and reslit his wrist with one of his sharp claws. He hissed in pain as his blood spilled over the top of his wound and into the sink. He clenched his hand as the pain become more intense as the poison began to rush through his blood quickly.
Tsuki bolted up as she smeltKoji's blood and raced to the bathroom door and tried to get in. "Koji?!"
"I-its okay Tsuki go back to bed, I just cut myself on a piece of glass." He said hoping she would believe his story.
She looked over at the table and saw no traces of glass anywhere. "Oh. . . Sorry I didn't see the glass . . . ," she left and returned to bed tears in her eyes.
An hour or so later he comes out of the bathroom a new bandage over his wrist and curled up beside Tsuki, cuddling up with her.
She moved away from him slightly.
He sat up and looked at her"Tsuki what's wrong?"
"There was no glass, you slit your wrist again didn't you?" she scolded as she sat up.
Koji got out of bed and stood next to the door. "Okay I admit, I did slit my wrist again, but I need to get rid of the poison."
"Koji! You promised!"
He growled, " Woman, I didn't promise you shit, now if you're going to be a bitch about me getting rid of the poison my way you can just leave." he snapped as he looked at her his eyes livid.
Tuski's eyes widen and she raced out of the hotel room tears streamed down her cheeks.
Koji just watched her leave and laid back down on the bed falling into a peaceful sleep.
END FLASH BACK
They flashed through his head over and over like the reflection on a mirror; he was stuck with these regrets for the rest of his life. And he had to suffer; one thing he was not used to.