"I want to talk to you."
Yusuke wasted no time in settling himself comfortably on the sofa.
"What's on your mind, boss?" he asked.
Hiei felt irritated by the guard's casual tone but he let it pass. He felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned his head to see Kurama's pleading green eyes. He shook his wrist at Hiei, the bangles making a small clinking noise.
"You can go and change," Hiei said, annoyed by the distraction.
Kurama fled into the bedroom, clearly relieved. Hiei turned back to Yusuke.
"You seem to know something about the wards," he said.
Yusuke's friendly air evaporated, his face hardening. "So?" he asked, his voice a little belligerent.
"Are you sure they can't be removed?" Hiei asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Why do you want to take them off anyway?" Yusuke asked.
"That's none of your business," Hiei snapped.
"You know, I think I've seen that Karasu guy somewhere before," Yusuke said.
Hiei blinked, startled by the abrupt and seemingly irrelevant change in topic.
"Karasu?" he asked doubtfully.
"Yeah." Yusuke's demeanour was uneasy. "He was in Tourin. He said he was a trader but the men with him looked more like soldiers…"
Hiei had a feeling that Yusuke was holding something back but this one bit of information was more than enough to keep his mind occupied for the moment. Why had Karasu been in Tourin? It sounded as though he hadn't been travelling as an envoy. What interest did Barasono have in Tourin?
Military conquest was unlikely. Tourin had a strong and well-trained military who were used to the harsh conditions of the desert. Barasono had always been a relatively peaceful country. It's military was very small and mostly symbolic. No other country had attempted to conquer it as the terrain was treacherous. Barasono didn't need a strong military to defend itself. Just a smart one. The mountainous terrain and unpredictable thunderstorms provided them a home ground advantage against any invading force.
"Did he say why he was there?" Hiei asked Yusuke.
"Nah. He didn't say much of anything," Yusuke said. "Something didn't feel right, so my friend and I got out of there pretty quick."
"Are you from Tourin?" Hiei asked Yusuke curiously. That would explain how Yusuke knew about the wards.
"Yeah. Look, is that all? I gotta go get some dinner," Yusuke said.
Or he just wanted to avoid any more questions, Hiei thought cynically.
"Yes, that's all," Hiei said.
Yusuke stood and strode towards the door. Before he left, he turned to look over his shoulder at Hiei.
"Don't let that Karasu guy near Kurama, all right?" he said. "I think… something bad would happen."
He was gone before Hiei could ask what he meant. It appeared that Yusuke had noticed the redhead's fear of the black-haired envoy. Had something happened during dinner? Hiei didn't think so, though he hadn't been watching Kurama very much. He was uncomfortable with the sight of Kurama dressed in that way. Like a prize horse on show. King Koenma's idea of decoration left a sour taste in Hiei's mouth.
When Hiei entered the bedroom to check on Kurama, he found that Kurama had removed the jewellery and left it in a pile on the carpet. Hiei peeked into the bathroom to see him sitting in the bathtub washing soap off his shoulder. Hiei gathered up the jewellery and put it in a drawer.
Kurama was usually very clean. He wasn't one to simply leave something laying around. Hiei had noticed him picking up items that Hiei had left around and putting them away. Leaving the jewellery where he had was likely a message. He wasn't happy with the way he'd been dressed up. Hiei couldn't blame him.
Hiei returned to the bathroom. Kurama frowned up at him. He waved one hand at Hiei in a clear dismissal.
"I'm not going away," Hiei snapped at him.
Kurama gave him a narrow-eyed glare. He rubbed the sponge over the markings on his arm, as if he thought he could rub them off with only soap. Hiei could see that the skin was becoming red and irritated.
"Stop that," Hiei told him as he took off his shirt. "They won't come off. You know that."
He knelt beside the tub and gathered up Kurama's long hair. He'd gotten the ends wet. He pushed it over one shoulder and began to soap up Kurama's back.
The intricate designs looked deceptively beautiful. If they were nothing more than a piece of artwork, Hiei would have appreciated them. But they were shackles, meant to bind a person. Meant to break them.
Kurama endured Hiei's touch with no complaint though he remained tense.
"Kurama," Hiei said softly.
Kurama didn't acknowledge Hiei in any way but the slight shifting of his hair.
"There's something that I want you to do for me," Hiei said. "I'm going to be too busy to do it myself." He rubbed the sponge in circles over Kurama's back.
Kurama turned his head to stare at him inquisitively.
"The palace has an extensive library," Hiei said. "I want you to do some research for me. I want you to learn as much as you can about the wardings."
Kurama looked very confused but he nodded. Hiei had a feeling that this was a task that Kurama would enjoy, given that it was something that could benefit him.
The issue of how Kurama would communicate what he learned could be a problem but Hiei hoped that the redhead was smart enough to figure something out. He had to have a better understanding of the wards than Hiei did, given that he was the one restricted by them.
Hiei shed the rest of his clothing and joined Kurama in the bathtub. It was not as large as the one that had been in his house and Kurama gave him an irritated look before hastily finishing his washing routine and getting out. Hiei watched him dry himself while keeping his back to Hiei, The wardings hadn't faded in the slightest since Hiei had first seen them.
Once dry, Kurama left the bathroom, presumably to go to bed, Hiei suspected.
Hiei took his time with his bath, thinking over what Yusuke had said about Karasu. It didn't make sense. What had Karasu been doing in Tourin with a group of soldiers? That, coupled with the missing prince…
Did Karasu have something to do with Barasono's missing prince? Hiei felt cold, despite the still-warm bathwater he was immersed in. Karasu certainly hadn't spoken flatteringly about Prince Shuichi during their conversation weeks ago. Was that why he was so steadfast in his assertion that Prince Shuichi had ran away? Was he trying to deflect suspicion from himself?
Maybe he should take King Koenma up on his offer of joining the SDF. He could officially look into the disappearance and have all of the Crown's resources to hand.
But bringing Kurama along on such a mission would not be easy. Likely, it would be necessary to visit Tourin, and Tourin treated their slaves even more harshly than Reikai did. King Koenma, while not necessarily being a cruel man, was sometimes insensitive, and that was where the abuse stemmed from. He simply didn't realise what he was doing. And the lords and ladies followed the king's lead, in that as they did everything else.
But Tourin's people were intentionally cruel to slaves. They were abused in horrific ways. It would be necessary to keep Kurama near him at all times. He must not be left alone for any period of time.
Hiei decided to put aside his thoughts of the missing prince and potential plans for now. He had a house to rebuild, apparently a new job to adjust to and some students who still needed teaching.
Kurama was snoring softly when Hiei got into bed beside him. Hiei's intrusion disturbed him and Kurama shifted further over in the bed, away from Hiei.
Perhaps he'd pushed it a little too far with the physical contact today. Kurama might be more receptive when he hadn't just spent a humiliating evening being ogled like a prime piece of meat.
Thank God Princess Botan wasn't like her father. Hiei very much looked forward to when the princess would take over from her parents. He had a feeling that a lot would change, and for the better.
-0-
Hiei's request to research the wardings had thrilled Kurama. It was something that he needed to do but hadn't been able to until now. Now that he had Hiei's permission, he could lose himself in the library to his heart's content.
And possibly learn how to remove the wards, or at least work around them. Despite Yusuke's assertion, he hadn't completely given up on getting rid of them entirely. He still hoped that it was possible. Perhaps there was a way, but due to the mages' secrecy, no one had yet found it.
Kurama was disappointed to learn that Yusuke would not be the guard accompanying him to the library the next day. This man was someone Kurama didn't know.
Hiei glared at the orange-haired man as he handed Kurama's leash to him. "Don't lose him," he said.
The guard, who'd nervously introduced himself as Kuwabara, looked very worried as he gripped the leash.
Hiei turned towards Kurama. "Stay close to Kuwabara," he told him.
After he left, Kuwabara gave Kurama an uncertain look. "Um, ah, do you know where the library is?" he asked hopefully.
Kurama pressed his hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter. It didn't work. He began to cough, tears leaking from his eyes.
Kuwabara looked terrified. "Are you okay?" he demanded, dropping the leash to grab Kurama's arms.
Kurama nodded as he struggled to get himself back under control. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. Hiei had found him a decent set of clothes, thank the gods. They were not of the quality he'd had previously but they were much preferable to the sleeping pants.
Thanks to a helpful maid, the two of them found the library. It was a massive room with floor-to-ceiling windows on one wall, overlooking a flower garden. Between the shelves there were large tables with chairs around them.
It didn't take long for Kurama to find the section he needed. He'd decided to start with the mythology books first, then move onto Tourin texts. He wanted to learn not only the spells the mages had used but also where the magic had come from. There wouldn't be very many texts on the mages' spells as they never shared their techniques but some scholars had tried to analyse their spells. With little success, Kurama was certain.
Kuwabara sat at one of the tables while Kurama perused the shelves, searching for books. Once he found something that looked promising, he'd bring it back to the table and start flicking through it.
Kurama was already familiar with the core beliefs of their religion. Energy flowed through all living things, from a blade of grass to a mountain. It was even in the air they breathed. But that wasn't magic, not really. Magic seemed to be something that you were born with, or you weren't. It was said that demons were all born with it though humans had only recently come to possess it.
At least, that was what Kurama had always believed. The more he read, the more he began to question what he knew of magic.
The texts seemed to use the same word for the energy existing in all living things to refer to magic as well. At first Kurama thought it was a mistake in translation or a misunderstanding. But the anomaly persisted in book after book.
It seemed that the magic used by the demons of the stories Kurama had grown up with wasn't what he'd assumed it to be. It was merely the energy that existed in all living things. Somehow, the demons were able to manipulate it.
Which meant that the mages of Tourin had nothing special. They had simply learned how to manipulate the energy of the world around them. It was, theoretically, something that anyone could learn to do.
Even Kurama.
So, from that information Kurama could infer that the wardings were not what he'd thought they were. They weren't magical bindings. Instead, they were instructions. They changed how Kurama's own energy worked.
It wasn't some kind of magic chaining him. It was his own energy.
Kurama wasn't sure how he felt about that. Even if the marks were removed, would he truly be free? Maybe his energy would continue to flow as the wards had dictated, even once they were removed, like a redirected river eventually returning to it's original path.
Kuwabara yawned as Kurama closed the book he'd been reading. He was about to rise and get another book when he realised that someone was sitting across from them, absorbed in a book of his own.
It was Kirei.
Kurama glanced around nervously, wondering if Karasu was nearby but there was no sign of the black-haired man.
Kurama put his book back then picked out another. This one was more for personal interest. It was a child's collection of stories.
Kuwabara gave him a skeptical look as Kurama sat back down.
"That's a kid's book," he said. "Are you really gonna read that?"
Kurama nodded, even as he wondered if Hiei had filled Kuwabara in about what he was supposed to be researching.
Kuwabara shrugged and returned to his own book. Kurama hadn't paid much attention to what the taller man was reading but he studied the cover of the book now. It seemed to be a book on the study of healing.
Kurama made a mental note to go up that avenue later. He'd heard that there were some healers who could heal injuries and illnesses that were beyond the abilities of others. Maybe that had something to do with manipulating energy as well.
If it weren't for the wards, he could have simply asked a healer to explain their work. Healers were not secretive like Tourin's mages.
Kurama was about to open his own book when he noticed that Kirei was staring at him over the top of his book.
Kurama froze. He'd given up on Kirei recognising him but maybe…
Kirei lowered his book, his cheeks reddening.
"I'm sorry," he apologised. "It's rude to stare, I know. But you really look like someone I knew." He looked down.
Kuwabara's attention had been drawn from his book.
"Who does he look like?" he asked curiously.
Kirei looked embarrassed as he answered Kuwabara's question. "He, ah, looks a bit like Prince Shuichi," he admitted.
Kuwabara's expression became enlightened. "Oh, you're from Barasono, right?" he said. "I guess you're still looking for the prince."
"Of course," Kirei said. "It's all very strange…"
His gaze returned to Kurama.
"Maybe he did run away," Kuwabara said quietly. "Maybe he got tired of being the prince and left."
Kirei frowned. "I didn't know him well," he said. "But he was always a very responsible boy. He wouldn't have just disappeared like that. Especially not after the agreement to marry Princess Botan was finalised. He would have done his duty even if he wasn't entirely happy with it."
Kurama wanted to jump for joy. Finally, someone understood. Someone had voiced how out-of-character his running away would have been. At least there was someone who believed that he wouldn't have just deserted his family and country.
"What do you think happened to him, then?" Kuwabara asked.
"Something terrible, I am sure," Kirei said. "His mother would have been devastated if she were still alive. She doted on him."
Kuwabara looked between Kurama and Kirei uncertainly, his brow furrowed. But whatever he was thinking, he chose to keep it to himself.
Kirei returned to his book. Feeling disappointed, Kurama did as well. If only he had some way of communicating. With Karasu absent, this would have been a perfect time.
But no matter how much Kurama racked his brain, nothing came to him. Speaking was out of the question. As was writing. There was nothing he could do. He hadn't known Kirei well. The man wouldn't know his mannerisms.
There weren't even any physical marks like scars he could use to prove his identity. The few he'd had had been healed by Karasu's healers along with his more serious injuries.
Kirei would have to figure out Kurama's identity for himself. Kurama had little hope of that ever happening, though.
-0-
Dinner was a pleasant surprise for Kurama. Kuwabara took him along to the kitchens and he ate with some of the guards.
Most gave him irritated looks but Kurama concentrated on wolfing down the food placed before him before one of them could raise an objection.
Finally, one of the guards in Reikai's uniform said, "He doesn't belong here."
Kuwabara rolled his eyes. "I'm eating so he's eating," he said, as if that settled the matter. Kurama liked his logic.
It seemed to stump the other guard as he gave no response. He just stared at both of them. Kurama kept his head down, careful not to make eye contact. He didn't want to offend anyone any more than he already had.
"He belongs to Lord Hiei, doesn't he?" one of the other guards asked curiously.
"Yeah," Kuwabara said, sounding a little miffed. He was half-way through his meal, Kurama saw. Kurama had almost finished his.
"Lucky bastard. Getting one that pretty isn't easy," the guard said.
Kurama bit his lip. He wanted to glare at the guard but kept his eyes on his plate.
"I suppose I can see why the lord looks after him so well. Probably paid a fortune for him," the other guard said grudgingly.
Kuwabara frowned but said nothing in reply.
Hiei was not there when they returned to his rooms. Kurama bathed and went to bed. It felt strange to sleep alone. He'd always found it unsettling to sleep beside Hiei before, but he missed the little lord's presence now.
Kurama had slipped into a fitful doze when he was woken by the mattress shifting beneath him.
"It's only me," Hiei grumbled as he slid beneath the covers.
Kurama rolled over to look at him. His eyes widened in surprise. Hiei sported a rather impressive black eye. Kurama reached up to tap at Hiei's cheek. Had it happened during one of his classes? Or had he been training with other SDF members? What had he been doing all day?
"It's none of your business," Hiei told him. "Go back to sleep."
Kurama felt a bit cheated. He didn't like the fact that there was a part of Hiei's life that he was no longer included in.
Disappointed, he turned away from Hiei and settled down to sleep. He felt Hiei assuming his usual position against his back. His warmth and the sound of his breathing was familiar and comfortable.
He was lucky, Kurama realised. Lucky to end up with someone kinder than Karasu. Hiei had said at the beginning that he wouldn't rape Kurama and he'd held true to that. Kurama was still whole. Still restricted, but still whole. As long as he was sound of body and mind, then he could find a way out of this.
