-Ring-Doh: Part 21-

Kuon stared out the window, the sunlight filtering through. Today was going to be a long day, all the longer because he couldn't shake the feeling that last night was more than just a dream. He had been so sure that he had been kissed by someone, that someone had forced something down his throat, but as sure as he was he was also sure that he had seen faceless people. A spider-like woman and a man with long blonde hair who had gathered and taken Kyoko from his room. Yet, there was no reason for her to have been in his room. His head was spinning the more he tried to remember, the more it seemed to be trying to tell him not to remember.

The one thing that seemed to stand out the most besides the fact of faceless people and Kyoko was the scars that seemed to have been upon her flesh. Yet for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he remembered scars on a back he had never seen. His mind began to slowly retrace the women he had been within his time and none of them he could recall had ever had so many scars. Sure there had been some but they had all been due to other means, he closed his eyes as a memory echoed in his mind, yet his mother's voice echoed in his voice as she covered his eyes. 'Some men teach their daughters like they are cattle, for they believe a woman should have no mind of their own. Never do that to your daughters, Kuon.' Slowly opening his eyes he figured that was why he was seeing scars on her in his dreams because she was being treated like cattle by the Fuwas or more correctly by the true person running the Fuwa family.

Standing up Kuon made his way towards the door of his room, cracking it just slightly so he could hear across the hall as he leaned across the wall. Kanae's voice showing her displeasure with Kyoko. He couldn't help but smile, the thought that Kanae being thought of as cattle would never pass that woman. 'She would never allow Kyoko to be just cattle.' There was a fire that burned within Kyoko and he had seen it himself, she was mistreated yes, but she also went out of her way to assure that the others weren't being so mistreated.

'A sign of a good leader is one that is willing to help those who are doing poorly to assure those who are doing well, only keep getting better. Remember, you are not the only one trying to make a living, so are they. You have more power than they do so you must also assure they too can keep living. You will inspire them so much more when you trust and protect them.' His father's voice echoed in his mind. He opened his eyes looking back towards the window wondering if that was how Kyoko had earned such a strong-willed woman's trust in the first place. Though fear was still within the eyes of so many, they always seemed to turn their backs on her but perhaps that was because they understood that she was protecting them when they could not protect themselves against the force that was the Fuwa family.

Kyoko stared at the planned outfit, one of the rules had been that she could not wear one of her nicer kimono's which was fine she didn't wish to risk them getting dirty and ruined they had after all been gifts and thus should be treasured. That didn't mean she expected to wear a corset of all things, "No." she said shaking her head as Kanae stepped forward.

"It's proper Englishmen wear" there was a glint in her eyes as she spoke.

Kyoko quickly shook her head once more as she backed further away from Kanae which wasn't much seeing as even with both rooms, she couldn't exactly go out so close to naked. Though the thought was quickly starting to sound good to her. "Then let them wear it" she huffed as the taller woman tried but failed one more to grab hold of her.

"Kyoko..." there was a growl and Kyoko couldn't help the small whimper that left her as the tears began to fall down Kyoko's cheeks. Kanae couldn't believe she had just been defeated by someone like Kyoko and her tears. "You said you wouldn't do that anymore." She growled under her breath and Kyoko eyes widen more, as even more tears seemed to start pooling, "That's not fair!" she snapped at her throwing the corset across the room. Kyoko who rarely let her true emotions show to just anyone was playing dirty. "You know I can't... urg" she threw her hands up in the air stomping across the two rooms that had been opened to make it easier. She dropped in front of a trunk that she had gotten from her mother and began to pull out a different outfit.

Kyoko tiptoed closer, not yet drying her tears, as she leaned over Kanae's shoulder as the woman held out what seemed like very large pants. The thought of one of the larger set men who came here for Lady Fuwa's company crossed her mind but no matter what she couldn't really see them wearing something with flowers even if they were about the same shade as the pant itself. Her eyes fell upon what also looked like a dress, only far shorter, it would come up just above her knee and seem far too scandalous in her mind. "Are you sure those are women clothes?"

Kanae looked up at her, "I'm sure, it's just that... normal woman wear is all. Soldiers, hunters, miners... those are the sort of women who would wear these things." Kyoko eyes widen making Kanae flinched slightly as the girl quickly wrapped her arms around Kanae's neck.

"So we'll be like your mother!" she said happily and Kanae couldn't help but groan.

"Yeah only we aren't sailors or traders and you have no skills in using a sword... or a gun." Kanae had knowledge on how to use guns but that was because her brothers were away from home just like her parents and it was her job to help make sure that her younger siblings were safe. At least until they found their own brides but that just added more mouths to feed. Now she was here, trying not to be a burden to her family while doing what she could to help them survive in the world. "Come on let's get you dressed before I regret this..."

Hiou walked between Kanae and Kyoko, while one was almost like a small child in the way she was prancing the other looked more like a tired mother who had an overzealous child. Which he himself completely understood, it was normally a sight only the two of them had witnessed and while the other two men were indeed ahead of them, the fact remained they were being allowed to see a part of Kyoko that no one else outside of his own family ever witness. Her true being could be overwhelming. Hiou reached out pulling Kyoko back slightly, "Calm down" he growled under his breath and then felt like he just kicked some puppy with the expression on her face. 'Gods forbid she ever has a daughter.'

This morning had been one of the most amusing ones he had in some time. When Kyoko an Kanae had walked in, the look and expression on Lady Fuwa's face had been one of pure horror and disgust. Not that he couldn't understand such a reaction, it was for most women, not proper. Even if it was slowly being more acceptable for women, there was still a stereotype belief that they would thus be bad mothers, whores or not really women at all but men. It must have been a real surprise for the three Fuwa's to see Kyoko and yes even Kanae walk in. The two who didn't seem at all surprised besides himself and his mother was Ren and Yashiro. Likely due to the fact that they traveled so much or so that's what they said. Lord Fuwa had been the one to quickly come around, though you could still see his discomfort, it wasn't as if you could see the shape of their legs, but he supposed for men who weren't used to such things, it could be seen as being seductive. His own mother from what he could recall had been very uncomfortable when she had first worn men's clothes. Yet, to finish her training she had no choice, to be a female in the Uesugi family meant accepting that they would be expected to fight and even die. To do it in a dress would be as his Grandfather said, foolish and quicken their own death.

Even with his mother trying to explain that what she was wearing was very fitting for running around in the slums as all she would do would dirty her clothes. It wasn't as if the port town like where they were, had a lot of brick roads, not even all of them were packed dirt or with small gravel or wooden. No all that a child who spent so much of her time inside the Fuwa Inn. It would be as his mother kept pointing out until Lord Fuwa found himself agreeing good for her to learn more about the world. He was pulled from his thoughts by Kanae's low voice.

"...will there be much trouble?"

He wasn't exactly sure what she had said but with the clues of her eyes on Kyoko who seemed almost far too peaceful, as though living a dream as completely lost in her own world as she would stop at the little shop windows. Not that he could be surprised, she had never been given much in the terms of an allowance which always bothered him. Her father might not have been the riches of men, far from it compared to the other first families but he had the riches lands, the most desirable lands and that in truth was what had taken much of the money that he would have had otherwise. Not to say, those of the Misonoi family had a habit of living within the normal man's means. Very little servants from what his father an grandfather had told them. They like Kyoko worked next to the common man and like Kyoko tended to be far to give of themselves. Still, she would have had a much larger allowance than what she was normally given, there were no longer men that worked the land. There was no house, no need to support staff and themselves. No travel expenses. 'So where had all the funds been going?'

Hiou's eyes slowly drifted to the back of Ren's skull for a moment and when the older man looked back towards him, he didn't take his eyes off of him. "Yeah. We can be assured of it." He said shoving his hands into his pockets. "For now..."

"We must keep her safe." Her own eyes filtering towards Ren before looking away. Hiou didn't miss the slightly confused look on his face before he turned to talk to Yashiro once more.

Hiou could feel the slight disgust she had about God's so-called choice. Actually, he was pretty sure he had gone through the ritual himself but he couldn't recall being honest. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Kyoko once more, wondering if it was something that her own father had gone through, if that was the case then did that mean, every single person who the God thought was a possible match for generations went through this? 'Only the best for the bloodline?' So if he had been able to pass the test, what had stopped him from being with her?

"It is the wrong love." His eyes widen as he looked around quickly before paling slightly at the semi-long red hair man, the color that reminded him of blood. He had not seen him get to close, but that really shouldn't have surprised him. He was after all one of Ring-Doh's Priests and Kiyora was a man blessed and chosen by Tlaloc while still living. "Is there something the matter Lord Hiou?" The smile that played across the man's ruby lips bothered Hiou. He was a man who could pass as a woman and tended to walk the streets as if he was indeed one. Even his voice was able to change just enough to make one believe that he was indeed fully a woman. The real issue Hiou had was that this man was far to close to him, if he believed in shapeshifting demons, this would be one in his eyes.

"Get off..." he said pushing the man back the hurt wounded look in his eyes. Hiou couldn't help but feel bothered by the whole thing. He didn't like even the closest people in his life clinging to him. Not that he wouldn't mind Kanae doing so but even Kyoko who was like a little sister to him annoyed him. One of the Ring-Doh Priests clinging to him while looking like a woman would only more drama than it was worth.

"Lady Kiyora" Kyoko, had quickly made a beeline for Kiyora much to Hiou's annoyance. For some reason, Kyoko was just to easily drawn in by these Priests and he believed fully that it was due to her family blood. The Priests of Ring-Doh were after all the most loyal to Tlaloc and as much as he didn't want to admit it. They were completely devoted to her bloodline. Even his own Grandfather seemed to have found much favor in them. Something he was not blessed with unless it came from this shapeshifting demon of a man. It still bothered him how easily he was able to lure men and women to his side. Kanae being one of the few to fall for his charms.

"I've told you that's not a she..." Hiou turned and pointed at Kiyora his voice still low as to not draw too much attention, as he was taught and expected to do at all times. Control the anger, control his outbursts. Sometimes it was hard, this was one of those moments where he was struggling.

"Nor is he a Lady." Kanae glared at the Priest before turning back towards Kyoko who only smiled cheerfully at them both before turning her eyes back towards the man in question. A fan covering his face leaving just sad and pained eyes to be seen.

Kyoko's heart seemed to be completely going out to his hurt puppy expression before she was grasping his one free hand. Her eyes narrowing as she looked at both himself and Kanae. "Don't be so rude. Kiyora is Kiyora. When Kiyora is like this we should address her as she desires."

"You understand me so well Milady." He leaned in to kiss her cheek before Kanae was pulling Kyoko away from him. "Come now Miss Kanae, surely out of all the men around, I'm the least of your worries when it comes for her affections."

There was of course truth in those words. A Priest of the Ring-Doh was devoted while they were free to love who they desired they would never as they so called it to taint the Misonoi bloodline. Though what that fully meant even Hiou didn't know and the one time he had asked his Grandfather he was told it was not his consider. Slowly his eyes lifted from Kanae's as Hiou could feel two people joining them, not that he could be surprised by that either. It was their job right now to keep an eye on Kyoko and with the way Kanae was standing in front of Kyoko it would only bring them to see what was the holdup. So to speak.

Kiyora fan was once against in front of his face showing just his eyes as he scanned the two men, and part of Hiou wanted to know exactly how they would react once they learned the truth of the so-called Lady in their mist. "Why I don't think I've seen either of you two gentlemen before."

A/N: Yep she is the High Priestess but I won't say more than that.