Honey I Can Explain Chapter 38: The Queen's Kind Words
"Thanks for meeting with me again Maiden Chi," Minato answered. The young woman in front of him smiled lovingly giving a quick single nod.
"There's no problem at all," Chi answered. Kyoko was currently being attended to by her two handmaidens. Minato allowed the two hand maidens to dress and wash Kyoko today since she was going to live with them. The little girl wasn't fond of the idea and threw a little fit but eventually went along for the ride.
"Maiden Chi, why aren't you attended to by handmaidens?" Minato asked.
"Well I do have two of my own but since I'm so old they don't need to attend to my daily needs."
"I thought so," Minato answered. "Could you tell me anything about the special abilities that Kyoko has?"
"I…honestly don't know," Chi sighed with a sheepish smile. "Powers are discovered…not spoken about here. Although we are reincarnated…each reincarnated priestess has a different set of skills and abilities. Sometimes skills transfers over other times they do not."
"What has happened here since the death of the other high priestess?" Minato asked.
"It was rather calm for about four months. No one knew that the priestess was missing. When the King and Queen passed away it was revealed that the young maiden was gone. Our lands began to panic, we've never been without a high priestess. The other priestesses were brought here to discuss if the high priestess was alive or dead. After much discussion, we decided that we would try to locate her by linking our minds together," Chi began. She let out a sigh crossing her hands on her laps. "We were able to link with Young Maiden Miyana but we were unable to locate her. We were only able to conclude that the High Priestess was across Luponian borders. Yet this didn't please Samsu. He wanted her found and found fast. He sent soldiers across the border to find her. Yet after months of trying to locate the girl proved unsuccessful, Samsu sent messengers to all of the Kage. We were lucky that Miyana was with you when Messenger Yan was in your office. I was relieved to hear the news."
"Tell me more about Samsu. How did he react when Yan returned?"
"He wasn't too relieved, he was angry…Angry at the Shinobi. He thought that you should have returned her immediately. Yet, how would you know who she was? You made her your own and called her Kyoko," Maiden Chi answered. She leaned in close to Minato, "He seemed very shady before your arrival. There have been many shipments of weapons to the palace. Also there has been an increase of guards and soldiers here too. Please take her…orchestrate something so she can be kidnapped and end up back in Konoha."
"I have to speak to the Queen," Minato answered.
"Stop being so caught on the idea! Queen Lana acts like she doesn't want to speak to you! Why don't you act like a human and take the girl!" Chi snapped. She covered her mouth in shock and embarrassment. "Sorry." Chi looked around the room making sure that she had not provoked anyone.
"It seems like everywhere I turn, everyone tells me to take Kyoko back to her home in Konoha," Minato murmured with a slight chuckle.
"Excuse me?" Chi piped leaning to the side curiously. The Hokage was wearing a pained look on his face. "Are you okay Lord Hokage?"
"You're unfortunately a little late," Minato stated standing up. "I have a duty to do what's right and fair for my people and the people I make alliances with. Giving the High Priestess back to the Queen will create a bridge between the Queen of the Luponians and the Shinobi of Konohagakure. Kakashi, has elected to stay behind with the High Priestess. I have given him permission to act on his own accord. Even if that means stealing the High Priestess and bringing her to Konoha if need be. I intend to keep a shinobi here until she's old enough to defend herself." Chi pursed her lips looking down sadly.
"I see," Priestess Chi replied.
"Thank you…It's about time for you to get back to your duties correct?" Minato answered.
"You're welcome. You're going to make a great Dad when you start having children," Priestess Chi praised. "You've raised a wonderful little girl who is sweet and loving with a little fiery spark." Kushina's the fiery spark, Minato thought.
"Thank you," Minato said with a nod. "I need to meet with Kyo…Miyana-chan. Where would she be?"
"She should have free time right now," Priestess Chi answered. Minato left the room searching the palace for Kyoko. Looking out a window Minato saw the little girl playing with children around her age. Some of them had wolf ears and other human. Every now and then Kyoko or one of the other children transformed into a wolf as they pranced about. She's really happy…Minato thought watching her solemnly. He turned away from the window wandering through the empty halls.
Flashback
"Hi Kyoko-chan," Minato called out seeing the little girl out of the corner of his eye. She was trying to secretly watching him from the doorway. Upon being discovered, she let out a silent gasp pressing her body against the wall to hide herself. "No come back little lady!" Peeking through the doorway she gave Minato a sullen stare. She could have been watching him for at least five minutes.
"Breakfast will be ready soon," Kushina called out.
"All right," Minato answered summoning the little girl closer. "Do you want to shave with me?" The girl looked questionably at him as he placed her on the counter. She nodded quietly staring at Minato's partially shaven face. Taking out his shaving cream he squirted a small amount into his hand gently painting the little girl's face with the foamy cream. Inquisitively Kyoko stuck a finger in the foamy substance observing every characteristic. "No no no little lady you can't eat it." Minato chuckled catching Kyoko before she stuffed her finger in her mouth. Opening a drawer Minato pulled out a razor without its blades placing it next to the little girl. "So watch me little one and then I'll let you shave your face." He finished shaving his own face giving Kyoko the razor-less razor he had set aside.
"What is taking that man so long," Kushina grumbled tapping her fingers on the table. With an angered sigh Kushina got up from the table wandering to the bathroom. "Minato what the helllllo Kyoko sweetheart, what are you doing with Minato?" Kyoko stared at Kushina silently; Kyoko's face was still covered in shaving cream.
"I thought it would be cute if she shaves with me," Minato answered with an innocent smile.
"Minato stop masculizing her," Kushina sighed.
"Kushina, I don't think that's even a word," Minato pondered over.
"DON'T bring spelling and grammar into this! She's a GIRL!"
"It seems like she doesn't mind," Minato answered.
"No no no no! Little girls don't shave," Kushina scolded wiping the cream off her face with a dry hand towel.
"Kushina," Minato groaned. Kushina sometimes knew how to suck the fun out of everything! This could very well be the last time he could ever attempt to do this. There was still a possibility that Kushina was having a girl.
End Flashback
Kushina really hated me after that, Minato thought chuckling to himself. Stopping Kyoko looked up at the window. She frowned slightly staring hoping for the figure to return. She hesitated grabbing the front of her robes anxiously.
"Young Maiden Miyana," the kids called out. Kyoko stared at the window drowning out the voices. Why did the high priestess stop playing? Why did she look so anxious? Coming back to her senses, Kyoko eyed the other children staring at her.
"I…have to go," Kyoko said with a bittersweet smile.
"Where?" a young girl asked. This little girl was still learning how to control her wolf ears. One was up and alert while the other was lying flat against her head.
"I need to meet with my D…with the Fourth Hokage," Kyoko answered. Running away Kyoko transformed into a wolf to find the Fourth Hokage. In her blind running, Kyoko bumped into Yan. Letting out a yelp Kyoko tumbled backwards transforming back into a human.
"You know you shouldn't run in the palace Young Maiden Miyana," Yan scolded. Kyoko stared up at Yan with a blank scowl.
"I need to see Daddy," Kyoko muttered. She stood back up dusting herself off.
"He's not your Daddy. Shinobi are awful people Miyana," Yan answered. Kyoko frowned angrily. Her breathing quickened as she tried to keep herself calm.
"People fight no matter who they are," Kyoko growled. "We are just as mean and bad."
"Hardly," Yan huffed. "Their battles have spilled over into our land and have made us distrustful."
"That's our fault then," Kyoko answered. "Daddy is the nicest man, and Mama is very nice too. Mama and Daddy cared about me when no one else would! Daddy rescued me when everyone else left me to lay still! How can Shinobi be awful people if they act so kind?!"
"We're going to be moving out today," Minato said to his team. "The Queen has made herself unavailable and there's no reason to stay here any longer."
"And Kakashi?" Genma asked noticing that the boy was not present.
"He will be remaining here to guard Kyoko…Miyana-hime," Minato answered. "I'm going to try to speak with the Queen one more time…I'll try to also speak to that royal advisor as well."
"What about Kyoko-hime?" Raido asked.
"I'm going to make sure I see her. I won't desert her," Minato answered with a slight smile.
"Will you be alright sir?" Genma asked.
"I'll be alright," Minato sighed. "She'll be safe with Kakashi here. All I need is to have faith in Kyoko-hime. That's what parents do, have faith in their children." He was wearing a lopsided smile.
"Lord Hokage," Raido muttered. He's having a hard time, Raido thought.
"Would you like us to get her?" Genma asked.
"No, I'll just find her," Minato answered.
Flashback
"Kushina, why have you been sleeping in Kyoko's room?" Minato asked.
"No I haven't," Kushina lied turning a little pink.
"You leave in the middle of the night and go to her room," Minato answered.
"She still doesn't sleep well. She draws what she experiences in her nightmares," Kushina sighed.
"She hasn't drawn any morbid drawings in a long period of time," Minato answered.
"No she continues to draw them, I just put them away," Kushina sighed again pulling the little girl's drawings out a drawer and handing them to Minato.
"Kushina, don't keep something like that from me. I want to know everything that Kyoko's doing," Minato answered seriously. "But, we'll talk about that later. When do you think you'll be back in our bed?"
"When Kyoko stops having her nightmares. She does have some baggage," Kushina answered.
"Papa," Kyoko squeaked from the doorway.
"Hi, did we wake you up?" Minato asked getting down to her level.
"No," Kyoko answered.
"You look cute with your bangs," Minato coed picking her up.
"I like yours too," Kyoko muttered half asleep. She laid her head on his shoulder closing her eyes.
"She still prefers you," Kushina replied in a distasteful tone.
"Who does she run to when she's scared?" Minato asked.
"Me,"
"Who does she run to when she gets hurt?"
"Me,"
"Who does she run to when she wants her hair to be done?"
"Me."
"And when she's hungry?"
"Me."
"When she wants a story read to her?"
"Me."
"So for everything that I can see, she prefers you over me. Also she calls you Penna," Minato replied. "Whatever that means."
"Okay maybe there but she always wants to go out with you," Kushina replied.
"That's only one thing," Minato chuckled. "Well we're going to have another baby to doddle on and then the baby can prefer you over me too."
"I want to continue raising Kyoko-chan," Kushina sighed.
"I do too, but she has to go back to her home."
End Flashback
I wish Kushina was here to see Kyoko off…She would have like it. It would have also made it a lot easier, Minato thought. He had dismissed his team as he wandered about in the temple. He went back to the room that he was assigned to. Kyoko's hair was on the floor and in his own brush.
Flashback
"Kyoko-chan, you need to stay in your room," Minato sighed taking Kyoko back to the room that she was assigned to.
"I don't like my room," Kyoko muttered.
"Why?"
"I don't know, I just don't like it," Kyoko replied shrugging. Minato placed her back in her bed giving her WoofWoof.
"Stay," Minato ordered kissing her forehead. Minato left the room going back to his room. He wasn't surprised to see Kyoko on top of his bed.
"Hi Papa," Kyoko said happily. Tiredly Minato let out a sigh taking Kyoko back to her room again. It seems like she has control over her teleporting ability right now,Minato thought.
"Stay, please," Minato ordered. He left the room again. Walking back he heard Kyoko's feet behind him. "Go back!"
"But," Kyoko mumbled.
"You have to stay there," Minato ordered. Kyoko stood her ground pouting cutely.
"I don't want to…" Kyoko answered beginning to whine.
"What can I do…to make sure you stay?" Minato asked. When all else fails, compromise, Minato thought.
"Not sure," Kyoko replied.
"If I stay outside and guard the door…will you stay?" Minato asked. Kyoko pondered the thought nodding silently a few seconds later. "Okay, I'll guard the door and then you can go to bed." Kyoko nodded.
"Will you be okay Papa?" Kyoko asked.
"Yes, now off to bed!" Minato ordered. Kyoko hesitantly nodded returning to the room.
End Flashback
"This is… unreal," Minato muttered packing his bag. "This is…for the best." He hesitantly took her clothes out of his bag. He brushed his hand against her torn cloak remembering the fearful moments that occurred during his mission to return Kyoko to her people. He found WoofWoof on his bed underneath the blankets. Kyoko must have taken her nap in here, Minato thought. Picking up the toy Minato brushed his hand against it feeling the once soft plush fur had become knotted and slightly abrasive. She loves this little thing…Minato thought thinking of the kind man who had given Kyoko the toy for free. Tears stained WoofWoof's face as held the toy close to him. Why couldn't Kyoko be "normal"? Why did she have to be a Luponian? Why did he have to give up his little girl? This shouldn't have been happening. He quickly dried his tears he still needed to face the Queen and Kyoko. Rule 25 was it? A shinobi must never cry…Are we really to be these emotionless being. Killing machines…that's how the Luponian see us. With all of these rules to limit our personalities and our emotions, I can see why they think that. Yet we're not emotionless…I'm not a killing machine. I'm a husband, a lover, a friend, a teacher, a student, a role model and…a father. This won't be the last time I'm here. I will bring Kyoko-chan home, Minato thought.
"I never imagined I'd be here again…I lived here for a good portion of my life." Older Miyana's words ran through his brain. There were two parts to her statement. The first part troubled him, she hadn't been to the Village in years but the second part soothed him, she would return to him eventually and that eventually was soon. The older Miyana didn't look like she was quite 30 maybe 25 at the oldest and 22 at the youngest. Yet, what if Miyana had grown up to be a liar? What if she was lying to him? She could have learned to be deceitful, how did he know that she was good and pure? He remembered all the fairy tales that he had used to read to Kyoko about characters that seemed to be good but were truly evil by the end of the story. They were always rather innocent looking, and Miyana had an innocent look to her.
"No…she wouldn't banish a god…she wouldn't say those things…" Minato muttered. "She was too pure to be evil." He heard a knock on the door. Minato let out a deep sigh as he grabbed his things.
"Are you Kakashi?" Handmaiden Ostana asked the boy. There was something strange about him. Why would a child wear a mask? What did he have to hide?
"Yes?" Kakashi replied.
"I am Handmaiden Ostana. I am Queen Lana's main maid," Ostana answered bowing slightly to the boy.
"Is there any way that Lord Minato can get a private audience with the Queen?" Kakashi asked. Ostana couldn't help but to gasp. His words seemed bitter.
"I think at this current time, it would be impossible, she's being childish," Ostana sighed looking away from Kakashi. "I have a couple of questions of my own."
"I'll see what I can do," Kakashi answered.
"The Lord Hokage, how does he feel about Young Maiden Miyana?" Ostana asked.
"He loves the child like his own. I'm sure he would be saddened to see her go," Kakashi replied.
"Yan said that Young Maiden Miyana wasn't well taken care of, while your team was traveling to the palace. I don't believe that. What happened?" Ostana asked.
"Well we had a few run ins with Shinobi and the Hokage didn't want to stay in one place for too long so he commonly carried the Young Princ-Priestess while she slept. We took care of her as well as we possibly could. The Hokage made her as comfortable as possible. Miyana didn't seem to mind at all. She enjoyed her time with the Hokage," Kakashi replied.
"I see," Ostana pondered.
"Is there any reason why the Queen is avoiding the Hokage?" Kakashi asked. Ostana shuttered at his bluntness. Although he was young, he acted more like an adult.
"She's just being an immature fifteen year old. I think Samsu also has something to do with this. He appeases the child queen a lot," Ostana answered her words dripping with bitter venom. Ostana gasped covering her mouth in shock of her own words. "I shouldn't be saying this much. Queen Lana has summoned all of us."
"I'm sorry that I've been SOO busy," the Queen sighed. "The life of a Queen is challenging and there are so many important things for me to do and sign, people to meet with." And meeting with a foreign leader is not important?! Minato thought angrily. He wore a calm expression on his face. Kyoko was sitting near the queen with Ipiza and Idena. She wore a very sad expression on her face.
"Thank you for welcoming me into your home. I will be back to speak with you about High Priestess Miyana's upbringing," Minato answered.
"You talk to Samsu about that. He oversees those things," the Queen replied.
"I want to speak with you," Minato replied. "You're the Queen of this nation." The Queen sighed with a slight nod.
"I guess we can arrange that…how about one year from today?" the Queen asked.
"Five to Six months," Minato answered. I have to be there for the birth of my child, Minato thought.
"What?" the Queen whined. "Samsu, do I have to do that?"
"Not if you don't want to." Samsu answered.
"Five to Six months. You do want things to be peaceful between our two nations?" the Hokage replied coldly. The Queen looked down at the man fearfully, she had heard about the exploits of the Yellow Flash.
"Yes…five to six months…" she sighed. "That's so going to cut into my vacation time."
"You need to be here My Lady. Our people need us," Ostana snapped.
"Need I remind you that you're a handmaiden and NOT an advisor," Queen Lana growled. "YOU can't tell me what to do!"
"Another thing My Lady," Minato asked.
"What?" she groaned getting bored of the conversation.
"Can I speak with the High Priestess?" Minato asked. Kyoko smiled, slightly fidgeting in her seat. Kyoko looked to the Queen with giddy anticipation.
"Go," the child queen sighed. Kyoko got out of her seat running down to Minato. Opening his arms to her Minato gave her a tight hug twirling the little girl in his arm. He placed her down on the ground staying in a kneeling position.
"Hi Kyoko-chan," Minato cooed. "You're going to be living here now." He brushed through her bangs cupping the little girl's face. Kyoko frowned slightly. She could barely see him through her bangs.
"Why?" Kyoko asked sniffing to hold back tears. She wiped her bangs out of her eyes so she could see Minato clearly.
"Because this is where you belong," Minato answered. "I need to go home now but I'll be back. I promise you."
"But I wanna go home too," Kyoko stammered tears still strolling down her cheeks. Minato smiled slightly trying to get Kyoko to stop crying.
"This is your new home," Minato soothed. "Remember when I said that everyone has duties? You need to fulfill your duties to your people." Kyoko began to cry as Minato rubbed her shoulders. "I want you to know that Mama and Papa will always love you and I want you to know that we would never desert you. So make sure to be a good girl for Papa and Mama." Kyoko continued to cry. "Can you promise that for Daddy?" Kyoko nodded stretching her arms out to Minato. He hugged her tightly giving Kyoko a kiss on the top of her head. Breaking away from Minato's grip she ran half way up the steps. "KYOKO!"
"Lady Lana can I stay with Lord Hokage?" Kyoko asked.
"NO, now leave me alone. Go do those duties that Lord Hokage told you about," Queen Lana growled.
"But I wanna go with Papa!"
"I said GO TO your duties!" Queen Lana hollered. Kyoko flinched at the sound of her voice. Hesitantly the little girl ran off. Ostana watched with a sigh. "Now…I've had enough of ALLLL of this. I want you guys to leave. There's a secret passage way to your right, take that to get out of my palace. I'll see you in five to six months." The Queen looked over at Kakashi. "And take the brat with you."
"Kakashi stays with the Priestess," Minato answered.
"Samsu why?" the Queen groaned.
"He says he's for her own protection. The boy can stay," Samsu answered.
"Fine, now leave me be," the Queen snapped.
"Wait!" Ostana called out.
"Ostana!" the Queen growled.
"If you could keep her would you?" Ostana asked.
"She's my world," Minato answered. "I love her as if she was my own daughter. To be selfish…I would take her home with me…but, she has a job here and she should be where she's needed."
I didn't get a chance to tell Kyoko everything…Minato thought. Genma and Raido observed the Hokage's behavior as they walked through the hidden passage way. Kakashi was escorting them to the exit.
"There's nothing for you guys to worry about. I'll be alright," Minato said looking back at them with a smile.
"Are you sure?" Raido asked.
"Yeah. Kakashi will protect her," Minato said with a chuckle. "As a parent…you need to learn to let go." Minato closed his eyes before focusing his gaze ahead of them. "Right My Lady?" Ostana soon appeared with Kyoko in her "Shinobi" clothes and backpack. Ipiza, Idena and a couple of palace guards were monitoring the situation nearby. Idena was crying slightly because she had grown close to the little girl.
"Yes," Ostana muttered. "I'm the real Queen Lana. But…how did you know?"
"You were an outspoken handmaiden. Miyana-chan also halted when she was going to bow to the 'queen'," Minato replied. "Why did you hide yourself among the Handmaidens?"
"When my parents and their royal advisor died I was lead to believe that the people wanted to kill me too. Samsu, the new advisor told me that it was best to hide out as a handmaiden until things become safe again. I was so distraught…I agreed and I've been here as a servant ever since. I'm the second queen, I'm the one who makes the people happy. I'll do everything that I can to fulfill my parents' wishes," Queen Lana answered. "My parents always told me to do what's right. And I know that giving her back to you is the right thing to do."
"I can't do that," Minato said shaking his head. "She has a duty here and I can't take her away from that." What the hell is the Hokage thinking?! Genma thought staring at the man disturbed.
"You had to block your emotions when you said bye to Miya. You even said that you would take her if you were going to be selfish. Please let her go with you," Queen Lana answered.
"Did you know about this Kakashi?" Minato asked.
"More or less," he replied with a slight shrug.
"As long as she has a shrine…she can do her job from anywhere," Queen Lana answered. "My decoy is just an immature brat that's making me look like a party goer that shirks her duties."
"Are you sure that you're not being immature right now?" Minato asked.
"I'm positive…People want to kill the priestess so that the Geldani's priestess can take her position. Also…she's told me delightful stories of this "Itachi-kun" and she seems to have a fond attraction for him. Her roots may be here but they've been sown in Konoha. I won't send her home unescorted…these two are some of our finest warriors," Queen Lana replied stepping back two wolves appeared. "They'll be loyal to you as the Hokage and to the priestess. They have the ability to transform into humans for very short periods of time and will be vital to her training to become a priestess."
"But…"
"Lord Hokage please…the decoy and my advisor are Geldani. YOU can't let this happen! She will die if she stays here. The death of a priestess is painful! The seals are ripped from her body before the crystals are removed. You can't let her go through this Lord Hokage! I want what's best for High Priestess Miyana! She has a chance of living if she's with you!"
"Answer one thing for me…"
"Anything as long as she leaves with you!" the Queen replied.
"Who killed her people?" Minato asked. The Queen shivered.
"It was a group of rogue Shinobi," the Queen said looking down at her.
"From Konoha?" Minato asked.
"I don't know exactly…they were either framing your nation…or they were dissidents from Konoha. They discarded your uniform afterwards and claimed no allegiance to Konoha. They killed themselves before we could question them more," the Queen replied.
"Thank you My Lady," Minato answered.
"Papa, am I going home…" Kyoko began, "with you?"
"Yes…you are," Minato replied stretching his arms to her. Gasping with excitement Kyoko released the Queen's hand running to him jumping happily into his embrace. Minato snuggled the little girl holding her close. He couldn't help but shed a few tears of joy knowing that Kyoko would be staying with him forever…or at least until she was truly needed. The child queen smiled happily at Minato and Kyoko.
"Lady Lana," Kyoko said worriedly. "What will happen to you?"
"I'll be fine high priestess. I'm going to fix the government that I allowed to be corrupted. I have the ultimate power here…and hopefully with the help of Lord Hokage…our nations can form an alliance. This won't be the last time we see each other…I promise," the Queen answered.
"My Lady, I don't want to leave you here if you feel threatened," Minato replied.
"No…I have very small group of loyal guards, handmaidens and warriors…I need you to just worry about high priestess Miyana. I'll be fine," Queen Lana answered. "Miyana you just focus on going home." Minato placed her down so Kyoko could hug the queen. The young woman picked up the priestess giving her a tight hug. "We'll miss you High Priestess but I think you have duties to the Shinobi first and foremost. Be a good girl and teach others to be kind and courteous. Make sure to be a good girl for your Daddy now okay?"
"I will Lady Lana," Kyoko answered. Queen Lana put the girl down who immediately ran to Minato. She threw her arms up getting another hug from her father.
"Thank you My Lady," Minato said bowing to the Queen. The Queen nodded before disappearing down a hallway with Ipiza, Idena and a few guards. "Let's go home Kyo-chan."
"Okay Daddy!" Kyoko squeaked holding on to him tightly.
Yay! Surprise? Or not so much…to keep the story going I couldn't have her just stay at the Queen's palace! Until next time.
~WoofumsPup