The Path of Water

By Arlia'Devi

Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away in any respect; all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and associates. I make no money from this. Or "Romeo and Juliet" by the Dire Straits – although it's only an allusion within the story.

The Path of Water

By Arlia'Devi

XXXVI: An Adamant Question

Chihiro awoke mid-morning and rolled out of Haku's arms, stretching and yawning. The dragon rumbled a little and yawned himself, and his hands reached out for Chihiro's bare hips, pulling her flush against his equally naked body. Their clothes were pooled on a floor in a sort of casual neat pile on Haku's side and after a tumble in the sheets. Previously, Chihiro announced, with a wink, she needed something to tire her out. Perhaps a nice stroll or some light jogging, she had teased Haku when she'd noticed him lying a little provocatively on the bed, his shirt unbuttoned and revealing some creamy chest, his brow perked and his lips turned up while his hand circled his space beside him.

"I think of an activity that's more for well… two people," he grinned.

True to his word though, Haku told Chihiro she needed her rest a little before midnight and he was happy to snooze as well. It had been a beautiful, lazy day and recalling the memory of making love that afternoon brought about a wave of tingles through his body. She slept soundly and after a while of thinking about nothing in particular, he fell asleep with Chihiro tucked under his chin and his arms wrapped around her cool back.

After stumbling out of bed, Haku and Chihiro had a shower, a non-eventful shower because he was adamant, much to Chihiro's unannounced disappointment, that he wanted to have breakfast and set out early to wherever it was they were going. Getting dressed in simple clothes, the tunic and cuffed-pants that seemed to be the backbone of fashion in these parts, Haku made breakfast rather wordlessly and after feeding Chihiro to the brim, he announced that they should set out.

"Where are we going, anywhere?" grinned Chihiro as Haku grasped her hand and lead her out into the glowing lagoon.

"You'll see," he replied with a teasing smile and wandered to the entrance. It was a stunning day outside, the sun was a little warm and Chihiro rolled up her cuffed pants to her knees. Haku knew the directions to this unknown destination and as they wandered through the scrubland, climbing higher and higher, Chihiro's legs began to tire and her lungs became tight. She tugged on Haku's hand and he turned, not even slightly puffed from the climb. He noticed her sharp breaths, her red cheeks and watery eyes.

"Is everything alright, Chihiro?" Haku frowned, worry flittering across his face.

"Is it much higher?" she asked and he shook his head. "The air is thinner up here. Usually it wouldn't faze me, like flying, but with physical exercise of climbing, I'm not getting enough air."

Haku grinned, but was genuinely concerned as he rubbed Chihiro's shoulder. "Would you like me to carry you?"

"No, it's fine."

"Not long to go now, anyway."

"You're still not going to tell me where we're going, or where we are for starters?"

"We're up in the mountains," he replied rather cheerily and Chihiro rolled her eyes. That much she had gathered, considering they were walking up a rocky trail on the side of a slope with rolling hills taking up much of the foreground around them. Stupid smug dragon.

After five or so minutes, Haku slowed his pace and it occurred to Chihiro that he was looking for something. Evidently, finding that something after darting out of sight for a moment, he returned with an earnestly excited smile and took Chihiro's hand. "Come with me, love," he grinned and tugged Chihiro forward. "Quickly."

"I'm coming as fast as I can," Chihiro replied, her mind noting the double meaning behind her words and hoping Haku hadn't picked that up. Apparently not, he was much too excited leading her around a large boulder and over an increasingly narrow path. With a small drop to a rocky bottom on her left, Chihiro gulped and shuffled closer to the dragon, of who suddenly stopped. Chihiro's nose ran into his spine.

"Ow, Haku, what the hell?" she bit out, wishing that he hadn't been so inclined for a morning mountain hike. It hadn't been at all pleasant, and she'd never really been one for such activity – a stroll here and there, a country-side jog, but not huffing and puffing her way up the slopes of mountains in the morning. She would have much preferred to still be in a warm bed right now.

"Here," he pulled her to his front, stepping into the small alcove on the side of the mountain. "I want to show you this. I've never let anything see it except for you."

Chihiro blinked a few times and then her eyes turned from Haku's face to what he had been so excited to show her. This cavern, hidden deep within the mountains, was spectacular. Every inch of the walls and roof were covered in beautiful crystallises, the sunshine reflecting off their asymmetrical, geometrical sides and creating infinite rainbows in the small cavern. To the back was a small platform and surrounded by jutting crystals that grew like jewelled grass, was what looked like a smooth glass top. The floor of the cavern was cool, brown dirt.

"What is this stuff, Haku?" Chihiro smiled, her eyes tracing a large rainbow that stretched in front of her eyes.

"Adamant," he replied.

She frowned, thinking it was a sort of spirit jewel or something. "What's that?"

"It's the strongest substance in this world, and the most valuable." Then the dragon frowned. "You must know of it, Chihiro – I have seen it in your world."

Chihiro touched one of the wall crystals and frowned. Experimentally, she coughed hot air on a large crystal, and it did not fog. She touched it, and it was hard. "Diamonds…?" she muttered, not believing Haku for a moment. He had a cave of diamonds?

"That's what your world calls them," he cried, remembering. "I'm sorry; it slipped my mind for the moment. Yes, well, diamonds – adamant, it's all the same thing really."

"Diamonds," Chihiro muttered again, her hand running over the jewels. There must have been such a fortune in this cave should he sell them. Even one crystallise would give Chihiro enough money to live insanely comfortably for the next hundred years. "I don't understand – you're a river god. How did you get all these diamonds?"

Haku shrugged. "I own these mountains, as my river runs through them. There are other adamant caves underwater I found when I forged a new path – I dug through deep earth, it had been compressed for many centuries. As for this, the adamant guardian who protected this cavern died a few centuries back and transferred protection of his jewels to me." He smiled as Chihiro turned back to him. "…Do you like it?"

Chihiro laughed a little and then gasped, a little lost for words. Eventually, she just shrugged and chuckled, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend."

The reference was lost to Haku but he smiled nonetheless and sauntered his way over to where Chihiro was still admiring the diamonds. Softly, he began to kiss down her throat, and when she leant into his touch, he manoeuvred her body to press against his while keeping his mouth along the smooth skin of her neck. Chihiro had let her eyes drift close and had tilted her neck in the slightest.

Very softly, his lips moving to tickle her ear, the dragon asked, "Would you like to make love amongst the diamonds?"

Chihiro nodded before her brain had processed that he was picking her up gently, and that his lips had found hers. Really, she couldn't believe he'd made her trek all the way up here just to undress her, but she wasn't in the mood to argue about it. She had half expected him to sink her down just onto the dirt floor of the cavern, but when she felt something cold and hard against the backs of her calves, thighs and then back, she cracked an eye open. "Huh?"

"A bed made of diamond," Haku hummed and kissed her once more. "The adamant spirit lived here – this is where he rested."

Chihiro smiled. "It's wonderful here. I love you."

Haku smiled and rolled himself to the side of the bed, sighing contently. Chihiro frowned. She had just consent to be intimate, told him she loved him, she would have expected any man to… and then she stopped her thoughts when Haku began to shift into a sitting position on the end of the bed and encouraged Chihiro to do the same. Her body was tingling from anticipation as it always did when they coupled – he excited her, made her head spin and when took her hand into his and began to kiss her fingertips softly, the lust suddenly cleared from Chihiro's head and she had to wonder what it was this shifty dragon had planned.

Had he merely wanted her body, he could have had it that morning in the warmth of the bed; if he wanted to talk, they could have pulled up a spot in his lounge and chatted for a while. His voice suddenly snapped her to attention.

"Chihiro?" Haku looked up and it suddenly dawned on Chihiro he was kneeling by the smooth side of the diamond bed. "I brought you here because I have something I want to ask of you," recognising the opening line almost instantly, Chihiro's stomach suddenly quenched. His hand delved into the pocket of his tunic and in his fingers was a small black, velvet ring box. It was balanced on his propped up knee. Chihiro lost the ability to speak.

"I have been in love with you for sixteen years," he kneaded her hands softly, his emerald eyes imploring and so full of emotion it made Chihiro want to weep. "You know I would do anything for you; you are the only woman I have ever loved. Please, Chihiro Ogino, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"

Chihiro stifled a sob, and Haku let one hand go so that she could bat the tears that spilled over her eyes. She nodded forcefully, her throat tight and unable to voice her happiness. When she tried to, however, Haku quickly pressed a finger against her lips and muttered, "Please, Chihiro, I want to do this right."

And then he leant back down onto his knee and began once again, the ring box still balancing on his knee. "I, Kohaku Nigahamyi Nushi of the Eastern Lands ask you, Chihiro Ogino of The Human World, to be my mate. I ask you to be my mate until the day we perish from this earth and into the afterlife. I have promised my heart, my life and my body to you, just as you have to me. I promise to be a good, just mate, to care for you and love you and provide your every need. I will not be selfish or malevolent, and I'll try to keep my sarcastic comments to myself," Chihiro snorted out a laugh before adding,

"And not turn spirits into pigs."

He grinned and added the commandment, "And try to turn less spirits into pigs." Chihiro rolled her eyes in amusement. "I love you," he continued, "And I want to do right by both our cultures – will you do me the honour of marrying me and choosing me as your mate, in both spirit and human senses of the word – I intend on having both ceremonies. I knew you were the one from the moment you fell into the river. Fate has brought you to me, and then taken you back. This time, I plan to keep you by my side."

"I love you too," she blubbered and nodded, flinging her body down into his arms and proceeding to cry out into his shoulder. "Yes, of course, Haku, a hundred-times yes!"

"Come now," he cooed. "Don't cry – don't you want to see the ring?"

Chihiro laughed and sniffed, curling into Haku's lap and nodded. He took her left hand and gently popped open the box's lid.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Chihiro gasped and then started to cry again, feeling utterly stupid at her display, but not being able to reign in her emotions. Haku didn't seem to mind though, in fact, he was quite amused, even going as far as teasing her that he was not sure they were tears of happiness anymore. "Does this mean I'm not going back at the end of the six months?"

Haku gave the woman a wicked grin, "I'd decided you weren't going back a long time ago."

Chihiro laughed through a sob. The ring slipped onto her finger with ease, as though it had been made specifically for her, and she didn't doubt it probably had been. It was a smooth golden band, with a trail of beautiful emeralds nestled besides a large diamond sitting slightly-elevated in a 6-prong tripod. She clutched her newly-ringed finger, just staring for a moment, letting it sink in that Haku had proposed to her; she had been proposed to, and she had accepted it and she was getting married before suddenly kissing him passionately.

Haku kissed Chihiro back ferociously, gathering her up in his arms and placing her back on the bed of diamonds. Whispering sweet, loving words into her ear, Haku slowly peeled off their clothing like second skins before he felt the bliss of his future-mate's body against his, and wondered if there was anything more beautiful than her face flushed and her hair fanned out, than her fingers digging into his shoulder blades or the whimpers and gasps she made during their lovemaking.

As they basked in the afterglow, she reached a hand up to touch his face before he rolled to the side, and he felt the warm gold of the engagement ring against his cheek. Kissing it softly, Haku fell to Chihiro's side, gathering her up into his arms and pressing delicate kisses against her temple.

His fingers ran lazily along the curves of her body, curves that he was glad had developed in the ten years he had not seen her for. She had wonderful breasts and curvaceous hips that would one day yield the children they would have but for now, he was more than happy to touch, to elicit goosebumps as he ran his fingertips hauntingly over her skin. Her hair was like the hue of his muddy banks, her eyes like drowning, liquid chocolate. She was so delicate, so soft and warm and yielding…

"Did the diamond come from this cavern?" asked Chihiro softly as he intertwined his hand with his, resting over her stomach. He felt the infertility spell was still cast in place; she wasn't pregnant, but wondered how he would feel if she was. A mate and a youngling on the way... one day he hoped he would get that feeling – maybe like a stirring in her gut, or a warmth; something beautiful.

"Yes," he murmured. "I thought it would be sentimental. That's why I brought you here to ask. When you were getting annoyed at having to climb, I was doubting my choice and if you would say 'yes'."

Chihiro laughed. "You worry too much, dragon," she teased gently.

"I worry just enough," he assured and then cleared his throat. "I brought you here for another reason though, Chihiro."

"And what was that?" she hummed, using a bent elbow as a sort of makeshift Haku-pillow.

"There is hundreds of millions of dollars worth of adamant in this cavern," he said gently. "If something happens… If one day I'm not here-,"

He didn't have the time to finish as Chihiro swivelled in his grasp to face him. "What?" she frowned.

"I want you to harvest the adamant here and sell some – there is more than enough for you to live happily," he said, and she could see the worry in her eyes that he'd thought this far ahead. "If you were ever left alone with our children, I couldn't bear it, but spirit world or human, you can get money from these diamonds, Chihiro. I want you to know that – I want you to be taken care of."

"I understand, Haku," she said softly and kissed his lips. "Please don't go anywhere."

"I don't plan on it," he chuckled back. "I just wanted you to know if one day I'm not around, you still have this place. You can raise our children in the house down in the cavern."

Chihiro nodded once and frowned. "This… all this was to know I have somewhere to go. Somewhere that's yours, for us, and our children."

"Chihiro," he murmured affectionately and pried her head from his chest. "I just want you to know that if anything happens to me, you'll be secure. No one knows what the future holds, there's no harm in planning forward a little…" then he laughed, "You're so brave – I know you'll be fine if one day I'm not here."

"Is this about the Western Lands?" she frowned. "Whatever it is, Haku, we'll get through it, together. Please, stop thinking that way… I…," she sniffed, though she was being strong, she couldn't help the welling of tears. "I was I just couldn't bare the thought of you leaving me."

"Shh," Haku rumbled and pulled Chihiro in closer, his hand soothing her by running up and down her back while the other entangled itself in her hair as she wept. "Come now, don't be foolish, my darling – I will never abandon you, I would never do that to you." He didn't mean to make her upset; he had just wanted her to know what had been on his mind. Haku just wanted her and his children safe, to be looked after if he wasn't there to make sure they would be. He hadn't meant that he was going to die, or that he felt that his time was limited; he simply wanted to prepare for the worst. And then she mentioned the Western Lands, a memory that had been blissfully filtered until now and suddenly, he remembered the year infertility spell he'd cast and wondered if the children he had included would ever really exist. There was no guarantee he would live to see the end of the year. Chihiro still wept. "I'm not going anywhere, Chihiro. Come on, don't cry. Shhh…."

They lay in bed, stripped of clothes and warm from a long soak in the tub. Chihiro had stopped crying and they'd slowly made their way back down the slopes. She said she was sorry for being so emotional, that it was coming to her time of the month and that was the reason for it. Haku had laughed and said he didn't expect her to react any other way and she'd hit him lightly. Still, she thanked him then, for thinking about a future for her – Chihiro had always thought she'd live with Granny, or she was strong enough to make it on her own (although that thought was insanely scary). It was nice to know Haku cared enough to plan ahead – and a beautiful house hidden within the caves was certainly a perk.

After a nice, heavy lunch they reclined to the lounge where Chihiro read a book, fixed her hair and shaved her prickling legs. Haku hadn't seemed to mind, but it wasn't all that appealing feeling up hairy legs when Haku's calves were like dolphin's skin.

Haku spent his time loitering around the office, doing some paperwork and then headed out to the river if only for a relaxing swim. Chihiro joined him a little later and they splashed in the shallows of the shore. He had asked her of her inclination to visit the hot springs at that moment, not missing the way his brow quirked mischievously, but she had to decline – it was late and her stomach was beginning to rumble.

So, Haku made dinner – a sort of crustacean dish and rice he'd brought from the bathhouse with him when he realised Chihiro couldn't just survive on raw fish.

The ring on her finger glittered and he couldn't but help feel a swell of pride – she'd left her earrings back at the bathhouse, not willing to lose them by the river. The golden diamond ring, however, she wore and often he caught her looking at it in a sort of dreamy state. Laughing a little and settling the pot of food on the dining table before serving Chihiro up a bowl of a crab risotto, he asked, "I've caught you staring at that ring mindlessly more than once now, Chihiro – I can assume you like it?"

Chihiro smiled a little sheepishly and admitted, "Every girl dreams of the day she'll get married. They wonder what the ring will be like, the ceremony, their dress… well, at least I did." And then she giggled girlishly and picked up her chopsticks.

Haku laughed well-naturedly. "I was thinking we could have our wedding in December; it's almost the end of April now. When the winter solstice comes around again, so that your parents can attend, and I think arranging a wedding in less than a month and a half would probably be torture. It would be nice to commemorate our reunion with our wedding, huh? We can hold it at the bathhouse; out in the gardens, and maybe it might even snow. Of course, I wanted to have both spirit and human ceremonies. What do you think?"

Chihiro swallowed and smiled. "Sounds wonderful," she gushed. "A month and a half is way to short to plan a wedding – I don't want to rush into this."

Haku smiled. "When the weather gets warmer, you and your girlfriends can go to the High city and pick out a kimono – there is something about human women and the right dress, ne?"

Chihiro laughed and nodded. "Yes, yes there is. But I already have the dress picked out – well, at least the style anyway. It's over in the human world – and oh, my mother would love to come with me. And I'll get someone to cast a spell so that I don't get cold." She laughed and Haku had to wonder what was going on in that strange little head of hers. It pleased him immensely to see her so happy. Of course, she would not give away the details of her gown so he did not bother to ask. Chihiro chuckled over her food for the next ten minutes.

"So, my darling," Haku announced as his chopsticks rested in his empty bowl. "You now do not have a reason for not telling your parents of your little adventures over here – for one, you're definitely not anywhere near the human world, for two, you're intending on living here, and for three, you now have a fiancé and have the intention of getting married – time to tell those parents of yours the truth Chihiro, whether you like it or not; and you'll be doing it when you go back to the human world in June."

"I suppose you're right," conceded the human.

"I know I'm right," replied the dragon wryly. Then he added teasingly, "Don't you want your parents to meet me, Chihiro?"

She kicked him under the table. "It's not that, Haku – and it's not if they disapprove either-,"

"How would you feel if they did disapprove, Chihiro?"

"Hurt," replied Chihiro. "Of course I would feel hurt, but in the end, it's my decision who I marry, not my parents. They will never know you as well as I do, Haku, and of course I want you to get along and I want them to love you, because I love you, but if that doesn't work, it doesn't matter what Mum and Dad think."

Haku nodded and thought for a little while, nibbling on his bottom lip. He didn't notice Chihiro gather up the dishes and begin washing them by the sink, throwing what little left-overs there were away. Chihiro hummed a soft song, and Haku remained thinking by the table, his fingers interlaced and his brow tight.

"Whatever you're thinking about, Haku," Chihiro called in a sweet sing-song voice from the sink, "I am sure is not worth that much effort. Come and help me dry these dishes."

"What was that song you were humming?" he asked and took up a towel, planting a soft kiss against the nape of her neck. One hand picked up Chihiro's clean, white porcelain bowl and began to dry it before placing it back in the cupboard. "Tell me. It sounded nice."

"Oh just a song I heard playing before I left," Chihiro shrugged and handed Haku another dish. "A song about two lovers who get caught in their family's war – Romeo and Juliet."

"Will you sing it for me?"

"No!" Chihiro cried, mortified. Haku seemed confused. "Oh, Haku I have a horrible singing voice – I really wouldn't do it any justice! You would have heard human music before, when you lived around the parts?"

"I have," he said, putting away the cutlery as Chihiro washed the big pot. "But that was back when it was still folk music – very traditional and there is not much difference between traditional spirit music and traditional human music."

Chihiro laughed. "So… would you know how to dance contemporarily, my dearest, Haku?"

"I know how to dance!" he replied, dropping the drying rag, a little insulted.

Chihiro laughed and dried her foamy hands. "No, Haku, you know how to dance traditionally – would you like me to show you some contemporary dance moves?"

He grinned cheekily. "Sure."

Chihiro laughed and turned herself around, pressing her back against Haku's chest. He instantly stiffened a little, unsure of what to expect. Carefully, she placed Haku's hands on her hips and before rolling her hips and waist, said, "Now, picture us in a sort of dark, hot place, with really loud, thumping music playing – a nightclub. Kind of like the rowdy teahouses in the city, but around ten times louder." And then she melted against his body, rested her head against his shoulder and rolled her hips. Chihiro grinned smugly when he gasped and sunk his fingertips into her hips.

"T-This is how you dance?" he breathed out.

"One way," Chihiro grinned and rolled her hips again.

"Then show me a different way," he gritted and pushed her hips away from his. Chihiro laughed and swayed her hips from side to side, her front now facing Haku's. She saw the light dusting of pink across his cheeks and bridge of his nose. It didn't take a genius to know what he was thinking.

Chihiro kissed his bewildered face gently, and after a little while of dancing a little tamer to no music but the slight hum she was emanating from the back of her throat, she turned back around and shimmed down the length of Haku's body. She heard him growl lowly. "That dance is fit for the bedroom, not the festivals, Chihiro," he grit, though his fingers were still sunken into her hips. Chihiro suppressed a squeak of laughter and wondered if he actually liked it. "Is that how all humans dance? With their mates?"

"Sometimes – but not usually with their mates, Haku. Sometimes just for fun, sometimes with someone they just met." She laughed. "What do you think?"

With another roll of her hips, it was obvious the dragon was having a hard time talking. "I am forbidding this …. Dancing, from anywhere in the bathhouse…," and then he cleared his throat.

"Don't worry," Chihiro chuckled. "I know a lot more dances, but I promise I'll only ever show them to you." That sounded like a sinful promise, and without emptying the dirty water from the sink, Haku gathered Chihiro up into his arms and went up to bed.

An hour and a half later, Chihiro was dozing on Haku's cool chest, the sweat having dried and that smell of coupling lingering on their skin. Everything was softer, smoother as they bathed in the drowsy afterglow. Suddenly Haku moved slightly, rasped Chihiro's name and she looked up.

"Yes?"

"I forgot to give you this," he muttered and his hand searched in the draw in the bedside table. His hand grasped the piece of folded paper and handed it to Chihiro. She recognised it instantly. "Sorry," Haku said sheepishly. "I've had it since we arrived… I just forgot – I had more pressing matters on my mind…"

Chihiro chuckled and unfolded the letter.

Dearest Chihiro,

We simply cannot wait to see you! Oh, the things you must have seen – you must have so many stories to tell us about your time away…

Haku smiled as his mate read through the letter, noticing the way her lips curved up and her eyes read and then re-read every line just to make sure she'd gotten every bit out of it – to squeeze every bit of meaning and conversation from the letter. She missed her parents terribly, and as she read something that made her laugh, Haku kissed her cheek gently.

"This time you can write to them about your incredibly handsome and rich new mate."

"You mean my vain, cunning mate who lacks modesty?" she teased.

"Now, now," Haku teased lightly. "Don't be like that, Chihiro."

"I wouldn't have to tell my parents – they would figure it out all by themselves. My mother is very good at reading people, you know."

Haku laughed. "I hope the Lord has mercy on me, I know your parents will not – whisking their little girl into a strange world and then marrying her."

"You didn't force me into it!"

Haku grinned and nudged Chihiro lightly in the ribs. "That's what you think. See, you can't recognise you're under a mind-control spell. It's all apart of the spell: you don't realise you're under it. Very ingenious."

"Well," Chihiro replied and tossed in the sheets, rolling onto her side and without words, announcing it was time to sleep. "I'm still not complaining – the spell has great sex."

Haku laughed well-naturedly before wrapping his arms around Chihiro's waist. "Touché," he muttered against her ear and then yawned. He was about to close his eyes when suddenly a pressing matter tapped on his heart strings. "Chihiro?" he said gently. She hummed a reply. "… I'm really happy."

Chihiro smiled and patted his hand which was pressed against her stomach. "I'm happy to, Haku," she replied. "So happy."

Cute chapter, no? For a long time I wasn't happy with Chihiro's characterisation in this chapter, she seemed a little whiny and annoying - tell me what you think.

They're getting married! - swoon -

Thanks to those people who reviewed, 550+ reviews is amazing! You all do a stellar job!

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Next time on The Path of Water: Let's go swimmin'. The party continues!

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See you soon

~Arlia'Devi