Sakyo had enough mercy to leave just before sunrise, leaving me to lay here at the foot of the bed. Curled up in the blankets like they really can protect me from him. I should really get up; I've been lying here for a while. What time it is. Knocking at the door; I still can't will myself to move or even shout. Now Bui, my familiar, has just wandered in and flung open the curtains.
"It's a beautiful day" He is watching me, seeing if I will move. Hesitantly he sits on the side of the bed setting his hand just outside the covers.
"You have a fight today?" My voice comes out in strained and quiet.
"Don't worry about me. Taguro is taking on the team all by himself. It seems like he wants to work out some frustrations. Why don't we get you cleaned up and ready for lunch with him".
I slide my hand out of the covers onto his, as our skin makes contact all the pain in my body flows to his hand. The bones in my hand and arm ache with it as his body pulls the pain out of me. Bui lays back into the bed, bruises blossom over his skin as I emerge from the bed physically unharmed. He won't get the memories of last night just the physical evidence. Everytime this happens he never asks anything about what happened. I know by tonight all the injuries will have healed if not sooner. My whole body feels numb with the exclusion of the soft carpet on the bottom of my feet, stepping onto the cold tile of the bathroom sends a shiver up my spine. The tears start flowing as I collapse onto the floor of the shower. Under the water I raise the temperature until heat threatens to melt my flesh. I cover my body in a thick layer of soap and scrub until my skin is raw and all the soap is gone. As I moisturise I start to feel like myself. Bui has moved to the couch and is watching the fights on TV while I get dressed. I pick up white linen pants and a rusty orange loose fitting tee shirt; the perfect outfit for a day of relaxation.
"He really went overboard last night, are you sure you don't want to try running again. After the tournament of course."
"No, I need to stay with him, for father. It's his only way to the demon world; after that I will leave him."
"But you need to live up to that point and at this rate you might not. The ring weakens you to him. It's a shame really that someone with so much power has to be entrapped by such an ordinary human. Toguro must be really desperate to cross over there to hand you over in this way to Sakyo. I know you try to hide but he can't be blind to what is happening to you."
"I don't want him to know what Sakyo is doing to me. I don't think I could bear seeing him disappointed in me. He had no idea Sakyo planned to bind me with the ring. I didn't know that I could be bound that way. It's all my fault; if I was strong enough to do the banishing spell Father never would have had to give me to Sakyo."
"It's not the 1500's, you're not property. Eventually you will be strong enough, what he did to you is wrong. He could have waited."
"Stop it please" my voice whispers now. I don't have the energy to hash out this conversation again. "I've got to go".
Sitting at a secluded glass table on the patio of the restaurant; eating our meals in silence. Ever since he had me marry Sakyo our relationship has changed. We used to be so close. I was his little princess and he was my Dad. Now he is awkward around me, at times he looks at me with such disgust.
He looks up with a deep sigh."How was your holiday? Where was it this time?"
"Luxenberg for a two weeks then Jersey for a few days before coming here. It was nice. In Luxenberg anyway Jersey was wet and cold."
"The weather here must be refreshing then,'' He is leaning in trying very hard to make a connection. However the two of us, him more than me, have never been one for conversation for the sake of talking. For us our relationship was better communicated in actions. He can no longer show me he cares because he cares more about his goals than about the people who care for him. So now he tries to talk, mostly about nothing.
"I met one of the fighters of the Urameshi team yesterday. That's the team with the spirit detective right; The one brought on to make things interesting? If the rest of the team is as interesting as him you might just get your way."
"Who did you meet? More importantly, why do you find him so 'interesting'?" I let my guard down, he heard the interest in my voice. Kurama, I had not had much time to think about him. Other than his name I am not sure why I found him so curious. Why that name? More than likely he knows the legend and took the name for himself to seem better than he is. He was nowhere near as powerful as Yoko Kurama was.
"Kurama I believe his name was."
"Oh Kurama, that boy is quite handsome. He must have left quite the impression to have you remember him".
"It's not like that, besides that I am a married woman. It would be improper to have a fleeting romance with a dead man."
Father looks down away from me like he can't bear the sight of me. Now I'm a disappointed to him for not being able to banish him and now I have to not only live with the punishment of Sakyo. I was supposed to be so much more than this.
After lunch I find myself wandering the island trails. This is stupid why can't I go back to my room. It's not like I ran out of there last night or even this morning. However, now my chest is tight and I just can't find myself going back. Along the side of the trail some small blue flowers catch my eye. As I am picking some, several sets of footprints come up behind me. One set stops behind me and the other keeps going for a bit before stopping and turning. Standing up and turning around I see Kurama.
"Hello" I say looking up at his green eyes.
"Hello" he responds. "Nice flowers" Gosh that was awkward, but so cute. Why is he so cute?
"Yes, they are just lovely I could not resist." I hold them up to my chest looking at them.
"They compliment your eyes" blushing now he looks away quickly. "They are nice flowers."
"Hey buddy" Yusuke slaps Kurama's shoulder then looks at me. "You should see what this guy can do with flowers." Then he whispers in Kurama's ear causing him to blush. Turning to me he says "So what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this."
"My Dad is fighting in the turnamate".
"Your Dad, what team is he on?"
"Toguro, from team Toguro. You must beYusuke, he thinks you have potential. I do wish you the best of luck. It was nice seeing you again Kurama." With that I take my leave back to the hotel. Kurama looked shocked when I mentioned my father in fact they all did. I just could not react. As I walk away a guy yells at Kurama I can only hear a little of it. Something about Fraternizing with the enemy. Bui mets me in the lobby.
"Come on, why don't you come to my room? You look like you could use a break."
His room is the standard hotel room with just a king size bed. I crawl up the bed to the pillows while he calls room service. "So I saw you talking with the Urameshi team today. You seemed quite smitten with that boy Kurama."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Really you have no idea. Toguro noticed your interest in him, he is worried about you".
"I already told him he has nothing to worry about. Let's talk about something else." Bui puts on the TV and brings our food to the bed. He sets the plate of appetizers on his lap and I rest my head against his chest under his arm. My body feels like it can finally relax. I had not realized how taxing this day has been until now as my body slips into sleep.