The young queen smiled at the spirit detectives, the ferry, the ice demoness and the two 'thieves' as they sat in the park shooting the breeze. Her eyes were focused on one little 'thief' inparticular. A Feisty little fire demon.
"Perfect" she purred stroaking her crystal ball.
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke screamed. "You loser!" Kuwabara gave a cheesy smile and laughed.
"Come on Urameshi! Say it!" Kuwabara Persisted.
Kurama chuckled at the two but Hiei snorted at them. Botan and Yukina giggled. "Come on Yusuke!" Botan said. "Say it! You know you mean it!"
"Hey you guys!" came a voice from behind them. They turned to see a woman in her thirties running toward them holding a stack of papers. She was a little round around the waist with short brown hair and cerulean blue eyes. Behind her was a girl about six with light red hair almost blond and sea blue eyes. This was obvious to any one with eyes that it was her daughter, for she looked almost just like her. She stopped to catch her breath then handed them one of the papers in her hand. It was a poor black and white photo of a young girl no older then Keiko. She was pretending to smile to most likely get the camera man off her back by the looks of it. It said her name below the picture along with her height, hair color, eye color and weight. Along with her little quirks that might set her apart from others. It was a lost poster.
"If you see her," the woman said, "Please call the number at the bottom."
"Is this your daughter." Kurama asked her.
"Iie." the woman replied. "She's my little sister. She's been missing for two years. Please if you see her...."
"We will." Yusuke assured her. The woman nodded then ran away her child following her.
"Iris O'Conor." Yukina read allowed. "5.4''. golden blond hair, violet eyes. weighs 120lbs. . Loves to sing and sometimes goes by the name 'Sapphire Jewel'. If found please call: 555-6827."
Botan stared at the flyer for a moment.
"Wonder what happend to her." she commented. The others shrugged and forgot about the flyer for the rest of the day.
As Hiei laid down to go to sleep he thought once more of the flyer. Again the thought popped into his mind.
'What happened to her. Did she run away or was she kidnapped.' He tried to push it away but he kept thinking about it even as he fell asleep.
Hiei awoke from a deep sleep to the sound of a waterfall and birds. He frowned and rolled over in the soft, lush grass. How had he gotten out side? He asked himself. Suddenly he heard giggles above him and a small thin finger poked his cheek. Hiei groaned and rolled over.
"Lavender!" a voice hissed. "Do not wake him up! The queen does not want us to pester him!"
"But he is so cute." said another voice. "We do not have demons in this world, Lilac."
"For excellent reason!" snapped the first voice known as Lilac. "The queen fears they may turn on her."
"Then why is he here?" asked the one called Lavender.
"The queen said he was an exemption to the rule." Lilac said. Lavender sighed put her hand on Hiei's bandanna.
"What tis beneath this?" she said.
"Lavender! He is going to rouse!!!" barked Lilac. Hiei opened his eyes and saw the ones called Lavender and Lilac standing over him. He was shocked by there appearance. They were as small as children with slim curvless bodies and light tan skin. Their eyes were a piercing green color and they had pointed ears. One had long straight white hair and the other had short blue hair. Both had large butterfly wings on their back and wore garments made of rose petals on their formless bodies. Hiei stared at them for a moment in shock. The things looked back at him horrified.
"LAVENDER!!!!" screamed the one with short blue hair. "YOU AWOKE HIM!!!!" Lav ender smiled sheepishly. Hiei sat up.
"Where the hell am I?" he asked. Lavender smiled at him.
"You are in Terratractivo." Lavender said.
"Huh?" Hiei asked. He looked around and saw a place of unspeakable beauty. Lush green grass covered the ground and beautiful flowers littered the land. Trees with silver branches and diamond leaves made up an extrodanary forest, with long briar rose vines. A clear shimmering wa terfall spilled over beautiful bronze rocks. Every thing was straight from a fairy take.
"Wow." Hiei said. "What the hell are you?"
"Fairies!" Lavender exclaimed. Lilac rolled her eyes and sighed.
"You are going to destroy the queens plans, Lavender!" Lilac said. She turned to Hiei. "Here. Her majesty wishes you to have this." She handed him a beautiful gold and jewel box with his name in topazes.
"We must leave you now, sire." Lilac said with a bow. Lavender bowed to him as well with a giggle and the two flew away. He opened the box to find a roll of parchment tied with a red rib bon, a black rose, a map, a silver flute, a black ribbon and a roll of golden yarn.
"This has got to be a damn joke." Hiei said rolling his eyes. He took out the parchment and unrolled it. It was a letter written in delicate curly handwriting. It said:
Dear Hiei,
No doubt you are wondering where you are and what is going on. My explanation will be short and vague. You are in a place called Terratractivo. Here live fairies and unicorns and all kinds of mystical creatures that don't exist in your world. You are to come to my palace. I have provided you with the means you need to get here. Do not be angry with me that I have brought you to my world. I have good reason. Please hurry.
Sincerely yours,
Queen Cuniculus
Hiei read the letter again and again.
"Vague was right." he muttered. He took out the map. It was greatly detailed showing where the forests, homes, and the castle were. At the edge of the map near a forest called the 'Gemma Forest,' was a small black dot labeled 'Hiei.'
Hiei stared at it for a moment. Then he walked about 7 feet towards the Gemma forest. The black dot on the map moved towards the forest as well. Hiei placed the enchanted map into the box and took out each of the other items and found them to poses no special powers. He again took out the map and saw that he would need to go through the Gemma forest to get to the castle. He looked up at the jeweled woods and laughed to himself. Terratractivo was a strange place indeed.
Soon night came and Hiei climbed a tree to sleep. When he woke he looked down to see a small rabbit gazing up at him. It was an extraordinary looking rabbit. It had golden ears and shim mering white fur. It's eyes were a deep ocean blue and it's whiskers were silver. The rabbit had long eyelashes and small pink lips. It's fluffy tail looked as if it had been dyed with blood. Hiei climbed down from the tree and stood infront of the bunny but it didn't move. He looked at it closely and could have sworn it was smiling at him. He knelt in front of it. It hopped up to him and jumped on his knee. Hiei was surprised but picked it up in his hands. He briefly checked its gender and found it to be a female. He looked at its face and found it round cheeks to be slightly rosy. He laughed. The animals in Terratractivo had modesty! He patted the bunny on the head and set it down. Then he began to walk toward to exit of the forest. The bunny followed him.
"What do you want?" he asked turning around. The rabbit just gazed at him. She smiled at him then turned and vanished. Hiei rolled his eyes.
"This place is strange."
"Hiei!" Yukina sang as she skipped into the room. "Time to wake up!!!" She looked at the empty bed puzzled. "Hiei!" she called out.
"Where are you!" The room was silent.
"KURAMA!!!!" Yukina screamed and rushed down the stairs. "I CAN'T FIND HIEI!!!" Kurama smiled.
"He is probably just out side hanging in trees." Yukina frowned at him.
"I don't think so." Kurama shrugged.
"He will turn up."
Hiei gazed at his map again as he stood in front of a house labeled 'Theophania Hut'. The map showed him going inside so he did that. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a young woman about as old as Botan. She was pretty but not that pretty. She had thin brown hair and dull gray eyes. Her body was slender and she had rather large hands. She smiled sweetly at him which seemed to make her physical features more appealing.
"Ah, you must be the one her majesty talked about." she said, "Come in, come in." Hiei walked past her into a large one roomed hut. In the far corner was a bed made of sleek beautiful wood with a soft down mattress. The fire place crackled warmly with sweet smelling wood and a beautifully woven rug laid infront of it. Behind a small oak table was a wooden rocking chair with a quilt thrown over it. The image reminded him of Christmas card.
"Come," said Theophania, "Sit by the fire. Tis cold out side." Hiei never took his eyes from her face but went to sit down by the fire. It warmed his body a great deal. He didn't like it so he sat further back from it. Theophania walked towards him and put her large hands on his shoulders.
"Don't touch me." Hiei growled. Theophania removed her hands from Hiei's being and walked to her rocking chair. Hiei took out the queens box to look over it's contents.
"What are you?" He asked her.
"Witch." she said. Hiei unrolled the parchment to read it again and found it had been added to. The extenuation of the letter said;
If you are reading this part of the letter the you are at Theophania's home. As she has probably told you she is a witch. What you need to do is give her the golden yarn and ask her to knit you a cloak. She will ask for something in return. What she first asks refuse, what she asks second refuse what she asks third accept.
Hiei rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He was a deamon, not a fairy tale creature. He handed Theophania the yarn and asked her what he had been told. She first requested that he fetch her water from the fountain of beauty and youth. He refused this. Then she asked him to bring her blood from the queens child. Hiei refused this thinking it strange the queen had a child. Finally she told him to get her fire wood from the Gemma forest. Hiei accepted this task and took his sword out to the woods to do what he had been asked. Soon he returned with an arm load of fire wood. By the time he got back to the hut Theophania had finished the cloak. Hiei put the wood down next to the fire place, took the cloak and made his way to the door.
"Wait." Theophania said. "Why do you not sleep here. It is getting dark and it would be much more comfterable then the ground." Hiei shrugged.
"Whatever." Theophania told him he could sleep in the bed for she had to go out tonight. Hiei didn't ask why but simply laid down on the soft mattress and fell asleep.
It the morning Hiei awoke and saw Theophania cooking something over the fire. She smiled at him.
"Would you like something to eat?" She asked him. He shook his head and stood up.
"I have to go." he said, "Thanks for the bed and cloak." She gave him another sweet smile.
"You are welcome."
"Hey, Yusuke!" Kurama called. Yusuke turned around and smiled.
"Hey, Kurama! Waz up? You look worried."
"I can't find Hiei." Kurama confessed.
"What?" Yusuke said surprised.
"This morning he wasn't in his room and I haven't seen him for five hours."
"Has he ever done this before?" Kurama shook his head telling Yusuke that Hiei never stayed gone this long with out telling someone. Yusuke asked if he had check any trees. Kurama said that he had and found them empty of their little friend the fire youko. Yusuke shrugged and said he'd get Keiko and Kuwabara and Botan to help look. Kurama thanked him and the two parted to continue the search for the Forbidden child.
Hiei checked the map and saw he was almost at a place called, 'Garsha's cave.' Hiei chuckled to himself thinking, 'Garsha, what a name.' He came to a cave that was made of bronze rock and yelled inside. Out of the cave came a small dwarf like man. He had roughly tanned skin and long scraggily brown hair the made a veil for his entire body. He could hardly see the mans harsh face threw his thick mat of hair.
"Hello." Hiei said, "Are you..."
"Garsha?" the hermit finished, "Aye, that I am. Come warm yourself by the fire." Hiei fol lowed Garsha into the small cave and sat by the fire. The cave reeked of body odor but Hiei ig nored it ,opened the box the queen gave him and was relived to be greeted by the sweet aroma of lavender and mint. He gazed at the queens letter not surprised to see it added to.
Hello again my friend. By now you would be a Garsha's cave. He is a hermit as you might be able to tell. Fear him not, for he shant do you harm. Show him the contents of this box. He will find something he wants. The first thing he askes for refuse him. But accept the second. Then do what he requests with his gift. Till we meet again.
Queen Cuniculus
Hiei smiled. He was begining to like this queens strange ways. He opened the box and showed it to Garsha. Garsha looked over the contents of the box and picked up the silver flute. Hiei refused. The hermit picked the black ribbon and Hiei nodded. Then the Hermit asked if Hiei would braid his hair. Hiei grumbled an answer then went to comb the hermits hair with his fingers. Then taking the thick messy hair he crossed one strand over another again and again then tied the end with the ribbon. Just as he finished the hermit changed from a hermit to a handsome boy with long gold hair still tied with the ribbon and a shirt with ruffled cuffs. Hiei stared at him dumb found.
"Now," the now boy said, "I shall take you to your next destination." Hiei nodded and let the boy transport him to the river. He sat at the side of the river till a small creature swam up to him. It was no bigger than a small three year old with a long finned tail in place of slender legs.. It was a girl with sea weed green hair and horrid black eyes like a fish's. Her fingers were thin as twigs with stretches of skin between them. Her skin had a slight green tint to it and her face looked like it was carved from marble by a man who had only the vaguest idea of what a woman's face looked like.
"Hello." she said in a hoarse voice that gave the impression that she was not ment to talk but had forced herself to do so.
"Hello." Hiei replied tonelessly.
Hiei gazed at his letter from the queen and found simply written.
She shall ask you to fetch her something. Refuse her. She shall ask you to give her something. Show her the contents of your box. Let her pick what she pleases.
Hiei growled to him self.
"What do you want?" he asked the creature showing her the contents of his box.
"Bring me blood from the queens child." the creature demanded.
"Why is it every one wants the blood of the queens child?! How about blood from the queens husband instead." Hiei suggested sarcastically.
"The queen has no husband." the creature said tonelessly. "now....the blood."
"Iie. Wait the queen has no husband?"
"Iie, let me see your box." Hiei showed her the box. She picked up the flute and examined it.
"What does this do?" Hiei took it from her slimy hands and put it to his lips. He blew on it and moved his fingers skill lessly across the holes. Even though he never learned to play an instru ment, the sound was beautiful and enchanting. The girl smiled big up at him and reached out to take it. Hiei handed it to her amazed that it had sounded so beautiful.
"What do I get?" The girl smiled again this time in a devilish way. She dove down into the water for a moment and came back up with a beautiful amulet the shape of a lightning bolt.
"Do you see that hut far in the east?" the girl asked and pointed. Hiei saw a tiny hut near a dense forest.
"Hai." he replied
"Go there and give the man the amulet for information." Hiei nodded and stood up. He gathered his things and headed for the hut hearing the beautiful haunting sound of the flute as the girl played it.
Botan sighed as she sat down on the ground. They had searched for five hours and still no sign of Hiei. Kurama sat down next to her.
"I am sorry Kurama." She said, "I wish I knew what to do incase of fire youko disappear ance." Kurama sighed and said,
"It's okay Botan."
"Hey maybe I can ask Koenma to help." Botan suggested.
"Okay." Kurama said and they both headed for the spirit world.
Hiei banged his fist on the door of the tiny hut and waited. The door open and in the door way stood a tall, handsome man. He had long, dark purple hair that was tied loosely back from his face. He was slightly tanned and his eyes were a champagne color. He wore loose white pants and a vest with no shirt. He was muscular and had a long scar on his chest. Hiei noted that he had rather long, sharp nails. A youko probably. The man smiled revealing two small fangs protruding from his top teeth.
"Ahh, you must be Hiei." he said in a deep voice.
"What are you gona give me?" Hiei asked coldly. The man merely smiled and Hiei stole a quick glance at his map.
'Vasu's Hut.' it said.
Vasu leaned against his door frame and thought for a moment. He turned and looked in his hut then returned his gaze to Hiei.
"Let me see what is in your box." Vasu said. Hiei took out the queens box and showed it to him. Another smile played on his lips. He snatched up the cloak the witch had made from the gold yarn. He examined it. While he did this he looked at the queens note and to his surprise it had only one new sentence written.
Do what Vasu says.
He looked up at Vasu.
"Hmmmm. Fine work. Very fine work." Vasu mumbled. Hiei cleared his throat and frowned. Vasu gazed up at him.
"Oh Hai. Give me the amulet." Hiei gave Vasu the amulet. Vasu ran his taloned fingers over it and smiled. He put it on.
"Now," he said, "You need to don this cloak and go into the Vetitus Forest. Run as fast as you can through it. Do not stop no matter what." Vasu tossed Hiei the cloak. "When you get out of the forest simply follow your map to the castle. When you get there a guard shall ask your business. Say not a word but show him the black rose in your box. He will let you in."
"Finally I get to the castle. This whole journey is stupid and your queen is a foolish ninjen who has dragged me on this goose chase for nothing." Hiei saw Vasu's champagne eyes spark with anger.
"Do not talk about our queen that way." he hissed, "You do not know what she is doing this for."
Hiei almost laughed at this sudden outburst. But said nothing and turned to the forest. He put on the cloak and darted through the woods. It didn't take long, he was fast and the woods were quite small. He looked up when he had gotten to the end of the forest. On top of a small hill lay a magnificent castle. With monumental towers decorated with gold and silver, jeweled gates and dazzling court yards. Hiei walked up to the gates where a guard in silver armor stopped him. His sword drawn the guard asked Hiei,
"What is your business here?" Hiei did as Vasu had instructed and showed the guard the black rose. He took it from his hand and nodded. Then signaled another guard to open the gate. The gates swung soundlessly open on their hinges and Hiei was led in by another guard. He was led to a thrown room decorated with rose drapes and a grand thrown on top a marble dais. On the thrown sat the rabbit Hiei had seen in the woods.
"You must be kidding!" Hiei cried out as the guard knelt before the thrown. "Your 'great queen' is a damn bunny!!!! What the hell?!" The guard left and Hiei was left alone with the rabbit.
"This is stupid!" He exclaimed, "I'm leaving!" Just as he was about to go the rabbit changed into a person. It was the girl from the Lost flyer. Iris. She stood there her gold hair spilling over her shoulders and down her back. She had a pale complexion and rosy lips. Her body was slender and she donned a blood red dress. It was a the type of dress you would see at a renaissance festival. Long drooping sleeves, v-shaped neck and a gold chain around her waist. Her hair was decorated with a few roses, twisted behind her and a sapphire crown was placed atop her head. She smiled at him.
"Hiei," she said in a soft seductive voice, "Welcome."
"Iris?" Hiei said. She winced as if her had hit her.
"Here they call me Cuniculus." she said.
"But your real name is Iris O'Conor." Her eyes clouded over with sadness.
"Hai. That is my real name. But do not call me that. Please."
Hiei stood there for a moment completely confused.
"What the..." he began but was at a loss for what to say. "How...Where....Nani...." he soon became frustrated. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!" he screamed. Cuniculus or Iris or whatever her name was smiled sweetly at him. She stepped down from the dais and approached Hiei. She laid her delicate hand in his shoulder and said in a soft voice,
"Calm down." He frowned at her.
"Explain, Then I'll calm down." She sighed and turned from him. She walked to the door of the thrown room and grabbed a near by servant. It was a boy she caught. More like a young man in his twenties actually, with navy hair and eyes. His skin was deeply tanned and his ears were pointed.
"Apollo." she said, "Inform all to leave me alone for the next twenty minutes, less it be an emergency." Apollo nodded and ran off. Hiei saw something like adoration in his eyes as he looked at the queen. Hiei laughed to himself. The people here really loved their ruler. She smiled as she closed the doors.
"Where shall I start?" she asked herself aloud. "Hmmm. Ah. All right. When you were a child, did you have a fantasy land in your mind you could travel to when things got boring or too hard to handle? A world in your mind where you could create and destroy as you pleased?"
"No." Hiei answered her. She gave him a doubtful look but continued.
"Well I did." Hiei noticed that she was speaking as if she and him were adults though as he noted when he looked at the lost poster that she was maybe a year older than Keiko. "My life was ruff you must first understand. True I had parents but I hated my father with the fire of a thousand suns. He mentally abused me and physically abused me. I detested him. I loathed the children at school because...well...for the equal reason you hate humans. I had but a single friend. My mother was an alcoholic. As was my father but he also did heroin. I often went around starved because my parents had spent all our money on drugs! I would spend as much time as possible away from my family but it did not a bit of good. I still had to go home. I hated it. There are much more gruesome things, but I shant tell you.
"But because I hated the real world so much I made a fantasy land in my head and called it Terratractivo which is Latin for 'Land from imagination.' Most of the things in this land the names for them are Latin. Like the Gemma Forest. Gemma is Latin for 'Jewel.' Hense the jewel forest. The Vetitus Forest is Latin for Forbidden."
"What about your name?"
"It means Rabbit." Hiei chuckled.
"The lost poster said you like to go by the name Bunny Briefs." She laughed a musical laugh putting her hand delicately to her bosom.
"They think that is the only false name I could go under?! How amusing. I have many false names I go by, though Bunny Briefs is my most favored. I could go by Sapphire Jewel or Miehoshey Jinzouingin or Kakkorot Saiya or Juunana Androida." She giggled again. "How stupid. Anyway, As I was saying I made up this fantasy land and derived most of the names from Latin. Some are Greek. But I spent so much time here in my mind, making everything perfect for me, creating everything you see around you. Filling the air with magic." She paused her pacing which she had begun when she stared her story and looked at Hiei.
"Have you ever heard 'Mind over Matter'?" Hiei nodded. He had heard it before and thought it was a foolish saying.
"Well I always thought that that saying was quite stupid. Absurd even. Even the suggestion that if you thought about something hard enough it would be so. Well on one of my little escapades through my realm I said that to someone and when I came back to reality I pondered that in my head. What if I thought hard enough, could I take my physical body to Terratractivo? So I tried it. I thought hard using all the power I posses. Even on my escapades I asked everyone in Terratrac tivo to use their powers.
"Well one day while my father and mother were fist fighting yet again I went into my room and imagined my self in Terratractivo. The minute I got there every one was waiting for me. It was a big celebration! For it was my birth day! My parents had forgotten my birth-day. I had even for gotten it. But somehow they remembered. Which I thought was rather odd. Because the people in your fantasies don't remember things you yourself have forgotten. But I ignored it and had fun. Everything was different that day. Things seemed more real. I could feel the fabric of the dazzling dress I wore against my skin. I could taste the delicious food I ate, I could hear the music really for the first time! It wasn't like a song I played in my head, It sounded real. But soon I had to go. When I got back to the real world I found that I was still wearing the ravishing dress that I had to my birth day party. I was dumb founded. I took the dress of and placed it in my closet thinking I was dreaming the went to take a shower. After that I went to bed. When I awoke it the morning I gazed into my closet and saw the dress still there. I relized that the saying was true. I had hoped and wished so hard for my fantasy to become real that it was. I went more often now. Now it was real. Now I was really loved." Her eyes were sparkling. "Everything was real and for once I was loved! But my heart ached when I had to go back. I didn't want to go back! Ever again! But the thought never crossed my mined that I could stay there. Then one day I asked some one if there was anyone living in the castle that we stand in now, for I remembered killing the evil king that used to be here. They told me that it had been abandoned and was just sitting here collecting cob webs. I inquired as to who rules them. They smiled and said that they wished for me to be their ruler. I immediately told them no. I didn't feel I was able to. But they begged me. They wanted me to stay and rule them all! I continuously refused but they persisted and finally I agreed. So here I am. I began to live here, sometimes picking up children who also had terrible lives and bringing them here. Vasu is one of them as is Theophania. Their real names are Gage and Victoria but they changed their names and appearance. They didn't change their apperance much, though as they could have. I gave them what they wanted. Theophania wanted to become a witch so I gave her that, Vasu wanted to be a sort of demon."
"But those fairies of yours..." Hiei said.
"You mean Lilac and Lavender?" Cuniculis or whatever interrupted.
"Yeah, they said you didn't create demons or allow them."
"True, but I said a sort of Demon. He has the physical appearance of a youko and he is fairly fast, though not as fast as you, he is merely a man in his hut. He helps me with things at times but we have no definite name for what he is. But anyway, after a while you get quite lonely. Not for a friend but more a companion."
"This is where I come in, right?" A slight blush crept onto the young matriarch's cheeks.
"Yes, I figured you might like it here." She stopped pacing and turned to her thrown. Hiei could see her skin turning very red. He was silent.
"You do not have to stay you know. You are free to leave any time."
"There was a woman who gave out the lost posters. She had a child with her. Who was she?" Cuniculis smiled serenely.
"That was my sister and her child. My sister is about 15 years my elder and she is the only one who ever cared about me. I stayed wit her most of the time. She was the only reason i didn't starve to death. She would feed me and buy me clothing and . . . she was like my mother in a way. Helping me with my homework and cleaning me up. Taking me to the doctor. She didn't have to. I know it cost her a great deal to do so, I helped her in any way I could. Cleaning around the house. Paying her back any money I got, watching my neice. But I could never fully repay her back for what she did." Hiei stared at her for a moment. He was about to say something when he heard a small knock on the grand doors to the thrown room.
"Who is it?!" Cuniculis called out.
"It is me mother." came a voice from the other side of the door. It was the voice of a child.
"Come in, dear!" she called back. The mammoth doors swung open and in walked a small child about five or six years old. He had jet black hair to his shoulder and silver eyes. He was rather pale with thin red lips.
"Mother?" he said and Hiei saw long cobra like fangs. The boy walked up to Cuniculis and took her hand.
"Hai, Lachtna?" she asked him.
"I am hungry, mother." She gave him a wiery look.
"How hungry are you, beloved?"
"I can wait five more minutes." he told her. She kissed the top of his head and said,
"Go wait in your room, I shall be there to feed you shortly." he smiled and kissed her hand.
"Thank you, mother." Then he ran off grabbing the door behind him.
"What is he?" Hiei asked her.
"A Vampire." she answered. He looked at her shocked. She laughed. "I guess I must explain. Well you see it was harder to create vampires than any other creature. So I was only able to make one Vampire man and one vampire woman. But I was weak after making the man and so the vampire woman was also weak. She bore one child before she died."
"Lachtna." Hiei said.
"Hai. Then her lover died of grief. I made one other adult vampire. It's a female. She is one of my night guards. I kept the first two I created's son and raised him as my own."
"Does he know?" Cuniculus nodded.
"But he still thinks of me as his mother for I am all the family he has really known."
"What about the female vampire you created?"
"She does not particularly care for the company of others. She barley tolerates Lachtna even though he is her own kind. She had agreed you will get impregnated by him when he is of age but still...."
"What are you going to do?"
"Pardon?"
"He said he was hungry. How are you going to feed him?"
"Let him drink my blood."
Hiei stared at her for a moment.
"Won't he kill you?"
"Eventually my blood will not be enough and I will have to find another way, but until then...." She smiled.
"A servant shall show you to your room. I have a child to feed." She steped towards him as if to kiss him or whisper something to him then decided against it and stepped back. Hiei could see roses bloom on her cheeks and she quickly swept out of the room. A few minutes later a young female servant came to escort him to one of the extra rooms in the castle.
Botan waited as Koenma searched through some files and equipment.
"Well," he finally said, "I can see him on a radar but just barley and there is no real name for the place he is at."
"What do you mean no real name?" Botan asked.
"We can only get a few letters."
"What are they?"
"T-R-A-A-T-V-O."
"Traatvo?" Botan said. Koenma handed her a paper.
It said; "T_r_a__a_t_vo." she frowned.
"Thats odd."
"It's suppose to be another dimension but we don't know how to get to it."
"Any clues?" Koenma frowned.
"Just one but it doesn't make much sense."
"Let me see." He handed her another paper with curvy letters. They said,
'Mind over Matter.'
Hiei lay in the huge room on the king size bed with soft silk sheets. It was a drab gray color, Hiei liked that, with a large canopy bed. There was a small ebony table by the bed and an ebony chair with a black silk cusion. He smiled and decided he would go watch the queen 'feed' her 'child'. He walked out of the room and down the hall following Cuniculus swiftly and quietly. He peeked into the room as she sat down on the bed. Lachtna sat in front of her, hunger gleaming in his eyes. He sat in her lap back wards and she put her wrist near his mouth. He pushed back the sleeve and bit into the soft flesh, his canine teeth finding a tender vein and penitrating it. Sweet blood gushed into his mouth between his waiting red lips. Cuniculis didn't flinch. Not when his fangs penitrated her skin or her vein. She stroaked his hair and smiled. Lachtna closed his eyes savoring the sweet taste of the dark red liquid that flowed from his 'mothers' wrist. Hiei watched the scene with slight disgust. Cuniculus rested her chin on Lachtna's head. After another minute Lachtna drew away from Cuniculus' wrist. Hiei could see two gaping holes. The boy bit the end of his tounge and let a drop of blood or two fall to her wrist. The two holes disapphered. Cuniculus kissed Lachtna tenderly on the forehead.
"How are your studies, treasure?" she asked him running her fingers absentmindedly threw his hair. The boy smiled at her.
"Just fine, dear mother." he replied. "But..." he cast his eyes downward. "..I faild one test."
"Which one."
"Spelling." She smiled kindly at him.
"Well we shall just have to study harder." he looked ashamed. "Do not worry darling. I was never very good in spelling."
"But I have heard you were good in literature."
"Hai, but not spelling."
She kissed his head again.
"Mother?" he said as she began to leave.
"Yes?"
"What do you want with the Forbidan Child?"
She smiled.
"You do not need to worry about that." she said.
"Please tell me mother." Lachtna begged, "I must know."
"I brought him here for companion ship." she said at last.
"What about me, mother? Can't I be your campanion." Cuniculus laughed.
"No, darling one. I mean a different kind of companion."
"Like what?" Cuniculus blushed thinking of how to tell the young child this.
"Well....like...someone...uh...." Hiei chuckled to himself and woundered if he should go help her.
"Someone to....." she sighed and fell into a near by chair. "Oh I do not know how to explain it, little one."
Hiei leaned on the door frame and laughed. Cuniculus looked up at him and frowned.
"Are you just going to stand there and laugh at me or are you going to help?"
"What do you want me to say?" Hiei asked. Cuniculus stood up and took his hand.
"Someone to do grown-up things with." she said to Lachtna finally. The boy nodded though confusion still swam in his eyes.
"Now Lachtna, get ready for bed, I will come back to bid you good night." She held onto Hiei's hand and walked out of the room closeing the door behind her. She pressed her body to Hiei's.
"You didn't help me much." she leaned in so her lips were just barley touching his.
"What do you want, ningen." he said coldly trying not to notice her lips so close to his.
"You know what I want." she put her arms around his neck and drew her lips closer. Hiei jerked away from her.
"Don't touch me." he growled, then walked to his room.
"You don't like it here do you? Why?"
"Because it's to perfect." he turned around to face her but found she was gone. A hand tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and there she was. Smiling in an evil way.
"As a matter of fact it is not perfect. Things do happen. Bad things. Thats what keeps it interesting. You think I have a guard just for the hell of it? No there is evil here in Terratractiva." They stood in front of each other for a moment silent.
"You don't like me much do you?" she asked.He frowned at her.
"Not really." he atmited. She took his hand in hers and kissed it.
"Good night." she said. Then walked quickly past him to her 'childs' room to tuck him in for the night. Before Hiei left he heard the boy begging his mother to tell him about one of her grand adventures in Terratractiva.
"Where you defeated the evil king mother! Please tell me that one!"
Yusuke sat down next to Yukina. Botan showed them the paper that said, 'Mind over matter' they sat and poundered it for a while.
"Hey, Yukina." Yusuke said "Do you know of a demention with a password like that?"
Yukina shook her head.
"No. Kurama?" Kurama looked up at the sky and sighed.
"Kurama?!" Yukina said louder thinking he had not heard her.
"I heard you, Yukina." he said. "Well, a long time ago, there was a legend some youko used to tell on cold nights. It was said that some day a girl would defy all the rules that seperate humans and youkos. She would learn how to breack the barriors that divided relms. She would know how to create another dimension and from that dimension be able to control life and death, create and destroy as she pleased. She would be able to create things in other dimensions besides her own. Her power would be limited to only what she couldn't think of. She was suppose to be the reincarnation of a demon who died. But her blood would run as ningen as any humans does now. They would always end the tale saying, 'She would find this by the phrase, 'Mind over Matter' for what her mind created her power made it matter.' We used to laugh at this thinking it was a crazy idea but..." he paused. Keiko looked at him strange.
"But thats not possible. You see..." she was going to give him this big long explenation.
"Keiko after all you have seen since Yusuke died and came back are you really going to go by 'logic'?"
Keiko frowned and kept her lips shut together.
Cuniculus gazed sadly into her crystal ball. In it Hiei laid in his bed, his shirt off and his pants rolled up to his knees. He reached over to the bowl at his bed side and took a peice of candy from it. After stareing at it for a moment, then poped it in his mouth. He chewed on it for a while then swallowed.
"Come on Cuniculus! I know you're watching me. Just show your self." She appered in one of the ebony chairs, her legs crossed her arms resting on the arms of the chair and her back against the back board.
"How did you know, love?" she asked him in a soft voice.
"Don't call me 'love'. Plus it was obvious." She stood up. Now she wore a sea blue dress, also like the renaissance. This one also had drooping sleeves but they were shorter than the other dress. This dress had no real form in the waist but a black gold belt hung on her hips. A few jade combs had been placed in her hair and pulled in out of her face.
"You want it don't you?" she said walking slowly to the bed.
"Want what?" he asked her. she sat next to him on the bed and put her hand to his chest over his heart.
"Your heart wants it." Her hand went to his cheek, stroking his lips with her thumb,
"Your tongue wants to speck it but doesn't know how," her hands went to his stomach.
"Your body urns for it so bad it aches." She took his hand and put it over her own heart.
"Your fingers, tingle to touch it and your lips..." She put her hands at the side of his face and got her face a centimeter away from his.
"Desire to taste it."
His voice was soft and tired. "What do you want woman." a breeze of cold breath tickled her lips. She kissed his lips lightly at first then harder. He kept his lips pressed tightly together. She swiftly dug her nails into his cheeks. He opend his mouth to tell her to stop but she slipped her tounge between his lips. He cried out and jerked backwards. She fell ontop of him breacking the kiss off. She rolled off him and onto the bed and closed her eyes. Hiei stood up.
"Don't do that again." he ordered in a cold heartless voice. She didn't open her eyes but said,
"Forgive me." she stood up and Hiei could see the dark roses blooming on her cheeks. She glanced behind her shoulder then scurried out of the room Hiei laughed inspit of him self. She was so timid yet so straight-forward. It was quite funny.
Cuniculus sat infront of her son. It was morning time and she figured she would feed him before she went to go eat. She pulled her hair away from her neck and leaned forward. Hunger gleamed evilly in Lachtna's eyes. He put his lips to her neck and bit down piercing skin and vein to get the warm blood he so desired. It flowed between his lips and down his throat making his whole body warmer. His pale skin flushed with color and dull eyes sparkled with life. He drank. Long and hungrily he drank. He drank to much. Soon Cuniculus began to feel weak.
"Stop." she whispered so low not even Lachtna heard.
"Stop." again louder but not loud enough.
"Stop." she forced out clearly. Lachtna opened his eyes but continued drinking. Then he felt it. His mother's skin had gone pale and cold. he drew away after sealing up the wound.
"Mother?" he said. She stared off into space.
"Mother?!" he said more alarmed. She fell foreword on the bed breath shallowly. Lachtna jumped up horrified.
"Help." he said in a normal voice. "Someone help." Then reality hit him.
"HELP!!!" he screamed. He slammed open the doors.
"SOMEBODY HELP!!!!!!" he screamed into the halls. "MOTHER!!!!! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!!" The servants and a few guards came running. They dashed quickly down the halls to find the young prince collapsed onto he ground, crying, still screaming for help.
"What is it your highness?!" one guard asked. He shook the boy. "WHAT IS IT?!?!?!" he demanded.
"MOTHER!!!" the boy cried and pointed to his room. The guard looked up.
"Oh my god." he breathed and dashed into the room.
"Call the doctor!" he ordered. "Quick!"
One of the servants ran out of the room and down the hall.
Hiei peeked out of his room to see what was going on. He walked down the hall toward the group of servants.
"Hey, whats going on?" he asked.
"It's the queen." a crying maid said. Hiei pushed his way through the crowd. he got to the front and saw a guard and a menial cradiling the queen. She was deathly pale and her eyes held a blank look. Her body looked so frail. Everyone was crying, the guards, the servants, the maids! Everone. Expesiuly Lachtna who was holding her hand sobbing and mumbiling something over and over again. Hiei leaned in closer to hear him.
"I am so sorry mother." he was whispearing, "Dear mother. Sweet mother. Don't die. I'm so sorry, my dear, sweet mother. It was an ascendant!" Hiei touched the queens shoulder and found her skin cold, deathly cold. He jerked his hand back. The doctors came running in and shoved everyone out of the way. One doctor reached into his black bag pulling out a bunch of equipment Hiei had never seen before. One of the other doctors looked around and demanded to know what happend to their dear queen. Lachtna told his story between sobs saying that he was feeding from his mother (Hiei found this discusting. 'Feeding from my mother and..') when she began to tell him to stop. He did so but to late. His mother had began to turn pale and cold and she fell forward. He got up and began to scream and thats when to servants came in and called a doctor. The doctor who was checking Cuniculus looked up and said,
"Who bleeds dark red?" The room was silent.
"Anyone!" said another doctor, "Dosen't anyone bleed dark red." Again total silence.
"Come one, someone here has to have dark red blood."
"I do." Hiei grunted.
"Well come here!" the doctor ordered. "Hurry!" Hiei stood next to the doctor and gazed at the queen. The doctor grabbed Hiei's wrist and stuck a needle in a vein. Hiei let him. Then the doctor stuck the needle in a vein in the queens arm. After a while color and warmth came to the queens skin. Her eyes burned again with life and the servants cheered. She gazed at her son and smiled, then fell asleep. The doctor removed the needle and bandaged up their arms. They carried the queen into her room, the maids dressing her in her softest night gown and the servants washing her face and tucking her into the bed. They let Lachtna stay by his mothers bed, setting out a futon for him.
Later that night Hiei peeked into the queens room and found her awake. She smiled weakly at him.
"Come here." She said softly. Hiei walked over to her bed. She still looked a little pale. She reached out her hand and took his.
"Thank you." she said,
"For what?" he asked confused.
"For giving me blood." she replied. Hiei snorted.
"Anyone could have done it! Blood is blood! They were all just to scared to say so. So much for your 'loyal people.' Ha." He found that she was laughing.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"You do not understand do you?" she laughed again. "In the real world they have blood types like A, B, AB, and O. Then there's the A positive, A negative and so on. Well in Terratractivo we don't have blood types we have blood colors. You see each creature here as a different blood color. The most popular is light blue. Then there is black, purple and red. Red is not very common. And instead of positive or negative we have darkness, such as dark blue, light blue, dark purple, light purple, and so on."
"What about black?"
"Oh no there is no light or dark black. There is just black." She sighed and closed her eyes. Her hand dropped from his, he took it and rested it on her stomach. She smiled and opened her eyes again.
"What are you going to do about feeding him?" Hiei asked her. She dropped her eyes to the sleeping Lachtna.
"When I am well, I shall create a blood fountain for him." He nodded.
"Well how do we get get to this fantasy land Hiei has been living in for months!?" Botan asked.
"Well, really we are not suppose to, but their might be a way." Kurama said with a frown. "But it would be very hard. I think there might be a portal to it in that persons house. It's a slim chance but worth a shot."
"But we don't know who the girl is." Kuwabara said. Kurama snatched a 'Lost' flyer of Iris O'Conor off a near by tree and said,
"Lets start with her."
Kurama knocked on the door of the O'Conor house. It opend and a horriable smell wafted out. A sickly looking woman in her late thirties looked up at them. She had a cigerette in one hand and a beer bottle in the other.
"What'd you wan'" she asked.
"May we please have a look at your daughters room?" asked Yukina. The woman nodded and led them inside.
"It's up stairs. Nex' ta the bath room. Go on." then she went in the den to watch TV. They all walked upstairs and into the girls room. It had white walls with brown spots and holes on them. Some of the holes looked like they were from a mans fist, others, a girls head. The carpet had blood stains on it here and there. There was a filty futon on the floor with ripped covers and a torn pillow. The window had a hole in it that was covered with duck tape. There was a small closet next to the window, the door was missing a hinge. Kuwabara opend the closet and found four or five pairs of ragity clothes but one dress. It was very beautiful. It was in the renassaunce style made of pink shimmering cloth with bell sleeves and studded with jewels. The bosom was laced with gold ribbon as where the upper parts of the sleeves.
"Wow." said Yukina. She touched one of the sleeves.
Kurama walked inside the closet and ran his hands over the walls. Nothing. He shook his head. Yukina sat down on the girls futon and sighed.
"This is the girl." she said, "But we don't know how to get to her world." Botan looked at the beautiful dress that hung in her closet.
'How can we get to her world?' she thought
"Good morning Hiei." Cuniculus said as Hiei walked into the dinning room.
"You're looking better." Hiei said. He observed that she again wore a renassaunce dress, this time a pure white, with a sliver V-shaped neck and a silver belt. The sleeves were bell shaped with silver bands around the upper arms. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid, woven with mint.
"Yes, thank you." she replied. He himself wore a black tunic and black pants. He had a vest over the tunic that was also black but with gold designs sewn into it. He had found black combat boots in his closet eventually and put them on. His closet was full of tunics and vets and tons of renassaunce clothing.
"Where is Lachtna?" Hiei asked noticing the boy was not at the table as he usualy was. Cuniculus frowned.
"He refuses to come out of his room." she said. "He thinks it is his fault that all this came about! I keep trying to tell him that it is not but he refuses to listen to me."
"Isn't it?" Cuniculuses cheeks flushed with anger and she rose swiftly to her feet.
"It is not! It was an accedent! He is just a boy! He did not mean to and I should have told him to stop sooner! It is more my fault! I should have relized that he was getting to big for me to feed him! But I denied it because......"
"..you wanted him to be your 'baby boy' longer, right?"
"Yes!" she said, "It was my fault! Not his! And I can not make him see that!" Suddenly her legs collapesed from under her and she began to fall. But before she had gone an inch Hiei ran to her and caught her.
"Oh my." she said as he sat her in her chair. "I must still be pretty weak." She grabbed his hand. "Thank you for catching me."
"You are welcome." Hiei replied. Just then a guard up to the queen. He knelt before her and said,
"Your magesty, Vasu is here to see you."
"Let him in." she said in a tired voice. Vasu ran in, the amulet he had taken from Hiei bounced around his neck. He took the queens hands and knelt infront of her.
"Cuniculus! Are you okay?! Tell me your okay!"
"I am little weak but other wise, fine." He laid his head in her lap and sighed.
"Thank the gods!" he said and she stroaked his hair. After a while he whispeared.
"You smell like mint and lavender." Her cheeks burned with color.
"Thank you." she replied. He looked up at her.
"You are sure you are okay?" he asked her again. She nodded. Hiei almost burst out laughing but he managed to keep it in and only let out a small chuckle.
"You almost collapesd when you tired to stand your magesty and you say your fine? I say you should get your royal behind in bed." Vasu was imediatly on his feet and in Hiei's face.
"How dare you talk to her that way!" he roared, "You have no right to! She..."
"Vasu." the queen said in a tired voice. He was imediatly silent. "Leave him alone." Hiei gave him an evil smirk as if to say, 'Ha-ha, the queen told you to shut your pie hole...for screaming....at me!' Hiei pushed past Vasu and went to the queen. He put one arm behind her back and the other under her knees.
"Ah." she cried, "What are you doing?" He looked at her as he lifted her off the chair.
"I told you, you need to get your royal behind in bed. Since you can't seem to get your legs working to do it yourself, I'm gona carry you." She put her arms around his neck as he walked slowly to the door. Vasu stopped him though and said,
"Let me carry her." Hiei just glared at him and continued into the hall. Cuniculus shook her head telling Vasu to leave the matter alone. Hiei laid her on her bed and reached behind her unlaceing the back of her dress.
"What are you doing now?!" she screamed and pushed him away.
"I was helping you out of that dress. Do you actually want to sleep in it?" he frowned. Deep red roses bloomed on her cheeks. Hiei rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't going to take your clothes off! I was just going to help you unlace them so you could simply slip them off when I left!"
"Oh, sorry." Vasu sat down behind her and finished what Hiei had started. The bodice of her dress began to drope as the strings that held the dress on where undone. Her hands held it on as the sleeves slide down her arms and the bodice droped forward more almost reviling her chest. The roses that bloomed on her cheeks grew darker. Vasu noticed then and imediatly left not wanting to cause her any discomfort. Hiei didn't. He liked making her blush. It was funny. He reached his arms behind her and fidled with the back lacing again.
"Did he get it undone all the way?" he asked pulling at the already loose strings.
"Stop it!" she said and tried to push him away.
"Oh, I see." he said not moveing, "You can make a move on me, but when I try it's..." he made his voice feminine to imatate her and finished, "'Oh, stop it! Please!'" he changed his voice back to normal, "I don't get it."
"I-I am not decent." Hiei laughed out loud.
"Oh no!" he said sarcasticully, "Your not decent! Ooo! You're such a virgen!" She didn't reply. Hiei stood up and walked out of the room laughing.
"Lachtna! Please let me in!" the servant begged. "The queen would like me to get you dressed! There is a banquet tonight!"
"I am not going!" come a reply from inside. Suddenly Lachtna heard.
"Oh! Your majesty! I.....What? No he will not come out, But..."
"Lachtna!" yelled Cuniculus, "I demand that you open this door this instent!"
"No!" he yelled back.
"Do it or else!"
"Or else what!" BAM!!! The door rattled in it's frame then fell forward. There stood Cuniculs with her leg extended, her skirts falling back showing her ankels. His mother had kicked down the door! It was quite a heavy door at that! That strength had probably come from all the battles she had fought. He stared at he wide eyed.
"M-Mother?" She lowered her leg.
"I told you to open the door." she said harshly. Lachtna noticed that the servant behind her was also wide eyed and had gone pretty pale.
"Lachtna! You will get dressed, you will come to the banquet, and you will stop this foolishness! It was not your fault what happend! If anyone is to be blamed it should be me! I should have relized my limits and the simple fact that you have grown and I should not be feeding you my blood! Now get dressed and come down stairs!" With that she marched down the hall to get ready for the banquet, or to tell Hiei of it.
Hiei simply nodded as the queen shifted through his closet looking for some exquisit cloths while she told him about the banquet. She pulled out of his closet a jet black vest with silver and gold designs sewn in and a solid black tunic. She pulled out navy blue pants and black boots also with a gold design on it. Hiei noticed that every thing in his closet was either dark blue, red or black. He was glad that the queen had had the common sense to not give him bright colored clothes.
"And hurry! The banquet is in three hours!"
"Why do I have to hurry, if it's in three hours?"
"You think you are just going to get dressed?" she asked amusment danceing in her eyes. "No, no no. You are going to take a bath and the servants will help you get dressed." She turned to leave then glanced over her shoulder and said, "And please do not fight the servants, Hiei. They may want to put a few peices of jewelry on you, just let them. Do not worry, they are as masculine as jewelry can get." She smiled at him and left.
The ball room was grandly decorated with golden tapestries. On the dais were three gold and jewel thrones, two large thrones and one rather small one. The marble floors and been washed and scrubbed till they shone and everything in the room sparkled. In the grand dinning room next to it a long table had been brought out with silver chairs and golden name plates. The finest china had been set as well as the candles. Everything was perfect. The guests filled into the dinning room and found there names at a chair and sat down. Hiei reconized many of the people he saw Thephania, in her black dress with spidar web sleeves. Lilac and Lavender hurried in wearing dresses made of rose petals. Garsha walked in, his golden hair combed and braided. As did Vasu, this time wearing a white tunic and pants. Everyone looked splendid! But as Hiei sat down at the queens right hand place at the table, he noticed she and her son where not here yet. When every one was seated, the Queen finally came in with her hand on Lachtna's shoulder. The boy looked better than when Hiei had last seen him. His face held more color than the last time Hiei had seen him. He looked up at Cuniculus with pure adoration in his eyes. She smiled sweetly back at him and walked over to the table. She stood tall and proud at her full hight not slouching at all. Her long locks were combed and dressed with jewels and roses and ivy woven into a few braids. Her sapphire crown sat once again upon her head and a gold locket hung round her neck. Her dress was glamourus, a shimmering silver color with a jewel studded bosom and gold belt. Long hanging sleeves droped at her elbows with tight sleeves under those that covered her hands to her thumb. Gold bands were wrapped around her elbows. She looked absolutely ravishing. Lachtna beside her wore a navy tunic with silver designs and a gold vest over that. He had straight navy pants and gold boots with a black cape drapped on his shoulders. He donned a plain gold crown on his head with gold bands around his upper arms. His get black hair had been pulled back and tied with ivy. He too was a glorious sight. When the queen got to her chair she stood in front of it, held her arms out and said in a loud voice,
"Welcome all!!" She paused, then continued, "After we eat we shall go to the ball room! Now, eat!" She sat down and did so, as did every one else.
Kuwabara gazed out Irises window at the street below. The sky was painted pink and purple with twilight and the setting sun was drenched a blood red. The clouds were a hazy pink and the houses were being cast into darkness. A few street lights came on, a couple broken tried to, they shot sparks to the street below then died. Somewhere a cricket chirped. Keiko sat down next to Yukina who had the pink dress drapped across her legs studying it. Kurama looked over at Kuwabara who had a small scowl on his face.
"What are you thinkng about?" he asked.
"That girl." said Kuwabara, "How did she get in the world. There had to be some passage to it. If she got in, why can't we?"
"Maybe it's not in her room." Yukina said. "Maybe it's somewhere else. Hey look at this." She pulled out a peice of paper from the sleeve of the dress. She unfolded it and read it aloud.
Music played loudly in the ball room as people swirled and danced. The queen clapped her hands and laughed at all the merriment. Her eyes danced with joy and her cheeks were flushed with color. Lachtna laughed to and the took his hands and danced around the room with him. She stopped for a moment to grab a glass of wine a waiter was carrying on a tray and draine the glass. Then she was danceing again. Hiei suspected that she had had few glasses and they had gone to her head, but she seemed haapy enough. Soon Theophania was danceing with Lachtna and Cuniculus was in Vasu's arms spinning around and giggiling.
She had a girlish look to her now instead of her usual regal one, but she looked just a beautiful, with her livley eyes and flushing cheeks. Vasu looked at her smiling and Hiei could see something unsettiling in his eyes. Cuniculus eventually found it to and twirled away from him and into anothers arms. Hiei saw Lavender laughing at the queen and clapping her hands, jumping up and down in excitment. Lilac had a small smile on her lips, but was not laughing and jumping around. Soon she spun over to Hiei, laughing.
"Oh my." she said, "I have not had this much fun in a time." Hiei smiled at her.
"Oh, dance with me Hiei."
"I'd rather not." he said.
"Come on," she grabbed his hands and pulled him onto the dance floor. She placed one of his hands on her hip and the other she held and danced. She was very gracefull, Hiei noticed, agile, steady on her feet. Like a cat.
Heat radiated off her body. Hiei looked up and saw Vasu staring at Cuniculus in that unsettiling way again. He twirled her into the crowd and away from him.
"Oh, dear." She said after awhile. "I need to sit down. Could you help me to my throne?"
"Hai." Hiei said and led her to the throne. She sat down on it and leaned on the arm of the thrown.
Far away an evil being crouched in the Vetitus Forest, running it's hands over a crystal ball. It cackled as it watched Hiei take the tired queen to her thrown.
"Have fun while you can your 'magesty'. Everything you have grown to love will be gone soon enough" It cackled again loud and long, this time others joining in it's evil laugh, a laugh that echoed threw the forest.
Hiei knelt infront of her looking into her eyes which stared at her lap. She had very beautiful eyes, Hiei noticed, not a beautiful green like Kurama's, but a deep sea blue. She smiled at him when she noticed he was staring. He noticed this to and turned away blushing uncomfterably.
"You know," she said putting her hand at the side of his face, "You look really handsome." He didn't say anything. She giggled.
"Come on. Don't just stare off into space, look at me." She turned his face to look at her. She bent down and gently kissed his cheek.
"You're drunk." he said flatly.
"Not that drunk." she said.
"Yes you are."
"No I am not. For I can feel that you are....KNEELING ON MY FOOT!!! OUW!" Hiei jumped to his feet and saw the queen grasp her foot in pain.
"That hurt." Hiei knelt again making sure he was away from her now sore feet. She leaned back in her thrown and sighed.
"It is a shame that the ball ends at mid night. I wish it would end sooner." She looked at him. "You know, you do not have to kneel. You can sit on the thrown." She motioned to the large thrown at the left. Hiei nodded and sat down. He looked over to find her eyes begining to close.
"Don't go to sleep." he teased her. "That would be very 'rude' to your guests." She shot him the bird. He laughed.
"How very unlady like. Not like a lady or queen at all." Another 'fuck off' sign. Was she always like this when she was a little drunk? It was quite funny. Just then Vasu approuched the thrown.
"Dance with me Cuniculus." He said holding out his hand. She smiled at him and attempted to stand up, but fell back. Vasu just picked her up, motioning for a servant to bring a drink. Cuniculus downed to contents of the glass and smiled. Whatever it was it had given her her 'second wind'. She glided across the floor holding onto Vasu. After about an hour Hiei saw Cuniculus trying to get back to him, though Vasu was holding her hand asking for one more dance. She frowned and told him to let her go. He pulled her to him and kissed her lightly on the lips. She frowned and told him to stop. Now Hiei knew what that unsettiling look in Vasu's eyes had been. It was lust. Cuniculus pulled away from him and marched to the thrones. She sat down next to Hiei and sighed. Her eyes were tired and she looked like she wanted to kiss the guard who can in and said it was twelve o'clock, and everyone was to leave. She stood up, leaning on Hiei's shoulder for support.
"I am so tired. Lachtna!" she called. Lachtna ran to his mother his cape billowing behind him.
"Yes, mother dear?" he said.
"Did you have fun darling?" she asked him. His silver eyes got wide with excitment.
"Oh yes!" he said.
"Good, now run along and get ready for bed. I'll be along shortly to tuck you in and give you your dinner." Lachtna nodded and ran out of the room. Cuniculus saw tired servants trying to clean up the mess in the room.
"Do that in the morning." she said. "Go get some sleep." The servants smiled at her and scurried off to their rooms. Hiei helped Cuniculus to her room. She layed down one the bed, not bothering to take her clothes off and went to sleep.
'Great,' Hiei thought. 'Stupid ningen falls asleep dressed like that she'll get a rash and a creek in her neck and will complain for weeks. He undid her braids pulling out the ivy and roses weaved into her hair, dropping them on the floor. He removed her crown and set in on a nearby chair. Then undid the back of the dress carefully pulling it off laying it on the chair with her crown. He pulled off her jewelry and her petti coats. He undid her boots setting them on the floor and tugged off her stockings leaveing her simple, almost see through under dress. He pushed her head to her pillow, removing the covers from under her and pulling them up to her chin. She moaned a little then rolled over. Hiei sighed and sat down on the bed. He felt very tired himself and woundered if he should just lie down one the floor or try and make it to his room. He felt Cuniculus' hot body press against his thigh. He sighed and pulled off his own jewelry, vest, tunic, boots and cape. He laid down next to her and fell fast asleep.
The sun peeked over the horizan and Cuniculus hugged the warm body closer to hers. Somewhere behind her she heard a snicker. Her hand rubbed a musculuar arm and she thought, Lachtna dosen't have any muscles. She opend her eyes and saw Hiei laying next to her dead asleep with a small frown on his face. On arm under her neck and the other on his stomach. Lachtna ran around to where she could see him and made faces at her. She giggled and Hiei stirred a little. The hand that had lain on his stomach now moved to her arm. Lachtna stuck his tounge out then said in a girlish voice,
"Oh Forbidden one, I love you such much." He flung his arms out and said, "Marry me!" Then he deepend his voice and said,
"Of course! You are so beautiful!!!" Cuniculus burst out laughing as Lachtna took up makeing faces at her.
"Lachtna!" she giggled, "If you do not stop, Hiei will wake up!"
"Hiei is already awake thanks to you." Hiei grumbled.
"Sorry." she said. He sat up and her arm slide down from his chest to his waist. She proped herself up on her elbows.
"Lachtna, what are were you doing?" she asked.
"I heard one of the servants say that she had come into to see if you had changed out of your ball gown and saw the two of you sleeping in each others arms. She thought it looked so darling that she ran out of the room with out doing her duties, so she would not rouse you."
"Well, go tell them that we are awake so they do not have to stay twenty yards from my quarters." Lachtna ran and kissed his mother's cheek.
"Yes, mother." he said then scampered off. Hiei turned his back to Cuniculus and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He raised his arms high over his head streching out the muscles.
"How is it," he said with out turning to her, "that your bed is softer than mine. Alot softer. I should sleep here more often." He felt her fingers walking up his back and turned around. She smiled at him in a devilish way.
"Tell me about your family." she said.
"I have no family." he spat at her. "Except...." he stopped. Why should he tell her anything. Why should he tell her about his younger sister Yukina who didn't even know they were related? Why should he tell her about his mother who threw him off the floating isle, beacause he was a fire demon? Huh, why should he tell her anything?
"Except what?" she asked.
"My sister Yukina." he said.
"What is she like?"
"Innocent." he said laughing a bitter laugh. "Sweet, she doesn't know I'm her brother."
"Why not?" He looked at her.
"A deal I made. I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay." she said, "I will not persist. What about yourself. Tell me about you."
"Why?"
"I want to know."
"But why do you want to know?"
"I just do."
"I don't want to talk about myself."
"Hmmm, modest."
He laughed a hollow, meaningless laugh. "Yeah. Modest."
"Are you sad that you do not have a family?" she asked then relized what she said, "Oh, I am sorry. I said I would not persist." She leaned against his shoulder and sighed.
"You still have not kiss-......" He lunged at her, clamping his hands on her wrists and pinning them to the bed. His lips pressed firmly against hers. He pried her lips open with his tounge tasting her. She moaned and pulled her hands. He tightend his grip on her wrist and pressed on her lips harder. She returned his kiss and continued to pull at her hands. He let them go and she wrapped her arms around his back. He felt her nails dig deeply into his skin and he groaned in pain. She giggled and pushed away from him.
"Happy now?" he asked her panting slightly.
"Very." she breathed.
"Good." he said, "Cause I'm not doing it again."
"Oh really?" She put her hand on the nape of his neck and pulled him to her. This time the kiss was quick. But Cuniculus smiled at him, her eyes victorious as if she had just done some great thing. Hiei rolled his blood colored eyes at her.
"Damn ningen." he muttered.
"What, afraid you are getting too close to me?" she murmured.
"Iie" he snapped. He stared at he frowning then his expression let up. She smiled at him again and put her arms around him. She sighed and closed her eyes. He reached his hand slowly up to stroak her soft hair then jerked it away.
"You should get dressed." he muttered. "I should to." He gently pried her arms from him and walked out of the room. He heard her breath his name before he was out of ear-shot.
As Hiei walked through a coridor he had not seen before he heard soft singing.
"Dancing bears.
Painted wings.
Things I almost remember.
And a song,
Someone sings,
Once upon a December." He found an open door and peeked in. The singing echoed off the walls in this room. He gazed around and his eyes landed on Cuniculus. He stared at her shocked for a moment. His body grew hot and began to tingle. He swallowed. She sat on the edge of a fountain that came out of the wall with Lachtna next to her. The odd thing about the fountain was the water wasn't clear and shimmering like all the other fountains and lakes in Terratractivo, instead the water was a deep red. Like blood. She dipped a gold goblet into the fountain and handed it to Lachtna. He licked his lips hungrily and drank from it. His cheeks flushed with color, and his eyes.....they gained something. Life. Hiei thought. They gained a look like he had life and spirit. Emotions. He looked away for a moment then back again. The boy wore a combatants uniform as if he had just come from a lesson in how to sword fight. Cuniculus was still singing her haunting melody.
"Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory.
Far away,
Long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember.
Things my heart
Used to know
Once upon a December." As he looked her over his breath caught in his throat. She looked so beautiful. No not just beautiful......she looked arousing. Desirable. Sensual. Seductive. Still he heard her song, faint, he wasn't listining but it was still heard.
"Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory.
Far away,
Long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember."
She sat in a majestic way her back straight her legs positioned in a delicate manner. Her dress was the same renasaunce style as all her clothing, but this one was different. This one was a jet black with red under dress, this one had a very low cut bodice and had just small peices of cloth attatched to gold bands around her upper arms. He could see that it would take only two or three swift movments to remove the dress. Her hair hung down her back, not fixed up, no barets, no combs in it. It had just been brushed and allowed to do whatever. A pentigram hung around her neck and rested on her full bosom.
"Things my heart
used to know,
things it yurns to remember.
And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December."
She took the cup from Lachtna and again dipped it in the fountain, this time filling the cup less than a quarter full. But instead of handing it to her vampire son, to drink (by this time Hiei was sure the fountain spewed blood and not just dyed water) she downed the contents herself. A thin trickle escaped from the corner of her mouth and flowed down her neck and chin to her bosom. Lachtna smiled and handed her a towl to whipe it away. She kissed his cheek.
"Now, hurry to your lessons." He nodded and scampered off. Hiei hid in the shadows till he had passed. Hiei walked into the room as Cuniculus was using the towl to wipe the sides of the goblet. He saw it still had blood in it.
"How...?" he began. She turned to him and smiled.
"I made it after Lachtna drained me. After I got my strength back I created it so he could feed." She handed him the cup. "Drink." she ordered. He took the glass from her and quickly swallowed it. He whiped his mouth on the back of his hand and grabbed Cuniculus around the waist. He kissed her roughly tasting the blood that had been in her mouth. He didn't care. That sour blood. He had licked his own wounds before, licked the blood from them, but this was different. Taking a goblet of blood and drinking it. That was gross. But it didn't matter. He felt her body press against his, and pulled away. She smiled at him and took the goblet. She placed it on the fountain, took his hand and led him out of the room. She said something in a foreign launguage when she closed the door and it disapphered. He stared at her for a moment then shrugged it off. There were alot of strange things in Terratractivo, he shouldn't be surprised about this one. She smiled at him sweetly and walked away. He followed her.
"How much?" he asked her,
"How much what?" she replied no looking at him. He grinted his teeth. He wished she would be regal and majestic again instead of......
"How much energy did it take to make that?"
"Alot." she said, "That's why I was so weak that one morning when I collapesd and you caught me." She walked out a small door to a lush garden. Hiei followed. Cuniculus finally stoped after a good ten minutes of walking. She turned and grabbed his hands. He blinked down at her.
"You know," she said in a low voice, "the servants will not be in here for an hour of so."
"Huh?" he said not really thinking. She sighed.
"You are not even listining to me!"
"Yes, I was. I just..." He stoped, why should he talk. They both wanted the same thing and were just playing hard to get. He seized her around the waist and brought her close. He gently kissed her. Nothing passionate by far. Some thing a naive 10 year old might do to their boyfriend or girlfriend. Cuniculus wasn't very happy with the 10 year old kiss but waited. He pulled her to a bench still kissing her and pushed her down. She stared up at him and waited for him to sit next to her. He reached out a hand and stroaked her hair. He had seen guys do this in the chick flicks he had been forced to watch with Yukina. He never really under stood it. It was just hair. If he wanted to touch hair he would reach up and touch his own. Hers was different then his, softer, silkier. Hers hung in waves and cascades, his just spiked. His hand moved from her hair to the side of her face, her neck, colar bone, chest. He felt the pentigram under his fingers. This pentigram had a weird kind of feel to it. He felt a certain power coming from it. He dismised this. His hand went from her breast to her waist, over her legs. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit next to her, then kissed him. Her hands didn't reach for his neck, and her arms didn't rest on his shoulders, instead one layed on the bench supporting her as she leaned over and the other.....held the pentigram. He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them. She didn't move. His hands moved to her back. Fianly her hands went to his neck. But not in a gentle way. Imediatly he felt it. Long sharp nails dug into the soft skin of his neck. He reached his hands up to pull hers away but couldn't. He had the strangth to, but didn't really want to. He tasted that blood again. His eyes widend as her hand vertured down his pants. He pushed her off.
"HEY!!!" he said, "DON'T DO THAT!!!!!" She giggled. He stood up and she moved to the end of the bench where he had just sat. He looked down at her. She grabbed his waist band and pulled him on top of her. He put his hands out so they hit the bench and didn't put his full weight on her. Her lips found his and she gave him a soft tender kiss. Then she pushed him away and sat up. He looked at her confused.
"I-I am sorry." she said in a tired voice, "It is just...nothing...." She stood up.
"That power." he said, "You can feel it can't you?" She blinked up at him.
"What-...."
"Don't bull shit me Cuniculus, You can feel it in your chest, it hurts....dosen't it?" She was quite. Hiei could tell she wasn't going to answer.
"Tell me!" he demanded. He couldn't stand that look in her eyes. That dead lifeless look. Her eyes had always held life! Always! Some type of emotion! Love! Hatred! Embaressment! Anger! He had always seen something in them. But now....they were just dead blue orbs. They were like his eyes. Steel, impenetrable. He hated it. "TELL ME DAMMIT!!!!!" he screamd. He grabbed her arm and brought her to him. Their noses touched, he snarled. Her eyes, her face was still blank. They didn't even show surprise! She looked past him, he turned to see what she stared at then hurd it,
"And the screams and the cries,
Makes you wanna crawl in a hole and die.
Like a bullet through your head,
Swimming in desirable dreams instead."
"What?" he said. But he had heard her. It just didn't make sense. Still her eyes stared off in the distance. But something in the depths of her dark ocan eye's stirred. Something from long ago, something sad, dark.....evil.
"And the hurt and the pain,
Why is this stabbing me again and again?
Don't forget I love you,
Don't forget I care."
"Cuniculus." his hand reached for her cheek then withdrew. Her voice grew staedily louder.
"Don't forget I'm always watching you,
Wishing I was there.
And don't forget my voice,
And the way I would laugh until I cried,
Or whistle as I passed by."
"Stop it!" he whispered. "What are you talking about!?"
"I'm sick of faking happiness,
I'm just causing you more stress.
I hope I go to a better place now,
Full of great things and blissfulness." Her voice was clear now. Loud. She wasn't screaming, but she was speacking in a loud voice.
"I used to be a happy kid
I used to be just fine
I used to think that was life was worth it
Now it's time for me to die." Her voice grew louder till she was hollaring. Hot tears poured down her cheeks. No they weren't tears, not normal tears....they were a deep red color.
"Stop it!" he demanded, "Stop saying that!"
"I'm looking foward to the path before me
Don't tell me not to go
Staying on earth was far too difficult
Even for me to say 'no'"
He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them.
"Quite! DAMMIT!!! STOP SAYING THAT!!!"
"But depression is a deadly thing
Not everyone can survive
I hope you all live a lovely life
I love you, and goodbye." then her terrible poem ended. Hot red tears poured down her cheeks. "That power!" she yelled, "You said you felt that power burn in my chest. It does! But it is not power that burns their, love! It is the memories! The memories I left behind in the real world. I tried to erase them, useing spell after spell! But just now, those memories came back, I saw you standing there in the door way watching me feed my child and they came rushing back, all the pain and anguish I thought I had destroyed! I thought I had conqured that! I who was borne from sin and hate, who suffered pain for years! Lonlieness ate at me! When I told you I had one friend...I lied! I had no friends! I was alone! I tried to commit suicide! I tried to end my miserable life, no one stoped me! I almost suceded, but each time something came to foil it! It was as if some force was preventing me! But just now! Now when you kissed me, when your body was on mine....It brought back those memories. Those I had tried to escape!" He reached towards her. She fell to her knee's, her shoulders shook as she sobbed. She gazed up at him again, he saw in the oceans of her eyes pain from years ago, pain she had hide from her people. He saw lonieness. He saw her suductive, majestic cover up melt away to expose the lonley child it hide. One who was deprived love for so many years. But he saw something else he couldn't name. He picked her up and she still sobbed. His vest soaked with blood like tears. He ran threw the castle with his demon speed to her room. A servant bustled around it when he opend the door.
"Get out!" Hiei orderd her.
"What did you....?"
"GET OUT!!!!!" The servant ran out of the room and he lay the crying girl on the bed. She didn't protest as he undressed her and put her in her night gown. She didn't protest when he hugged her close to him. She just cried. She let it all out saying things between hiccups that he could barly understand. Finally she cried herself to sleep. He sat there with her laying against his chest still hiccuping once in a while. Soon she was still and calm. He let her hands waunder over his body as she slept. He sat there, not doing anything. Once she woke screaming and he told her it was a dream and she went back to sleep. He couldn't get that look her eyes held out of his mind. First they were blank and lifeless, then oceans of saddness and terror then......something else. He grip tightned on him. She muttered something in her sleep, then she rolled over and was quite. Finally Hiei fell asleep himself.
A bird flew into the open window and sat on the seal content. It chirped sweetly, it's breast growing with the indrawn breath. It's bright feathers shone in the light of the breacking day, and it's dark black eyes sparkled. When no one waved the bird away it dared to peek at the queen. This bird had heard things about the queen, but had never seen her. He had heard stories from other birds and the foxes and lizards that said the queens beauty was grand! (there were more of these stories amungst the animals) Others that said she had plain, dull features. He heard stories that said her eyes were the color of the jungle! Other said they were a dusk gray, or royal violet. He knew the one thing he had to look for was hair the color of the sun, all the stories had that in common. He looked around from a while then spotted it. Long strads of golden hair. But was the ugliest human woman the small bird had ever seen. Truley horrid! It had the golden hair toppled on it's head yes, in a sloppy manner. It was bent slightly so its head was close to the edge of the cover. It had a sharp face with a proud, manlike, jaw. He could see muscles in it's arms and flat chest. It's thin pale lips were quirked in a sneer and it's black eyebrows were fixed in a scowl. It's eyes were large and had tiny lashes. It looked more like a man! The bird shuddered (if birds can do such things) and flew to the night table. The bird was dissapointed. He had hoped that the queen would have beauty beyond campare and here she was, plain and dull and more masculant looking than any woman should. Then he heard a moan, a soft one, and looked up. A bulk under the coverds, that the bird had not noticed, moved. The covers were pushed back and there was a young woman. She sat up and her golden hair slide off the others head to reveal his jet black hair. This woman must be the queen. He beauty was beyond compare. She looked slender and delicate yet strong and powerful. Her golden hair webbed around her and sheyawned loudly puting her hand to her pink, full lips. Her eyes open and she surveyed the room, with deep ocean orbs. The bird sang loud and sweetly for joy and the queen laughed a sweet laugh that echoed the birds song. She clapped her hands and reached for the bird. It jumped on her hand and rubed against her cheek.
"Little one," she said, "what news do you bring from the forest?" The bird chirped loud and fast telling the queen things from the forest. He told her of the sleek foxes with bronze coats, of the white rabbites with powder puff tails. He spoke of the tall trees and shimmering pools. Half way threw she laughed musically.
"I am sorry you have waisted your breath, for I do not understand what you are saying." He stared at her stunned then giggled along as well.
"What's all the laughing about?!" Hiei snapped as he pulled himself into sitting position.
The bird flew off out the window as Cuniculus turned to Hiei. She gigled girlishly, putting her hand to her mouth to quiet it.
"Nothing." she answered.
"You seem very cheery. What happend. Last night you where depressed and dark now your, happy and radiant." She gazed out the window.
"Old memories." she replied. "Just old memories. I have blocked them off now. They shall not bother me for a good while." Hiei snorted.
"Whatever. I didn't like it. It was to...."
"Depressing? Sad? Eeiry?"
"Hai." She crawled over to him and took his hand.
"Do not worry." she replied. "It is nothing." She stood up.
"I am going out of the castle walls for a ride. Would it please you to acompany me?"
"Sure."
"Your riding clothes should be in your closet. I assume they are marked." She walked swiftly out of the room and down the hall singing softly to herself.
"Yukina...you....sure...you..know...where....this.....place....is..?" Yusuke panted as they all dashed trew town. Yukina nodded.
"It's...really...far...though...!"
"Of...all...places...why...did....she...pick...a....place...like....this..?" yelled Kuwabara.
"Probably...because...no....one...would...think...to...ever...really...go...there..." Kurama said.
"Bright....girl.....!" retored Keiko.
"She...would...have...been....even...smarter...if....she...had...not...left....the...instructions....to...get...there...in...her...room...!" said Botan. Yukina sighed and came to a halt. The others stopped and turned to look at her.
"What's wrong?" asked Kuwabara.
"What if...what if those weren't the instructions on how to get there?" she said. "What if they were just mad up, to keep someone looking?"
"We'll never know until we try." Yukina nodded then darted off again.
Hiei walked out of the room and down the hall wearing black riding clothes and holding a small whip. He stared at it for a moment and chuckled to himself. Him using a whip. That was Kurama's weapon, not his. He approuched the stabled looking around for the queen. He tapped a servent wearing a babushka, on the shoulder.
"You, servant. Have you seen the queen?" She turned around.
"That is not very nice Hiei. Exspesiully considering I am not a servant." There Cuniculus stood in a dark forest green dress an oak colored cloth wrapped around her hair and high boots on her legs. She spied his whip and frowned.
"We do not use whips on my horses. Where did you get that?" She snatched it from his hands and tossed it into the stables. "Come." She walked inside the stable and brought out two of the finest horses Hiei had ever seen. He had a feeling that even the top horse breeder would have dropped his jaw at the sight of these stallions. The first was a slender mare, with fur of such a pure white that it looked silver in the morning sun, and a golden mane. She held her head up high and proud, her emerald eyes looked Hiei over for a moment then regarded him as unimportant then turnd fond eyes to the other horse. Hiei followed her eyes to the second stallion. This one was a muscular colt, with blue-black fur and blood red eyes. His mane was not the pure blue-black of his body, but a simple jet black with white streacks. The colt snorted at Hiei and gazed lovingly at the queen. Cuniculus stroaked his muzzle and quided him to Hiei.
"This is Zeus." she said. The colt buried his nose in Cuniculus' bodice, not wanting to let Hiei ride him. She frowned as white foam dripped from Zeus' mouth onto her dress.
"Come on Zeus. He shant harm you." She stroaked his muzzled gently. He snorted and with drew from Cuniculus. He walked slowly over to Hiei and nudged him.
"Get on." said Cuniculus whiping at the saliva on her breast with her babushka. She patted the mare next to her and said.
"This is Hera. I am trying to get them to breed but, Zeus is a bit....proud. He dose not seem to want to breed with Hera."
"How long have you been trying?"
"8 mounths. But I think Zeus may be coming around a bit." She pulled her self onto the mares back.
"Come on." she said. "Zeus is not going to pull stairs out of his back for you to climb up, you have to do it the old fashion way." Hiei climbed on to the colts back and sat clutching the reins. Cuniculus smiled.
"Do you know how to ride a horse? No wait to you know how to get the horse to move?"
"Yes."
"How about to stop?"
"Yes."
"Slow down?"
"Hai." She smiled.
"Good." Then she dug her heels into Hera's thighs and said.
"Yah!" the horse sprang into mations galloping swiftly threw the land. "Catch me if you can!" she called to him. He did as she had and Zues galloped after Hera. Soon, however, he had lost sight of them. He pulled at Zues' reins and said,
"Heel." Zues stopped. Then out of no where Cuniculus and Hera apphered. Her babushka was now tied around her waist. She smiled at him.
"Your slow on a horse." she teased him. He smirked at her. She pushed Hera to Zeus and Hiei.
"It does not matter." she said and laid her head on his shoulder. She looked at the horses and gasped. Hiei followed her gaze and saw that Zeus was nuzziling Hera. Cuniculus dropped down off of Hera signaling Hiei to do the same. She gently tugged at her reins and led her to a clearing near a water fall. Zeus followed. Then she took Hiei's hand and ran away from them towards the water fall. She watched the two horses for a moment then gigled and ran to the waters edge. She stripped off her cloths and dove naked into the water. Then she came back up her pale skin glimmering with water beads. Hiei stared at her stunned for a moment. She had torn off her cloths as if he wasn't there! Like it was just her and the horses. Her loud laughter snapped him out of his daze. She swam over to the bank and gazed up at Hiei.
"Come on in!" she said, "The water is a tad bit cold but you get used to it quick."
"I...." She dove under the water before he could respond. Hiei waited. How long could she stay down there? How deep was it? A minute passed, then two minutes, three, four, five. He knew that Humans couldn't stay under water that long.
"Cuniculus!" he cried. "Dammit!" He tore off his shirt, cape and boots and dove in after her. He gazed around and finally found her. She was floating there kissing a young man. Yet it really wasn't a man at all. It slightly resembled the creature that had swam up to Hiei by the river on his way to the queens castle. It was about a big as a boy in his late teens, with few muscles on its slender arms and broad chest. Its long fish tail was covered in sparkiling scales. It had shinning silver hair instead of sea weed green. Its face was not like the others, with sharp cheeks and a pointed chin. His chin was squared a little and his lightly tinted green skin was placed carefully over smooth cheek bones. Like the others his fingers were thin with with streaches of skin between them. His hands were placed on the sides of Cuniculus' face, holding her head up as he kissed her. She had a hold of his peach/green wrists and was squeezing them. Hiei felt like vomiting at the sight of the queen and the man fish kissing like that. But he also felt something else. Something like...hurt. He pushed it away and turnd his eyes from the vile sight. After a while he turned back. They kissed for five or ten seconds longer then slowly pulled away, the fish boy still lingered. As he did so he took his hands and used his long nails to cut lines on Cuniculus' neck around her ears. He did this on both sides of her head. His eyes opend and Hiei saw blank black orbs. Fish eyes. His stomach curned. Fianlly her eyes opend and so did her mouth.
'She's gona drowned!' Hiei's mind screamed. 'Go help her!' But his body froze. These seemed like somethings a human body would do! Freezing with fear! How absured!
But she didn't start gasping for air or paniking. Instead she took a deep breath and smiled at him. Her lips moved as if she was talking but only a faint chirping sound came out. The fish man tossed his head back and laughed then responded in the same chirping tone. She gazed around then her eyes rested on Hiei. She smiled and swam over to him. She began to speack to him in the same chirping way, then relized what she was doing. She grabbed his hand and took him to the surface.
"Hello." she said, "I was woundering when your were going to get the hint." she laughed. "Come on you have to kiss Mikhail and....."
"I have to kiss who?!" Hiei exclaimed.
"Mikhail. The mermaid I was just....."
"No! I refuse to kiss that man fish. Fist off, he is a fish, second off, he's a man."
"Then how shall you get gills?!" she said.
"Gills?" Her finger rested on the 'cuts' on her neck. They didn't look like cuts any more. Now they looked like gills. Hiei sighed.
"Fine!" she squeeled with excitment and dragged him under the water. Mikhail looked him over with out emotion then placed his hands on the side of Hieis face and kissed him. Hiei felt truley like vomiting right in Varkels mouth. Even if he had been homosexual, this would have been discusting! Mikhails lips were soft and slimy, like a snails body. His tounge squirmed around in his mouth like an earth worm, thin and oily. He stank of fish and sea weed and his breath puffed in his mouth cold and stank. Finally after what seemed like an eturnity, Mikhail pulled away lingering like he had on Cuniculus. Then Hiei felt it, quick sharp pains on the sides of his neck as the mer mans nail sliced the skin creating gills. Finally Hiei was free. He wipped his mouth on his fore arm incradably disgusted. He turned to Cuniculus. He wished there was something to get that disgusting fell out of his mouth! That....Cuniculus laughed lightly as he stared at her. Before he could think twice on it he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her deeply. She cried out in surprise but soon stopped fighting him. What was the point. Even if she had wanted him to stop, he was twice as strong as her. There wasn't a chance in christian hell, she could fight him off. After a time he pulled away and smiled.
"That's much better than Mikhails revolting mouth." Cuniculus smiled.
"Are you two coming?" Mikhail asked. Hiei looked up.
"At least now your speeking in english!" Hiei snapped.
"No," said Cuniculus gently, "You can just understand us now beacause of your gills." Cuniculus wrapped her arms around Hiei's neck gently and leaned into whispear in his hear. Then Hiei remembered she was naked. He had forgotten until now.
"You might want to take your pants off." she said. "They will just drag you down." He stared at her for a moment then shrugged and pulled his pants off. Cuniculus blushed when he was done and turned away.
"What?" he asked her.
"I thought you were wearing boxers." she breathed as she quickly glanced over his naked body.
He laughed and grabbed her hand.
"Since when have you cared?" he asked her.
"Well, I....."
"Are you two coming!" Mikhail barked. "My fins are starting to get sore from waiting." Cuniculus laughed and followed him. Hiei swam up near her and said,
"Were are we going?"
"To Atlantis." She replied.
"Master!" the horribly deformed dwarf said as he scurried up to tall man who sat on the thrown of roots. He was of an unearthly beauty. Hair of pure white hung to his shoulders and his beautifuly shaped eyes were an emerald green. The muscles of his bare chest and arms were painted with skin the color of old copper. His long strong legs were crossed at the ankle and his tin lips pulled back from his white, straight teeth in a smile.
"What is it, Doan?" The emerald eyes turned from the sky to the horribly ugly creature.
"The queen, Master Varkell! She- that is she is going to-..."
"I know." purred Varkell. "She shall do it soon." He stood from the root thrown and over to a rock table. On it were two clay figures. One on the queen and one of her son.
"It will destract her concentration for a moment." He picked up figure of the queen. He stroaked the lifeless face with his index finger.
"Such beauty." he breathed, "But she shall soon lose herself and when her concentration is gone...." He put the figure next the boy and smashed them both with his hand.
"We attack!"
Hiei lay on the ground near the water fall. He whipped his mouth again on his fore arm. They had had to kiss Mikhail again to get the gills away. Cuniculus was down there now doing that. Hiei ran his fingers lightly over the water. His hand touched the top of Cuniculus' head before she burst out of the water. She climbed on to the bank panting a little. Hiei put his hand on her waist and kissed her. Finally he could get that revolting feel of kissing the mer man, out of his mouth. Her arms wrapped around his chest. He rolled over pulling her onto of him. Her sea blue eyes sparkled for a moment and her face flushed with color. She rested her head on top of his chest and sighed.
"What's wrong?" he whispeared. She raised up again and looked past him,
"It is just....AHHHHHHH!" Hiei sat up quickly and looked around.
"What?! What?!" he asked.
"The horses!" Hiei turned his blood colored eyes to the horses and burst out laughing. Zeus and Hera were haveing sex! Cuniculus' face was as red as roses as she buried it in Hiei's chest.
"I did not need to see that! I did not need to see that!" Hiei placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head to look at him.
"I take it you have never seen animals making love?"
"Well...have a few dogs and cats and mice and once some wolfs but....."
"Never horses right?" Again the blood rushed to her face.
"No." He stood up and pulled down a brach to block most of the sight from view.
"Better?" he asked.
"Better." she nodded.
"Stupid Ningen." he muttered. She grabbed his hands and tugged him to the ground.
"Hold me." she begged. He sat down and pulled her into his imbace. She sighed again contently.
"Ready?" he asked her. She was silent for a moment then said,
"Yes.
"Master!" Doan shreiked. Varkells eyes were glowing slightly as he gazed into his crystal ball. "Look at them Doan! They act as if they think no one is watching! When even their horses stare at them funny! Look at the way she moves!" Doan felt appalled.
"Master! I think we should attend to the troops they...."
"In a moment." Doan sighed. His master watched the queen and the demon..... His thoughts were interupted by a solidar who came dashing into the room.
"Sire." he said with a swift bow. "The troops are getting restless! Very you need to..."
"All right! All right." He tapped his crystal ball and the image faded.
Cuniculus Rode back to the castle with Hiei at her side. Her body still tingled. She looked over at him and he smiled evily at her. Then he woundered for a moment if he should show her his demon form.
"Hiei." Cuniculus' voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"Hai?"
"We are here." He looked up and saw they were at the palace stables all ready. He was sure the ride had been longer than that. He jumped down next to he queen and stood there.
"Ivan!" She called, "Could you come get the horses?" A young stable boy with sandy blond hair and dark brown eye's ran and took the horses reins. Cuniculus walked towards that castle.
"Are you okay?" Hiei asked her when they were far enough away from the stables. She turned to him and threw herself in his arms.
"Oh, Hiei. I am scared." Hiei was taken aback.
"Why?! Did I....?!?!?!"
"No, no! It was wounderful it is just...." She burst into tears and ran from him into the castle. He almost laughed at her thinking she could run from him but didn't and just used his demon speed, apphearing in front of her.
"Tell me what's wrong." She jerked away.
"I can not!" then she tried to run again. Hiei grabbed her around the waist.
"You might as well give up. I'm not going to let you go till you tell me what I did wrong."
"Nothing! I told you the truth when I said that!"
"Then what?"
"I....." she sat down on the ground and rested her head on his waist. "When I was younger...I was....." she paused. "I was...." He lent down and picked her up, turning and setting her on a bench.
"You were what?" he asked.
"Raped." He touched a shinning stream of tears at the side of her face. She leaned on his shoulder and cried.
"By who?" he asked. She whispeard low the name of her assualtant. He hugged her.
"Don't worry." he said. She spilled out the enitre story and cried. After a time, she cried her self to sleep.
"Is she ready, Lord Varkell?" Doan asked. Varkell looked up with an evil gleam in his eyes.
"Yes." he said, "She is ready. We attack."
"Majesty!" The guard ran threw the castle halls. "Majesty!" Finally he found her.
"What?" she asked, looking away from the window.
"Your majesty! Armies from the Vetitus Forest arm wageing war!" Cuniculus stood up.
"You are jesting!" she said
"No." The queen swallowed, then replied in a calm voice;
"Gather the armies together. Get the defences lined up and ready. I shall be ready to lead the troops in an hour on the battle feild." He nodded and dashed from the room."
"Mother?" Lachtna's silver eyes stared at her filled with worry. "What is happining mother?"
"Nothing, darling. The evil in the Vetitius Forest is attacking. We shall fight it." She stroaked his ebony hair and went to go get ready for war.
Varkell stood behind his army, sitting atop a horribly misshapen creature.
"Cuniculus!" He shouted.
She appeared atop Hera, her white tunic gleaming.
"What?" she asked.
"Surrender or die." he said simply.
"I shan't surrender!" she cried, "And I shan't die either! I shall fight you."
"Have it your way!" Varkell said with an evil grin. "ATTACK!!!!" His army charged hers, with a loud war cry and clash of metal. It wasn't long before the ground was littered with dead bodies. Cuniculus' sword sliced another man in half, her pure white tunic, now shown red with blood. Her eyes quickly surveyed the battle field.
She was loseing. Better to go back and regather the troops.
"RETREATE!!!!" she shouted and her men ran to the castle. Cuniculus cast a protection spell around the castle that would hold the enemy at bay for a time, then to ran to her home.
She stood infront of her troops, bloody and grimy.
"The messengers have gone out in secret, using invisibility cloacks," she said, "They went to gather more troops. Since we have not had a battle in a time, we are not prepared. But , that does not mean we can't win!" The troops gazed up at her desperate face. They smiled and cheered. She looked over them weakly.
"Mother!" the doors slamed open, "Mother! I want to fight!"
"Go, men!" Cuniculus cried, "Get ready." Lachtna ran up to her as the men went to gather weapons and armer. Cuniculus looked down at her son and whiped the blood from her face.
"Mother! Let me fight! I want to! I want to help! I-...." Cuniculus pressed her index finger to the childs red lips and said, "Shhhhhhhhhhh." Lachtna set his lips in a pout but was quiet. Cuniculus knelt and put her arms around Lachtna whispearing to him.
"No son. It's to dangeruos and I'm not about to loose my child."
"But-"
"No!" Cuniculus said, "And that's final Lachtna! Your biological mother did not die giving you birth just for you to be slaughtered in a senseless battle!" Lachtna frowned but nodded. Then with an affectionate motherly kiss, Cuniculus walked to Hiei's room. Hiei was sitting on the bed his chin resting in his hands. He sat up strait as Cuniculus entered.
"What's going on?" he asked her sharply. She smiled weakly as he stood up and whipped the blood from her face.
"Tell me." he said, kissing her quickly.
"I-I-. . . " She groaned loudly and fell to her knee's. Hiei caught her under the arms and placed her on the bed.
"What's wrong?" he asked. She grabbed her side as blood spilled over her fingers. Hiei drew in his breath sharply and pressed his hand to her side.
"Oh, Cunniy." he murmered and kissed her.
"It's nothing." she panted. "I've been through worse."
"Servant!" Hiei shouted, "Bring the nurse!"
"No." Cuniculus breathed. "No, I'm fine."
"Don't be stupid!" Hiei snapped. The nurse came running in and examined Cuniculus. She was a very tall thin woman with short blue hair pulled back and big child-like green eyes. He skin was slightly tanned and she had pointed, elf like ears. He slim fingers swiftly removed Cuniculus' armor and skirt, cleaning the gash and rapping her ribs in bandage's. She whipped the sweat from her face and gave her a pill and Hiei a vile of cream to rub on the wound once a day.
"And keep her off her feet!" she said then left. Hiei looked over at her as she lay on the bed. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose ever so slightly as she breathed. Hiei brushed some of her thick hair from her face and watched her. She groaned and opened her eyes, looking sharply around.
"Hiei." she breathed as her gaze fell upon him.
"Yes?" he asked her. She smiled weakly at him.
"Your not going to try to convince me not to fight, are you?"
"No." he replied, "But I advise you strongly against it."
"You already know what I'm going to say don't you?"
"Yes. But please don't get killed, Cuniculus."
"I won't." she said and sat up enough to kiss him. Hiei put his hand on her back and rubbed her sore muscles gently. She moaned soflty and sat up, leaning against him.
"Your magesty!" a guard said, interupting there intament moment. "the troops are ready at you command." Cuniculus looked up and nodded.
"Tell them I shall be there shortly." she said. The guard bowed and left. Cuniculus grabbed her armor off the floor and put it back on. Hiei stood up next to her.
"I going to." he said. She nodded and walked out, Hiei following.
Varkell smirked as the army came at him again. The queen in front atop a jet black horse. He caught the sent of her blood. She had been wounded. He could use it to his advantage greatly.
"Attack!" she cried and the two armies clashed with a great roar. Varkell swiflty made his way to the queen. He was almost at her when a boy atop a horse stepped in his way. They boy turned and tried to cut him with his sword but Varkell was faster, shoving his sword in the boys heart. His eyes went wide and he gasped for air. Varkell jerked the sword out and the boy looked behind him so the queen could catch a glimpse of his face. She looked at him, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open. She tossed her head back and let out the most heart wrenching cry ever. The two armies stopped and turned to look at her. She fell from her horse and landed next to the boy, sobbing and cradeling him. He was dead. She put her hand over his heart and pressed as if she was trying to stop the bleeding. Her fingers caressed no pulse. She tossed her head back and screamed again, her crys echoing in the silent night. The clatter of many swords and sheilds dropping rang out at her cry and she fell forward sobbing.
"Lachtna!" she screamed hoarsly, then softer, "You weren't suppose to fight, you were suppose to stay in the castle like a good boy." Blood soaked her clothes and covered her face, two thin stream of tears cutting threw the grim. A guard stooped by her side and rubbed her back, murmuring soothing words to her, while another took the boys body away.
"He was my baby boy!" she sobbed, "My little boy!" Suddenly her body stiffened and she turned to look at Varkell. Her face neutral. . .emotionless. . . inhuman.
Varkell watched her as she slowley stood up and faced him.
"You basturd." she said softly, "You killed my child. You basturd. . . now I'll kill you." In one move she had lunged at him and grabbed his sword sliceing his neck wide open.
"Rot in hell." she breathed and dropped his body.
"Those of Varkells army," she said, "Surrendor now or die." Every one fell to their knee's. Cuniculus nodded.
"Good choice. Now I leave you. I have work to do."
Hiei followed Cuniculus into her bed room and closed to door.
"Cun-..." he began but she collapsed on the bed sobbing.
"I know he wasn't mine," she sobbed, "But he might as well have been!" Hiei stood at her side unaware off how to comfort her. He knelt next to her and took her in his arms, stroaking her hair.
"Hush now, human." he said softly, "Hush. Theres nothing you could have done. Hush." Cuniculus eventually cried herself to sleep. Hiei laid her in the bed and took off her clothes slipping on a night gown. He took a towl and wipped of as much blood as he could, then laid down next to her.
Morning came and Cuniculus opend her eyes to see Hiei staring at her.
"Tell me it was a dream." she said softly. He looked at her sympatheticully.
"I wish I could." She turned her face away from him and let the tears fall.
"Have they creamated him yet?" she asked.
"Yes." he answered. She nodded and sat up, wincing in pain.
"Lay back." Hiei said pressing on her shoulder. She obeyed him and sighed.
"They put his ashes in an urn?" tears stung the cornors of her eyes.
"Yes." Hiei replied. "Your going to keep him in an urn?" She shook her head.
"Iie." she said and closed her eyes. Hiei carefully undid the bandages and rubbed the ointment on her cut. He felt her muscles tighten and rubbed more gently. She relaxed.
"What are you going to do?" Hiei asked.
"Gather back what I can." she replied. "Try to restore order and peice back." Hiei was about to say something when a guard came dashing in.
"YOUR MAGESTY!" he cried, "INTRUDERS! IN THE PALACE!" Cuniculus groaned.
"Capture them and bring them to the thrown room! I'll be there soon." The Guard nodded and bowed himself out of the room. Hiei helped her to her feet and helped her dress, dressing him self as well. She walked unsteadily to the thrown room, Hiei helping her along. They got to the thrown room and sat on the throwns.
"Bring them in." Cuniculus said hoarsly. She smoothed out her wide skirted black dress and made sure her black veil was in place to cover her face. The guard brought in a group of people in chains and Hiei tried not to show his surprise when he saw that its was Yukina, Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan. Cuniculus didn't seem to notice.
"What brings you here to rant about my castle?" she asked.
"We are looking for our friend majesty." Kurama said, then added eyeing Hiei, "And it seems we have found him." Cuniculus nodded to the guards.
"Remove their chains." The guard did and handed her a vase. She cradled it in her lap and tried not to cry.
"What's wrong?" Yukina asked.
"Nothing." Cuniculus said softly. "I just miss my son."
"Did he move out?"
"No. He died." Yukina bit her lip.
"Oh, I'm sorry!"
"Why?" Cuniculus looked up, "You did not end his life." Hiei frowned and leaned over to her and kissed her cheek gently.
"Calm down." he whispeared. Che nodded and slowley removed her veil.
"I am sorry. I just do not feel well. My apologizes." She looked over at Hiei. "I am sure we can find them some rooms." Hiei nodded and turned back to look at his friends.
"I'll find some." He said standing, "You go lie down." He kissed her hand and left the room, signaling for the others to follow.
"She's very lovley." said Kurama.
"Hn." Hiei answered. Kuwabara jumped infront of Hiei with a wide grin on his face.
"Oh! Hiei has a girlfriend!" He got Hiei in a head lock and ruffled his hair.
"Get off!" Hiei snapped and jerked away.
"He has a point." Kurama said, "I think you have a 'thing' for her." Hiei snorted and stopped.
"Here are your rooms." he motioned to a hall and pointed to five doors. "I must go now." He left for Cuniculus' room before they could say another thing.
She was sitting on the bed staring off into the distance, clutching the urn to her chest. She didn't look up as he came into the room. He knelt infront of her and stared intently at her face. Finally she turned to look at him. Her eyes seemed so blank, and empty.
"Lachtna always wanted to see the Ningenkai. I told him when he was older I'd take him. He wanted to know what a car was like and an apartment and how the lakes and oceans and mountains looked there. He said that when he died he wanted his ashes to be taken to a cliff over an ocean and scattered. I-" she stopped abruptly and turned back to the window.
"Cuniculus, I think you should return to the Ningenkai. I think you should destroy all that you have created here and...."
"I can't. I can't destroy the world. I created it. I shall leave it as it is and leave another to rule in my place. But I can't stay, you are right." She set the urn on the table and gazed at him.
"I need you to do something for me."
"What?" he asked. She jumped on him, pressing him to the bed and moving her hand up his shirt kissing him.
"Comfort me." she breathed in his ear, slipping off her clothes and pressing her body to his. He groaned and pulled off his own cloths holding her tightly.
Kurama opend his eyes and looked out the window. Morning. He walked down the hall to Cuniculus' room and knocked. No answer. He knocked again and opend the door. Cuniculus was laying on the bed, flat on her back, with Hiei on top of her, his head resting on her chest. One of his hands cupped her breast, sheilding it from Kurama's view. The covers were pushed down to Cuniculus' hips and her hand rested on Hiei's upper back. Hiei shifted slightly and opend his eyes. He looked up at Cuniculus and smiled, then over at Kurama. He looked a little embaressed.
"H-Hello." he said. Kurama smirked.
"Good morning." he replied. Hiei pulled the covers up.
"I was just coming to see what you were up to. But I'll leave." Just then Cuniculus groaned and opend her eyes. She looked at Kurama and blushed.
"Good morning." she said, tugging the covers over Hiei's head to cover her chest. Hiei smirked and bent down teaseing Cuniculus' nipples with his tounge. She moaned and smack the back of his neck.
"Stop! There is someone here!"
He bit down and she moaned loudly. Kurama chuckled.
"If that is the case," he said, "I shall leave you." And with that he turned and walked out of the room closing the door. Cuniculus turned down the covers to see Hiei giving her a wicked smile.
"I can not belive you just did that!" she said. Hiei moved up to kiss her. When he pulled away she asked him,
"How little was I covered up?"
"Down to your hips." Hiei replied. She blushed and put her hands to her face. Hiei chuckled and kissed her tenderly.
"Calm down, ningen, my hand was covering you breast." Cuniculus dropped her hands.
"Oh thats real comforting!" She snapped. Hiei smirked and sat up.
"How do you feel?" he asked her.
"Better." she said with a sigh. "Thank you."
"Your welcome." he replied and stood up, pulling on his clothes.
Yukina smiled up at Cuniculus as she paced widly around her room. They had been there a week and Yukina loved it! She got to wear beautiful gowns and be treated like a queen!
"Calm down, Cunniy!" Yukina cried. Cuniculus smiled at her kindly, but continued her paceing.
"Why is it taking those doctors so long?" Cuniculus asked stopping and collapsing on the bed.
"Have you told Hiei?" Yukina asked.
"No. I thought I'd wait till I knew for sure." she replied. Finally the doctor came in and smiled at Cuniculus.
"Your Majesty." he said bowing. Cuniculus was imediatly on her feet.
"Well?" she asked.
"You are, your majesty." he said standing straight. Cuniculus collapsed on the floor, looking stund. Just then Hiei and Kurama walked in.
"Cuniculus?" Hiei asked, "Are you ok? You look....."
"I'm pregnant." she said softly. Hiei's jaw dropped.
"Y-You're what...?"
"Pregnant." she said again. She looked up, "It's your child." Hiei stared at her wide eyed for a moment.
"Are you angry?" she asked him. Hiei scowled at her.
"Of course not....just....shocked....." Cuniculus slowly got to her feet and cleard her throat.
"Well, what do you think?" she asked. He walked over to her and put his arms around her.
"I-....er....." He looked at Kurama for help.
"I'm sure he thinks its wounderful, Cuniculus." he said. Hiei nodded and kissed her gently. Cuniculus rubbed her stomach and sighed.
"Guess I need to go get the pregnancy herb's from the Herbmistress." she said. "Anybody wish to join me."
"I will!" Yukina cried.
"So will I." Kurama said. Hiei was about to say that he would too but Cuniculus stopped him.
"Why don't you stay here, dear. I doubt you shall like it at that shop." With that she exited the room with Kurama and Yukina following her.
The Herbmistress smiled as Cuniculus entered the room. She was as radiante and beautiful as ever, dressed in her black mourning dress. Her companions wore brighter clothing than she. She smiled at the elderly woman and introduced her comrades as "Kurama and Yukina."
"Madam Ulva, I am with child." She said. "I-..."
"You needen't say more younger one." The Herbmistress said laughing. "I understand." She stood up and walked over to a cuboard and opend it pulling out bags and stoppers of herbs. She handed them to Cuniculus in a bag.
"Here, deary." Cuniculus reached into her purse for money but the Herbmistress stopped her. "Oh no! I don't want any, love. Just let me see the baby once you have it."
"But Madam Ulva! These herbs are expensive and hard to grow! I must pay you!" The Herbmistress shook her head, but Cuniculus persisted, trying to give her a handful off golden coins. Fianlly she won out and the Herbmistress reluctently took them. Cuniculus smiled and left the shop.
6 months passed swiftly. Cuniculus finally had order again in her court. Everything was back to normal and it was about time for them to go home. Cuniculus looked around her castle once more and smiled sadly as Hiei walked in.
"I'll miss this place. It has been my home for two years. But I can't stay." She stood up, placcing her hands under her well rounded belly.
"You can return once in a while if you wish." He walked over to her putting his hand on her lower back. Her rensiaunce dress streatched tightly over her stomach and flowed gently over her legs. She looked down at the urn she clutched in to her chest and smiled.
"Lets go." he said, "The others are waiting." She nodded and left her room. Vasu met her halfway down the hall.
"Cuniculus, we will miss you greatly." He put his hand to the side of her face.
"I will mis you too." she said, "And I pray you are a great king, Vasu." Vasu smiled and bent down, lightly kissing her cheek. Cuniculus smiled at him.
"Good bye, Vasu."
"Bye." he said and Cuniculus walked away.
"AH!" said Yusuke streatching. "Back in the Ningenkai." Hiei looked over at Cuniculus who was looking around her in awe. Yukina giggled at her expression.
"I had forgotton what this palce looked like long ago." she said softly. Hiei grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him.
"Come. I know you want to get this done." He lead her to a cliff over a sparkiling ocean. On the horision the sun was setting and a bird darted past them. Cuniculus looked at the urn she was clutching so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She nodded and removed the top, dumping the ashes into the wind. She was silent as she did this. Then she placed the top back on the urn and dropped it, letting it crash in the water below. She turned to Hiei and smiled weakly. Hiei kissed her gently.
"Don't cry." he said. Cuniculus nodded and walked back over to the group. Kurama looked down at her curiously. Cuniculus shook her head.
"It's nothing." she said. Kurama nodded and looked up at Hiei.
"What now?" he asked the fire demon.
"Now, we stay here for a while then go back to Makai." Kurama smiled. Cuniculus eyed Hiei weairily.
"Is that good?" she asked. The others laughed.
"Yes." said Yukina. Cuniculus blushed and nodded. Hiei put his arm around her shoulder.
"Don't worry, You'll like Makai. I promise."
the fucking end!! finally!
"Perfect" she purred stroaking her crystal ball.
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke screamed. "You loser!" Kuwabara gave a cheesy smile and laughed.
"Come on Urameshi! Say it!" Kuwabara Persisted.
Kurama chuckled at the two but Hiei snorted at them. Botan and Yukina giggled. "Come on Yusuke!" Botan said. "Say it! You know you mean it!"
"Hey you guys!" came a voice from behind them. They turned to see a woman in her thirties running toward them holding a stack of papers. She was a little round around the waist with short brown hair and cerulean blue eyes. Behind her was a girl about six with light red hair almost blond and sea blue eyes. This was obvious to any one with eyes that it was her daughter, for she looked almost just like her. She stopped to catch her breath then handed them one of the papers in her hand. It was a poor black and white photo of a young girl no older then Keiko. She was pretending to smile to most likely get the camera man off her back by the looks of it. It said her name below the picture along with her height, hair color, eye color and weight. Along with her little quirks that might set her apart from others. It was a lost poster.
"If you see her," the woman said, "Please call the number at the bottom."
"Is this your daughter." Kurama asked her.
"Iie." the woman replied. "She's my little sister. She's been missing for two years. Please if you see her...."
"We will." Yusuke assured her. The woman nodded then ran away her child following her.
"Iris O'Conor." Yukina read allowed. "5.4''. golden blond hair, violet eyes. weighs 120lbs. . Loves to sing and sometimes goes by the name 'Sapphire Jewel'. If found please call: 555-6827."
Botan stared at the flyer for a moment.
"Wonder what happend to her." she commented. The others shrugged and forgot about the flyer for the rest of the day.
As Hiei laid down to go to sleep he thought once more of the flyer. Again the thought popped into his mind.
'What happened to her. Did she run away or was she kidnapped.' He tried to push it away but he kept thinking about it even as he fell asleep.
Hiei awoke from a deep sleep to the sound of a waterfall and birds. He frowned and rolled over in the soft, lush grass. How had he gotten out side? He asked himself. Suddenly he heard giggles above him and a small thin finger poked his cheek. Hiei groaned and rolled over.
"Lavender!" a voice hissed. "Do not wake him up! The queen does not want us to pester him!"
"But he is so cute." said another voice. "We do not have demons in this world, Lilac."
"For excellent reason!" snapped the first voice known as Lilac. "The queen fears they may turn on her."
"Then why is he here?" asked the one called Lavender.
"The queen said he was an exemption to the rule." Lilac said. Lavender sighed put her hand on Hiei's bandanna.
"What tis beneath this?" she said.
"Lavender! He is going to rouse!!!" barked Lilac. Hiei opened his eyes and saw the ones called Lavender and Lilac standing over him. He was shocked by there appearance. They were as small as children with slim curvless bodies and light tan skin. Their eyes were a piercing green color and they had pointed ears. One had long straight white hair and the other had short blue hair. Both had large butterfly wings on their back and wore garments made of rose petals on their formless bodies. Hiei stared at them for a moment in shock. The things looked back at him horrified.
"LAVENDER!!!!" screamed the one with short blue hair. "YOU AWOKE HIM!!!!" Lav ender smiled sheepishly. Hiei sat up.
"Where the hell am I?" he asked. Lavender smiled at him.
"You are in Terratractivo." Lavender said.
"Huh?" Hiei asked. He looked around and saw a place of unspeakable beauty. Lush green grass covered the ground and beautiful flowers littered the land. Trees with silver branches and diamond leaves made up an extrodanary forest, with long briar rose vines. A clear shimmering wa terfall spilled over beautiful bronze rocks. Every thing was straight from a fairy take.
"Wow." Hiei said. "What the hell are you?"
"Fairies!" Lavender exclaimed. Lilac rolled her eyes and sighed.
"You are going to destroy the queens plans, Lavender!" Lilac said. She turned to Hiei. "Here. Her majesty wishes you to have this." She handed him a beautiful gold and jewel box with his name in topazes.
"We must leave you now, sire." Lilac said with a bow. Lavender bowed to him as well with a giggle and the two flew away. He opened the box to find a roll of parchment tied with a red rib bon, a black rose, a map, a silver flute, a black ribbon and a roll of golden yarn.
"This has got to be a damn joke." Hiei said rolling his eyes. He took out the parchment and unrolled it. It was a letter written in delicate curly handwriting. It said:
Dear Hiei,
No doubt you are wondering where you are and what is going on. My explanation will be short and vague. You are in a place called Terratractivo. Here live fairies and unicorns and all kinds of mystical creatures that don't exist in your world. You are to come to my palace. I have provided you with the means you need to get here. Do not be angry with me that I have brought you to my world. I have good reason. Please hurry.
Sincerely yours,
Queen Cuniculus
Hiei read the letter again and again.
"Vague was right." he muttered. He took out the map. It was greatly detailed showing where the forests, homes, and the castle were. At the edge of the map near a forest called the 'Gemma Forest,' was a small black dot labeled 'Hiei.'
Hiei stared at it for a moment. Then he walked about 7 feet towards the Gemma forest. The black dot on the map moved towards the forest as well. Hiei placed the enchanted map into the box and took out each of the other items and found them to poses no special powers. He again took out the map and saw that he would need to go through the Gemma forest to get to the castle. He looked up at the jeweled woods and laughed to himself. Terratractivo was a strange place indeed.
Soon night came and Hiei climbed a tree to sleep. When he woke he looked down to see a small rabbit gazing up at him. It was an extraordinary looking rabbit. It had golden ears and shim mering white fur. It's eyes were a deep ocean blue and it's whiskers were silver. The rabbit had long eyelashes and small pink lips. It's fluffy tail looked as if it had been dyed with blood. Hiei climbed down from the tree and stood infront of the bunny but it didn't move. He looked at it closely and could have sworn it was smiling at him. He knelt in front of it. It hopped up to him and jumped on his knee. Hiei was surprised but picked it up in his hands. He briefly checked its gender and found it to be a female. He looked at its face and found it round cheeks to be slightly rosy. He laughed. The animals in Terratractivo had modesty! He patted the bunny on the head and set it down. Then he began to walk toward to exit of the forest. The bunny followed him.
"What do you want?" he asked turning around. The rabbit just gazed at him. She smiled at him then turned and vanished. Hiei rolled his eyes.
"This place is strange."
"Hiei!" Yukina sang as she skipped into the room. "Time to wake up!!!" She looked at the empty bed puzzled. "Hiei!" she called out.
"Where are you!" The room was silent.
"KURAMA!!!!" Yukina screamed and rushed down the stairs. "I CAN'T FIND HIEI!!!" Kurama smiled.
"He is probably just out side hanging in trees." Yukina frowned at him.
"I don't think so." Kurama shrugged.
"He will turn up."
Hiei gazed at his map again as he stood in front of a house labeled 'Theophania Hut'. The map showed him going inside so he did that. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a young woman about as old as Botan. She was pretty but not that pretty. She had thin brown hair and dull gray eyes. Her body was slender and she had rather large hands. She smiled sweetly at him which seemed to make her physical features more appealing.
"Ah, you must be the one her majesty talked about." she said, "Come in, come in." Hiei walked past her into a large one roomed hut. In the far corner was a bed made of sleek beautiful wood with a soft down mattress. The fire place crackled warmly with sweet smelling wood and a beautifully woven rug laid infront of it. Behind a small oak table was a wooden rocking chair with a quilt thrown over it. The image reminded him of Christmas card.
"Come," said Theophania, "Sit by the fire. Tis cold out side." Hiei never took his eyes from her face but went to sit down by the fire. It warmed his body a great deal. He didn't like it so he sat further back from it. Theophania walked towards him and put her large hands on his shoulders.
"Don't touch me." Hiei growled. Theophania removed her hands from Hiei's being and walked to her rocking chair. Hiei took out the queens box to look over it's contents.
"What are you?" He asked her.
"Witch." she said. Hiei unrolled the parchment to read it again and found it had been added to. The extenuation of the letter said;
If you are reading this part of the letter the you are at Theophania's home. As she has probably told you she is a witch. What you need to do is give her the golden yarn and ask her to knit you a cloak. She will ask for something in return. What she first asks refuse, what she asks second refuse what she asks third accept.
Hiei rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He was a deamon, not a fairy tale creature. He handed Theophania the yarn and asked her what he had been told. She first requested that he fetch her water from the fountain of beauty and youth. He refused this. Then she asked him to bring her blood from the queens child. Hiei refused this thinking it strange the queen had a child. Finally she told him to get her fire wood from the Gemma forest. Hiei accepted this task and took his sword out to the woods to do what he had been asked. Soon he returned with an arm load of fire wood. By the time he got back to the hut Theophania had finished the cloak. Hiei put the wood down next to the fire place, took the cloak and made his way to the door.
"Wait." Theophania said. "Why do you not sleep here. It is getting dark and it would be much more comfterable then the ground." Hiei shrugged.
"Whatever." Theophania told him he could sleep in the bed for she had to go out tonight. Hiei didn't ask why but simply laid down on the soft mattress and fell asleep.
It the morning Hiei awoke and saw Theophania cooking something over the fire. She smiled at him.
"Would you like something to eat?" She asked him. He shook his head and stood up.
"I have to go." he said, "Thanks for the bed and cloak." She gave him another sweet smile.
"You are welcome."
"Hey, Yusuke!" Kurama called. Yusuke turned around and smiled.
"Hey, Kurama! Waz up? You look worried."
"I can't find Hiei." Kurama confessed.
"What?" Yusuke said surprised.
"This morning he wasn't in his room and I haven't seen him for five hours."
"Has he ever done this before?" Kurama shook his head telling Yusuke that Hiei never stayed gone this long with out telling someone. Yusuke asked if he had check any trees. Kurama said that he had and found them empty of their little friend the fire youko. Yusuke shrugged and said he'd get Keiko and Kuwabara and Botan to help look. Kurama thanked him and the two parted to continue the search for the Forbidden child.
Hiei checked the map and saw he was almost at a place called, 'Garsha's cave.' Hiei chuckled to himself thinking, 'Garsha, what a name.' He came to a cave that was made of bronze rock and yelled inside. Out of the cave came a small dwarf like man. He had roughly tanned skin and long scraggily brown hair the made a veil for his entire body. He could hardly see the mans harsh face threw his thick mat of hair.
"Hello." Hiei said, "Are you..."
"Garsha?" the hermit finished, "Aye, that I am. Come warm yourself by the fire." Hiei fol lowed Garsha into the small cave and sat by the fire. The cave reeked of body odor but Hiei ig nored it ,opened the box the queen gave him and was relived to be greeted by the sweet aroma of lavender and mint. He gazed at the queens letter not surprised to see it added to.
Hello again my friend. By now you would be a Garsha's cave. He is a hermit as you might be able to tell. Fear him not, for he shant do you harm. Show him the contents of this box. He will find something he wants. The first thing he askes for refuse him. But accept the second. Then do what he requests with his gift. Till we meet again.
Queen Cuniculus
Hiei smiled. He was begining to like this queens strange ways. He opened the box and showed it to Garsha. Garsha looked over the contents of the box and picked up the silver flute. Hiei refused. The hermit picked the black ribbon and Hiei nodded. Then the Hermit asked if Hiei would braid his hair. Hiei grumbled an answer then went to comb the hermits hair with his fingers. Then taking the thick messy hair he crossed one strand over another again and again then tied the end with the ribbon. Just as he finished the hermit changed from a hermit to a handsome boy with long gold hair still tied with the ribbon and a shirt with ruffled cuffs. Hiei stared at him dumb found.
"Now," the now boy said, "I shall take you to your next destination." Hiei nodded and let the boy transport him to the river. He sat at the side of the river till a small creature swam up to him. It was no bigger than a small three year old with a long finned tail in place of slender legs.. It was a girl with sea weed green hair and horrid black eyes like a fish's. Her fingers were thin as twigs with stretches of skin between them. Her skin had a slight green tint to it and her face looked like it was carved from marble by a man who had only the vaguest idea of what a woman's face looked like.
"Hello." she said in a hoarse voice that gave the impression that she was not ment to talk but had forced herself to do so.
"Hello." Hiei replied tonelessly.
Hiei gazed at his letter from the queen and found simply written.
She shall ask you to fetch her something. Refuse her. She shall ask you to give her something. Show her the contents of your box. Let her pick what she pleases.
Hiei growled to him self.
"What do you want?" he asked the creature showing her the contents of his box.
"Bring me blood from the queens child." the creature demanded.
"Why is it every one wants the blood of the queens child?! How about blood from the queens husband instead." Hiei suggested sarcastically.
"The queen has no husband." the creature said tonelessly. "now....the blood."
"Iie. Wait the queen has no husband?"
"Iie, let me see your box." Hiei showed her the box. She picked up the flute and examined it.
"What does this do?" Hiei took it from her slimy hands and put it to his lips. He blew on it and moved his fingers skill lessly across the holes. Even though he never learned to play an instru ment, the sound was beautiful and enchanting. The girl smiled big up at him and reached out to take it. Hiei handed it to her amazed that it had sounded so beautiful.
"What do I get?" The girl smiled again this time in a devilish way. She dove down into the water for a moment and came back up with a beautiful amulet the shape of a lightning bolt.
"Do you see that hut far in the east?" the girl asked and pointed. Hiei saw a tiny hut near a dense forest.
"Hai." he replied
"Go there and give the man the amulet for information." Hiei nodded and stood up. He gathered his things and headed for the hut hearing the beautiful haunting sound of the flute as the girl played it.
Botan sighed as she sat down on the ground. They had searched for five hours and still no sign of Hiei. Kurama sat down next to her.
"I am sorry Kurama." She said, "I wish I knew what to do incase of fire youko disappear ance." Kurama sighed and said,
"It's okay Botan."
"Hey maybe I can ask Koenma to help." Botan suggested.
"Okay." Kurama said and they both headed for the spirit world.
Hiei banged his fist on the door of the tiny hut and waited. The door open and in the door way stood a tall, handsome man. He had long, dark purple hair that was tied loosely back from his face. He was slightly tanned and his eyes were a champagne color. He wore loose white pants and a vest with no shirt. He was muscular and had a long scar on his chest. Hiei noted that he had rather long, sharp nails. A youko probably. The man smiled revealing two small fangs protruding from his top teeth.
"Ahh, you must be Hiei." he said in a deep voice.
"What are you gona give me?" Hiei asked coldly. The man merely smiled and Hiei stole a quick glance at his map.
'Vasu's Hut.' it said.
Vasu leaned against his door frame and thought for a moment. He turned and looked in his hut then returned his gaze to Hiei.
"Let me see what is in your box." Vasu said. Hiei took out the queens box and showed it to him. Another smile played on his lips. He snatched up the cloak the witch had made from the gold yarn. He examined it. While he did this he looked at the queens note and to his surprise it had only one new sentence written.
Do what Vasu says.
He looked up at Vasu.
"Hmmmm. Fine work. Very fine work." Vasu mumbled. Hiei cleared his throat and frowned. Vasu gazed up at him.
"Oh Hai. Give me the amulet." Hiei gave Vasu the amulet. Vasu ran his taloned fingers over it and smiled. He put it on.
"Now," he said, "You need to don this cloak and go into the Vetitus Forest. Run as fast as you can through it. Do not stop no matter what." Vasu tossed Hiei the cloak. "When you get out of the forest simply follow your map to the castle. When you get there a guard shall ask your business. Say not a word but show him the black rose in your box. He will let you in."
"Finally I get to the castle. This whole journey is stupid and your queen is a foolish ninjen who has dragged me on this goose chase for nothing." Hiei saw Vasu's champagne eyes spark with anger.
"Do not talk about our queen that way." he hissed, "You do not know what she is doing this for."
Hiei almost laughed at this sudden outburst. But said nothing and turned to the forest. He put on the cloak and darted through the woods. It didn't take long, he was fast and the woods were quite small. He looked up when he had gotten to the end of the forest. On top of a small hill lay a magnificent castle. With monumental towers decorated with gold and silver, jeweled gates and dazzling court yards. Hiei walked up to the gates where a guard in silver armor stopped him. His sword drawn the guard asked Hiei,
"What is your business here?" Hiei did as Vasu had instructed and showed the guard the black rose. He took it from his hand and nodded. Then signaled another guard to open the gate. The gates swung soundlessly open on their hinges and Hiei was led in by another guard. He was led to a thrown room decorated with rose drapes and a grand thrown on top a marble dais. On the thrown sat the rabbit Hiei had seen in the woods.
"You must be kidding!" Hiei cried out as the guard knelt before the thrown. "Your 'great queen' is a damn bunny!!!! What the hell?!" The guard left and Hiei was left alone with the rabbit.
"This is stupid!" He exclaimed, "I'm leaving!" Just as he was about to go the rabbit changed into a person. It was the girl from the Lost flyer. Iris. She stood there her gold hair spilling over her shoulders and down her back. She had a pale complexion and rosy lips. Her body was slender and she donned a blood red dress. It was a the type of dress you would see at a renaissance festival. Long drooping sleeves, v-shaped neck and a gold chain around her waist. Her hair was decorated with a few roses, twisted behind her and a sapphire crown was placed atop her head. She smiled at him.
"Hiei," she said in a soft seductive voice, "Welcome."
"Iris?" Hiei said. She winced as if her had hit her.
"Here they call me Cuniculus." she said.
"But your real name is Iris O'Conor." Her eyes clouded over with sadness.
"Hai. That is my real name. But do not call me that. Please."
Hiei stood there for a moment completely confused.
"What the..." he began but was at a loss for what to say. "How...Where....Nani...." he soon became frustrated. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!" he screamed. Cuniculus or Iris or whatever her name was smiled sweetly at him. She stepped down from the dais and approached Hiei. She laid her delicate hand in his shoulder and said in a soft voice,
"Calm down." He frowned at her.
"Explain, Then I'll calm down." She sighed and turned from him. She walked to the door of the thrown room and grabbed a near by servant. It was a boy she caught. More like a young man in his twenties actually, with navy hair and eyes. His skin was deeply tanned and his ears were pointed.
"Apollo." she said, "Inform all to leave me alone for the next twenty minutes, less it be an emergency." Apollo nodded and ran off. Hiei saw something like adoration in his eyes as he looked at the queen. Hiei laughed to himself. The people here really loved their ruler. She smiled as she closed the doors.
"Where shall I start?" she asked herself aloud. "Hmmm. Ah. All right. When you were a child, did you have a fantasy land in your mind you could travel to when things got boring or too hard to handle? A world in your mind where you could create and destroy as you pleased?"
"No." Hiei answered her. She gave him a doubtful look but continued.
"Well I did." Hiei noticed that she was speaking as if she and him were adults though as he noted when he looked at the lost poster that she was maybe a year older than Keiko. "My life was ruff you must first understand. True I had parents but I hated my father with the fire of a thousand suns. He mentally abused me and physically abused me. I detested him. I loathed the children at school because...well...for the equal reason you hate humans. I had but a single friend. My mother was an alcoholic. As was my father but he also did heroin. I often went around starved because my parents had spent all our money on drugs! I would spend as much time as possible away from my family but it did not a bit of good. I still had to go home. I hated it. There are much more gruesome things, but I shant tell you.
"But because I hated the real world so much I made a fantasy land in my head and called it Terratractivo which is Latin for 'Land from imagination.' Most of the things in this land the names for them are Latin. Like the Gemma Forest. Gemma is Latin for 'Jewel.' Hense the jewel forest. The Vetitus Forest is Latin for Forbidden."
"What about your name?"
"It means Rabbit." Hiei chuckled.
"The lost poster said you like to go by the name Bunny Briefs." She laughed a musical laugh putting her hand delicately to her bosom.
"They think that is the only false name I could go under?! How amusing. I have many false names I go by, though Bunny Briefs is my most favored. I could go by Sapphire Jewel or Miehoshey Jinzouingin or Kakkorot Saiya or Juunana Androida." She giggled again. "How stupid. Anyway, As I was saying I made up this fantasy land and derived most of the names from Latin. Some are Greek. But I spent so much time here in my mind, making everything perfect for me, creating everything you see around you. Filling the air with magic." She paused her pacing which she had begun when she stared her story and looked at Hiei.
"Have you ever heard 'Mind over Matter'?" Hiei nodded. He had heard it before and thought it was a foolish saying.
"Well I always thought that that saying was quite stupid. Absurd even. Even the suggestion that if you thought about something hard enough it would be so. Well on one of my little escapades through my realm I said that to someone and when I came back to reality I pondered that in my head. What if I thought hard enough, could I take my physical body to Terratractivo? So I tried it. I thought hard using all the power I posses. Even on my escapades I asked everyone in Terratrac tivo to use their powers.
"Well one day while my father and mother were fist fighting yet again I went into my room and imagined my self in Terratractivo. The minute I got there every one was waiting for me. It was a big celebration! For it was my birth day! My parents had forgotten my birth-day. I had even for gotten it. But somehow they remembered. Which I thought was rather odd. Because the people in your fantasies don't remember things you yourself have forgotten. But I ignored it and had fun. Everything was different that day. Things seemed more real. I could feel the fabric of the dazzling dress I wore against my skin. I could taste the delicious food I ate, I could hear the music really for the first time! It wasn't like a song I played in my head, It sounded real. But soon I had to go. When I got back to the real world I found that I was still wearing the ravishing dress that I had to my birth day party. I was dumb founded. I took the dress of and placed it in my closet thinking I was dreaming the went to take a shower. After that I went to bed. When I awoke it the morning I gazed into my closet and saw the dress still there. I relized that the saying was true. I had hoped and wished so hard for my fantasy to become real that it was. I went more often now. Now it was real. Now I was really loved." Her eyes were sparkling. "Everything was real and for once I was loved! But my heart ached when I had to go back. I didn't want to go back! Ever again! But the thought never crossed my mined that I could stay there. Then one day I asked some one if there was anyone living in the castle that we stand in now, for I remembered killing the evil king that used to be here. They told me that it had been abandoned and was just sitting here collecting cob webs. I inquired as to who rules them. They smiled and said that they wished for me to be their ruler. I immediately told them no. I didn't feel I was able to. But they begged me. They wanted me to stay and rule them all! I continuously refused but they persisted and finally I agreed. So here I am. I began to live here, sometimes picking up children who also had terrible lives and bringing them here. Vasu is one of them as is Theophania. Their real names are Gage and Victoria but they changed their names and appearance. They didn't change their apperance much, though as they could have. I gave them what they wanted. Theophania wanted to become a witch so I gave her that, Vasu wanted to be a sort of demon."
"But those fairies of yours..." Hiei said.
"You mean Lilac and Lavender?" Cuniculis or whatever interrupted.
"Yeah, they said you didn't create demons or allow them."
"True, but I said a sort of Demon. He has the physical appearance of a youko and he is fairly fast, though not as fast as you, he is merely a man in his hut. He helps me with things at times but we have no definite name for what he is. But anyway, after a while you get quite lonely. Not for a friend but more a companion."
"This is where I come in, right?" A slight blush crept onto the young matriarch's cheeks.
"Yes, I figured you might like it here." She stopped pacing and turned to her thrown. Hiei could see her skin turning very red. He was silent.
"You do not have to stay you know. You are free to leave any time."
"There was a woman who gave out the lost posters. She had a child with her. Who was she?" Cuniculis smiled serenely.
"That was my sister and her child. My sister is about 15 years my elder and she is the only one who ever cared about me. I stayed wit her most of the time. She was the only reason i didn't starve to death. She would feed me and buy me clothing and . . . she was like my mother in a way. Helping me with my homework and cleaning me up. Taking me to the doctor. She didn't have to. I know it cost her a great deal to do so, I helped her in any way I could. Cleaning around the house. Paying her back any money I got, watching my neice. But I could never fully repay her back for what she did." Hiei stared at her for a moment. He was about to say something when he heard a small knock on the grand doors to the thrown room.
"Who is it?!" Cuniculis called out.
"It is me mother." came a voice from the other side of the door. It was the voice of a child.
"Come in, dear!" she called back. The mammoth doors swung open and in walked a small child about five or six years old. He had jet black hair to his shoulder and silver eyes. He was rather pale with thin red lips.
"Mother?" he said and Hiei saw long cobra like fangs. The boy walked up to Cuniculis and took her hand.
"Hai, Lachtna?" she asked him.
"I am hungry, mother." She gave him a wiery look.
"How hungry are you, beloved?"
"I can wait five more minutes." he told her. She kissed the top of his head and said,
"Go wait in your room, I shall be there to feed you shortly." he smiled and kissed her hand.
"Thank you, mother." Then he ran off grabbing the door behind him.
"What is he?" Hiei asked her.
"A Vampire." she answered. He looked at her shocked. She laughed. "I guess I must explain. Well you see it was harder to create vampires than any other creature. So I was only able to make one Vampire man and one vampire woman. But I was weak after making the man and so the vampire woman was also weak. She bore one child before she died."
"Lachtna." Hiei said.
"Hai. Then her lover died of grief. I made one other adult vampire. It's a female. She is one of my night guards. I kept the first two I created's son and raised him as my own."
"Does he know?" Cuniculus nodded.
"But he still thinks of me as his mother for I am all the family he has really known."
"What about the female vampire you created?"
"She does not particularly care for the company of others. She barley tolerates Lachtna even though he is her own kind. She had agreed you will get impregnated by him when he is of age but still...."
"What are you going to do?"
"Pardon?"
"He said he was hungry. How are you going to feed him?"
"Let him drink my blood."
Hiei stared at her for a moment.
"Won't he kill you?"
"Eventually my blood will not be enough and I will have to find another way, but until then...." She smiled.
"A servant shall show you to your room. I have a child to feed." She steped towards him as if to kiss him or whisper something to him then decided against it and stepped back. Hiei could see roses bloom on her cheeks and she quickly swept out of the room. A few minutes later a young female servant came to escort him to one of the extra rooms in the castle.
Botan waited as Koenma searched through some files and equipment.
"Well," he finally said, "I can see him on a radar but just barley and there is no real name for the place he is at."
"What do you mean no real name?" Botan asked.
"We can only get a few letters."
"What are they?"
"T-R-A-A-T-V-O."
"Traatvo?" Botan said. Koenma handed her a paper.
It said; "T_r_a__a_t_vo." she frowned.
"Thats odd."
"It's suppose to be another dimension but we don't know how to get to it."
"Any clues?" Koenma frowned.
"Just one but it doesn't make much sense."
"Let me see." He handed her another paper with curvy letters. They said,
'Mind over Matter.'
Hiei lay in the huge room on the king size bed with soft silk sheets. It was a drab gray color, Hiei liked that, with a large canopy bed. There was a small ebony table by the bed and an ebony chair with a black silk cusion. He smiled and decided he would go watch the queen 'feed' her 'child'. He walked out of the room and down the hall following Cuniculus swiftly and quietly. He peeked into the room as she sat down on the bed. Lachtna sat in front of her, hunger gleaming in his eyes. He sat in her lap back wards and she put her wrist near his mouth. He pushed back the sleeve and bit into the soft flesh, his canine teeth finding a tender vein and penitrating it. Sweet blood gushed into his mouth between his waiting red lips. Cuniculis didn't flinch. Not when his fangs penitrated her skin or her vein. She stroaked his hair and smiled. Lachtna closed his eyes savoring the sweet taste of the dark red liquid that flowed from his 'mothers' wrist. Hiei watched the scene with slight disgust. Cuniculus rested her chin on Lachtna's head. After another minute Lachtna drew away from Cuniculus' wrist. Hiei could see two gaping holes. The boy bit the end of his tounge and let a drop of blood or two fall to her wrist. The two holes disapphered. Cuniculus kissed Lachtna tenderly on the forehead.
"How are your studies, treasure?" she asked him running her fingers absentmindedly threw his hair. The boy smiled at her.
"Just fine, dear mother." he replied. "But..." he cast his eyes downward. "..I faild one test."
"Which one."
"Spelling." She smiled kindly at him.
"Well we shall just have to study harder." he looked ashamed. "Do not worry darling. I was never very good in spelling."
"But I have heard you were good in literature."
"Hai, but not spelling."
She kissed his head again.
"Mother?" he said as she began to leave.
"Yes?"
"What do you want with the Forbidan Child?"
She smiled.
"You do not need to worry about that." she said.
"Please tell me mother." Lachtna begged, "I must know."
"I brought him here for companion ship." she said at last.
"What about me, mother? Can't I be your campanion." Cuniculus laughed.
"No, darling one. I mean a different kind of companion."
"Like what?" Cuniculus blushed thinking of how to tell the young child this.
"Well....like...someone...uh...." Hiei chuckled to himself and woundered if he should go help her.
"Someone to....." she sighed and fell into a near by chair. "Oh I do not know how to explain it, little one."
Hiei leaned on the door frame and laughed. Cuniculus looked up at him and frowned.
"Are you just going to stand there and laugh at me or are you going to help?"
"What do you want me to say?" Hiei asked. Cuniculus stood up and took his hand.
"Someone to do grown-up things with." she said to Lachtna finally. The boy nodded though confusion still swam in his eyes.
"Now Lachtna, get ready for bed, I will come back to bid you good night." She held onto Hiei's hand and walked out of the room closeing the door behind her. She pressed her body to Hiei's.
"You didn't help me much." she leaned in so her lips were just barley touching his.
"What do you want, ningen." he said coldly trying not to notice her lips so close to his.
"You know what I want." she put her arms around his neck and drew her lips closer. Hiei jerked away from her.
"Don't touch me." he growled, then walked to his room.
"You don't like it here do you? Why?"
"Because it's to perfect." he turned around to face her but found she was gone. A hand tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and there she was. Smiling in an evil way.
"As a matter of fact it is not perfect. Things do happen. Bad things. Thats what keeps it interesting. You think I have a guard just for the hell of it? No there is evil here in Terratractiva." They stood in front of each other for a moment silent.
"You don't like me much do you?" she asked.He frowned at her.
"Not really." he atmited. She took his hand in hers and kissed it.
"Good night." she said. Then walked quickly past him to her 'childs' room to tuck him in for the night. Before Hiei left he heard the boy begging his mother to tell him about one of her grand adventures in Terratractiva.
"Where you defeated the evil king mother! Please tell me that one!"
Yusuke sat down next to Yukina. Botan showed them the paper that said, 'Mind over matter' they sat and poundered it for a while.
"Hey, Yukina." Yusuke said "Do you know of a demention with a password like that?"
Yukina shook her head.
"No. Kurama?" Kurama looked up at the sky and sighed.
"Kurama?!" Yukina said louder thinking he had not heard her.
"I heard you, Yukina." he said. "Well, a long time ago, there was a legend some youko used to tell on cold nights. It was said that some day a girl would defy all the rules that seperate humans and youkos. She would learn how to breack the barriors that divided relms. She would know how to create another dimension and from that dimension be able to control life and death, create and destroy as she pleased. She would be able to create things in other dimensions besides her own. Her power would be limited to only what she couldn't think of. She was suppose to be the reincarnation of a demon who died. But her blood would run as ningen as any humans does now. They would always end the tale saying, 'She would find this by the phrase, 'Mind over Matter' for what her mind created her power made it matter.' We used to laugh at this thinking it was a crazy idea but..." he paused. Keiko looked at him strange.
"But thats not possible. You see..." she was going to give him this big long explenation.
"Keiko after all you have seen since Yusuke died and came back are you really going to go by 'logic'?"
Keiko frowned and kept her lips shut together.
Cuniculus gazed sadly into her crystal ball. In it Hiei laid in his bed, his shirt off and his pants rolled up to his knees. He reached over to the bowl at his bed side and took a peice of candy from it. After stareing at it for a moment, then poped it in his mouth. He chewed on it for a while then swallowed.
"Come on Cuniculus! I know you're watching me. Just show your self." She appered in one of the ebony chairs, her legs crossed her arms resting on the arms of the chair and her back against the back board.
"How did you know, love?" she asked him in a soft voice.
"Don't call me 'love'. Plus it was obvious." She stood up. Now she wore a sea blue dress, also like the renaissance. This one also had drooping sleeves but they were shorter than the other dress. This dress had no real form in the waist but a black gold belt hung on her hips. A few jade combs had been placed in her hair and pulled in out of her face.
"You want it don't you?" she said walking slowly to the bed.
"Want what?" he asked her. she sat next to him on the bed and put her hand to his chest over his heart.
"Your heart wants it." Her hand went to his cheek, stroking his lips with her thumb,
"Your tongue wants to speck it but doesn't know how," her hands went to his stomach.
"Your body urns for it so bad it aches." She took his hand and put it over her own heart.
"Your fingers, tingle to touch it and your lips..." She put her hands at the side of his face and got her face a centimeter away from his.
"Desire to taste it."
His voice was soft and tired. "What do you want woman." a breeze of cold breath tickled her lips. She kissed his lips lightly at first then harder. He kept his lips pressed tightly together. She swiftly dug her nails into his cheeks. He opend his mouth to tell her to stop but she slipped her tounge between his lips. He cried out and jerked backwards. She fell ontop of him breacking the kiss off. She rolled off him and onto the bed and closed her eyes. Hiei stood up.
"Don't do that again." he ordered in a cold heartless voice. She didn't open her eyes but said,
"Forgive me." she stood up and Hiei could see the dark roses blooming on her cheeks. She glanced behind her shoulder then scurried out of the room Hiei laughed inspit of him self. She was so timid yet so straight-forward. It was quite funny.
Cuniculus sat infront of her son. It was morning time and she figured she would feed him before she went to go eat. She pulled her hair away from her neck and leaned forward. Hunger gleamed evilly in Lachtna's eyes. He put his lips to her neck and bit down piercing skin and vein to get the warm blood he so desired. It flowed between his lips and down his throat making his whole body warmer. His pale skin flushed with color and dull eyes sparkled with life. He drank. Long and hungrily he drank. He drank to much. Soon Cuniculus began to feel weak.
"Stop." she whispered so low not even Lachtna heard.
"Stop." again louder but not loud enough.
"Stop." she forced out clearly. Lachtna opened his eyes but continued drinking. Then he felt it. His mother's skin had gone pale and cold. he drew away after sealing up the wound.
"Mother?" he said. She stared off into space.
"Mother?!" he said more alarmed. She fell foreword on the bed breath shallowly. Lachtna jumped up horrified.
"Help." he said in a normal voice. "Someone help." Then reality hit him.
"HELP!!!" he screamed. He slammed open the doors.
"SOMEBODY HELP!!!!!!" he screamed into the halls. "MOTHER!!!!! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!!" The servants and a few guards came running. They dashed quickly down the halls to find the young prince collapsed onto he ground, crying, still screaming for help.
"What is it your highness?!" one guard asked. He shook the boy. "WHAT IS IT?!?!?!" he demanded.
"MOTHER!!!" the boy cried and pointed to his room. The guard looked up.
"Oh my god." he breathed and dashed into the room.
"Call the doctor!" he ordered. "Quick!"
One of the servants ran out of the room and down the hall.
Hiei peeked out of his room to see what was going on. He walked down the hall toward the group of servants.
"Hey, whats going on?" he asked.
"It's the queen." a crying maid said. Hiei pushed his way through the crowd. he got to the front and saw a guard and a menial cradiling the queen. She was deathly pale and her eyes held a blank look. Her body looked so frail. Everyone was crying, the guards, the servants, the maids! Everone. Expesiuly Lachtna who was holding her hand sobbing and mumbiling something over and over again. Hiei leaned in closer to hear him.
"I am so sorry mother." he was whispearing, "Dear mother. Sweet mother. Don't die. I'm so sorry, my dear, sweet mother. It was an ascendant!" Hiei touched the queens shoulder and found her skin cold, deathly cold. He jerked his hand back. The doctors came running in and shoved everyone out of the way. One doctor reached into his black bag pulling out a bunch of equipment Hiei had never seen before. One of the other doctors looked around and demanded to know what happend to their dear queen. Lachtna told his story between sobs saying that he was feeding from his mother (Hiei found this discusting. 'Feeding from my mother and..') when she began to tell him to stop. He did so but to late. His mother had began to turn pale and cold and she fell forward. He got up and began to scream and thats when to servants came in and called a doctor. The doctor who was checking Cuniculus looked up and said,
"Who bleeds dark red?" The room was silent.
"Anyone!" said another doctor, "Dosen't anyone bleed dark red." Again total silence.
"Come one, someone here has to have dark red blood."
"I do." Hiei grunted.
"Well come here!" the doctor ordered. "Hurry!" Hiei stood next to the doctor and gazed at the queen. The doctor grabbed Hiei's wrist and stuck a needle in a vein. Hiei let him. Then the doctor stuck the needle in a vein in the queens arm. After a while color and warmth came to the queens skin. Her eyes burned again with life and the servants cheered. She gazed at her son and smiled, then fell asleep. The doctor removed the needle and bandaged up their arms. They carried the queen into her room, the maids dressing her in her softest night gown and the servants washing her face and tucking her into the bed. They let Lachtna stay by his mothers bed, setting out a futon for him.
Later that night Hiei peeked into the queens room and found her awake. She smiled weakly at him.
"Come here." She said softly. Hiei walked over to her bed. She still looked a little pale. She reached out her hand and took his.
"Thank you." she said,
"For what?" he asked confused.
"For giving me blood." she replied. Hiei snorted.
"Anyone could have done it! Blood is blood! They were all just to scared to say so. So much for your 'loyal people.' Ha." He found that she was laughing.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"You do not understand do you?" she laughed again. "In the real world they have blood types like A, B, AB, and O. Then there's the A positive, A negative and so on. Well in Terratractivo we don't have blood types we have blood colors. You see each creature here as a different blood color. The most popular is light blue. Then there is black, purple and red. Red is not very common. And instead of positive or negative we have darkness, such as dark blue, light blue, dark purple, light purple, and so on."
"What about black?"
"Oh no there is no light or dark black. There is just black." She sighed and closed her eyes. Her hand dropped from his, he took it and rested it on her stomach. She smiled and opened her eyes again.
"What are you going to do about feeding him?" Hiei asked her. She dropped her eyes to the sleeping Lachtna.
"When I am well, I shall create a blood fountain for him." He nodded.
"Well how do we get get to this fantasy land Hiei has been living in for months!?" Botan asked.
"Well, really we are not suppose to, but their might be a way." Kurama said with a frown. "But it would be very hard. I think there might be a portal to it in that persons house. It's a slim chance but worth a shot."
"But we don't know who the girl is." Kuwabara said. Kurama snatched a 'Lost' flyer of Iris O'Conor off a near by tree and said,
"Lets start with her."
Kurama knocked on the door of the O'Conor house. It opend and a horriable smell wafted out. A sickly looking woman in her late thirties looked up at them. She had a cigerette in one hand and a beer bottle in the other.
"What'd you wan'" she asked.
"May we please have a look at your daughters room?" asked Yukina. The woman nodded and led them inside.
"It's up stairs. Nex' ta the bath room. Go on." then she went in the den to watch TV. They all walked upstairs and into the girls room. It had white walls with brown spots and holes on them. Some of the holes looked like they were from a mans fist, others, a girls head. The carpet had blood stains on it here and there. There was a filty futon on the floor with ripped covers and a torn pillow. The window had a hole in it that was covered with duck tape. There was a small closet next to the window, the door was missing a hinge. Kuwabara opend the closet and found four or five pairs of ragity clothes but one dress. It was very beautiful. It was in the renassaunce style made of pink shimmering cloth with bell sleeves and studded with jewels. The bosom was laced with gold ribbon as where the upper parts of the sleeves.
"Wow." said Yukina. She touched one of the sleeves.
Kurama walked inside the closet and ran his hands over the walls. Nothing. He shook his head. Yukina sat down on the girls futon and sighed.
"This is the girl." she said, "But we don't know how to get to her world." Botan looked at the beautiful dress that hung in her closet.
'How can we get to her world?' she thought
"Good morning Hiei." Cuniculus said as Hiei walked into the dinning room.
"You're looking better." Hiei said. He observed that she again wore a renassaunce dress, this time a pure white, with a sliver V-shaped neck and a silver belt. The sleeves were bell shaped with silver bands around the upper arms. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid, woven with mint.
"Yes, thank you." she replied. He himself wore a black tunic and black pants. He had a vest over the tunic that was also black but with gold designs sewn into it. He had found black combat boots in his closet eventually and put them on. His closet was full of tunics and vets and tons of renassaunce clothing.
"Where is Lachtna?" Hiei asked noticing the boy was not at the table as he usualy was. Cuniculus frowned.
"He refuses to come out of his room." she said. "He thinks it is his fault that all this came about! I keep trying to tell him that it is not but he refuses to listen to me."
"Isn't it?" Cuniculuses cheeks flushed with anger and she rose swiftly to her feet.
"It is not! It was an accedent! He is just a boy! He did not mean to and I should have told him to stop sooner! It is more my fault! I should have relized that he was getting to big for me to feed him! But I denied it because......"
"..you wanted him to be your 'baby boy' longer, right?"
"Yes!" she said, "It was my fault! Not his! And I can not make him see that!" Suddenly her legs collapesed from under her and she began to fall. But before she had gone an inch Hiei ran to her and caught her.
"Oh my." she said as he sat her in her chair. "I must still be pretty weak." She grabbed his hand. "Thank you for catching me."
"You are welcome." Hiei replied. Just then a guard up to the queen. He knelt before her and said,
"Your magesty, Vasu is here to see you."
"Let him in." she said in a tired voice. Vasu ran in, the amulet he had taken from Hiei bounced around his neck. He took the queens hands and knelt infront of her.
"Cuniculus! Are you okay?! Tell me your okay!"
"I am little weak but other wise, fine." He laid his head in her lap and sighed.
"Thank the gods!" he said and she stroaked his hair. After a while he whispeared.
"You smell like mint and lavender." Her cheeks burned with color.
"Thank you." she replied. He looked up at her.
"You are sure you are okay?" he asked her again. She nodded. Hiei almost burst out laughing but he managed to keep it in and only let out a small chuckle.
"You almost collapesd when you tired to stand your magesty and you say your fine? I say you should get your royal behind in bed." Vasu was imediatly on his feet and in Hiei's face.
"How dare you talk to her that way!" he roared, "You have no right to! She..."
"Vasu." the queen said in a tired voice. He was imediatly silent. "Leave him alone." Hiei gave him an evil smirk as if to say, 'Ha-ha, the queen told you to shut your pie hole...for screaming....at me!' Hiei pushed past Vasu and went to the queen. He put one arm behind her back and the other under her knees.
"Ah." she cried, "What are you doing?" He looked at her as he lifted her off the chair.
"I told you, you need to get your royal behind in bed. Since you can't seem to get your legs working to do it yourself, I'm gona carry you." She put her arms around his neck as he walked slowly to the door. Vasu stopped him though and said,
"Let me carry her." Hiei just glared at him and continued into the hall. Cuniculus shook her head telling Vasu to leave the matter alone. Hiei laid her on her bed and reached behind her unlaceing the back of her dress.
"What are you doing now?!" she screamed and pushed him away.
"I was helping you out of that dress. Do you actually want to sleep in it?" he frowned. Deep red roses bloomed on her cheeks. Hiei rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't going to take your clothes off! I was just going to help you unlace them so you could simply slip them off when I left!"
"Oh, sorry." Vasu sat down behind her and finished what Hiei had started. The bodice of her dress began to drope as the strings that held the dress on where undone. Her hands held it on as the sleeves slide down her arms and the bodice droped forward more almost reviling her chest. The roses that bloomed on her cheeks grew darker. Vasu noticed then and imediatly left not wanting to cause her any discomfort. Hiei didn't. He liked making her blush. It was funny. He reached his arms behind her and fidled with the back lacing again.
"Did he get it undone all the way?" he asked pulling at the already loose strings.
"Stop it!" she said and tried to push him away.
"Oh, I see." he said not moveing, "You can make a move on me, but when I try it's..." he made his voice feminine to imatate her and finished, "'Oh, stop it! Please!'" he changed his voice back to normal, "I don't get it."
"I-I am not decent." Hiei laughed out loud.
"Oh no!" he said sarcasticully, "Your not decent! Ooo! You're such a virgen!" She didn't reply. Hiei stood up and walked out of the room laughing.
"Lachtna! Please let me in!" the servant begged. "The queen would like me to get you dressed! There is a banquet tonight!"
"I am not going!" come a reply from inside. Suddenly Lachtna heard.
"Oh! Your majesty! I.....What? No he will not come out, But..."
"Lachtna!" yelled Cuniculus, "I demand that you open this door this instent!"
"No!" he yelled back.
"Do it or else!"
"Or else what!" BAM!!! The door rattled in it's frame then fell forward. There stood Cuniculs with her leg extended, her skirts falling back showing her ankels. His mother had kicked down the door! It was quite a heavy door at that! That strength had probably come from all the battles she had fought. He stared at he wide eyed.
"M-Mother?" She lowered her leg.
"I told you to open the door." she said harshly. Lachtna noticed that the servant behind her was also wide eyed and had gone pretty pale.
"Lachtna! You will get dressed, you will come to the banquet, and you will stop this foolishness! It was not your fault what happend! If anyone is to be blamed it should be me! I should have relized my limits and the simple fact that you have grown and I should not be feeding you my blood! Now get dressed and come down stairs!" With that she marched down the hall to get ready for the banquet, or to tell Hiei of it.
Hiei simply nodded as the queen shifted through his closet looking for some exquisit cloths while she told him about the banquet. She pulled out of his closet a jet black vest with silver and gold designs sewn in and a solid black tunic. She pulled out navy blue pants and black boots also with a gold design on it. Hiei noticed that every thing in his closet was either dark blue, red or black. He was glad that the queen had had the common sense to not give him bright colored clothes.
"And hurry! The banquet is in three hours!"
"Why do I have to hurry, if it's in three hours?"
"You think you are just going to get dressed?" she asked amusment danceing in her eyes. "No, no no. You are going to take a bath and the servants will help you get dressed." She turned to leave then glanced over her shoulder and said, "And please do not fight the servants, Hiei. They may want to put a few peices of jewelry on you, just let them. Do not worry, they are as masculine as jewelry can get." She smiled at him and left.
The ball room was grandly decorated with golden tapestries. On the dais were three gold and jewel thrones, two large thrones and one rather small one. The marble floors and been washed and scrubbed till they shone and everything in the room sparkled. In the grand dinning room next to it a long table had been brought out with silver chairs and golden name plates. The finest china had been set as well as the candles. Everything was perfect. The guests filled into the dinning room and found there names at a chair and sat down. Hiei reconized many of the people he saw Thephania, in her black dress with spidar web sleeves. Lilac and Lavender hurried in wearing dresses made of rose petals. Garsha walked in, his golden hair combed and braided. As did Vasu, this time wearing a white tunic and pants. Everyone looked splendid! But as Hiei sat down at the queens right hand place at the table, he noticed she and her son where not here yet. When every one was seated, the Queen finally came in with her hand on Lachtna's shoulder. The boy looked better than when Hiei had last seen him. His face held more color than the last time Hiei had seen him. He looked up at Cuniculus with pure adoration in his eyes. She smiled sweetly back at him and walked over to the table. She stood tall and proud at her full hight not slouching at all. Her long locks were combed and dressed with jewels and roses and ivy woven into a few braids. Her sapphire crown sat once again upon her head and a gold locket hung round her neck. Her dress was glamourus, a shimmering silver color with a jewel studded bosom and gold belt. Long hanging sleeves droped at her elbows with tight sleeves under those that covered her hands to her thumb. Gold bands were wrapped around her elbows. She looked absolutely ravishing. Lachtna beside her wore a navy tunic with silver designs and a gold vest over that. He had straight navy pants and gold boots with a black cape drapped on his shoulders. He donned a plain gold crown on his head with gold bands around his upper arms. His get black hair had been pulled back and tied with ivy. He too was a glorious sight. When the queen got to her chair she stood in front of it, held her arms out and said in a loud voice,
"Welcome all!!" She paused, then continued, "After we eat we shall go to the ball room! Now, eat!" She sat down and did so, as did every one else.
Kuwabara gazed out Irises window at the street below. The sky was painted pink and purple with twilight and the setting sun was drenched a blood red. The clouds were a hazy pink and the houses were being cast into darkness. A few street lights came on, a couple broken tried to, they shot sparks to the street below then died. Somewhere a cricket chirped. Keiko sat down next to Yukina who had the pink dress drapped across her legs studying it. Kurama looked over at Kuwabara who had a small scowl on his face.
"What are you thinkng about?" he asked.
"That girl." said Kuwabara, "How did she get in the world. There had to be some passage to it. If she got in, why can't we?"
"Maybe it's not in her room." Yukina said. "Maybe it's somewhere else. Hey look at this." She pulled out a peice of paper from the sleeve of the dress. She unfolded it and read it aloud.
Music played loudly in the ball room as people swirled and danced. The queen clapped her hands and laughed at all the merriment. Her eyes danced with joy and her cheeks were flushed with color. Lachtna laughed to and the took his hands and danced around the room with him. She stopped for a moment to grab a glass of wine a waiter was carrying on a tray and draine the glass. Then she was danceing again. Hiei suspected that she had had few glasses and they had gone to her head, but she seemed haapy enough. Soon Theophania was danceing with Lachtna and Cuniculus was in Vasu's arms spinning around and giggiling.
She had a girlish look to her now instead of her usual regal one, but she looked just a beautiful, with her livley eyes and flushing cheeks. Vasu looked at her smiling and Hiei could see something unsettiling in his eyes. Cuniculus eventually found it to and twirled away from him and into anothers arms. Hiei saw Lavender laughing at the queen and clapping her hands, jumping up and down in excitment. Lilac had a small smile on her lips, but was not laughing and jumping around. Soon she spun over to Hiei, laughing.
"Oh my." she said, "I have not had this much fun in a time." Hiei smiled at her.
"Oh, dance with me Hiei."
"I'd rather not." he said.
"Come on," she grabbed his hands and pulled him onto the dance floor. She placed one of his hands on her hip and the other she held and danced. She was very gracefull, Hiei noticed, agile, steady on her feet. Like a cat.
Heat radiated off her body. Hiei looked up and saw Vasu staring at Cuniculus in that unsettiling way again. He twirled her into the crowd and away from him.
"Oh, dear." She said after awhile. "I need to sit down. Could you help me to my throne?"
"Hai." Hiei said and led her to the throne. She sat down on it and leaned on the arm of the thrown.
Far away an evil being crouched in the Vetitus Forest, running it's hands over a crystal ball. It cackled as it watched Hiei take the tired queen to her thrown.
"Have fun while you can your 'magesty'. Everything you have grown to love will be gone soon enough" It cackled again loud and long, this time others joining in it's evil laugh, a laugh that echoed threw the forest.
Hiei knelt infront of her looking into her eyes which stared at her lap. She had very beautiful eyes, Hiei noticed, not a beautiful green like Kurama's, but a deep sea blue. She smiled at him when she noticed he was staring. He noticed this to and turned away blushing uncomfterably.
"You know," she said putting her hand at the side of his face, "You look really handsome." He didn't say anything. She giggled.
"Come on. Don't just stare off into space, look at me." She turned his face to look at her. She bent down and gently kissed his cheek.
"You're drunk." he said flatly.
"Not that drunk." she said.
"Yes you are."
"No I am not. For I can feel that you are....KNEELING ON MY FOOT!!! OUW!" Hiei jumped to his feet and saw the queen grasp her foot in pain.
"That hurt." Hiei knelt again making sure he was away from her now sore feet. She leaned back in her thrown and sighed.
"It is a shame that the ball ends at mid night. I wish it would end sooner." She looked at him. "You know, you do not have to kneel. You can sit on the thrown." She motioned to the large thrown at the left. Hiei nodded and sat down. He looked over to find her eyes begining to close.
"Don't go to sleep." he teased her. "That would be very 'rude' to your guests." She shot him the bird. He laughed.
"How very unlady like. Not like a lady or queen at all." Another 'fuck off' sign. Was she always like this when she was a little drunk? It was quite funny. Just then Vasu approuched the thrown.
"Dance with me Cuniculus." He said holding out his hand. She smiled at him and attempted to stand up, but fell back. Vasu just picked her up, motioning for a servant to bring a drink. Cuniculus downed to contents of the glass and smiled. Whatever it was it had given her her 'second wind'. She glided across the floor holding onto Vasu. After about an hour Hiei saw Cuniculus trying to get back to him, though Vasu was holding her hand asking for one more dance. She frowned and told him to let her go. He pulled her to him and kissed her lightly on the lips. She frowned and told him to stop. Now Hiei knew what that unsettiling look in Vasu's eyes had been. It was lust. Cuniculus pulled away from him and marched to the thrones. She sat down next to Hiei and sighed. Her eyes were tired and she looked like she wanted to kiss the guard who can in and said it was twelve o'clock, and everyone was to leave. She stood up, leaning on Hiei's shoulder for support.
"I am so tired. Lachtna!" she called. Lachtna ran to his mother his cape billowing behind him.
"Yes, mother dear?" he said.
"Did you have fun darling?" she asked him. His silver eyes got wide with excitment.
"Oh yes!" he said.
"Good, now run along and get ready for bed. I'll be along shortly to tuck you in and give you your dinner." Lachtna nodded and ran out of the room. Cuniculus saw tired servants trying to clean up the mess in the room.
"Do that in the morning." she said. "Go get some sleep." The servants smiled at her and scurried off to their rooms. Hiei helped Cuniculus to her room. She layed down one the bed, not bothering to take her clothes off and went to sleep.
'Great,' Hiei thought. 'Stupid ningen falls asleep dressed like that she'll get a rash and a creek in her neck and will complain for weeks. He undid her braids pulling out the ivy and roses weaved into her hair, dropping them on the floor. He removed her crown and set in on a nearby chair. Then undid the back of the dress carefully pulling it off laying it on the chair with her crown. He pulled off her jewelry and her petti coats. He undid her boots setting them on the floor and tugged off her stockings leaveing her simple, almost see through under dress. He pushed her head to her pillow, removing the covers from under her and pulling them up to her chin. She moaned a little then rolled over. Hiei sighed and sat down on the bed. He felt very tired himself and woundered if he should just lie down one the floor or try and make it to his room. He felt Cuniculus' hot body press against his thigh. He sighed and pulled off his own jewelry, vest, tunic, boots and cape. He laid down next to her and fell fast asleep.
The sun peeked over the horizan and Cuniculus hugged the warm body closer to hers. Somewhere behind her she heard a snicker. Her hand rubbed a musculuar arm and she thought, Lachtna dosen't have any muscles. She opend her eyes and saw Hiei laying next to her dead asleep with a small frown on his face. On arm under her neck and the other on his stomach. Lachtna ran around to where she could see him and made faces at her. She giggled and Hiei stirred a little. The hand that had lain on his stomach now moved to her arm. Lachtna stuck his tounge out then said in a girlish voice,
"Oh Forbidden one, I love you such much." He flung his arms out and said, "Marry me!" Then he deepend his voice and said,
"Of course! You are so beautiful!!!" Cuniculus burst out laughing as Lachtna took up makeing faces at her.
"Lachtna!" she giggled, "If you do not stop, Hiei will wake up!"
"Hiei is already awake thanks to you." Hiei grumbled.
"Sorry." she said. He sat up and her arm slide down from his chest to his waist. She proped herself up on her elbows.
"Lachtna, what are were you doing?" she asked.
"I heard one of the servants say that she had come into to see if you had changed out of your ball gown and saw the two of you sleeping in each others arms. She thought it looked so darling that she ran out of the room with out doing her duties, so she would not rouse you."
"Well, go tell them that we are awake so they do not have to stay twenty yards from my quarters." Lachtna ran and kissed his mother's cheek.
"Yes, mother." he said then scampered off. Hiei turned his back to Cuniculus and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He raised his arms high over his head streching out the muscles.
"How is it," he said with out turning to her, "that your bed is softer than mine. Alot softer. I should sleep here more often." He felt her fingers walking up his back and turned around. She smiled at him in a devilish way.
"Tell me about your family." she said.
"I have no family." he spat at her. "Except...." he stopped. Why should he tell her anything. Why should he tell her about his younger sister Yukina who didn't even know they were related? Why should he tell her about his mother who threw him off the floating isle, beacause he was a fire demon? Huh, why should he tell her anything?
"Except what?" she asked.
"My sister Yukina." he said.
"What is she like?"
"Innocent." he said laughing a bitter laugh. "Sweet, she doesn't know I'm her brother."
"Why not?" He looked at her.
"A deal I made. I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay." she said, "I will not persist. What about yourself. Tell me about you."
"Why?"
"I want to know."
"But why do you want to know?"
"I just do."
"I don't want to talk about myself."
"Hmmm, modest."
He laughed a hollow, meaningless laugh. "Yeah. Modest."
"Are you sad that you do not have a family?" she asked then relized what she said, "Oh, I am sorry. I said I would not persist." She leaned against his shoulder and sighed.
"You still have not kiss-......" He lunged at her, clamping his hands on her wrists and pinning them to the bed. His lips pressed firmly against hers. He pried her lips open with his tounge tasting her. She moaned and pulled her hands. He tightend his grip on her wrist and pressed on her lips harder. She returned his kiss and continued to pull at her hands. He let them go and she wrapped her arms around his back. He felt her nails dig deeply into his skin and he groaned in pain. She giggled and pushed away from him.
"Happy now?" he asked her panting slightly.
"Very." she breathed.
"Good." he said, "Cause I'm not doing it again."
"Oh really?" She put her hand on the nape of his neck and pulled him to her. This time the kiss was quick. But Cuniculus smiled at him, her eyes victorious as if she had just done some great thing. Hiei rolled his blood colored eyes at her.
"Damn ningen." he muttered.
"What, afraid you are getting too close to me?" she murmured.
"Iie" he snapped. He stared at he frowning then his expression let up. She smiled at him again and put her arms around him. She sighed and closed her eyes. He reached his hand slowly up to stroak her soft hair then jerked it away.
"You should get dressed." he muttered. "I should to." He gently pried her arms from him and walked out of the room. He heard her breath his name before he was out of ear-shot.
As Hiei walked through a coridor he had not seen before he heard soft singing.
"Dancing bears.
Painted wings.
Things I almost remember.
And a song,
Someone sings,
Once upon a December." He found an open door and peeked in. The singing echoed off the walls in this room. He gazed around and his eyes landed on Cuniculus. He stared at her shocked for a moment. His body grew hot and began to tingle. He swallowed. She sat on the edge of a fountain that came out of the wall with Lachtna next to her. The odd thing about the fountain was the water wasn't clear and shimmering like all the other fountains and lakes in Terratractivo, instead the water was a deep red. Like blood. She dipped a gold goblet into the fountain and handed it to Lachtna. He licked his lips hungrily and drank from it. His cheeks flushed with color, and his eyes.....they gained something. Life. Hiei thought. They gained a look like he had life and spirit. Emotions. He looked away for a moment then back again. The boy wore a combatants uniform as if he had just come from a lesson in how to sword fight. Cuniculus was still singing her haunting melody.
"Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory.
Far away,
Long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember.
Things my heart
Used to know
Once upon a December." As he looked her over his breath caught in his throat. She looked so beautiful. No not just beautiful......she looked arousing. Desirable. Sensual. Seductive. Still he heard her song, faint, he wasn't listining but it was still heard.
"Someone holds me safe and warm.
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory.
Far away,
Long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember."
She sat in a majestic way her back straight her legs positioned in a delicate manner. Her dress was the same renasaunce style as all her clothing, but this one was different. This one was a jet black with red under dress, this one had a very low cut bodice and had just small peices of cloth attatched to gold bands around her upper arms. He could see that it would take only two or three swift movments to remove the dress. Her hair hung down her back, not fixed up, no barets, no combs in it. It had just been brushed and allowed to do whatever. A pentigram hung around her neck and rested on her full bosom.
"Things my heart
used to know,
things it yurns to remember.
And a song
Someone sings
Once upon a December."
She took the cup from Lachtna and again dipped it in the fountain, this time filling the cup less than a quarter full. But instead of handing it to her vampire son, to drink (by this time Hiei was sure the fountain spewed blood and not just dyed water) she downed the contents herself. A thin trickle escaped from the corner of her mouth and flowed down her neck and chin to her bosom. Lachtna smiled and handed her a towl to whipe it away. She kissed his cheek.
"Now, hurry to your lessons." He nodded and scampered off. Hiei hid in the shadows till he had passed. Hiei walked into the room as Cuniculus was using the towl to wipe the sides of the goblet. He saw it still had blood in it.
"How...?" he began. She turned to him and smiled.
"I made it after Lachtna drained me. After I got my strength back I created it so he could feed." She handed him the cup. "Drink." she ordered. He took the glass from her and quickly swallowed it. He whiped his mouth on the back of his hand and grabbed Cuniculus around the waist. He kissed her roughly tasting the blood that had been in her mouth. He didn't care. That sour blood. He had licked his own wounds before, licked the blood from them, but this was different. Taking a goblet of blood and drinking it. That was gross. But it didn't matter. He felt her body press against his, and pulled away. She smiled at him and took the goblet. She placed it on the fountain, took his hand and led him out of the room. She said something in a foreign launguage when she closed the door and it disapphered. He stared at her for a moment then shrugged it off. There were alot of strange things in Terratractivo, he shouldn't be surprised about this one. She smiled at him sweetly and walked away. He followed her.
"How much?" he asked her,
"How much what?" she replied no looking at him. He grinted his teeth. He wished she would be regal and majestic again instead of......
"How much energy did it take to make that?"
"Alot." she said, "That's why I was so weak that one morning when I collapesd and you caught me." She walked out a small door to a lush garden. Hiei followed. Cuniculus finally stoped after a good ten minutes of walking. She turned and grabbed his hands. He blinked down at her.
"You know," she said in a low voice, "the servants will not be in here for an hour of so."
"Huh?" he said not really thinking. She sighed.
"You are not even listining to me!"
"Yes, I was. I just..." He stoped, why should he talk. They both wanted the same thing and were just playing hard to get. He seized her around the waist and brought her close. He gently kissed her. Nothing passionate by far. Some thing a naive 10 year old might do to their boyfriend or girlfriend. Cuniculus wasn't very happy with the 10 year old kiss but waited. He pulled her to a bench still kissing her and pushed her down. She stared up at him and waited for him to sit next to her. He reached out a hand and stroaked her hair. He had seen guys do this in the chick flicks he had been forced to watch with Yukina. He never really under stood it. It was just hair. If he wanted to touch hair he would reach up and touch his own. Hers was different then his, softer, silkier. Hers hung in waves and cascades, his just spiked. His hand moved from her hair to the side of her face, her neck, colar bone, chest. He felt the pentigram under his fingers. This pentigram had a weird kind of feel to it. He felt a certain power coming from it. He dismised this. His hand went from her breast to her waist, over her legs. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit next to her, then kissed him. Her hands didn't reach for his neck, and her arms didn't rest on his shoulders, instead one layed on the bench supporting her as she leaned over and the other.....held the pentigram. He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them. She didn't move. His hands moved to her back. Fianly her hands went to his neck. But not in a gentle way. Imediatly he felt it. Long sharp nails dug into the soft skin of his neck. He reached his hands up to pull hers away but couldn't. He had the strangth to, but didn't really want to. He tasted that blood again. His eyes widend as her hand vertured down his pants. He pushed her off.
"HEY!!!" he said, "DON'T DO THAT!!!!!" She giggled. He stood up and she moved to the end of the bench where he had just sat. He looked down at her. She grabbed his waist band and pulled him on top of her. He put his hands out so they hit the bench and didn't put his full weight on her. Her lips found his and she gave him a soft tender kiss. Then she pushed him away and sat up. He looked at her confused.
"I-I am sorry." she said in a tired voice, "It is just...nothing...." She stood up.
"That power." he said, "You can feel it can't you?" She blinked up at him.
"What-...."
"Don't bull shit me Cuniculus, You can feel it in your chest, it hurts....dosen't it?" She was quite. Hiei could tell she wasn't going to answer.
"Tell me!" he demanded. He couldn't stand that look in her eyes. That dead lifeless look. Her eyes had always held life! Always! Some type of emotion! Love! Hatred! Embaressment! Anger! He had always seen something in them. But now....they were just dead blue orbs. They were like his eyes. Steel, impenetrable. He hated it. "TELL ME DAMMIT!!!!!" he screamd. He grabbed her arm and brought her to him. Their noses touched, he snarled. Her eyes, her face was still blank. They didn't even show surprise! She looked past him, he turned to see what she stared at then hurd it,
"And the screams and the cries,
Makes you wanna crawl in a hole and die.
Like a bullet through your head,
Swimming in desirable dreams instead."
"What?" he said. But he had heard her. It just didn't make sense. Still her eyes stared off in the distance. But something in the depths of her dark ocan eye's stirred. Something from long ago, something sad, dark.....evil.
"And the hurt and the pain,
Why is this stabbing me again and again?
Don't forget I love you,
Don't forget I care."
"Cuniculus." his hand reached for her cheek then withdrew. Her voice grew staedily louder.
"Don't forget I'm always watching you,
Wishing I was there.
And don't forget my voice,
And the way I would laugh until I cried,
Or whistle as I passed by."
"Stop it!" he whispered. "What are you talking about!?"
"I'm sick of faking happiness,
I'm just causing you more stress.
I hope I go to a better place now,
Full of great things and blissfulness." Her voice was clear now. Loud. She wasn't screaming, but she was speacking in a loud voice.
"I used to be a happy kid
I used to be just fine
I used to think that was life was worth it
Now it's time for me to die." Her voice grew louder till she was hollaring. Hot tears poured down her cheeks. No they weren't tears, not normal tears....they were a deep red color.
"Stop it!" he demanded, "Stop saying that!"
"I'm looking foward to the path before me
Don't tell me not to go
Staying on earth was far too difficult
Even for me to say 'no'"
He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them.
"Quite! DAMMIT!!! STOP SAYING THAT!!!"
"But depression is a deadly thing
Not everyone can survive
I hope you all live a lovely life
I love you, and goodbye." then her terrible poem ended. Hot red tears poured down her cheeks. "That power!" she yelled, "You said you felt that power burn in my chest. It does! But it is not power that burns their, love! It is the memories! The memories I left behind in the real world. I tried to erase them, useing spell after spell! But just now, those memories came back, I saw you standing there in the door way watching me feed my child and they came rushing back, all the pain and anguish I thought I had destroyed! I thought I had conqured that! I who was borne from sin and hate, who suffered pain for years! Lonlieness ate at me! When I told you I had one friend...I lied! I had no friends! I was alone! I tried to commit suicide! I tried to end my miserable life, no one stoped me! I almost suceded, but each time something came to foil it! It was as if some force was preventing me! But just now! Now when you kissed me, when your body was on mine....It brought back those memories. Those I had tried to escape!" He reached towards her. She fell to her knee's, her shoulders shook as she sobbed. She gazed up at him again, he saw in the oceans of her eyes pain from years ago, pain she had hide from her people. He saw lonieness. He saw her suductive, majestic cover up melt away to expose the lonley child it hide. One who was deprived love for so many years. But he saw something else he couldn't name. He picked her up and she still sobbed. His vest soaked with blood like tears. He ran threw the castle with his demon speed to her room. A servant bustled around it when he opend the door.
"Get out!" Hiei orderd her.
"What did you....?"
"GET OUT!!!!!" The servant ran out of the room and he lay the crying girl on the bed. She didn't protest as he undressed her and put her in her night gown. She didn't protest when he hugged her close to him. She just cried. She let it all out saying things between hiccups that he could barly understand. Finally she cried herself to sleep. He sat there with her laying against his chest still hiccuping once in a while. Soon she was still and calm. He let her hands waunder over his body as she slept. He sat there, not doing anything. Once she woke screaming and he told her it was a dream and she went back to sleep. He couldn't get that look her eyes held out of his mind. First they were blank and lifeless, then oceans of saddness and terror then......something else. He grip tightned on him. She muttered something in her sleep, then she rolled over and was quite. Finally Hiei fell asleep himself.
A bird flew into the open window and sat on the seal content. It chirped sweetly, it's breast growing with the indrawn breath. It's bright feathers shone in the light of the breacking day, and it's dark black eyes sparkled. When no one waved the bird away it dared to peek at the queen. This bird had heard things about the queen, but had never seen her. He had heard stories from other birds and the foxes and lizards that said the queens beauty was grand! (there were more of these stories amungst the animals) Others that said she had plain, dull features. He heard stories that said her eyes were the color of the jungle! Other said they were a dusk gray, or royal violet. He knew the one thing he had to look for was hair the color of the sun, all the stories had that in common. He looked around from a while then spotted it. Long strads of golden hair. But was the ugliest human woman the small bird had ever seen. Truley horrid! It had the golden hair toppled on it's head yes, in a sloppy manner. It was bent slightly so its head was close to the edge of the cover. It had a sharp face with a proud, manlike, jaw. He could see muscles in it's arms and flat chest. It's thin pale lips were quirked in a sneer and it's black eyebrows were fixed in a scowl. It's eyes were large and had tiny lashes. It looked more like a man! The bird shuddered (if birds can do such things) and flew to the night table. The bird was dissapointed. He had hoped that the queen would have beauty beyond campare and here she was, plain and dull and more masculant looking than any woman should. Then he heard a moan, a soft one, and looked up. A bulk under the coverds, that the bird had not noticed, moved. The covers were pushed back and there was a young woman. She sat up and her golden hair slide off the others head to reveal his jet black hair. This woman must be the queen. He beauty was beyond compare. She looked slender and delicate yet strong and powerful. Her golden hair webbed around her and sheyawned loudly puting her hand to her pink, full lips. Her eyes open and she surveyed the room, with deep ocean orbs. The bird sang loud and sweetly for joy and the queen laughed a sweet laugh that echoed the birds song. She clapped her hands and reached for the bird. It jumped on her hand and rubed against her cheek.
"Little one," she said, "what news do you bring from the forest?" The bird chirped loud and fast telling the queen things from the forest. He told her of the sleek foxes with bronze coats, of the white rabbites with powder puff tails. He spoke of the tall trees and shimmering pools. Half way threw she laughed musically.
"I am sorry you have waisted your breath, for I do not understand what you are saying." He stared at her stunned then giggled along as well.
"What's all the laughing about?!" Hiei snapped as he pulled himself into sitting position.
The bird flew off out the window as Cuniculus turned to Hiei. She gigled girlishly, putting her hand to her mouth to quiet it.
"Nothing." she answered.
"You seem very cheery. What happend. Last night you where depressed and dark now your, happy and radiant." She gazed out the window.
"Old memories." she replied. "Just old memories. I have blocked them off now. They shall not bother me for a good while." Hiei snorted.
"Whatever. I didn't like it. It was to...."
"Depressing? Sad? Eeiry?"
"Hai." She crawled over to him and took his hand.
"Do not worry." she replied. "It is nothing." She stood up.
"I am going out of the castle walls for a ride. Would it please you to acompany me?"
"Sure."
"Your riding clothes should be in your closet. I assume they are marked." She walked swiftly out of the room and down the hall singing softly to herself.
"Yukina...you....sure...you..know...where....this.....place....is..?" Yusuke panted as they all dashed trew town. Yukina nodded.
"It's...really...far...though...!"
"Of...all...places...why...did....she...pick...a....place...like....this..?" yelled Kuwabara.
"Probably...because...no....one...would...think...to...ever...really...go...there..." Kurama said.
"Bright....girl.....!" retored Keiko.
"She...would...have...been....even...smarter...if....she...had...not...left....the...instructions....to...get...there...in...her...room...!" said Botan. Yukina sighed and came to a halt. The others stopped and turned to look at her.
"What's wrong?" asked Kuwabara.
"What if...what if those weren't the instructions on how to get there?" she said. "What if they were just mad up, to keep someone looking?"
"We'll never know until we try." Yukina nodded then darted off again.
Hiei walked out of the room and down the hall wearing black riding clothes and holding a small whip. He stared at it for a moment and chuckled to himself. Him using a whip. That was Kurama's weapon, not his. He approuched the stabled looking around for the queen. He tapped a servent wearing a babushka, on the shoulder.
"You, servant. Have you seen the queen?" She turned around.
"That is not very nice Hiei. Exspesiully considering I am not a servant." There Cuniculus stood in a dark forest green dress an oak colored cloth wrapped around her hair and high boots on her legs. She spied his whip and frowned.
"We do not use whips on my horses. Where did you get that?" She snatched it from his hands and tossed it into the stables. "Come." She walked inside the stable and brought out two of the finest horses Hiei had ever seen. He had a feeling that even the top horse breeder would have dropped his jaw at the sight of these stallions. The first was a slender mare, with fur of such a pure white that it looked silver in the morning sun, and a golden mane. She held her head up high and proud, her emerald eyes looked Hiei over for a moment then regarded him as unimportant then turnd fond eyes to the other horse. Hiei followed her eyes to the second stallion. This one was a muscular colt, with blue-black fur and blood red eyes. His mane was not the pure blue-black of his body, but a simple jet black with white streacks. The colt snorted at Hiei and gazed lovingly at the queen. Cuniculus stroaked his muzzle and quided him to Hiei.
"This is Zeus." she said. The colt buried his nose in Cuniculus' bodice, not wanting to let Hiei ride him. She frowned as white foam dripped from Zeus' mouth onto her dress.
"Come on Zeus. He shant harm you." She stroaked his muzzled gently. He snorted and with drew from Cuniculus. He walked slowly over to Hiei and nudged him.
"Get on." said Cuniculus whiping at the saliva on her breast with her babushka. She patted the mare next to her and said.
"This is Hera. I am trying to get them to breed but, Zeus is a bit....proud. He dose not seem to want to breed with Hera."
"How long have you been trying?"
"8 mounths. But I think Zeus may be coming around a bit." She pulled her self onto the mares back.
"Come on." she said. "Zeus is not going to pull stairs out of his back for you to climb up, you have to do it the old fashion way." Hiei climbed on to the colts back and sat clutching the reins. Cuniculus smiled.
"Do you know how to ride a horse? No wait to you know how to get the horse to move?"
"Yes."
"How about to stop?"
"Yes."
"Slow down?"
"Hai." She smiled.
"Good." Then she dug her heels into Hera's thighs and said.
"Yah!" the horse sprang into mations galloping swiftly threw the land. "Catch me if you can!" she called to him. He did as she had and Zues galloped after Hera. Soon, however, he had lost sight of them. He pulled at Zues' reins and said,
"Heel." Zues stopped. Then out of no where Cuniculus and Hera apphered. Her babushka was now tied around her waist. She smiled at him.
"Your slow on a horse." she teased him. He smirked at her. She pushed Hera to Zeus and Hiei.
"It does not matter." she said and laid her head on his shoulder. She looked at the horses and gasped. Hiei followed her gaze and saw that Zeus was nuzziling Hera. Cuniculus dropped down off of Hera signaling Hiei to do the same. She gently tugged at her reins and led her to a clearing near a water fall. Zeus followed. Then she took Hiei's hand and ran away from them towards the water fall. She watched the two horses for a moment then gigled and ran to the waters edge. She stripped off her cloths and dove naked into the water. Then she came back up her pale skin glimmering with water beads. Hiei stared at her stunned for a moment. She had torn off her cloths as if he wasn't there! Like it was just her and the horses. Her loud laughter snapped him out of his daze. She swam over to the bank and gazed up at Hiei.
"Come on in!" she said, "The water is a tad bit cold but you get used to it quick."
"I...." She dove under the water before he could respond. Hiei waited. How long could she stay down there? How deep was it? A minute passed, then two minutes, three, four, five. He knew that Humans couldn't stay under water that long.
"Cuniculus!" he cried. "Dammit!" He tore off his shirt, cape and boots and dove in after her. He gazed around and finally found her. She was floating there kissing a young man. Yet it really wasn't a man at all. It slightly resembled the creature that had swam up to Hiei by the river on his way to the queens castle. It was about a big as a boy in his late teens, with few muscles on its slender arms and broad chest. Its long fish tail was covered in sparkiling scales. It had shinning silver hair instead of sea weed green. Its face was not like the others, with sharp cheeks and a pointed chin. His chin was squared a little and his lightly tinted green skin was placed carefully over smooth cheek bones. Like the others his fingers were thin with with streaches of skin between them. His hands were placed on the sides of Cuniculus' face, holding her head up as he kissed her. She had a hold of his peach/green wrists and was squeezing them. Hiei felt like vomiting at the sight of the queen and the man fish kissing like that. But he also felt something else. Something like...hurt. He pushed it away and turnd his eyes from the vile sight. After a while he turned back. They kissed for five or ten seconds longer then slowly pulled away, the fish boy still lingered. As he did so he took his hands and used his long nails to cut lines on Cuniculus' neck around her ears. He did this on both sides of her head. His eyes opend and Hiei saw blank black orbs. Fish eyes. His stomach curned. Fianlly her eyes opend and so did her mouth.
'She's gona drowned!' Hiei's mind screamed. 'Go help her!' But his body froze. These seemed like somethings a human body would do! Freezing with fear! How absured!
But she didn't start gasping for air or paniking. Instead she took a deep breath and smiled at him. Her lips moved as if she was talking but only a faint chirping sound came out. The fish man tossed his head back and laughed then responded in the same chirping tone. She gazed around then her eyes rested on Hiei. She smiled and swam over to him. She began to speack to him in the same chirping way, then relized what she was doing. She grabbed his hand and took him to the surface.
"Hello." she said, "I was woundering when your were going to get the hint." she laughed. "Come on you have to kiss Mikhail and....."
"I have to kiss who?!" Hiei exclaimed.
"Mikhail. The mermaid I was just....."
"No! I refuse to kiss that man fish. Fist off, he is a fish, second off, he's a man."
"Then how shall you get gills?!" she said.
"Gills?" Her finger rested on the 'cuts' on her neck. They didn't look like cuts any more. Now they looked like gills. Hiei sighed.
"Fine!" she squeeled with excitment and dragged him under the water. Mikhail looked him over with out emotion then placed his hands on the side of Hieis face and kissed him. Hiei felt truley like vomiting right in Varkels mouth. Even if he had been homosexual, this would have been discusting! Mikhails lips were soft and slimy, like a snails body. His tounge squirmed around in his mouth like an earth worm, thin and oily. He stank of fish and sea weed and his breath puffed in his mouth cold and stank. Finally after what seemed like an eturnity, Mikhail pulled away lingering like he had on Cuniculus. Then Hiei felt it, quick sharp pains on the sides of his neck as the mer mans nail sliced the skin creating gills. Finally Hiei was free. He wipped his mouth on his fore arm incradably disgusted. He turned to Cuniculus. He wished there was something to get that disgusting fell out of his mouth! That....Cuniculus laughed lightly as he stared at her. Before he could think twice on it he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her deeply. She cried out in surprise but soon stopped fighting him. What was the point. Even if she had wanted him to stop, he was twice as strong as her. There wasn't a chance in christian hell, she could fight him off. After a time he pulled away and smiled.
"That's much better than Mikhails revolting mouth." Cuniculus smiled.
"Are you two coming?" Mikhail asked. Hiei looked up.
"At least now your speeking in english!" Hiei snapped.
"No," said Cuniculus gently, "You can just understand us now beacause of your gills." Cuniculus wrapped her arms around Hiei's neck gently and leaned into whispear in his hear. Then Hiei remembered she was naked. He had forgotten until now.
"You might want to take your pants off." she said. "They will just drag you down." He stared at her for a moment then shrugged and pulled his pants off. Cuniculus blushed when he was done and turned away.
"What?" he asked her.
"I thought you were wearing boxers." she breathed as she quickly glanced over his naked body.
He laughed and grabbed her hand.
"Since when have you cared?" he asked her.
"Well, I....."
"Are you two coming!" Mikhail barked. "My fins are starting to get sore from waiting." Cuniculus laughed and followed him. Hiei swam up near her and said,
"Were are we going?"
"To Atlantis." She replied.
"Master!" the horribly deformed dwarf said as he scurried up to tall man who sat on the thrown of roots. He was of an unearthly beauty. Hair of pure white hung to his shoulders and his beautifuly shaped eyes were an emerald green. The muscles of his bare chest and arms were painted with skin the color of old copper. His long strong legs were crossed at the ankle and his tin lips pulled back from his white, straight teeth in a smile.
"What is it, Doan?" The emerald eyes turned from the sky to the horribly ugly creature.
"The queen, Master Varkell! She- that is she is going to-..."
"I know." purred Varkell. "She shall do it soon." He stood from the root thrown and over to a rock table. On it were two clay figures. One on the queen and one of her son.
"It will destract her concentration for a moment." He picked up figure of the queen. He stroaked the lifeless face with his index finger.
"Such beauty." he breathed, "But she shall soon lose herself and when her concentration is gone...." He put the figure next the boy and smashed them both with his hand.
"We attack!"
Hiei lay on the ground near the water fall. He whipped his mouth again on his fore arm. They had had to kiss Mikhail again to get the gills away. Cuniculus was down there now doing that. Hiei ran his fingers lightly over the water. His hand touched the top of Cuniculus' head before she burst out of the water. She climbed on to the bank panting a little. Hiei put his hand on her waist and kissed her. Finally he could get that revolting feel of kissing the mer man, out of his mouth. Her arms wrapped around his chest. He rolled over pulling her onto of him. Her sea blue eyes sparkled for a moment and her face flushed with color. She rested her head on top of his chest and sighed.
"What's wrong?" he whispeared. She raised up again and looked past him,
"It is just....AHHHHHHH!" Hiei sat up quickly and looked around.
"What?! What?!" he asked.
"The horses!" Hiei turned his blood colored eyes to the horses and burst out laughing. Zeus and Hera were haveing sex! Cuniculus' face was as red as roses as she buried it in Hiei's chest.
"I did not need to see that! I did not need to see that!" Hiei placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head to look at him.
"I take it you have never seen animals making love?"
"Well...have a few dogs and cats and mice and once some wolfs but....."
"Never horses right?" Again the blood rushed to her face.
"No." He stood up and pulled down a brach to block most of the sight from view.
"Better?" he asked.
"Better." she nodded.
"Stupid Ningen." he muttered. She grabbed his hands and tugged him to the ground.
"Hold me." she begged. He sat down and pulled her into his imbace. She sighed again contently.
"Ready?" he asked her. She was silent for a moment then said,
"Yes.
"Master!" Doan shreiked. Varkells eyes were glowing slightly as he gazed into his crystal ball. "Look at them Doan! They act as if they think no one is watching! When even their horses stare at them funny! Look at the way she moves!" Doan felt appalled.
"Master! I think we should attend to the troops they...."
"In a moment." Doan sighed. His master watched the queen and the demon..... His thoughts were interupted by a solidar who came dashing into the room.
"Sire." he said with a swift bow. "The troops are getting restless! Very you need to..."
"All right! All right." He tapped his crystal ball and the image faded.
Cuniculus Rode back to the castle with Hiei at her side. Her body still tingled. She looked over at him and he smiled evily at her. Then he woundered for a moment if he should show her his demon form.
"Hiei." Cuniculus' voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"Hai?"
"We are here." He looked up and saw they were at the palace stables all ready. He was sure the ride had been longer than that. He jumped down next to he queen and stood there.
"Ivan!" She called, "Could you come get the horses?" A young stable boy with sandy blond hair and dark brown eye's ran and took the horses reins. Cuniculus walked towards that castle.
"Are you okay?" Hiei asked her when they were far enough away from the stables. She turned to him and threw herself in his arms.
"Oh, Hiei. I am scared." Hiei was taken aback.
"Why?! Did I....?!?!?!"
"No, no! It was wounderful it is just...." She burst into tears and ran from him into the castle. He almost laughed at her thinking she could run from him but didn't and just used his demon speed, apphearing in front of her.
"Tell me what's wrong." She jerked away.
"I can not!" then she tried to run again. Hiei grabbed her around the waist.
"You might as well give up. I'm not going to let you go till you tell me what I did wrong."
"Nothing! I told you the truth when I said that!"
"Then what?"
"I....." she sat down on the ground and rested her head on his waist. "When I was younger...I was....." she paused. "I was...." He lent down and picked her up, turning and setting her on a bench.
"You were what?" he asked.
"Raped." He touched a shinning stream of tears at the side of her face. She leaned on his shoulder and cried.
"By who?" he asked. She whispeard low the name of her assualtant. He hugged her.
"Don't worry." he said. She spilled out the enitre story and cried. After a time, she cried her self to sleep.
"Is she ready, Lord Varkell?" Doan asked. Varkell looked up with an evil gleam in his eyes.
"Yes." he said, "She is ready. We attack."
"Majesty!" The guard ran threw the castle halls. "Majesty!" Finally he found her.
"What?" she asked, looking away from the window.
"Your majesty! Armies from the Vetitus Forest arm wageing war!" Cuniculus stood up.
"You are jesting!" she said
"No." The queen swallowed, then replied in a calm voice;
"Gather the armies together. Get the defences lined up and ready. I shall be ready to lead the troops in an hour on the battle feild." He nodded and dashed from the room."
"Mother?" Lachtna's silver eyes stared at her filled with worry. "What is happining mother?"
"Nothing, darling. The evil in the Vetitius Forest is attacking. We shall fight it." She stroaked his ebony hair and went to go get ready for war.
Varkell stood behind his army, sitting atop a horribly misshapen creature.
"Cuniculus!" He shouted.
She appeared atop Hera, her white tunic gleaming.
"What?" she asked.
"Surrender or die." he said simply.
"I shan't surrender!" she cried, "And I shan't die either! I shall fight you."
"Have it your way!" Varkell said with an evil grin. "ATTACK!!!!" His army charged hers, with a loud war cry and clash of metal. It wasn't long before the ground was littered with dead bodies. Cuniculus' sword sliced another man in half, her pure white tunic, now shown red with blood. Her eyes quickly surveyed the battle field.
She was loseing. Better to go back and regather the troops.
"RETREATE!!!!" she shouted and her men ran to the castle. Cuniculus cast a protection spell around the castle that would hold the enemy at bay for a time, then to ran to her home.
She stood infront of her troops, bloody and grimy.
"The messengers have gone out in secret, using invisibility cloacks," she said, "They went to gather more troops. Since we have not had a battle in a time, we are not prepared. But , that does not mean we can't win!" The troops gazed up at her desperate face. They smiled and cheered. She looked over them weakly.
"Mother!" the doors slamed open, "Mother! I want to fight!"
"Go, men!" Cuniculus cried, "Get ready." Lachtna ran up to her as the men went to gather weapons and armer. Cuniculus looked down at her son and whiped the blood from her face.
"Mother! Let me fight! I want to! I want to help! I-...." Cuniculus pressed her index finger to the childs red lips and said, "Shhhhhhhhhhh." Lachtna set his lips in a pout but was quiet. Cuniculus knelt and put her arms around Lachtna whispearing to him.
"No son. It's to dangeruos and I'm not about to loose my child."
"But-"
"No!" Cuniculus said, "And that's final Lachtna! Your biological mother did not die giving you birth just for you to be slaughtered in a senseless battle!" Lachtna frowned but nodded. Then with an affectionate motherly kiss, Cuniculus walked to Hiei's room. Hiei was sitting on the bed his chin resting in his hands. He sat up strait as Cuniculus entered.
"What's going on?" he asked her sharply. She smiled weakly as he stood up and whipped the blood from her face.
"Tell me." he said, kissing her quickly.
"I-I-. . . " She groaned loudly and fell to her knee's. Hiei caught her under the arms and placed her on the bed.
"What's wrong?" he asked. She grabbed her side as blood spilled over her fingers. Hiei drew in his breath sharply and pressed his hand to her side.
"Oh, Cunniy." he murmered and kissed her.
"It's nothing." she panted. "I've been through worse."
"Servant!" Hiei shouted, "Bring the nurse!"
"No." Cuniculus breathed. "No, I'm fine."
"Don't be stupid!" Hiei snapped. The nurse came running in and examined Cuniculus. She was a very tall thin woman with short blue hair pulled back and big child-like green eyes. He skin was slightly tanned and she had pointed, elf like ears. He slim fingers swiftly removed Cuniculus' armor and skirt, cleaning the gash and rapping her ribs in bandage's. She whipped the sweat from her face and gave her a pill and Hiei a vile of cream to rub on the wound once a day.
"And keep her off her feet!" she said then left. Hiei looked over at her as she lay on the bed. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose ever so slightly as she breathed. Hiei brushed some of her thick hair from her face and watched her. She groaned and opened her eyes, looking sharply around.
"Hiei." she breathed as her gaze fell upon him.
"Yes?" he asked her. She smiled weakly at him.
"Your not going to try to convince me not to fight, are you?"
"No." he replied, "But I advise you strongly against it."
"You already know what I'm going to say don't you?"
"Yes. But please don't get killed, Cuniculus."
"I won't." she said and sat up enough to kiss him. Hiei put his hand on her back and rubbed her sore muscles gently. She moaned soflty and sat up, leaning against him.
"Your magesty!" a guard said, interupting there intament moment. "the troops are ready at you command." Cuniculus looked up and nodded.
"Tell them I shall be there shortly." she said. The guard bowed and left. Cuniculus grabbed her armor off the floor and put it back on. Hiei stood up next to her.
"I going to." he said. She nodded and walked out, Hiei following.
Varkell smirked as the army came at him again. The queen in front atop a jet black horse. He caught the sent of her blood. She had been wounded. He could use it to his advantage greatly.
"Attack!" she cried and the two armies clashed with a great roar. Varkell swiflty made his way to the queen. He was almost at her when a boy atop a horse stepped in his way. They boy turned and tried to cut him with his sword but Varkell was faster, shoving his sword in the boys heart. His eyes went wide and he gasped for air. Varkell jerked the sword out and the boy looked behind him so the queen could catch a glimpse of his face. She looked at him, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open. She tossed her head back and let out the most heart wrenching cry ever. The two armies stopped and turned to look at her. She fell from her horse and landed next to the boy, sobbing and cradeling him. He was dead. She put her hand over his heart and pressed as if she was trying to stop the bleeding. Her fingers caressed no pulse. She tossed her head back and screamed again, her crys echoing in the silent night. The clatter of many swords and sheilds dropping rang out at her cry and she fell forward sobbing.
"Lachtna!" she screamed hoarsly, then softer, "You weren't suppose to fight, you were suppose to stay in the castle like a good boy." Blood soaked her clothes and covered her face, two thin stream of tears cutting threw the grim. A guard stooped by her side and rubbed her back, murmuring soothing words to her, while another took the boys body away.
"He was my baby boy!" she sobbed, "My little boy!" Suddenly her body stiffened and she turned to look at Varkell. Her face neutral. . .emotionless. . . inhuman.
Varkell watched her as she slowley stood up and faced him.
"You basturd." she said softly, "You killed my child. You basturd. . . now I'll kill you." In one move she had lunged at him and grabbed his sword sliceing his neck wide open.
"Rot in hell." she breathed and dropped his body.
"Those of Varkells army," she said, "Surrendor now or die." Every one fell to their knee's. Cuniculus nodded.
"Good choice. Now I leave you. I have work to do."
Hiei followed Cuniculus into her bed room and closed to door.
"Cun-..." he began but she collapsed on the bed sobbing.
"I know he wasn't mine," she sobbed, "But he might as well have been!" Hiei stood at her side unaware off how to comfort her. He knelt next to her and took her in his arms, stroaking her hair.
"Hush now, human." he said softly, "Hush. Theres nothing you could have done. Hush." Cuniculus eventually cried herself to sleep. Hiei laid her in the bed and took off her clothes slipping on a night gown. He took a towl and wipped of as much blood as he could, then laid down next to her.
Morning came and Cuniculus opend her eyes to see Hiei staring at her.
"Tell me it was a dream." she said softly. He looked at her sympatheticully.
"I wish I could." She turned her face away from him and let the tears fall.
"Have they creamated him yet?" she asked.
"Yes." he answered. She nodded and sat up, wincing in pain.
"Lay back." Hiei said pressing on her shoulder. She obeyed him and sighed.
"They put his ashes in an urn?" tears stung the cornors of her eyes.
"Yes." Hiei replied. "Your going to keep him in an urn?" She shook her head.
"Iie." she said and closed her eyes. Hiei carefully undid the bandages and rubbed the ointment on her cut. He felt her muscles tighten and rubbed more gently. She relaxed.
"What are you going to do?" Hiei asked.
"Gather back what I can." she replied. "Try to restore order and peice back." Hiei was about to say something when a guard came dashing in.
"YOUR MAGESTY!" he cried, "INTRUDERS! IN THE PALACE!" Cuniculus groaned.
"Capture them and bring them to the thrown room! I'll be there soon." The Guard nodded and bowed himself out of the room. Hiei helped her to her feet and helped her dress, dressing him self as well. She walked unsteadily to the thrown room, Hiei helping her along. They got to the thrown room and sat on the throwns.
"Bring them in." Cuniculus said hoarsly. She smoothed out her wide skirted black dress and made sure her black veil was in place to cover her face. The guard brought in a group of people in chains and Hiei tried not to show his surprise when he saw that its was Yukina, Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan. Cuniculus didn't seem to notice.
"What brings you here to rant about my castle?" she asked.
"We are looking for our friend majesty." Kurama said, then added eyeing Hiei, "And it seems we have found him." Cuniculus nodded to the guards.
"Remove their chains." The guard did and handed her a vase. She cradled it in her lap and tried not to cry.
"What's wrong?" Yukina asked.
"Nothing." Cuniculus said softly. "I just miss my son."
"Did he move out?"
"No. He died." Yukina bit her lip.
"Oh, I'm sorry!"
"Why?" Cuniculus looked up, "You did not end his life." Hiei frowned and leaned over to her and kissed her cheek gently.
"Calm down." he whispeared. Che nodded and slowley removed her veil.
"I am sorry. I just do not feel well. My apologizes." She looked over at Hiei. "I am sure we can find them some rooms." Hiei nodded and turned back to look at his friends.
"I'll find some." He said standing, "You go lie down." He kissed her hand and left the room, signaling for the others to follow.
"She's very lovley." said Kurama.
"Hn." Hiei answered. Kuwabara jumped infront of Hiei with a wide grin on his face.
"Oh! Hiei has a girlfriend!" He got Hiei in a head lock and ruffled his hair.
"Get off!" Hiei snapped and jerked away.
"He has a point." Kurama said, "I think you have a 'thing' for her." Hiei snorted and stopped.
"Here are your rooms." he motioned to a hall and pointed to five doors. "I must go now." He left for Cuniculus' room before they could say another thing.
She was sitting on the bed staring off into the distance, clutching the urn to her chest. She didn't look up as he came into the room. He knelt infront of her and stared intently at her face. Finally she turned to look at him. Her eyes seemed so blank, and empty.
"Lachtna always wanted to see the Ningenkai. I told him when he was older I'd take him. He wanted to know what a car was like and an apartment and how the lakes and oceans and mountains looked there. He said that when he died he wanted his ashes to be taken to a cliff over an ocean and scattered. I-" she stopped abruptly and turned back to the window.
"Cuniculus, I think you should return to the Ningenkai. I think you should destroy all that you have created here and...."
"I can't. I can't destroy the world. I created it. I shall leave it as it is and leave another to rule in my place. But I can't stay, you are right." She set the urn on the table and gazed at him.
"I need you to do something for me."
"What?" he asked. She jumped on him, pressing him to the bed and moving her hand up his shirt kissing him.
"Comfort me." she breathed in his ear, slipping off her clothes and pressing her body to his. He groaned and pulled off his own cloths holding her tightly.
Kurama opend his eyes and looked out the window. Morning. He walked down the hall to Cuniculus' room and knocked. No answer. He knocked again and opend the door. Cuniculus was laying on the bed, flat on her back, with Hiei on top of her, his head resting on her chest. One of his hands cupped her breast, sheilding it from Kurama's view. The covers were pushed down to Cuniculus' hips and her hand rested on Hiei's upper back. Hiei shifted slightly and opend his eyes. He looked up at Cuniculus and smiled, then over at Kurama. He looked a little embaressed.
"H-Hello." he said. Kurama smirked.
"Good morning." he replied. Hiei pulled the covers up.
"I was just coming to see what you were up to. But I'll leave." Just then Cuniculus groaned and opend her eyes. She looked at Kurama and blushed.
"Good morning." she said, tugging the covers over Hiei's head to cover her chest. Hiei smirked and bent down teaseing Cuniculus' nipples with his tounge. She moaned and smack the back of his neck.
"Stop! There is someone here!"
He bit down and she moaned loudly. Kurama chuckled.
"If that is the case," he said, "I shall leave you." And with that he turned and walked out of the room closing the door. Cuniculus turned down the covers to see Hiei giving her a wicked smile.
"I can not belive you just did that!" she said. Hiei moved up to kiss her. When he pulled away she asked him,
"How little was I covered up?"
"Down to your hips." Hiei replied. She blushed and put her hands to her face. Hiei chuckled and kissed her tenderly.
"Calm down, ningen, my hand was covering you breast." Cuniculus dropped her hands.
"Oh thats real comforting!" She snapped. Hiei smirked and sat up.
"How do you feel?" he asked her.
"Better." she said with a sigh. "Thank you."
"Your welcome." he replied and stood up, pulling on his clothes.
Yukina smiled up at Cuniculus as she paced widly around her room. They had been there a week and Yukina loved it! She got to wear beautiful gowns and be treated like a queen!
"Calm down, Cunniy!" Yukina cried. Cuniculus smiled at her kindly, but continued her paceing.
"Why is it taking those doctors so long?" Cuniculus asked stopping and collapsing on the bed.
"Have you told Hiei?" Yukina asked.
"No. I thought I'd wait till I knew for sure." she replied. Finally the doctor came in and smiled at Cuniculus.
"Your Majesty." he said bowing. Cuniculus was imediatly on her feet.
"Well?" she asked.
"You are, your majesty." he said standing straight. Cuniculus collapsed on the floor, looking stund. Just then Hiei and Kurama walked in.
"Cuniculus?" Hiei asked, "Are you ok? You look....."
"I'm pregnant." she said softly. Hiei's jaw dropped.
"Y-You're what...?"
"Pregnant." she said again. She looked up, "It's your child." Hiei stared at her wide eyed for a moment.
"Are you angry?" she asked him. Hiei scowled at her.
"Of course not....just....shocked....." Cuniculus slowly got to her feet and cleard her throat.
"Well, what do you think?" she asked. He walked over to her and put his arms around her.
"I-....er....." He looked at Kurama for help.
"I'm sure he thinks its wounderful, Cuniculus." he said. Hiei nodded and kissed her gently. Cuniculus rubbed her stomach and sighed.
"Guess I need to go get the pregnancy herb's from the Herbmistress." she said. "Anybody wish to join me."
"I will!" Yukina cried.
"So will I." Kurama said. Hiei was about to say that he would too but Cuniculus stopped him.
"Why don't you stay here, dear. I doubt you shall like it at that shop." With that she exited the room with Kurama and Yukina following her.
The Herbmistress smiled as Cuniculus entered the room. She was as radiante and beautiful as ever, dressed in her black mourning dress. Her companions wore brighter clothing than she. She smiled at the elderly woman and introduced her comrades as "Kurama and Yukina."
"Madam Ulva, I am with child." She said. "I-..."
"You needen't say more younger one." The Herbmistress said laughing. "I understand." She stood up and walked over to a cuboard and opend it pulling out bags and stoppers of herbs. She handed them to Cuniculus in a bag.
"Here, deary." Cuniculus reached into her purse for money but the Herbmistress stopped her. "Oh no! I don't want any, love. Just let me see the baby once you have it."
"But Madam Ulva! These herbs are expensive and hard to grow! I must pay you!" The Herbmistress shook her head, but Cuniculus persisted, trying to give her a handful off golden coins. Fianlly she won out and the Herbmistress reluctently took them. Cuniculus smiled and left the shop.
6 months passed swiftly. Cuniculus finally had order again in her court. Everything was back to normal and it was about time for them to go home. Cuniculus looked around her castle once more and smiled sadly as Hiei walked in.
"I'll miss this place. It has been my home for two years. But I can't stay." She stood up, placcing her hands under her well rounded belly.
"You can return once in a while if you wish." He walked over to her putting his hand on her lower back. Her rensiaunce dress streatched tightly over her stomach and flowed gently over her legs. She looked down at the urn she clutched in to her chest and smiled.
"Lets go." he said, "The others are waiting." She nodded and left her room. Vasu met her halfway down the hall.
"Cuniculus, we will miss you greatly." He put his hand to the side of her face.
"I will mis you too." she said, "And I pray you are a great king, Vasu." Vasu smiled and bent down, lightly kissing her cheek. Cuniculus smiled at him.
"Good bye, Vasu."
"Bye." he said and Cuniculus walked away.
"AH!" said Yusuke streatching. "Back in the Ningenkai." Hiei looked over at Cuniculus who was looking around her in awe. Yukina giggled at her expression.
"I had forgotton what this palce looked like long ago." she said softly. Hiei grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him.
"Come. I know you want to get this done." He lead her to a cliff over a sparkiling ocean. On the horision the sun was setting and a bird darted past them. Cuniculus looked at the urn she was clutching so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She nodded and removed the top, dumping the ashes into the wind. She was silent as she did this. Then she placed the top back on the urn and dropped it, letting it crash in the water below. She turned to Hiei and smiled weakly. Hiei kissed her gently.
"Don't cry." he said. Cuniculus nodded and walked back over to the group. Kurama looked down at her curiously. Cuniculus shook her head.
"It's nothing." she said. Kurama nodded and looked up at Hiei.
"What now?" he asked the fire demon.
"Now, we stay here for a while then go back to Makai." Kurama smiled. Cuniculus eyed Hiei weairily.
"Is that good?" she asked. The others laughed.
"Yes." said Yukina. Cuniculus blushed and nodded. Hiei put his arm around her shoulder.
"Don't worry, You'll like Makai. I promise."
the fucking end!! finally!