(Author's note: *turns suddenly as she hears a large boulder fall on the random carpet where Hiei's pieces were kept* O.O!!! eeeeeewwwww.... forgive me.. I beg you! *gets on hands and knees*.. *sighs* I'm going to need A LOT of glue when im done with this fic.)
Black Roses and Cinder's Ashes pt. 4
They continued to stared into one another's eyes as thoughts ran wildly through their heads and their hearts. Slowly, Hiei's hand wound around her waist pulling her closer to him. His face was only a few small inches from hers as the warmth of his breath on her skin made her tense. He gently wound his other hand around her slowly inching her closer to him.
"Forgive me," he whispered breaking the soft silence around them.
"Yes?" she whispered back to him in reply. "For what?"
"This," he softly replied as he slowly inched toward her.
Cristy relaxed into his arms knowing what he was about to do. Slowly, their eyes closed in awaiting anticipation as their lips softly parted. Then, she heard it. She gasped. Her eyes went wide in shock as she quickly turned to the distant clock tower of the town cathedral as the loud "bongs" of the midnight toll ran through the night. She turned back only to find the Prince worriedly watching her.
"It's midnight," she whispered urgently as Hiei made no reaction.
"So?" he whispered back to her uncomprehending.
"I have to go," she replied hurriedly as she pushed Hiei off her sending him flying backwards.
She stood to quickly run only to find Hiei's hand holding firmly to her wrist.
"No," he said sternly as she could sense a flicker of desperateness in his gaze. "You can't leave."
"I have to," she said hurriedly as she pulled out of Hiei's grasp. "Forgive me."
Lifting her skirts, Cristy ran. She ignored the desperate cries of the Prince calling for her to return only to have her keep on running. She ran as fast her kitsune legs could carry her. As she heard the desperate thumps on the cobblestone behind her, she ran quicker pushing her limits as though she had never pushed them before with the Prince deathly close to her heels.
The guests turned as they watched the mysterious girl charge into the ballroom in a ruckus and hurry. Violently, she pushed through the crowds ignoring the protests of the others as she ran by only focused on getting away, getting away from a man she could not possibly love.
"Hiei!" Kurama called as he pulled his friend to the side. "What's going on?"
"Let me go!" he cried desperately as he broke free of Kurama's grasp. "She's getting away!"
"Who?" asked Yusuke as he and Kuwabara walked up to the scene.
"Her!" Hiei yelled as he pointed to a dark figure in the crowd.
Kurama and the others nodded in understanding and quickly followed after Hiei violently pushing through the crowds.
"LET US THROUGH!" Hiei cried angrily. "MAKE WAY!"
Muffled screams echoed through the room as they pushed through the thick crowd not caring of who was in their way. As Hiei made his way out to the top of the marble staircase, he locked eyes with her one last time.
Cristy looked behind her one last time as she stood on the grand marble staircase looking up to the lighted ballroom as she could hear the muffled screams of the guests and her Prince as he tried to find her. Quickly, she resumed her run after locking eyes with her love for the last time.
"She's almost as fast as Hiei," panted Kuwabara as he and the others followed their prince down the ballroom staircase.
"SHUT UP AND RUN!" yelled Yusuke as he and Kurama continued to run only focused on the task ahead of them.
She winced as she fell from the bottom step and on to the hard cobblestone driveway. She quickly picked herself up not noticing the Prince's concerned stare or the small ruby slipper she had left behind.
Quickly, her carriage pulled up in front of her, the driver hurrying for her to get inside the safety of the coach. Loudly, she slammed the door as the carriage driver took off riding and galloping into the night.
Hiei watched her ride away on the quickness of four horses' hooves into the dark night. He would not give up that easily. Quickly, he ran to the stables and brought out four unbridled horses as he quickly mounted a large black stallion.
"GET ON!" he yelled loudly to the others pointing to the other horses. "WE'RE GOING AFTER HER!"
The others wasted no time mounting their stallions and galloping after their Prince and the mysterious girl. In the distance of the night, they could see the faint glimmer of orange and gold coming from the strange carriage and a small scared figure's head look out from the window.
Cristy looked back in fright as she saw what seemed like the ghostly four apocalyptic horsemen galloping behind her. Through the darkness of the night, she could see a dark figure on a deep black stallion as a red-haired figure galloped along side him on the wings of white horse as two figures rode behind them another dark-haired man on brown horse and an orange- haired man on a creamed stallion. She could hear the loud thunder of the four stallions' hooves and the banging in the church steeple echoing in the forest and the town around her. Then, she felt it.
She felt the once warm feeling of the magic slowly fading away to reveal her old servants rags. She looked at herself in shock as she came to an inevitable conclusion. 'I won't make it back home,' she thought frightened. She looked around the carriage the fine yellow-orange silk and cushions slowly began to constrict around her as she watched everything she dreamed fade away.
She looked out the window one last time as the forest raced by her. Unconsciously, she knew there was only one option. 'It's now or never,' she thought bravely as she slowly opened the quickly moving carriage door. Her door flew open as a small dark figured leaped into the dark forest night, thankfully unnoticed by the Prince and his advisors. With a soft thud, she landed on the cold damp soil of the forest floor as the Prince and his advisors raced by her the thunder of the hooves deafening her ears.
When it finally quieted down, she looked deep into the starry night sky silently wishing on an unseen shooting star. 'Please,' she begged to the stars above her. 'Let his highness and I be together.' She stood then noticing something on her foot. Looking down, she smiled as she saw one crimson and black jeweled glass slipper sparkling in the night. Slowly, she removed the shoe and held it close to her heart knowing that if she could never have the Prince something of his memory would be with her.
They ran after the carriage with vigor constantly pushing the horses beyond their limits ignoring their protesting neighs. They rode to the starlit town hoping to find some sign of it only to miss a large pumpkin and six mice sitting by the roadside.
They returned to the castle tired and exhausted as the guests wandered out to their carriages, the ball long since over. Hiei walked up to the ballroom stairs head held down hanging down low in depression. Then, he saw a small glimmer of crimson. He bent down to pick up a small slipper and smiled.
"What could have happened to the carriage?" asked Yusuke confused as he and the other advisors walked up to the ballroom stairs behind their Prince.
"Maybe it just disappeared?" Kuwabara suggested as Yusuke and Kurama shook their heads.
"It can't," said Kurama shaking his head. "It's scientifically proven to be impossible. No object, whether inanimate or living, can just 'disappear.'"
"Ok, so it didn't disappear," Kuwabara replied sarcastically. "Then, what happened to it, 'Pretty boy'?"
"Honestly," Kurama began as he shrugged. "I don't know."
"We'll find her," a voice interrupted suddenly making the others turn towards the sound.
"What do mean Hiei?" asked Kurama slightly confused. "There were so many girls here tonight. How do you plan to find one?"
"With this," he replied holding out the slipper to the group. "This belongs to her... I just know it."
"A shoe?" asked Yusuke confused. "Hiei, there could be several girls who could fit that shoe."
Hiei didn't listen as he turned away from the group.
"We'll start looking for her at dawn," he commanded sternly ignoring any protests that escaped the group.
As fast as she could manage, Cristy ran back home hoping to make it before her stepfather and sisters could. On tired legs, she walked into the old mansion and collapsed tiredly by the dying fireplace. Looking down on the slipper she held in her hands, Cristy smiled as she placed it in a hidden pocket in her rags.
The residents of the palace settled into a tired and restless sleep. Restlessly, Hiei paced around his large room constantly thinking of the young girl that he held in his arms as his advisors slept tiredly in their rooms. He watched the small ruby shoe glisten and glimmer in the soft candlelight of the chandelier. His worn fingers ran over every curve and crevasse of the shoe as he somehow wished for her to reappear and be in his arms once more. He could hear the distant chapel bells tolling once more telling him of the lateness of the night. Quietly, Hiei slipped into bed as he placed the small slipper on his night stand as a soft midnight breeze magically blew out the chandelier candles as he feel into a restless sleep.
As the dawn approached, many awoke to the sound of quickly spreading news of the Prince and his advisors' mission. In her home, Cristy awoke to the loud hollering of her stepfather trying to wake everyone on the once stately home.
"CINDERELLA!" Karasu yelled loudly as he roughly pulled her from her sleeping place instantly waking her. "GET THE BREAKFAST TRAYS NOW!"
"Yes stepfather," She replied quickly afraid to anger him.
She watched Karasu quickly run from the kitchen and up to the bedrooms in a hurry. 'What's going on?' she wondered to herself.
"KEIKO!" he cried as he ran into her room. "GET UP QUICKLY!"
"Wh.... what's going on?" Keiko slurred tiredly as Karasu pulled the covers off her. "Why are you waking me up father?"
"Hurry up and get dressed," he quickly commanded as he ran out of the room to her sister's bedroom.
"MUKURO!" he cried again as he woke up his second daughter. "GET UP!"
"Why?" she whined tiredly as she sat up rubbing her eyes. "It's early."
"You and your sister have to get dressed and freshened up quickly," he commanded sternly as Keiko and Cristy entered the room.
With the breakfast trays, Cristy walked up to the bedrooms hearing her stepfather's commands. As Keiko, still in her night shift, pushed her aside, Cristy slowly walked inside Mukuro's room and quietly listened to what her father began to say.
"You girls can't fail me," he commanded sternly once more. "The Prince and his advisors are looking for that girl."
"So what?" asked Mukuro as she yawned she and Keiko both unaware of Cristy's wide-eyed stare. "We're not her." said Keiko as she got into her sister's warm bed.
"But the Prince and everyone has no idea who she is," he began his voice with a scheming air to it. "If the Prince can find her, that girl will be his bride. He is madly in love with her."
Mukuro, Cristy, and Keiko's eyes went wide as the trays slipped from her hands sending them crashing to the floor.
"CINDERELLA!" her stepfather yelled angrily. "HOW STUPID OF YOU! CLEAN THAT UP THIS INSTANT!"
"Yes stepfather," she mumbled quietly hiding the shock in her voice.
"His... " Mukuro began her eyes wide in shock and surprise.
"Bride..." Keiko finished her voice in a soft whisper.
"CINDERELLA!" they cried simultaneously as they began to spout off commands only to have Cristy stand still with a soft look upon her face.
"Cinderella!" Mukuro yelled angrily as she stood hands on her hips. "What are you doing?! We need to get dressed."
"Dressed, of course," Cristy dreamily replied as she slowly made her way out the bedroom. "His advisors and his Highness can't see us like this... get dressed."
Keiko and Mukuro exchanged confused glances as Cristy made her way out of their room softly humming a waltz's tune to herself. Karasu took careful notice of Cristy as she slowly began to dance and twirl with an invisible man down the hallway. His eyes widened as his suspicions were confirmed. 'So...' he thought to himself as he glared at his stepdaughter dancing down the hallway. 'It was her.'
Black Roses and Cinder's Ashes pt. 4
They continued to stared into one another's eyes as thoughts ran wildly through their heads and their hearts. Slowly, Hiei's hand wound around her waist pulling her closer to him. His face was only a few small inches from hers as the warmth of his breath on her skin made her tense. He gently wound his other hand around her slowly inching her closer to him.
"Forgive me," he whispered breaking the soft silence around them.
"Yes?" she whispered back to him in reply. "For what?"
"This," he softly replied as he slowly inched toward her.
Cristy relaxed into his arms knowing what he was about to do. Slowly, their eyes closed in awaiting anticipation as their lips softly parted. Then, she heard it. She gasped. Her eyes went wide in shock as she quickly turned to the distant clock tower of the town cathedral as the loud "bongs" of the midnight toll ran through the night. She turned back only to find the Prince worriedly watching her.
"It's midnight," she whispered urgently as Hiei made no reaction.
"So?" he whispered back to her uncomprehending.
"I have to go," she replied hurriedly as she pushed Hiei off her sending him flying backwards.
She stood to quickly run only to find Hiei's hand holding firmly to her wrist.
"No," he said sternly as she could sense a flicker of desperateness in his gaze. "You can't leave."
"I have to," she said hurriedly as she pulled out of Hiei's grasp. "Forgive me."
Lifting her skirts, Cristy ran. She ignored the desperate cries of the Prince calling for her to return only to have her keep on running. She ran as fast her kitsune legs could carry her. As she heard the desperate thumps on the cobblestone behind her, she ran quicker pushing her limits as though she had never pushed them before with the Prince deathly close to her heels.
The guests turned as they watched the mysterious girl charge into the ballroom in a ruckus and hurry. Violently, she pushed through the crowds ignoring the protests of the others as she ran by only focused on getting away, getting away from a man she could not possibly love.
"Hiei!" Kurama called as he pulled his friend to the side. "What's going on?"
"Let me go!" he cried desperately as he broke free of Kurama's grasp. "She's getting away!"
"Who?" asked Yusuke as he and Kuwabara walked up to the scene.
"Her!" Hiei yelled as he pointed to a dark figure in the crowd.
Kurama and the others nodded in understanding and quickly followed after Hiei violently pushing through the crowds.
"LET US THROUGH!" Hiei cried angrily. "MAKE WAY!"
Muffled screams echoed through the room as they pushed through the thick crowd not caring of who was in their way. As Hiei made his way out to the top of the marble staircase, he locked eyes with her one last time.
Cristy looked behind her one last time as she stood on the grand marble staircase looking up to the lighted ballroom as she could hear the muffled screams of the guests and her Prince as he tried to find her. Quickly, she resumed her run after locking eyes with her love for the last time.
"She's almost as fast as Hiei," panted Kuwabara as he and the others followed their prince down the ballroom staircase.
"SHUT UP AND RUN!" yelled Yusuke as he and Kurama continued to run only focused on the task ahead of them.
She winced as she fell from the bottom step and on to the hard cobblestone driveway. She quickly picked herself up not noticing the Prince's concerned stare or the small ruby slipper she had left behind.
Quickly, her carriage pulled up in front of her, the driver hurrying for her to get inside the safety of the coach. Loudly, she slammed the door as the carriage driver took off riding and galloping into the night.
Hiei watched her ride away on the quickness of four horses' hooves into the dark night. He would not give up that easily. Quickly, he ran to the stables and brought out four unbridled horses as he quickly mounted a large black stallion.
"GET ON!" he yelled loudly to the others pointing to the other horses. "WE'RE GOING AFTER HER!"
The others wasted no time mounting their stallions and galloping after their Prince and the mysterious girl. In the distance of the night, they could see the faint glimmer of orange and gold coming from the strange carriage and a small scared figure's head look out from the window.
Cristy looked back in fright as she saw what seemed like the ghostly four apocalyptic horsemen galloping behind her. Through the darkness of the night, she could see a dark figure on a deep black stallion as a red-haired figure galloped along side him on the wings of white horse as two figures rode behind them another dark-haired man on brown horse and an orange- haired man on a creamed stallion. She could hear the loud thunder of the four stallions' hooves and the banging in the church steeple echoing in the forest and the town around her. Then, she felt it.
She felt the once warm feeling of the magic slowly fading away to reveal her old servants rags. She looked at herself in shock as she came to an inevitable conclusion. 'I won't make it back home,' she thought frightened. She looked around the carriage the fine yellow-orange silk and cushions slowly began to constrict around her as she watched everything she dreamed fade away.
She looked out the window one last time as the forest raced by her. Unconsciously, she knew there was only one option. 'It's now or never,' she thought bravely as she slowly opened the quickly moving carriage door. Her door flew open as a small dark figured leaped into the dark forest night, thankfully unnoticed by the Prince and his advisors. With a soft thud, she landed on the cold damp soil of the forest floor as the Prince and his advisors raced by her the thunder of the hooves deafening her ears.
When it finally quieted down, she looked deep into the starry night sky silently wishing on an unseen shooting star. 'Please,' she begged to the stars above her. 'Let his highness and I be together.' She stood then noticing something on her foot. Looking down, she smiled as she saw one crimson and black jeweled glass slipper sparkling in the night. Slowly, she removed the shoe and held it close to her heart knowing that if she could never have the Prince something of his memory would be with her.
They ran after the carriage with vigor constantly pushing the horses beyond their limits ignoring their protesting neighs. They rode to the starlit town hoping to find some sign of it only to miss a large pumpkin and six mice sitting by the roadside.
They returned to the castle tired and exhausted as the guests wandered out to their carriages, the ball long since over. Hiei walked up to the ballroom stairs head held down hanging down low in depression. Then, he saw a small glimmer of crimson. He bent down to pick up a small slipper and smiled.
"What could have happened to the carriage?" asked Yusuke confused as he and the other advisors walked up to the ballroom stairs behind their Prince.
"Maybe it just disappeared?" Kuwabara suggested as Yusuke and Kurama shook their heads.
"It can't," said Kurama shaking his head. "It's scientifically proven to be impossible. No object, whether inanimate or living, can just 'disappear.'"
"Ok, so it didn't disappear," Kuwabara replied sarcastically. "Then, what happened to it, 'Pretty boy'?"
"Honestly," Kurama began as he shrugged. "I don't know."
"We'll find her," a voice interrupted suddenly making the others turn towards the sound.
"What do mean Hiei?" asked Kurama slightly confused. "There were so many girls here tonight. How do you plan to find one?"
"With this," he replied holding out the slipper to the group. "This belongs to her... I just know it."
"A shoe?" asked Yusuke confused. "Hiei, there could be several girls who could fit that shoe."
Hiei didn't listen as he turned away from the group.
"We'll start looking for her at dawn," he commanded sternly ignoring any protests that escaped the group.
As fast as she could manage, Cristy ran back home hoping to make it before her stepfather and sisters could. On tired legs, she walked into the old mansion and collapsed tiredly by the dying fireplace. Looking down on the slipper she held in her hands, Cristy smiled as she placed it in a hidden pocket in her rags.
The residents of the palace settled into a tired and restless sleep. Restlessly, Hiei paced around his large room constantly thinking of the young girl that he held in his arms as his advisors slept tiredly in their rooms. He watched the small ruby shoe glisten and glimmer in the soft candlelight of the chandelier. His worn fingers ran over every curve and crevasse of the shoe as he somehow wished for her to reappear and be in his arms once more. He could hear the distant chapel bells tolling once more telling him of the lateness of the night. Quietly, Hiei slipped into bed as he placed the small slipper on his night stand as a soft midnight breeze magically blew out the chandelier candles as he feel into a restless sleep.
As the dawn approached, many awoke to the sound of quickly spreading news of the Prince and his advisors' mission. In her home, Cristy awoke to the loud hollering of her stepfather trying to wake everyone on the once stately home.
"CINDERELLA!" Karasu yelled loudly as he roughly pulled her from her sleeping place instantly waking her. "GET THE BREAKFAST TRAYS NOW!"
"Yes stepfather," She replied quickly afraid to anger him.
She watched Karasu quickly run from the kitchen and up to the bedrooms in a hurry. 'What's going on?' she wondered to herself.
"KEIKO!" he cried as he ran into her room. "GET UP QUICKLY!"
"Wh.... what's going on?" Keiko slurred tiredly as Karasu pulled the covers off her. "Why are you waking me up father?"
"Hurry up and get dressed," he quickly commanded as he ran out of the room to her sister's bedroom.
"MUKURO!" he cried again as he woke up his second daughter. "GET UP!"
"Why?" she whined tiredly as she sat up rubbing her eyes. "It's early."
"You and your sister have to get dressed and freshened up quickly," he commanded sternly as Keiko and Cristy entered the room.
With the breakfast trays, Cristy walked up to the bedrooms hearing her stepfather's commands. As Keiko, still in her night shift, pushed her aside, Cristy slowly walked inside Mukuro's room and quietly listened to what her father began to say.
"You girls can't fail me," he commanded sternly once more. "The Prince and his advisors are looking for that girl."
"So what?" asked Mukuro as she yawned she and Keiko both unaware of Cristy's wide-eyed stare. "We're not her." said Keiko as she got into her sister's warm bed.
"But the Prince and everyone has no idea who she is," he began his voice with a scheming air to it. "If the Prince can find her, that girl will be his bride. He is madly in love with her."
Mukuro, Cristy, and Keiko's eyes went wide as the trays slipped from her hands sending them crashing to the floor.
"CINDERELLA!" her stepfather yelled angrily. "HOW STUPID OF YOU! CLEAN THAT UP THIS INSTANT!"
"Yes stepfather," she mumbled quietly hiding the shock in her voice.
"His... " Mukuro began her eyes wide in shock and surprise.
"Bride..." Keiko finished her voice in a soft whisper.
"CINDERELLA!" they cried simultaneously as they began to spout off commands only to have Cristy stand still with a soft look upon her face.
"Cinderella!" Mukuro yelled angrily as she stood hands on her hips. "What are you doing?! We need to get dressed."
"Dressed, of course," Cristy dreamily replied as she slowly made her way out the bedroom. "His advisors and his Highness can't see us like this... get dressed."
Keiko and Mukuro exchanged confused glances as Cristy made her way out of their room softly humming a waltz's tune to herself. Karasu took careful notice of Cristy as she slowly began to dance and twirl with an invisible man down the hallway. His eyes widened as his suspicions were confirmed. 'So...' he thought to himself as he glared at his stepdaughter dancing down the hallway. 'It was her.'