Black Roses and Cinder's Ashes pt. 5
Cristy made her way down to the kitchen with a small smile of pure happiness on her face as she walked gracefully towards the sink. A large basin stood in the sink with a small pump for a faucet. Slowly, she pumped out the water and quickly washed her face, and for the first time, she could see how beautiful she really was unaware of the dark figure standing in the kitchen door.
Karasu watched Cristy carefully as she pranced around happily in the kitchen. 'No doubt thinking of that Prince,' he thought scornfully. 'How dare she take him away from my daughters. The stupid girl.' He placed his clawed hand on the handle of the kitchen door as he removed a small key from his pocket. Quickly and loudly, he slapped the kitchen door and turned the lock with the key as he ignored her cries of protests coming from inside.
Afraid, she turned to see a glimpse of her father slamming the kitchen door behind him and the soft click of the lock. 'No' she thought desperately. 'He can't do this... he can't.'
"No.." she whimpered as she slowly walked to the door trying to her tears back. "No.. No!"
As the first tears began to fall, Cristy screamed for mercy hoping her stepfather could hear her desperate whimpers of pain and sorrow. Her soft cries grew louder as the minutes and seconds past only to find no one to come to her aid. As her voice grew horse and tired, all she could do was to pray for a miracle.
Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara's heads seemed to bob up and down in tiredness as the carriage made its way to another house. Being the only one awake, Hiei constantly looked out the window as he held the slipper on a black silk cushion in his lap. Their search had begun at dawn just as he had commanded and no young lady who could fit the shoe so far had been the strange demon in his arms.
"Hiei," rasped Kurama tiredly his voice horse from lack of sleep. "We can't continue this. It's impossible. There must be many young ladies who fit that shoe."
"Then tell me," he retorted back to the kitsune. "If there are so many girls, then why do none of them fit this shoe?"
Without a reply, Kurama turned away resting his head on his hand as he placed his elbow on the carriage window trying not to fall asleep to the morning sunlight and soft breezes. The other advisors faired no better. Sitting next to Hiei, Yusuke sat in the same position as Kurama as a loudly snoring Kuwabara slept soundly next to the kitsune, his snores filling the carriage.
They felt the carriage come to a waking and jerking halt waking everyone as it stopped in the driveway of the final mansion. They turned as a footman came to their doors.
"The final stop your Highness," said the footman. "This is the home of the widower Karasu."
Hiei nodded. Tiredly, Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara seemed to stumble out of the carriage and into the bright sunlight. The three rubbed their eyes trying to wake themselves as they adjusted to the morning light. Straightening themselves, the four of them slowly walked to the door not knowing what to expect.
Karasu looked at his two daughters in approval knowing that one of them had to win Hiei's heart. 'Don't fail me girls,' he thought to himself sternly. 'I'm warning you.'
Keiko wore a periwinkle blue brocade gown that hugged her upper half tightly. The long skirt flared out slightly with a large blue bow in the back. Around her neck, a simple black choker rested as her hair was placed in a bun held with diamond clips and hair pins. Mukuro wore a dress similar to her sister's only to have her wear elbow length black gloves as her hair fell freely down her face and back.
Karasu turned as he heard a soft knocking on the entrance door. Holding his head up high, he walked towards the door and gracefully opened it. Outside, the Prince and his advisors stood.
"Welcome," Karasu began his eyes shining with kindness outside the metal mask. "To our humble home. Please come in."
Graciously, the four of them nodded and quietly walked inside the large mansion. The large livingroom was decorated with fine cherry furniture and tables with fine dark and light blue velvet chairs. On the windows hung light blue, gold tasseled velvet drapes. On the coffee table a fine white china tea set stood. Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke walked to separate lush velvet chairs and sat down. Then, Kurama stood.
"By royal proclamation of the Prince," he began as they others listened as Hiei rose holding the ruby slipper in his hands. "Every eligible maiden in the land is to try on this slipper.. And the one who fits it, shall become the Prince's bride."
Mukuro and Keiko's faces lit up as what their father had said proved true. Kurama smiled and returned to his chair as Kuwabara stood up. Walking over to the Prince, Kuwabara took the black cushion from his hands as he walked over to Keiko and Mukuro. He stopped at Mukuro's feet. Gently, she pulled up her skirt revealing a small part of a foot. He placed the small ruby slipper on to her foot. Mukuro slipped her foot into the slipper only to feel her heel sticking out from the bottom of the shoe. She quickly lowered her skirts to hide it.
"IT FITS!" she cried excitedly as the others looked up. "IT FITS! IT FITS!"
"It fits?!" Karasu asked excitedly.
"It fits?" Hiei asked smiling figuring he had met his bride.
Mukuro celebrated unaware of Kuwabara's next action. Proudly, Kuwabara held up her foot to show to the others now exposing the small shoe and her large foot. Instantly, everyone turned accusing stares her way.
"Wh... What.... What happened to it?!" she cried out in despair and nervousness. "It fit last night."
As she turned angry, she turned her gazes to Kuwabara.
"What did you do to it?" she asked threateningly as Kuwabara shrugged nervously.
"W-We've... done... n-nothing," he stuttered as he backed away from the demon girl.
Raged flashed in Mukuro's eyes as she stood and stalked towards the human. Raising her hand, Mukuro swung down her hand in a fast sweep hitting him hard in the head. Kuwabara fell to the ground dizzy and swirly eyed softly snoring as he dozed. Sweat drops went around the room. Mukuro ignored the human's current condition as she walked back to her seat to try to force the slipper onto her foot as Yusuke, and Kurama began to tend to their "fallen" friend. Glaring, Hiei walked over and snatched the slipper away from her.
"We'll move on to the next one," he said softly in a dangerous tone as she nodded meekly.
Hiei held the small slipper in the air signaling for Yusuke to take it. Yusuke stood from his unconscious friend's side and to Hiei's as he took the slipper. As Yusuke walked over to the other girl's side, Keiko modestly lifted her skirts revealing a pale foot. Yusuke smiled as she politely smiled back. Gently, Yusuke placed the small slipper onto her foot. Keiko's eyes went wide in rage as she spied Yusuke doing more than just placing a slipper on her foot. Pulling her hand back, she rapidly sent it flying on to Yusuke's face leaving him to walk away with a goofy grin and glowing red mark on his cheek with a fuming Keiko behind him. Another round of sweat drops when around the room.
Then, Keiko looked down at her foot as she saw the slipper fitting tightly. Her face lit in fake surprise.
"IT FITS!" she cried excitedly as the others turned again to look in shock. "IT FITS! I KNEW IT WOULD!"
Karasu's eyes lit up behind his mask once more as he clapped his hands together in evil delight. As the others continued to celebrate, Keiko's once happy expression to one of pure pain and agony.
"ITS CUTTING MY CIRCULATION!" she whined loudly as she broke down into sobs and wails. "GET IT OFF! I WANT IT OFF NOW!"
The others covered their ears trying to block her incessant wailing as Yusuke and Kurama rushed to her side to remove the shoe. Yusuke placed a hand on her mouth to silence her as Kurama rushed to pull of the shoe. Yusuke's eyes began to water as he felt a sharp vice clamp down on his hand. He looked down to find Keiko biting hard on his hand as she continued to scream in pain. He whimpered in pain as Kurama freed the shoe from her foot and as her wails were silenced freeing his hand from her sharp mouth. 'Who knew a human could do that,' Kurama thought as he looked at his friend's hand stinging with a large set of teeth marks.
"ENOUGH!" Hiei bellowed instantly silencing the rest of the room and Keiko's whimpers. "Karasu... are there any other girls in this house?"
Nervously, Karasu gulped at the Hiei's dangerous and deadly tone. Trying to not look suspicious, he shook his head as calm as he could. Then, they heard it.
Distraught, Cristy looked around the kitchen. 'I have to do something,' she thought as she wiped the last remnants of her tears. 'They have to find me.' She looked around the kitchen once more looking for away to alert the others. She tried to yell only to find her throat horse and tired barely making enough noise for a soft whisper. As she looked around once more, she spied a large set of pots sitting on the counter near the sink. Quickly, she walked over. As she pulled her hand back, she let go her arm quickly swinging towards the pile of pots sending them crashing to the floor their sound echoing through the house. She waited praying that the others could hear it.
They turned as a loud crash resounded through the house. All of a sudden, Karasu, Mukuro, and Keiko looked nervous.
"Are you sure there is no other girl here?" asked Hiei as he looked in the direction of the loud crash.
Karasu and his daughters nodded. The Prince and his two standing advisors looked warily at the three all sensing something was amiss in their home.
"Then tell us," Kurama suspiciously began. "What was that sound?"
"Mice?" Keiko quickly replied the others not believing.
"Those must be some large mice," muttered Yusuke sarcastically.
"Then," Prince Hiei began sternly. "If you have only mice as you say, then you have nothing to fear."
"Your Highness?" asked Karasu warily.
"I'm going to inspect that kitchen," Hiei replied suspiciously as Keiko, Karasu, and Mukuro exchanged fearing gazes as Hiei turned to his advisors. "You two come with me, and try to wake him up."
Yusuke and Kurama nodded obediently. Yusuke walked back towards his friend's sleeping body and roughly grabbed him by the collar. He raised his hand and brought it down on the boy's face with a hard swing.
"Wake up Kuwabara!" he yelled as he slapped Kuwabara again and again.
Suddenly, Yusuke dropped his friend's body as he felt a hard punch on his face. Stumbling backward, Yusuke glared as he fell to the floor as Kuwabara stirred.
"Ugh.. What happened?" Kuwabara asked dazed and confused.
"You punched me," Yusuke began still glaring. "What was that for?"
"Oh.. Sorry," Kuwabara replied as he stood on wobbling legs. "I thought you were Hiei."
Yusuke sweat dropped.
"Shall we be going?" asked Kurama calmly as he walked away from the scene the others following him.
They walked down to the kitchen, Karasu, Keiko, and Mukuro following nervously behind. As the Prince and his advisors reached the old wooden kitchen door, they could hear the soft whimpers of a young girl or animal. Hiei tried the door.
"It's locked," he said coldly as he turned to the others. "Where is the key?"
They turned to Karasu. Nervously, he looked around the other's faces.
"You- your Highness," he stuttered as all eyes stared down on him. "I assure you.. There is nothing but small field mice."
With a black blur, Hiei was at Karasu's side glaring at him his crimson eyes piercing his soul.
"Then you have nothing to fear," he began dangerously. "Give me that key."
(Author's note: I'm sooo sorry for the LONG wait.. Writer's block kinda sucks.. -.-''. Um.. I think I might have fixed most of the broken characters.. I'm really sorry about that again! Well, you probably thought it sucked and just flame it.. *sighs*)
Cristy made her way down to the kitchen with a small smile of pure happiness on her face as she walked gracefully towards the sink. A large basin stood in the sink with a small pump for a faucet. Slowly, she pumped out the water and quickly washed her face, and for the first time, she could see how beautiful she really was unaware of the dark figure standing in the kitchen door.
Karasu watched Cristy carefully as she pranced around happily in the kitchen. 'No doubt thinking of that Prince,' he thought scornfully. 'How dare she take him away from my daughters. The stupid girl.' He placed his clawed hand on the handle of the kitchen door as he removed a small key from his pocket. Quickly and loudly, he slapped the kitchen door and turned the lock with the key as he ignored her cries of protests coming from inside.
Afraid, she turned to see a glimpse of her father slamming the kitchen door behind him and the soft click of the lock. 'No' she thought desperately. 'He can't do this... he can't.'
"No.." she whimpered as she slowly walked to the door trying to her tears back. "No.. No!"
As the first tears began to fall, Cristy screamed for mercy hoping her stepfather could hear her desperate whimpers of pain and sorrow. Her soft cries grew louder as the minutes and seconds past only to find no one to come to her aid. As her voice grew horse and tired, all she could do was to pray for a miracle.
Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara's heads seemed to bob up and down in tiredness as the carriage made its way to another house. Being the only one awake, Hiei constantly looked out the window as he held the slipper on a black silk cushion in his lap. Their search had begun at dawn just as he had commanded and no young lady who could fit the shoe so far had been the strange demon in his arms.
"Hiei," rasped Kurama tiredly his voice horse from lack of sleep. "We can't continue this. It's impossible. There must be many young ladies who fit that shoe."
"Then tell me," he retorted back to the kitsune. "If there are so many girls, then why do none of them fit this shoe?"
Without a reply, Kurama turned away resting his head on his hand as he placed his elbow on the carriage window trying not to fall asleep to the morning sunlight and soft breezes. The other advisors faired no better. Sitting next to Hiei, Yusuke sat in the same position as Kurama as a loudly snoring Kuwabara slept soundly next to the kitsune, his snores filling the carriage.
They felt the carriage come to a waking and jerking halt waking everyone as it stopped in the driveway of the final mansion. They turned as a footman came to their doors.
"The final stop your Highness," said the footman. "This is the home of the widower Karasu."
Hiei nodded. Tiredly, Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara seemed to stumble out of the carriage and into the bright sunlight. The three rubbed their eyes trying to wake themselves as they adjusted to the morning light. Straightening themselves, the four of them slowly walked to the door not knowing what to expect.
Karasu looked at his two daughters in approval knowing that one of them had to win Hiei's heart. 'Don't fail me girls,' he thought to himself sternly. 'I'm warning you.'
Keiko wore a periwinkle blue brocade gown that hugged her upper half tightly. The long skirt flared out slightly with a large blue bow in the back. Around her neck, a simple black choker rested as her hair was placed in a bun held with diamond clips and hair pins. Mukuro wore a dress similar to her sister's only to have her wear elbow length black gloves as her hair fell freely down her face and back.
Karasu turned as he heard a soft knocking on the entrance door. Holding his head up high, he walked towards the door and gracefully opened it. Outside, the Prince and his advisors stood.
"Welcome," Karasu began his eyes shining with kindness outside the metal mask. "To our humble home. Please come in."
Graciously, the four of them nodded and quietly walked inside the large mansion. The large livingroom was decorated with fine cherry furniture and tables with fine dark and light blue velvet chairs. On the windows hung light blue, gold tasseled velvet drapes. On the coffee table a fine white china tea set stood. Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke walked to separate lush velvet chairs and sat down. Then, Kurama stood.
"By royal proclamation of the Prince," he began as they others listened as Hiei rose holding the ruby slipper in his hands. "Every eligible maiden in the land is to try on this slipper.. And the one who fits it, shall become the Prince's bride."
Mukuro and Keiko's faces lit up as what their father had said proved true. Kurama smiled and returned to his chair as Kuwabara stood up. Walking over to the Prince, Kuwabara took the black cushion from his hands as he walked over to Keiko and Mukuro. He stopped at Mukuro's feet. Gently, she pulled up her skirt revealing a small part of a foot. He placed the small ruby slipper on to her foot. Mukuro slipped her foot into the slipper only to feel her heel sticking out from the bottom of the shoe. She quickly lowered her skirts to hide it.
"IT FITS!" she cried excitedly as the others looked up. "IT FITS! IT FITS!"
"It fits?!" Karasu asked excitedly.
"It fits?" Hiei asked smiling figuring he had met his bride.
Mukuro celebrated unaware of Kuwabara's next action. Proudly, Kuwabara held up her foot to show to the others now exposing the small shoe and her large foot. Instantly, everyone turned accusing stares her way.
"Wh... What.... What happened to it?!" she cried out in despair and nervousness. "It fit last night."
As she turned angry, she turned her gazes to Kuwabara.
"What did you do to it?" she asked threateningly as Kuwabara shrugged nervously.
"W-We've... done... n-nothing," he stuttered as he backed away from the demon girl.
Raged flashed in Mukuro's eyes as she stood and stalked towards the human. Raising her hand, Mukuro swung down her hand in a fast sweep hitting him hard in the head. Kuwabara fell to the ground dizzy and swirly eyed softly snoring as he dozed. Sweat drops went around the room. Mukuro ignored the human's current condition as she walked back to her seat to try to force the slipper onto her foot as Yusuke, and Kurama began to tend to their "fallen" friend. Glaring, Hiei walked over and snatched the slipper away from her.
"We'll move on to the next one," he said softly in a dangerous tone as she nodded meekly.
Hiei held the small slipper in the air signaling for Yusuke to take it. Yusuke stood from his unconscious friend's side and to Hiei's as he took the slipper. As Yusuke walked over to the other girl's side, Keiko modestly lifted her skirts revealing a pale foot. Yusuke smiled as she politely smiled back. Gently, Yusuke placed the small slipper onto her foot. Keiko's eyes went wide in rage as she spied Yusuke doing more than just placing a slipper on her foot. Pulling her hand back, she rapidly sent it flying on to Yusuke's face leaving him to walk away with a goofy grin and glowing red mark on his cheek with a fuming Keiko behind him. Another round of sweat drops when around the room.
Then, Keiko looked down at her foot as she saw the slipper fitting tightly. Her face lit in fake surprise.
"IT FITS!" she cried excitedly as the others turned again to look in shock. "IT FITS! I KNEW IT WOULD!"
Karasu's eyes lit up behind his mask once more as he clapped his hands together in evil delight. As the others continued to celebrate, Keiko's once happy expression to one of pure pain and agony.
"ITS CUTTING MY CIRCULATION!" she whined loudly as she broke down into sobs and wails. "GET IT OFF! I WANT IT OFF NOW!"
The others covered their ears trying to block her incessant wailing as Yusuke and Kurama rushed to her side to remove the shoe. Yusuke placed a hand on her mouth to silence her as Kurama rushed to pull of the shoe. Yusuke's eyes began to water as he felt a sharp vice clamp down on his hand. He looked down to find Keiko biting hard on his hand as she continued to scream in pain. He whimpered in pain as Kurama freed the shoe from her foot and as her wails were silenced freeing his hand from her sharp mouth. 'Who knew a human could do that,' Kurama thought as he looked at his friend's hand stinging with a large set of teeth marks.
"ENOUGH!" Hiei bellowed instantly silencing the rest of the room and Keiko's whimpers. "Karasu... are there any other girls in this house?"
Nervously, Karasu gulped at the Hiei's dangerous and deadly tone. Trying to not look suspicious, he shook his head as calm as he could. Then, they heard it.
Distraught, Cristy looked around the kitchen. 'I have to do something,' she thought as she wiped the last remnants of her tears. 'They have to find me.' She looked around the kitchen once more looking for away to alert the others. She tried to yell only to find her throat horse and tired barely making enough noise for a soft whisper. As she looked around once more, she spied a large set of pots sitting on the counter near the sink. Quickly, she walked over. As she pulled her hand back, she let go her arm quickly swinging towards the pile of pots sending them crashing to the floor their sound echoing through the house. She waited praying that the others could hear it.
They turned as a loud crash resounded through the house. All of a sudden, Karasu, Mukuro, and Keiko looked nervous.
"Are you sure there is no other girl here?" asked Hiei as he looked in the direction of the loud crash.
Karasu and his daughters nodded. The Prince and his two standing advisors looked warily at the three all sensing something was amiss in their home.
"Then tell us," Kurama suspiciously began. "What was that sound?"
"Mice?" Keiko quickly replied the others not believing.
"Those must be some large mice," muttered Yusuke sarcastically.
"Then," Prince Hiei began sternly. "If you have only mice as you say, then you have nothing to fear."
"Your Highness?" asked Karasu warily.
"I'm going to inspect that kitchen," Hiei replied suspiciously as Keiko, Karasu, and Mukuro exchanged fearing gazes as Hiei turned to his advisors. "You two come with me, and try to wake him up."
Yusuke and Kurama nodded obediently. Yusuke walked back towards his friend's sleeping body and roughly grabbed him by the collar. He raised his hand and brought it down on the boy's face with a hard swing.
"Wake up Kuwabara!" he yelled as he slapped Kuwabara again and again.
Suddenly, Yusuke dropped his friend's body as he felt a hard punch on his face. Stumbling backward, Yusuke glared as he fell to the floor as Kuwabara stirred.
"Ugh.. What happened?" Kuwabara asked dazed and confused.
"You punched me," Yusuke began still glaring. "What was that for?"
"Oh.. Sorry," Kuwabara replied as he stood on wobbling legs. "I thought you were Hiei."
Yusuke sweat dropped.
"Shall we be going?" asked Kurama calmly as he walked away from the scene the others following him.
They walked down to the kitchen, Karasu, Keiko, and Mukuro following nervously behind. As the Prince and his advisors reached the old wooden kitchen door, they could hear the soft whimpers of a young girl or animal. Hiei tried the door.
"It's locked," he said coldly as he turned to the others. "Where is the key?"
They turned to Karasu. Nervously, he looked around the other's faces.
"You- your Highness," he stuttered as all eyes stared down on him. "I assure you.. There is nothing but small field mice."
With a black blur, Hiei was at Karasu's side glaring at him his crimson eyes piercing his soul.
"Then you have nothing to fear," he began dangerously. "Give me that key."
(Author's note: I'm sooo sorry for the LONG wait.. Writer's block kinda sucks.. -.-''. Um.. I think I might have fixed most of the broken characters.. I'm really sorry about that again! Well, you probably thought it sucked and just flame it.. *sighs*)