Chapter Fourteen: Journey to the Temple
They all gathered around Rin while she told them about the temple.
"The temple is located at the middle of those mountains. It is said that those three pendants you wear are keys for unlocking a secret about the curse that has been hidden for many years."
"Keys you say?" Yuki looked at his pendant.
She nodded.
"But I don't get it" Kyo said, "I understand why the damn rat and I have these pendants, we are cursed. But Tohru isn't."
"Princess" Yuki replied, "Where did you get that pendant?"
"It was a birthday present from my mom that I got on my fifth birthday. I have had it ever since."
"That still doesn't explain why your mom had it though" Kyo said, "I wonder, just what is the point?"
"Well I guess it's obvious what our next step is" Haru replied, "We have to go up on that mountain."
"Not we Haru" Yuki said, "Only Kyo, the princess, and I?"
"But how come?" Momiji whined.
"Because you're annoying," Kyo replied.
"Oh, everyone Kyo's being mean to me!"
"That's not why" Yuki interrupted, "Kyo and I ran into Hatori on our way here. You know that he will tell Akito that he saw us. You both need to get back to TarraSohma before that happens and intercept him."
"I agree" Haru nodded.
"Okay" Momiji agreed, "We will go back so Hari won't spoil anything."
"But are you sure we have to go through all that trouble?" Tohru replied, "I mean I don't want anything bad to happen to you two."
"Don't worry about it princess" Yuki smiled, "Besides we may never get another opportunity like this."
"That is true," she said.
"So what are we waiting for?" Kyo replied, "Let's get going."
"Hold on" Rin interrupted him, "You will need supplies for the trip. You will be camping out overnight after all."
"Haru and I should head back now," Momiji, said.
"You two hold up too" Rin replied, "I can take you to the doorway myself before it gets to dark."
"Whatever" Haru shrugged.
****************
"Do you really have to go Sissy?" Kisa said sadly as the sun was setting.
Kyo and Yuki were waiting by the gate for her with packs on their backs. Haru, Rin, and Momiji had left minutes before.
"I'm sorry Kisa, I'm afraid I do. But don't worry we will see each other again" Tohru smiled.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Kisa hugged her tight then Tohru grabbed her small pack on the ground.
"Goodbye Hiro" Tohru waved, "It was very nice to meet you."
"Whatever you say," he replied with his eyes shut, not caring in the slightest.
"You little brat!" Kyo shouted, "You show her some respect!"
"What are you my boss? Do you think you can just come here and start ordering me around?"
"Why you little."
"Kyo that's enough. Just forget him, we are wasting time" Yuki said.
"All right" Kyo sighed, "Let's go Tohru."
"I'm coming" Tohru grinned running after them. She looked back and waved one final goodbye.
Hiro walked up next to Kisa.
"Hard to believe that simple girl is a princess."
"Oh Hiro" Kisa said shaking her head.
*****************
The three of them walked up the mountain briskly as the sun finished setting. After awhile Yuki said they should stop to set up camp. While the boys pitched the tents, Tohru went to the nearby lake and got some water and fish for their supper. She was quite an excellent fisherman, since her mom taught her. Soon Yuki and Kyo joined her there. Yuki tried to catch a fish, but they kept slipping out of his fingers. Kyo by far was the best. Being a cat he could expertly catch them with his bare hands. They ate a leisurely dinner and then Yuki noticing the fire going down, went to fetch some more firewood.
"Kyo" Tohru replied as she watched him.
He was staring at the fire sadly. It was obvious that something was on his mind.
"What's wrong? she asked, "Are you hungry?"
"No I'm stuffed" he said, "That was some good fish you cooked. You know for a princess you sure do know an awful lot about outdoors kind of stuff."
"Well" she smiled, "I have my mom to thank for that. She was always very rebellious towards her role as a princess. She wanted to know and see more things beyond the walls of the palace."
"Sounds just like her daughter" Kyo smiled looking straight at her.
Tohru blushed.
"Yea, I guess I am like her in that way."
"I'll say. I mean the first time I met you I knew there was something different about you. I mean you're a princess. What were you doing in the village of TarraSohma? For that matter what were you doing in the palace? They are your enemy aren't they?"
"Yes" Tohru nodded sadly, "But for five years I lived the life of a noblewoman. But I never knew what it was like to serve people. I wanted to know. So when Yuki told me about the position, I leapt at the chance. Even though it was for TarraSohma."
I still don't know why you risked your life?"
"I didn't think of it as risking my life, more like an adventure, that I would never have again."
Kyo shook his head but continued to smile.
"You're crazy. It's a good thing you got out when you did though."
"I do miss them however" she replied, "I miss seeing Shigure and Kagura, Hatsuharu and Momiji, and Yuki. It's weird not seeing them everyday."
"Trust me you're better off. I am much happier being in the mountains then around those snobby jerks."
"Are you sure Kyo?" she asked, "I would get pretty lonely being on my own like that."
"Yea I'm sure. I don't need them, and I don't like most of them anyways. Besides as the Cat of the Zodiac I'm not exactly allowed at the palace except that time of the month during my" he hesitated, "Duration period."
"Oh yea I wondered why you didn't stay very long. Why only then?"
"It's complicated" he said shortly, "Not really worth mentioning."
"Oh okay" Tohru looked into the woods, "I wonder where Yuki is? He should have been back by now."
"You really like that damn rat don't you?" Kyo replied.
Tohru looked at him, her soft hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
"What do you mean?"
"You know. You like him."
"I do like him" she replied, "But I like you too Kyo. Very much."
He looked at her, grinning a little.
"You both are so dear to me, it's hard to describe the feelings I feel when you are around."
"Really?"
"Uh huh."
They were both silent for a moment, staring at each other's expressions, till they heard a crunch of leaves behind them. Yuki had returned with a pile of sticks for the fire.
"Oh Yuki" Tohru replied, "Did you have any trouble?"
"No not at all" Yuki smiled, but frowned a bit at Kyo.
"I'm going to bed," Kyo said hurriedly.
He climbed into his tent and shut the door.
"We should probably get some sleep too Princess" Yuki replied.
"Mhm" she nodded standing up, "Goodnight Yuki."
"Goodnight Princess."
"Yuki could you do me a favor, and not call me princess?"
"Oh okay. Is it all right if I call you Miss Honda again?"
"Yes I would prefer that" she smiled, "Goodnight Kyo!" she called.
"Night!" he answered back.
She crawled into her own tent and shut the door. Finally Yuki pulled out his sleeping bag and prepared himself for the first watch. As he gazed at the stars, he thought of the princess. Her smile was always so refreshing. He closed his eyes and fell fast asleep, his long eyelashes settling down over his eyelids. In his tent Kyo lay on his back. He too thought of the princess.
"You know" he thought, "She's something else. Her hair looked kind of pretty blowing in the wind like that."
He felt the redness touching his cheeks, so he quickly dismissed those thoughts, and then he too finally fell fast asleep.
****************
Momiji and Hatsuharu walked quietly up the stairs of the palace hoping that they were not too late. Shigure met them at the door.
"It's about time you two arrived back" Shigure replied, "Mission accomplished."
"Yea" Haru said, "But Shigure, tell us is Hatori here."
"Boy you two must be mind readers, he arrived about fifteen minutes ago."
"Shigure" Momiji replied, his heart pumping in his chest, "This is extremely important, where is Hari now?"
"Oh he is in conference with Akito as we speak."
Hatsuharu and Momiji looked at each other. They were too late.
************************************************************** **
Authors Note: There you have it. For those Kyo fans there's a Kyoru moment. Don't worry Yuki fans, they will have one too. Till Monday, enjoy!!!
Next Chapter: Unraveling the Past
The Moon-bearers summon an old ancestor who gives them a clue to the person who placed the Zodiac curse.
They all gathered around Rin while she told them about the temple.
"The temple is located at the middle of those mountains. It is said that those three pendants you wear are keys for unlocking a secret about the curse that has been hidden for many years."
"Keys you say?" Yuki looked at his pendant.
She nodded.
"But I don't get it" Kyo said, "I understand why the damn rat and I have these pendants, we are cursed. But Tohru isn't."
"Princess" Yuki replied, "Where did you get that pendant?"
"It was a birthday present from my mom that I got on my fifth birthday. I have had it ever since."
"That still doesn't explain why your mom had it though" Kyo said, "I wonder, just what is the point?"
"Well I guess it's obvious what our next step is" Haru replied, "We have to go up on that mountain."
"Not we Haru" Yuki said, "Only Kyo, the princess, and I?"
"But how come?" Momiji whined.
"Because you're annoying," Kyo replied.
"Oh, everyone Kyo's being mean to me!"
"That's not why" Yuki interrupted, "Kyo and I ran into Hatori on our way here. You know that he will tell Akito that he saw us. You both need to get back to TarraSohma before that happens and intercept him."
"I agree" Haru nodded.
"Okay" Momiji agreed, "We will go back so Hari won't spoil anything."
"But are you sure we have to go through all that trouble?" Tohru replied, "I mean I don't want anything bad to happen to you two."
"Don't worry about it princess" Yuki smiled, "Besides we may never get another opportunity like this."
"That is true," she said.
"So what are we waiting for?" Kyo replied, "Let's get going."
"Hold on" Rin interrupted him, "You will need supplies for the trip. You will be camping out overnight after all."
"Haru and I should head back now," Momiji, said.
"You two hold up too" Rin replied, "I can take you to the doorway myself before it gets to dark."
"Whatever" Haru shrugged.
****************
"Do you really have to go Sissy?" Kisa said sadly as the sun was setting.
Kyo and Yuki were waiting by the gate for her with packs on their backs. Haru, Rin, and Momiji had left minutes before.
"I'm sorry Kisa, I'm afraid I do. But don't worry we will see each other again" Tohru smiled.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Kisa hugged her tight then Tohru grabbed her small pack on the ground.
"Goodbye Hiro" Tohru waved, "It was very nice to meet you."
"Whatever you say," he replied with his eyes shut, not caring in the slightest.
"You little brat!" Kyo shouted, "You show her some respect!"
"What are you my boss? Do you think you can just come here and start ordering me around?"
"Why you little."
"Kyo that's enough. Just forget him, we are wasting time" Yuki said.
"All right" Kyo sighed, "Let's go Tohru."
"I'm coming" Tohru grinned running after them. She looked back and waved one final goodbye.
Hiro walked up next to Kisa.
"Hard to believe that simple girl is a princess."
"Oh Hiro" Kisa said shaking her head.
*****************
The three of them walked up the mountain briskly as the sun finished setting. After awhile Yuki said they should stop to set up camp. While the boys pitched the tents, Tohru went to the nearby lake and got some water and fish for their supper. She was quite an excellent fisherman, since her mom taught her. Soon Yuki and Kyo joined her there. Yuki tried to catch a fish, but they kept slipping out of his fingers. Kyo by far was the best. Being a cat he could expertly catch them with his bare hands. They ate a leisurely dinner and then Yuki noticing the fire going down, went to fetch some more firewood.
"Kyo" Tohru replied as she watched him.
He was staring at the fire sadly. It was obvious that something was on his mind.
"What's wrong? she asked, "Are you hungry?"
"No I'm stuffed" he said, "That was some good fish you cooked. You know for a princess you sure do know an awful lot about outdoors kind of stuff."
"Well" she smiled, "I have my mom to thank for that. She was always very rebellious towards her role as a princess. She wanted to know and see more things beyond the walls of the palace."
"Sounds just like her daughter" Kyo smiled looking straight at her.
Tohru blushed.
"Yea, I guess I am like her in that way."
"I'll say. I mean the first time I met you I knew there was something different about you. I mean you're a princess. What were you doing in the village of TarraSohma? For that matter what were you doing in the palace? They are your enemy aren't they?"
"Yes" Tohru nodded sadly, "But for five years I lived the life of a noblewoman. But I never knew what it was like to serve people. I wanted to know. So when Yuki told me about the position, I leapt at the chance. Even though it was for TarraSohma."
I still don't know why you risked your life?"
"I didn't think of it as risking my life, more like an adventure, that I would never have again."
Kyo shook his head but continued to smile.
"You're crazy. It's a good thing you got out when you did though."
"I do miss them however" she replied, "I miss seeing Shigure and Kagura, Hatsuharu and Momiji, and Yuki. It's weird not seeing them everyday."
"Trust me you're better off. I am much happier being in the mountains then around those snobby jerks."
"Are you sure Kyo?" she asked, "I would get pretty lonely being on my own like that."
"Yea I'm sure. I don't need them, and I don't like most of them anyways. Besides as the Cat of the Zodiac I'm not exactly allowed at the palace except that time of the month during my" he hesitated, "Duration period."
"Oh yea I wondered why you didn't stay very long. Why only then?"
"It's complicated" he said shortly, "Not really worth mentioning."
"Oh okay" Tohru looked into the woods, "I wonder where Yuki is? He should have been back by now."
"You really like that damn rat don't you?" Kyo replied.
Tohru looked at him, her soft hair blowing in the gentle breeze.
"What do you mean?"
"You know. You like him."
"I do like him" she replied, "But I like you too Kyo. Very much."
He looked at her, grinning a little.
"You both are so dear to me, it's hard to describe the feelings I feel when you are around."
"Really?"
"Uh huh."
They were both silent for a moment, staring at each other's expressions, till they heard a crunch of leaves behind them. Yuki had returned with a pile of sticks for the fire.
"Oh Yuki" Tohru replied, "Did you have any trouble?"
"No not at all" Yuki smiled, but frowned a bit at Kyo.
"I'm going to bed," Kyo said hurriedly.
He climbed into his tent and shut the door.
"We should probably get some sleep too Princess" Yuki replied.
"Mhm" she nodded standing up, "Goodnight Yuki."
"Goodnight Princess."
"Yuki could you do me a favor, and not call me princess?"
"Oh okay. Is it all right if I call you Miss Honda again?"
"Yes I would prefer that" she smiled, "Goodnight Kyo!" she called.
"Night!" he answered back.
She crawled into her own tent and shut the door. Finally Yuki pulled out his sleeping bag and prepared himself for the first watch. As he gazed at the stars, he thought of the princess. Her smile was always so refreshing. He closed his eyes and fell fast asleep, his long eyelashes settling down over his eyelids. In his tent Kyo lay on his back. He too thought of the princess.
"You know" he thought, "She's something else. Her hair looked kind of pretty blowing in the wind like that."
He felt the redness touching his cheeks, so he quickly dismissed those thoughts, and then he too finally fell fast asleep.
****************
Momiji and Hatsuharu walked quietly up the stairs of the palace hoping that they were not too late. Shigure met them at the door.
"It's about time you two arrived back" Shigure replied, "Mission accomplished."
"Yea" Haru said, "But Shigure, tell us is Hatori here."
"Boy you two must be mind readers, he arrived about fifteen minutes ago."
"Shigure" Momiji replied, his heart pumping in his chest, "This is extremely important, where is Hari now?"
"Oh he is in conference with Akito as we speak."
Hatsuharu and Momiji looked at each other. They were too late.
************************************************************** **
Authors Note: There you have it. For those Kyo fans there's a Kyoru moment. Don't worry Yuki fans, they will have one too. Till Monday, enjoy!!!
Next Chapter: Unraveling the Past
The Moon-bearers summon an old ancestor who gives them a clue to the person who placed the Zodiac curse.