AN: Just when I think I can steer things back to my MAIN ORIGINAL idea
*laugh* my imaginative mind goes *ooh, let's try this too*. I hope you
guys don't mind!!
Review Comments:
Del_kaidin(): *laughs* I wonder what Mrs. Manners would say about that. "For a mating gift, it is only right that you send a white toaster if the couple is from different times, a red toaster if they are from different species and a black toaster if it matches their kitchen." *laugh* I love the blue flyswatter of death!! I'm glad you have a little faith left in Kae, poor guy has been the victim enough, its about time we show a little known side. *evil grin*
pruningshears : Well, as long as you wait till you die, and not die waiting, I think I would have to stop writing from sorrow if any of my readers died while waiting for my stuff *sob*
Tiranth: I KNOW!! I want to touch the ears, but she won't let me *pouts and points to a very protective Francesca*. They look so soft, and warm, and- le sigh- oh to dream. I'm sure she'll get to touch the ears eventually. I'm glad you liked the scene, I was trying to convey a very intimate moment, without making it crude or just plain wrong, I hope I was successful!
Nina-Moon-Princess: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it, I hope you won't hate me for what I'm about to do in this one!
Chapter 28
I kept true to my word, and awoke a short time later, Keitaro still using me as a pillow. Just a quick check told me that this time he was really deeply asleep, and wouldn't wake up for at least an hour or so. This newfound sense was amazing, it was like having someone else sharing my body, but not completely. His conscious mind was simply an attachment of my own. I gently moved from underneath him, careful not to disturb his sleep. I never knew that it would take so much out of him, I would have to ask-
Ask who? I didn't quite know who to ask. I couldn't face his parents, that was just extremely too awkward. I mean, how do you ask your mate's parents about mating itself. I reached for my top as I blushed from head to toe. My mate, my husband. By all standards, I was now a married woman. I placed my hand on my cheek, hoping to cool my skin, but it only made it worse.
I took a deep breath and rose to my feet, the wood remaining silent under my feet as I made my way to the door, sliding it open and closed again, without even registering on Keitaro's subconscious. Standing just outside the door, looking like he was waiting for me, arms crossed over his chest, and leaning against a column, was Kaemon.
I sighed deeply, I was really feeling good this morning, and if he started on his tirade I would really have to hurt him.
"Can we talk?" he asked meekly, catching me completely by surprise.
"Sure," I said, keeping my stance completely neutral. He looked around and motioned to the woods, "not here, let's walk, where there are less spies."
I saw him looking at one of the servants with a suspicious eye and nodded, "Alright, lead the way."
It was still very early, the sun was just coming over the tops of the surrounding hills and the ground was still misty wet with dew. Already I could feel the heat rising and knew it was going to be a hot day.
After a moment, he spoke," I see you both lied yesterday."
I reached up and touched my neck, noting for the first time how sore it was.
"That is a very new mating mark. I would bet that you didn't know you have a huge bruise on your neck," he never turned to look at me, for which I was thankful, because I knew my face was bright red.
"Would you have really wished Keitaro into a fate like his uncle's? Alone and unloved?"
He didn't reply and I was grateful, I didn't want to start up again.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked softly, noticed his pace had begun to slow.
"Megahna's up to something," he said softly, "I think she was behind that mess last night."
I nodded, "I had the same feeling, but I don't know how to prove it, those are pretty strong charges, and I don't want to cause Keitaro any more troubles with her. It's pretty obvious she wants to get rid of him in any way she can."
"You're smarter than you look," he said softly, and stopped at the tree line. I froze and stared at him, "Excuse me?!"
He turned to face me, and his lips held a mischievous smile, "Or then again, perhaps not, since you willingly followed me out here."
I narrowed my eyes angrily, "Kaemon, have you completely lost your mind?"
He stepped forward and grabbed a hold of my wrist hard, and even though I pulled with all my strength, I couldn't free myself from his grip.
"You're hurting me," I whispered, and watched as he grin, and mockingly repeated, "You're hurting me, oh boo hoo." I stared up at him in amazement, he might have been rude at times, or angry, but never cruel, not like this.
"You're not Kaemon," I whispered as the wind whipped around us. He grinned and spun, using the momentum of his movement to pull me past him and out of the tree line. I skidded across stone, stopping just a foot from the edge. I found myself staring down into the blackness of a dark, deep canyon, so narrow that no light reached the bottom. I quickly scrambled to my feet.
"It took you long enough, little hime," he sneered, and I watched as his face rounded out, his hair melting away into a short cut. It was the woman from the night before! How could I have been so stupid to forget that threat. I stood my ground, I didn't dare back up for fear of loosing my balance.
"Why?" I asked softly, "Why are you doing this?"
"Nothing personal, but I am paid to take care of problems, and you are most defiantly a problem, human," she said, her voice liquid ice. I crossed my arms over my chest, " So what are you going to do?" I groaned, ask a stupid question, expect a stupid answer!
"Of course I'm going to kill you, like my orders say, but I'm throwing in my own sort of bonus," she grinned, and moved lightening quick to me, wrapping her hand around my throat. I grabbed a hold of her wrist, trying to pull her hand away, but the more I struggled, the tighter her grip became. I stopped moving, reserving my energies and trying to make the most of the minimal amount of air that I was getting to my lungs.
"Your Keitaro is quite a handsome creatures, even for a hanyou. He is strong and loyal, and seems very- healthy," she purred licking her lips and I shuddered at the thought of her getting her hands on him. "I imagine he would be very upset to learn that his little mate was gone, and I shouldn't do that to him." She smiled softly, a look I wouldn't have expected from her, as she shifted in front of me, her hair growing out long, thick and red, her skin taking on a tanner tone, and the once robes of a samurai shifting into an identical twin of my clothing. I stared back at my own reflection in horror.
"You would never get away with it, he'll know the difference! He knew last night," I yelled, and she tsked, "Yes, I forgot some minor details, but this time, I have a much better subject to study." Her neck grew dark along the side, and emerging from the top of the ring were two small marks, silver in color.
"He could never question these marks," she purred, using her other hand to touch her own cheek.
I grinned, "Oh, you think a few bodily changes will help you? There is a world of things that he knows about me, things that you cannot duplicate in a million years, like my mem-" I froze as she laughed.
"Your memories? Oh, foolish creature, you don't think that is an easy thing to change?" she let her-my eyes get large and doe, "I remember fighting with some woman, and she fell off the cliff, and everything got so dark, but I can't remember anything else, oh hold me Keitaro!"
I snarled at her, "You bitch!"
"Thank you, but soon I'll be his bitch, don't you worry, I'll make very sure he's very happy," she purred, and took a step forward, driving me towards the cliff. I felt the ground disappear behind my heel, and glanced down.
"Goodbye stupid woman, thank you for all your help," she said with a cruel laugh, and shoved her hand into my neck, pushing me backwards. I clawed at air, for she had pulled back, and felt gravity grab a hold of me. The world above me grew small as I felt the wind rushing around me, announcing the fact that I was falling into that darkness. I closed my eyes, and prepared myself for the inevitable, whispering, "Kei" as I was enveloped in a black ice.
~~*~~ Third Person
The assassin watched the young woman disappear into the shadows of the canyon and grinned. Now all that was left was to return to the castle. Once she had settled into the life of that woman, not even Megahna could touch her. Everyone would believe she was that strange human. She took a step forward when she heard a noise in the bushes.
"Who's there," she whispered in that new voice, and saw a shadow appear in the tree line, golden eyes glowing in the dark.
"You thought you could really trick me and get away with it," came a hard cold voice, and the assassin shivered.
"Mistress!" she whispered and saw a flash of white and black cross in front of her eyes. Pain radiated through her body and she looked down to see the river of red pour from her chest. Shocked, she stared up at her mistress, "but-" she gasped, as she stumbled backwards, "Mistress please!"
"You have been properly rewarded for your services," came that ice cold voice again, this time laced with cruel humor, "Now I send you to hell, where you belong!" The assassin stared down at the pools of blood, that were now collecting at her feet, and fell backwards, following her victim into the abyss.
The woman in the shadows grinned and licked the blood from her fingertips, "A pity I didn't get to kill her myself, but killing one who looks like her is satisfaction enough, for now."
~~*~~ Meanwhile *Kei POV*
I stretched out lazily, and reached over to embrace my mate, when I noticed that the spot that should have been warm and fragrant with her body, wasn't there. In fact she had been missing for some time. Instinctively I jumped to my feet, pulling my yukata around my shoulders and ran out of the room.
I grabbed the first servant I saw, "Where is Lady Francesca?!" I roared at the poor young thing, a human girl. I could see the terror rise in her eyes, as she whimpered.
"I saw her this morning Lord, with the young man in your company, the samurai!" she whispered and I quickly let her go, running for Kaemon's room.
"I will tear him to bits if he's tried anything against her," I growled loudly, and threw open his door.
Inside the room was still very dark, and in the corner of the room, I saw a shape move.
"Show yourself," I barked, and heard the muffled sounds of a voice.
"Francesca!" I said worriedly, and grabbed the figure. But it wasn't Francesca. Tied up, and looking both angry and very ashamed at the same time, was Kaemon. I quickly loosened his bonds.
"Where is Francesca?!" I yelled at him, and was rewarded with an angry look, "How should I know, I've been a bit indisposed as you can see."
I stared at him, as he slipped on his robes, "It was that woman from the other night, she came in here, disguised as Francesca. I didn't know it wasn't her, till she- well it doesn't matter, where is Francesca?!"
I glared at him, stupid ecchi cousin of mine, falling for that shape shifter's trick. Never mind that I almost fell for the same thing, wait a minute.
"If you weren't with her," I whispered, and caught his eyes We shared the same thought, as we both ran for the door. Already I was yelling the alarm, startling guests from their rooms. My mother and father came running to meet me, Kohana on their heels.
"Francesca's missing," I told them, and Kohana's eyes grew large.
"That woman," my mother whispered and I nodded, "Get everyone searching now, I'm going to see if I can't find her scent."
My father reached forward and grabbed my arm, "Did you complete the mating ceremony?"
I stared at him, for being a very impersonal man, he was asking the wrong questions at the wrong time, "That doesn't matter right now Father!" He gripped my shoulder even harder, "Answer me boy, did you?!"
I stared at him, "Yes Damnit, I did!" He nodded, "Follow the link, it's much stronger than a scent trail, and can't be erased!" I blinked quickly and nodded, "Arigato," I said and leapt into the gardens, my nose and senses reaching out for any sign of her. I found her scent trail quickly, it was the link I couldn't find. I ran through the brush, and I heard Kaemon just behind me. It didn't surprise me too much, he was a fast runner, for a human and I put on another boost of speed. A light flashed before me and I quickly slowed down as I came out of the clearing. I recognized this cliff, the mouth of despair, some called it. Many a distraught person, had ended their life from here.
I quickly shook my head, to clear myself of those thoughts, when something caught my nose, a familiar and all too frightening smell. Blood.
I stared down at my feet, at the still glistening liquid that was drying in the sun, and felt my body freeze.
All too carefully I knelt down, reaching out to touch the liquid, my mind whispering doubts at me.
"Keitaro, did you- oh no" came a voice behind me and I quickly looked back to see Kaemon standing there, his face pale white. The accomplished samurai was sickened by the sight of blood, it might have been amusing if not for the context that it meant.
"Nii-san," I heard whispered, and saw Kohana appear from the forest, my father behind her.
"Get her out of here!" I shouted and her eyes fell from my face to the ground at my feet. My father seemed to understand at that moment, and grabbed her, pulling her close, but she had already begun to wail.
"Nee-san!!" she screamed and the sound of her pain echoed in my heart. No, Francesca couldn't be dead, I wouldn't let it be so. She wasn't dead, I kept hearing those words echo in my head, she's not dead, she's not dead, not now!
The rest of the search party, lead by Kohana's screams arrived and stared at the sight before him. Kaemon had fallen to his knees, colorless, and I was digging my claws into my hands, hearing the blood trickle down to join the blood already spilt.
"She's not dead," I whispered and heard a painful cry as Kaemon leapt to his feet, his hand drawing his sword.
"This is all YOUR fault! You and your stupid family! She's dead because she was trying to help you, because you loved her. You killed her!" he screamed and charged at me. I quickly stepped out of the way.
"Kaemon, don't do this, not now," I pleaded my heart already full of grief, as the true possibility played itself out in my head. Everyone watched us, my mother, and sisters in each other's arms, tears spilling down their cheeks, filling the air with a spicy salty smell. Kaemon ran at me again, and I dodged out of the way.
Something black flew through the air and I quickly caught it. It was Tetsusaiga sheath. I stared at it, and then looked back at my father, who simply nodded silently. Even on his face, I could see grief lurking below the surface. I blocked Kaemon's next attack, holding off the power of his swing with the strength that the sheath had.
"You killed her! Why her Keitaro, of all the women in the world, why her? Why did you have to take the most important being in the world away from me! You always have!"
I stared at him, as tears streamed down his cheeks, tears of anger and grief. "What are you talking about Kaemon?!"
"You always had the best, the strengths, the power, abilities that I could never achieve no matter how hard I trained, you were always better!"
I stared at him, deftly blocking another blow, "What are you talking about? You were the one with everything. The people in the village accepted you, admired you, every girl in the village followed your path, you were accepted to be fostered by the Lord. You were everything I wanted to be, because you were what everyone else wanted. Francesca was the first person outside my family to simply want me, for everything I am and am not!"
He froze in his attacks, and stared at me, and a sickening sad laugh escaped his lips, "How pathetic, that we both lose what we treasured the most, to realize how much we truly had," he said, falling to one knee into the blood. His hand was pressed against his mouth, as he began to sob loudly.
Kohana had buried herself deep in the embrace of my mother, and I stared down at the blood once again, the blood that had flushed those cheeks, the blood- wait a second.
I knelt down, and took a deep long breath, and my eyes widened.
"It's not her!"
Everyone fell silent, and I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Keitaro," my father whispered and I shook my head.
"No, its not her!"
"But her scent is everywhere," he said, and I pressed my hand into the blood, standing and presented it to him, "But the blood doesn't have her scent, the ground does, but not the blood. It's not her blood!"
Kohana looked up from my mother's arms, and her puffy red face, showed the first glimmer of hope. She pulled free and ran to my side, her tiny body bowing over to press her nose into the dirt. She sniffed, and sneezed, and took a few steps forward.
"Nii-san's scent is all over here," she whispered and looked out at the edge, "It goes that way."
"Then she is dead," came a heartless voice, and I turned to see my aunt step forward in the crowd.
"No, I refuse to believe it till I see her body myself, "I growled, my hands clenching at my sides.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, if she fell over that edge, she would have been sliced to shreds on the razor rocks of this canyon, and anything large enough to keep a scent would have been washed away by the river below, " she said calmly.
"Then I will follow the river," I said, and turned to my uncle, "Where does it lead?" He glanced at me a moment, and I knew his impeccable memory was scanning the maps in his mind.
"North, it flows north," he said passively. I looked to my companions, "Then north we go."
"But Kei, if she didn't survive," Maeko whispered and I glared at her, "She's alive Maeko, I know it in here," I said, touching my chest, "She's my mate, and I can still feel her inside here, so I know she's alive."
My uncle turned to a minor lord who stood near him, and grunted an order. He nodded and took off in a run for the castle, and I knew that by the time we returned, our belongings would be prepared and we would be provided with transportation out of the mountains.
"Let's go find her," I said and everyone nodded grimly, following me back to the castle.
AN: There, Megahna got to kill someone, happy Megan? I hope you all enjoyed this, I wasn't expecting to write so soon, but I couldn't sleep, this idea was beating into my conscious mind and wouldn't give me a break, so I had to get it out!
Review Comments:
Del_kaidin(): *laughs* I wonder what Mrs. Manners would say about that. "For a mating gift, it is only right that you send a white toaster if the couple is from different times, a red toaster if they are from different species and a black toaster if it matches their kitchen." *laugh* I love the blue flyswatter of death!! I'm glad you have a little faith left in Kae, poor guy has been the victim enough, its about time we show a little known side. *evil grin*
pruningshears : Well, as long as you wait till you die, and not die waiting, I think I would have to stop writing from sorrow if any of my readers died while waiting for my stuff *sob*
Tiranth: I KNOW!! I want to touch the ears, but she won't let me *pouts and points to a very protective Francesca*. They look so soft, and warm, and- le sigh- oh to dream. I'm sure she'll get to touch the ears eventually. I'm glad you liked the scene, I was trying to convey a very intimate moment, without making it crude or just plain wrong, I hope I was successful!
Nina-Moon-Princess: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it, I hope you won't hate me for what I'm about to do in this one!
Chapter 28
I kept true to my word, and awoke a short time later, Keitaro still using me as a pillow. Just a quick check told me that this time he was really deeply asleep, and wouldn't wake up for at least an hour or so. This newfound sense was amazing, it was like having someone else sharing my body, but not completely. His conscious mind was simply an attachment of my own. I gently moved from underneath him, careful not to disturb his sleep. I never knew that it would take so much out of him, I would have to ask-
Ask who? I didn't quite know who to ask. I couldn't face his parents, that was just extremely too awkward. I mean, how do you ask your mate's parents about mating itself. I reached for my top as I blushed from head to toe. My mate, my husband. By all standards, I was now a married woman. I placed my hand on my cheek, hoping to cool my skin, but it only made it worse.
I took a deep breath and rose to my feet, the wood remaining silent under my feet as I made my way to the door, sliding it open and closed again, without even registering on Keitaro's subconscious. Standing just outside the door, looking like he was waiting for me, arms crossed over his chest, and leaning against a column, was Kaemon.
I sighed deeply, I was really feeling good this morning, and if he started on his tirade I would really have to hurt him.
"Can we talk?" he asked meekly, catching me completely by surprise.
"Sure," I said, keeping my stance completely neutral. He looked around and motioned to the woods, "not here, let's walk, where there are less spies."
I saw him looking at one of the servants with a suspicious eye and nodded, "Alright, lead the way."
It was still very early, the sun was just coming over the tops of the surrounding hills and the ground was still misty wet with dew. Already I could feel the heat rising and knew it was going to be a hot day.
After a moment, he spoke," I see you both lied yesterday."
I reached up and touched my neck, noting for the first time how sore it was.
"That is a very new mating mark. I would bet that you didn't know you have a huge bruise on your neck," he never turned to look at me, for which I was thankful, because I knew my face was bright red.
"Would you have really wished Keitaro into a fate like his uncle's? Alone and unloved?"
He didn't reply and I was grateful, I didn't want to start up again.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked softly, noticed his pace had begun to slow.
"Megahna's up to something," he said softly, "I think she was behind that mess last night."
I nodded, "I had the same feeling, but I don't know how to prove it, those are pretty strong charges, and I don't want to cause Keitaro any more troubles with her. It's pretty obvious she wants to get rid of him in any way she can."
"You're smarter than you look," he said softly, and stopped at the tree line. I froze and stared at him, "Excuse me?!"
He turned to face me, and his lips held a mischievous smile, "Or then again, perhaps not, since you willingly followed me out here."
I narrowed my eyes angrily, "Kaemon, have you completely lost your mind?"
He stepped forward and grabbed a hold of my wrist hard, and even though I pulled with all my strength, I couldn't free myself from his grip.
"You're hurting me," I whispered, and watched as he grin, and mockingly repeated, "You're hurting me, oh boo hoo." I stared up at him in amazement, he might have been rude at times, or angry, but never cruel, not like this.
"You're not Kaemon," I whispered as the wind whipped around us. He grinned and spun, using the momentum of his movement to pull me past him and out of the tree line. I skidded across stone, stopping just a foot from the edge. I found myself staring down into the blackness of a dark, deep canyon, so narrow that no light reached the bottom. I quickly scrambled to my feet.
"It took you long enough, little hime," he sneered, and I watched as his face rounded out, his hair melting away into a short cut. It was the woman from the night before! How could I have been so stupid to forget that threat. I stood my ground, I didn't dare back up for fear of loosing my balance.
"Why?" I asked softly, "Why are you doing this?"
"Nothing personal, but I am paid to take care of problems, and you are most defiantly a problem, human," she said, her voice liquid ice. I crossed my arms over my chest, " So what are you going to do?" I groaned, ask a stupid question, expect a stupid answer!
"Of course I'm going to kill you, like my orders say, but I'm throwing in my own sort of bonus," she grinned, and moved lightening quick to me, wrapping her hand around my throat. I grabbed a hold of her wrist, trying to pull her hand away, but the more I struggled, the tighter her grip became. I stopped moving, reserving my energies and trying to make the most of the minimal amount of air that I was getting to my lungs.
"Your Keitaro is quite a handsome creatures, even for a hanyou. He is strong and loyal, and seems very- healthy," she purred licking her lips and I shuddered at the thought of her getting her hands on him. "I imagine he would be very upset to learn that his little mate was gone, and I shouldn't do that to him." She smiled softly, a look I wouldn't have expected from her, as she shifted in front of me, her hair growing out long, thick and red, her skin taking on a tanner tone, and the once robes of a samurai shifting into an identical twin of my clothing. I stared back at my own reflection in horror.
"You would never get away with it, he'll know the difference! He knew last night," I yelled, and she tsked, "Yes, I forgot some minor details, but this time, I have a much better subject to study." Her neck grew dark along the side, and emerging from the top of the ring were two small marks, silver in color.
"He could never question these marks," she purred, using her other hand to touch her own cheek.
I grinned, "Oh, you think a few bodily changes will help you? There is a world of things that he knows about me, things that you cannot duplicate in a million years, like my mem-" I froze as she laughed.
"Your memories? Oh, foolish creature, you don't think that is an easy thing to change?" she let her-my eyes get large and doe, "I remember fighting with some woman, and she fell off the cliff, and everything got so dark, but I can't remember anything else, oh hold me Keitaro!"
I snarled at her, "You bitch!"
"Thank you, but soon I'll be his bitch, don't you worry, I'll make very sure he's very happy," she purred, and took a step forward, driving me towards the cliff. I felt the ground disappear behind my heel, and glanced down.
"Goodbye stupid woman, thank you for all your help," she said with a cruel laugh, and shoved her hand into my neck, pushing me backwards. I clawed at air, for she had pulled back, and felt gravity grab a hold of me. The world above me grew small as I felt the wind rushing around me, announcing the fact that I was falling into that darkness. I closed my eyes, and prepared myself for the inevitable, whispering, "Kei" as I was enveloped in a black ice.
~~*~~ Third Person
The assassin watched the young woman disappear into the shadows of the canyon and grinned. Now all that was left was to return to the castle. Once she had settled into the life of that woman, not even Megahna could touch her. Everyone would believe she was that strange human. She took a step forward when she heard a noise in the bushes.
"Who's there," she whispered in that new voice, and saw a shadow appear in the tree line, golden eyes glowing in the dark.
"You thought you could really trick me and get away with it," came a hard cold voice, and the assassin shivered.
"Mistress!" she whispered and saw a flash of white and black cross in front of her eyes. Pain radiated through her body and she looked down to see the river of red pour from her chest. Shocked, she stared up at her mistress, "but-" she gasped, as she stumbled backwards, "Mistress please!"
"You have been properly rewarded for your services," came that ice cold voice again, this time laced with cruel humor, "Now I send you to hell, where you belong!" The assassin stared down at the pools of blood, that were now collecting at her feet, and fell backwards, following her victim into the abyss.
The woman in the shadows grinned and licked the blood from her fingertips, "A pity I didn't get to kill her myself, but killing one who looks like her is satisfaction enough, for now."
~~*~~ Meanwhile *Kei POV*
I stretched out lazily, and reached over to embrace my mate, when I noticed that the spot that should have been warm and fragrant with her body, wasn't there. In fact she had been missing for some time. Instinctively I jumped to my feet, pulling my yukata around my shoulders and ran out of the room.
I grabbed the first servant I saw, "Where is Lady Francesca?!" I roared at the poor young thing, a human girl. I could see the terror rise in her eyes, as she whimpered.
"I saw her this morning Lord, with the young man in your company, the samurai!" she whispered and I quickly let her go, running for Kaemon's room.
"I will tear him to bits if he's tried anything against her," I growled loudly, and threw open his door.
Inside the room was still very dark, and in the corner of the room, I saw a shape move.
"Show yourself," I barked, and heard the muffled sounds of a voice.
"Francesca!" I said worriedly, and grabbed the figure. But it wasn't Francesca. Tied up, and looking both angry and very ashamed at the same time, was Kaemon. I quickly loosened his bonds.
"Where is Francesca?!" I yelled at him, and was rewarded with an angry look, "How should I know, I've been a bit indisposed as you can see."
I stared at him, as he slipped on his robes, "It was that woman from the other night, she came in here, disguised as Francesca. I didn't know it wasn't her, till she- well it doesn't matter, where is Francesca?!"
I glared at him, stupid ecchi cousin of mine, falling for that shape shifter's trick. Never mind that I almost fell for the same thing, wait a minute.
"If you weren't with her," I whispered, and caught his eyes We shared the same thought, as we both ran for the door. Already I was yelling the alarm, startling guests from their rooms. My mother and father came running to meet me, Kohana on their heels.
"Francesca's missing," I told them, and Kohana's eyes grew large.
"That woman," my mother whispered and I nodded, "Get everyone searching now, I'm going to see if I can't find her scent."
My father reached forward and grabbed my arm, "Did you complete the mating ceremony?"
I stared at him, for being a very impersonal man, he was asking the wrong questions at the wrong time, "That doesn't matter right now Father!" He gripped my shoulder even harder, "Answer me boy, did you?!"
I stared at him, "Yes Damnit, I did!" He nodded, "Follow the link, it's much stronger than a scent trail, and can't be erased!" I blinked quickly and nodded, "Arigato," I said and leapt into the gardens, my nose and senses reaching out for any sign of her. I found her scent trail quickly, it was the link I couldn't find. I ran through the brush, and I heard Kaemon just behind me. It didn't surprise me too much, he was a fast runner, for a human and I put on another boost of speed. A light flashed before me and I quickly slowed down as I came out of the clearing. I recognized this cliff, the mouth of despair, some called it. Many a distraught person, had ended their life from here.
I quickly shook my head, to clear myself of those thoughts, when something caught my nose, a familiar and all too frightening smell. Blood.
I stared down at my feet, at the still glistening liquid that was drying in the sun, and felt my body freeze.
All too carefully I knelt down, reaching out to touch the liquid, my mind whispering doubts at me.
"Keitaro, did you- oh no" came a voice behind me and I quickly looked back to see Kaemon standing there, his face pale white. The accomplished samurai was sickened by the sight of blood, it might have been amusing if not for the context that it meant.
"Nii-san," I heard whispered, and saw Kohana appear from the forest, my father behind her.
"Get her out of here!" I shouted and her eyes fell from my face to the ground at my feet. My father seemed to understand at that moment, and grabbed her, pulling her close, but she had already begun to wail.
"Nee-san!!" she screamed and the sound of her pain echoed in my heart. No, Francesca couldn't be dead, I wouldn't let it be so. She wasn't dead, I kept hearing those words echo in my head, she's not dead, she's not dead, not now!
The rest of the search party, lead by Kohana's screams arrived and stared at the sight before him. Kaemon had fallen to his knees, colorless, and I was digging my claws into my hands, hearing the blood trickle down to join the blood already spilt.
"She's not dead," I whispered and heard a painful cry as Kaemon leapt to his feet, his hand drawing his sword.
"This is all YOUR fault! You and your stupid family! She's dead because she was trying to help you, because you loved her. You killed her!" he screamed and charged at me. I quickly stepped out of the way.
"Kaemon, don't do this, not now," I pleaded my heart already full of grief, as the true possibility played itself out in my head. Everyone watched us, my mother, and sisters in each other's arms, tears spilling down their cheeks, filling the air with a spicy salty smell. Kaemon ran at me again, and I dodged out of the way.
Something black flew through the air and I quickly caught it. It was Tetsusaiga sheath. I stared at it, and then looked back at my father, who simply nodded silently. Even on his face, I could see grief lurking below the surface. I blocked Kaemon's next attack, holding off the power of his swing with the strength that the sheath had.
"You killed her! Why her Keitaro, of all the women in the world, why her? Why did you have to take the most important being in the world away from me! You always have!"
I stared at him, as tears streamed down his cheeks, tears of anger and grief. "What are you talking about Kaemon?!"
"You always had the best, the strengths, the power, abilities that I could never achieve no matter how hard I trained, you were always better!"
I stared at him, deftly blocking another blow, "What are you talking about? You were the one with everything. The people in the village accepted you, admired you, every girl in the village followed your path, you were accepted to be fostered by the Lord. You were everything I wanted to be, because you were what everyone else wanted. Francesca was the first person outside my family to simply want me, for everything I am and am not!"
He froze in his attacks, and stared at me, and a sickening sad laugh escaped his lips, "How pathetic, that we both lose what we treasured the most, to realize how much we truly had," he said, falling to one knee into the blood. His hand was pressed against his mouth, as he began to sob loudly.
Kohana had buried herself deep in the embrace of my mother, and I stared down at the blood once again, the blood that had flushed those cheeks, the blood- wait a second.
I knelt down, and took a deep long breath, and my eyes widened.
"It's not her!"
Everyone fell silent, and I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Keitaro," my father whispered and I shook my head.
"No, its not her!"
"But her scent is everywhere," he said, and I pressed my hand into the blood, standing and presented it to him, "But the blood doesn't have her scent, the ground does, but not the blood. It's not her blood!"
Kohana looked up from my mother's arms, and her puffy red face, showed the first glimmer of hope. She pulled free and ran to my side, her tiny body bowing over to press her nose into the dirt. She sniffed, and sneezed, and took a few steps forward.
"Nii-san's scent is all over here," she whispered and looked out at the edge, "It goes that way."
"Then she is dead," came a heartless voice, and I turned to see my aunt step forward in the crowd.
"No, I refuse to believe it till I see her body myself, "I growled, my hands clenching at my sides.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, if she fell over that edge, she would have been sliced to shreds on the razor rocks of this canyon, and anything large enough to keep a scent would have been washed away by the river below, " she said calmly.
"Then I will follow the river," I said, and turned to my uncle, "Where does it lead?" He glanced at me a moment, and I knew his impeccable memory was scanning the maps in his mind.
"North, it flows north," he said passively. I looked to my companions, "Then north we go."
"But Kei, if she didn't survive," Maeko whispered and I glared at her, "She's alive Maeko, I know it in here," I said, touching my chest, "She's my mate, and I can still feel her inside here, so I know she's alive."
My uncle turned to a minor lord who stood near him, and grunted an order. He nodded and took off in a run for the castle, and I knew that by the time we returned, our belongings would be prepared and we would be provided with transportation out of the mountains.
"Let's go find her," I said and everyone nodded grimly, following me back to the castle.
AN: There, Megahna got to kill someone, happy Megan? I hope you all enjoyed this, I wasn't expecting to write so soon, but I couldn't sleep, this idea was beating into my conscious mind and wouldn't give me a break, so I had to get it out!
