The Ceremony
Hiei woke up the next morning before dawn to the annoying toning of a bell (not the black one, just a wake up call). He growled and wished he could go back to sleep but knew better. He had to get ready for the damned ceremony that would be taking place at the palace later that day. He walked out and took his accustomed bath, but didn't dress in his uniform. No, today he had to wear a red and black outfit that had been made for him the day before. His family always made it look like he was their pride and joy when it suited them. The outfit was mostly black. The shirt had red sleeves with a red sun in the middle. The pants were plain black, but somehow shone in light and had a red tint. His boots were black, but he wasn't permitted a bandana or belts. He felt odd without them, though he thought himself lucky that he didn't have a horse or a dove on his shirt.
When he was dressed, he found his way to the temple proper and stationed himself in the courtyard, where the rest of the heirs where gathering. Let's name them, shall we?
The heir of the hawk, the northern quadrant and the one stepping down from the throne, was named Yusuke and was a royal pain in the ass. He wore his house colors, red and gold, and picked on all the people present, including the current queen.
"Hey grandma, what's with these guys? They look dead and not a fighter among 'um" He laughed
"Don't call me grandma." The queen replied.
"But you are old hag!"
"Dimwit." She kneecapped him with her cane so that he fell to the ground, howling.
The heir of the horse, the western quadrant, was named Kazume, though no one called him that. He looked remarkably like the namesake of his house and wore the green and gold of his house proudly. He was also incredibly stupid.
"HAHA!! Urameshi just got beat up by his grandma!" He laughed.
"Other Dimwit." Genkai shook her head in annoyance and hit him also.
The third heir was called Jin, of the house of the dove. The red head wore the colors blue and white well. He wasn't as... annoying as the other two, but he enjoyed fighting far too much. He was currently laughing at the fallen pair and was barely worth noting.
Hiei's eyes wondered over the crowd. He was looking for the last heir, of the house of the fox. Their colors were blue and green, so he searched for them in the small crowd, but could only find the lady fox and the second son. Where was the heir? He was being crowned today, he should be here!
"Whatcha doin' here, standin' in a corner all quiet like? Wouldn't cha rather be mixen in er talkin' with yer famlee'?" An extremely cheerful (and excited) Jin asked. Hiei jumped then looked at him like he was crazy. "Guess not then, I hope ya change yer mind. If ya wanna talk I'll be over with Urameshi and the like." With that he left and Hiei sighed in relief. He had heard that the boy was cheerful, but that was ridiculous. Truly a dove. No one could be that happy before dawn.
Hiei gave up his search for the soon to be king and sat in his corner. He hoped that he wouldn't have to do anything for a while. He was tired. All the other people here didn't seem to be, but he was quite sure that they were all crazy and decided to take a nap...
Hours later, by the look of the sun, Hiei was shaken awake. He opened his eyes with a moan and faced a set nearly exactly like his own. "Oni-san! There you are! I've been looking for you for an hour! The ceremony starts in half an hour and we need to get inside. Come on, Hiei!" Yukina pulled her twin up, grabbed his sleeve and practically dragged him all the way to the palace. All the others required to be there were except the heir of the fox, who Hiei guessed wasn't supposed to be yet, and the lords and ladies were currently looking down their noses at the obviously, newly awakened boy. Hiei sneered inwardly and allowed his sister to guide him to his spot.
"Heya Hiei, I was wonderin' where you went. Didja have a good nap?" Jin asked, obviously curious, but Hiei didn't give him an answer. He was getting really sick of Jin...
Yukina left him standing in the center of the compass that took up most of the throne room. As she left, the retiring queen walked to where he was to join him. The fox still wasn't there, he wasn't in his spot, but Hiei just assumed him late. There was an aged priest that walked over and stood before them and started to explain exactly what they were going to do and what would happen in excruciating detail. Needless to say, Hiei blew him off. While the others were listening attentively, he examined the room. The compass rose had the inlaid pictures of each house emblem on the tips, representing the four quadrants that I mentioned earlier. In the center was an amazing mosaic of a newly risen sun. His house, though the least important, had the best representation.
He turned his attention to the aged woman standing near him. Her pink hair had always struck him as strange, but he was really one to talk. His hair reminded him of the damned mosaic. Genkai had ruled the entirety of the age of the hawk, and didn't show any signs of weakening. Yes, she was old but she was an amazing women and an excellent ruler. If Hiei had cared at all for politics he might have been upset that she was stepping down. As it was, he was wishing that she could learn to keep her grandson in line, since his mother obviously couldn't.
The ceremony would be beginning soon. There was no one allowed inside the throne room except the people participating, so all the family members filed out to wait in the reception room. Hiei thought, 'Now would be a good time for the fox to show up..... Then again, their house was always one for show...' He would probably show up at the last second, in all the ornamental clothing required, looking like a god. Hiei had heard that the boy was quite attractive, even though he didn't have a clue what his name was. Heirs weren't bragged about. They needed to be kept protected and it was always harder if the people who wanted to do them harm actually knew their names.
Genkai had taken the crown off her head and was looking at it curiously. She was probably wondering what it would be like not to have it on all the time and to see it on a mere youth's head. At least she wasn't a fool. She knew her rule was over and had no regrets. All of a sudden, she froze and dropped the crown. Everyone looked at the crown as it clattered loudly on the floor. That's when he heard it. It sounded far- away but felt so near. The deep, ominous tolling of a bell that seemed to reverberate through his entire body.....
Hiei woke up the next morning before dawn to the annoying toning of a bell (not the black one, just a wake up call). He growled and wished he could go back to sleep but knew better. He had to get ready for the damned ceremony that would be taking place at the palace later that day. He walked out and took his accustomed bath, but didn't dress in his uniform. No, today he had to wear a red and black outfit that had been made for him the day before. His family always made it look like he was their pride and joy when it suited them. The outfit was mostly black. The shirt had red sleeves with a red sun in the middle. The pants were plain black, but somehow shone in light and had a red tint. His boots were black, but he wasn't permitted a bandana or belts. He felt odd without them, though he thought himself lucky that he didn't have a horse or a dove on his shirt.
When he was dressed, he found his way to the temple proper and stationed himself in the courtyard, where the rest of the heirs where gathering. Let's name them, shall we?
The heir of the hawk, the northern quadrant and the one stepping down from the throne, was named Yusuke and was a royal pain in the ass. He wore his house colors, red and gold, and picked on all the people present, including the current queen.
"Hey grandma, what's with these guys? They look dead and not a fighter among 'um" He laughed
"Don't call me grandma." The queen replied.
"But you are old hag!"
"Dimwit." She kneecapped him with her cane so that he fell to the ground, howling.
The heir of the horse, the western quadrant, was named Kazume, though no one called him that. He looked remarkably like the namesake of his house and wore the green and gold of his house proudly. He was also incredibly stupid.
"HAHA!! Urameshi just got beat up by his grandma!" He laughed.
"Other Dimwit." Genkai shook her head in annoyance and hit him also.
The third heir was called Jin, of the house of the dove. The red head wore the colors blue and white well. He wasn't as... annoying as the other two, but he enjoyed fighting far too much. He was currently laughing at the fallen pair and was barely worth noting.
Hiei's eyes wondered over the crowd. He was looking for the last heir, of the house of the fox. Their colors were blue and green, so he searched for them in the small crowd, but could only find the lady fox and the second son. Where was the heir? He was being crowned today, he should be here!
"Whatcha doin' here, standin' in a corner all quiet like? Wouldn't cha rather be mixen in er talkin' with yer famlee'?" An extremely cheerful (and excited) Jin asked. Hiei jumped then looked at him like he was crazy. "Guess not then, I hope ya change yer mind. If ya wanna talk I'll be over with Urameshi and the like." With that he left and Hiei sighed in relief. He had heard that the boy was cheerful, but that was ridiculous. Truly a dove. No one could be that happy before dawn.
Hiei gave up his search for the soon to be king and sat in his corner. He hoped that he wouldn't have to do anything for a while. He was tired. All the other people here didn't seem to be, but he was quite sure that they were all crazy and decided to take a nap...
Hours later, by the look of the sun, Hiei was shaken awake. He opened his eyes with a moan and faced a set nearly exactly like his own. "Oni-san! There you are! I've been looking for you for an hour! The ceremony starts in half an hour and we need to get inside. Come on, Hiei!" Yukina pulled her twin up, grabbed his sleeve and practically dragged him all the way to the palace. All the others required to be there were except the heir of the fox, who Hiei guessed wasn't supposed to be yet, and the lords and ladies were currently looking down their noses at the obviously, newly awakened boy. Hiei sneered inwardly and allowed his sister to guide him to his spot.
"Heya Hiei, I was wonderin' where you went. Didja have a good nap?" Jin asked, obviously curious, but Hiei didn't give him an answer. He was getting really sick of Jin...
Yukina left him standing in the center of the compass that took up most of the throne room. As she left, the retiring queen walked to where he was to join him. The fox still wasn't there, he wasn't in his spot, but Hiei just assumed him late. There was an aged priest that walked over and stood before them and started to explain exactly what they were going to do and what would happen in excruciating detail. Needless to say, Hiei blew him off. While the others were listening attentively, he examined the room. The compass rose had the inlaid pictures of each house emblem on the tips, representing the four quadrants that I mentioned earlier. In the center was an amazing mosaic of a newly risen sun. His house, though the least important, had the best representation.
He turned his attention to the aged woman standing near him. Her pink hair had always struck him as strange, but he was really one to talk. His hair reminded him of the damned mosaic. Genkai had ruled the entirety of the age of the hawk, and didn't show any signs of weakening. Yes, she was old but she was an amazing women and an excellent ruler. If Hiei had cared at all for politics he might have been upset that she was stepping down. As it was, he was wishing that she could learn to keep her grandson in line, since his mother obviously couldn't.
The ceremony would be beginning soon. There was no one allowed inside the throne room except the people participating, so all the family members filed out to wait in the reception room. Hiei thought, 'Now would be a good time for the fox to show up..... Then again, their house was always one for show...' He would probably show up at the last second, in all the ornamental clothing required, looking like a god. Hiei had heard that the boy was quite attractive, even though he didn't have a clue what his name was. Heirs weren't bragged about. They needed to be kept protected and it was always harder if the people who wanted to do them harm actually knew their names.
Genkai had taken the crown off her head and was looking at it curiously. She was probably wondering what it would be like not to have it on all the time and to see it on a mere youth's head. At least she wasn't a fool. She knew her rule was over and had no regrets. All of a sudden, she froze and dropped the crown. Everyone looked at the crown as it clattered loudly on the floor. That's when he heard it. It sounded far- away but felt so near. The deep, ominous tolling of a bell that seemed to reverberate through his entire body.....