I know it's been a while, but this chapter was a pain to write. *glares at plot twists* But hopefully this is up to my usual standard. I was going to write some more Kai torture, but decided on humiliation and one little scene at the end. Hope you all enjoy anyway.
Chapter Eleven
Golden eyes twinkled brightly, filled with mischief and delight, watching the confused crimson-eyed figure from above. Why was it that when searching for someone no one ever looked up? Even Kai missed seeing him. But it seemed that his message had gotten through to the stubbourn boy. Kai ran towards the hall, regardless of the ridiculous message Rei had left him not to go.
He shook his head, white locks swinging in dismay. Mortals were so strange, they had to be prodded continually to do something that they wanted to do anyway.
Watching the Phoenix fly towards the building his eyes darkened. He just hoped that this time it was enough. Of course he could always watch and make sure that Kai did as he was told. He nodded to himself and grinned. It was decided then, he'd watch over Kai and Rei more, despite Dranzer's protests. She had too much faith in their emotions, thinking they were stronger than their pessimistic thoughts otherwise. He knew better, he'd lived on the mortal plane for some time … well, a bit longer than her actually, only a few years. Still, he would hardly call his actions 'meddlesome'. She'd been back with them only three days and already she was on his back about something.
Dranzer never changed.
He sighed and disappeared, reappearing again inside a shadowed hall, behind a pillar, looking up cautiously at the dais where Lee sat with Mariah, Kevin and Gary. Rei was kneeling before them. They were alone. This was the private trial. Most of the time verdicts for a public trial were decided here. Only once had the public trial had a different outcome than the private, and even then the private trial was rather indecisive. A lot of the time though there never was a public trial, it just being a formality.
His heart was pained as he looked upon Rei. The innocent boy had captured him more thoroughly than anything before. He wondered how Kai could even manage to be apart from him, much less questioning his own feelings about the boy. The sad look upon his face made him want to be near him again, but a small change was needed before he could do that.
Rei looked up as he heard the soft sounds of tiny paws padding over to him. Lee stopped what he was saying and stared curiously behind Rei. Rei turned around and grinned. The tiny tiger cub raced to him and pounced on him, much to Rei's delight.
"Hey there," he whispered, nuzzling the baby tiger and laughing as he licked his cheek.
"Friend of yours?" Lee asked with a raised eyebrow.
Rei looked over and blushed, but he did not let go of the cub. "Sorry Lee."
Lee smiled fondly at him before shaking his head and glaring. "No more distractions."
"One more," came a voice from the shadows. They all turned to see a guard escorting Kai towards them. Rei paled and looked away, holding the tiger cub closely as if in protection.
Lee stood. "You are welcome Lord Hiwatari, I am glad to have the chance for your perspective on the situation as Rei's current ... patron I suppose."
"I can take care of myself," Rei growled, though it was unclear whether he was talking to Kai or Lee. Kai glanced over at him and saw the tiger. He narrowed his eyes slightly at this then ignored both the tiger and Rei and turned to Lee.
"I wish an audience to intercede on Rei's behalf."
Rei glared and looked to protest, but a sharp look from Lee stopped him from saying anything.
"We were just about to adjourn to discuss the verdict."
Kai's heart plummeted slightly at this news, but he stood straight and glanced coolly at Lee. "Surely you can make time for me even as you discuss this." The way he said this almost suggested Lee had better make time to see him, or the results would be rather unpleasant. Kai had a rather nice way with words.
Lee glanced over at the other three who nodded. "Fine, join us in the side room." He got up and walked over there with Mariah, Gary and Kevin in tow. Kai was about to follow when he felt someone pull him back. He turned around to see Rei.
"Why are you doing this?" Rei hissed.
"You think I would just let you give in and die after everything I have done trying to find you?"
Rei shook his head. "Are you still fixated on that idea. Kai I am not Earth."
"You are, but that is beside the point right now. I cannot let you die."
The intense tone of voice he used made Rei's eyes open wide in surprise and his grip on Kai's arm slip. Kai pulled away and walked into the side room, leaving Rei alone in the great hall with just a few guards. Rei held tightly onto the cub as he sat back down, pondering everything.
"He almost sounded as though he cared deeply for me, didn't he?" he asked the kitten rhetorically. Of course Rei didn't see the flash of triumph in the golden-green eyes.
*~*~*
The four neko-jins were sitting around a table when he entered and Kai declined the seat offered and stood.
"Just why are you so adamant about saving Rei?" Lee asked Kai.
"I need him," Kai told them simply. "He is vital importance to my mission."
"Rei?" Kevin asked in disbelief. Kai nodded.
"Just what is your mission?" Mariah asked curiously. She had a feeling she already knew some of it. Lee glanced at her then looked at Kai, also curious now.
Kai hesitated then asked, "You know of the legends of the Powers?" They all nodded. "Then you will also know of the Dark Lord and the possibility of his return to the Mortal Realm with his new powers."
Lee froze, thinking things over. "You think Rei is Earth." At Kai's nod, there were a few noises of disbelief from Kevin and Gary while Mariah slumped in her seat. Lee just shook his head. "It's impossible. How would you even know?"
"I am Fire, keeper of Dranzer." Kai glanced at his blade and Lee froze again.
"You're serious," he breathed. "Why Rei?"
Kai paused here, knowing the real reason, but wanting to keep it a secret for now. "The Powers choose who they will."
"It can't be." Lee glared. "Rei cannot be Earth, Drigger is not his."
"You cannot choose who the keeper of the blade is."
"I can, it is my right as lord."
"The blade has been in the safekeeping of your clan until such a time as Drigger calls for his true companion. You cannot deny it, and having Rei watch over Drigger does not mean he will become the clan leader. He would not want to even if he could, his destiny lies another way."
Kai could see the stubbourn neko-jin was not going to be swayed and he glared at him. "I know what he is and no matter what, you cannot interfere with this, I will not let you and neither will the Powers if they should be provoked enough."
"Rei stole the blade. He has to pay for removing the blade from the clan, it is not his, no matter what you think he may be."
"It is also not yours," Kai snapped.
Lee stood up angrily. "You have no right to be talking this way to me Hiwatari!"
Kai glared right back, his eyes like ice. "It would not be advisable to annoy me Lee or you may just find out how far I am willing to go to succeed with my mission. I will not let you stand in my way."
Lee would have said something back, but he felt a gentle touch on his arm. He looked over to see Mariah looking worried and shaking her head at him. She had been watching Kai this entire time and there was something else to his words and actions besides his mission. She could see it in his eyes and in his aura. She knew much about the Powers and the legends, one thing about Earth and Fire in particular. Seeing it in front of her, she realised why Kai was so passionate about all of this, and why Rei was acting the way he did. She sighed and stood up, facing Kai.
"He is Earth and you are Fire," she stated simply. "I can see this quite clearly. But the bond between the two is stronger than you make out. You would have gone as far as you could have to save him, because you love him that much."
Kai paled and took a step back, his eyes rather wide. Kevin and Gary stared between Mariah and Kai in disbelief while Lee's eyes, still trained on Kai, narrowed, and uncertain light entered them.
"What is between you?" he asked finally. "You do seem extremely worried for him."
"If I lose Earth, we fail in our mission and the Dark Lord will take over the Mortal Realm," Kai said hesitantly. "I need him."
Lee shook his head. "That is not what I asked."
Kai glared, finally regaining some of his composure. "That is all the answer I can give. We are comrades and implying any more would insult us both."
"You find it insulting to love someone?" Mariah asked calmly.
Kai glared at her. "I never said that. Implying something between Rei and myself would be insulting. I have no qualms with love."
"And you have not yet once denied my accusation of your love for Rei." Mariah smirked triumphantly as Kai faltered again, looking away. "Is it so hard to admit?"
Kai did not answer at first, still trying to regain his shattered composure. "This is not the issue at hand," he said shakingly. "Whatever the bond between myself and Rei may be should not matter."
"But it does," Lee told him firmly. "For a man in love is capable of even more than the strongest warrior in the lands when his love is threatened."
Kai stared at all of them. "Since when was this an inquisition about me?"
"Since you decided to intervene with our procedures."
Kai shook his head. "I cannot let him die for such a small offence. Stealing a blade that should have been his to begin with. I told you I would do anything to save him and I will."
"Then answer me one simple question and you will have my support," Mariah told him. "Do you or do you not love Rei?"
Kai swallowed. "Humiliation is not a tactic I react very well to."
"Is it so humiliating to say what you feel?"
"I am a warrior."
Mariah rolled her eyes. "I noticed that, for like all warriors, you hold the same disregard for emotion, now answer me."
Kai sighed, seeing no way out. Any other way to save Rei would force him to shed blood, which would be stupid to do in this situation, and he would rather not have done that anyway. Here was offered a simple peaceful solution and he was not taking it. What was so hard about admitting what he felt in his heart?
"Fine. I admit it."
"Admit what?" Mariah asked with a smile.
Kai growled. "Don't push it," he warned.
Mariah grinned and turned to Lee, who was slightly stunned at Kai's admission. "See, once again I manage to solve one of your cases without anyone having to resort to violence."
"Solved what?" Lee demanded.
"Obviously Rei cannot be held at fault for taking the Drigger blade, since it is in fact his as Earth."
"And how do you know he is Earth?"
"Simple, Kai loves him."
Lee looked confused. "Female logic," he muttered darkly, ignoring Mariah's glare. "Explain it to me."
Mariah sighed, muttering, "Males." She cleared her throat and looked over at Kai. "He is Fire and the keeper of Dranzer, I can see the truth of that in his aura. I have not yet been able to see Rei's true nature, but I have sensed large changes in him since his return."
"He has not yet used his power," Kai explained.
Mariah nodded. "That makes sense. My point is, Lee, that Fire and Earth share a very deep bond, they literally cannot exist without each other. In a mortal sense, this would translate as love. If Kai would be willing to do anything for Rei, it only proves their bond."
Lee sighed. "I'm trying to believe you Mariah, but it's still rather difficult."
"Lee, did you even really want to kill Rei in the first place?" she asked.
"Of course not, but he broke the law."
"Well this is a way around the law." Mariah sighed. "I'm sure Rei will bring Drigger back once everything's done."
"You are sure about this," Lee breathed. He looked over at Kai and sighed. "Fine, he can go free, the charges are dropped. Kevin, Gary?"
"Sure, I guess it all makes sense," Kevin said, in a tone that clearly indicated he didn't understand a thing that had gone on just now. Gary simply nodded in agreement.
Lee turned back to Kai. "You won, Rei goes free."
Kai smiled. "Thank you."
"I'm sure Rei will be doing all the thanking you need," Mariah said with a smirk as she stood up and walked out of the room. Kevin and Gary both snickered as they followed her and Kai hung his head.
"That would be the main reason why I was reluctant to say a word," he muttered.
Lee laughed at him. "Don't worry, I think you'll find Mariah is just worse than most." Lee and Kai walked out of the room to see Rei looking over anxiously. Lee smiled. "I'm glad he'll be with someone like you Kai, I still care for him and I know you'll treat him right."
Kai just nodded and looked down in surprise as Lee held out his hand. He shook his head wryly as he clasped the proffered hand. "I hope this means we have made an ally of you."
"We were never enemies my friend." The two reached the dais and Lee took his seat while Kai stood by Rei. Rei glanced at the two of them nervously.
Lee smiled at Rei. "You're very lucky to have someone like Kai with you Rei, he's managed to convince us to set you free and ..." Lee stood up and walked over to him holding out the hilt of the Drigger blade, to Rei's amazement. "He's convinced us that you are indeed the right person to take care of this for now. You hold the pride of our clan in your hands Rei, I know you will not fail us in any task you perform."
Rei stared in amazement as he was handed the sword. He looked up to see that Lee was completely serious. He bowed, hilt held to his chest. "I will do everything in my power to uphold the pride of my clan." He looked up as Lee suddenly tilted his chin up and grinned as Lee smiled at him. "Thank you my brother."
Lee embraced him quickly, wary of the blade between them. "I am glad I will not have to punish you for your foolishness this time. You always manage to get away with things somehow."
Rei grinned. "What can I say? I have rather unique talents."
Lee went back up to stand with the other three on the dais while Rei looked over at Kai.
"Thank you," he whispered quietly, his eyes shining as he looked upon Kai. Kai shifted uncomfortably under the grateful gaze but nodded at him.
Then Kai noticed the golden green gaze of the tiger cub fixed on him. He glared down at the little cub. He was the first to look away. "You were right," he growled. Rei looked confused, but the cub jumped up on Kai, who caught him out of reflex. The cub started to lick his face in an affectionate manner. Kai didn't seem too honoured by it though and Rei giggled at the sight.
"I'll be back at your house Rei," Kai muttered, still holding the cub close as he walked away.
Rei shook his head as he left, feeling extremely elated at his sudden freedom. He looked down at the Drigger blade he still held and sheathed it in his empty scabbard. He looked up to see the others starting to move off. Kevin and Gary clapped his shoulder and grinned as they walked past and Rei smiled, glad to have things between them settled. Lee clasped his hand as he left and soon it was only him and Mariah.
He looked at her guiltily. He'd been rather rude to her, but last night he was too on edge to be anything else. She smiled, knowing what he was thinking of and walked over to him.
"I think I know now why you did not want to be with me Rei." Rei looked at her confused and she laughed softly at his naïveté. "You are very lucky to have Kai with you. And perhaps to you he is much more attractive than I am."
Rei blushed. He should have known she'd notice his feelings for Kai, they were rather obvious he supposed. "You're not angry?"
She shrugged. "Who am I to stand in the way of destiny?" Her golden eyes caught his in an intense stare. "You still do not believe, do you?" her glance flicked to the sheathed scimitar and she sighed. "You will soon, but don't fight it Rei, events will work out much better if you do not fight them."
"I'm still not sure," Rei said softly.
"You will be soon." Mariah reached up to kiss his cheek affectionately. "Now go and join your beloved." She laughed as he blushed furiously and left him to make his own way to his home.
Rei walked through the streets with a newfound enthusiasm and he found himself running towards his home and Kai. Upon opening the door he found a rather humorous scene: Kai was tangled upside down in an overturned chair and glaring darkly at the innocent appearing kitten sitting at his head and tilting its own curiously.
Rei burst out laughing at the adorable sight and Kai shifted around to glare at him instead. Rei managed to stop laughing, but couldn't hide the grin as he watched Kai straighten himself up. Rei moved over and picked up the kitten, still smiling at Kai.
"If I didn't know any better I'd be jealous," Rei murmured. Kai thought he intended it for the kitten, but his eyes were trained on him as he said it. Kai snorted and turned away heading into the bedroom. Rei grinned and followed him.
"Thank you Kai," he said again. "I know I didn't want your help, but I'm glad you did."
"I did what I had to do," Kai told him simply.
"Still, I guess I wasn't thinking properly, but you made me see what an idiot I was being." Rei saw Kai's amusement and grinned sheepishly. "But then I've always been like that, too stubbourn and proud to admit when I'm in trouble."
"Well you're in a team now, you can't keep things to yourself."
Rei nodded and sat down on the bed, releasing the kitten to the ground, where he promptly fell upon one of Rei's discarded shirts and batted at it. Kai sat down beside him.
"So how so you feel now?" Kai asked.
Rei sighed. "Tired, relieved, ecstatic." But tears filled his eyes and he looked down. Kai stared at him before quickly putting an arm around him much as he had done the night before. "I never realised just how draining it was on me," Rei whispered between sobs. He smiled though, through tears of relief. "Everything's lighter now that I know things are better."
"They always are," Kai murmured, drawing Rei close and soothing him.
They stayed there for a long time, eventually falling asleep as the day drew on, Rei feeling much more relieved and happy than he had in along while. But both secretly were enjoying every moment they could spend close to the other.
A pair of golden-green eyes surveyed the tableau with amusement and contentment. It was only a matter of time now and everything would be right. The gaze flickered over to Kai's discarded sword and saw an approving red glow. Yawning, Drigger curled up in Rei's shirt and fell asleep, safe in the knowledge that things were proceeding just as they were supposed to.
*~*~*
Silver eyes opened warily at the slight sound of the soft yet insistent knocking on the chamber door. Catching Tala's wary gaze, Bryan got up and moved over to the door, wincing slightly at the injuries that had almost totally healed, but every so often a twinge would remind him of the price of defiance.
A nervous servant stood there and delivered a message that Lord Wolf needed to see the High Lord immediately. Bryan nodded and sent him on his way, much to the man's relief.
Tala had heard the message and was already sitting up. Fresh lash marks crisscrossed his naked back and he winced at every movement. Without asking, Bryan moved over and helped him to stand and get into his clothes.
"This is it, isn't it?" he whispered in an empty voice. Tala did not answer him, confirming his suspicions. He blinked away stinging tears and looked aside, his hand slipping a bit from Tala's shoulder.
"Bryan," Tala started, but was cut off as Bryan kissed him passionately, clinging desperately to him, all of his love transferred through that one action. Tala couldn't resist, the emotions were too much and he grabbed Bryan closer to him still, his desperation suddenly just as fierce.
Bryan broke away and stared at Tala, his eyes red and moist. "Never forget," he whispered harshly, holding Tala close and planning kisses from his ear to his mouth. "Promise me."
Tala smiled reassuringly at him. "No matter what happens, you know I shall never forget you, you are a part of me, my soul and my reason for living." He kissed Bryan gently before disentangling himself. "I'll see you soon my love," he whispered, trailing his hand down Bryan's cheek as he turned away and left the room.
Bryan stood there, teas running unashamedly down his cheeks as he stared at the door through which his very existence had just left.
"But will you truly still be my love when you return?"
AN: So Rei's off the hook now for stealing the Drigger blade, thanks to Kai and … Mariah? … Okay, I know what you're all thinking, but I wanted her to have a nice part in this story, like a sister, I can't be mean to her all the time.
Hopefully the next chapter will be slightly better than this one … I have something planned that I'm sure you'll all enjoy very much. ;D
Well, until then
Laters.