Chapter 9 – Arrival
When Kain woke the next morning, Mioko was still pressed against his back, sleeping with a small smile on her face. Kain slipped away from her and went to the side chamber to prepare for the day ahead. When he returned, Mioko was still sleeping, still clutching Chibi Kain to her chest. She looked so content and peaceful, not even the lord of Nosgoth could bring himself to wake her. Instead he lifted her from the bed and carried the sleeping child to Raziel's chamber.
Raziel was slumped over a table as he slept, rather than lying in bed. Kain laid Mioko on the bed and shook his son awake.
"Mioko?!" Raziel called as he was jerked awake. Kain stood back and waited for his son to wake up completely, but from the look in his eyes, he obviously had had no sleep the night before. Raziel looked up, golden eyes hazy and unfocused, at his master, "Sire?" he stuttered, Mioko's gone." Kain frowned on Raziel as he pulled himself up, "I came back lat night and she was gone, I don't know where she is!" Kain sighed and stepped to the side, allowing Raziel view of his sleeping daughter. Raziel uttered the faintest cry of relief and ran to her side. "Mioko!" he breathed, relieved that she was alright.
"She had a nightmare last night and decided that as you weren't there, I was the next obvious source of comfort," Kain told him, "No doubt you were catching up with Dumah last night?" Raziel nodded, trying to shield the disbelief that Mioko had spent the night with his sire.
There was a polite knock at the door and without waiting for an answer, Dumah swept in, wearing a solemn expression, "Raziel," he began, "We can't find..." he broke off as his eyes traveled from the first born to Kain to the sleeping child, "found her," he muttered, "Where was she?" he asked, curiously.
"She was with me," Kain answered. Dumah, like Raziel had a hard time concealing his surprise,
"Oh...we didn't think of that..." he stuttered, avoiding his master's eye, "I'll tell Dakar to call off the search...will you be leaving this morning?" he asked, eventually. Kain nodded, "I'll have your horses ready within the hour, all being well, you should be in Rahabim by sundown." Dumah bowed himself out, just as Mioko was waking.
"Daddy!" she cried, happily, seeing her father. She sat up and threw her arms around her Raziel's neck. He hugged her back and picked her off the bed, "I had a nightmare," she told him, sadly, "but Uncie Kain looked after me."
"I heard," Raziel said, burying his face in her hair, "please don't run off like that, again," he pleaded. Mioko brought her head back and frowned on her father,
"I didn't run off," she said, "you weren't here so I went to see Uncie Kain."
Kain chuckled inwardly as his son struggled to come up with the words to answer her. Kain turned to return to his own chamber, when Mioko called after him, "Thank you, Uncie Kain."
The three set off from Dumahim, much to Dumah's disappointment and Dakar's delight. After making a promise that Mioko would always be welcome in Dumahim territory, they set off for Rahabim. Not long into the journey, Kain, who was riding slightly ahead of Raziel and Mioko, noticed that Mioko kept on giggling to herself. Slowing his horse out of curiosity, Kain allowed Raziel to ride beside him.
"What are you laughing at, child?" Kain asked her. Mioko looked over at Kain, her face split with happiness. She rolled her eyes upwards and Kain saw that Raziel had fallen asleep against Mioko. His chin was resting on the top of her head as his head swayed limply from side to side while he slept. Kain shook his head and sighed as Mioko continued to chuckle as her father's head tickled hers.
"Why is daddy sleeping?" she asked, curiously.
"He was up all night," Kain explained, "he didn't get any sleep, he was looking for you." Mioko looked upset for the briefest of moments,
"But I was with Uncie Kain," she murmured, sadly. Kain nodded,
"He didn't know that."
"Oh," Mioko nuzzled Raziel's chin with her head, "I'm sorry, daddy," she whispered, "I'll be good from now on." Kain rolled his eyes and cast them back at the road ahead. "Where are we going now?" she asked.
"To Rahabim," Kain told her. Mioko frowned for a moment,
"Lord Turel didn't like Rahab; he said he was too quiet." Kain looked back at the girl, who was looking up at him, expectantly.
"Turel doesn't like anyone," Kain muttered.
"Why?" Mioko asked. Kain dropped his head, realizing that any answer he gave would result in the same question, 'why?' repeatedly until she was satisfied. Not having the patience to put up with the constant questioning Kain nudged his horse forward, safe on the knowledge that as long as Raziel slept, she would be unable to follow.
They approached Rahabim just as the clouded sky was beginning to darken. Raziel stirred and finally woke. He almost fell of the horse as he realized just how far they had come while he'd slept; the majestic city of Rahabim was coming into view. Raziel looked around wildly, trying to regain his bearings.
"My...my lord," he stuttered, but Mioko hugged him, interrupting him,
"Daddy! You're awake!" she cried, "Did you have a nightmare?" she asked, seriously. Raziel shook his head, Mioko smiled, "Good, nightmares are nasty aren't they, uncie Kain?" she asked. Kain sighed and slowed his horse once more,
"Welcome back to the world of the waking," he said to Raziel.
"Aren't they uncie Kain?" Mioko asked, louder.
"My lord, I am so sorry," Raziel pleaded, "I didn't get much sle..."
"Uncie Kain!" Mioko said, louder still, trying in vain to get the master vampire's attention. As they neared the neared the city, the gates opened and Rahab could be seen waiting for them,
"Aren't they uncie Kain?"
"My lord?" Rahab greeted, "Welcome..."
"AREN'T THEY?!" Mioko screamed. The three vampires looked down on her; she was staring up at Kain angrily,
"Yes!" he shouted back at her. A silence descended on the group as Raziel and Rahab looked from the seething master to the equally angry child.
"Don't shout at me!" she yelled, piercing all three of the vampire's acute hearing. Kain glared at the child and was about to retort when he noticed her bottom lip, beginning to quiver uncontrollably. Raziel rolled his eyes and waited for her to start wailing before he picked her up, "Uncie Kain shouted at me," she sobbed into Raziel's arms. Kain looked away and back at his fourth born who was staring at them with a confused expression.
"Uh...welcome to Rahabim?" Rahab said, uncertainly. Mioko pulled back from Raziel and poked her tongue out at Kain,
"You're a big meanie!" she sobbed. Kain shook his head and turned back to Rahab who was trying to stifle his chuckles. Rahab tried to disguise his laugh with a short cough, to no avail. Kain looked at his son in disbelief and swept past him into the city. Rahab stood beside Raziel as he tried to comfort his daughter.
"Mioko, this is Rahab," Raziel said, trying to distract her. Mioko shook her head, refusing to look up and buried her tear streaked face into Raziel's shoulder, refusing to acknowledge the fourth born.
"We have prepared rooms for you," Rahab told his brother. Raziel nodded and sighed,
"I'd better put her down," he took his leave of his brother and went up to the palace. Rahab turned to his first born, "Well that was interesting."
TBC