Promises of the Past pt. 11 Kurayami Ni Akai Bara Romantic Solider (A Red Rose in the Darkness Romantic Solider)
Kurama sat behind his rosewood desk thinking. What's going on? He questioned to himself worriedly. First, strange things happen to Hiei, then to Kuwabara. I wonder if anything has happened to Yusuke or Koenma. He looked up as a solider walked into his office.
"Your Majesty," the solider greeted bowing, "here are some reports coming from around the kingdom."
Prince Kurama took the folder from the solider's hand as the solider walked out of the office. He carefully opened it and peered inside.
"Strange things are happening all around the kingdom," he read quietly. "People have reported several strange incidents involving something not of this world."
His emerald eyes scanned the page skimming the many paragraphs. Objects fall then roll into the shape of a "Pentagram" without any outside help. The priests are worried. he thought reading. Dogs and other animals go mad with barking and screeching at dangers that don't seem to exist. Children suddenly cry out in horror and die in their beds at night with no sign of murder. He closed the folder and turned away in disgust. What is happening to my kingdom? He inquired to himself. And why?
"That's odd," Botan uttered worried. "The Princess is usually up by now. No matter how tired she is."
Yukina, Sakura, and Keiko nodded. She's so pale, Botan thought. Then, the Princess awoke screaming. The others ran to her side.
"Princess!" Botan cried. "What's wrong? Please calm down!"
"Kurama! Kurama!" she screamed frantically. "He's in danger! Kurama and the others are in danger!"
"What?" Yukina gasped shaking her head. "No, no, no. Princess, they're not in danger. You were just dreaming."
Gently, Botan grasped Kizna's shoulders and leaned her back into her bed amidst her pillows.
"Don't worry, Kizna," she comforted. "The Prince and his Generals are all right."
No they're not, Botan, Rei thought watching from the Time Stream. There's something very wrong with them, and that makes them very dangerous.
"Well," Jesscheaux smiled, "it's about noon now, and we've seen everything there is too see within a day's distance with the exception of all the shops. Where should we go?"
Goemon smiled.
"How about the park?" he suggested smiling. "I saw it on the way."
Jesscheaux's smile grew.
"All right," she answered. "The park it is then."
"Driver!" Goemon called making the driver turn. "Take Lady Jesscheaux and I to the park."
"Very good, Sir," the driver replied changing the horse's direction.
Jesscheaux's emerald eyes locked with Goemon's. A light blush stained her cheeks. Goemon smiled down to her. He placed a gentle, gloved hand on her cheek and leaned. Jesscheaux's blush grew darker. Unbeknownst to Jesscheaux and Lord Goemon, the carriage came to a soft stop.
"Ahem," the driver coughed hesitantly. "Forgive me, but we're here."
Regretfully, he pulled away dropping his hand.
"Come," he whispered smiling half-heartedly. "Lets walk."
"Y-yea," she stuttered softly, "we'll walk."
They strolled beside the large lake watching their reflections in the crystal water. Quietly, she sighed. We got so close, she lamented. She watched Goemon's depressed reflection standing beside her in the rippling water. She sighed again. She snapped out of her reverie when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.
"Hey," he wondered smiling, "why don't we go for a boat ride? The lake looks beautiful today."
He pointed to the docks nearby. A small smile lit her face.
"All right," she answered. "A boat ride it is then."
After helping Jesscheaux inside a small white boat, Goemon rowed them out into the middle of the crystal blue lake. Curiously, she watched the small fishes swim between the crystal water and silvery white sand. Removing the gloves from her hands, she placed a long nail into the crystalline depths and pulled away watching the ripples ripple into nothingness.
"Are you having fun?" he inquired chuckling.
"Of course," she answered smiling. "Why wouldn't I be having a good time?"
He shrugged and continued row with a small grin on his face. Jesscheaux turned her emerald eyes to the shore where the bluish purple wisterias dipped into the water. I didn't think the park could be so beautiful, she reminisced of older days. She turned to Goemon.
"From the look in your eyes, I figured with would be a good place to drop anchor," he grinned.
Jesscheaux blushed. He tossed a small anchor into the water. The boat rocked amidst the small waves. Taking her small hands in his, Goemon's dark eyes pierced into her own.
"Tell me what's wrong, Jesscheaux," he whispered. "You've been so distraught ever since we got to the park. What is it?"
"It's nothing, Goemon. I was just..." she trailed off.
"Wishing what had happened when we first got here had never happened?" he finished sadly.
Jesscheaux turned to him with wide eyes.
"No!" she cried shaking the boat. "I would never want that. What I really want is..."
Oops, she blushed quickly cutting herself off, I've said too much. A large grin grew on Goemon's face.
"Then," he smirked, "is this what you want?"
He leaned in. Jesscheaux's blush grew darker. His face inched closer. Then, the boat capsized.
She lay in her bed with her eyes fluttering widely as she dreamed.
In the darkness, the demons surrounded her bloodthirsty for her flesh. She screamed.
"Kurama!" she cried. "Help me! Please!"
"He's not coming to help you," the demons hissed. "He doesn't care enough to do that for you."
"You're lying!" she screamed desperately. "You're all lying."
"She's right you know," a familiar voice called making the demons and Kizna turn.
"Kurama!" she cried happily running into his arms. "I was so frightened."
"You have nothing to worry about, Kizna," he comforted. "You're protected by a fighting soldier. I'll always protect you, Princess. Begone you foul demons!"
The darkness filled with light. The demons ran away screaming.
"My Red Rose," she whispered, "a red rose in the darkness."
"Kurayami ni akai bara," he murmured stroking her hair. "Romantic soldier."
Weakly, Kizna opened her eyes feeling all the life drain out of her body. Botan and the others turned to one another worriedly.
With her dark red curtains drawn leaving her in a dark room, Ruka sat as internal demons and monsters tempted and taunted her.
"You know you what that power, Ruka," a bodiless spirit hissed as it stood beside her.
"Yes," a horned demon said. "You want that power. The power to control everything. To have everything. To have that Prince."
"Yes," a spirit added.
It smiled with a mouth lined with sharp fangs.
"Yes," thousands of demon voices echoed around her. "You want it. You want us to help you. You need us. You need us."
Ruka stared frightened at evilly smiling faces.
"S-S-Stop!" she bellowed loudly covering her ears. "Stop it! Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Ruka fell to the floor screaming and yelling. The demons surrounded her smiling sinisterly. Crying, she closed her eyes. She curled in a fetal position.
Quickly, a maid with dark mahogany hair rushed in and grabbed Ruka by her shoulders.
"Lady Ruka! Lady Ruka!" she yelled worriedly shaking Ruka making Ruka snap out of her demonic daze. "Are you all right?"
Lady Ruka stared at the maid sitting beside her. The maid pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Ruka.
"Y-Yes, Arinia," she stuttered shakily drying her tears with the handkerchief. "I should think I'll be all right."
Quietly, Arinia stood and walked to the large palace windows. She parted the curtains flooding light amidst the darkness in the room. Ruka hissed and turned away as the light hit her. Arinia's eyes went wide having found a demon with ashen, gray skin, and evil gold eyes sitting where Ruka had sat on the carpeted floor. Stifling a scream, the she turned away frightened. Slowly, her heart pounding, Arinia turned back and sighed in relief. The demon seemingly left leaving Ruka sitting brokenly on the floor.
"Why," the maid began softly.
She eased her way to the door keeping a distance from Ruka.
"Don't I make you a warm cup of tea?" She offered.
"I would like that very much," Ruka growled softly turning to face the maid.
The demon had returned. Arinia let out a loud cry of fear. Quickly, she ran out of the room. Wrinkles appeared on her face with her long hair turning ghostly white.
Servants, nobles, and Queen Shiori watched horrified. A maid with long white hair and wrinkles ran past them screaming with blood tears falling from her eyes.
"Demon! Demon! Demon!" she cried out in anguish. "There's a demon in this palace! This place is cursed by the Devil himself!"
"She's nuts," a woman adorned in a white gown whispered to the man beside her.
Queen Shiori stared and quickly turned to a guard. Oh, Arinia, she thought sadly. You were one of my best handmaidens.
"Quickly," she commanded worriedly with fear and sadness dripping from her voice. "Take her away and send her to the hospital for the cursed and ill."
Two guards walked up and grabbed her dragging her away. She struggled.
"Demon! Demon!" she cried as Ruka walked out of her room making the Arinia's eyes go wide. "It's her! It's the demon! She's a demon!"
Ruka gasped.
"How dare you accuse me of such a thing," she screamed angrily. "Guards take her away."
The guards nodded and dragged Arinia down the long hallway. Arinia's screams slowly faded. Ruka smiled with a gold glint in her brown eyes. Then, Kurama and the others ran up to her.
"Mother!" Kurama called as he and the others ran up to Queen Shiori. "What happened?"
"Nothing, Kurama," Shiori replied shakily. "It's nothing."
"Your Highness," Koenma said worriedly making Kurama turn. "I think we must be careful. There have many incidents like that one going on around this whole kingdom, and I think it just hit home."
"Right," Kurama replied. "I understand. We must be careful."
The others nodded. Good thing, Kizna, wasn't here to see this, he thought quietly gnawing his lip.
Slowly, Ruka sneaked away signaling for a man with brown hair and glasses to follow her.
"Doctor Kamiya Minoru?" Ruka questioned grinning evilly.
"Yes?" Kamiya answered. "What is it that you need help with?"
"How would you like to have anything and everything you've always wanted?" she inquired temptingly with her eyes glowing gold.
Kamiya smiled a devious smile.