Pt6
Hiei was furious, mostly at himself. He felt ashamed that he had no self control. Kurama asked me to train her and here I am, unable to keep my hands off her! He watched her through the window, his sharp eyes picking up every movement of her face. I'm only doing this in honor of a dead friend. I cannot dishonor him by using her like that. Am I really using her? Is it possible that I might…he shook his head violently. He couldn't allow thoughts like that to dwell in his mind.
He removed his bandana and his third eye viewed Her. He saw the pain in her eyes, pain that mostly he had put there.
"Damn!" He would go even harder on her. Maybe then he'd be able to get his mind off the other things. As soon as he thought she was strong enough he would send her away and maybe he'd be able to regain control of his own heart.
Back then he had been fine on his own. Then he allowed Kurama and those ningens to get close to him. When they died he swore no one would be able to get near him again. And no one will!
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Miya stumbled to the stables, buried her face in Set-shou's mane and sobbed. The horse seemed to sense that she was unhappy and for the first time since Miya had known him he stood still.
She could feel his hands on her again. She hadn't tried to stop him! He had effectively crushed her, turning her into one of the spiritless curs that walked around, not daring to meet anyone's eyes. She dried her eyes. There was no way she was going to let a man, especially not that man, make her his property. All the hate she had ever felt for him flooded her right then. She would fight him. She had fought others and she would fight him.
"Kirai?" Yukina pushed open the door. "What are you doing in here in the dark?" Miya chuckled.
"I guess I just had my first heartbreak."
"Oh I'm so sorry!"
"Don't be. I'm fine. A word of advice though, don't let that guy of yours get away."
"Oh I don't plan to!" She smiled.
"And if you need any help getting away, I'll be there!"
"Thanks Kirai, I'll take you up on that sometime."
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Hiei was sitting in the parlor when Yukina bounced past. "Where have you been? It's like you vanish all the time." Yukina smiled at her brother who eyed her warily.
"The stables, keeping Akai company." Hiei snorted.
"Why you insist on obsessing with lesser creatures is beyond me, first the slave and now the horse." Her smile vanished.
"Stop calling Kotsu a lesser creature!"
"Did I ever mention Kotsu? I don't even have to say his name and you go off the deep end! Dammit Yukina! I'm sick of all this. You've got an unhealthy obsession with that slave and I think it's high time I did something about it!"
"Don't you dare!" She screamed and reached out to slap him across the face.
Hiei grabbed her wrist before it connected and held tightly, staring directly into her eyes. He didn't even know he was hurting her until she cried out. He dropped her hand and stormed to his room.
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Half-blinded by tears she stumbled down the hallway and out the door. She ran past the slaves in the court and, without thinking, headed to the stable. This time she didn't even make it to the stables.
"Do you cry a lot or do I just catch you on bad days?" She looked up.
"Kirai?" Miya sat in the exact same spot.
"Is it the same problem as usual or a completely different one altogether?"
Yukina sniffed.
"It's…it's related." She sat down and drew her knees up to her chin and hugged them. "Do you often come down to the stables?" Miya nodded.
"I find that sometimes horses are better listeners than people." She held an apple above her head and Set-shou put his head over the wall and ate it in a single bite.
"That's true." Yukina leaned back against a bale of hay and closed her eyes. "For me it's the only place where I can feel any measure of peace."
"Yeah, horse dung has an amazing calming nature." The ice-yokai giggled.
"Now you're mocking me!"
"Not really, just trying to lighten the mood, that's all." It was then that Miya shifted and Yukina noticed a long scar running down the back of the fighter's neck and disappearing into her shirt.
"What is that?!" Miya looked up surprised.
"Wha…oh this?" she said, fingering the mark. "It's nothing really. It just goes to show that I'm pretty hard headed. If I had learned the first couple times around I wouldn't be wearing this right now."
"So, Hiei did this to you?"
"You didn't call him lord?" Startled, Yukina realized her mistake.
"I guess I am…closer to him than others." She was relieved when the kitsune didn't press the issue. After a while Miya spoke.
"So…what is he like? I mean, Lord Hiei. Is he any different from what everyone sees?"
"I…I'm not sure anymore. In the past he was really quiet a lot. He was always a loner, preferring to be by himself more often than not. But there were times when a completely different side of him showed. At times he seemed almost…almost lonely. But all that seems to have changed now. It seems he's built up another layer around his heart and unless somebody manages to get through that layer he'll keep getting worse. It'll be a challenge, trying to get close to him. I almost pity anyone who would try it."
A challenge! Miya thought. Then she added,
"Do you know anything about this tournament of lords?"
Yukina shook her head.
"Not much. I just know that once a year the lords get together and pit their strongest fighters against each other. I don't know why."
"For Honor." Both turned to see Hiei standing in the doorway. Miya shot to her feet and bowed while Yukina remained stubbornly seated. "I see you've met my sister." Miya didn't show the shock she felt.
"Yes sir." She looked over her shoulder at the ice-yokai, eyes asking sister? Yukina nodded
"I suggest you get ready. We will be leaving shortly. I intend to personally see to the completion of your training." Yukina gasped and rose but Hiei cut her off before she could protest. "I do not have time to entertain your ridiculous arguments right now Yukina. In fact, your ridiculous arguments are precisely why I'm leaving. Hopefully by the time I get back you'll have had at least gained a little self-respect. It's disgusting the way you throw yourself at slave men." He glanced at Miya who bristled as Yukina's eyes filled up with tears again.
"Why do you assume that because I like to talk to Kirai and he actually listens to me I've thrown myself at him?!"
"Is that right Kirai?" Hiei asked, turning to Miya. "Are you the one responsible for cultivating these Liberalistic ideas in my sister's head?" Miya glared.
"You insult Lady Yukina's honor by suggesting that she cheapens herself. Even you should be able to understand the difference between kind-hearted and sluttish!" Faster than even Miya could move, Hiei moved forward and his hand connected with her gut. The sickening thud echoed loudly through the stable.
Blood splattered from Miya's mouth as she fell to her knees.
"Kirai!" Yukina yelled and ran to the fallen kitsune. She turned on her brother. "What? Are you so insecure that you're afraid of a slave! Just because you don't like what he's saying!" She fell silent and eyes widened in fear as Hiei's red eyes glowed menacingly.
Miya's arm shot out in front of the ice-yokai and pushed her back a step or two then struggled to her feet, placing herself between the koorime and his sister. She glared back just as coolly, right arm still clutched to her throbbing stomach. Both held their positions and tension was almost unbearably thick. Soon even static electricity was visible. Horses neighed in fright as the powerful auras clashed.
Hiei was the first to exit the standoff.
"Apparently I was mistaken about you Kirai. I had believed you were a fast learner. It seems like your time at the castle has made you forget the lesson you learned on the way here. I made you a promise then. I haven't forgotten it. I had said that I wouldn't send you to Akurei but it's not too late to make good on the other half of my promise although," he looked back and forth between the two, "it would appear that I'll have to contend with my sister to use you. I'm amazed that you even had the audacity to choose a haystack for your little pleasure. What, is my sister's bed not to your liking, little ryouseiteki?" That was just too much.
"Bastard!" Miya yelled and launched at him, fist connecting squarely with his jaw. He didn't even flinch although the crack was audible. Miya was flung backwards by what looked like a swirling blackness and she screamed. The mist felt like an acid seeping through her skin and eating away at her flesh from the inside out. She barely heard Yukina scream for Hiei to stop. She sat up, making sure her illusion was still reasonably strong. Vaguely she felt Yukina put her arms around her neck and ask if she was alright; she could only see Hiei watching her and felt a chill run down her neck.
Did he see?
"You are a fool Kirai. You would dare to challenge a fighter who holds your very life in his hands."
"What life would I have if I spent all my time cowering in fear like a dog?" Hiei stood directly in front of her, placed a hand on her head and forced her head back until she stared directly up at him.
"You're no dog Kirai. I would never insult my hounds by classifying you as one of them. You are a worthless object, next to nothing. You are my property, to do with as I wish." Miya gasped as he sliced an H shaped mark on the side of her neck. "And if you ever forget that I'm sure I'll find some way to remind you."
He turned and headed towards the door. "Incidentally, I'm leaving to train in the forest. You will accompany me Kirai. We still have a lot more things to take care of. I expect you to be in the courtyard when I am ready to go at sundown. Yukina leave the slave and come." Yukina glared and started to say something but stopped when Miya placed a hand on her arm.
"Go," she whispered.
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"Does he know about…" Miya shook her head.
"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I pulled myself together before my illusion fell." Both fighters fell silent as Ryoutou worked on healing Miya's wounds. She could not heal them herself fast enough.
"Kid, I think he likes you." She stared at him and her jaw dropped.
"You're kidding, ne?" The neko shook his head.
"I've seen Lord Hiei incinerate someone for breathing too loudly and disturbing him, yet he leaves you alive no matter what crap you say."
"He just doesn't want to have to train another fighter."
"Fighters go on sale everyday, fighters much easier to manipulate than you. I think our lord's grown fond of you."
"Well he's got a heluva funny way of showing it!"
Ryoutou helped her to her feet.
"Do you have any idea how long you'll be gone?" Miya shook her head.
"He was pretty mad. I'll be surprised if I actually come back alive."
"You could come back completely dominated." Miya gave him a glance of disdain.
"I'll die first." The old fighter stared at her worriedly.
"I don't like it Kirai. You'll be out there indefinitely with only lord Hiei around. We all know of his …habits. If he finds out you're a girl you'll be begging him for death before he's finished with you."
"He's not going to find out. You think this is the first overbearing Lord that's tried to train me for the tournament? I'm almost 100 sure that this is the same tournament my last lord wanted me to train for. I've done it before."
"But you've never met any lord quite like lord Hiei. He doesn't know the meaning of the word patience. If you don't perform the way he wants you get no food. He's got absolutely no gentleness at all." Miya lowered her eyes, remembering the look in his eyes that night when she woke up to find his face inches from hers and his fingers pressed lightly against the side of her head. She had reacted instantly, blasting him telepathically and the look changed to anger. Clearly the times when she had been close to him came to her mind: the way he stroked her hair at the bath, the episode on the gazebo. She could deal with the anger and abuse, she was used to it, it was the times when he seemed almost gentle that scared her most. "Are you alright?"
She looked up sharply, gulped and nodded.
"I think so."
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Miya stood in the courtyard, watching the sun set over the trees and caught up in her own thoughts when suddenly someone put a hand on her shoulder. She swirled and came face-to-face with Chi, one of the castle slaves he knew.
"Miss Yukina cannot come to you right now but she says she's begging you not to kill her brother."
Miya stared at her, then looked up at the window. Yukina sat there, partially hidden by a curtain and though it was a good distance away she could still make out the knowing look in her friend's eyes. Yukina had felt the kitsune's aura back in the stable and knew that the fighter was capable of so much more than she let on. Slowly Miya nodded.
"Tell the lady not to worry about anything. Everything will be fine." I hope.