Pt8
The castle loomed dark and threatening against a dreary sky. Dark forest around it served to re-enforce its dismal appearance.
Outside looked exactly how Miya felt inside. She tried to ignore the knocking on her door, disturbing her misery, but the person was insistent. Finally she called out
"It's open." Ryoutou burst in.
"You planned to have me stand out there all day kid?" Miya didn't even look up, instead she stared at the wall. "Care to tell me what happened?"
"Not particularly."
"You know I'm not gonna go away until you tell me ne?"
Miya sighed. "I lost control."
"How badly?" Miya sat up, feeling tears come to her eyes and her body began to shake.
"I slaughtered an entire village." She whispered. "I murdered every one of them!" Ryoutou sank down onto the bed next to her.
"Why?" She shook her head.
"I…I don't know. I don't understand any of it." The old neko patted her back awkwardly.
"I'm not gonna pretend I understand kid. I can see you're hurting because of it. All I can say is learn from it.
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Hiei stilled, knowing that he wasn't the only one there.
"I can't explain how it happened, I didn't know I could transform but," Miya sighed, "I did. And a lot of people are dead now because of me. What's wrong with me Set-shou? Why is this happening to me?" The horse snorted softly. Hiei rounded the corner to see Miya leaning against the side of the black horse's stall.
"Do you often talk to horses?" He saw her freeze; he was more than aware that it wasn't meant for him to hear.
"No sir, not often." An awkward silence reigned as Hiei saddled Set-shou. Miya longed to run, to put as much space between them as possible.
This was all his fault. Until He had started to play with her emotions everything had been fine. Well not fine but at least…at least normal. Now everything was so complex. She couldn't understand his motive, couldn't understand why he enjoyed causing her pain. It was impossible to fathom that anyone could have such control over her. Yet another reason for her to hate him. She couldn't explain why she hated him so much yet she lost it when he left her. It was as if when she could no longer sense him she could no longer operate.
She squirmed uncomfortably willing him to dismiss her. If he noticed he said nothing. He led Set-shou out and as he passed, his hand accidentally brushed Miya's. It felt as if someone had electrified her. Hiei kept walking, not even looking at her.
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Out of breath, the messenger ran to the castle. After explaining his mission to the servant at the front door he was escorted in to see the Lady Yukina. He handed the note to her, she glanced at the seal and sent for Kirai.
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Miya followed the servant, wondering just what Lord Hiei wanted this time. Once again she had been awoken and none-too-gently informed that her presence was required inside. This time she was led to a sitting room (she was told for her benefit that it was called a parlor, not a sitting room) and was more than a little shocked to see Yukina.
She bowed as Yukina waved the servant away.
"Knock it off Kirai, I get uncomfortable when people talk to me from groveling positions. I'm still the same person." Yukina said, the moment they were alone.
Miya smirked and straightened. "I thought so. So I'm guessing that you'd be more than a little upset if I called you my lady all the time."
"I'd probably throw something at you!"
"Right. So what do you need, my lady?" Yukina threw a cushion at him, which, grinning, he easily caught with one hand.
"I need you to deliver a letter to my brother for me. It just came today and I'm not quite sure where he is." Miya took the letter from Yukina.
"Are you sure about this? I may try to run the moment I get outside the castle." Yukina smiled sadly.
"You won't."
"How can you know that when even I am unsure?"
"You're a man of your word. You promised to help me get away, remember? You have to stay until that time." Miya nodded.
"Alright."
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Sealed note safely stored, Miya carefully threw open her mind, searching for Hiei's consciousness. Doubt tugged at her when she saw the forest, almost inviting her.
"I promised Yukina." In the distance she could feel a trace of Him. Reluctantly she headed in that direction.
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Damn! He could feel her mind brushing his. But that was impossible! When his barriers were in place not even Koenma could locate him. He had been about to discipline the serf on the ground in front of him. He was in a bad mood and the villager had managed to wander into his way.
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Miya burst into the clearing and stopped, not knowing whether she should call out to Lord Hiei or wait until he noticed her. It would seem like he knew she was coming.
"What are you doing here Kirai?" She gulped softly, recognizing the soft, dangerous tone of voice he used.
"I was sent with a message, my Lord."
Inwardly Hiei groaned when Miya held out the message. He recognized the seal instantly. Koenma! So he's found another way to annoy me. Hiei took the message and went to the opposite side to read it, already having a good idea what it said.
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Dear Hiei: damn you! What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you have any concept of how many times I've tried to contact you in the past two days? Of course you do! You're getting everyone of my messages, just ignoring them all!
What I'm trying to say is that you cannot force your way of thinking on somebody else, especially if that somebody is Kurama and Shinbi's unnaturally powerful daughter…
Koenma ranted on paper for about two pages. Hiei sighed. Koenma was still watched…spying on him. What Koenma didn't understand was that Hiei couldn't possibly destroy the girl's conscience. He was sure that, despite the monstrous display of power Miya had unknowingly given Koenma, her heart was still operating.
He needed to know for sure.
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Miya watched Hiei's face, noting his annoyed expression. She glanced back at the serf. When she had been looking for Lord Hiei she had sensed him too. She had gotten enough of a visual to understand that his only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Hiei burned the message and turned the horse around and rode up beside Miya. This would be the perfect test.
"Kill him."
"What?"
"I said kill him." Miya looked up at Hiei's face and saw he was serious. She looked over at the villager crouched in the dust awaiting his fate.
"My Lord…"
"Kirai I believe I told you to do something." Slowly she walked over to the common yokai. He looked up at her, his eyes echoing the pain of a hard life. No accusation lay there, only acceptance and fear. He didn't blame her at all, it was all just fate. He had seen the same thing happen to others and now it was his turn. He probably had a family somewhere; someone was probably waiting for him, would wonder why he didn't come home and would cry when someone finally brought his body back.
She could hear the screams from the yokai she killed echoing in the back of her mind.
"Kirai?" She jumped and glanced over at her lord. "Kirai I'm waiting."
"I…I can't."
"What was that?"
"I'm sorry my lord but I can't." Hiei's face was unreadable.
"Do as you wish."
Miya helped the man up. "Here. You should hurry home." He grasped her wrist.
"Thank you sir. Remember the name Zan sir. If you ever need anything just ask for me at the village. Everyone knows Zan the blacksmith." He glanced over at the impatient Lord. "I hope you don't get in trouble for my sake." Miya gave a small smile and whispered,
"Don't worry. I can take it." She watched him disappear then followed Lord Hiei back to the castle.
They rode in silence until they passed over the bridge and through the main gate.
"Go to your room Kirai. I'll be in shortly to see to your punishment." She nodded and slipped away.
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Yukina jumped when Hiei barged through the hall.
"Hiei! Is something wrong?" He didn't answer and went directly to his room. "Hiei?" She followed him in. "What's going on?" He knelt down and reached under his bed.
"Good. I thought I put it here." He pulled out a black box. Inside, sitting on a velvet bed was a long, ominous-looking black whip.
"What are you going to do with that?" Still he ignored her until she placed herself in the doorway, blocking his flight. "I asked what you are going to do with that!"
"I plan to take care of a problem. It's nothing you need to concern yourself with." He pulled Yukina out of the way but she grabbed on to his shoulder.
"You're going to kill Kirai aren't you?!? Please don't hurt him!" He shrugged out of her grasp.
"I said it's none of your business. No I don't plan to kill him, just test his resolve.
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Miya looked up when she heard footsteps and got to her feet when the door to her room swung open, allowing Hiei to storm in. He slammed the door behind him
"Turn around Kirai." Obediently Miya turned and grit her teeth. Damn this was going to hurt.
The first blow landed and for a second or two Miya felt nothing. Then the pain struck home hard. Her breath caught in her throat as she bit back a scream. After two more blows she could no longer stand by herself, leaning against the wall for support. To her credit she didn't shed a tear or cry out.
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"What the hell is he doing?! Damn it! What the hell is Hiei doing!?!" Koenma yelled as he jumped on his desk. "Has he gone bloody crazy!?!" He telepathically screamed as loud as he could but as usual Hiei ignored him. He watched as the koorime coolly delivered ten slashes to Miya's back.
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Hiei counted ten, then walked closer to the suffering fighter.
"I will stop now, but only if you beg for forgiveness and swear never to challenge me like that again." Slowly Miya shook her head.
"I can't beg for forgiveness; I'm not sorry." Her voice came out a choked whisper. "If you order me to hurt another innocent know that I will react the same way I did today."
Hiei nodded slightly. "Understood."
Miya's eyes squeezed shut as Hiei raised the whip again.
Blood rushed down her back as He tirelessly rained blows down on her back. She tasted blood in her mouth, this time her own as she bit her tongue in order to remain silent.
I will not scream! What kind of fighter cries…?
She lost count of the slashes. They continued, and she fell to her knees. Slowly she drifted in and out of blackness, the pain felt all so distant to her now. She was barely aware when the blows stopped.
"He did nothing wrong." She whispered. Then everything went dark.
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Yukina presses her ear against the door, sobbing. Her heart felt like it would explode with every crack that sounded from inside. Her hands clenched into fists as her shoulders shook.
Suddenly the door was jerked open and she lurched forward, unable to regain her balance after the sudden shift of weight. Hiei's arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling. Behind him Miya lay in a bloodied, crumpled heap. She jerked back, unable to bear his touch. Her accusing eyes met his, expecting him to be angry at her. His emotions were carefully concealed as he reached for her arm and drew her to him.
"Yukina, go to him." She found it impossible to hide her shock. "Heal him and…and tell him he made the right choice."
He left her and she stared at his retreating back, wondering what was possessing him. She only remained motionless for a moment, then raced to Miya's side. Gently she held her, stopping the bleeding, and slowly the largest wounds closed. As she cradled the kitsune's head her eye registered something and her mouth fell open in shock.
Is Kirai a girl!?!
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