Pt9
Miya's eyes opened and for some strange reason she was sleeping on her stomach, a habit she thought had gone years ago. When she tried to get up she couldn't move.
What happened? Slowly everything came back: the message, the villager, the whipping, Hiei…Lord Hiei. Hate stirred again and she swore if she ever got the chance she would make him suffer, suffer long maybe about three weeks, and then kill him in the most humiliating way she could think of – slit his stomach open and leave him to watch himself die. Or maybe she would cut off a limb and let him bleed to death. Or better still, she would immobilize him with a potion, chain him up and leave him on the exposed part of the highest cliff she could find. If he didn't fall to his death he would have heat stroke and if by some chance he survived the heat…well let the buzzards pick him to death. Yes, that's how she would do it! Then again, a stake through the heart was always a classic. Maybe she should start a journal – 101 ways to kill a prick.
She felt a soft hand in her hair.
"How's he doing?" Ryoutou whispered.
"Better."
Was that Yukina?
"The swelling has gone down. He won't be able to walk for a while though. Then again…it's safer to say normal people wouldn't be able to walk for a while. Kirai is in a category all by himself. He can heal himself?"
"Yes my lady." Miya tried to call to them but all that came out was a moan.
"Kirai?" Yukina bent down. "Oh you're awake! You're lucky you're a very stubborn person." Miya could barely manage a nod before she drifted off to sleep.
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This time when she woke up only Yukina was in the room.
"Morning." She croaked. Yukina looked up, momentarily startled then smiled.
"Don't you mean afternoon? You've slept for almost two days now."
"Wow. Hey, what if Lord Hiei finds you here?"
"Don't worry about it. Hiei was the one who suggested it." Yukina's voice trailed off. "Kirai, when you fell unconscious you're entire body shut down including…including your ability to hide your real identity." Miya's eyes widened.
"You mean…"
"I know you're a girl. How long have you been doing this, masquerading as a boy?"
"Eighteen years. My father was killed just after I was born and my mother was taken as a slave. She had experienced everything life had to offer a female slave so she dressed me as a boy. When she died I kept up the façade."
"So you were a slave before?" Miya nodded.
"I ran away once he started training me for the tournament, I'm presuming it's the same one that Lord Hiei wants me to compete in. By the way, does the lord know?"
"I didn't tell him but, yes I think he knows. Somehow I think he knew all along."
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Ryoutou passed by Miya's open door, then pulled a quick U-turn.
"What the hell do ya think you're doing!?" Miya, clutched the door handle to support her weight as she tried to stand. "Get back in bed!" Miya shook her head stubbornly.
"If I stay in here one more minute I'll go crazy. I have to get around. You either help me or you get out of my way." Ryoutou shook his head.
"You're too bull-headed kid." The old neko sighed and reached to help her walk. "You're gonna kill yourself one of these days."
Ryoutou drew the line at helping her over to the armory. She insisted that she just wanted to look over her weapons but old 'two-swords' would have none of it. He deposited her on the steps outside the arena and told her to stay.
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Miya sank back and sighed. This was frustrating; she hated playing the invalid. Everyone fussed and made her relax, none believing her when she said that she relaxed on the battle field. Doing nothing would drive her crazy.
She felt something hard against her thigh. Puzzled, she reached into the folds of her pocket. She pulled out a clear stone.
"Where the heck…?" Suddenly she remembered. It was the same bead that Lord Hiei had given her. Hiei, will I never be completely free from you?
He had given it to her in an attempt to help her use her powers of illusion. Help me, ha! He wants to cause me grief and agony.
"Sir Kirai?" Miya's head shot up at the sound of a child's voice. In front of her stood a boy, probably no older than twelve years old. Miya smiled warmly.
"It's just Kirai, no sir. Can I help you?" He looked distinctly embarrassed; for some reason he seemed almost scared to look at her directly. He held a sheath, beautiful leather engraved with creeping vines. A katana lay inside, the handle engraved with the same creeping vines, the most intricate she had ever seen.
"My father said I should deliver this to you. It's a gift to thank you for sparing his life." Miya stared, unable to utter a single word. As if in a dream she took the sword from the boy. It was a few seconds before she was able to speak again.
"It's…it's lovely!" The boy beamed.
"I helped!"
"Then you should be very proud, it's excellent work. Tell your father that I will be honored to use this sword in battle." He nodded and scampered off, leaving Miya to gaze at the sword that was now hers.
Reverently she drew it from the sheath, admiring the tempered blade and its perfectly sharpened edges, testing them with her thumb. As she slid her hand along it's blade she slowly drifted into her imagination. She fantasized about winning, once or twice her mind even brushed against the possibility that she would use it to kill Lord Hiei. Suddenly the sword glowed a soft light, changing color every time she thought of something different. It shimmered a brilliant red when she thought of the koorime. Around her flashed images as she thought them. Incredible, I'm using the sword to transmit my illusions!
The transparent bead silently rose from her lap, propelled by the excess energy. Miya blinked and reached out to hold it. Suddenly she had idea. She had been able to transmit an illusion through it before. If she combined them then maybe…
There was no blinding flash of light, no thunder, no earthquake or sudden ray of sunshine; the sphere merely slid into the metal as if it belonged. It made its home right where handle met blade.
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"Impossible! The stone is just a crystallite and the sword normal metal. It can't possibly amplify your power." Ryoutou examined the katana carefully.
"And yet it did. I've never been able to heal myself at that speed! The moment the two joined I was able to walk on my own. You saw Ryoutou. There's no way I'd be able to move from the state I was in this morning to the way I am now on my own." Miya paced the room.
"I just don't buy it. You say this sword was a gift?"
"Yes, from the blacksmith I saved from Lord Hiei."
"And where did you get the stone?" Miya hesitated.
"I found it."
"Really?"
"Yes." She glared, daring him to say otherwise. He nodded.
"So Lord Hiei gave it to you."
"I never said that!"
"You didn't have to. It's in your eyes. My theory is that your power is amplified through your emotions. These things have some emotional value to you and that's what amplified your power, not the objects themselves. Just what were you thinking of when the sword started glowing?"
"Fighting…how I could use the sword to kill Lord Hiei." Ryoutou paused for a moment then started chuckling.
"That would explain the excess energy!"
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Yukina fiddled idly with a handkerchief as Hiei lay on the couch, presumably asleep. Silently she got up and left the room, not seeing when Hiei's eyes opened.
In the kitchen no one asked when she retrieved a basket of food; everyone knew where she was headed and there was not one who didn't feel some amount of sympathy.
The cells beneath the castle smelled worse than the last time she had been there.
"Kotsu, wake up." The sleeping ex-bodyguard shot to his feet.
"Yukina!"
"I know you said I shouldn't come down here but I needed to hear your voice."
"Yukina," he petted her hair lovingly, "I heard about the confrontation with your brother from Chi. I've already told you I won't allow you to get in trouble for me." Tears formed in her eyes and he gently wiped them away.
"The tournament starts in a week. Hiei will leave as soon as Kirai can travel, which will be soon since he can heal rapidly. I'll come back down here and we'll leave then. We can get as far away from this place as we want and start over, start a new life together!" His eyes sparkled.
"I would like that very much!"
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Yukina closed the door behind her and raced down the hall, crashing right into Hiei.
"Hiei!" He grabbed her shoulders and glared at her.
"Yukina," he said softly, "I am sure that you are well aware of my feelings about that slave, are you not?"
"Hiei, I …"
"Are you not!" he yelled. Trembling she whispered 'yes'. 'Then why do you insist on defying me. Do you enjoy making me angry?" Yukina shook her head. "Then tell me why!"
"Because…Because I love him and I want to be with him!"
Hiei's hand flashed out across her face. Yukina shook more from the shock than the pain. Hiei had never hit her before.
"Inform your slave-girl to pack your things." Hiei's voice was low and dangerous. "You will be accompanying me to the tournament. Apparently I cannot leave you alone anymore. I will allow no member of my family to be wasted on a slave."