Author's Note: Sorry once again for the long delay. I know I have no valid excuse but I've been busy with my new fic. Hehe. Anyway, this is the long-awaited chapter eight.

Thanks for those who reviewed!!!

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CHAPTER 8: AND THE TROUBLE BEGAN

Contrary to what Botan had been expecting, her life, even without the kitsune, is not that difficult in the estate maybe because the people accepted her and treated her as the mistress of the keep.

It didn't took her long to realize that she didn't have a thing to do and, not used to just lying around all day, she decided to go to the village and get to know her people. Yes, her people.

Maybe, a couple of days ago, it would all seem weird to her if someone tell her she'll own an estate full of her people; but not now.

So, for five glorious days, every morning and afternoon, she would go in the kitchen, ask the cook to fill her basket with goods, and then set off to the village and visit every family to get to know them.

She's been doing this alone, and though she isn't familiar with the whole estate, she's not afraid to do so because everywhere she went, it is as if the people are guarding her.

Every person she met on her way greeted her by curtsying with all due respect (and thank Kami they don't kneel in front of her like they did to her husband), and so she smiled and greeted them in return, after asking them to introduce themselves. That is, if it's the first time she saw them as she can easily remember the name of her people.

So far, she had gone to twenty houses already, and there are a lot more to go. She haven't realized up until now how big this estate is!

At first, she was afraid to venture alone, and she remembered her husband telling her that she can wander off if she is accompanied by a guard, but she didn't want to trouble Kuronue and disturb him from his obligations and duties.

Of course, Kuronue, being the first-in-command, took over the kitsune's duties when he left the keep, and that made him very busy to have time for his mistress. The other soldiers are also busy with their duties or training, so that left her on her own.

Sometimes, of course, when Naomi is done with her duties that Botan had asked her to do, she accompany her, and for that, she's grateful. They've talked a lot and now, Botan looked at her as if she's her younger sister.

And for that reason, she remembered her little sister, Yukina, and suddenly missed her so much. She suddenly made note to herself to talk to her husband about it as soon as he gets home.

She could have gone through like this for a long time. It wasn't so bad at all. But then, she realized that there are just good things that are not meant to last.

"Olic," she called the guard who seemed to be walking hurriedly towards her house. She had just been from the village that morning, as usual, visiting the town healer and asking if there are some things he needed in his profession.

But the healer only shook his head at her. He informed her that he is well-provided by the kitsune, and because of the excellent knowledge and skills of Kurama in plants and herbs, the estate have some powerful medicines that made the people of the estate healthy and in perfect condition.

So, she just helped examining the patients that day and when lunchtime came, she bid the healer goodbye to go back to her house for the time being.

But it seemed that the keep, contrary to it's peaceful nature she's used to, was in somewhat chaos, and, thinking that her husband had returned earlier than what she's been told, she hurriedly walked towards her house and called one of the guards so that she could be informed as to what was happening.

"Could you inform me as to what was happening in my home?" she requested and she couldn't help but frown when Olic wouldn't meet her eyes. She knew right there and then that it isn't the fact that her husband is home that is making the keep excited. Something is definitely wrong.

"Milady," he began, "Some of Raizen's troops are in our estate and –"

"What?!" she asked in surprise and soon was replaced with fear. She knew that the reason why they are here is because of her. They must have found out what she had done.

"But Kuronue had already taken care of them," Olic added hastily when he saw the tensed look on his mistress's face. He could not believe his stupidity for making his mistress worry about things that can easily be handled.

Botan only nodded before turning around and going on her way, leaving the standing Olic behind. But anyone could see that something is bothering her. Gone were the calm and slow paces she had, only to be replaced by hurried and heavy ones.

Of course, she did not believe Olic when he said everything has been taken care of. She knew Olic just had a slip-up when he told her about the soldiers coming, and, just to save face, he said that it's been taken care of.

And Olic is a poor liar. He couldn't even look at her eyes when he said those lines. And so she decided to go straight to Kuronue to know exactly what was happening. She just couldn't stand and wait until Kuronue decided to return her to her original betrothed.

She isn't even sure if she had greeted the soldiers and guards who bowed to her when she passed by. She would just have to apologize to them later for being impolite. She's just in dire need to get to the house and wouldn't be stopped.

As soon as she entered her home, she hurriedly went to the Grand Hall and invited herself inside. She had barely made it there when she heard the two voices of soldiers arguing.

"Sire," a bulky man, wearing a dark red cloak, addressed Kuronue though it could be very well heard the hint of impatience and sarcasm in his voice. "Begging your pardon, but it is of utmost importance that the woman come with us on our way home."

She had expected it but she still gasped in surprise. Her original betrothed has come for her and she's not liking any of it. If half of what her husband is saying about Raizen's son is true, then he must be really horrible!

Add to the fact that she hasn't seen the youko yet, and he must be so ugly that she didn't want to think of…of mating with him.

At least, even if her husband now is barbaric and so naïve at times, he's quite nice to look at that her wifely duties didn't seem so bad at all to do. Not that she hated doing it, mind you.

"Milady," Kuronue said with much emphasis that stopped her line of thoughts, "is already married to the kitsune, you cannot take her anymore to your lord."

"Even so. The marriage can be nullified if it was found out that the youko thief used lies and trickery to fool the onna," the youko said and smirked.

"The marriage between milord and milady had already been consummated and even milady could attest that there had been no trickery and lies used," Kuronue said impatiently.

Though her fate is yet to be decided, she couldn't help but be proud of Kuronue. He is ever so calm with the situation and is really capable of being Kurama's replacement in duty. She's now quite sure that Kuronue would take care of her.

"The woman is a payment for the debt her family had incurred for milord. We could not just let this matter go," the youko said and glared at Kuronue with full hatred. Gone were his politeness he had been showing a while ago because Kuronue proved to be not cooperating with what he wanted to do, that is, to take the woman and be on their way home.

Botan had to lean on the wall for support because of the surprise of what she just heard. So, her marrying Raizen's son serves as a double purpose for her family. It was a payment for a debt, and at the same time, they would have lesser mouths to feed.

She had suspected that long ago but her family never mentioned it aloud to her. And she was sincerely hoping that it really isn't the case. Obviously, she was wrong.

However, she could not feel hate towards her family even after what they did to her. She understood them well. It has always been a tradition for poor families like them to use their daughter of marriageable state as a payment for their debt.

But there's one thing that she realized. That is, what Kurama had been saying about Raizen being worse than him is true. She could not believe that someone would be cruel enough to accept a woman as a payment of debt and even chase after her when she was already married.

That's right. The Raizen's are greedy and no doubt they starve their people to death just like what her husband had told her.

Despite the shocking news, Kuronue just smirked at the youko as if he'd known all along about the debt. "We will pay you ten times of the amount of the debt, you greedy fools! But we will not let our mistress go. She is our lord's wife, ours to keep and ours to protect. She belongs here and she will stay here," he said.

Botan had to smile when she saw Raizen's soldier frowned. "As the amount of debt her family incurred is only a pittance compared to her, we will not accept any form of payment except the woman. She is betrothed to the heir and we will do everything in our power to make her marry him. We will take her using force if needed," the soldier said, and again, glared at Kuronue.

As if mocking the youko, Kuronue only smiled slyly at him, "Raizen's son must really be ugly to be so desperate enough to want a married woman who previously is betrothed to him because of a debt not paid. Well, too bad, isn't it, because she's one beautiful woman who complements just right with the beauty of our lord," he said then smirked.

The youko almost lunged at Kuronue hadn't Kurama's troop sensed his action and immediately grabbed him and stopped him from doing so.

If anything, Kuronue didn't seem to be at least affected by his action, instead, smirked at him, annoying him further. He then waved his finger in front of the intruder's face. "Be careful, youko, of your actions if you want to reach your lord alive. Or have you already forgotten that you are inside the territory of the powerful Youko Kurama?"

The soldier then pushed Kurama's troops holding him, freeing himself, then immediately composed himself and glared at Kuronue with all the anger his ugly face could show.

"This is not the end of it, youko. We will declare war with your estate, that I am sure. And when we did, it will be the end of your Lord Thief," he said, then looked at Botan darkly as if knowing that she's been listening to the conversation the whole time.

The look he gave her was cold; she was suddenly rooted at the spot. It is as if her strength had vanished and all she can do is stare back at him.

And then, he turned away. Commanded all his troops to follow him and left the Grand Hall at once.

When he was already out of the room, Botan never noticed she released her breath that she's been holding for quite some time. Yeah, she's suddenly frightened of what had just happened.

Kami, they would declare war with their estate just because of what she did. And she's suddenly so afraid for her husband that she's sure she's not thinking clearly anymore.

*-*

Kuronue sighed deeply when he received the news from the guards that Raizen's troops had already left the holding without any trouble stirring.

He's not ready to deal with this thing with his mistress and he's not sure if he is in the position to interfere with the couple. Kami, the trouble the kitsune had left is too much to clear!

One thing's for sure. The kitsune would throw a fit if something bad happens to his little wife. Though he didn't want to believe it, and though the kitsune is oblivious to what was slowly happening, Kuronue knows that his friend is getting fond of his little wife not because he likes the way she looked.

They had only been together for two days before he went to the hunt with Reilan, but Kuronue saw the way he looked at her. As if he can't quite figure her out, sometimes, the look in his eyes says he wanted to throttle her, and sometimes, he was amused of her. It was really complicated being married.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he never noticed that his mistress walked towards where he and the higher-ranking officials of the kitsune had gathered.

"What are we going to do now, sire?" a soldier by the name of Takeri voiced out after a few minutes of tensed silence.

"We will do nothing," Kuronue answered simply then sat down on one of the chairs and leaned back as if there's nothing wrong in the world.

"But, sire," Olic interjected, "we know that Raizen's soldiers are not bluffing when they said they would cause trouble and use force if needed. We need to protect our mistress."

Due to what he said, whispers broke out and Kuronue could hear them discussing the subject matter and giving out their opinion to one another.

"Silence!" Kuronue bellowed that all the youkai inside the hall kept quiet and looked at their first-in-command. "I want all of you to make sure that our mistress is guarded all the time. Is that understood?"

Botan would have voiced out her protest hadn't all the youkai nodded and excitedly voiced out their agreements, because she did not like any of it.

She did not like the idea of being guarded wherever she go. It would make her very uncomfortable. She did not like to be a burden to her husband's troops. She did not want to interrupt them in their duties. And she did not want to bring trouble and chaos in this very peaceful estate.

She was so confused with what was happening that she immediately left the hall, and therefore, did not hear what Kuronue had to say.

"As you all know, kitsunes are very protective of their cubs," he began, and when they all nodded, he continued, "and that can be applied to his wife as well. He will do everything for his wife. So protect her at all cost. He might not like it if he found out that something bad had happened to his wife."

When they all kept quiet, their agreement conveyed in their silence, Kuronue smiled weakly. "Good. The kitsune's rather fond of his wife, it's best not to disappoint him."

*-*

Botan paced back and forth inside their chamber for an hour now, but still, she couldn't find any peace to eventually relax herself. Oblivious to her aching feet and tired body, her heavy footsteps only gave the idea of how restless and confused she is.

She had acquired this trait when she was young. That is, to pace back and forth whenever she had problems until she could figure out what to do and give her mind a rest.

But tonight had been different. She could not find any logical solution to this problem. Well, she reasoned out to herself, she had never encountered problems like this before. Having to think of the safety of the whole estate just because she had started the problem herself.

She had started this problem and now a war might break out anytime because of this. Never in her life did she imagined that her action could have this big reaction. And it frightened her.

Until all she could think of are ways to possibly stop the war. And then, she stopped her pacing and stared blankly at a wall. How could she had been so stupid? The solution to this problem had been in front of her eyes all this time. She had caused the problem, so, obviously, she is the one who could solve it.

A bitter smile had crept her on her face unknowingly as her eyes roamed inside their chambers. She had never belonged here from the start. And then, she hurriedly walked towards the closet Kurama and she had once shared.

*-*

Kuronue waked up that morning feeling energized and well rested. He had a smile plastered on his face as he went down to the dining hall where he and Botan will have breakfast together with some invited people of the keep.

He had come to love his mistress's idea of having meals together with some five random people of the keep so that the two of them won't feel so alone while eating.

He agreed, knowing full well that it could help his mistress know all the people of their estate, which is always good because she is the lady of the estate.

However, he was startled when he entered the dining hall finding everyone present, except Botan. He looked at Naomi suddenly, who flushed under his powerful stare.

"Will milady's lovely presence join us today?" he asked as he seated and greeted everyone with a nod.

"Her bed looks like it hasn't been slept in last night and a few of her gowns and undergarments are missing as well," Naomi said, then paused when Kuronue looked at her and frowned. "I believe milady had taken her leave, sire."

Author's Note:  Well, what can I say? This is starting to get more and more exciting, huh? Well, review!!!

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