here it is! sorry i took so long, i had a lottastuff to do...this week, but i also had an MxM fic out there...somewhere...go look for it...xD, well i hope you enjoy this! r&r please! it's almost to the end!
Keiko looked down the hallways before walking through the open door. Sliding it shut softly, she proceeded down the hall. She hated it here; she loathed all the things that had to be done so that Hokuto would be happy. Keiko made a face thinking of Hokuto. It made her sick to her stomach. A sudden shout shocked her.
"Keiko!" Hokuto yelled. "What are you doing?" He seized her by the hand as she turned halfway around to meet him in the eye. Keiko glared. "You're going to be my wife, as they say, listen to your husband."
Keiko pulled her hand away and slapped his cheek with the back of her hand. "I'm not your wife, therefore, you have no control over me." Keiko snarled. "You have no power over me!" she declared before walking off again. He grabbed her arm again.
"If you're trying to look for the princess, she won't be – " he started.
"I'm just going to the hot spring, is all. What are you? My babysitter?" Keiko frowned. "And I am going the right way if you're trying to say that I'm going the wrong way." Without another word, she sped down the halls. Every single move she made, Hokuto made it seem like she's trying to sneak out.
'Maybe he's a mind-reader.' Keiko thought. She's been trying now, trying to warn Akira and the others, but she hasn't the chance. She's been placed in the pentagram for visions almost every other day, yet she always blinked out every sensation of prophecy she gained. 'I'm nobody's property,' she thought furiously before entering the springs.
She took off her yakata and slipped into the warm waters. 'Where is Mahiru?' she wondered. It's been half a week, yet she found no sign of the princess. She even checked the room. There's no escape door, trap doors, or any of those sorts. In frustration, Keiko thrust her head under the water. 'Akira,' she thought. 'What is he doing now?' If she could've cried underwater, she might've already.
She brought her head back up to refill her lungs with air before thrusting her head back into the sulfurous water. Ignoring the stench, she kept under for a while. Keiko felt a tingling chill up her spine. A prophecy! Her vision blurred and was replaced by something else:
Mahiru, gagged and bound, lay on the floor of a hidden room. She's definitely in the palace still. Her gagged and muffled voice was a stifling cry. Her brown eyes – usually so optimistic – where shaded with fear and worry. She looked thin, as if starved. Her hair was matted –
Keiko gasped as she quickly came from underwater. The room, it was dark, of course. But…it looked familiar. 'Where have I've seen it?' Keiko thought. Slowly, she climbed out of the waters.
Squeezing the water from her hair, she changed her clothes. She kneeled down nervously thinking of what might've happened to Akira and the demons if only Hokuto found out.
"Mitsuru," she whispered. "I need to tell Mitsuru." If she knew any demon, she knew that Mitsuru – Mahiru's lover although he denied it many times – would be the one to act. He was a strong-headed (and short-tempered) demon that would strike down anything in his path for his goal.
She scrambled up. This was an outdoors hot springs. She smiled sheepishly as a plan thought up within her. From the doorway, a person would only be a shadow from there. Instantly, she fixed up a large stick of wood and put a black kimono robe on top of it for hair. If they needed her to speak…that'll be a problem, but Hokuto wouldn't dare to enter a female bath place.
Fixing herself up the wall, she slid down the other side with fairly good stealth. By memory, she started to run up the hills afraid that Hokuto would find her. When she was halfway up did she realize that her damp hair and the cool breeze were a bad mixture and that tears were a torrent down her cheeks.
She kneeled down and started up again. She panted and started to walk up. A shape fixed itself up on the hills. It was too dark for her to see. "A-Akira?" she whispered. "Akira."
The figure started to clear up. A pair of brown eyes gazed back at her. "Keiko." Akira gasped. "What are you doing here? I thought you promised us that – "
Keiko didn't let him finish. "Mahiru…she's captured. By Hokuto – the priest." She started. "I don't know where she is…but Hokuto, he's evil."
"Then come back with us." Akira said. Keiko shook her head.
"I can't," tears were pouring down harder. "I can't come back with you."
"Why?" he asked holding her shoulders. "Why can't you."
"Because…you'd die if you do! I can't be with you. Hokuto…he found out about you. If I come back to you, he'll kill you!" Keiko cried. "Akira, I'm no longer an ally. I'm an enemy."
"But I can't! I can't loose you again!" he replied. "I don't care what happens to me. I want you to be safe!"
"I'm sorry. I can't." Keiko murmured. "Save Mahiru and just leave me be." Akira let out a grunt suppressing anger and frustration. "I can't put you guys in harm. Having an enemy as an ally isn't good at all." His hands gripped her shoulders tightly and suddenly pulled her forward. His mouth found hers as he held her closely. Keiko felt his warmth fill her cold. Akira's arms went from her shoulders to back and head. Keiko pulled apart.
Akira held her tightly. Keiko said, "Just pass on what I said to Mitsuru. Save Mahiru, she's more important than – than me."
"I love you," he whispered. "That's important enough to save you." He kissed her gently. "And the Princess." He added.
"I love you, too, Akira. That's why…you should leave me." Keiko murmured.
Mahiru struggled with her ropes that tied her arms again. Sweat dripped down her head as she felt the rope rub against her skin. She got the gag off, but still screaming for help would be useless. She knew where she was – the dungeon. This is where Keiko was placed before being placed in a room to live in. They thought she was an enemy.
Mahiru tried her best to sit up as she crawled her way up to the wall. Ice cold stone met her touch on the face. She sat up straight and panted. Around this whole place was stone, so there wouldn't be anything to be able to break the rope.
Something stabbed her on the hand. It was sharp and cold. Mahiru looked down seeing a piece of bone jutting out. She let out a soft scream. Fear and panic ached loudly in her heart. She shuffled back in fear. But, if she use the bone to break the rope…then that would do.
Unwillingly, she placed her hand on the cold, sharp bone of the dead.
Everything that happened that night between Keiko and Akira seemed like a blur to Keiko. She lay on her back remembering Akira's kiss on her lips. Her hand traced back to her lips and smiled softly. Her black hair tumbled onto her face.
'I wonder, if Akira told Mitsuru about Mahiru.' She thought. It's been a few days and worried griped Keiko's heart tightly. 'Why do I even care for Mahiru?'
Keiko quickly walked down the halls. Her dark kimono blended in with the shadow. Finally, she heard something shuffling, like someone trying to move. Keiko glanced around. Where did that come from? She took one more step and the floor fell open, a trap door. Unfortunately, Keiko didn't know and ended up falling down.
"Ow…" she whispered. This place was so familiar Keiko realized. She looked up. She remembered, before she was brought up to the palace, she was kept here! This is the dungeon! "How could I have forgot?" she whispered. Quickly, she shuffled towards the noise. "Mahiru?" she asked.
A muffled reply came. Searching for the oil, she finally lit the lamp that she brought along. It was definitely Mahiru. Her short hair was matted and covered with sweat and dirt. Her hand was slightly scratched and the rope was partially off.
Fumbling with the lock, she tried to break it down. "Where are the keys?" asked Keiko. Mahiru grunted a reply and nodded over towards the corner. A spade stood there, its metal shining bright from the light in her lamp. Keiko nodded and brought the spade over. "Move back as far as you can," she said and lifted the spade.
She strikes the metal on the lock creating a dent on the dull metal. "Again!" Keiko said as she tried again. This time, the lock broke. Quickly, she removed the gag and ropes. "Mahiru, are you all right?"
"You came from me." Mahiru said surprised. "I thought you didn't care."
"That's not the point! Hokuto did this, didn't he? You hold authority over him! Go ahead and use that – " Keiko felt something hit her shoulder as she turned around. The spade she used was resting on her shoulders and a shadow loomed over her. "H-Hokuto." Keiko whispered.
"What are you trying to do?" Hokuto pulled her up by the hair. Keiko growled and glared as she tried to free herself. "You think you can free her? You think you can save your dear demon friends?" His voice was menacing. Keiko struggled. He held roughly onto her hand and pulled her out. Getting out of the cellar, he closed the trap door tightly, making sure it couldn't be open from inside.
"Let her out!" Keiko demanded. Hokuto chuckled.
"Why?" he asked. "I'd be ruler, and you'd be queen." She shrank back.
"No," she said flatly. Hokuto's eyes stared into hers.
"After I kill that friend of yours, there won't be any competition of who you shall marry." Hokuto said and let her drop. Keiko sat there panting. Suddenly, the wind picked up from where she was and lightning struck while thunder did is music. The demons were here!
here we are. sorry if they're out of character. i just can't ever get them into character...argh!...so sad...well, i hope you like this. r&r