Maria held her breath with trepidation as Kyoko walked over to the Hongo coven's cursed mirror. It would be a colossal surprise for Kyoko to choose a weapon from an extinct coven. It would please Maria greatly for all the sniveling heirs to watch Kyoko pick something so powerful. That mirror could trap a vampire inside. It is said that Hongo Mio had trapped her own sister and cousin within before the mirror turned on her and captured her as well.

Reino quirked a brow noting the scowl on Kyoko's face as she shook her head at the mirror. He could see the wicked vampire heiress glaring out from the mirror. Mio's sister and cousin were there as well looking equally as pissed and bored as her. He smirked as Kyoko walked away to examine an ornate long bow with hollow metal arrows.

"Could she just pick already." Kimiko grumbled to her uncle.

"Quiet." Her uncle Jouji barked.

"Now, now Niko don't be jealous that the king is letting her choose something from his collection. It's not as if any of these weapons would obey you anyway." Erika said with a faux friendly smile.

"Why do we have to be here again?" Ruriko asked wishing she could be anywhere else. She had gone too long without her horde of human servants worshipping her. They did everything for her without complaint, and she never had to lift a finger. It helped that she had hypnotized them all with her voice. Humans were always so much easier to manipulate than vampires. No one at LME would so much as bring her goblets of blood when she snapped her fingers. What was worse was that even though she tried to explain that her coven was extra sensitive to sunlight she was made to train outside during the day without a designated umbrella servant.

"Takarada-denka wanted to brag some more that his daughter will be Tsuruga's queen." Kimiko sneered.

"Be quiet!" Her uncle growled at her. "If the queen chooses a Morizumi weapon that will be a great honor bestowed on our coven."

"If the little princess chooses a Morizumi weapon that would be thievery. By right any Morizumi weapon should be mine." Kimiko griped crossing her arms.

"I thought the Morizumi coven gifted most of their weapons to the crown." Ruriko said, "To curry favor."

"At least we didn't have to sell our weapons to the crown." Kimiko hissed with a glare at Chiori who was silently seething under her innocent façade.

"It would be an honor if Kyoko-chan chooses one of our weapons." Chiori said in a demure voice.

Kimiko rolled her eyes, but she was impressed. Even she couldn't keep up the innocent act as well as Chiori could.

"Ladies, if you would be quiet, please. I'm trying to pay attention." Kana said primly.

"Yes, Kana-sama." Kimiko, Ruriko, and Erika said in unison.

Jouji glared wondering why his niece couldn't listen to him like that. What he didn't know was that Kimiko was cursing Kana in her head for daring to tell her what to do.

Kyoko hesitated near a pen that whispered darkly to her. She could smell the blood ink inside of it and her eyes slid over to Chiori. Strong arms wrapped around Kyoko and Ren pulled her back to his chest.

"I know I said you could have any weapon you want but that one has an evil reputation. It belonged to a mute witch who used it to write down curses. Whatever she wrote spelled disaster for her enemies." He whispered in her ear sending shivers down her spine.

"I don't want it." Kyoko said tilting her head back to look up at him. He kissed her nose unable to resist her cuteness. "It wants Chiori-chan." Chiori flinched at the sound of her name on Kyoko's lips. It didn't sound friendly to her. It sounded like a scheme.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Ren said impressed and confused that the pen seemed to be speaking to her.

She nodded and looked away from the pen. The pen had originally belonged to Natsu who was of Jun'ichi's blood, but she could be very vindictive.

"That pen last belonged to a witch in the Morizumi coven. It belongs to us. Where does the princess get off wanting to give it to Chiori?" Kimiko seethed a little too loudly.

Prince hissed at her and Kanae said, "Careful, he's very protective of his queen."

Kimiko eyed the cats perched on Kanae's shoulders. It irked her that Kyoko had summoned a familiar for the king. Even the most powerful witches had to summon creatures from the forests and oceans. It took immense power to create your own and even greater skill to bind it to someone else. What was worse was that Ren had bound his familiar to Kyoko and the little twit had put a collar on him. It was as though Kyoko was staking her claim on Ren for all the world to see. Kimiko flicked her gaze over to the happy couple. Ren was still holding Kyoko from behind as she contemplated the weapons. Kimiko clenched her jaw watching as Ren placed a gentle kiss to Kyoko's cheek.

"I can really have whichever I want?" Kyoko asked in a low whisper. Her eyes fell on the dagger in the case meant for members of the Mogami coven.

"You can have whatever you want." Ren said honestly. He would give her every weapon he owned if it made her happy.

She gnawed on her bottom lip and walked over to the dagger forcing Ren to let go of her. It gleamed as it called out her name for only her to hear. All the weapons spoke to her of their pasts, and they whispered praises to her, their true queen. Each was forged by vampires and imbued with vampire blood magic. Each recognized her blood and eagerly begged for her to wield it. She reached out for the dagger but then she looked to the side where a katana rested on its stand. It did not call her name but rather addressed her as grandchild.

"Jun'ichi-heika's katana!" Hio gasped. He was leaning against a wall bored out of his mind. He had no interest in the new queen though his grandfather had asked him to observe her. She was scrawny and annoying. He didn't know why anyone would want to spend as much time with her as the king did. If he were king, he would choose someone with a more commanding presence like her bodyguard. Kanae looked strong at the very least. No way could Kyoko be powerful enough to hold something that belonged to Jun'ichi.

Kyoko touched the scabbard but looked back at the dagger. She didn't know which one to choose. The dagger she admired before had a matching twin in the case with it. They were small and simple thin black and silver daggers, and they would be easy to conceal. The katana was long and ornate. Its scabbard was made of black onyx with a large pink rose etched into it. She tentatively lifted it in her hands feeling its power pulse through her. She unsheathed the smooth metal to see herself reflected in the ripples of the blade.

"Have you read the legend of Princess Rosa yet?" Ren asked her and she jumped.

"No." She answered closing the sword and placing it back on its stand.

"Remind me to tell you sometime." He said as she took the daggers. "Though it isn't a very happy story. It doesn't cast a good light on Jun'ichi-heika. Depending on which version of the story you believe that is."

Kyoko looked back at the sword wondering what could be so sound about its story. Had it killed a lot of people?

"Momiji's daggers? Excellent choice daughter." Lory said boastfully. He hated to think of the legend of princess Rosa. Anything to do with Jun'ichi and the other original vampires was not something he wanted to think about really. He wasn't quite old enough to have ever known them, but he tended to believe the worst stories about them. Considering most of Sakiko's curses were real he had a negative image of his progenitors.

Hio rolled his eyes bored with the outcome. Reino frowned wishing she had picked the mirror. Kimiko glared enviously at Kyoko while everyone else looked on in awe. Momiji was a Mogami. She was an assassin queen. Powerful and beautiful but mad with jealousy. Kyoko remembered reading about how Momiji had killed the lover of her childhood friend Shizuma. When he refused to forgive her for what she'd done she had attempted to enchant him into loving her. In the end he had fallen on his sword to free himself from her.

Lory walked forward and spread out his arms. "As my gift to you I say that you pick another weapon."

"No, I couldn't." Kyoko said though her eyes went back to the katana.

"Nonsense." Lory said. "Pick something else."

"Father please you can't give away Tsuruga-san's things." Kyoko protested as Lory scowled.

"Very well." Lory said before turning to Ren. "Make her pick another weapon."

Ren chuckled, "I can't make that girl do anything."

"Mew." Princess jumped down from Kanae's shoulder and pranced over to the katana. She rubbed against the stand.

"You can deny it all you want but when you want something it shows." Ren said earning a glare from Kyoko.

Kanae chuckled as Kyoko reluctantly walked back over to the katana. She really did want it. Her fingers grazed over the scabbard feeling the pleasant hum of its power.

"What! You said she would only take one weapon. Now she gets two! This is ridiculous! She might not even be queen yet here you are spoiling her! Moving her into your place and giving away ancient weapons. What gives her the right to have them or you!" Ruriko shouted having had enough. She couldn't have servants or take breaks, but the queen got to spend all day with Ren, and she was being spoiled with multiple gifts. What was the king thinking? How could he dote on this plain fledgling when he had ignored Ruriko's advances for years.

Prince leapt in front of Ruriko before she could advance towards Kyoko. His body grew morphing into a massive pure white lion. He. Is. Mine. Kyoko seethed into everyone's mind and smirked as Kimiko, Erika, and Ruriko shivered. Ruriko fell backwards trembling. Kimiko hid behind her wide-eyed uncle and Erika's bodyguards jumped in front of her though they were visibly trembling. Hio choked on his own spit nearly falling over. Lory stared bored at the roaring lion and the heirs cowering from him. Kana leaned away trying not to show fear, but this lion was much larger than a normal one. Somehow knowing that it was in essence Ren didn't quell her fear. She had no doubt that man would rip off her head if she made one wrong more towards Kyoko. Chiori stared at the pen Kyoko had said wanted her. The lion was Ruriko's problem and Chiori didn't want to concern herself with it. Her mind was on Kyoko and how she could convince the queen she deserved that pen.

"Prince." Kyoko called to him. "Come here."

The lion lowered the paw he was about to use to swat Ruriko across the floor. A quiet "Mew," sounded from him as he turned and bounded towards her. There was a collective gasp as he leapt at the small woman who opened her arms to catch the massive beast. He was small and fluffy again when he landed in her arms, and she hugged him to her chest.

"I think I will take the Katana." Kyoko said daring someone else to protest. "And for my bodyguard," she looked at the cutlass she had admired before, "Misonoi's sword."

"Whatever you want Princess." Ren said with a smirk.

Two Mogami weapons. Lory said into Ren's mind. I told you she's special.

It would certainly explain her possessive nature. Ren replied not fully believing she could be a Mogami. Takarada have that trait too. Maybe she is your secret love child.

I think I would know if I had one of those. She better not be Kouki's love child either. I would be sorely disappointed in the boy if he had abandoned true love.

True love? It was probably a one-night thing.

My son would never. We Takarada take love very seriously.

"Yes, I know old man." Ren said aloud. "Princess come here." His black cat ran to him, and he caught her in his arms.

Kyoko turned to him with her new weapons in her arms. She glared at Lory wondering what the two men had been communicating in their minds about. Her jaw clenched. He wasn't allowed to have secret conversations without her.

Ren's smirk widened seeing her death glare at Lory. He shouldn't be happy that she was so possessive of him, but he was. Her eyes slid over to meet his and she blushed to catch him staring at her. There was a disgusted scoff from the crowd of onlookers but the two ignored it. She walked over to him, and he cupped her cheek once she was close enough smiling softly at her.

Don't be jealous. He whispered across her mind. He knew he should break their connection. It was becoming so strong that they wouldn't have to be touching to connect soon. She would be able to probe his memories from across the room soon.

"You'll come find me to eat lunch?" She asked but he knew it was a demand. One said out loud for everyone to hear. If he denied her the heirs would snicker behind her back. If he submitted to her, they may all think he was weak and submissive.

"Yes, love." He said smirking at the way Erika and Kimiko's jaws dropped. Ruriko tilted her head seeing the queen in a new light. Hio stuck his tongue out in disgust rolling his eyes.

"Yes, love." Kijima said mockingly as he walked over to Ren. "Well, love I'll be taking your man here to do some work today. We have council meetings and other such boring things to attend to."

Kyoko's golden eyes glowed as she watched Kijima place an arm around Ren's shoulders. In a flash Princess swatted at Kijima's hand. He recoiled from the couple and tripped over the blond cat running between his legs.

"Your cats have no manners." Kijima said sitting up on the floor.

"They're possessive of each other." Kanae said with disinterest. "We should go Kyoko."

"Behave yourself." Ren said kissing Kyoko on the forehead. "Train diligently with your new weapons. I look forward to sparring with you."

"Well ladies and gents, I'd say it is time for us to return to LME as well." Lory said opening the door. "Single file now. Time to get back to training."

"Wait we're not even going to discuss this?" Kimiko asked, "The fledgling just chose two of the most powerful weapons and we're expected to be okay with this!"

"Quiet!" Ruriko hissed. "Do you want her to sick the lion on us again?" She stepped as close as she dared and fell down in a low bow. She had felt Kyoko's power. Her own blood had betrayed her. It had threatened to turn into poison in her veins if she did not submit to her queen.

Kimiko gave Ruriko a look of disgust. The traitor was bowing to the little princess! They had spent years being rivals for the crown and Ren's affections. They had vowed to never surrender to each other. Even if Ren married one of them, they would still scheme and fight to rip him away but one little roar from Kyoko's pet and Ruriko was ready to give up. Just because Kyoko could break their defenses and speak to them in their minds Kimiko was supposed to be afraid. It was nothing but a cheap parlor trick.

"Please Ruriko-chan, stand up." Kyoko said unsheathing the katana to admire the ripples in the blade. "There is no need to prostrate yourself before me. As long as you always remember to not touch what is mine, we can be friends." Kyoko couldn't help the wicked tone of her voice the katana in her hands demanded that she assert her dominance.

Ruriko shivered as she felt an unrelenting force holding her head down.

"Kyoko." Ren chided kissing her on the forehead. "Kotonami-san take your queen to the LME training grounds."

"Yes, Tsuruga-sama." Kanae said annoyed that she had to bow to him.

"Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko stepped forward.

The simple forehead kiss felt lacking. She wanted to be held and smothered in kisses. The urge made her blush and she turned away from him, but it was too late he had seen the thought. If she was going to look into his mind without permission, then he would do the same to her. He smirked mischievously but then frowned. He really needed to weaken their bond before she saw everything in his head.

"Maybe later." He said and the promise sent shivers down her spine.

"I don't accept this." Kimiko seethed.

Maria shoved the older vampire aside and Kimiko screamed feeling electricity run through her body. The little girl stuck out her tongue. That little shock wouldn't have even tickle Kyoko, but Kimiko was on the ground shaking.

"Maria-chan." Kyoko scolded patiently.

Kyoko stepped over to Kimiko and laid her hands down on her arm. Kuon's jaw fell open as he saw Maria's electric currents leave Kimiko's body and be absorbed by Kyoko. To the others it looked like Kyoko was simply healing Kimiko, but he saw her take the power and redistribute it into the sword. He wasn't the only one who could see it though. Reino observed from the background and contemplated the possibilities once he gained control of her.

"Does that feel better?" Kyoko asked reaching out to help Kimiko up. Kimiko slapped her hands away.

"Don't touch me fledgling!"

"Kimiko, if I were you, I'd be more careful." Kyoko said with a dangerous almost seductive lilt to her voice. She didn't know what came over her as she gripped Kimiko's chin and leaned in close to whisper. "I don't like it when people covet my things, and as I told you before he is mine."

Kimiko felt death wrap around her heart. A cold clammy hand threatened to squeeze the life from her if she didn't bow down. Against his better judgment the king called to her in her mind. Kyoko come here. Every time they connected it would strengthen their bond. It was too dangerous for him to send her messages when they weren't touching. It accomplished what he wanted however and brought Kyoko back to him. She skipped away from Kimiko back to Kuon with a smile on her face. The air burned Kimiko's lungs as she struggled to keep herself composed in front of everyone. Her eyes scanned over Kyoko's innocuous form as she took several steps back. How could this little fledgling be so scary?

"Well then I think that's enough excitement for one day." Lory said ushering people out the door. "Let's all get back to training."

"I have to speak with my grandfather." Hio said sounding annoyed that he had to do his job. If Kyoko would stop showing off new powers and odd behavior, he wouldn't have to report back to his grandpa so often.

"Yes, I'm sure many of you are on espionage duty. Go make your reports then get back to training." Lory said in a nonchalant manner but inside he was abuzz with theories. He knew she was special, but he couldn't quite believe how special she was. The more power she showed them the more perplexed he was that she could remain hidden for so long. Just who was she and where did she come from?

"Go with Kotonami-san now and please try not to murder anyone." Ren said only half joking. She really could have killed Kimiko right there if he hadn't called her over.

Kyoko nodded and left with Kanae and Maria. Reino and Miroku followed them out playing dutiful guards. Kijima wiggled his brows at Ren suggestively.

"Man, why do you get everything? The looks, the grace, the title, and now that very powerful and gorgeous queen." Kijima said once everyone except Lory had left.

"That queen is exactly what we need to discuss with the council members." Lory said. "I've felt it and soon others will too. She is…"

"She could be, but you don't know for sure. It's highly improbable that she is considering that bloodline died out centuries ago." Ren said unwilling to label her as one of those monsters.

"Ren this is serious. We now have proof that she is from an ancient bloodline. Maybe even one of the ones thought to be extinct and yes perhaps even Mogami."

"We have no proof of anything." Ren argued. "She liked the sword because she likes the rose pattern on the scabbard. The daggers are practical and easy for her to conceal. There is no deeper meaning connecting her to any bloodline."

"Wait we're not seriously talking about her being a Mogami are we?" Kijima asked. "If she is then the crown is hers by right. We would have no choice but to bow down to her."

"Exactly, but as I said there is no proof." Ren reiterated.

"She could be like Momiji or Natsu. What if she is another Mio?" Kijima asked looking at the cursed mirror. "She was looking at that for a very long time."

"She is nothing like any of them. We don't even know that they were really the way the history books recorded them to be. Jun'ichi could have been a tyrant who locked up his paramour queen Rosa or he was a husband protecting his wife and daughter from Sakiko. The history books have recorded multiple versions of that one event. We shouldn't jump to conclusions or label Kyoko as a blood thirsty tyrant just because we suspect she may be from his bloodline." Ren said thinking of his own ancestors. Sakiko was his progenitor and she had unwittingly cursed him when she cursed Kseniya and Luka. She liked to curse people for the slightest perceived insult.

"So, you admit that you think she could be from his bloodline." Lory said proudly. He had gotten Ren to acknowledge his theory.

"I admit that it is a possibility. However, it is more likely that she is from a lesser bloodline that he created. As Kijima pointed out Mio was also of Jun'ichi's blood. Hongo was wiped out centuries ago though so it couldn't be that one. Are you certain there isn't a long lost Takarada out there?"

"Do not insult me Ren." Lory said turning his nose up. There was no way any of his kin would abandon a child.

"Then how to you suppose she came into being? Jun'ichi is dead. His children are dead. His children's children are dead. His last remaining descendant was a br… a bruxa…"

"Yes, imagine that." Lory said seeing Ren and Kijima catch up to his theory.

"No." Kijima said shaking his head. "No way a bruxa had sex and birthed a child. With whom? Who would a bruxa mate with? They kill upyr. They kill strigoi and gaki. They do not play well with anyone. It's all about murder, murder, murder with them. No way. Besides that, the Mogami bruxa was killed before she could eat her way out of her mother."

"Or so we were told but what if someone lied and hid away. Just like someone hid Kyoko away with the Fuwa." Lory said wanting Ren to connect the dots. He could come right out and say it, but Ren would be too stubborn to believe him. Katagiri could have concealed the existence of a Mogami bruxa just as easily as he had hidden Kyoko.

"No." Ren declared waving the theory away. "There's no way Katagiri hid a bruxa. He hates them more than any other elder vampire. He remembers how they massacred almost his entire coven. A bruxa ate his parents and left him to raise his sister. There is no way he would give his sister the child of a bruxa to raise. He would have killed that bruxa and the child."

"Or he raised the bruxa and trained her to kill other bruxa." Lory theorized. "Like the hunter Seana. I worked with her on one or two occasions. She was cold but levelheaded. She wasn't a mindless killer but she, well she certainly liked hunting ghouls."

"And you think that bruxa was capable of falling in love?" Ren asked seeing the wheels in Lory's' head spin.

"No." Lory answered curtly. "She was unpleasant to be around, and I doubt she even knew how to smile. Human pleasures were she had no need for."

"So, then the baby she supposedly had just popped into existence one day? No sex. No love. No charming young upyr sweeping her off her feet." Ren said and Lory frowned at him.

"Well then where do you think she came from?"

"I told you, some upyr had a one-night stand with a lower vampire. Most likely a gaki. Being the main gaki coven the Fuwa took her in and concealed her powers. I don't know why. Maybe out of greed or to protect her from being used by other upyr. Who knows? The point is that she is under our protection, and we cannot go around telling people that she is a Mogami."

"Nobody wants another ruthless blood king." Kijima said.

It wasn't that there had never been a good blood king. Jun'ichi himself had been loved and revered for many years until he was decided that he would rather be feared. And who could blame him? His sister and best friend had been murdered and his paramour had died of a curse.

"What if Kyoko isn't ruthless though? What if she is one of the good Mogami?" Kijima asked.

"Then the vultures will eat her alive. The upyr have a way of making people wicked like them. Even Natsu started off sweet and innocent. Momiji was a good queen until she was driven mad with jealousy." Ren said. Even he was a good prince training to become a great king before the other Upyr warped his mind. They bullied him until he became bitter and resentful of his own nature. "There will be no more talk of Kyoko being anything other than a Takarada. They are the only coven that have had no vukodlaks or wicked monarchs so far."

"Yeah because they're all lovemonsters." Kijima said as the three men exited the room.