Chapter Two: The Senate's Request

Authors Note: Hello, everyone. I apologize for some of the gramar mistakes and spelling errors in the first chapter. I have a habit of looking at the screen (and not the keyboard) when I'm writing my stories but I will do my best to pay attention and make sure that it doesn't happen again. However, here is the new chapter and also here is the link to the site I mentioned before: . /wiki/Yuki_Kuran. If you happen to read the wiki page, either PM me or leave a review with your honest opinion about her and please leave a review about the story.

Artemis P.O.V.

After I was dismissed by my father, I went to find to find my siblings, or, to be more precise, the ones that still lived here with us. I have three older sisters, Eimi (who was the first born and the older twin of one of my brothers), Katelynn and Katherine (who are also twins) and six brothers, Michael, Memphis, Aiden, Kane, Victor and Alexander. My older siblings had left home some time ago to study in different area's of the world. Aiden and Katelynn had left with Kane and Katherine. Eimi decided to stay since she was first in line for the throne. I haven't seen Michael or Memphis since I was just a child. Victor is always with his tutor for his lessons while Alexander usually keeps to himself.

I always worry about Alexander, even when he's home, mostly because he may be my younger brother but he is also my fiance. He once told me he didn't want me to marry him if I did not wish to. I take after my father when it comes to hiding my feelings, especially when it comes to someone I love. Keeping my head held high like I was taught, I walked down the hall to find the maids.

Once I found them in my sisters' room, I stood in the doorway and gently knocked on the door. "Excuse me, ladies."

The maids stopped their task at hand and curtsied. "Good evening, princess," the first said. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"My father sent me. It seems he wishes to speak with you." I said and left. How did mother and father handle this for so many years? It was quiet in the castle, the only sounds coming from the sand hitting the windows due to a light wind and my heels clicking on the wood floors.

I didn't know where my feet were taking me until I stopped right outside his closed door. I raised my hand to knock when I heard his voice telling me to come in. Without hesitating, I turned the knob and pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit by a few candles that rested on his windowsill and I could see him standing there in the middle of the room. With the same pale skin and wavy hair, he had an uncanny resemblance to our father.

"Artemis," he said, his voice sounding strange. "Is something wrong?"

"No," I shook my head. "Everything is fine. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

He met my gaze for a second then turned away. "I'm fine. What was that all you wanted to know?"

I sighed and went over, placing my hand over his heart. I heard his sharp intake of breath. "Alexander, I told you this before: I do care for you and I want to be your wife one day. You do not need to worry about anything."

Instead of answering, he just placed his hand over mine.

Nicholas P.O.V.

I could tell Yuki was not happy about the Senate requesting this meeting. She had remained quiet during the whole trip, the only reaction she showed was when I squeezed her hand. I knew she didn't want to discuss her past with them, especially about her family and how they died. The limo came to a stop and the driver opened the door. I stepped out first and held my hand out to my wife. Once she was out, I offered her my arm and she slipped her hand around it and together, we went inside.

One of the assistants was waiting for us. He bowed and asked us to follow him to the upper floor. He knocked twice on the door and it slowly creaked open. Sitting at the table were the current members of the Senate. They all stood up and bowed/curtsied when we entered the room.

Several men and women I had met before at Soiree's were seated around the table. However, there was one that stood out. He had wavy, dark brown hair and reddish-brown eyes. I felt Yuki relax a little bit when he came over.

"It has been awhile, hasn't it?" He asked.

Yuki spoke for the first time since we left the palace. "It certainly has. How are you, Kaname?"

Kaname kept his expression calm. "I have been well. However, I'm afraid this is not the time to get re-aquainted." He pulled out one of the chairs for Yuki and I took my place next to her.

Once we were all seated, the meeting began. "I apologize for requesting this meeting on such short notice," The head of the Senate said. "Lord Nicholas, where are your children? I requested that they be present for this as well."

I kept my voice emotionless. "I understand that, but most of our children are studying abroad. Our oldest daughter stayed behind to learn her duties."

"I see," he said. He turned his attention to my wife. "Lady Yuki, it has caught our attention that you are not the biological daughter of the Kuran family. How is that possible when you resemble Lady Juri?"

"I was adopted by my husbands family and they raised me as their daughter." She said.

I could tell they didn't believe her. Kaname could sense this as well. "She is telling the truth. I stumbled upon her tomb and awoke her from her slumber. She is an old friend of my grandson, Jasper. When I learned of what happened to her family, I brought her to my family when mother was pregnant with Nicholas and asked if we could protect her."

Another member spoke up. "If that is the case, what happened to your biological family?"

Yuki's expression darkened. "You see, my parents were not purebloods." That caught the Senate's attention. "Me, my twin sister and younger brother were born to human parents. It was through a mutation that we were born as pureblood vampires. My parents and twin sister were killed on the same day. It was because of my younger brother that I had escaped the same fate. I returned after placing their remains in the tomb and sealed myself within and put my myself into the deep sleep."

"That was when I found her soon after. We also discovered that her son and her sisters children are alive as well." Kaname said.

I looked at Yuki from the corner of my eye. Hearing her first son mentioned was always hard for her.

The main head finally responded. "Lady Yuki, is it possible for you to remove the masking gene that placed upon you?"

"Of course," Yuki said and closed her eyes. I watched along with the others as her skin went from pale to tan and her hair suddenly had a pinkish-hue to it. She opened her eyes and we all say that they turned yellow.

The members of the Senate let out a exclamations of shock and surprise. I already knew she looked like this and I placed my hand over hers under the table. I could see her smile a little as she sent me a telekinetic message. Thank you for always being here with me. I smiled back and lifted her hand, pressing my lips to the back of it.

Yuki P.O.V.

We returned to the palace after the meeting and I had put the masking gene back into place, only allowing some of my natural traits show. I only let my real self be seen by Nicholas and our family. I let out a sigh of relief when we pulled up to the main entrance. Once we were safely inside and the doors had closed, I felt all the tension leave my body.

"Mother! Father!" A voice called from the top of the stairs.

Both of us looked up and saw a girl, about 18-19, with waist length red hair and green eyes. Her face lit up and she ran down the stairs, her heels clicking on the polished wood floors. I sighed while her father laughed. "Eimi, I wish you wouldn't run in heels."

Eimi, our oldest daughter, stopped in front of us. She had two braids in her hair on either side of her face with her bangs partially covering her eyes. "Sorry, mother."

Nicholas smoothed her hair down. "Have you finished your studies for today?"

She nodded. "Yes, father. I was on my way out to the garden."

Nicholas nodded and let her go. I took the opportunity to slip upstairs unnoticed and went to our bedroom. I shut the curtains since it was still daylight and took off my shoes, placing them back in the closet. I was about to take off my dress when I heard the door open.

"Yuki, is something wrong?" Nicholas asked, concerned.

He always worried about me ever since he came out of his slumber after returning from the war where he was wounded. I tried to keep my voice steady. "I'm fine. I'm just tired since the sun is still out."

He took my hand and brought me over to the bed. "It's not only that. You're also worried about the Senate."

He knew me all too well. "Yes, I am. They already want to keep us under watch and now that they know the truth, I'm afraid they will try even harder now."

He kept his arms around me. "I promise, I won't let that happen."

I didn't say anything. Instead, I kissed him and he pulled me down onto the bed.