AN: Sorry I've taken so long to update. The rest of the story is ready to go now so I'll probably try updating every day at least. Here we go.
Chapter Eight
Kunanai awoke with a start to find Han kneeling beside her. She leaned away shocked to have been awoken by her companion.
"What is it?"
"You were having a nightmare so I woke you," Han moved back to the wall across from her.
She jumped when the dungeon door slowly opened, the corridor dark upon the other side. She glared up, unsure of who was coming to them, only being able to see the silhouette walking calmly down the stairs.
"Lady Kunanai? Are you awake?" the voice of Maki filled the room.
She released a breath she did not know she was holding. A slow smile crept over her face as the figure of Maki knelt before her. He held out the bottle, helping her drink while he talked to her.
"I went to see Mother and Father today. Like I promised you, I placed the fire herbs on their graves and told them what was happening. I asked them to help us stay strong while we battled our greatest enemy."
She smiled once she had swallowed, "And I can guarantee they heard you. Your Father became Lord Maki, god of healing and your Mother, Lady Bokinu, goddess of Birth. Am I correct in what I learned?"
Maki nodded, "Yes, they are watching over us from their Celestial Kingdoms as we work."
She nodded, motioning for him to stand, "You should leave before you are caught. And please don't return again with the elixir. I'm well enough and my energy has been almost completely restored."
He moved up the stairs with ease, stopping at the door, "No, I will only come once more then you will be on your own."
Kunanai sighed dejectedly as he shut the door with a quiet clank. She knew it was pointless to argue with him. He took after his Father for that trait. The man who raised and trained her would be proud of how he had grown.
Flashback
Kunanai stood next to Bokinu as she was searching through the closet of the bedroom. To her it seemed absurd to have to dress up if she was only to be trained afterwards.
"I think silver, red, white, or black is your color. Now what shall we use?" she asked herself, half her body disappearing into the closet.
Kunanai stood calmly, waiting as her fate was decided. She smirked to herself; it was not as if she was being sentenced to death or anything but it was a punishment of sorts. Perhaps if she had kept quiet when the warrior had been here but it was only in her nature. Bokinu pulled out a long black dress that slipped easily to the floor. Up the right side was s slit but it truth was white fabric with a gold trim.
Bokinu smiled handing her the dress, "Go put this on. Oh, and these too."
She gave her high heels and white gloves what went to her elbows. Kunanai went into an antechamber, quickly sliding off her old clothes and on the new dress. It slid down to the floor. Much to her dismay, it was a tube top and clung to her tightly until her hips before falling to the floor. The heels were hardly sensible as the heel was only half an inch thick and at least an inch and a half in height. There were black leather straps across her toes and a thin leather back that curved around the back of her heel and tied at her ankle.
She slipped the gloves on, the fabric a light silk much as the dress was. She looked up as Bokinu knocked on the door.
"Sweetheart, are you done yet?"
Kunanai stood nearly falling as she tried to balance on the heels. She opened the door and stepped out, naturally moving fluidly with a grace only Kitsune's could ever possess. Bokinu gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Oh my! Why you're beyond what I expected. My dear, you're absolutely stunning!"
Kunanai looked down at herself, scrunching her nose, "Are you sure? It seems too…. refined to me."
Bokinu hugged her tightly, shocking Kunanai into silence. Her hands dropped to her side as she remained unmoving.
"Come, let's have tea!" Bokinu exclaimed as she dragged Kunanai down the hall towards a small dining area.
Kunanai stumbled to a halt, bracing herself on the back of a chair. The room held only an oak dining table, polished to a shine and six oak chairs to match. A set of blue roses rested in the middle of the table, white crystalline flowers outlined the bouquet perfectly. A large window occupied the opposite wall, white lace hanging from a gold rod that seemingly floated in front of the window.
Kunanai took a seat, slouching back as she relaxed, her legs comfortably on the other chairs around her. She sighed contentedly hardly glancing up as Bokinu returned with a tray laden with cookies and a teapot, the cups matching the patterns of the room. Bokinu froze a moment before setting the tray down lightly. She pulled a red handkerchief from her apron and tied one end to the chair on either side, the cloth running across Kunanai's collarbone.
"What's this for?" she asked as she tried to move her shoulders only to find her back firmly pressed against the chair's back.
Bokinu poured the tea, placing a saucer and cup in front of Kunanai, "Oh, it's to teach you to sit right in your chair. Now would you like a cookie?"
Kunanai sighed, "Sure, why not?"
Bokinu continued to prepare her own plate, glancing up at her, "Now would you like a cookie? I didn't hear you answer before."
Kunanai nodded, smiling though it turned into a frown when Bokinu sighed.
"In court you must be polite, with perfect manners. That means saying please, thank you, you're welcome, excuse me, and so forth. In addressing the royal family, you must end each sentence with your majesty or majesties which ever the situation calls for. And if asked to dance by young men politely accept or refuse unless he is of royal family. Understand so far?"
"Yes, please pass me a cookie if you will," Kunanai said as she removed the scarf to sit up completely straight, her feet pulled back under the chair.
"Very good. Here you are, my dear. Now…" Kunanai accepted the cookie and waited for her to pause, "Yes?"
"Thank you very much."
Bokinu laughed, her hand covering her mouth as if to muffle the angelic sound, "Why, you're wonderfully welcome. Now as I was saying, do you know how to dance or have you not yet learned?"
Kunanai smiled, "Yes, I have learned. My Mother taught my…" she trailed off, her expression becoming sad.
Bokinu set her cup down, reaching across to grab her hand, "You are a complicated one. You make everything seem all right but hide it deep inside so they can't see it. That's not healthy."
The door to the house opened startling them out of their conversation.
"Hello, Kunanai, Lady Maki. Where are you two at?" Lord Inari spoke loudly his voice filling the house.
Kunanai jumped up and bolted out the door, slamming into Lord Inari as she hugged him joyously.
"Inari! I forgot you were coming. Please come join us for tea."
Bokinu had set out another place for him by the time he entered, "Welcome, My Lord. It is an unsuspected but welcomed visit."
Lord Inari smiled though still remained hidden; no one understood the reason behind his secrecy but himself yet it was plainly there. He turned, his eyes widening as she looked at Kunanai.
"Why, you look absolutely beautiful today, radiant even." He smiled to himself before continuing to Bokinu, "Are you sure you do not wish to know of your children? I have everything ready if you have changed your mind."
Kunanai answered for her, "Now Inari, she has obviously expressed that she did not wish to know but rathered a more natural birth of her Kits. I would have hoped you could respect that."
"Well, you have certainly learned well, Kunanai. I suspect Bokinu taught you such refined manners. I can only hope to be there when you astound the court with your sly manipulations. You will go far with that determination indeed."
He lightly kissed her hand, watching her smile bashfully, an innocence claiming her eyes. She was most endearing as he slowly pulled back though refusing to release her hand.
"I hope Maki is doing well with Dananu. I have heard he is ill and his Mother orders him to wed. Shall you three be at the banquet when the time comes?" Lord Inari asked casually.
Bokinu nodded over her cup, "Of course, Maki is at every event and this, with its grave importance is no different. In fact we are looking forward to it greatly."
Lord Inari nodded, "And I hear Jantu's annual competition is coming up. Will Kunanai be participating?"
Bokinu looked disgusted, "I shall say not! It is not a woman's competition!"
Kunanai glared at her, turning back to Inari, "I would love to. Maki is planning on training me in swordsmanship and all the weapons he knows."
Lord Inari nodded standing abruptly, "Come, Kunanai. I must talk with you. It is of the utmost importance."
Kunanai followed him outside, her hand still clasped in his. She did not seem to notice that he began using her real name instead of child, love, and other endearing nicknames. He pulled out into the rose garden behind the house. She watched him shift as if he were trying to figure out how to tell her something. She stepped closer, hugging him around the waist hoping it would help.
"What is it, Inari? Why are you so worried?"
He sighed, holding her tightly to him as he thought over what he had to say to her.
"I talked to your brother and his friends. Kuronue said he'd miss you. Don't cry though, they left this morning so you could get on with your life. I promise you I'll watch over them like I promised them I'd watch over you."
Kunanai remained still, surprised that she did not even feel the least bit sad they had left at all. She smiled even, finding it strange she could feel so calm and at ease within a few hours. She felt Lord Inari shift and pull back to look into her eyes.
"Promise me you'll rely on me for anything. Promise?" he whispered as if scared she would deny him.
He suddenly leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth, shocking her even further into silence. He held her head still wishing the moment would never end as his mind was in a new, delightful nirvana. She let his lips linger on hers, finding it to be a sweet innocent kiss, almost like a Father would kiss his daughter though lasting longer. When he pulled back, he was glad his face was hidden because he could feel it burning with embarrassment.
"I'll always be here for you," he whispered unsure of how steady his voice was.
"Thank you."
Kunanai buried her head into his abdomen hoping what he said was true. She was slowly being abandoned by those she thought would always be there and care for her. Now at least she had a place to call home though the people seemed only to wish to change her.
Lord Inari released her, escorting her back inside. With a quick scan for energy signatures, he leaned in and lightly kissed her cheek.
"I shall see you at the party. Do save a dance for me," he watched her smile slightly and nod before continuing, "I bid you farewell."
She waved goodbye to him, shutting the door with a small smile.
'Perhaps people thinking of me as innocent will work extremely well for my cause,' she thought as she smiled evilly.
Bokinu gasped silently, her hand covering her mouth as she placed the other over her stomach as if to protect her unborn children.
End Flashback
Han groaned out in unknown pain bringing Kunanai from her memories. She tossed and turned from enemies of her mind. Kunanai wrestled to reach her, her foot touching Han's shoulder. Han sat bolt upright, her breath coming in gasps as she stared around the room wide-eyed.
"Are you alright?" Kunanai asked slightly taken aback by the fearful expression.
Han took a moment to calm herself, "It was only a nightmare. I'll be fine in a moment."
Silence engulfed them, both reflecting on their own thoughts; both thinking over past regrets. Sometimes it shocked Kunanai that she could make such a good friend when in a nearly impossible situation. If only she had learned that earlier and kept to her original group, her family. At that moment she only really wanted to find Kikiyo and apologize for the way she had acted before. However things were more important than that.
"Thank you," Han whispered again startling Kunanai.
Kunanai nodded looking over, violet and gold eyes meeting in silent understanding. They were each others only hope in escaping and perhaps even renewing their lives as they had been. The darkness surrounding the seemed to deepen almost making them unable to see the other.
"You're welcome," Kunanai said, her head resting back on the wall.
Things could only get better now that her dark side seemed locked away and she could think rationally. The only thing she truly knew though was Dananu and Yananu had to die.
AN: There you are. In all its…ness. Right, that's my new saying. So review and I'll love you forever. Much Love, S. Hunter.