"I don't really remember anything," Kurama stated for the four thousandth time as he shook his head. "The dragon that rescued me was the one that saw the base and knows where it is. And I have no idea where he went. All that I know is I knocked myself into a sleep and Genkai awoke me. I didn't even know that this Sensui man had captured me and taken me until you told me he had."

"This is getting us nowhere," Youko muttered as he rubbed his lowered ears in frustration. "We're sitting ducks until Sensui decides to attack us again… It could be hours, days, months, or even years until he does… we don't know how to prepare!"

"Can't we just destroy the ring?" Kazuma asked.

"Something with that kind of magic cannot be destroyed without it's mate," Genkai explained.

"You know the dragon's name, right?" Yuusuke asked Kurama. The redhead nodded. "Can't you make him come, then?"

"I can," Kurama confirmed. "But I won't."

"What?" Kazuma shrieked. "Why?"

"What kind of person would I be if I forced a free spirit to become my slave?" the kitsune mage asked, his eyes soft. "I would be no better than the man that was holding him against his will before."

"But we need him for something good!" Kazuma protested.

"Something that he has no part in," Kurama informed. He then stood and headed to the door. "If you'll excuse me, I have things to do."

When the door closed behind them, Genkai shot Kazuma a glare. "What?" He cried.

"You offended him," Youko informed without really needing to feel his son's emotions to know. "It takes a cruel person to use a dragon's real name against them." He stood then as well and left.

It took him a few moments but Kazuma finally understood. "What? That little shrimp is the guy that Kurama is in love with?"

"Duh," Yuusuke muttered. He then noticed the other's angry face and laughed. "What? Were you hoping it was you?"

"Shut up, Urameshi!" Kazuma snapped in response.

Another laugh sounded from the younger man. "You were! Kuwabara's got a crush on Kurama!"

"Do not!" He protested although his red face showed otherwise. "I just think he's really beautiful and graceful and amazing!"

"You're a liar," Genkai informed. "You're head over heals for him."

"Master Genkai!" Kazuma whined as Yuusuke fell over laughing. "You're not helping!"

"I wasn't trying to," was her response.

Glaring at the laughing Yuusuke Kazuma protested, "Yeah, well… at least I'm not in love with the Prince!"

The laughter died into a glare and the guard stood up and left the room in a quick motion.

"You're an idiot," Genkai informed at the confused guard. "He is still sore about it."

"Why?" He inquired.

"Because Koenma has yet to tell him the same."

--

"I wonder how long the peaceful time will last," Youko commented while he approached his son. The boy did not even flinch at the sudden words that cut through the silence.

Green eyes did not move from watching the sunrise as Kurama let out a small sigh. "Peaceful?" He whispered as a question.

"Perhaps you should train some more," Youko informed. He placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I may not be able to use magic now, but I can still teach you a few of my own tricks." Kurama's eyes swept to him without emotion in them. "And perhaps help you to unlock not only your power but my own, which, according to Genkai, you have not even touched."

"When do we begin?" Was the only thing the redhead commented.

--

"Yuusuke, sir…"

Three weeks later and they were no closer to finding out where Sensui was hiding. Frustrated, Yuusuke lifted his eyes from the garden. He had been watching Koenma reading by the fountain – that was his job, after all… to watch the prince. "Yes?" He inquired toward the man.

"We've caught an intruder on the grounds," the man informed and motioned for Yuusuke to follow. Nodding to Kazuma to inform him he would be right back he followed toward the dungeon.

A smile crossed his face as soon as he heard the voice of a young half dragon cursing at the guards, calling them useless and pathetic. "It is alright," he informed the guard watching the cell. "You may release him."

"Sir?" The young man (although older than he himself) inquired nervously.

"Trust me," He stated. Slowly the guard moved and unlocked the bars, jumping as the dragon jumped out. "Hello, Hiei," he stated warmly, his voice one he would use if he greeted an old friend. "What brings you here?"

"She made me come," he informed as he nodded into the cell. Confused, Yuusuke watched as a young Koorime stepped out, her blue hair pulled back in a ponytail with a red ribbon and her eyes smiling in greeting.

"Hello," she addressed warmly. "My name is Yukina. I am Hiei's sister."

--

"Kurama's been gone quite a while," Genkai informed, her arms crossed and her eyes closed as she sat in front of a low table. "I believe his father took him out to train three weeks ago. I have no idea as to where they could have gone."

"Stop lying to me," Hiei snapped.

"Hiei!" Yukina scolded. "Do not be rude!" She turned to Genkai and gave a small bow. "I apologize for him, Master Genkai, but he is simply worried for Kurama's safety." She ignored Hiei's blushing face as he glared at a wall. "Is it alright if we remain here to wait for his safe return?"

"Of course, young lady," Genkai responded with a small nod. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish, if it is not an inconvenience to my lady?"

"Of course it isn't!" Botan chirped as she hopped up. "We have plenty of room in the palace! As long as you stay out of the east wing and the throne room when you are welcome here as long as you wish! Shall I set up a room for you?"

"Only one, please," Yukina asked, her smile seeming to brighten up the room. "My brother prefers to sleep outside."

"By all means, we have plenty of areas outside. Enjoy yourself," Botan informed with a smile. "I am sure Kurama will be returning soon but you may wait here safely for him and stay as long as you wish afterward."

"Thank you, Lady Botan." Yukina stated before elbowing Hiei sharply in the side.

"Thanks," he grunted although it was obvious he did not mean it.

--

"Prince Koenma?"

Golden eyes lifted to dark ones and the prince closed his book with a small smile. "Yes, Kuwabara?" He motioned with one graceful hand for the guard to sit.

Doing so, Kazuma sighed lightly. "I know its kind of weird for me to say and please forgive me for being so forward but… do you love Urameshi?"

Obviously startled, Koenma stared at him quietly for a moment before inquiring, "What brought this on all of the sudden, Kuwabara?"

"Well, I… I've seen the way Urameshi looks at you all the time and I can tell how much he cares for you… lately he's been so angry because of what Kurama did and what is happening and… I was wondering if you even care for him as much as he does for you." Sighing, the guard looked toward his prince. "If you don't then you should just tell him and stop playing with his heart because it's breaking him apart."

Golden eyes appeared sad and torn as Koenma looked down to his own lap. "Kuwabara… it… it's not that I don't care for him. The fact is that I care for him as much as he does me, but…"

"Why don't you just tell him then?"

A sigh came from the elder man. "That's just it, Kuwabara… I am a prince. It is true that to me titles do not matter and I couldn't care less but… if my father finds out that I am in love with a guard, a mere guard, then he will have Yuusuke stripped of his title and possibly killed. It's not that I don't love him, it's that I don't want to ruin his life and possibly cause his dead."

"King Enma would do all that?" Kazuma breathed and at Koenma's nod he whistled lightly. "Wow… that's horrible…"

"I wish that I could tell Yuusuke that I return his feelings but to do so would ruin his life," the prince whispered as he gripped the book in his lap tightly. "I would rather he hates me then he dies because of my feelings for him."

Kazuma remained silent at those words, his eyes studying the prince he had spent only a year protecting but he had learned so much about in merely the past few days. When a sound played from nearby he turned to find Yuusuke standing there.

"The dragon has returned," he informed with a wide grin. "And he brought his sister with. They are staying in a guest room, Lady Botan's orders."

"Thank you, Yuusuke," Koenma whispered before waving the guard off.

He missed the flash of hurt that crossed the brown haired boy's face before he set a glare and bowed slightly. Yuusuke stormed off then, obviously frustrated.

"You may not want him to die," Kazuma muttered. "But not knowing his killing him."

He stood up and returned to his post then, arms crossed and watching as Koenma stood and headed inside.

--

"So you are Hiei, are you?"

No answer came from the small dragon four days later as he shifted in the tree he was resting in, arms behind his head and one open eye glancing downward toward the kitsune standing there.

Youko placed his hands on his hips and grinned widely. "Sorry to disappoint but Kurama is still gone even though I have returned. He went off to train by himself."

Hiei merely snorted and closed his eyes once more.

Humming, Youko jumped from the ground and easily landed on the branch beside Hiei. "Why did you return, dragon?"

"I do not have to answer your questions, fox."

"You're right. You don't."

Opening his eyes once more to look at the silver-haired man, Hiei stated simply, "My sister forced me to."

Youko grinned slyly, the look fitting him perfectly. "Is that so?" It was obvious that Hiei was not one that would share anything of importance. "Perhaps I'll ask her. Yukina, was it? The little Koorime that is hanging around with Botan a lot?"

"Do what you wish," was what Hiei responded with before closing his eyes again.

--

Botan watched in awe as Yukina's hand spilled over a previously white paper, creating an image of the landscape in front of them in what seemed an amazing speed to her. She had never seen anyone draw before and to her it was breathtaking to see a blank piece of paper and a piece of coal turn into a picture.

"You're amazing…" the princess breathed as Yukina began to add the detail in the few clouds.

"Thank you, Botan," Yukina laughed, having dropped the 'lady' after much begging from the princess. "I quite enjoy drawing… it frees my spirit, if you will."

Botan turned after a knock on the door and smiled. "Kur – erm… Youko!" Yukina turned to see the blue-haired princess tackle a tall kitsune. "Yukina, this is Youko Kurama."

"This is Kurama?" Yukina inquired as she placed the paper on a chair.

"Not the same Kurama," Youko told her with a small laugh. "I am the other one's father. He is named Shuuichi but prefers my name to his own… thus everyone calls me Youko. You make call me either if you wish young lady."

She giggled as he took her hand and gave the air above it a small kiss. "It is nice to meet you, Sir Youko."

"And you, lady… Yukina, was it?" She nodded as he stood. "The dragon's sister, correct?" Another nod. "Ah… then perhaps you can answer my question as to why you both have returned to the palace and are waiting here for my son's return?"

The girl smiled warmly at these words. "My brother left me after we had been reunited to rescue Kurama when he noticed that sorcerer had captured him. I have a feeling there is something more than respect going on between the two of them."

A laugh came from the kitsune. "You would be right on Shuuichi's part, although frankly Hiei is hard for even a mage to read."

"Yes," the girl agreed. "He is."

"Has Shuuichi returned with you?" Botan inquired as a subject change.

"I'm afraid not," Youko informed with a slight frown. "He wishes to continue training on his own. He was struggling quite a bit and he does not believe himself ready to return as of yet."

"Hiei has informed your guards of the sorcerer's location but we are all fairly sure that he has moved already," Yukina reported.

"Sensui…" Youko breathed lightly as his ears twitched before laying flat. "I would like a go at that bastard as well… after all the pain he has caused… nearly costing both Koenma and Kurama their lives as well as killing Itsuki…"

"Itsuki?" Yukina inquired. Youko nodded toward her in confusion. "While he held me captive it was a man named Itsuki whom was holding the spell on me to make me immobile…" as the other's gaping face she explained, "He was a mage although a weak one so I assumed he had not been one since birth… turquoise hair, pale skin…?"

"Itsuki is alive?" Botan inquired in a single breath.

"He was being held captive as well," the Koorime explained. "Chained, although from how he appeared he did not seem like he would run away if they were removed…"

"This complicates things…" Youko whispered. "This… really complicates things…"

Koenma jumped when a rough grip grabbed onto his arm while he was walking down the hall. Turning and expecting to find that Sensui had snuck into the castle he was shocked when he found not violet eyes but angered brown ones.

"Koenma!" Yuusuke growled, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm sick of all of this running around! Damn it… if you care about me then tell me!"

"Release me!" The prince snapped as he attempted to pull his arm away onto to have the grip tighten.

"Tell me, Koenma!" the guard snapped.

"Release me now, Yuusuke!"

Once more the grip tightened until the prince let out a soft cry and was brought to his knees, his arm-twisting in the other's grip.

"Tell me, Koenma!"

"Stop it! You're hurting me!"

Golden eyes widened in realization. Genkai had said only weeks before, "If you are to be stabbed, Yuusuke would share the same pain as you although a wound would not be visible on him."

"Sensui," he whispered, body beginning to tremble.

There was no sound as Sensui returned to his original form. "Hello, my prince."

Koenma jumped when a rough grip grabbed onto his arm while he was walking down the hall. Turning and expecting to find that Sensui had snuck into the castle he was shocked when he found not violet eyes but angered brown ones.

"Koenma!" Yuusuke growled, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm sick of all of this running around! Damn it… if you care about me then tell me!"

"Release me!" The prince snapped as he attempted to pull his arm away onto to have the grip tighten.

"Tell me, Koenma!" the guard snapped.

"Release me now, Yuusuke!"

Once more the grip tightened until the prince let out a soft cry and was brought to his knees, his arm-twisting in the other's grip.

"Tell me, Koenma!"

"Stop it! You're hurting me!"

Golden eyes widened in realization. Genkai had said only weeks before, "If you are to be stabbed, Yuusuke would share the same pain as you although a wound would not be visible on him."

"Sensui," he whispered, body beginning to tremble.

There was no sound as Sensui returned to his original form. "Hello, my prince."