Chapter 32

Had Ruto not had the talent and power of observation that he possessed, he most certainly would not have been tasked the responsibility of guarding young Maria. He also wouldn't have been privy to the information that the child had been able to scry from her own sources, which by the way had been a few disgruntled female spirits that most certainly did not agree with Reino's behavior or his obsessions. He could control them when they were near him, but he had no control over their innermost thoughts or their actions away from him. Maria knew everything, and thus did Ruto. A formidable team indeed.

"Are you sure about this?" Lory asked incredulously.

Ruto nodded. "Directly from Maria-sama."

Lory sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "Is there any way that they could be misleading her? She is a child, after all."

Ruto glanced at him and shook his head. "She may be a child, but she certainly possesses a very powerful gift. They wouldn't dare lie to her." Lory certainly wouldn't have doubted the information either if he'd known exactly how gifted Maria was. Ruto just shook his head inwardly at that thought.

Lory nodded, took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. He sighed out. Hmm, what to do with this information.

"Might I suggest that we inform Lord Kuon and Sir Yuki?" Ruto commented as he poured Lory a hot cup of tea.

Lory nodded. "That would probably be a good idea. If not for anything, but his own safety. It would appear that Reino, does not intend on playing fair." He leaned back in his seat after taking a sip. "I suspect that this is what has been troubling Kyoko-chan." He groaned a little. "That would explain all of the preparations she's been making for the tournament. It would seem that she intends of invoking the Old Rules after all." He shook his head and turned to Ruto. "I need you to deliver this to King and Queen." He told him as he penned a small note, and sealed it in an envelope, then handed it to Ruto. He would need to contact Reino's parents himself with his suspicions, not that they would do anything about it. It was precisely why he'd been tasked to temporarily watch over him in the first place, but this was a little more than just a matter of misbehaving. This was a matter that could easily cost the young man a public execution, especially if he chose to accept Kyoko's challenge during the tournament and ended up accidentally poisoning her.

"Yes, Sir. Would you like for me to wait for a response?" Ruto asked before leaving.

Lory shook his head. "That won't be necessary. They will most certainly wish to see me after they read that."

"That slime!" Yuki ranted as he flitted back and forth in the sauna, where he and Kuon were relaxing after their training.

Kuon groaned a little. "Yukihito, sit down. You're making me dizzy." He ordered as he rested his head against the wall behind the bench he was sitting on.

"Poison though?" He hissed out hiding his wings and sitting roughly next to his friend. He glanced at Kuon and wondered how he could be so relaxed after hearing Reino's plans.

Kuon sighed out. "I suspected he'd do something." He commented, remembering how Kyoko had been for the past few weeks.

Yuki grinned evilly. "You do realize that Shadow Walkers are enemies of Fairies."

Kuon chuckled and shook his head. "I will not allow you to fight my battles for me Yuki. I'm the one participating in the tournament, not you. It will work out... Have faith. Besides, I need to keep this little skirmish in the family. It wouldn't look good for anyone to get wind of something like this. Even if he is a deviant."

Yuki's jaw dropped at the revelation. "Y-You two are related?" He sputtered.

Kuon nodded. "Cousin on my mother's side." He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry, it won't take much for him to drop out or back off. He's not very fond of pain."

"I think I'd be more worried about more than that, if I were him." Yuki shivered.

Kuon chuckled. "A normal being would, but he's anything but normal."

"Are you sure you want to be doing it this way? I mean... if you're caught, it could have some serious consequences, Reino." Miroku asked a little worriedly.

Reino glanced at him casually. "Why? Do you plan on telling anyone?"

"No, but I prefer not to attend your funeral any time soon. Not over some girl whose only appeal is a title." Miroku explained. He really didn't like where Reino was willing to go for the sake of losing his freedom, because that is exactly what he saw it as. Anyone that married the princess would be effectively segregated from society. No more nights out with the boys. No more concerts. No more drowning in the affections of their groupies. It would all end that day. She would almost literally be his ball and chain, and that irritated the hell out of Miroku.

Reino waved off his concerns. "No one has ever enforced that. What makes you think they'll start now." He smirked. "The only thing I would lose is the fact that I'm only a Lord at the moment. I would be a King."

Miroku rolled his eyes, wondering exactly what Lory Takarada would think about all of this if he heard him say such things. Judging how the man always spouted on and on about love, he'd probably blow a gasket of some sort. Miroku glanced up at him after the thought about Lory. "You do know that you basically have to have her cooperation in creating an heir, right? They would expect it... A legitimate heir, Reino." He stressed the word legitimate.

Reino rolled his eyes and sighed out in frustration. "I really don't see that as a problem. She would be my wife. She would have no choice. It would be her duty. Do you think as the Crown Princess she would actually shirk her duties?"

Miroku could safely say he'd never felt so disgusted. Reino had been changing too much for his comfort. He grimaced at that thought. "You do realize that would be the equivalent of forcing her to have sex with you. Could you really live with yourself, knowing that you would essentially be raping a woman to fulfill your duty as king?" He spat out.

Reino turned to him. "You can't rape the willing." He smirked and Miroku suddenly felt sick. Not the upset stomach sick, but the I feel a horrible filth on my soul kind of sick.

"I don't even know you. You're on your own in this." He grabbed his jacket. "I won't stand in your way, but I really hope you wake up from this delusion soon. I can't stand to be around you like this. Call me when you come back to your senses." The door slammed shut behind him.

Reino shrugged his shoulders and fingered the little bottle he'd recently acquired. After all this was over, he was certain that Miroku would come crawling back. If he didn't, he didn't need his type of self-righteousness around him. Who needs friends when you have the power of a king?