Chapter 31 Refuge
Hiei blinked, the world slowly coming into focus. But something didn't feel right. The grotesque walls closed in on him menacingly and the room didn't smell the same. He was accustomed to the spices of his wife's vanity and her sweet scent within the sheets. These sheets were stale. The sounds weren't right either. He should hear the sound of the flames flickering in the hallway and sometimes the cool whisper of the wind. But all he could hear were demons clamoring back and forth, regulated. A numbing sensation filled him as for the first time he was at an utter loss about what to do because the fortress wasn't just the place he had rested, like he had here in the centipede or in a tree.
The fortress was his home. And now it was gone.
He forced himself to sit up, despite his aching body protesting heavily. He recognized the room to be the one he usually inhabited in Mukuro's centipede. There wasn't much in the room; a small bed in the corner and next to it a nightstand. There was a small dresser in the opposite corner and he was privileged enough to have his own bathroom. He stood slowly and grabbed his cloak. He needed to find Shana and his wife. He remembered getting onto the centipede but nothing after that. Whether he passed out or Mukuro knocked him out, he was grateful. He took a few paces to make sure he wasn't going to fall over. When he was satisfied he stepped out into the hallway.
The hallways seemed busier, Mukuro's men bustling about more quickly than usual. He slowly made his way down to the infirmary, making a point not to look at anyone. A few demons lined the walls, or slept on the floor as he passed by but he thought nothing of it until he entered the infirmary corridor. Then he stopped.
Demons crowded the hallways to the point it was difficult for anyone to walk through but they were not random demons. Hiei knew them, all of them. They were his demons, the servants and guards of the fortress. Some were in pain while others tended to their wounds and some just rested, exhausted. Mukuro was going around and picking up the inhabitants of his former home. Why?
That was a question for another moment. Right now, he needed to find Shana and his mate. He wove his way through the throngs of people, forced to stop every now and then as demons here and there acknowledged him. He searched room after room until he found Honjo standing in front of a closed door.
"Heika," the wolf demon greeted and he saluted.
Hiei waved him off. "Where are Shana and my mate?"
"Shana is resting and is recovering well. Mîra no Kimi's operation went well and has been over for some time but the medics have sedated her for longer than necessary. She should rouse in a few hours."
Sedated? "Why is my mate sedated for longer than usual?" he growled.
"Mukuro-sama felt it was best and I have to agree with her. The instant Mîra no Kimi wakes she is not going to sit still, no matter how much we try and persuade her to do so. Mukuro-sama ordered the medics to keep her sedated for as long as possible without endangering her health to keep her from hurting herself when she woke." Honjo gave him a wry smile. "Mukuro-sama was also thankful that you were not in that situation, otherwise she would have two hot-blooded idiots on her hands."
Hiei resisted the urge to lash out against his loyal guard. Mukuro was right, Mîra would have immediately gotten up and start to take action. "What about these demons?"
Honjo's eyes darkened. "We quickly got word that Mitage's men started raiding nearby villages, looking for refugees. We changed paths to villages that Mitage has not arrived at. It will set us back on time but Mukuro did not want to leave them behind." The wolf demon leaned forward and Hiei stepped closer. The wolf demon continued quietly this time.
"You were out for a while so you did not see but Mukuro-sama is furious that Mitage raided and sacked the fortress. Combine that with him hunting down the innocent that were not brutally murdered as they tried to escape, and the Lady sees it as an open declaration of war. That and apparently he is behind the slave ring Mukuro-sama has been trying to destroy for almost five years now."
Hiei drew back and did not respond. Why would Mukuro care? She was all about the "cycle of life" and allowing the demon world to continue churning on its own, without interference from outside and within. He knew that she tracked down slavers and shut them down but why would she care about the current King going around and murdering his servants? Wasn't that the way of the Makai, the bloody and gruesome land they all lived in? The fortress was originally hers and the territories surrounding it used to pay tribute to her. Perhaps that was why she felt so insulted.
There was no use thinking about it now. "Move aside," he commanded. The wolf demon stepped away from the door and Hiei entered the room. For a fleeting second, he thought Mîra was dead. Then her chest rose and fell slowly and he exhaled the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He closed the door behind him and slowly walked up to the raised bed. She was dressed in a simple, faded long sleeved grey gown and her right arm was laid across her chest while the other rested face up, an IV in her arm just above the bandages wrapped around the forearm.
Hiei gently sat on the bed and scanned her again. She was in a peaceful slumber, as though nothing had happened. He gently took her free hand in his and his heart lurched. Her skin was rough… the burns. The top of her hand was covered in blisters. He slowly pushed up the sleeve and was not surprised to see her arm wrapped. His fingers ran over bandages lightly and he couldn't help but feel guilty. There must have been something he could have done. If only he hadn't turned the corner so fast. If only he had made sure she was right behind him. If only…
Hiei hopped off the bed and gently pulled the IV out of her arm. He bandaged the small wound quickly and made sure the sleeves were pulled down all the way before he brought her hands together over her stomach. He glanced at her face and stroked his thumb across her pale skin. Then, very gently, he lifted her head and brought her hair to one side and tied it with his scarf. He frowned, noticing the purple stains and burnt edges. He would need to cut and dye her hair preferably before she woke up so out of all of her potential complaints, her most obnoxious and incessant one would be avoided.
In an easy, fluid motion, Hiei scooped his wife into his arms. He paused to make sure her head would stay against his shoulder before kicking the door. It opened slowly, Honjo peering inside. The wolf's eyes widened and immediately opened the door fully. Hiei stepped out into the hallway and looked up at his captain.
"Grab Shana," he commanded quietly. Honjo nodded and immediately went to a room a little further down. Hiei waited patiently and soon Honjo appeared with Shana, the small child holding the demon's paw. She smiled widely at Hiei, relief filling her violet eyes. He gave her a small, brief smile before turning towards the end of the wing. He wondered how he was going to get through the throngs of demons. Then, suddenly, the corridor went quiet. Demons that were injured or had no strength to stand were slowly rising to their feet and those in the middle of the walkway pushed to the edge. Slowly, a straight path was clear.
What was this? Why were they doing this? Hiei walked slowly and as he passed the inhabitants and workers of his fortress, they bowed their heads as they passed. One demoness, he recognized her as a maid, stepped out in front of his path.
"Will she be alright? Is she alive?" Her voice was worried and her brown eyes stared at him anxiously, her tail swaying back and forth nervously.
"She will live," he responded.
The maid's body sighed as relief spread. "She saved my life," the demoness whispered.
Hiei stared out at the demons lined against the walls. Did Mîra save all of their lives? She may not have saved all of them but he knew that she ran the inner working fortress. She must have known all of them to some degree. Was this a gesture of respect for her? Pride swelled inside of him. His mate was a good sovereign and not every demon would come to accept her but his demons were the only ones that mattered. Somehow, someway, she impacted every single one of these demon personally and they respected and honored her for it.
Hiei continued on proudly and when he reached the end of the corridor, Maria and Claudia were waiting for him patiently. They smiled at him softly and bowed as he passed them. Hiei turned to see Mukuro leaning against the wall with an expression he could not understand. So he continued on with Shana, Maria, Claudia, and Honjo behind him. Mukuro's demons looked on quietly and some even looked confused but Hiei did not care. He marched right on to his room and set his mate gently on the bed. Shana climbed on and curled up next to her.
"Is there anything you need from us, Hiei-sama?" Maria asked. Claudia stood next to her patiently waiting his answer. He stared at them and they did not look physically harmed but Maria's fur looked rough and Claudia had bags under her eyes. They look exhausted but alive. Hiei was relived. After all, where would he be without these two? They were always behind him, always supporting him and their loyalty was unshakeable. Hiei did not know what he did to deserve such devotion, but he was grateful.
"Are you well?" He asked.
"You, Shana, Mîra-hime, and Honjo-sama are alive. As long as you remain so, I am well," Maria said softly.
"Same," Claudia added.
Hiei stared up at them for a moment. "Maria, I need a bucket of water and white dye or substance that will remove stains. Claudia, cut off the burnt parts of her hair and fix it the way you normally do. After that, you are free to go."
"As you wish, Hiei-sama," Maria said.
"I will do my best," Claudia added.
"I will stand outside the door, Heika," Honjo said.
Maria and Honjo immediately left the room while Claudia and Shana worked on arranging the bed and Mîra so her head was supported but her hair easily fell over the edge. Maria returned quickly and Claudia cut off a large chunk of her hair. Some of it was burnt but a sizeable portion was dried off or split. Hiei wasn't sure of the details but when Claudia was finished she estimated Mîra's hair to fall a couple inches below her shoulders. After Maria returned with the water and dye the two dog demonesses left.
With the bed turned, the small room was a little cramped but Hiei had just enough room to fit in a chair. He cast off his cloak and began to work silently, taking his time in washing his mate's hair. He didn't think as he lathered and rinsed. He didn't want to think, thinking was complicated. He, at the moment, needed things to be simple. He was alive and washing his mate's hair. Shana was alive and was sleeping next to Mîra. Mîra was alive and even though her hair was cut shorter than she liked, and even though she would probably lament uselessly about it for a time, she was alive too. That's all Hiei needed to know.
Sometime when Hiei was in the middle of applying the dye, Mukuro entered the room. He did not acknowledge her as she leaned against the wall in the corner. He waited patiently, his fingers moving thoroughly through his mate's hair. When Mukuro was ready to speak, she would. After sometime of silence, he was not keeping track, her voice cut through clear and sharp.
"You're pathetic."
Hiei's hands stopped moving. He turned to face the former king. Her blue eye was furious and she didn't bother to contain her disgust and anger as she continued,
"Is this what that elf has turned you into? Some sniveling little coward who waits on her hand and foot, day and night? You should see yourself; it's the lowest I have ever seen you before! This woman has turned you into a hollow shell of your former self," she snapped.
Hiei should have gotten mad. He normally did when she hurled insults at him, and this was the worst by far. But instead, Hiei could only pity her because Mukuro could not understand. In turn, it was her lack of understanding that was causing the irrational loathing within her. He was here, as he always would be but he was changed just slightly. Mukuro was stationary and did not change with him. That was fine. One day, perhaps, she would find her own catalyst.
"Has your right shoulder plate given you any trouble recently?" He asked.
Hiei wasn't sure if she was aware of the action, but her left hand went across her chest to allow her flesh to touch the metal piece in question. Her face became still, her eye unfocused.
"No, not since you last fixed it in place." Her voice was neither disquiet nor tense. To Hiei, it seemed lost. That was not his problem. She needed to sort that out on her own. Hiei turned back to Mîra and continued to rinse her hair. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mukuro walk past him and towards the bed. She gently placed her flesh hand on the crown of Shana's head with a wistful smile on her face. Without turning to him she said,
"I hate it when the plate gets loose. The cables exposed are annoying and rip into my clothes. It is bound to happen again soon."
Hiei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Don't tell me you've forgotten how to locate me."
Mukuro did not respond but her eye closed and her smile became somewhat genuine. Did she feel that with everything going on he would forget about her? Hiei cared about Mukuro and he cared for his mate deeply but their insecurities about the other were distasteful, among other things. But there was no way he was pointing that out.
Hiei returned to his work quietly and diligently. Mukuro slipped out silently. When he finished his task, he dried her hair as best as possible and tied her hair in a neat braid held together by his scarf. Feeling exhausted, Hiei gently slid his wife further back so her head rested properly on the pillow and her braid beside her. He slowly pushed the bed back up against the wall, climbed over his mate and Shana, and laid down. With his presence, the small demoness flopped over and curled up next to him. He reached his arm over across Shana and lightly took his mate's hand in his. Hiei felt anxiety creep up within him but he kept his mind blank and allowed sleep to claim him.
0~*~0
Hiei was in darkness.
He felt small as he stood, staring into the empty abyss. There was nothing, only pitch black darkness. He tried blink once, then twice but his vision was no better. He tried to see with his Jagan but it was to no avail. He closed his eyes and tried to listen for something, anything but there was nothing. He was in a void of nothingness and he was alone.
Suddenly, all around him burst into flame. He began to sweat from the intense heat as the flames violently danced around him and the stench of blood and smoke filled his nostrils. The fire was closing in on him and fear took hold as he began to run, avoiding falling stone and wood. He could out run the flames! He was faster than the wind itself! But the flames were hot on his heels and they seemed to reach towards him like hands, waiting to pull him under. A lick of fire wrapped around his heel and he screamed as he burned and fell to the ground.
He pushed himself up to try and start running again but he was no longer surrounded by flames. Instead he clutched himself as he shivered violently, now standing on the edge of a cliff. The dark abyss waited below and above was only grey. The wind mixed with ice whipped around him harshly and he had to squint to see. Afraid of falling over, he took a step backwards but ran into something. He turned around and looked up to see an old woman in a black kimono glaring down at him. His eyes went wide as she snarled at him with disgust and raised her right leg. He screamed as she kicked him over the edge and down, down, down…
Then, he felt something warm beneath him and the cold went away. He was no longer falling and everything around him felt warm and bright. He opened his eyes to see a woman in white smiling down at him softly. Her lips moved, she was saying something to him, but he heard nothing. Then she kissed his brow and spoke inaudibly again. Her face was blurry to him but in her arms he knew everything was going to be okay. She stroked his hair gently as she cradled him in her arms and he closed his eyes again. He didn't have to run anymore. He was safe.
'Master!'
Hiei opened his eyes to see he was in darkness. This time it felt different, not the empty abyss he was in before. This felt more… comforting and familiar. This was his darkness, where he did not need light because he was one with the dark. He was the dark and the dark was him. He was no longer afraid. He walked towards Koku, who was looking around frantically.
"Koku," he said. Her red eyes snapped on him and she ran towards him.
'Master!' She cried happily, throwing her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly. 'Master, don't go back there anymore! You don't belong there!' Her voice began to surround him as she sang,
'But I will hold on hope, And I won't let you choke, On the noose around your neck! And I'll find strength in pain, And I will change my ways, I'll know my name as it's called again!'
Hiei's eyes snapped open. His vision blurred, he blinked a few times. The top of Shana's head came into focus and beyond that his mate, slumbering under the sedative. He sat up slowly and willed some youki into his arm. The dragon slid off into her smaller form. She climbed up his shoulder and rubber her muzzle against his neck, letting out a noise that resembled a whine. In the back of his head he could hear the music playing softly, like a gentle reminder.
What the hell happened? Was that a dream? It felt like he was a child and he never felt freezing cold or burning hot before. At the thought, he immediately pulled off his boots to look at the ankle the flame wrapped around. His skin was unblemished. Hiei sighed heavily as he replayed the dream. What about the woman?
'I'm sorry, Master. I don't know who the woman was. She was of your imagining. I had no control over those images.'
Koku's voice rang in his head as the small dragon nuzzled against him. He stroked the top of her head while he thought back to the woman in white. Just thinking about her caused him to warm, the peaceful and secure sensation filling him. Who was that? Was it his mother? Who had the power to make him feel safe like that? Whoever she was, she saved him. He could worry about who she was later.
He needed to see Mukuro and find out what was going on. He turned to Shana and he touched her forehead gently as Koku curled up next to her. Then, Hiei slid out of the bed and took a quick shower. He dressed and paused to stare over at his mate. A small smile played on her lips as she continued her forced slumber. He wanted to reach over to her and kiss her brow but he was afraid he would ruin the good dream she was having. With one last glace at his mate and his small demon curled up next to her, he stepped out of the room.
Honjo nodded to him as Hiei passed him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked the familiar twists and turns to Mukuro's main chambers. He entered without knocking to find her in counsel with Kirin.
"Good, you're up. Mitage is beginning to demolish your territories." Mukuro's voice was strong and smooth as normal but it took a moment for the words to register in his head.
"Bastard," Hiei snarled. Demolish wasn't a takeover; it was burning homes and killing villagers, his villagers.
"My thoughts exactly. We need to rid the Makai of this scumbag before he runs us into the ground," Mukuro said. She crossed her arms, staring at a map of the Makai. Kirin stepped forward.
"Mukuro-sama, we can easily overwhelm him if we act now. He does not have the forces we do. Then you can take over as king."
"No," she responded instantly. "We will take him out, but I will not seize power. That is not the way of the Makai, not anymore. I will not move backwards." Mukuro flickered her gaze at Hiei, her blue eye observing him for a moment before returning to the map. "Besides, I think the Son of Raizen would be rather offended and we are such good friends now."
"I'm so happy that you find this to be humorous," Hiei snapped.
"Calm yourself. We both know what happens when you needlessly become overemotional," Mukuro said smoothly.
Anger prickled up inside of him. How could she treat this so lightly? "At least I have my priorities straight. The Son of Raizen is the least of our troubles," he snapped. Mukuro straightened herself quietly with a bored expression on her face which usually meant one thing: it was time for a lesson. Hiei saw the blast coming and dodged only to be greeted another energy blast. Her youki was heavy against him but not harmful. Flying through several walls, however, was considerably more painful.
Why was it that breaking several walls always brought him back to his senses? His initial reaction was to surge back upward and draw his sword against her but he had tried that too many times to know he would end up right back where he started- on the floor covered in dust and debris. He closed his eyes and took a moment to breathe. Nothing would come out of his emotions ruling him. That made him weak. Weakness meant death. He did not want to make deathly mistakes.
"Herven?"
Hiei's eyes snapped open to the feminine voice. Staring down at him was a confused looking Mîra.
"Sleep well?" he grunted to her. He pulled himself to his feet and brushed off the dust, ignoring her questioning look.
"I suppose. Shana explained everything to me and I was just on my way to see our servants. Now that I have found you, though, I would like to convene with Mukuro and discuss our next move."
Hiei stared at his mate. She looked tired but well enough. He turned to at the holes behind him as Mukuro stood with her arms crossed farther in the distance.
"Hiei, did she knock you through her own walls?"
The irritation was already settling in her voice and before Hiei could respond, Mîra marched right past him and through the first gap in the wall. Internally Hiei sighed. Did Mukuro and his mate have to go at each other's throats now? Etch, women.
Hiei followed his mate back to the council chambers. Mîra was glaring angrily at Mukuro, tall and proud with her arms crossed. He noticed she changed into a simple green gown with smaller jewelry. Damn woman couldn't go anywhere with her stupid jewelry. No wonder why she stayed behind momentarily in the room before trying to escape.
"Well, it's good to know how you run your people here," the elf said airily. "I'm sure driving them through walls promotes good morale."
"How I run my fortress is none of your business," Mukuro replied stonily.
"I would hardly call this a fortress," Hiei heard her mutter. But Mîra was a woman of court and she knew when not to step over the line. She cleared her throat and said, "At any rate, my husband and I are grateful for not only assisting us but also our people. What is our next course of action?"
Mukuro's blue eye stared at the elf calmly but Hiei could tell her irritation was growing. "Those are not your people. They are mine."
Mîra's eyes narrowed and raised her head proudly as she responded. "They are my people. They have served me and protected me for almost four years while depending on me for their livelihood. They are my people. The villages Mitage attacked also hold my people, people I have formed relationships and bonds with. But you wouldn't understand that, would you? You're just an old warlord touting about in with your host as if you have any significance. You don't govern. You just bully everyone into following you!"
"How dare you!" Mukuro snarled. "You walk around, insulting me under my roof as if you have any authority in this realm! You are a prisoner! Nothing more! Demons don't respect you, they never will. We are a race of violence; our currency is blood and our treaties are held together by fear. The only reason this tournament works is because it allows many to have hope for power and the winner is listened to because the winner is feared, then respected. Don't fool yourself. You weren't even strong enough to survive a fire and kill Kujo who is worth nothing!"
Hiei and Kirin exchanged the exact same look. Shit.
Mîra's hands curled into fists. "You're wrong," her voice was wavering as she tried to keep it steady, "Unlike you, I think the demons here are above mindless animals that only know how to kill. I believe that your race can be so much better than they are now; you just lack the infrastructure to make it possible. And unlike you, I actually have things that are worth protecting with my power which is why I was so weakened."
Mukuro did not respond as her youki silently cackled around her. Hiei could sense Mîra was ready to retaliate should Mukuro make the first move. He could feel the magic tense in the air. Hiei exchanged another look with Kirin. If all hell broke loose because the two women went at it they would put all of them in danger of Mitage coming down on them. Then again, Hiei wasn't stupid enough to get in the way.
"Get. Out. Now," Mukuro said slowly through gritted teeth.
"Gladly!" Mîra snapped. She reached up to her ears swiftly and then her hands went around her neck. Hiei frowned. Why was she pulling off her jewelry? Were those pearls? Those were her favorite. His mate marched over to the table with the map and slammed the jewelry down. "Here's payment for my stay," she snapped. Then she turned on her heel and marched out of the room.
As Mukuro slowly picked up the jewelry, Hiei took the opportunity to leave unnoticed. As his wife stormed through the fortress, demons moved out of her way swiftly, regardless of whether or not they gave her a dirty look. When she reached his room, she flung the door open and as Hiei passed Honjo, the wolf demon gave him a reassuring nod.
Mîra paced around the room, her hands tangled in her hair. She was muttering incoherently to herself and Hiei suddenly became worried. It seemed Mukuro's words had an effect on her.
"I hate that stupid bitch walking around as if she knows everything and is so amazing and incredible. Well, she's not. And what in the Ancestors' name happened to my beautiful hair?" She paused briefly in her ranting, holding up the end of the short braid. Then she dropped it and kept pacing. "Stupid demon whore and her stupid comments. She wants a queen? I'll show her a queen I'll-"
He did not bother to try and stop her pacing, he knew better than that, but he spoke in elvish instead. She always seemed to like that.
"Vesse."
She whipped around to him sharply, her eyes wide. "Am I really just a prisoner? Is that all I will amount to?"
Hiei stared at her, shocked. He couldn't believe the thoughts currently going through her head. "You were a prisoner for two weeks. Then you became mine."
She paused and stared at him for what felt like a long time. "If you say so, Herven." Seemingly calmed, she sat down on the bed and breathed deeply. "I will go to Genkai's Temple and take whoever is still injured with me. I am no fool," She placed a hand on her side, "I need some time to recover."
Hiei did not respond. He knew her words were true but he did not like her leaving his sight. Still, he knew she would be safe at the temple. She continued to give him instructions as she rummaged through one of her satchels. "Anyone from the fortress who leaves the host should receive money for their journey, we owe them their wages. I will take Shana with me as well. She's still very shaken up by these events."
Mîra paused in her rummaging and stared into the bag. "I forgot about this," she said, mostly to herself. She pulled out a long, narrow item that was wrapped in a black cloth and set it gently on the bed. He wasn't surprised. After all, Hiei had seen entire shopping bags come out of the bottomless satchel. Yusuke referred to it as her 'Harry Potter' bag and begged her to make him one once but she refused.
"I think I have everything else I need…" She said peering into the bag. She pulled a traveling cloak out of the bag before closing it and sighing again. Her eyes glazed over as she stared at the wall lost in thought and he watched her hand subconsciously travel to the bandages around her opposite arm.
Hiei walked over to her and sat down on the bed next to her. Jolted out of her thoughts, she looked at him surprised for a moment before relaxing. She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder and he felt her hand find his. "Are you okay?" her voice whispered to him.
No. The bastard cut him where it hurt and his home… his only home… "I'll manage," he finally said. "Are you okay?" He asked.
There was a long pause before she answered softly, "I'll manage."
Hiei closed his eyes and breathed in her sweet scent. He was pissed that Mukuro was throwing her out but she brought that upon herself. However, for Mukuro to disregard the allegiance the demons of his territory gave them both was foolish on her part. The argument played over again in his head and he could see why Mukuro's words bothered her. The demoness said she was basically worthless, that her efforts meant nothing.
Suddenly he remembered Mîra in his office the day she nearly killed Kujo screaming 'I am SOMEBODY!'
His grip on her hand tightened but then loosened as he felt the roughness of her blistered skin. He was so close to figuring out what was stirring beneath her depths but he could not put his finger on it. He did not like seeing her distressed or feeling that she was insignificant. Didn't she realize the impact she had on his life? There was a knock outside of the door and Kirin's voice wafted through, saying he was going to escort Mîra to the human world.
As Mîra silently pulled away, he thought that now might not be a good time for such inner thoughts. After all, there was a battle to be fought. Instead, he watched her prepare for her departure.
He enjoyed watching her. There was something about the way that she moved that endlessly raptured his attention, no matter what the movement. How was it possible that the hands that secured her claymore to her hip strongly were also able to draw the cloak around her so gracefully and delicately? He found her to be such a strange contradiction that worked in harmony. A warmth settled in him just thinking about her and for a moment, he was able to forget that she was leaving him for a time.
After the satchel bag went around her shoulder, she picked up the black bundle on the bed. His mate stared at it for a moment thoughtfully and then extended the bundle to him. With a soft smile on her face she said, "Happy Early Birthday!"
Hiei just stared at her.
"I know your birthday passed recently but this came in after and I already gave you a gift so I thought I would save it for next year. In light of recent events, I think you may get better use of it now," she explained. He took the bundle from her and there was some weight to it but he could not guess what was wrapped around the black cloth.
"Herven, take care while I am gone. I will wait for you to come get me when I have recovered enough." He stared up at her as she lightly placed her fingers on his cheek. "You know I-"She frowned as she paused and then tried again. "I don't know the best way to say this but-"
Suddenly there was a sharp, loud, and irritated knock at the door causing Mîra to jump and stop mid-sentence. She sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Ancestors, I am never going to finish that sentence!" He heard her mutter to herself.
His wife's eyes locked back with his and he suddenly felt something heavy within him. The fortress was gone and now his mate was forced to leave. He didn't want her to leave and he didn't think she wanted to leave him. After all they had just gone through they were being split apart and he didn't like it. Even if she wasn't showing it, he knew she was anxious and upset at their situation. What should he say to give her some sort of comfort? He frowned. Say? Tch, since when did he need to say anything?!
Hiei tossed the bundle onto the bed and then pulled his wife down to him, embracing her. She clutched him tightly, responding to his kiss desperately. When he drew back for air, her mask was gone to reveal the raw, scared look on her face. He kissed her again slowly, trying to reassure her. He felt her cool hands cup his cheeks.
"Hiei," she murmured in between kisses, "I lo-"
"That's enough!"
Mîra jerked back from his embrace, startled at the interruption. Jolted himself, he angrily turned towards the door to see Kirin standing in the threshold. Behind him was Mukuro, her blue eye piercing at him with an expression that could only be anger. He turned back to his mate who was staring at him. She looked undecided about something but then sighed.
"Very well. I am as I ready as I can be, though I don't need the escort. I will leave with Shana and my people peacefully," Mîra said. She walked right past Kirin and Mukuro without giving them a second glance. He followed her proud figure down the hallway towards the main entrance of the centipede. Shana, Fudo, Claudia and other, weaker or injured, palace servants and village refugees were waiting for them.
"Hiei-papa!" Shana cried. She ran to him and he effortlessly scooped her into his arms. She hugged him tightly, nuzzling her nose into the nape of his neck. "I'm sorry I failed you. I'll do better next time, I promise!"
"Don't be foolish. You have never failed me."
The shadow demon loosened her death grip on his neck to look at him. Her violet eyes were watery as she asked, "So you aren't sending me away because I'm useless?"
"If I thought you were useless, would I tolerate your senseless questions?"
A small smile broke on Shana's face. "No," she giggled. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck again and he heard her whisper heartily, "I'll do my best for Mîra-hime! I know you'll get Mitage soon! Then we can all go home!" Hiei smiled to himself. He didn't know how his demon child was so optimistic but he was grateful for it.
Shana kissed him on the cheek before jumping down and looking up at Mîra. Hiei's gaze traveled to his mate.
"Tye ar Im," she said softly, so that only he and Shana could hear.
"Tye ar Im," he responded. That seemed to give her the strength she needed to turn away from him and follow Kirin out the door. He watched her green cloak billow in the wind until he could no longer see the wisps of the fabric. She was walked up to him and possibly said something but he wasn't sure because he didn't care. He brushed by her roughly and went straight to his room.
Maria was waiting for him with some tea but he quickly dismissed her. He wanted to be alone. He sat down on the bed next to the present. Curious, he untied the strands that held the bundle together and slowly unraveled the cloth. He was surprised to see that he was holding two katanas.
There was something different about the swords, something that resonated with him. The sheaths were black and shone with a luminescence that reminded him of an ore; onyx perhaps? The pommel and base of the hilt was a silver material. Gold strips crisscrossed across the silver hilt to the black collar and guard, made of material similar to the sheath. He wrapped his hand around one of the sword's hilt and he felt Koku buzzing excitedly within him. The blade rang as he pulled it out of the hilt and the silver metal gleamed brightly, even without the reflection of a light source. He stood and made a few swipes into the air. It was lighter and faster than he was used to. In fact, it felt better than any blade he had used before. What was this metal?
He inspected the blade and his eyes widened in surprise. In the middle of the blade, was the kanji for one word:
Ai.
Hiei quickly pulled out the next blade which read, Heiwa. Love and Peace? What? Despite his confusion, Koku was excited and pressing against the barrier that was keeping her on his arm. Why was Koku-
Suddenly Hiei remembered where he had seen this sort of metal before. He sparred against it so many times he felt like an idiot for not immediately recognizing the craftsmanship. This was a blade like Víraserce, forged from the magic silver found in the fire dragon's mountain. Mîra told him that the blacksmith used magic to create a weapon for the Dragon Singer with a message specific to the user. These katanas were his mark, his proof, that he too was a Dragon Singer in his own right. Hiei released Koku and her full, large body filled up the room. She buzzed with a harmony that seemed to resonate with the metal from the swords, creating a sweet melody.
Ai and Heiwa.
Why were these words inscribed on his swords? He was never completely at peace and he did not believe in the word love. What could have possibly possessed the blacksmith to inscribe these words for him?
'You worry too much, Master. Just listen,' Koku whispered.
Hiei lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and the first thing he saw was Mîra lying next to him in their bed, the white sheets blending with her white hair as she smiled tenderly at him. The pure emotion filled him and somehow, despite everything that had happened throughout the day and the oncoming storm looming over him, he felt quite at peace.
Hello Readers! Sorry for the long wait! I was going to use a beta reader but she never got back to me so I decided to post anyway. These last few chapters have been rough for me to sit down and write but I think it's coming together. I'm working on the last chapter of this section and working on an "intermission" extra, like Prayer. The third, and last, section will be considerably more lighter and will bring back the core characters of the show back into the narrative so don't give up on me just yet! Be sure to post your thoughts via review! Thanks for reading!
Translation Notes:
Tye ar Im- You and I
Song: The Cave, by Mumford and Sons