Chapter 33 Checkmate
Mîra's face was always interesting to Hiei. She had a range of emotions that could switch in the blink of an eye or slowly change as the events around her sunk in. Hiei preferred the former, he wanted to deal with her rage rather than the confusion that formed in her visage as the gentle smile curved downward and her soft eyes shifted uneasily.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
Hiei stood and began to clothe himself. "Mitage is closing the portal. Mukuro estimates in two months' time the portal between my world and yours will be shut for good. We don't know how to stop it or where he even got the technology to close the portal."
Hiei slipped his shirt on over his head and turned to his mate. She was slowly puling on her garments, lost in thought. Silently, she stalked by him and began to rummage through one of her sacks. With a heave, she pulled out a large, old book. She gently set it on the ground and opened the text to a bookmarked page. Hiei stood over her shoulder, attempting to read the elvish but there were too many swirls that he didn't recognize.
"What is this?"
"The spell that opened the portal to your world," she replied. "Twelve of our mages working for three days straight opened the portal and they were able to concentrate that power into a talisman to keep it open after. But how is Mitage forcing the closure? This doesn't make sense…"
She suddenly gasped and said, "Of course! When Mitage won, the guards guarding the portal changed. That would easily give him someone to sustain the magic and he did over the course of months."
"Do you know how to stop it?" He asked urgently.
Mîra sighed. "We have to break the connection. Has anyone tried killing the guards at the portal yet?"
"Yes, as soon as Mukuro found out what was happening."
"But two more replaced them and nothing changed," Mîra said grimly. "What could it be? He was known during the war to collect talismans and magical trinkets but none of those have the power to override the talisman back home unless-" She stopped and stared past the book, here fist slowly curling into a fist.
Hiei didn't know what to do. There was something that he was missing, something that changed everything in her mind. His mate and Kurama were similar, they were able to take small pieces of information and prepare for multiple outcomes while narrowing the realistic possibilities down. He was intelligent, but needed to know more before he could understand.
"I need to go out. Alone," She said sharply. Without waiting for a response, she snapped the book shut and put it back in the sack.
"Where?" Hiei asked concerned. "We have no time for this, we have to figure out a way to-"
"There is no way!" She exploded. "Mitage only has the power to push on the boundary and make it smaller, he can't close it!" Her cloak swung around her shoulders and she shoved past him, to reach for her sword.
He watched her silently as she strapped Víraserce to her hip. "I will be out in Genkai's forest. I need as few days to think." Her voice was more in control now but he could tell it was taking a lot of effort to keep it that way. She opened the sliding door and was about to step outside when he grabbed her arm. He wasn't sure why he did, if she needed some space he was okay with that but something didn't feel right about her leaving this way.
She turned to him and leaned over to wrap her arms around his neck. He grasped her tightly and enjoyed her nose rubbing into his neck. "Amin mela lle. Darthan nin." [I love you. Wait for me.] She drew back from him all too soon. She kissed him chastely and turned. Without a second glance behind her, she bound off towards the forest.
Hiei stared at the empty sight of the temple overhang and then the forest for a moment beyond before he pulled the bandana off of his forehead. His Jagan opened and he found her easily, running through the woods towards the mountains. She stopped at a cliff overlooking a waterfall and he watched her open her mouth and let out what appeared to be a scream. He could not hear it himself, he didn't need to. He closed his Jagan, extended his hand, and Koku shot off towards her.
Only after Koku left him did he recognize a familiar chill coming from the sliding door that led into the hallway. Hiei flung the sliding door open. Yukina jumped at the sudden movement and then she looked away from him ashamed and embarrassed. His sister had been eavesdropping, though it was probably by accident. Regardless, he said nothing. He did not have an opinion. How could he? He had no home, Shana was in hiding, and his mate was pushed so far off the edge she was now running around in the woods. What would being angry at his selfless, wholesome sister possibly do? Nothing.
Yukina slowly glanced back up at him but then her eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her petite hands and her red eyes glistened with water. Streaks of tears began to blink out of her eyes and before they left her cheek they formed teal stones. Hiei reached up and gently wiped the tears off her cheek. But for some reason, that only made her cry more.
Sobbing, she put her arms around his neck. Her grip was tight and he didn't know why. She had no reason to be crying but here she was, shedding tears. At first he wanted to push her away but he made no movement. The longer he stood there with his sister's head lying on his shoulder outpouring gem after gem he realized he was feeling better, if only just. There was no rhyme or reason to it but in the death grip of his sister's arms, he could… relax. So, for a long moment, he wrapped his arms around her petite waist and didn't let go.
"Papa?" Hiei looked down the hallway to see Shana. "Papa, what's wrong? Where's Mîra-chan?"
Yukina sniffled and wiped her tears, drawing away from Hiei. He knelt down to face his shadow demon. She wasn't an idiot, he couldn't tell her nothing was wrong. "Mîra needs time alone."
"Something happened?" Shana asked. She puffed her cheeks while she thought. "Is there anything I can do?"
"When I have need for you, I will send for you. For now I want you here," he replied. She looked displeased but Shana did not protest.
"Shana, why don't we see if we can visit Ryuji in town?" Yukina asked sweetly. The shadow demoness paused, and looked up at Hiei for approval. He nodded and Shana tentatively turned to Yukina.
"Okay, but I want an update on the war before you go, Papa!"
"Hn."
Shana grinned and said, "I'm going to find Keiko-san!"
Hiei stood and Yukina lightly touched his arm, giving him a forlorn look, before following his shadow demon. He walked back into the room and stared out the opening leading towards the woods. The sun was starting to set now. Did she know how to set a fire? Did she know how to make a shelter in the woods? Hiei mentally shook himself. Of course she did. Sleeping outside may not be her first choice after being so accustomed to luxury but Mîra was not an idiot.
'Worry not, Master. Please get some rest.'
Koku's small voice wafted through his mind like a passing breeze. Trying to calm himself, he looked around the room. The futon was already out and he knew where to find the pillows and blankets but somehow it didn't seem right. Hiei attached Heiwa to his hip and slid on his cloak. Then he bounded off into the forest.
He went to the river and caught a fish or two. They quickly went over a fire and all he could do was stare at the flame as the fish slowly cooked. Mîra wasn't fond of fish but even she sometimes went out of her way to prepare fish or shrimp for him just because she knew it was his favorite. Hiei realized he was smiling when his face dropped into concern. What was she eating? Was she safe? Was-
Scowling, Hiei pulled his bandana off and opened his Jagan. In the green vision he could see his mate pressing her ear against a tree, her lips moving in song as she held a large flower below a broken branch. What was she doing? Was that… tree sap? Hiei closed his Jagan and wanted to kick himself. Of course she knew how to get food in the woods. She was an elf for Kami's sake! Damnit, he couldn't believe he was so worked up over her! He never fretted over anyone like this before, not even Yukina. What did this woman turn him into?
A burning scent caught his nose and he turned quickly to the fire to see his fish burning. Hissing, he yanked the fish out of the fire and took a bite. The fish tasted like shit and his tongue burned but he kept eating anyway. Anything to distract his mind…
But the fish was soon gone and the fire began to dwindle. All he could do was stare at the flames flickering, trying to stay alive. The fire had all the oxygen it needed but yet the wood wasn't enough to sustain it and so, the orange, red, and yellow hues dwindled down, down, down, towards the base blue. He needed more wood but he did not need the fire for warmth. He could care less if the warmth went away; he only needed the fire for sustenance. That was all.
Hiei slept in a tree for the first time in a long time. Nowadays, he only slept outside if Mîra was extremely cross with him. She never asked him to but sometimes he felt they needed the space. Things were always better in the morning. …At least they used to be. Feeling a tightness in his chest, he pulled his bandana off again. He found her sleeping near the fire, her back against Koku's long body.
'Please relax, Master. You do not need to worry. Let her sort her thoughts and feelings on her own.'
"I shall do as I please," he growled. He then closed the Jagan. Damn dragon thinks he knows what he needs. What he needed to know was if she was okay. What he needed to know was how to serve Mitage's head on a silver platter. But he had an answer to neither and somehow, he fell asleep.
For the next several days he fell into a routine of eating, training, checking in on his mate, and sleeping. Sleeping was the most challenging of his routine. Even lulled by the cool lullabies of the wind and the luminescence of the moon, whenever he closed his eyes everything changed. The wind howled harshly at him while the moon shone on him too brightly. He woke frequently and fell back asleep only to wake again. All his dreams were different save the one where he ran from the flames in the fortress, was kicked off the edge of a cliff by that bitch, and was caught in the arms of the woman in white. He should be comforted in her arms but he soon found himself slipping out of her grasp quickly and more easily than before. He was not used to the lack of sleep but he pushed on, waiting for his mate. What else could he do?
On the seventh day, he contemplated going to her. He wasn't sure what he could do but he could stand being apart from her in this manner no longer. Mîra was his charge, physically and emotionally, and he needed her to be well. But since the portal was closing and the treaty broken, would she leave him? Did she still care for him? Did she want to care for him? Would she change now that she was being cut off from the rest of her people? Would she stand for it? How could things be the same?
Hiei stopped slashing the tree with the bamboo. The same? And what would be the same? Would they go back to being happy or would they pretend to be happy while their differences of opinion on how their lives should be led and on the matter of children continued to drive them apart? Everything started with him losing the crown, no matter how many ways he spun it, he couldn't help but blame himself.
The crown? Hiei's eyes widened and he held his fist in front of his face. He slowly lifted his pointer finger into the air. One: The Crown. He lifted another finger. Two: Power. Three: Home. Four… Dreams. In four moves Mitage did exactly what he said he was going to do.
Mitage won. Mîra lost. Checkmate.
And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.
"URRHA!" He bellowed, his fist suddenly filled with his youki. He beat up the tree until it was cinders and then moved onto the next and then the next. He needed to see her now. He needed to make sure they could get through this. He needed-
Hiei stopped in mid-air and his body lightly fell back to the ground. He stared at the forest blankly as the realization seeped into him. Need and want. Want and need. What he needed wasn't necessarily what he wanted. What she wanted wasn't necessarily what she needed.
I AM SOMEBODY!
The cold, bitter truth stared him in the face. There was no turning away. There was no going back. Just the cold, bitter truth. He accepted this truth. But even though he accepted this truth as his own, why did it feel as though he lost something? Did it matter anymore? He did not think so. There was only one thing to do that mattered now.
He journeyed back to the temple quietly. He did not want to attract the attention of anyone. He stared at the room and began picking things up; moving this shirt here and that shoe there. It wasn't until he finished that realized he cleaned the entire room. Hiei walked to the corner where she set up her jewelry and sat down. Despite not having a vanity, she made sure to prop up a large mirror against the wall. In front of the mirror was a large jewelry box and the smaller one she kept her special, personal possessions in. Tch, damn woman and her vanity.
Hiei opened the smaller box. Inside were her Grandmother's earrings and comb, the portrait of her brother and other odds and ends. At the bottom was a folded piece of paper, no a photograph? He felt a little guilty for trespassing; he never touched the box but right now he couldn't help it. He picked up the photo, unfolded it, and, to his wonder, smiled.
He remembered the "instant portrait" well from that day at the beach years ago. How she plopped down in his lap and kissed his cheek right then and there, so abruptly. She startled him, caused him to lose his thoughts as the touch from her soft lips lingered on his skin and it showed too. He could even see the grin on her lips, she knew exactly what she was doing to him. Damn woman, he told her to destroy that photo.
A longing sensation came over him and he quietly folded the photo and put it back where it belonged. Then he looked up and stared at his tired reflection in the mirror. Staring into a mirror was something he didn't do often, not that he hated his reflection but it was something he never thought to do. He could easily see the scars on his face, his chest, and his heart but his eyes were drawn to the two stones resting on his torso.
The teal one was the one from his sister, given to him just before he left for the Makai to answer Mukuro's summons. At the time, he thought she was being foolish but looking back even then she probably knew that he was her brother. This gem gave him resolution and closure but now it gave him a reason to keep living. His sister needed him and her children their uncle. He knew that now.
He other gem… the clear crystal had meant only chains. Being forced into marriage was no light issue, he never dedicated himself to anyone truly other than, well, himself. There was Yukina, of course, but he always took care to keep his distance. In reality, the only one he looked after on a day to day basis was himself.
After the marriage, things changed. He made a vow, an oath and Hiei didn't like breaking oaths. Not even before he met Yusuke or even Kurama. He decided when he was very young that those who should have cared for him left him for dead and those who took him in and said they would care for him lied and abandoned him were filth. He did not deal with filth. He would be better than filth. So, he kept his oaths.
But this gem came to mean so much more than just an oath. Not only was his life span the same as hers, but he was the sole keeper for her magic, her power. To place so much trust in a person, it was unnerving. Once, the cord holding it around his neck broke and the gem fell on the stone floor. Mîra went into a panic, praying it wasn't cracked. The gem was fine but Hiei never gave much thought to what happened if it broke. Her power was one thing but what if the gem broke and she died? He made sure that the next cord was sturdy. He would not bear responsibility for her death.
Soon he began to see her differently. Sure she was his wife but instead of inhabiting his space, it became their space, his bed, their bed, his home, their home. He slowly let her in and she slowly let him in. Then, somewhere along the line, he had fallen for her and she for him. This gem wasn't an outward symbol of their bond, it was a symbol of what she had given him; hope.
Hope that maybe things were going to turn around for him. Hope that he wasn't destined to be unwanted and cursed. Hope that maybe he too could live a peaceful and pleasant life. Mîra had her own issues, that was certain. She wasn't perfect and there was an evil inside of her as well that he had yet to truly know. But he did know that her evil wasn't as bad as his, she could still genuinely smile, still genuinely laugh. He had hoped that maybe, one day he would too with her by his side.
He wrapped his hand around small prism and it felt warm against his hand. He stared at his reflection and saw that his hand was shaking slightly. This was something he had to do. He promised her.
'As the winter winds litter London with lonely hearts, Oh the warmth in your eyes swept me into your arms. Was it love or fear of the cold that led us through the night? For every kiss your beauty trumped my doubt.'
Hiei closed his eyes, listening to Koku's voice. He found her in the darkness, standing beside him. Even though her eyes were fully red, he noticed that she looked sad as she sang. Hiei opened his eyes and before he could ponder on it more, he yanked on the cord.
The leather snapped easily off his neck and Hiei did not look in the mirror anymore. His attention was enraptured by the dangling crystal, swinging back and forth as he slowly moved his hand down. With each movement, that something he lost earlier seemed to seep out of him with each movement and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The gem was now lying in the box, all he had to do was let go. This was stupid and childish, he tried to tell himself but it was no use. His hand shook as he desperately tried to come up with a reason, any reason to not let go. But there was no denying the truth. An eerie calm settled over him in thinking about the truth because in a way, he was protecting her. He was following through on his duties and she deserved more.
The truth was that he needed her. He needed the way looked down upon him haughtily while they sparred. He needed her to talk to him on and on while they ate dinner. He needed the feeling of her body curling up against his, her arms holding to him tightly and her slender legs wrapped around his. He needed her to whisper those sweet, gentle words to him over and over again.
He needed her.
The truth was that she wanted him. She wanted him to be in her company as she read in the library. She wanted a companion to lean against and hold. She wanted to be his lover, his faithful, devoted, companion and wife that would go through many trials, joys, and adventures with him.
But she did not need him.
She needed to follow her birthright through and become a proper queen to her kingdom. He could see it in the way she tried to rule alongside him and gain demon respect. He could see it in her words and actions as she tried desperately to try and be anything but a prisoner.
The truth was that she was his prisoner. She wanted him. He needed her.
The cold, bitter truth was clear.
He stared at his empty hand dumbfounded when suddenly, a teal stone hit the tatami mat. Then another and another. They made small clicking sounds as they hit each other. He did not like the stones but he made no effort to confiscate them.
Instead he slowly rose and pulled off the bandana covering his Jagan. He saw her racing through the woods, faster and faster towards Genkai's complex. He felt a warm sensation come over him and he recognized Koku's return. Hiei stared at the open box and realized he made a mess, look at all those extraneous stones lying around. How messy. How revolting. He knelt down and placed the stones inside without touching the prism. Then he closed the lid.
Hiei turned on his heel, Koku's mournful song playing in the back of his mind and Mîra racing faster and faster. But he was, and always will be, the fastest. With a swish of his cloak returning to his body, he opened the sliding door. He was gone so quickly, it would seem as though he was never there at all.
'And my head told my heart, let love grow. But my heart told my head, this time no. This time no.'
0~*~0
Cut to the left. Dodge. Twist and bring down the sword. Duck. Cut off legs. Through the heart. Stab behind. Spot someone in trouble. Save. Cut to the right. Jump in the air. Leave after image. Cut off head. Move on. Cut to the left-
"Hiei! This way!"
Mukuro's sharp voice pulled him out of the rhythm of battle and immediately he was heading towards her, cutting down anyone that he could. She was just finishing off a demon when he reached her. Purple blood covered her metal arm and clothes but she did not care, she never would. She took off and he followed her easily to the top of a hill. The demoness greeted him with her stern blue eye and then raised her gaze to the giant castle in the lake in front of them.
Mitage's castle… where this all began. Hiei's fists curled just thinking about that bastard sitting in his house thinking he could win. Almost two months of fighting and now they were at his doorstep. Hiei would show him. He would make him pay for the damage he caused.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Mukuro's voice was not concerned but it was questioning.
"This hardly seems like the time," Hiei snarled. He kept his gaze on the castle.
"This is the time. I don't need you getting emotional and screwing up. Whatever happened between you and your mate needs to be shoved aside. We have more important things to do."
Hiei whipped around to face and glared up at her icily. "What happened between my mate and I has everything to do with this bastard. I'll be damned if I don't see him pay for it."
Mukuro pursed her lips, an annoying habit she liked to display when she was displeased with a response but could not refute it. She turned her gaze to the castle.
"Scan the fortress again."
Hiei stared out at the castle and tried yet again to use his Jagan to look for cracks or passageway that could lead them inside. But Mitage was smart and had something blocking him. He did not want to send Koku out lest Mitage have something prepared for him as well. Still, Hiei touched the power of the Jagan but like the times before, all he could see was a big green wall.
Growling he responded, "There is still something in my way."
"We need to bring it down. Where is Kirin?" Mukuro demanded.
"Mukuro-sama!"
Hiei turned to the sound of Kirin's voice. He raced over and hurriedly knelt. "Mukuro-sama I have an urgent update! The structure of the castle is-"
Suddenly the loud boom of an explosion burst into the sky. Hiei stared as the castle sagged, lit up in the night sky like a firework. Then, the ground trembled violently beneath him and cracks formed as though there was an earthquake.
"The castle, it's on fire. Someone set up explosives around the castle," Mukuro said slowly, piecing it together. "Kirin!" Mukuro demanded sharply. "Who do we have inside?"
"We sent a team to find the underground tunnels. They reported back yesterday detailing the tunnels and an odd sensation around them which led them to the explosives. With the way the battle was going, we had no time to tell you."
"Who put the explosives there?" Mukuro asked.
"I don't know," Kirin responded. Before Mukuro could question him further, Honjo bound up to them.
"Heika!"
The wolf stopped just short of Hiei's feet. "Heika, there is a path forming to the castle. The ground seems forced up but we think Mitage tried to hide it with water. We aren't sure how or why the path is there but now we have a direct entry point into the castle."
What? Something didn't add up. Hiei stared at the palace in flames. While it was a satisfying view it reminded him of a movie he was forced to sit through with Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama. The film was about a group of thieves with technology he didn't understand but what he did remember is how they blew up the foundations of the building in order to destabilize it and render what was supposed to be an impenetrable location vulnerable.
The issue was not in the demolition itself but in the strategic manner in which it was done. With the palace as it was now, any one person could easily slip in amongst the chaos. Hiei wanted to get a closer look with his Jagan but there were forces blocking his vision. He could send Koku in but that would leave him at a severe disadvantage for a time. Hiei clenched his fist.
"We need to get in there before that bastard tries to escape," Hiei snarled.
"That will mean crossing the lake and putting us in his territory. We will be at extreme risk," Kirin pointed out.
To Hiei's surprise, Mukuro grabbed Kirin's collar. "Do you think water is going to keep ME out? Have you forgotten who I AM?"
Hiei's eyes widened as he could feel the youki around Mukuro grow significantly to the point that it all but engulfed him. He never saw this much power within her. He always assumed it would be capable but that she was too much at peace with herself need this much strength.
Hiei swore Kirin smiled as he replied, "No, Mukuro-sama."
"Good!" Her gaze swiveled onto Hiei. "Are you ready or are you afraid of getting yourself wet?"
Hiei felt the pumping of adrenaline beat louder inside of him. Koku was buzzing with excitement and it sent a thrill down his spine. He smirked at Mukuro. "As if I'd let something so trivial get in my way."
Mukuro smiled madly at him. Then she was off, Kirin on her heels, and Hiei followed them with Honjo close behind. She barked orders for Kirin and Honjo to follow them with the war host across to the castle and they peeled off. Hiei darted through the battle, dodging and bringing down Heiwa as needed and when they reached the clearing where the rugged path was raised, Mukuro didn't think twice about stopping.
Hiei followed his former King straight down the path and out of the corner of his eye he noticed the water raising quickly but Mukuro was one step ahead.
"Get close!" She commanded. Hiei moved up next to her and Mukuro released a large spread of energy. The wall of water shattered and droplets of water rained down on them. Suddenly, a wave rushed in front of them covering the path and Hiei skidded to a halt. Immediately his Jagan surged open and with a loud "HA" Hiei reared his arm back and hellfire shot out at the water, splicing it in half. Then Mukuro sent another blast of energy and they quickly moved to the palace grounds as the water dispersed.
"Follow me!" Hiei yelled as he darted in front of her. Mukuro was hot on his heels keeping up an energy radius around them as water rose from the damaged canals. Guards tried to stop them but they were no match for Hiei and Mukuro. He ran through the twists, turns, and foolish guards until he found the gold doors. He surrounded himself in his youki as he burst through the doors.
The harem women were gathered in a corner, clutching to pillows and holding each other. An older woman, presumably the head of the harem, stood boldly. There was no grey in her long dark hair but she was notably older then the fresh faces cowering below. She must have been a former concubine.
"Leave now before my Master comes down here and finds you. We want no part in this."
Hiei snarled, ready to threaten the woman but Mukuro thrust out her arm in protest. He remained silent and noted his surroundings before returning his gaze back to Mukuro. Mukuro stared at the woman and then turned her head, as though searching for something. Then he smelled it; the scent of fresh blood.
"We don't need your help. Most of the fires have been extinguished. Go away," The older woman said sternly.
Mukuro ignored her and walked towards a curtained area. Hiei followed her keeping an eye behind them.
"No!" the older woman screamed. "Leave us!"
Mukuro's head whipped around. "Quiet. Or I will kill you." Her tone was not intimidating or threatening but it had a cool, strong sensibility to it. When she spoke it was understood that she would follow through on her word. Hiei was reminded of how far apart in strength they were and how much father he had to go.
Mukuro threw aside the curtain to reveal a demoness tied and gaged. The bronze-skinned demon was in the ridiculous silk gowns Mitage forced his women in but her arm was gashed opened and unattended to. Purple blood was cracked and dried and the pillow she was leaning against reeked of her blood. Her dark, nappy, black hair messily fell in front of her face but Hiei could see the eyes full of loathing underneath despite her sickly appearance.
Mukuro knelt down and untied the gag from her mouth.
"If you're here for the bastard, you're very late. The elf came by a few days ago, at least, it feels like a few days ago. We've been locked in here since the fighting began," the demoness rasped.
A knot twisted in Hiei's stomach. "What do you mean by elf?"
The woman looked up at him indignantly. "Your mate. Who else? She barged in here, demanding to know where the bastard was and as soon as she got her answer she left. She completely forgot about getting Nanao killed for spying, of course," she spat. The woman sighed tiredly. "In the end she got rid of him so maybe it was worth it…"
A few days ago? She was here? The knot further twisted in Hiei's gut. "Then what happened? where did they go?"
"I think they fought in the atrium, we could hear the attacks and the shouts but then they moved farther away, possibly up the stairs," she replied.
"What is your name?" Mukuro asked.
"Simran."
"Simran, what is it that you desire?"
"Mukuro, is this really-" Hiei began tersely but he was silenced by Mukuro's raised hand. Hiei knew this speech well and while this may be important to Mukuro to take in female strays, he did not have the patience to deal with it. Mîra was here when she should have been gone weeks ago.
Gone.
"Freedom," Simran answered zealously.
"Obviously. But beyond that, what is it that you desire?"
"To never allow myself to be in this sort of situation again," she said venomously.
Mukuro quickly cut the bonds holding her. Hiei crossed his arms impatiently as Mukuro ripped a piece of fabric from her tunic and tied it around Simran's gash. Simran stood slowly and Mukuro rose and turned to the other women.
"Simran is now a part of my war host. If you take action against her, you take action against me. Remember that," she announced.
Then she turned to Simran, who looked stunned. "You will be considered one of my own until this is cleared. It will help spare you in the aftermath. The choice is yours whether or not you wish to stay. For now gather your things and stay here until my second comes. He will recognize my scent and give you the care you need."
Simran's mouth opened and closed until she dropped eyes in reverence. "Yes, Mukuro-sama."
Suddenly, a loud thud reverberated through the room. The sound was muffled and Hiei felt it was coming from above. He glared at the former King.
"Now chat you're done sending invitations to your tea party, can we do what we came here to do?" Hiei snapped angrily.
Mukuro stared at him quietly for a moment. "Lead on," she replied.
Hiei sent her a dirty look before darting out of the room, knowing full well that was not what she intended to say. Perhaps she had the sensibility to know now was not the time or place. Mukuro was soon behind him and they ran through the halls to the stairs. Hiei noted that they faced no opposition as they moved up. The water around them felt still and bodies of guards lined the pathway. He noted that the living guards must be down fighting the host on the shore. There was also a rumor that Mitage's beach force lost communication with their king a few days ago… now it couldn't be coincidence.
As they traveled further up the anxiety in Hiei grew. What if he found Mîra's corpse waiting for him? He could feel her magic, and sometimes the residue, as he would feel another's ki but he felt nothing. Mitage couldn't have killed her. Mîra was too strong for that… and what was she doing here?! How did she get in here undetected? She would have to be basically invisible, even with destroying the foundation. Mîra was supposed to be gone, safely through to the other side. Why didn't she leave?!
Hiei burst through a door and stopped dead in his tracks. The door led to the roof of the palace and there was nothing but an eerie stillness around him and the stench of old blood. There was a broken circular tower in the center where the stench was coming from but that is not what stopped Hiei in his tracks.
On the ground before him, a small brazier was lit with a fire. The flame did not waver or flicker with the wind, but instead lapped one flame over another like a waves tumbling over each other. He walked to the brazier and let his hand rest inside the fire. This was not a normal fire, he could feel her magic tumbling over his hand. This was a fire mean meant to last so whoever got here could see in the dark. Then he noticed the etchings on the stone wall. Instinctively, he drew some of the fire and threw it on the wall.
A trail of fire lit up and curled around the stone tower. Hiei followed it slowly, failing to push the maddening sense in him. But when he turned the corner, he stared at the fire in shock. The flame created a large outline of a symbol he could never forget:
A blossoming tree.
Satisfaction and sorrow rose in him. Satisfaction due to Mitage's days old corpse pinned against the wall with multiple swords in his arms and legs and one twisted in his gut. The fire burned brightly around the carcass and slowly crossed his body, burning it, as the fire created the veins and branches of the tree.
Sorrow because Hiei did not know what madness this man released within his loving wife. He knew that her father was cruel and raised her to rule with an iron fist but Hiei felt, no he knew that she did not prefer that methodology of ruling. Mitage pushed her over the edge and brought her evil side out.
"And I thought I was the barbarian," Mukuro said quietly.
"He broke the treaty," Was all Hiei could say.
"Yes, he did," Mukuro agreed.
Hiei closed his eyes and opened his Jagan to seek what he needed. He saw Mîra through the green, her hair rippling behind her as she thrust her sword into one guard. Grabbing a dagger from the belt on her hip, she spun around and stabbed the other demon in the chest as its claw scraped her cheek. The demons guarding the portal were gone and now, nothing stood in her way. She retrieved her dagger and Víraserce, wiping them off slowly before sheathing them. He could not see her face, she could sense him and was deliberately hiding from him.
His fists tightened and he wanted to look away but it was impossible. She rose, the portal wide in front of her, and then she turned. Her gaze went up into the sky, the only direction she could potentially feel, and he wondered what she was thinking.
Mîra did not look mournful or proud as she stared back at Hiei. She simply examined, and perhaps, remembered. He did not know why she would look at him in such a way and he did not understand why he was even bothering to watch.
Then, Mîrvana brought her hand over her heart. The teal stone on her hand seemed to shine brightly in the moons light. She breathed deeply and as her lips moved, her lavender eyes softened. The Jagan did not allow him to hear but in the back of his mind he heard a soft whisper,
"Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'." [My heart shall weep until it sees thee again]
Mîrvana did not look down or cry as she let her hand fall and turn away. Desperation took hold of him as she walked slowly to the wide gap. He couldn't let her go, he needed her! For once in his life he felt that he had a chance to be someone better than who he was. He could be someone more than the person who watches from afar. She enabled that. She embodied his hope.
Hiei didn't want to live without hope again.
Mîrvana stopped just short of the portal. He watched her body twitch, selfishly hoping she would turn around and walk away. Her hand wrapped around Vîraserce's hilt and with her head raised, Mîrvana stepped through the portal and disappeared.
Hiei snapped the Jagan shut. He slowly opened his eyes and his senses returned to him. The bright tree blazing in front of him burned his eyes and the toxic scent of burning flesh made his stomach turn. He wanted to move but he didn't know where to go.
Mukuro's metal hand rested on his shoulder briefly before slipping quietly away. He did not follow her. He stared blankly into the burning tree. Surely this wasn't true. Mitage closing the portal had to be a lie. She could come back.
The Jagan opened again and he watched the shimmering space contort from the oval he knew it to be as it twisted and stretched. He wasn't sure how long the magic struggled but it fought until finally it exploded into a bright light. When the Jagan recovered, there was nothing in sight but the forest.
Gone.
Nothing.
Hiei blinked slowly. He stared at the charred tree carved into the stone, the glow of the rising sun creeping around the tower. His gaze moved down to the ashes of the corpse below and back to the tree.
Nothing.
That was the way it was supposed to be.
Hiei began to walk. He went down the stairs of the castle, past the empty harem, and out through the muddy earthen bridge to the forest. Then his walk turned into a jog and his jog into a run. He did not know where he was running to, only that he was running. He ran past the decimated villages and past the ruins of his home. The sun went up and down but he kept running. He could hear Koku's small voice was crying in the back of his head, but it did not deter him.
'Oh the shame that sent me off from the God that I once loved, Was the same that sent me into your arms. Oh and pestilence has won when you are lost and I am gone, And no hope, no hope will overcome.'
When there was nowhere else to run, he jumped off the cliff. He fell faster and faster until Koku caught him and lifted high into the air, knowing where his feet were taking him even though his mind did not. When he stepped foot in the snow, however, he knew that this was where he wanted to come. This was where he needed to be.
He ran through the village and the only traces of his presence were the melted footprints in the snow. He didn't stop until he reached the foot of the mountain, at a particular marker in the ground.
He stared at the name engraved on it. That was one of two things he knew about her. Her name and that he had inherited her eyes. He didn't know if she was sweet like Yukina or more quick tempered like he was. He didn't know if she cared for his father or if she was raped. He didn't know if she gave him another name, before he was thrown, or if she had a chance to name him at all. But now, in this moment, he felt more connected to her than he ever imagined.
Hiei stared at his hand, more teal hiruseki's appearing. Where the hell were these coming from?! Enraged he threw them, he didn't want them. Bitterly he stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned back to the marker.
Words did not come to him and he received no response from the ugly stone jetting from the ground. So he stood there, staring at the tombstone, the cold, winter winds of the Koorime whipping around him. He felt Koku wrap around him, singing sadly in his ear.
'And if your strife strikes at your sleep, Remember spring swaps snow for leaves. You'll be happy and wholesome again, When the city clears and sun ascends.
'And my head told my heart, let love grow. But my heart told my head, this time no.'
'This time no.'
Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I've moving and wedding planning so it's been kinda crazy for me. Just so all my readers know, once I post the chapter for the third section I will be changing the rating on this fic to Mature. For those concerned about lemons, I doubt I will include any but I want to be able to talk about mature topics freely without worrying about the rating. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and stay with me for Section 3 of Spoils of War!
Translation Notes:
Song: Winter Winds, by Mumford and Sons