Last time on Spoils of War: Mîra holds her meeting with the high profile demons and despite some tension, a decision is made to launch an assault on Kitigaya's mountain fortress. Hiei, Yusuke, and Kurama reconcile with each other and vow to figure out the truth behind Minoru and Rising Sun's involvement with Kitigaya.

Well, I got one foot on the platform

The other foot on the train

I'm goin' back to Demon City

To wear that-

Chapter 49: Ball and Chain

Hiei slid the freshly sharpened Heiwa back into its sheath and leaned against the temple wall, closing his eyes and taking in Ryuji's low voice and strums of his guitar. He barely had his eyes closed when the music suddenly stopped mid phrase. Hiei opened his eyes and saw Ryuji's hands were still in position on the guitar but the Boy's face twisted, his eyes haunted. Hiei noticed the Boy's grip on the guitar neck tighten; any more pressure and the wood would splinter, breaking into pieces and leaving Ryuji with a bloody hand.

"Are you going to stop playing?"

Hiei glanced over to his left at Mîra, who was quietly nestled in the corner of the room and slowly running a sharpening stone down Víraserce's long, thick blade. She at least bothered to put a cloth down so the sword tip did not ruin the tatami mat, but otherwise she didn't seem invested in the action, as though sharpening her sword was an afterthought. He didn't think she was paying attention to anything going on in the room, and her question seemed to surprise both him and Ryuji.

Ryuji gaped at Mîra for a long moment before plastering a fake smile on his face. "Of course not!"

At that, Mîra paused her motion and looked up. "Well then pick something you want to play," she sighed, annoyed. "It's disruptive to hear you stop and start repeatedly." Then, as if nothing happened in the last several seconds, she resumed to slide the whetstone down her sword.

Ryuji's fake peppy demeanor dissolved immediately as his round brown eyes sharpened into a glare. "Well, excuse me for offering free entertainment while you sit there and do nothing other than make that god-awful sound trying to sharpen a sword that's already sharp!"

Without pausing Mîra stated coolly, "I don't have patience to deal with you being a child, Ryuji. Go let out your frustrations in a constructive manner that doesn't interrupt me."

Ryuji scowled at her. "Because what you're doing is the most important thing in the room right now."

"It is."

"Well sorry you Majesty," Ryuji said snidely, "How dare I interrupt the great Queen?"

Mîra finished her stroke and finally set the whetstone aside. She then sheathed the longsword and carefully leaned it against the wall. Reaching up into a stretch she inhaled and exhaled deeply before dropping her arms and turning her attention back to Ryuji.

"You're still being a child, but I accept your apology." Then she slid her legs forward, reached out, and grabbed her toes to stretch. She titled her head up towards Ryuji and added, "I know it's not your way of handling things, but I really do suggest hitting something to let your frustrations out."

Ryuji glared at her. "And what am I supposed to hit? You?"

"I'm not really in the mood for sparring. I need to take this opportunity to stretch since I have not been able to keep up with my usual routine. Doesn't this temple have a training room?"

"Well yeah, but… never mind," Ryuji sighed. He stared at his guitar quietly and then said, "How about that song you like when you're reading?"

Mîra sat up and gave him a small smile. "That would be nice."

So, Ryuji resumed play. This time he seemed more relaxed but Hiei knew he was still nervous. All three of them were on edge but with Ryuji being the least experienced, he displayed his unease clearly. Hiei internalized his worries like he usually did, despite Koku chiding that it wasn't a healthy way to deal with his problems. Mîra's eyes became distant again, no doubt running through countless scenarios and outcomes for their mission and the siege underway in the demon realm.

Ryuji suddenly sighed frustrated and stopped playing again. "Bah! I just wish Koenma would hurry up already. I hate sitting here doing nothing. Tousan is already in position with Yomi and Mukuro, and Kurama's group are heading up to the Windy Spirits with Shana."

Mîra continued to stretch as though he said nothing at all, her eyes still distant. She probably didn't want to think about how Ryuji's plan involved Yomi and Mukuro pretending (or possibly not pretending) to disregard Mîra as their ruler and take charge without her to cover the fact that Mîra was in the human realm. It was supposed to be a charade but it didn't change the fact that they were tearing apart the precious little respect that Mîra was able to cultivate. Maybe she didn't want to be here at all. In the planning meeting back in the Makai she said as much. She knows how to run a siege and should be in charge of the operations, standing proudly next to Mukuro and Yomi on Kitigaya's doorstep. Instead, Hiei selfishly dragged her away from the battle so he could use her to what? Kill his nephew? She would do it if Minoru was guilty, there was no doubt in his mind about that. Ryuji voiced the concern to him as well but… Hiei needed her. Why wasn't she able to see it?

Ryuji tensed and looked at Hiei. "You sure Juuni won't betray us?"

"She won't," Hiei said firmly. "Juuni needs us. As long as the small group remains undetected, they will be fine."

"Chuu better not fuck it up," Ryuji muttered. "Him or Jin, the loudmouths."

Ryuji sighed heavily and picked up his guitar again, playing to fill the silence between them. Hiei leaned his head back against the wall and watched Mîra stretch. She swung one of her legs out and turned her body to the side and down as her gloved hands wrapped around her foot and her nose touched her knee. Hiei couldn't help but appreciate how in the leggings he was still able to see her muscular shape. If only the loose fitted long-sleeved shirt she was wearing was a tank top instead, so he could see the toned shape of her arms and torso and the appetizing curves of her chest…

His eyes roamed down the length of her leg when her eye caught his. Hiei froze, feeling his face flush out of being caught ogling her, but then her eye narrowed and her lips curved into a sly smile. She pulled up slowly and keeping eye contact with Hiei she swung her other leg out and slowly lowered her body to stretch her other leg. But now her legs were spread open and the only thing he could think about was that night in the club, the feeling of her body underneath his hands, and what was supposed to happen that night in the hotel room.

His body began to heat with desire and he leaned forward, intending to pin Mîra to the ground as soon as she was out of her stretch, but that was the unfortunate moment where Ryuji switched melodies and he was unhappily reminded that that Ryuji was still in the room. Mîra's sly smile turned into an amused grin as she pulled up. Keeping her legs spread, she began to stretch her right arm across her body.

Hiei forced himself to sit back but his gaze was still locked in Mîra's bewitching and torturous visage. Why did the three of them decide to wait together again? There had to be a way to get Ryuji out of the room. Mîra released her right arm and began to pull her left arm across her body. Fuck it, he was going to have Mîra and Ryuji could just leave. But just before Hiei moved, Mîra's flirty demeanor vanished. Her eyes shut together and her lips tightened into a thin line. Was she in pain? Then he remembered the arrow wound.

He moved towards her, but not the way his desires wanted him to. Instead he knelt in front of her and he placed his left hand under her wound while holding her wrist in his right hand. Remembering Yukina's instructions, he focused his youki on his palm to generate more heat and soothe the muscles around the wound like heat compress.

Mîra's eyes widened in surprise, but he was focused on her arm. He didn't use his youki like this often, but Yukina forced him to learn just in case. Mîra's legs relaxed from the split and came back in, her legs now resting on either side of him. He glanced back up at Mîra and her lavender eyes fixated on him. Before he could move or think, she dipped her head down and pressed her lips gently against his.

Surprised, it took Hiei a moment to register the kiss, but he soon gave into the cool pressure of her lips and the sweet taste of her mouth. The pure need for her rose in him and he felt the tension within him slowly dissipate. He pulled back to breathe and she gently rested her forehead against his, nuzzling his nose with her own. He could easily close the small gap between them again but there was something just as intimate and comforting in their closeness. He missed this so much. He forgot what it was like to truly be at peace—the quiet, comforting, stillness of his mind and soul. But here, with Mîra, he felt content as they shared this stillness together. He would never let her go again. She was too precious, too integral to his core. He didn't know exactly why, but she seemed to resonate his feelings as their hands shifted so his fingers intertwined with hers.

Suddenly, there was an awkward cough. "Uh…should I leave?" Ryuji asked slowly.

Mîra pulled back straight as a board with her eyes wide and cheeks flushed. Hiei turned towards the Boy and glared up at him. Hiei said "Yes," just as Mîra exclaimed, "No!"

An awkward pause filled the room as Hiei glared at Ryuji.

"Yeah, I'm definitely leaving," Ryuji said standing, an uncomfortable look on his face. Good. Now Hiei was able to have Mîra all to himself. As soon as Ryuji's back was facing them, Hiei turned back to his Vesse. Leaning forward he placed a light kiss in the crook of Mîra's neck over his faded mark. She let out a soft gasp, one that Hiei liked very much. He removed his hand from soothing her wound and placed it on her waist, the other hand guiding her mouth back to his.

"Hey! I'm still here!" Ryuji yelled, whirling around.

"Then get out," Hiei growled.

"Ancestors…" Mîra groaned.

"I can't believe you're seriously making moves on her right now! This is the worst timing!" Ryuji shouted, his faced beet red.

"Tch, she started it."

"I was being flirtatious! I never said, 'hey come over here so we can make out'!" Mîra protested.

"Oh my god. I am not going to be able to un-see this for ages," Ryuji moaned.

Hiei's patience was gone. "Ryuji, get-"

Just then the sliding door slid opened. Rei, Isao's granddaughter, stood behind Ryuji and cheerfully announced, "Koenma-sama's here!" There was a long pause as Rei took a glance inside the room. "Um, what's-"

Hiei darted up, kicked Ryuji into the hallway and slammed the door shut, but Rei slid the door open again. "Koenma-sama is here now." She said, glaring at Hiei. Her glare soon turned to terror under Hiei's gaze. "Um- wha-what I mean is-"

Hiei felt Mîra behind him and she said sweetly. "Rei, I am not ready to meet Koenma yet. Please give me a few minutes to prepare."

"A few minutes? That's all you need?" Ryuji leered and began to laugh, but was quickly silenced by the deadly glares emanating from Hiei and Mîra.

"It doesn't matter since Hiei's going with you anyway," Mîra said irritably. Surprised, Hiei whirled around to face her. She frowned down at him. "I do need to prepare." He glared up at her and she laughed.

He loved hearing her laugh, and the bright tones reminded him of the joy and warmth she held when they were mated. But now her laughter was minimal, not like before. He needed to bring that out in her more. After all these years, she was still Mîra and her brooding melancholy was ill-suited for her.

Mîra's eyes shone down brightly at him as she spoke again. "But my arm does feel better, thank you." Then, she leaned down and kissed him, but she pulled away too soon. She grinned down at him. "Oh, don't give me that look. We can pick this back up later."

"Please make it way later. And preferably in the farthest room possible from everyone else," Ryuji added.

Mîra rolled her eyes. "Go on. I'll be there soon." She closed the sliding door, ending any further conversation.

Well, at least Hiei got a kiss and a promise for more later. Begrudgingly he turned and walked towards the room where annoying brat-Prince was waiting. Isao was pouring tea for Boton and Koenma as they entered. At least the brat had the decency to show up in his adult form; Mîra detested talking to him in his child form. Hiei sat across from Koenma and Ryuji sat to his right, between Hiei and Isao. Hiei figured Mîra would like to sit next to Boton since he wasn't sure the last time the two saw each other.

"Hello Ryuji! My you look more like your father every time I see you!" Boton beamed.

"And you don't look a day older, Boton-chan," Ryuji grinned.

"Such a clever joke, Ryuji. I'm sure Boton's never heard that one before," Isao interjected lightly.

"Eh, it's been a long couple of days. Gimme a break," Ryuji said, snatching one of the buns from the table. Hiei felt Ryuji's tension subside a bit as he ate. He glanced back at Koenma. The prince looked like he was going to make small talk but Hiei gave him a nasty glare that spooked the prince into keeping quiet.

Hiei drank some tea while Isao and Ryuji chit-chatted, catching up. The two more or less grew up together and were practically brothers. Hiei knew that Ryuji kept in contact with Isao frequently and brought gifts and spiritual items from the demon realm for him. Shana liked Isao well enough but she commented once to Hiei that he seemed a little boring. Hiei cared for his nephew well enough, but he never connected with him like he did with Ryuji.

Once Hiei finished his first round of tea, Mîra finally appeared. She was wearing the same clothes as before but it seemed she braided her hair and put on some light makeup. She wore a gold circlet around her forehead and larger golden studs in her ears. As she approached, Koenma rose to greet her. Her chin raised, she offered her right hand to the Reikai prince and he kissed her hand lightly. Hiei noticed that instead of gloves, her hands were bare. Around each of her wrists were two simple golden bracelets. Were they enchanted to hide her scarring?

"Mîrvana, it's a pleasure," Koenma said gracefully bowing.

Mîra dipped her head towards the prince. "Koenma, it's good to see you again." As her hand dropped, Hiei noticed the golden seal on her finger. Her royal signet? She didn't need to be formal with Koenma, but, as always, Mîra commanded the respect of her station.

"Mîra-chan!" Boton cried and embraced her old friend in a large hug.

Mîra grinned and reciprocated the hug. "It's good to see you too, Boton. We will have to catch up later."

Boton pulled back and grinned widely. "Definitely!"

Both women sat down and Isao poured Mîra some tea and refilled Hiei's cup. Mîra took a sip of the tea and then looked at the group. "Shall we begin?"

Hiei never knew how she did it, but Mîra always had the ability to switch demeanors without warning. When she entered the room, she was the regal queen, then an old, happy friend, and now the serious warrior. Her sharp lavender eyes surprised Koenma for a moment as he coughed and turned to the ferry girl.

"Boton, your report."

"Yes!" She opened a notebook and began to read. "The Reikai operatives were successful in infiltrated the building in Shinjuku known to be the base of operations for the gang Rising Sun. We did not find Kuwabara Minoru, his second hand Yasuo, or his attendant Mei Lin."

At that, Ryuji frowned. "What do you mean they didn't find Mei Lin?"

"I also find that troubling," Isao added.

"Who is she?" Mîra asked.

"Well…" Ryuji glanced at Isao, looking for words. "She's Minoru's assistant but also maybe his girlfriend?"

"She's a feline demoness who began working for Minoru as his personal assistant," Hiei interjected, knowing that Mîra wanted hard facts. "I don't know how they met or the true nature of their relationship but she is important to him. He always kept her at his side, even when I went to his headquarters."

"Unless he's visiting home," Isao sighed. "Then he usually comes alone."

Mîra seemed to ponder the information before turning to Boton. "What else did they find?"

"Well, we were able to hack into their systems and it seems that there has been a large turnover in staff. Many gang members were caught or mysteriously disappeared in the last nine to six months and replaced with new members."

That was odd. Hiei thought back to the last time he saw Minoru. It was almost a year ago when they came for their annual visit. There wasn't anything remarkable about the visit. It was brief, like usual. Hiei mostly liked to check in to remind Minoru to at least let Yukina know he was still alive and able to keep out of Koenma's radar. Minoru has his hands full avoiding the Tokyo authorities and he didn't need the Spirit World on his back too.

Boton continued, "We also found the location of a stronghold in the mountains. Most likely this is a safe house that Minoru can escape to in case of emergency."

"So that's where we'll go," Mîra stated firmly.

"Yes," Koenma affirmed. "I won't send anyone with you, but I'll be watching from the Reikai. I'm sure the three of you can handle whatever is going on."

There was a small silence before Boton nervously asked, "What is our goal, Koenma-sama? They aren't going to… well…"

"We are NOT going to kill Minoru," Ryuji stated firmly. Out of the corner of his eye, Hiei watched Mîra's lips tighten.

"We will stop whoever was behind the assassinations. In whatever capacity that means," Mîra said.

"But not with Minoru, right?" Ryuji looked to Hiei for support, but he wasn't sure what to say. Mîra was decidedly set on her revenge or justice, whatever the hell she wanted to call it.

"We need to figure out what exactly is going on. The high turnover is suspicious," Hiei said, trying to circumvent the conversation.

"Agreed," Mîra added. "Koenma, can you get us more information?"

"I will try," he said, nodding.

Koenma turned and glanced at Hiei as he continued. "Just remember, this is the human realm. A demon killing a human is still unforgivable in Reikai law."

"Well," Mîra's voice caught Hiei off guard and he wasn't sure if he liked the smirk on her face. "Good thing I'm not a demon."

*~0~*

Hiei took his time walking up the hill to the family graveyard. He wanted to talk with Mîra but he didn't know what about. Maybe he just wanted to be in her presence to help soothe the anxiety growing in him. Mîra was clearly hostile towards anyone who stood in her way, and after their meeting Koenma questioned him at length as to whether or not bringing Mîra along was a good idea.

But Hiei knew Mîrvana better than anyone. She never acted with malice or ill-intent. If Minoru was in collaboration with Kitigaya, Hiei would have the chance to convince him to stand down and turn himself in. Only in the worst-case scenario would Mîra cut him down, Hiei was convinced. At least, he was trying to convince himself that was the truth. Flashes of her berserk elemental rage the night of the assassination attempt came into his mind, but he quickly pushed the thoughts aside. He needed to be resolute in his decision. Despite the time that passed between them, Mîra's core was still the same.

Hiei came upon the hill's crest more quickly than he prepared for and saw Mîra's figure in the darkness. There was a small ball of dim light floating next to her, outlining her profile softly against the cool night. She was kneeling in front of a grave, her eyes closed and her gloved hands clasped together, praying to her ancestors and the dead. She was so still, for a moment he thought she was a hallucination, but then her head shifted slightly and he noticed her lips moving. He quietly walked towards her, not wanting to interrupt her, and as he grew closer he heard the soft murmur of her voice speaking in elvish.

Mîra was kneeling in front of Shizuru's marker so Hiei sat next to her, in front of Takao's marker. He usually hated coming here, mostly because he thought it was useless to ponder on the dead, but tonight he felt unsettled. He had to find Minoru. Boton's information was rattling in his head and he was still trying to make sense of everything she reported. Minoru was gone without a trace or hint, and new gang members were installed over the last six to nine months. Hiei always clung to the idea that it wasn't Minoru behind the attacks but one of his underlings pulling the strings from underneath him. But what if instead-

"What are you doing here?"

Mîra's quiet voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to her intending to express his desire for her proximity, but the words died with one glance at her unwelcome gaze. He wanted to be open with her, but now she was guarded and wary like when she first appeared after the tournament. He turned back to marker in front of him.

"I was there when Yukina gave birth to Minoru," Hiei said. "Kuwabara was away doing a house visit and Yukina went into labor early. I held her hand as the midwife coaxed Minoru out." It was the first birth he ever witnessed; usually he came by a few days after, but this time Kuwabara asked Hiei to stay with Yukina just in case while he was away. Hiei could never forget the cries of his sister's pain, the fear of her potentially undergoing another C-section, or the how Hiei's hand iced over and then melted repeatedly with each push. But the relief of hearing Minoru's screams and Yukina's loving smile made the whole ordeal worth it. When the midwife placed the newborn in Yukina's arms, Hiei realized how far they all had come. Minoru was safe in the arms of his loving mother, something neither he or Yukina received. The serene moment soon ended though, as Isao, Daisuke, and Hajime clamored through the door, excited to see their new brother.

"Minoru was born around the same time as Takao, and the two were inseparable. Baseball was their favorite past time," he continued.

"What happened between them? Ryuji hinted they had a falling out," Mîra asked.

Keeping his gaze forward, Hiei responded. "It wasn't like that. In his mid-twenties Minoru began distancing himself from his family and Takao. He started getting involved in Tokyo's black market, and I found him out illegally fighting or gambling during several of my visits. After Shizuru died he more or less cut himself off completely."

"Yukina mentioned they got into a big argument. She said he hates his demon ancestry."

"Tch, she always puts more blame on herself than necessary."

"Sounds like that runs in the family," Mîra joked lightly. Hiei turned and scowled at her, but she responded with a small smile.

Annoyed, Hiei stared back out past the marker. As the silence filled between them, his anxiety began to grow again. Something was wrong with this situation. Hiei couldn't help feel like he was at fault for not mentioning Minoru's potential involvement sooner. At the very least he should have said something to Kurama, but he was an idiot and tried to handle it himself. Now, what if they went to the complex and-

Hiei was jerked out of his thoughts as Mîra suddenly yanked on his arm and pulled him towards her. His body was awkwardly pressed against her but he didn't care as her strong arms wrapped around his back and head protectively. Slowly, his own arms wrapped around her torso and he buried his face in her chest, surrounded by her lavender scent and the comforting throb of her magic. Mîra began to hum and Hiei felt the magic shift around her as she called upon the Song from his dreams. How did she know about that? All of his dreams lately were hazy and he didn't remember much but he knew the Song was familiar.

Did it matter? Not really. He was in his Vesse's arms again and that was all that mattered. An overwhelming sense of longing crashed over him and his grip around her tightened. He knew he was pathetic, but Hiei couldn't help it. This was something only she was able to give him, and he needed her for it. Pathetic or not, that was the truth.

"It's not your fault, you know. We make our own decisions. Minoru decided to push his family away. He decided to pursue illegal activities. There were other ways of dealing with his problems and he chose the wrong way. It's not your fault." Her voice drifted down to him gently and her reassurances touched him.

"I was neglectful. I should have been more involved." He was neglectful for so long to so many people because of his own shortcomings, his own weakness.

"Maybe. But he still chose to stay away from Yukina, from Isao, from anyone he grew up with. That's not your fault."

Reluctantly, Hiei pulled out of her embrace and sat back on his knees. "It doesn't matter. I will fix this tomorrow." He would do right by Yukina, by Kuwabara, by Minoru no matter what. Mîra stared at him sadly and brushed his white bangs from his eyes. He found himself caught in her gaze and he rose on his knees, leaned forward, and kissed her. The kiss only lasted for a moment before Mîra pulled away, placing her fingers over his lips. He frowned at her as she gently pushed him back.

"I'm sorry, Hiei, but there's something I need to ask you. I hate to do this now, but we're here at the temple and I just can't…" Mîra's apprehensive gaze shifted to the side and her hand clutched something between her breasts. A necklace? Upon closer inspection Hiei now noticed a brown cord around her neck, its contents hidden under her shirt.

Mîra glanced back up at him and sighed. "Look, you know I still love you. And I'm happy that we're slowly rekindling our relationship but…" But what? What could possibly be holding her back?

"I need to know. Why did you abandon me here and leave the heledh?"

What? Hiei stared at her, his hand moving over his own chest over the crystal.

"I didn't abandon you," he stated firmly. Need and want. Want and need. Didn't she know the truth?

Mîra's eyes narrowed at him. "Don't do this. Don't play dumb. You know you left me behind. You ran as soon as you knew I was coming back to the temple."

She had it all wrong. "I did not leave you behind."

"You gave back my heledh!" She spat angrily. "You broke off our marriage after I finally worked up the courage to confess-" Her sentence died as the words seemed to choke in her throat and her eyes began to water.

Hiei's gust twisted, unwanted emotions rising in him as he thought back to that day. "You… you wanted me. You didn't need me."

Mîra's face went still and her eyes widened. Hiei didn't know what to say or do, so he sat there, staring at her as tears began to blink out of her eyes and roll down her cheeks. "How, after everything we went through, could you say that?" she whispered.

"Mîra-" Hiei started to say as he reached for her hand, but she pulled back from him.

"How could you say that?" she repeated, this time demanding and forceful. "I told you that I love you. What else is love if not need?"

Why wasn't she able to see? Frustrated Hiei snapped, "You needed to go home!"

"I was home, with you!" She shot back.

Now Hiei was angry. She had no idea what he went through, what it took to let her go, and how he suffered for his actions. To treat it as though it was the wrong thing, as if it was pointless, she might as well have taken a knife, stabbed him with it, and twisted.

"Don't mock me!" he snarled. "You needed to return to your world and pretending otherwise is foolish!"

She was crying fully now but her visage shone with anger and pain. "What was I to you? Do you even- did you ever-" Her voice broke as she buried her face in her hands to sob.

Hiei wanted to reach out to her, but his hands felt glued to his sides as his fingers curled into fists. "You were mine." He thought back to the night of Yukina and Kuwabara's wedding where they sat under the pavilion. You and I. Once, it really was that simple for them.

But instead of reassuring her, his words had the opposite effect. She wiped her face with her sleeves and looked down at him sadly. "Yes, I was."

Hiei frowned at her. "What does it matter? You're here, Mîra."

"And what, you think we can just pick up where we left off?" She said, exasperated. "You just said it didn't matter!"

"It doesn't!" He argued. "You're here now, right in front of me!" Why was she so obsessed with the past? What good came from hanging onto events that occurred over a century and half ago?

Her eyes narrowed and hardened. She crossed her arms and stared down at him. "Oh yes, I'm here now. How convenient for you."

Unable to help himself, he snarled back, "At least I know what I want! You still don't know why you're here; you're just wandering around like a lost child. You only came here to try and find some semblance of your own damn pride!"

Mîra's face blanched and she stared at him wide eyed for what seemed like an eternity before her visage slid into the guarded expression he remembered from the day of her return.

"Well, I think that answers my questions." She stood and looked down on him with a cold, empty expression. "Don't worry, as soon as this Rising Sun business is complete, I intend on abdicating so I'll be out of your hair soon."

With that, she turned on her heel and Hiei watched her walk away, rooted in place.

What… what just happened? No, it wasn't supposed to go like this. Why wasn't she able to see how much he needed her? Hiei shot up and darted to the crest of the hill where he could see her retreating figure. She was still within ear shot, he could call to her and tell her that he needed her.

But to just scream it down the hill like a love-struck fool? He wasn't sure which was worse, stooping to a Kuwabara-level of confession or actually confessing and Mîra misinterpreting his words again. There was no way Mîra would accept such a confession in her present state, even if the dense, prideful elf bothered to understand him at all. Then he thought back to the emptiness he felt watching her go through the portal from the top of Mitage's castle. No. He would never go through that again.

Without thinking he darted in front of her. Hiei stared up at her determinedly and she frowned back.

"What is it now? I don't want to talk about this anymore," she sighed.

Hiei stared up at her. He could do this. The words were on the tip of his tongue. He knew what he needed to say.

But nothing came out.

Mîra sidestepped him and walked past as he stood frozen, and all he could do was turn and watch her leave.

Translations:

Vesse- wife

Heledh- crystal/glass

I hope you all liked this chapter! It was SO hard to craft. I needed to get the information out about the plan, but I didn't want to do an information dump. That was boring to think about writing and if it was boring for me, then it definitely would be boring for you guys, and that's not fun! Since we're close to the end, I really want each chapter to count.

That said, I really love Hiei and Mîra. They're so complicated and yet so simple! It's so much fun writing these two and I'm going to be relieved when I'm done, but also a little sad. When this story is done, I'm thinking about creating a new story that consolidates all of the Extras. I plan on including some Extras that never made it into Spoil of War, so there would be new content for you all to read too. What do you guys think about that? Let me know what you think of the chapter and if you would be interested in a fic just on the Extras!

Thank you to all my readers, followers, favorites, and reviewers! It means a lot to hear from you so please leave a review!