Disclaimer: As you know xxxHolic is not mine but clamps, the OC's and story line are the product of my own fevered imagination.

Chapter - 14 Evening

Yuuko left shortly after the conversation with the travelers, seeing as she had to get the bag of precious crystals back to the shop. But before the portal closed she had sent a small sealed vial of the purified Eldorian remains to Fai and the others thru Mokona, that's why it was magically sealed so that it wouldn't harm the little pork buns. Watanuki and Himiwari went with her, leaving the exhausted Mage in Doumeki's tender care.

He carried her back to the main house and to the bathroom next to his bedroom. His parents were out of town on one of their missionary journeys. This had left the house empty once again, or so he thought.

Settling the Mage upon a mat in the bathroom, knew he needed to get her cleaned up. Her hair was matted with blood, the shirt she wore was soaked with it. He ran a bath, then hoping she wouldn't strangle him herself when she woke up he undressed her. This was when he realized he had a problem. How do you wash an unconscious female person covered in dried blood? Doumeki ever logical decided the easiest option was to get in the large tub with her, besides he was pretty grimy by now himself. He quickly stripped down, picked up the unconscious girl and took her into the bath with him.

This turned out to be a very BAD idea. Oh sure, it was a lot easier to clean her up this way, but he 'was' a healthy teenage boy, with normal teenage hormones, and she was a very cute and naked teenage girl he happened to be very attracted to. Ah right, it was more than that, but right now it was his hormones that were the real problem.

Gritting his teeth, a lot. Doumeki managed to get her cleaned up, out of the bath, toweled off and placed on his Futon. He then went back to the bathroom to take a shower and relieve some of the stress. After his little session in the shower he was able to return to his room. He slipped into his bed with the sleeping mage, pulled her into his arms and covered them with his blanket and fell asleep.

"What a Perv! And to think I though he smelled so nice."

"Bu-but Ame, he took such good care of her, he was so... gentle."

"I can't believe I let Yuuko talk me into bringing you along... 'Let her see a little of real life, she said'. Look he took care of her alright, and then he 'took' care of himself. You are so naive."

"Don't they look peaceful while they sleep?"

(sigh) "This is going to be a 'long' night. Give me that camcorder, it's boring recording them now."

Watanuki went with Yuuko back to the shop where he served the remains of the lunch for dinner. Yuuko and Mokona demanded Sake.

"Watanuki, stay here at the shop tonight."

"It's still light out I should be alright getting home."

"It's not that."

"What is it then."

"It would just be safer for you to stay here tonight. Then you can make me pancakes in the morning for breakfast. In the meantime get me another bottle of sake first."

"Yeah, more Sake Wata-chan" Chirped Mokona.

"Sake" "Sake" Repeated the twins Maru and Moro.

"Pancakes?! That's the real reason isn't it! You just want me to cook breakfast for you. And MORE Sake! Really Yuuko-san your liver cannot be healthy with all the abuse you give it." Nevertheless, Watanuki went to get the Witch and her Drinking Buddy Manjuu yet another bottle of Sake. It was no use arguing, they would all just yell "SAKE, SAKE" until he did it anyway, and he was starting to get a headache. He went to get another bottle and put together a few snacks to go along with it.

"Yuuko, do you think he bought it?" Mokona had stopped bouncing around the room and was now sitting on the table placed by her side.

"Yes, I believe so. He is a good boy. But he does not yet understand the nature of true evil, or how dangerous things are about to become."

"That…Thing, you recognized who it was didn't you?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Only those of royal blood have the ability to move between the worlds themselves or would have been able to even cross the protections of the Doumeki Temple grounds. I'm afraid that was the youngest half-brother of their Queen, and she will know of his death by now."

The world of Eldamon:

A blood red sun cast a grim light upon the stark landscape, from the Castle the furious screams of the 'Queen of the Dark' could be heard for miles in the stale still air. The Nobility, both major and minor along with all the servants fled from her sight.

"AAAAAAAAIIIIYYYYAAAAAHHHHHH" An inarticulate scream rent the air.

"NOOOOOO! IT'S GONE! COMPLETELY GONE! I cannot feel anything of his life force, it's as if it was just...snuffed out. WHERE ARE MY MAGES, WHY DID THEY SEE NOTHING OF THIS! 'I' WILL FIND OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED." Marantha, Queen of the Eldorians cast about her for a victim to vent her anger on. A hapless Hobgoblin got a bit too close to her, grabbing the poor thing by one of its many legs, she sank her fangs into its brownish green molted flesh, ripping it apart. With the Hobgoblins green blood still dripping from her fangs, she went to find the terrified Mages, she 'would' have the answers she sought.

The Sorcerers that had survived her 'scrying' cowered at the back of the warded room, unable to escape, afraid to draw the Queens attention for fear they would end up like their former rivals. Kneeling in the spreading pool of hot thick red blood, she idly licked her claws clean of the human entrails she had used to fuel the Magic spell for scrying the final moments of Kell's life, her youngest Brother and one of her favorite Lovers.

A Knight Mage, the Queen snarled at the images being replayed in the blood. Of course, it would have been a Knight Mage they were completely immune to the taint of an Eldorians mind touch. An ordinary Warrior would have succumbed long before her brother had grabbed her throat, and such a skilled warrior would have been welcome as a 'pet' or eventually to become a sumptuous feast. Reaching again into the warm remains of the magician she had recently dispatched, she pulled more of the still warm intestines from the gaping wound, using them to continue scrying, to see if the Knight had been saved or if she had died from her sacrifice.

The Smile that graced the Queens face was even more terrifying than her rage. The Knight lived, that meddling Witch Yuuko Ichihara had managed to save her life. For once Marantha was grateful to the Dimensional Whore, she had special plans for the little Blonde Mage, like spending the rest of eternity torturing her and feeding off her soul, and that was just for starters.

"Kurogane-san, will Fai-mommy be alright?" Princess Sakura asked, once he rejoined them after placing the emotionally exhausted Mage to bed.

"Yes, I believe he will be, better than ever in fact. It was a big shock for him though."

"Oh, because his Brother is a girl?"

"Well, there is that. But no, it is that she 'lives'."

Watanuki was dreaming. He was standing out in the garden, looking at the stars.

'Greetings Watanuki-kun and Happy Birthday. Seems you all had a rather exciting afternoon."

"Haruka-san, it's good to see you. Yes, though I wasn't the one hurt this time, it was Aya-chan." Watanuki joined the Exorcist upon the bench he was lounging enjoying one of his trademark cigarettes." Watanuki always had the urge to tell the Priest that cigarettes were bad for him and end up killing him. Except that, well he was already dead.

"Yes, Aya-chan,... that person was able to save her life and she is currently under the tender care of my grandson. In fact, he will be taking 'very' tender care of her. The life bonding of those two will be completed tonight, that's why I came, to say goodbye." The Priest smiled over his personal inside joke, aware the still rather innocent Watanuki would probably not get it, at least not without a lot of hints.

"What! Goodbye, but why? And what do you mean by 'Life Bonding'?

"You, my Grandson, Himiwari-chan and Aya-chan are all forming lasting life bonds with each other, over time you will form one with each of the others, just as they will do one another."

"But why goodbye? Haruka-san, why are you leaving?"

"Because I made a choice, once it became clear they would join. My Shizuka will be a good father, don't you think?"

"WHAT! That Jackass is way too young to be anybody's father. WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT 'ARE' YOU GETTING AT! "

The Temple Priest laughed at the outraged look on young Watanuki's face as what he had said sunk in. The vibrant blush staining the cheeks of the seer was a joy to behold. He could see why his grandson took so much delight in teasing the spirit magnet.

"Oh, Watanuki-kun, you should see your face. Don't worry your turn will come. (Wink) Also I will not be joining you all 'immediately', but as my choice has been made and the pair chosen will soon be joined I can no longer stay in the Dream world, I will now move on to the spirit world of Waiting."

"Ah, oh, I suppose this is good news then Haruka-san, congratulations."

"Yes, take good care of yourself Watanuki. I will be expecting to continue our fine talks, well once I can talk that is….." With that the Priest faded from the Dream world. Watanuki still a trifle confused by the whole conversation, drifted back into normal dreams.

The choices we make, the changes that take place because of those choices, the prices we pay for our wishes.

They all affect the balance.