"Your Highness," Niccolò Vecchio, the apparent leader of the expedition, began. "This has been a very… interesting experience thus far. We thank you for your hospitality."
Tomoyo reclined her head and smiled.
"Vecchio-san, it is an honor for us to welcome you to our country. If there is anything at all you need during your stay do not hesitate to ask."
The Iberians nodded. Their unease was evident now that they were in the castle proper, and he suspected that more than a few of them were wondering how Tomoyo was suddenly speaking their language perfectly. Little did they know that it was due to a spell the princess has purchased from Yuuko, at the small cost of a sacred mirror. All things considered, Kurogane was having a hard time disagreeing with her decision to part with the two-thousand-year-old artifact for unlimited translation abilities.
"Thank you, Your Highness. However," Vecchio continued, casting a sidelong glance at the other members of his party. "We were not told of some of the more interesting… customs in your land."
Kurogane raised an eyebrow and distinctly heard Fay chuckle against his chest, where he'd been clutched in an unyielding death grip since the second kiss. Though none of the Iberians were looking at them it was obvious which "customs" they were referring to. The Nihonese in the room just sat silently, unsure of just how to react to their senior ninja's uncharacteristic escapade. At least a few were probably thinking that he'd given the Iberians a totally skewed view of their culture, but Kurogane was having a hard time caring about international relations while Fay was lightly stroking the scar on his left hand and making him shiver.
Speaking of shivering, the look Sohma was giving him from across the room was probably capable of freezing water. In response he shot her a look that he hoped conveyed that this was something she should stay out of. They held each other's gaze for a moment before she reclined her head in understanding. Kurogane suppressed a grin. Sohma may be stubborn, but she knew when to back down, and he admired her for that.
It seemed to take even longer than usual for the official welcome to end, at which point Kurogane stood up, hoisted Fay over his shoulder, and simply walked out. He really didn't care how many people saw. Fay didn't seem to mind either, and if his suppressed giggles were any indication he actually seemed to be enjoying the entire display.
As he turned into the secret passage to his quarters the pent-up nervousness of the entire day began to take its toll. He had the sudden urge to drop Fay and forget about this entire thing. Maybe he was being too presumptuous and forthright, maybe Fay had other plans, maybe this was a trap… All things that should have occurred to him before he'd gone off and made a fool of himself.
Fay always had a way of recognizing the subtle changes in Kurogane's mood, so it should have been no surprise when Fay simply raised his hands over his head and slipped out of the grip around his waist as if he could have done it at any time.
"So." Fay said casually, just for the sake of breaking the tension between them. Kurogane used the moment to really look at the man he'd had his arms around for the last hour and notice several differences from the last time he'd seen him.
To start with, Fay had two eyes, and somehow looked quite a bit younger. Fay had never looked old in the physical sense, but the Fay he had traveled with must have been ancient in comparison to the man standing before him now. His hair was also longer and pulled back from his face, which added to the illusion that he'd somehow become even thinner. Each little difference just intrigued Kurogane more, and Fay, ever perceptive, must have seen the curiosity in his expression.
"You probably want an explanation."
It was both a statement and a question at the same time. Kurogane thought about it for a moment before he let out a sigh and scratched the back of his neck.
"Not tonight. I know I'm tired, and if what I've heard about your trip is true I imagine you're in the same boat."
Fay closed his eyes, and Kurogane knew that his hunch had been correct.
"Come on." Kurogane lifted Fay off his feet and carried him the rest of the way down the hall. "We have plenty of time."
.o.O.o.
Fay woke up several hours later in darkness, and it wasn't until he felt Kurogane shift to hold him a bit closer that he remembered just where he was. He placed a loving kiss on Kurogane's forehead and carefully slipped out of the circle of his arms to take a look around.
The room fit Kurogane quite well. There wasn't anything especially noteworthy about it, nothing fancy decorating the walls or the low wooden shelves, but it had a decidedly lived-in quality that he found very welcoming. There hadn't been much time to really look at it before, but now Fay could see that the room was really an extension of Kurogane himself, and it gave him a sort of odd pleasure to see a new side of the man he'd traveled with for so long.
Kurogane mumbled something in his sleep and turned over onto his side. Fay was surprised by this, since Kurogane had never moved in his sleep during their journey. He couldn't help but wonder if his presence was the reason Kurogane was letting his guard down.
After a moment of simply observing his sleeping companion Fay silently crept out into the hall. It was still the middle of the night, so hardly anybody would be awake. It was perfect.
To anyone else Shirasagi castle would have seemed silent, but Fay's senses were buzzing. The sheer complexity of the magic was certainly a testament to the power of its past and current patrons, as every inch of the castle seemed to be imbued with some sort of magical energy. He couldn't help but run his hands over the stonework in the reception hall and be amazed at the skill of the people who had put them in place.
He paused over one especially intriguing glyph.
"I didn't expect you to be awake this late, Princess Tsukuyomi."
With a tinkling of bells Tomoyo emerged from behind a screen at the far side of the hall. The princess and the wizard regarded each other for a moment as they silently tested each other's magical energy.
Tomoyo was the first to avert her gaze and begin gliding across the room towards her throne.
"I enjoy nights like this, Flowright-san, for even without the sun one can still see."
Fay glanced up at the open ceiling, and sure enough, the moon hung perfectly in the center. He had no doubts that the people who had built the castle had purposely designed it that way. When he looked at Tomoyo again she was smiling, though he sensed that there something else behind her eyes.
"The real question is why you are awake at such an hour after such a harrowing journey, Flowright-san."
Fay chuckled, letting his hand wander to the magical glyphs again.
"I am indeed tired, Your Highness. I just have much to think about."
"I imagine." Tomoyo replied gently, though her eyes displayed an odd intensity. This time it was Fay who turned away first, deciding instead to focus on the moon.
"Princess, your name – Tsukuyomi – it means 'Moon Reader', does it not?"
Tomoyo nodded, the bells in her hair chiming softly with the motion.
"It does indeed, Flowright-san."
"And the connotation behind being able to read the moon is the power of foresight, is it not?"
Still smiling, Tomoyo closed her eyes.
"That is correct."
"So am I safe in the assumption that you knew I would be coming here, Your Highness?"
"Once again, correct. I'm impressed, Flowright-san. Kurogane has spoken well of you, and I can see now that he was not exaggerating."
Fay felt a pang of guilt at her words, and Tomoyo, seeming to sense this, moved a bit closer to him.
"Flowright-san, I am not sure if this will ease your anxiety, but now that you are here Kurogane is probably the happiest I have ever see him."
With a relieved sigh Fay touched his left eye, as if he were making sure that it was still there.
"I'm glad to hear that, I really am." His eyes darkened, as if he were not in Shirasagi castle but somewhere else entirely. "But Princess, there is something else I must ask you."
"Go ahead." Tomoyo urged, sensing his unease.
Fay glanced down at his hands and sighed.
"I feel like I'm two people at once, like I'm both me and someone else. Until today I had no idea that anything of this existed, but now my head's full of memories that I've never experienced and people I've never met." Both Fay's voice and shoulders began to shake.
"Princess, I'm seeing terrible things that I've done, people I've hurt… and I didn't have any of these memories until he…" Fay touched his lips in embarrassment. "Well, I didn't even know who he was. Some part of me understands this, but I just can't wrap my head around it. Please, Princess, help me understand this."
Tomoyo strode over to him and put her hand over his.
"You know that in other dimensions there are other versions of a person – versions who share the same soul, but come from different environments and have different memories, experiences, and identities..."
"I know, Princess." Fay interrupted, the agitation in his voice obvious. "But how is it that the memories of the other me were suddenly brought back?"
She turned his hand over and held it like he were a small child. "When one desires something strongly anything is possible, Flowright-san, even restoring the memories of a different life." She looked up at him with a knowing smile. "I sympathize with you – remembering things that are not entirely yours can be extremely frightening, even for one well-versed in the ways of dimensional travel. But even if your human body is having difficulty accepting this, your soul always knew what needed to be done, did it not?"
Fay stared at her for a moment, and then unexpectedly he was smiling back. The tension in his frame seemed to disperse instantly to leave him looking sleepy and contented. Tomoyo patted his hand reassuringly.
"Flowright-san, do not hesitate to come to me if you ever feel the need to talk about your memories. I will be there to help you."
"Thank you, Princess." Fay knelt and kissed her hand. "And just so you know, just 'Fay' is perfectly acceptable."
"Alright, Fay-san, in that case you may call me Tomoyo."
"Of course, Tomoyo-san."
After a brief goodnight Fay slipped back into Kurogane's room. He settled back into the circle of Kurogane's arms and sighed contentedly. After so much time of just imagining it the physical warmth almost brought tears to his eyes. After a moment he felt Kurogane stir and tighten his grip protectively.
"You're less tense…" Kurogane muttered sleepily. Fay snuggled a little closer into the blessed heat.
"Yeah… I'll tell you about it later."
Kurogane mumbled something and buried his face in Fay's hair. Fay had to fight back tears as he too began to fall asleep, but for the first time since he could remember they were tears of joy.