A Maiden's Plight

A girl stood at a high window of the castle of Nottingham. She rests her elbows on the stone pane, enjoying the soft breeze that whispered across her face and played with her hair. It was another beautiful day, but somehow, she could not wait until nightfall. Turning with a sigh she opened her closet and looked at the wanted poster she had nailed to the door. It showed the dashing figure of Youko Kurama with a thousand pounds on his head. However, it wasn't the man that drew her attention but rather a written message scrawled across the bottom. It told her when and where was a good time to meet. She smiled a small almost coy smile, then reached inside the closet and pulled out a veil to cover her bright turquoise hair prior to leaving her bedchamber.

As soon as she began descending the staircase she heard a familiar shuffle of soft-toed shoes from behind. It was the elderly woman, Genkai, who constantly followed her around like a mother hen. She was Yukina's wet nurse as an infant and she raised her as her own after the death of the queen. Though Genkai looked so old as to be on the verge of death, she could still whip Yukina at badminton and Yukina knew never to take her lightly.

"What are you going to do this fine day, Miss?" The elder woman asked in an all too knowing way.

"The usual walk in the yard, it's not as if I'm allowed to go anywhere."

"Fiddlesticks Yukina don't act like I don't know what you've been up to."

"Hush Genkai someone might hear you."

"Let them hear!"

"Please!"

"Don't fret child, men rarely listen to us womenfolk anyway." Genkai stopped walking and frowned.

"Where is the Genkai I know, a plucky woman who would force someone to listen to her whether he wanted to or not?"

"She's here, she just hasn't warmed up yet." This brought a smile for them both.

"Well you're still my best friend in the whole world, you know that right?"

"Thank you dear." Together they entered the dinning hall where breakfast was just about to be served.

The prince was in a foul mood, which was not unusual, but given the circumstances he was more irritated than ever before. The Sheriff smiled noting how whenever the Prince was highly temperamental money would flow in like a stream under heavy rains. Of course the Sheriff also influenced that wealth in significant contributions. That was why; under the afternoon sun he could be found prowling the streets of Nottingham. He walked with a swagger in his gait and a large pouch at his side. Everyone feared him, despite his lean frame and lack of grand musculature, when he spoke one listened, when he looked at you through one cold blue eye, you could not look away. He had a presence that could make even a lion cower. However, the thing that startled people the most was how his face was constantly wrapped in bandages. They wrapped around his neck, across his chin and lower lip, winding all the way up to cover one eye and a large portion of his nose. It was bizarre, to put it mildly. No one asked him about it, though the Sheriff doubted that they really cared, the people most likely wondered who was the lucky one to rough him up so badly.

He heard the laughter of children and immediately felt compelled to enter the home a stone's throw away. Inside happy children ran, jumped, and danced. The family seemed to multiply like rabbits. The Sheriff stood in the doorway and bowed, the singing and joyful screaming stopped almost instantaneously. He rose and looked at the man standing among a circle of kids.

"What do you think you're doing here?" The man asked angrily, he stomped over, his thin blue braids swinging violently.

"Shouldn't you be working?"

"It's my day off."

"Hm. Well I'm just here to collect the tax you owe, then I'll be on my way."

"I don't have it at the moment."

"It looks like some kind of party is going on, I wonder what type of gifts will be given."

"Sheriff, it's my son's birthday, can't you come back some other time?"

"I'm sorry, I follow orders and the law can't abide it. However, I can take an object of value instead of gold, so hand over one of the gifts and all will be settled."

"And if I say no?"

"Then I'd have to introduce your neck to the gallows."

"Hold on, fine, let me talk to my son first." The little boy looked up at his father pleadingly.

"Rinku, I'll get you something better next year, can you give me the box please?"

"But Dad-"

"Rinku, you don't want to cause trouble for mommy and daddy do you?"

"No."

"Then please give me the box." He passed the box over to his father with tears streaming from greenish blue eyes.

"That wasn't so hard was it?" The Sheriff remarked to the father,Chu.

"Get out of my house you heartless bastard."

"That's fine I've wasted too much time here already." He left, hearing the distinct sounds of wailing and sobbing. He wasn't sure which was more annoying screams of laughter or pain. He slipped the present into his pouch, nearly bumping into an old man with a cane. The man wore a brown ratty cloak, a large brimmed hat, and dark tinted glasses. He was blind, which was why he kept tapping the cane in front of him; he held a cup in his other hand, begging for any change. The Sheriff was suddenly struck with a feeling of envy. The man couldn't see, he couldn't see how ugly people were, how scary a person could appear. He knocked the cup from the man's hands and picked up the few coins he had managed to salvage, then he gave back the emptied cup and sauntered away whistling. That old man needed to be taught a lesson, he shouldn't have crossed paths with him.

"Alms for the poor." The old beggar called at the door of the house.

"Poor man, you picked a bad day for begging I can tell you that."

"Did I hear that it was somebody's birthday?" He called in a creaky voice.

"Yes sir, today's my birthday, but that mean Sheriff took my birthday present!" Rinko cried piteously.

"Now, how old are you?"

"I'm seven years old going on eight." He explained with pride.

"Seven? Then I have just the thing for you."

"What is it?" He asked wide-eyed and hopeful. When the man pulled out a small round wooden thing, he looked at it with distaste.

"Gee . . . thanks." He said forcing a smile.

"It's a yo-yo, here put the string on your finger and try it out." Rinku looked at it dubiously and another child waddled up with a curious expression.

"What do you do with it?" he asked around one of his fingers in his mouth.

"You can kill people with it!" Rinku exclaimed puffing his chest out, and trying to act like he knew everything.

"No, no it's just a toy." The old man took off his glasses revealing startling green eyes that could clearly take in their surroundings.

"Mister? Who are you?" Rinku asked stepping away, and nearly tripping over his little brother.

"I am Youko Kurama here to fulfill your birthday wish!" He stood up and pulled off his hat and long silver horsehair wig.

"Kurama!" Chu shouted. "I didn't even recognize you!"

"That's the idea mate." He supplied grinning broadly. He then pulled something else out from beneath his cloak, a large bottle of ale.

"You're an angel, an absolute angel!"

"I try."

"Mister, Youko Kurama, Sir, could you teach me how to use the yo-yo?" It seemed that even the children had heard of the famous thief judging from the awe in Rinku's words.

"Certainly." He replied. Kurama played with the children for a short time, before putting back on the disguise and moving to help more desolate people left in the Sheriff's wake.

While the town was swept up in the chaos caused by the vicious tax collection, Yukina spent the day walking in the expansive yard surrounding the castle. She slowly inhaled the scents of roses off the bushes, and enjoyed picking clovers. She peeked over her shoulder to make sure that Genkai was actually asleep in the rocking chair they had brought outside, and then she hastily sneaked over to a tree a bit farther away.

This tree held a special meaning for her, because on that tree her true love had carved their initials. She stared longingly at the K and Y that were scratched in surrounded by a heart. Oh how she missed him, her heart began to beat faster when she thought of the message on the poster. She would be able to meet him tonight.

Late that night Prince Hiei sat in his office furiously scanning legal documents and wondering why he even bothered reading them if they caused him such a headache, when a loud knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in." He called already having a good idea of who it could be.

"Your highness." The Sheriff stated stiffly, delivering a brief bow then snapping up and walking over to the desk to plop a huge purse on top of the papers. "There is a lot more where that came from, the other servants are helping me bring in the rest."

"Good work."

"Your highness if I may be so bold, I would have a word with you."

"What is it?" The prince queried glancing up in mild surprise.

"There is something I wanted to show you."

"Very well." He nodded. The Sheriff began unwinding the bandages from his face.

"No, you don't have to do that, I really, it's-"

"I want you to see the real me." He couldn't respond all he could do was watch as a horrifying vision unfolded in front of him. The Sheriff didn't pause, he moved directly to removing his shirt as well and the bandages hidden there. Hiei stared, at the deep scars that scattered all over his face and the horribly thick ones at the neck. They just kept getting worse and worse. Prince Hiei, had never seen such injuries, well he had seen some whip lashings across someone's back, but nothing compared to this. He started, when he noticed something else was not quite right, one side of the chest had darkened skin, that looked more like potato skin than that of a person and the other side, was white, flawless, whole and full. A single breast rose up like a small lonely mountain on a barren plain. The Prince stood and averted his gaze once he realized that he was staring at a lady of status.

"Prince Hiei, I am sorry to have lied to you all this time."

"Is everyone crazy? Or is it me? Nothing seems to be what I think it is."

"Prince Hiei?" The prince maneuvered around his desk and stood in front of her.

"I should call the guards, but I can't do that now can I?" He softly intoned gazing at her face and into the empty eye socket. "You have been my most trusted subordinate for a very long time, this new. . . development can not get out do you understand?"

"Yes sir." Though she repulsed him she also fascinated him. He reached out and touched her cheek. She shut her eye as his short fingers gently roamed her face.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered.

"It only hurts here." She placed a hand over her heart. His hand fell away and he turned his back on her.

"Mukuro, you will continue to do your job as per usual. Please put on your clothing and get some rest."

"I was hoping-"

"I know what you want and it isn't me."

"But can't you see how well we go together?"

"We are too similar, I am the prince soon to be king I will choose my queen and you are not it."

"Prince Hiei, why can't we be together? I don't have to be your queen." She pleaded.

"I wonder."

"Truly, I never would have revealed my secret were it not for these feelings I have for you."

"Enough. I have heard enough. Leave me."

"Your highness-"

"Go." She withdrew after slipping on her shirt and without bowing. She also left the bandages on the floor. The Prince returned to his desk and sat down in the chair. He lifted his feet up onto the table and crossed his legs leaning back tiredly.

"This has to be a dream, a very strange dream." He grumbled closing his eyes and falling asleep.

A night owl could be heard somewhere in the darkness, and every shadow seemed to be a person watching the princess as she made her way to a certain part of Sherwood Forest. The meeting place was never too far in, for fear that she would get lost, or lose her footing, even though she had played in the forest many times as a child. The trees loomed over her in what she felt was a more protective way than dangerous. She always felt more free in the forest than she did in the palace, especially since she knew that someone was always there for her. She heard the night owl again, closer this time, in three sharp notes. It was a call that was not quite like a bird but could fool someone who didn't know any better. She smiled and jogged toward the sound.

Arms pulled her into a hug before she even noticed that people were there. She immediately felt comforted when the man spoke into her hair,

"I missed you sweetie, have they been treating you well? How about the cooks are they making you good food?"

"Of course silly, I'm the one that should be worrying about you and what you're eating and- I missed you too."

"I'd hate to break up such a wondrous moment but there is still business we need to discuss."

"Hold your horses, Kurama, this is the first time I've been able to to see Yukina in ages!"

"This won't take long." Yukina finally pulled herself away from Kuwabara and gave Kurama her attention. "I wanted to thank you for all your help, I know it must be difficult for you to come out here and-"

"I- I don't mind it, really, I love being able to see Kuwabara."

"Little Kuwa aside, I want you to know that I appreciate all you've done to help our cause, you take a great risk every time you visit us."

"I know." She hung her head and clasped her hands nervously. She felt a hand lift up her chin,

"We should be the ones bowing to you, Lady Yukina."

"No- no I don't do that much, honestly."

"It's alright honey just accept our gratitude."

"Now onto more trying matters, the Sheriff's been causing more of a disturbance, and I'm afraid a lot of people might wind up in jail."

"I don't know what my brother is planning- I just hope he doesn't raise the taxes any more."

"Don't worry, we're here to sort things out."

"Kur- Shuichi? Do you think we'll be all right? I'm afraid I can't stop him."

"Yes, somehow I think we will make it and I think he's lucky to have a sister like you."

"But I'm fighting against him." Yukina began to cry making Kuwabara upset too. "He- He's not evil. He isn't." She sniffed, Kuwabara pulled her back against him. "He's just obsessed- with power." She knew that her argument was not sound, which made her weep more.

"Sh Yukina dear, no one is mad at you." Kuwabara spoke soothingly patting her head.

"I agree with you Lady Yukina," Kurama said quietly, "We all have our dark side, the only difference is he doesn't hide it, which I find oddly refreshing." Yukina rubbed her nose on her sleeve and stared up at him incredulously. Kuwabara looked at him as if he had just grown two heads. He chuckled at them and left them to do what lovebirds do, he didn't want to encroach on their time any longer.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So here's the second chapter yaay! I seriously considered having Kurama keep the ability to change into a fox spirit, but then decided not to in the last moment.

Review if you think Kurama is a sexy beast!XD