Part VIII
Say You'll Be Mine?
Weeks passed by and Hitomi was now five and half months pregnant and miraculously Kotori and Ginni's romantic affair had been kept secret. They met daily stealing quick kisses and hugs then running off before being seen and Kotori began to wonder if Hitomi had suspicions. She'd been turning up unexpectedly or just happening to be around when they met up, which made Kotori start to think it was a little more than coincidence. Now Ginni had arranged a private session for the two of them straight after dinner tonight when Kotori knew Hitomi and the knights would be busy. So, as dinner now reached its end she fiddled nervously with her napkin wondering what he could be up to.
"Hey, Kotori" said Hitomi waving her hand in front of her friend's face.
"Huh?" said Kotori coming back to the present moment.
"Welcome back, you were day dreaming AGAIN" Hitomi said grinning.
"Oh, yeah" said Kotori blushing at being caught and distracted herself by taking a sip of water.
"Must be love" said Hitomi off-headedly
Kotori practically spat out her drink in surprise and said dramatically, "WHAT!"
"No, need to be so dramatic Kotori, I was just joking" said Hitomi.
"Oh, sure" replied Kotori.
"Why do you have some secret crush" Hitomi suddenly enquired.
"NO!" replied Kotori a little too quickly attracting the attention of the knights.
"Ooohhh, I think you do" teased Hitomi making the knights chuckle and Kotori blush.
"And he's headed right this way" said Hitomi looking at Ginni striding over to their table.
At this remark Kotori turned beat red and thought 'You don't know how close you are' before replying, "That's not true and mind your own business Hitomi".
Hitomi laughed as Ginni approached their table and said, "Kotori, would you care to join me"
"I'd love too" she said immediately standing from the table and taking his arm.
Hitomi looked at the quickly retreating couple and shared a knowing smile with her mate.
Ginni and Kotori speedily hastened from the Great Hall then slowed down once out in the corridor and away from prying eyes. Here their hands joined and they smiled at one another before heading off down the corridor.
"Where are we going Ginni?" asked Kotori.
"You'll see" he answered.
After quite a bit of trekking through the castle they finally arrived in a large hall lit by candles giving the hall a soft glow about it. There were long lines of chairs running along the side of two walls from the back of the hall almost to the front, where Kotori then saw some steps and a huge table up front with a large old book on a stand off to one stand. She had her suspicions as to what this place was, but surprisingly in her entire time as a resident of the castle she'd never seen this place. She felt something tug her hand and looked down and saw Ginni was now on one knee looking up at her. Her stomach somersaulted and she felt giddy, she knew what was happening now and couldn't help but smiling.
"Kotori Gummi, would you do me the honour and make me the happiest Gummi in the world by becoming my mate?" he asked.
Kotori stood rooted to the spot gazing down at Ginni shaking nervously and watched as he too started to fidget uncomfortably for her answer.
"Ginni" she whispered pulling him to his feet.
"Kotori, I…" he started, but was silenced with a kiss.
"Well?" he asked nervously.
A small chuckle erupted from Kotori as she answered, "Of course I will, Ginni"
Ginni visibly relaxed letting out a small sigh of relief before gathering Kotori in his arms and kissing her.
Meanwhile deep in the shadows a stealthy character observed the new soon to be mates with a slight pang of guilt. He'd misjudged how quickly things were going between the two and felt only slightly guilty knowing there separation was coming soon. 'Thinking of which' he thought, 'what was Kotori still doing here?' He'd originally planned to have her gone in a couple of days and yet weeks later here she still remained. He ground his teeth together in annoyance thinking he would have to speed things up, when he noticed Ginni whispering something in Kotori's ear. She seemed shocked then smiled leaving him wondering what they were talking about. He watched his brother take Kotori's hand lead her down aisle just as music started to play quietly. His mouth dropped slightly at what he thought was happening and sure enough his suspicions were soon confirmed when he saw a gummi clad in long, white, flowing robes, a tall hat on his head carrying a small book in his hand emerge and a couple a gummi's come in through the door. He had to laugh quietly to himself at that, Ginni sure worked fast and was still as sneaky as ever. He watched as the two looked at each other as the gummi at the front began to read from the book. There hands were clasped together as they in turn repeated the words spoken to them. He watched with amusement as Ginni slipped a ring on her finger causing Kotori to look down at her hand. She looked at the band a moment before looking up at Ginni who was smiling contentedly. She smiled back deciding to a least finish this ceremony in her tradition and sealed the title with a long, loving kiss.
In the shadows however, happy for the two, Timmi knew now that his job to remove Kotori had just become harder. He watched the two run off down the aisle and out the door laughing and decided in the darkest recesses of his mind that Kotori must go and soon.
Another week passed for the new couple all the while even in training Kotori smiled like an idiot gaining more than just a few looks from Hitomi. Kotori meanwhile couldn't be happier and merely ignored Hitomi's occasional pestering on 'who the mysterious guy'. She always managed to brush her off, but slowly considering just blurting it all out, so she could talk to someone about it all. She paused mid step shaking her head and thought, 'yeah right' and carried on to her room. It was night fall now and everyone was heading off to bed, which while she didn't show she was internally grateful for, she was pooped. Going into her room she looked in the mirror on her wardrobe and her nose crinkled slightly at her appearance. She was in a dress again, her feet bare, hair hung down and slightly highlighted due to the sun. She sighed wearily and thought, 'I hate dresses' before throwing herself on her bed. She'd expected to just sink down, but instead landed on something rather hard. Sitting up glaring down at the offending object, her composure quickly changed when she noticed it was the book wrapped in an old shirt of hers. Grabbing the book and clutching it to her chest she looked around nervously, she couldn't be seen with this in her possession and it had been missing for about a month now. Looking at the moon she concluded it was fairly late, but not yet midnight, 'good' she thought, 'I can still return this without anyone noticing'. Arms wrapped securely round the shirt containing the old text she quickly vacated her room and sped down the corridor in the direction of the library. Nearing her destination so far not coming upon anyone, them all being in bed she stealthily made her way to the doors. Grabbing hold of the handle her breath held she heard the patter of a pair of feet coming in her direction.
Shoving the heavy door open enough for her to slip through she quickly shut it, barely making a sound. Now on the other side she waited shaking nervously as the patter of feet drew nearer. Her knuckles were white from clutching the book so hard and her breathing stifled. The pattering reached the door, paused, and then continued on down the corridor. The air left Kotori in a deep sigh of relief, 'too close for comfort' she thought turning to go into the restricted section of the library. She crept slightly making little noise as possible and while would never admit was slightly unnerved at being here. It was bitter cold in here at night and in her opinion every noise she made seemed to echo in the darkness, but what disturbed her the most was upon reaching the restricted section each torch she passed automatically lit up. Shuffling along quietly between the cases she finally reached to where this book belonged. Unwrapping it from her shirt she climbed up to return to its place, she placed it on the shelf about to slot it into place when the tingling feeling returned. Shaking slightly from cold and something she was unsure of she withdrew it again and holding it with two hands in front of her looked at the cover. She could feel the tingling again, stronger this time, her blood pumped in her ears drowning out all sound save for a slight breeze, which she was sure was whispering she opened the cover. Her eyes scanned the familiar first page and with great uncertainty her hand shakily reached out to turn to her last reading. Book balanced in one hand she flipped to the middle of the book reading over the each forbidden spell with growing interest. It scared and intrigued her, but she couldn't bring herself to part with the book just yet. Slowly she sank to the floor leaning against the empty cabinets the books were stacked on and began to flick through. Page after page turned slower each time as for some strange reason she found herself studying each one more and more intently. Finally she turned a page and just settled to read it, finger running over the text her curiosity peeking she went on. Absentmindedly her finger returned to the start of the text and slowly word by word she muttered the spell. By the time the last word fell from her lips the medallion behind her back hidden away in the cabinet began to glow. Kotori felt the tingling again, not just in her hands this time, but her whole body. She dropped the book, causing it to fall from her lap and tumble onto the stone floor. Shaking with fear, as she looked at her hands, which began to flicker and around her as she seemed bathed in light. A single scared tear trickled down her cheek before in a bright flash she was gone, the library once again still, silent and dark. However, while silent and dark did not mean empty as a single figure emerged from the shadows picking up the book. He snapped the book closed smiling when the pages made a thud sound. He looked down at the spot his former friend once occupied and looked almost sadly at it, knowing what pain he would bring to his brother and beloved, but he reasoned, sacrifices had to be made if Hitomi was to be his. With that he reached up placing the book in its rightful place and left as quietly as he came slinking back into the shadows with one small question in mind, 'Where was Kotori now?'
TBC…