Beauty and the Beast

by Hione

The fairy tales continue! Karasu tells his twin girls the story of Beauty and the Beast where he himself is "beauty" and the fox demon Yoko is the "beast." But what happens when there are TWO beauties, and one is a real b*%&h?

2. Tormented by the other Beauty

-*~^~*- Beauty and the Beast -*~^~*-

-*~^~*- Part Two -*~^~*-

"I'm just SO sorry I bothered you like this." Hiena offered a small, embarrassed smile.

Karasu seemed to be the only one affected by her charm, because Larry just gave a disappointed grunt and headed back inside.

The woman watched him, a tad confused. Karasu stepped forward and offered her a smile. "... Would you like to come in? If so, you may even stay here until you can find a way to get back home."

Hiena blushed and glanced over her shoulder. "But—"

"I will send someone to fetch your things." He offered his hand, and she took it before letting herself be led inside. Karasu walked slowly, and smiled as the woman cooed over how beautiful the castle was. Why the sudden charm? Well, he did offer to find Yoko a suitable partner. Here a young, beautiful woman just happened upon the castle's front steps. Even a doubtful goth like Karasu could still understand that, sometimes, fate actually does decide to step in and play her part to help those in need. A cursed king, plus a fair young lady; problem solved.

His thoughts were interrupted when Hiena pulled him to a stop and giggled over a large fireplace. "This castle is AMAAAAZING! You live here? Do you own this place?"

Karasu watched her with an amused smile. "Well, no. King Yoko does, and I am afraid he is away at the moment. Would you like some tea?" He led her to the kitchen and waited as Yukina, the main maid, prepared them a light treat.

They sat together for quite some time and conversed with each other. Hiena occasionally stopped talking to marvel even more about the castle. When she was not distracted, the woman told Karasu about herself. So far, he understood that she had never been a hooker. That was good. She never drank, she never stole anything, and she had never killed anyone. After drilling her on those facts, they moved onto family. Apparently, she had three brothers and a mom. Her dad left when she was rather young, but she did not mind. Her mother raised her and her brothers, though she figured that the youngest brother hated her for SOME unknown reason.

When the woman asked Karasu about his family, he politely refused to tell, and urged her on with her own story.

Hiena had been in love with a man only once. From what she told Karasu, the male left her and took some of her family jewels with him. Karasu frowned at this, but again asked for even more information.

She loved to read, which shocked the male to hear. When Karasu tried to debate with her about a book though, the girl suddenly became distracted with her teacup, so the raven switched topics once more.

Over the next four or five hours of talking, with a small lunch break in the midst, the raven concluded that Hiena actually might just be a good match for Yoko. She was sweet, bubbly, and she was built for the high life. The visitor was rather noble, and certainly beautiful. The only issue he could see was that she did not like animals, but since she would never see Yoko it hardly mattered, he would love her anyway. His suspicions were only confirmed when Yoko's deep, fox-like purr echoed through the castle. "Karasu..."

Karasu blinked and dropped his spoon. He turned his head up at what looked like the bell from a phonograph jutting from the wall, up near the ceiling. He looked at Hiena, then jumped when Yoko's voice called out to him. "Karasu... could I see you a moment? NOW?"

The raven politely excused himself, then rose to his feet to follow the fox's demand. Once he reached Yoko's disaster of a room, he blinked and gestured over his shoulder. "What in the world..?"

Yoko shuffled from the far corner, which was now lit from the fading daylight. He moved away from a plethora of several different copper sound pipes. "They all lead to the main rooms, in case I need anything. I was... rather lazy as a human."

Karasu shook his head. "Alright, so what do you want?"

If foxes could blush, Karasu surely would have seen it. "Who... is that girl?"

"Oooh, you like her then?" His friend grinned and folded his long arms. "Her name is Hiena, a noble girl from a few villages west. She was going home from a vacation, but her carriage bogged down in the woods. We have already brought her horse to the stables, and her room is being prepared as we speak. Also, she likes mysterious dates, so I think you have a good shot with her. I already have an idea for how you two can spend time alone without her seeing you."

The fox stared at him and tried to think on what to say. "I... t—"

"Don't thank me. I'm just doing my 'job.' I told you I would help you get a girl, so I will. If you ever need me to ask her about anything, or fix up a date for you, just tell me. I already have your first date planned."

Yoko gave an odd, toothy grin. It was a bit scary. Just a bit. "... Thank you."

Karasu offered a humble, slightly mocking bow. "Of course, my lord~"

At that, the raven took his leave and made his way back to the main room. The beast loved the beauty already, but how could he get the beauty interested...?

o o o

The ordeal would obviously not be that hard, as Karasu discovered when he re-entered the dining hall. He found Hiena standing in front of Yoko's portrait, her eyes gleaming at the King's old form. When she saw the raven return, she instantly blushed. "Is... is this King Yoko? He... he's so handsome! Could I meet him?"

He had to think of a lie, quick. "... Yes, Madam Hiena. You can meet him, but I am afraid you will not be able to SEE him. You see..." Karasu licked his lips. Time to b.s. his way out of an awkward fan-girl moment. "Yoko was in love once, a very deep love. The girl adored his face so much, that she could not stand to be away from him. She looked upon him every day and even failed to eat her meals or sleep. Eventually, though, she grew ill and passed on." What in the world was this mess he was spouting? Despite his deep-hearted protests, his mouth continued with the false back-story. "The king was so distraught, he sent everyone away from the castle and locked himself in the tower. Now he never lets anyone see his face. He is too afraid of how they will react and I am the only one allowed to see him." Ugh, Karasu, all the books you read and this is what you come up with?

Somehow, the obvious lie seemed to satisfy Hiena's curiosity. She brought both hands to her mouth with a low, pitiful gasp. "Awww, that poor man..."

She bought that? Really? Karasu gave a lukewarm smile. "Yes... so, you will be able to have dinner with him, if you like, but I am afraid he will be concealed. He is such a shy creature. You understand, right?"

"Oh my gosh, of course! But... I... will get to meet him?" Another blush rose to her cheeks.

The raven chuckled. "Yes, you will. Tonight, as soon as dinner is prepared." He gave a humble bow and gestured to the exit. "I'll show you your room so you can get cleaned up. Follow me."

While Hiena was primping herself in her new room, Karasu immediately went to Larry. Without bothering to say hi, he went over and showed a list to the man. "I need these things, can you get them?"

Larry blinked and set aside a ruler to look, fixing his blue eyes to the paper. "Ohdear. What on Earth do you need tents for?"

"Don't ask questions, just get them. They need to be at least fifteen feet tall, and possibly just as wide. I want one set up in the dining hall, another in the garden, and one in the fields. Include tea placements with these, if you please. Also, make sure Yoko's room is complete within the next two days."

Larry nodded and continued over the list. "All this silly stuff looks like romantic cozy things. A large white carriage, dining tents, sashes, and sweets?" He blushed and covered his heart. "Awww, Kara baby, I had no idea—"

"It's for Yoko and Hiena!" Karasu hissed. "JUST HAVE IT DONE. Get me in the morning when you're ready to start on Yoko's room. DO NOT go in there before I do. Are we clear?" Without waiting for an answer, Karasu strolled away to find Yukina. Larry puffed out his bottom lip, but did as he was told.

With the entire team of maids working quickly, dinner still took about three hours to complete. The edge of the dining hall was decorated specially for the two to enjoy their meal together. Hiena's space was placed at the far end near the painting, and behind her was a large, makeshift creation of curtains. They blocked off one of the doors that led outside, as well as Yoko's painting. Everyone found it odd that Yoko was trying so desperately to remain unseen, but the Raven just reiterated the fake story he told Hiena when they asked. Eventually everyone just stopped asking, and Karasu left to find the furry king.

When he found him, the beast did not look well. "What in the world are you doing?"

Yoko peered at him through blurry eyes. He was upside down with his head to the floor and his fluffy rump was bent up the wall. "... a guru once told me this could help me relax... I... think it only works as a human."

Karasu closed his eyes, sighed, then went over to him. "You are acting so silly. Relax, everything will be fine."

"What if she screams?" The raven gave him a sharp push and the beast's legs flopped over, leaving him on his side. He raised his head, ears drooped. "She could see me and scream, Karasu."

"That is why we will not let her see you." Even as he said that, the male found himself trying to smooth out the fox king's fur. When he finally realized how pointless it was, he stopped and folded his hands behind his back. "Just go outside and enter through the blocked door. I will open it for you and stand outside the curtain to make sure no-one sees. Sound alright?"

"But my voice—"

"Is FINE. Some women dig that gruffy, older male sound."

Yoko lowered his head with a shy growl, then rose to his feet. After a bit of mental debating, he nodded. "L... let's do this!"

o o o

Once everything was set up properly for the evening, and Yoko was safely in his white bungalow of blankets, Karasu waved everyone away and locked each of the doors but the one to the kitchen. He warned everyone not to enter, and stated that he would handle all the affairs. Begrudgingly, the servants agreed and kept their distance.

Hiena was shown into the room, and Karasu smiled over to her. "Well, aren't you just beautiful."

The woman blushed and raised a hand to her cheek. As she stepped close, Karasu slipped his fingers into the folds of the curtain and opened them slightly for Yoko to view. The fox sighed at how stunning she looked, dressed in a fine golden gown. Her hair free-fell about her shoulders, and her face was made up with rather simple cosmetics, which only made her natural beauty shine all the more. The king even found himself stepping backwards as she came closer. He did not know if it was from fear of being close to a woman, or just that her beauty shocked him that much.

Karasu did not dabble on how she looked, he just wished she would walk faster. Even though her steps are light, those heels are still annoying, jeeze. Karasu was... not a happy camper. He wanted this date over with so he might actually get a proper night of sleep. All the same, he gave one of his most sugary smiles and gestured to the candlelit table while pulling back her chair. "Miss Hiena, if you please."

"Why thank you, Karasu!" Elegantly, the woman collected her gown and placed herself into the chair. Karasu raised a brow at the princess demeanor, but decided to let it be. "Miss Hiena, this handsome fellow hidden behind you is King Yoko. Say hi, your majesty." Karasu nearly puked at his own sugar-coated words.

Yoko nervously fidgeted behind the veils. What should I say? She's so beautiful and I... I can't... He backed away and raised his fluffy torso, pressing his back to the opposite wall.

Karasu frowned, then gave Hiena a polite smile. "Poor thing is shy. I'll get him for you, until then, dinner is served!" He reached over to a tray and placed a small soup in front of the female. She thanked him, and the "butler" quickly turned to the curtains. He passed through and snapped them shut behind him. It was rather dark, but he knew the fox could see his glare without the light. "Yoko, what the HELL."

"Shhhhh!" Yoko dropped his front paws back to the floor. "I... I'm just... I can't..."

The raven tried to keep his voice low. "You CAN and you WILL. Start talking or she'll leave. How can you expect her to stay if you will not interact with her? Now SAY something!"

Yoko ducked his head low, but shuffled lightly over the floor. He placed his muzzle to the rug, his nose almost poking free from the curtain. "... H-hello, Lady Hiena..."

Hiena jumped a bit, but then she turned. She could not see anything, but she offered a smile all the same. "Hello, your majesty. Are you alright?" She watched as Karasu emerged from the far end of the curtains and listened for the voice again, just to make sure she was not being tricked.

Karasu stayed silent, and Yoko spoke again. "Just... sort-of. You're just so radiant that I cannot seem to think of what to say to you... I only wish I could see you closer." Ugh, Yoko! She probably thinks you are cheesy now, what in the heck was THAT? The Fox growled in his own mind.

His new friend thought the same thing and turned his head to keep from laughing at the fox. Hiena smiled, though, and turned in her seat. She placed her hands to the back of the chair and stared the curtain down. "You are TOO sweet! How fortunate I am to have a handsome king praising me."

The raven nearly lost it with laughter and covered his mouth. Yoko heard a small snicker, but paid it no mind. Instead, he rose to his feet, feeling much more confident. "Hiena, please tell me about yourself..."

The next hour passed far too slow for Karasu's taste. Hiena barely touched her meal and instead chose to spend her time speaking with the fox. She and Yoko chittered back and forth like birds in spring, conveying their likes, dislikes, and their hobbies. Karasu listened, and heard that Yoko was fond of books, he just slowly lost interest because he could not find the time to read them. Right after the mention, Hiena promptly said that she lost interest in books, too.

The raven stopped, a sugar canister in his hand. He stared at the back of Hiena's head. "... You told me you LIKE to read."

The girl tensed a bit, but turned to him with a little chuckle, like a mother to her clueless child. "No, silly. I said I DIDN'T. Why do you think I tried to avoid talking about books with you?" She turned back to the curtain and struck up another topic with the king.

Karasu frowned. She remembered the conversation well enough to point out that she evaded him, but not that she was wrong? ... Then again, he was rather tired lately, maybe he did hear incorrectly. He shrugged it off and went back to preparing tea for her.

The two continued, and Karasu noticed that the fox king moved onto a subject the raven figured he would avoid. He wasn't even subtle about it; the idiot beast just blurted "Do you like foxes?"

His "butler" face-palmed and Hiena just blinked at the curtains. "... Foxes? What an odd question... Do YOU like them?"

"Of course I do!" The king hummed back at her.

What she said next really made the raven frown. "Well good, cause I do, too! I just love animals, they're soooo cute!"

Karasu gave her an incredulous stare and set aside the tea. He laid his hands to the table and leaned down slightly with a low tone in his voice. "But you said that you—"

"Y'know, mister Karasu, I'm actually not that hungry, so could I have some private time with King Yoko?" She did not look at him, and Karasu seriously wondered if she even thought he was worth a glance.

His frown deepened. "Thanks, but I have to stay here for Y—"

"Actually, Karasu... could we have a moment alone, please?" Yoko piqued from his bungalow.

Un-frickin-believable.

Karasu turned his gaze to the curtain for a moment, but then he pushed away from the table and headed towards the kitchen's door. Hiena giggled behind him and the raven scowled.

To calm himself, Karasu headed straight for the library. He ignored the servants, (especially Larry), as he passed, and grumbled lowly under his breath. He could hear perfectly fine; Hiena said she loved to read, but hated animals. There was no way he mixed them up, the raven had a fairly nice memory. For some reason Hiena lied. What in the world would she lie about books and animals for? Those are such petty things to deceive people with!

He stopped at the large double doors and sighed while he pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a few calming breaths, then went inside and closed the doors behind himself. He needed to become distracted from all this stress, and a nice novel should help him accomplish that.

o o o

Unintentionally, the raven ended up falling asleep on the third floor of the library. He was curled up on a chaise lounge sofa, huddled against the raised, red-coated back. He held a horror novel to his breast and breathed deeply, caught in a nice, relaxing slumber for once.

The peace ended when, at the crack of dawn, Yoko roughly pressed his nose into Karasu's side to wake him. "Karasu! Get up! Karasu!"

The raven groaned and moved a hand to his face. Another session of sleep, incomplete. "Hmmnnnn... what?" He grumbled and rubbed at his violet eyes.

The fox wiggled eagerly and raised himself, dropping his front paws onto the thin man. Karasu hissed and coiled from the impact, so Yoko withdrew his paws and twirled around. "Sorry! I'm just so excited!"

Still not entirely awake, the tall male just hummed and lazily drug his feet off the sofa to rest them on the floor. He stretched his arms overhead, only to drop them onto Yoko's face when the beast tried to nuzzle him for attention. Karasu whined and pushed at his head. "Stoooop... I'm moving... Jeeze..."

"Karasu, you have to set up another date! PLEASE!" Yoko ignored the man's protests and placed a massive paw to his chest.

The raven felt the air rush from his lungs as he was squished to the couch and coughed. "W-what...?"

"A date with Hienaaaaa!" Yoko released him and spun again. He looked like a puppy trying to chase his tail.

At mention of her name, the gothic male glared. "... Stop that before you knock over the books."

The beast caught his glare and froze. He laid down on the floor, sure that the hateful stare was for him. "... sorry for smothering you."

Karasu just frowned at him, none-too-happy. How could this jerk just dismiss him like that and then expect him to help again? Just because he was a king did not mean he had to treat him like some regular servant! Specially not for a stupid girl!

He rubbed his brow then dropped his hand to say just that, but he caught Yoko's sad, golden eyes. Instantly, all his protests melted from the raven's mind. He could tell Yoko really was sorry and... maybe he was just too excited over speaking with a girl to really see how stressful it was to him. Besides, this was about Yoko, and obviously the fox was in love with this girl. You don't tackle grown men and nuzzle at their chest unless you are crazy over love.

Regretfully, the male bit his tongue on the issues, and switched statements to please Yoko. "... Another date. Sure. I was thinking the garden, how about you? They should have the tents set up soon."

Pleased with the change, Yoko picked his head up. His tail thumped eagerly against the floor. "The garden sounds lovely. Could we do it in the daytime?"

"I was thinking moonlight." The male rubbed his face.

Yoko tilted his head. "Hnnn... at night? Isn't it too creepy for girls at night?"

Karasu resisted the urge to smack him. "I'll ask her what she wants. Okay?"

"AWESOME." Yoko jumped to his feet and turned towards the stairs. "Oh, and please apologize to her. You made her upset last night by mixing up what she said."

Before Karasu could answer, the fox swept down the stairs and rushed away. It was probably best he did not hear his reply, because the stream of words that came from Karasu's mouth was nooooot pretty.

o o o

Luckily for Hiena, the woman was still asleep and Karasu could not get to her. Instead, he settled for Larry and decided to get a head start on Yoko's room. He really wanted to go see his father, but at this point the emotional trauma would most likely cause him to seriously snap black-haired-Barbie's head off.

He needed to keep his mind occupied. He wanted to be there for Sakyo, but if he hovered near the dying man then Karasu just might lose faith. Sakyo would make it, surely. Even if today was the "marked" day...

No, don't think about that, keep busy, the raven told himself.

While the crew worked at Yoko's room, Karasu stayed just outside the door and stood on the open-air bridge to the tower. He looked down to the garden and saw that a new tea-table was indeed set up, complete with a large tent in place of one of the chairs. He leaned forward and wrapped his thin arms around a window beam, his mind lost in thought. How long had Yoko even been here? Electricity was a relatively new appliance in the past ten years, but the dust in this place collected as if it had been here for five decades. This mess could not have happened in just ten years, right?

He dabbled on the thought and lightly drew his fingertip through a patch of "snow" on the open windowpane. The false flurries instantly faded away within a three-foot radius of his touch. He blinked, then touched another patch of snow until it, too, faded. He continued this, until the entire bridge was snow free. Then he chuckled. "I could always get a better job as a snow-plower, I guess. Let Larry handle the dates."

Larry poked out his head from Yoko's room, hearing the call. "What honey-bunny?"

"Nothing, get back to work." Karasu barely grinned and Larry did as he was told. Feeling a bit better, the raven turned his head to the landscape and looked out at the forest surrounding the castle. Everywhere he gazed there were things covered in false snow. Each treetop from the forest, even those miles away, were shrouded with white. Karasu found that strange, since he did not see any flurries on the way over. Surely they would have. But, then again, he was asleep most of the carriage ride.

The snow was not falling as it usually did, and Karasu found that odd as well. Even stranger, was the large puff of twisting white flakes that seemed to roam through the forest. Occasionally it would stop and various birds would dart from the trees to get away from it, but then it would continue on in an awkward bound. Like a jumping rabbit.

Karasu smiled. Well, Yoko was easy to spot from the tower, that's for sure. Apparently, the curse really thought it necessary to actually follow the beast and torture him with snowfall. It may not be amusing to Yoko, but the raven certainly had a laugh while watching the snow-cloud bounce around through the trees.

He looked up when he heard a chorus of chimes from inside the castle. Noon. Surely Hiena was awake by now, unless the diva wanted more sleep. Karasu sighed and shook his head. No, stop being mean. She probably had her reasons. Just go talk to her.

After another quick look at the bouncing snow-fox, Karasu turned and headed off to find Hiena. Larry could be trusted on his own with Yoko outside the castle.

o o o

Hiena didn't even look away from her mirror when Karasu entered. She just continued to mess with her hair, still in her slumber clothes. "Well, I do hope you had a nice rest. You were so grumpy last night."

Karasu frowned and closed the door behind himself. "... You DID change what you said, and you know it."

At first, the girl did not move, but then she lowered her arms and casted him a guilty stare. "... Alright, I did. But wouldn't you lie to impress someone you like? If it makes you feel better, I'll tell him the truth. I hate books, and animals are gross." She turned back to the mirror.

The raven fidgeted nervously. Well... yeah, he could understand that. "Alright..." He sighed. "Sorry I got testy. Things have been rather annoying around here, so..."

"Aww, it's okay Karasu. Just don't do it again." She smiled, a bit more smugly than was necessary, and finally rose from her chair. Karasu turned his gaze. Her robe was rather short for such a proper woman. She stepped over to him and took his hands in hers. "You are soooo sweet for introducing me to Yoko! He asked me to stay, y'know? How cool is that?"

"Yeah, uh, that's great." The man kept his eyes high, concentrated on her face and nothing lower. "Glad I could help..."

Hiena's smile gradually morphed to a small smirk. Karasu frowned, but she just lightly patted her hands to his chest. "Honey, I need a favor... I can't stay here unless I have proper clothes... could you possibly find new dresses for me? I barely have any from my vacation."

The request was normal enough, but for some reason a chill went down the Raven's spine. That was probably due to her constantly lowering hands. He backed away with an awkward cough and nodded. "Sure... uh... what size?"

She frowned as he pulled away, but just shook her head. "No idea! You could take one of my other dresses and have them made to that size?"

"But... I don't know your style..."

She folded her arms and tapped a finger to her lips. "Something... sexy."

Karasu gulped and nodded. Hiena wandered away to find the right dress, then carried it to him. "Here, darling. I trust you with this." She winked.

The tall male raised a brow and took the dress. "... Why can't you do it?"

She gasped and covered her chest. "And leave Yoko here? What if he wants to see me? No, no, you have to do it! I want to stay here with my cuddle-bear."

The nickname nearly made him puke, but Karasu nodded all the same and opened the door. "I'll see what I can do... Yoko favors white and silver, so—"

"Then go ahead!" She clapped her hands together. "You go riiiight ahead and tailor some cute things that the King would like. I want him to simply ADORE me!"

That was a bit of a conceited remark, but Karasu just nodded once more and made a move to leave. He stopped. "Oh, and before I forget. Would you rather a date with Yoko at day or night?"

Hiena mulled the question over, then smiled. "Sunset. I would like for it to be at sunset. This evening?"

"Yep. Well, I'll go tell Yukina before I leave. I'll be back in a few hours." He quickly exited the room before she could reply, and took off down the stairs.

o o o

For the most part, Karasu was excited to leave the castle again. There were many reasons why, but again he tried not to think of them.

Sometimes, though, certain things cannot be avoided. Sooner or later, something a person cannot stand will sneak up on them and test their heart, just like for Karasu. When he arrived, Larry greeted him at the door. The man seemed somewhat happy, but more anxious than anything. More like he was trying to smile for Karasu's sake.

The raven slid down from Angel's back and stared at the designer. "... What? Why are you looking at me like that?" He feared he already knew.

"Now... try not to get upset, Kara-baby... but..." He turned slightly and gestured to the higher levels of the castle. "The man you were with, he..."

Instantly, Karasu rushed past Larry and ran straight for the stairs. He nearly slipped a few times, but he didn't care. There's no way he could have... he just couldn't... Panting, the raven threw open his and Sakyo's bedroom door. Father couldn't be...

... Awake?

Karasu stood there, slouched against the doorway and his eyes glued on the thin, older male.

Sakyo stared back, looking more confused than Karasu. Millian had him in an upright position and surrounded by food, though he barely touched any of it. His cheeks were sullen, but had a much healthier glow to them than before.

Karasu didn't know what to think. Instead, he broke into a smile and rushed over. "F-father!"

Sakyo blinked and leaned away when the raven reached for him. "What? W-who are you?"

Stunned from the question, Karasu immediately halted at his father's bedside. Did his father really... just ask who he was?

". . . Eh. . . kid, let me explain..." Doctor Millian swept over and took hold of Karasu's arm.

The raven kept his gaze on Sakyo as he was pulled from the room and broke his stare only when Millian forced the door closed. He reached out and numbly felt at the wood of the door. "... What... what's wrong with him? Did he...?"

"Forget? I'm afraid so. I'm not sure if it's permanent, but yes, he doesn't remember you at the moment." The frog-man lightly dusted himself off. "The best we can do is make him feel comfortable and try to jog his memory. I wouldn't get my hopes up, though. The chances of him recovering ar—hey!"

Karasu ignored him, and once again entered the room. Although it nearly killed him, the crow greeted Sakyo with a warm smile. "I'm sorry... I am just so glad that you are finally awake." He bent in a humble bow. "I am your... your manservant... You may call me Karasu."

"Oh..?" Sakyo chuckled weakly. "Well, alright then, Karasu. Could you help me eat? That silly doctor of yours nearly caused me to choke."

Dr. Millian growled from the hallway. Karasu closed the door on him and nodded to his father with a broken smile. "Yes, of course, Mister Sakyo..."

The next hour was very taxing on the raven's heart. He tried to remain as quiet as possible, worried that he might say something to upset Sakyo. Millian said that he needed to remain comfortable. So, he fed his "former" father in silence, and tried his hardest to think of happier events. However, a man in love is hard to ignore... especially when it is your ill father.

You see, not all of Sakyo's memories were lost, but that probably would have been best. Instead, the mortician's mind reverted back to the time before Karasu was born; a time where he was still trying to court Karasu's deceased mother.

It pained him to listen, as his father spoke about one day marrying a woman that would never be seen again. He held his tongue, mostly to keep from crying, as Sakyo explained how beautiful his mother was and how he could never love another.

"She is the kindest creature, I swear. I happened upon her when she stopped to save a kitten from the gutter; such a loving woman." Sakyo smiled, and halted Karasu's hand when the raven tried to offer more food. Karasu looked away, but Sakyo still held his mirth. "I'm going to marry her, right at her mother's cabin in the forest, in a field of roses, just you wait and see!"

That... was all he could take.

Karasu forced a smile and then laid down his spoon. "Forgive me, but I have other members of the castle to tend to. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I will send a maid to the room to check on you each hour."

Sakyo blinked when the man rose to his feet, then nodded. "Oh, alright. Shall I see you again soon?"

At first, Karasu desperately wanted to say no, but instead he offered a hollow smile. "Of course. Any time you wish, just send for me."

With that, he gave another bow and quickly left the room. He didn't even look at Millian as he passed, and instead went straight to the kitchen. He needed to get back to work, anything to get his mind off of his father's condition.

o o o

Sunset came rather quickly, as Karasu prepared for his king's date. Everything was set up, aside from the main man himself. Hiena was in her room, fawning over her new dresses, so Karasu took to searching for the fox. He found the creature already in the garden, clumsily hidden in the snow.

On a normal day, Karasu would have smiled, but he just blankly stared at the lump of fluff. "... What are you doing?"

"... Waiting. Shh." Yoko didn't lift his head.

"... There IS a tent, you know..." The raven gestured over his shoulder towards a lattice table, already set and lavished with lit candles. The king's tent was erected just beside the dinner setting.

"Is anyone around?"

"... No. Only me."

Quick as a flash, the fox uncurled himself and dashed into the safety of his tent, the silk fabric fluttering behind him. "There were servants out here a few minutes ago, so I tried to blend in until they left. I was too scared to look up and be sure, though." He nervously peeked a golden eye from behind the curtains. "Thank you again, for doing all this. But... how is your father? I've heard rumors..."

Karasu ignored the question, and instead busied himself with the table setting. "If you're ready, then we can go ahead and bring Lady Hiena over." With that, he went to the garden's entrance to speak with a fellow servant. Shortly after, Hiena arrived, dressed from head to toe in white silk with a glittery silver trim. The raven swore he heard a flustered statement from the fox's tent.

The girl smiled as Karasu led her over and helped her into the only chair. "Hello, King Yoko. Did you have a good night's rest?"

"E-ehm... fine... just fine..."

Of course, many other words were said, but Karasu tried to keep his mind off of their conversation. After he laid out their meal, the crow excused himself and quickly retreated to another corner of the garden. He eventually came across an overgrown briar bush of roses, and tiredly slipped underneath them. At this point, he wondered if even the roses could lift his spirits, but he lay beneath them all the same. He looked up through the various twigs and blooms, completely at a loss.

"I don't know what to do... mother..." He reached up towards a snow-covered rose in desperation. "What if he... if he never remembers..."

The raven paused; when he touched the rose the false snow melted away as it did before, and half of the rose bush cleared away as well. Without the extra fluff, more of the setting sunlight was allowed to pour between the foliage and reach the young male.

That brought a smile to the raven's face, and he calmly closed his eyes. "... Alright, I get it, mom... It looks bad, but it will get better, right?" He frowned a bit, and brought up a hand to rub his brow. "But... I need help. I don't think I can handle any more of this... I've never felt this alone before, mother."

"KARASUUUU!"

He sighed, and crawled from under the rose bush. He brushed himself off, then went back to the two individuals flirting in the garden. "You called, Lady Hiena?"

She held up a teacup. "There is a chip in this cup, Karasu. Could you please give me another?"

He blinked and leaned in to look. The smallest, barely noticeable chip stared back at him. "Can't you just use it anyway?"

"I might forget where it is and have it cut my lip!" She frowned.

Rather than argue, Karasu called for another teacup to be brought over and switched them out.

"That will be all!" The woman smiled and took a sip of her newly fetched tea. There was no sound of thanks, (nor defense,) from the king's tent, which really annoyed Karasu.

All the same, he nodded and left the table. It seemed a shame to waste perfectly fine tea, so he instead drank from the chipped cup. What a spoiled brat, that girl was...

o o o

And he thought that whining over a small chip was annoying? No, Hiena had yet to show her true colors.

Early the next morning, she summoned for Karasu and waited for him at the stables. The raven looked dead on his feet, but she ignored that fact and folded her arms. "Karasu, honey, we have a problem."

"What is it, Lady Hiena?" He yawned and rubbed at his face.

"I am simply terrible at horse-back riding, so I want to try and improve. However, I do not like your horse, and I do not think she likes me."

Angel agreed, which was apparent from the loud snort and whinny she gave. Karasu smiled, he really loved that horse.

He looked to the steed that Hiena's carriage arrived with and pointed to it. "Why not use the black stallion?"

"Are you insane? It could kill me!"

Again, the mentioned animal agreed. They were really good judges of character.

"I need a calmer horse, a sophisticated mare." She gestured to herself, as if she were too royal to bother with a wild creature like the stallion.

Karasu sighed and rubbed his temple, he knew what she meant. "What color?"

"White. With a golden mane, if you please."

So, Karasu went to obtain a new horse.

When he returned, Hiena took one look at the horse and turned her head. "It looks completely ragged!"

He looked at the beautiful mare and frowned. "Just what about this horse is ragged? She's gorgeous."

"Hellooo!" Hiena pointed to the beast's mane. "Unbraided mane and tail, no saddle, un-shined hooves, and that breath is just horrid!"

Karasu and the horse both stared at her in amazement. She went from spoiled brat to diva in just one night, how well did that date go exactly?

"... Well? I can excuse the hooves and bad breath, but at least fix its hair and give it a saddle! A lady cannot ride bareback, I'm sure even you know that."

Even I know that? The raven really did not like her tone, but he sighed and set to braiding the horse's golden hair. When he finished, he took up a saddle from the stables and fixed it to the fine creature's back before he tried to present her again.

Hiena didn't even look. "I don't like that saddle... is there a way we can get another one? Gold-colored, maybe?"

It took all of Karasu's mental power to keep from slapping her. He looked at the new horse, then mounted her to ride into town, his second trip that morning.

He returned a few hours later with a large, overly glorified saddle in his lap, but he really did not expect the scene he came across. He stopped and blinked down at the line of animals Hiena had gathered from the castle grounds. Each of them looked... ridiculous.

She must have been bored, or insulted that animals would dare to run around naked in front of her, because each of the creatures were fitted with some type of attire. Chickens with coat-less lapels, a squirrel with a fluffy white shirt, and for some reason a llama. The llama was more nicely suited, with a small monocle, top hat, and a rather comfortable-looking waistcoat.

In response to his new style, the llama blew an undignified wad of snot to the ground.

"What... in the world?"

"You took too long, so I thought of something else to do," Hiena calmly stated from her seating area. She had the servants lug over the table from the garden and fix her lunch. As of the moment, she was sipping tea as she looked over the dresses held out to her. "That one is too green. I don't like it."

The unfortunate maid holding the green dress bowed and took it away.

With a scowl, Karasu climbed down from the new horse's back and went over to her. "Hiena, this is too-"

"Oh! They're here!" The girl jumped up from her seat and gathered her skirts. She jogged over towards an upcoming line of carriages with a smile.

Confused, Karasu followed after her as the entourage pulled to a stop at the castle's main entrance. He approached the first carriage and tried to peer into the window, but was promptly knocked to the ground by the carriage door. He groaned and rubbed his nose as a tall woman stepped from the buggy.

The Lady looked down at him, then placed her hands to her hips. "I say! Does all the help around here just laze around in the dirt? Be useful and take my bag, will you?" She pulled a large purse from the carriage and tossed it into Karasu's lap.

The male groaned at the weight before he pushed it off and staggered to his feet. He noticed three other people leave their carriages, but he seemed more interested in why they were there instead of who they were. "W-what-"

"Mommyyy!" Hiena giggled and dove at the woman.

"Awww, princeeeess!" The lady responded, and wrapped her arms tightly around the girl. "How has my sweet little girly-girl beeeeen?"

"Great, momma!" Hiena offered her most charming smile.

Karasu went to say something but he was thrown off as more bags were tossed into his arms. He stumbled against the luggage and watched as two boys went over to join the hug-fest.

"Yusukeee~ Kuwabaraaa!" Hiena giggled and pulled them close.

"Will anyone tell me what the he—ah!" Karasu fell backward when the carriage drivers tossed more bags and cases his way. Thankfully, the fourth member of their party stopped the raven's fall. He looked up to the person in question with a "thank you" at the ready, but stopped when he saw their face.

"Oh... uhm... hi." A pale man smiled down to him, and Karasu could have sworn he was just meeting a twin. This newcomer had the same hair and eyes, and was nearly the same height as the raven. "Uh, don't worry... I'll help you with those."

A helpful, gothic, servant-boy? Hey, maybe they were twins!

Karasu sighed at the good news and allowed himself to be rightened back onto his feet. "Thanks... Why are you guys here, anyway?"

"Oh, uh... my name is Kuronue, by the way, in case you felt like knowing; and we were invited." The man gave a lukewarm smile and pointed towards Hiena. "Family, and all that."

Karasu stared at him, then looked towards the cuddle-bunch. "You... are related to THAT?"

"Yeeeaah... sadly." Kuronue chuckled and Karasu smiled.

"What are you two standing around for, honestly!" Hiena's mother hissed over at the raven-haired pair. "Carry our bags inside and show us to our rooms! How rude can you be?"

"Sorry," the two chorused, even though neither of them had done anything wrong. They looked at each other, then smiled as the other group went ahead into the castle.

"I'm Karasu." He held out his hand to shake with Kuronue's. The two leaned over and gathered up all the bags they could carry before they tried to lug the mess up the steps. "So you're related to them? How?"

Kuronue sighed. "Hiena's brother..."

"And she treats you like this? And your mom, really?"

"Yeah... I'm kinda the failure of the family, y'know? The one that actually likes to read and doesn't only care for money?"

Karasu stopped and frowned at him. "What?"

"Oh, you know. We're rich. Mom would do anything for money, really. She's gotten so many divorces, it's crazy. Hiena already tried once, but y'know..."

"She told me that he left her and took everything with him..."

Kuronue stopped, too, and looked at him. "No he didn't. She crushed the poor guy after the wedding and took all the gifts for herself." He rolled his eyes. "But of course she'd lie to you. You're living in a castle."

As Kuronue continued on with his share of the luggage, Karasu stayed behind and stared after him. He knew Hiena was a liar, but that was just awful. He wondered if he should even tell Yoko.

He blinked, then dropped the luggage with a scowl.

o o o

"YOKO!" The raven furiously tossed open the king's bedroom doors. He barely paused at the new decor, then stomped over to the bed. "YOKO! Wake the hell up!"

The fox yelped when Karasu yanked at his tail, and whirled around. "T-that hu-"

"You INVITED her family without telling me! When were you going to let me know? I expect you want me to tend to every single one of them on my own, HUH?" Karasu jammed his finger into the fox's thigh.

The king whined and shrank away. "I-I was going to tell you but you went to bed early! And then Hiena called you down before I woke up and you spent the day with her, so-"

Karasu growled. "Do you have any idea just how frickin' ANNOYING that woman IS?"

The beast rose up a bit, suddenly on the defensive. "Don't you DARE say that about her! Hiena is perfect, why would you say that, Karasu?"

The raven opened his mouth to respond, but stopped. He forced his eyes closed and turned away from the bed, lost in thought. For the second time, he had to remind himself that this relationship wasn't about what he felt; this was to break the king's curse. Yoko obviously loved the girl, so maybe, in time, she would love him, too? Spoiled brats can fall in love!

... Right?

After a moment of deep breathing, he looked back to the fox. "... Sorry. Forget I said anything, I'm just... under a lot of pressure." He pointed an accusing finger at the beast before he could speak. "Don't invite anymore guests without telling me. I know this is your castle, but frankly if you want me to help then you'll have to tell me these things beforehand. Do you have any idea how stressful it is to keep your curse in the dark?"

Yoko instantly lowered his chin to the bed. "I'm sorry. Never again, I got it..." He meekly glanced up with pitiful, golden eyes. How in the world could anyone remain hostile with those bright eyes pointed on them?

The raven gave a light, defeated smile, and reached out to place his hands over Yoko's folded ears. He knelt down next to the bed and patted the fox king's face. "Well... I suppose I could forgive you..."

The beast shuffled forward and pressed his nose to Karasu's forehead. His servant leaned away at the touch, but Yoko just growled playfully and nuzzled again. He could tell something more was wrong with the raven. "What else?"

The human frowned and closed his eyes. He let the beast rub his nose into his dark hair. If it weren't for the man being in the form of a giant, dog-like creature, Karasu would have punched him. "... What do you mean what else? That's all I wanted to talk about..."

Not satisfied with the answer, Yoko lifted a paw from the bed and clumsily flopped it over Karasu's shoulder. That was the best back pat he could manage. "I've been hearing things about your father. Did he really... die?"

"No!" The raven snapped and glared at him. "He's alive. Don't even suggest something like that!"

"Okay, okay!" The cursed king nuzzled again. "Calm down, I was just wondering... I'm glad he's fine."

After a moment of awkward silence, the raven male sighed and dropped his face into the bed. His words were muffled, but Yoko understood them just fine. "He's not alright... he doesn't remember me at all. He only remembers everything b-before... he married mom..."

The fox nodded and draped his other paw around Karasu's shoulders. The human squirmed at first, but let the king smother him. Yoko buried his nose into the man's back with a light, sympathetic growl. "... Well at least he's awake. That's the best we could hope for. I'm sure his memory could come back, with more care."

"What if it doesn't?" Karasu choked out. He went all day without crying, why did he have to break down now?

Yoko nodded and rested his chin to the man's back. "He will... he's just still recovering. And even if he doesn't remember, you'll still be there for him, and he'll know that. All you can do is your best, Karasu. Everything will be fine... and everyone here in the castle will help."

He didn't want to say it, but the thought of Hiena going anywhere near his father made the raven's heart slow to a stop from fear. She'd probably feed the man poison or something.

As soon as he thought it, Karasu felt guilty over his musings, and sighed into the bed sheets. "... I'm sorry, Yoko."

"Hmm? For what?" He chuckled, his massive tail raising itself into the air. "For getting upset? Karasu, I'm not going to fault you for that. You've done so much, and I barely even thanked you for it. I should be saying sorry, not you." His furry muzzle turned up into a smile, and he gave Karasu an affectionate chomp on the shoulder. The man snickered weakly and tried to push him away. "And I should also say thank you. For everything. The castle looks amazing, Hiena really seems to like me, and I'm actually glad that I finally had a bath. Even though you were veeeery cross with me." he stuck out his tongue.

The raven couldn't help but laugh at the funny, furry face. Just like that, all the worry about his father, his aggravation with Hiena, his headaches from Larry; all of it washed away because of that goofy fox. The laugh died down and he just smiled. "Sorry about that." He shyly brushed a dark strand of hair from his face and looked down to the floor. He held the mirthful grin, unaware that the king was closely watching him.

Yoko lifted his head a little higher. Karasu laughed... And not one of those "you're such an idiot" laughs. A real one, with that eye-sparkle and everything! The fox swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. Karasu was actually... very beautiful when he laughed.

Not like a girl, but... oh whatever, he's beautiful! The fox gave an amorous sigh, and rested his head to the sheets. "Pretty..."

"Hmm?" The raven looked back at him. "What's pretty?"

"Erm... uh, it's... getting... pretty late in the day, don't you think? And we do have guests. Maybe we should all have dinner? Together?"

And just as quick as it vanished, Karasu's annoyance with Hiena cropped right back up. The smile died, and he rose to his feet. "Alright... I'll make sure everyone is comfortable in their room, then alert the staff. Stay here until I come to get you."

The fox lowered his ears in shame. He could tell that Karasu was upset, but before he could question the man about it, the raven slipped out of the door and left him there, alone.

o o o

"Oh, this is SUCH a pleasure!" Hiena's mother clasped her hands together. Her family was seated around the large dining table, at the end close to Yoko's tent. This said tent was much more glorified than it was for the king and Hiena's date, and the fox was currently concealed underneath it.

Karasu stood at the bungalow's entrance, determined to protect his fox from any unwanted intruders. He didn't trust the two brothers, what were their names? Yusuke and Kuwabara, that's right. He didn't like how the two kept pointing at the curtain and sniggering. Heaven forbid they get any bright ideas...

For some reason, Kuronue wasn't seated at the table. Instead, he stood behind his mother, dressed in similar attire as Karasu. Similar, meaning, the poor boy was dressed as the hired help. Did his family really think that little of him?

Karasu frowned at the thought.

"I'm so glad my little boogie bear has met herself a nice, proper man~"- The woman, what was her name again? Right, Ruka. -Lady Ruka smiled and looked expectantly towards the tent. "Have either of you spoken about marriage, yet?"

"Mother!" Hiena blushed and tried to hide her face. Karasu noted that Kuronue shook his head, his violet eyes reading, "Is this chick serious?"

The raven turned himself from the slew of newcomers and peeked into the tent. Yoko was frozen in slight fear. Karasu excused himself, then slipped inside of the safety veil. He lowered his voice while reaching for the fox's chin. "Yoko? Are you alright?"

The king snapped from his daze, his ears lowered. "N-no... I haven't asked Hiena yet... should I? It's not too soon?"

WAY too soon, the raven thought, but offered the creature a comforting smile instead. "The faster you marry, the faster this curse will be broken."

"But she doesn't even... s-she doesn't know what I look like! And what if we have to kiss to break the spell? H-how will I kiss her? Would she have to kiss me? I-I don't even know!"

"Shh!" Karasu tried to clamp the beast's mouth shut. He looked through the curtain to be sure no-one overheard, then back to the fox. "Look, we'll just show her. She can't freak out that bad after she's gotten to know you, right? Besides, you're a king for crying out loud. She wouldn't dare leave."

"What... does me being a king have to do with it...?" The fox looked at him, slight confusion in his eyes.

"... Ab... solutely nothing." His friend lied, and softly petted the beast's fur. "Nothing at all. But still, she has already spoken with you. Do you really think she would leave now?"

"Hmmnn. I suppose not," Yoko admitted. His large tail brushed over the floor. "... So I should ask her?"

"Well, not right now, that would be weird. But you should show her what you look like first. It seems rude to ask from a tent, right?" At least, Karasu thought it was rude. He surely wouldn't want to marry someone that asked from behind a curtain, rich or not.

The fox lowered his head and thought for a moment. He looked up with a short nod. "I'll show her, but not right now. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan." Karasu smiled and gave the beast a light pat on the head before he slipped back out of the tent. The conversation had already moved on during their hushed debate, and onto a topic that Karasu really didn't care for.

"So! I wonder if our handsome king likes to dance?"

"Mother!"

"Oh come now, darling, it is a perfectly justified question." Ruka smiled and rested her hands to the table. "King Yoko, yoo hoo~ You're still there, right? You and my daughter should dance together. That won't be a problem will it? We could throw a nice big family ball! I already told our whole tree about meeting you here, and they were anxious to visit! I hope you don't mind, I think they said they would arrive tomorrow, possibly the next day?"

Karasu stared at her, then shook his head. "I'm afraid King Yoko cannot—"

"Could Karasu dance in my stead?"

The raven's heart stopped. What?

The fox continued, purring lowly. "I'm still... a bit too nervous. You could have the ball if you like, but for the moment could Karasu replace me as her dance partner? I... have two left feet, and I'm not very good with crowds."

Ruka raised a brow, but laughed. "A king that shies away from people? Oh, how cute. Darling, what do you think?"

Hiena smiled, but Karasu could easily tell that he and she both had the same thought: The idea was HORRIBLE. "Well..." she began, and lazily pushed around the food on her plate with a fork. "I would much rather have you, Sir Yoko..."

Karasu heard a deep, amorous sigh from inside of the tent. "I know, and I would much rather you dance with me as well, but... could you please? I'm not much of a dancer, I'm sure Karasu will be more than happy to take my place."

Happy? The fox thought he would be HAPPY with this? Karasu closed his eyes and took a calming breath. The two idiotic brothers sniggered to each other, and Kuronue gave the raven a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. Karasu looked at him, then offered a meek smile. "Well, if that is what the king wants... Lady Hiena, I will do my best to appear as kingly as possible." He looked back at her, and was shocked to see a smirk on her lips.

"Well. Alright then." She moved the napkin from her lap. "Looks like we all have a ball to prepare for."

o o o

"I HATE you," Karasu growled. It was the day after their little dinner party, and some guests were already arriving as Ruka said. They planned to have the ball the following day, after everyone had a chance to rest. He was seated at the large vanity in Yoko's room, and glared over to the silver, fluffy mound on the bed. "Have I told you that lately?"

Yoko whined and lowered his head. "Karasu, please. You heard her, she already invited guests."

"DANCING. You should be paying me for all this crap! Clean the castle, yes, hook you up with a girl, fine, but dancing with the aggravating bitc—"

"Karasu!" The fox growled threateningly.

"... The aggravatingly "beautiful" girl, no thank you." With a mournful sigh, Karasu leaned against the vanity and dropped his head back to stare in the mirror. "You're lucky I even know how to dance. But what are you going to do when they start asking me why my hair is black and not silver? Or why my eyes are violet and not gold? Or did you not think of that?"

"Oh," Yoko squirmed a bit on the bed, and chuckled meekly. "I, uh... did think of that. And... made arrangements."

Karasu frowned and lifted his head to look at the fox. Before he could question what, there was a knock at the door. Yukina, the head maid, called out softly from the other side. "King Yoko? You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, come on in!"

Karasu's heart dropped in fear and he jumped to his feet. "No! Don't come in! He's not feeling well! He's-"

The raven tried to block the door, but Yukina pushed on through and offered a smile to the fox, as if he were any normal human. "I brought everything you asked for." She slipped past Karasu and carried a large basket to the fox king.

The raven was stunned. Surely she could see that Yoko was a giant beast and not the handsome king from his painting. He slowly closed the door back and gave Yoko a questioning stare.

Yoko just turned his furry lips up in an awkward smirk and offered his paw to the girl. "She saw me when Hiena and I had tea in the garden. I forgot to tell you, I'm sorry. Yukina's been very nice to me, and she agreed to take over a lot of your chores so you won't be too stressed."

The girl smiled and took out a pair of scissors. "He also asked me to fix you up with a disguise for the ball."

The raven wasn't sure if he felt relieved or worried that someone else in the castle knew Yoko's secret. Less chores would be nice, but... he was starting to like being needed by the fox king. Aside from the ball, of course. That was just absolutely, without a doubt the most. . .

o o o

". . . stupid idea EVER." Karasu sighed, and placed a hand over his face. It was finally the night of the ball, and Yoko had him in the most uncomfortable throne, with the most awkward and itchy wig that he had ever had the horror of trying on. What bothered him most was that instead of being fake, the hair was cut from Yoko's own person.

Annoyed, the raven pinched a bit of the silver hair between his fingers, then dropped it back to his shoulders. Unfortunately, Yoko's fur was not long enough to create a full, lengthy wig. Instead, Yukina settled with it being shoulder length, and just told Karasu to pass it off as a haircut to impress Hiena.

Right, impress Hiena. As if dancing with the witch isn't more than annoying enough to do for her, Karasu growled lightly, and looked down to his wardrobe. So much damn white and silver. Not to mention the horrible weight on his head and chest from Yoko's crown and his other assortments.

Despite all of these discomforts, the man went along with his "job," and greeted any and every individual he could. Yukina couldn't do anything to change his eye color, but thankfully everyone in the room was more intent on looking at the "real" life king, instead of his painting.

Well, it was fortunate for the trick, but Karasu really wished they would look away. Their stares were unnerving.

Even his own father wandered down from his sick bed to join the party, and the man really was quite the charmer. He entertained many of the girls with his love stories of Karasu's mother, and, although it pained him horribly to hear the stories again, the raven couldn't help but feel grateful. If the women stayed by his father, they would much less-likely crowd the false king and tug on his arm for a dance.

Kuronue stood next to him, which was quite a good bit of comfort. Since Karasu was obligated to play dress-up, his new friend opted to take over the position of personal servant for the night. Admittedly, Karasu had a few instances where he wanted to order his gothic friend around, but dismissed the idea each time. Kuronue was probably grateful for that, since he already had to deal with the demands from his immediate family.

Ugh. That ANNOYING family!

Yusuke and Kuwabara were on the prowl, trying to court any and every girl that they met. It didn't bother them that most of the girls were related, which Karasu guessed was a reason to their odd nature in the first place. Years of inbreeding, anyone?

Their mother was even worse. As soon as she heard about a marriage-related male that was left alone by his wife, the woman ran over faster than you could say, "have a Scooby Snack." Kuronue and Karasu both scowled at her behavior, but neither of them were in a real position to say anything. Sure, Karasu was "King," but sometimes even the most powerful men can't control the urges of a woman.

At least Hiena wasn't AS bad as she could be. The girl was in her element, greeting and laughing the night away. She couldn't go an hour, it seemed, without yammering someone's ear off about how happy she was with her lovely king.

. . . In a lovely castle. With lovely clothes. And lovely jewelry. With lovely food. And lovely servants. In a lovely forest. With her lovely king.

Oh, and did she mention the how lovely her life was, (compared to theirs)?

Just checking.

The raven sighed heavily through his nose and glanced up to the clock. He wondered when he could actually move from his throne, when Hiena paced over to greet him. She smiled as sweetly as she could, and offered her hand. Reluctantly, the boy took hold of it and allowed himself to be guided away from the posh chair.

She snuck him away from the crowd, behind several curtains that lined the room, and pulled him close to whisper, "We're going to have to dance, you know. Try not to mess up?"

Karasu scowled. "I know how to dance, lady Hiena. I'm not as simple as you think I am."

The girl frowned at that, and let go of his wrist. "This was not MY idea, you know. Mother suggested it, and King Yoko said that you should take his place. It's not MY fault he doesn't want to dance with me." Her voice faltered a bit, so she turned away from him and swept outside of the room towards the balcony.

With a silent groan, the man followed her. "Hiena, it's not that he doesn't want to dance with you, trust me the idiot does."

"Oh? Then why won't he even let me see him?" She huffed, and folded her arms. "Are you playing a trick on me? Does King Yoko even really exist?"

"Well SOMEONE has to own this stupid castle." Karasu rolled his eyes. Who would be lame enough to make up a fake king? Heck, who could be RICH enough? "He's just shy. I told you that."

"You told me that he was so handsome he couldn't stand to be seen in public."

"Same difference!" He growled, and pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. He took a calming breath, then continued, "Hiena... you WILL see him tonight. I'll make him show himself to you, okay?"

The woman's cherry-colored lips parted into a smile. "... you promise?"

He nodded. "Yes, you'll get to see him, but for now, can we just do this ball thing and dance already? No kissing, though," he added quickly, and held up his hands in defense.

She laughed, and took hold of his hands. "Deal!"

Before he knew it, the man was pulled out onto the marble ballroom floor. Hiena was pressed close to him, and her belled, light blue dress fanned out around their legs. The volume of her gown caused him to stumble a bit, but soon the crow found himself gliding smoothly across the floor, his fake girlfriend in his arms.

Naturally, all of the guests turned to smile at them. The poor fools actually thought the two were in love. Well, Yoko and Hiena might be, but Karasu found himself trying to bite back protests from just having to hold onto her.

Hiena seemed to be having the same issue. She fixed Karasu with a slightly troubled stare, and then closed her eyes. Once he was out of her sight, her shoulders relaxed and she nearly melted into the false king's arms.

The man resisted his urge to pull away, and instead let his own eyes fall closed. He assumed that Hiena was trying to block him out, and picture the real Yoko in his stead. That wasn't such a bad idea, really. He could almost see it; the king, restored to his human form with the black-haired beauty in his arms. The two were dancing, much like they were now, and Yoko's golden eyes were filled to the brim with joy.

As Karasu led Hiena into a twirl, he imagined how Yoko may have done it. He tried to place the grin from the king's beast form to his human face. When he did, the raven couldn't help but smile to himself. Such a goofball that king was.

His mind trailed off, to recount all the memories he had at the castle with the beast. He placed Yoko's human form in the same situations the fox had been through, such as being curled up in the snow and frightened by the maids. When Karasu pictured an embarrassed scowl on the king's face, he laughed aloud.

Hiena looked up, startled from her own daydream. With Karasu's eyes closed, it was much easier to picture him as the real Yoko. At that thought, she tightened her hold on Karasu's slim fingers, and moved her other hand to his shoulder.

The action was innocent enough, but the motion caused Karasu's mind to revert back to his original vision of the couple dancing together. Only... he noticed something very odd. Instead of Yoko waltzing with Hiena, the dark-haired dance partner was actually taller, and wearing a black suit instead of the blue gown...

His chest tightened, and the raven slowly pulled to a stop. Why would he picture himself with Yoko? That... wouldn't happen. It was too odd.

All the same... the Yoko in his vision smiled to him, and leaned in closer. A soft, pale hand brushed the hair from over his ear, and the fox king's smooth lips moved closer to the raven's own. Before he could protest, the dark-haired male found himself caught up in a soft, heart-fluttering kiss. Those lips felt so real, and warm, he never wanted them to be pulled away. Without a further thought, he moved his arms around the dream Yoko's thin form, drawing the silver male into a deeper liplock.

That was odd, though... The king wouldn't be THAT curvy... And he seemed shorter than he would be...

A collective gasp around the ballroom jarred Karasu from his thoughts. He was so absorbed in his fantasies that he found himself not kissing Yoko, but instead had his lips to Hiena's cherry-coated ones. Startled, he quickly pulled away and pressed a hand to his mouth. He kissed Hiena!

The man's heart sank as he watched the girl lean back with a smile. He prayed that Yoko did not see, but even if he didn't the fox would know sooner or later. He kissed the girl Yoko loved, and what's worse, he imagined the king when he did it!

Karasu barely looked at the guests around the room before he pulled away to disappear through the crowd. He heard Yusuke and Kuwabara laughing in the distance, but paid them no mind. He didn't even stop when Kuronue asked him if he was okay, and just swept from the ballroom in a panic.

The only thing that he could hope for was that the fox wouldn't be mad at him. But how could he explain a kiss like that? How could he tell the fox that he might... possibly...

o o o

"HE LOVES HIM!" Hione shouted, and jumped up and down on the bed. "Kara loves Yokooo~"

Kurisha blushed, and hugged her stuffed fox closer. "T-tha's so cute, dad!"

Karasu smiled, and grabbed Hione from the air to lay her back down. "Yeah? You like it so far?"

"I kind of like this one myself," Kurama piqued from his seat on the bed. He wandered into the room around the time where "King Yoko" pounced the raven in the library. Of course, he saw how aggravated the raven was in the story and just had to listen to more. "Although you are pressed for time. Thirty more minutes, Karasu, and the girls need to sleep."

The twins groaned, Karasu along with them. "Fiiiineee." He sighed, and tapped his chin. "Now... how to start it up again... oh, okay!"

-*~^~*- End of Part Two -*~^~*-