Disclaimer: The only thing I own are the Monogatari and their stories.
Chapter 25
With or Without You
There was pain, as if she had slept wrong. Her head pounded with the feeling of having slept entirely too long. She groaned and shifted her head slightly. Whatever she was lying on, it wasn't comfortable. She didn't want to open her eyes. Whatever dream lingered felt like a much better place to be than where she would actually find herself. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open just a bit, just enough to see a thin line of sunlight falling from a high window.
A high window?
Her eyes shot open wide and she sat up straight. Yes, the window was high…near the ceiling and quite small. She saw a pair of feet walking by it. She knew where she was without even looking. The dingy cell looked the same when she had found Kuro in it, chained to the wall like some animal.
As her arms shifted to lift herself up off the ground she lay on, she heard the clattering of metal upon metal. She looked down to see the chains attached to the shackles on her wrists. She felt her breaths coming in short quick bursts as she remembered the last time she was a prisoner in this house and how Lucius tried desperately during her stay there to rid those memories with a less malicious experience. She pulled fruitlessly at the shackles. She frantically searched for her wand.
"You did not think I would allow you to keep your wand did you?"
As the cold amused voice trickled down her spine, Hermione grew still, almost afraid to look up. But she did. Slowly, her eyes shifted up and met his cold grey eyes from the other side of her cell. She wondered if he stood outside this cell and tormented Kuro in much the same way as he was now torturing her.
"Why am I here like a prisoner? I came with you willingly."
His boots clicked on the hard stone floor of his dungeons as he approached the bars of her cell.
"I couldn't leave you unpunished," he said. "You had to pay for what you've done…they wanted to kill you."
The sound of the door opening echoed in the cavernous room below the manor. The thump of footsteps descending the stairs echoed and Lucius glanced over his shoulder. Hermione watched feeling the fear building in her. Rabastan appeared out of the shadows of the stairwell, a crooked grin on his face as his eyes danced over Hermione in her cell. He played with his wand between his fingers before leaning forward lazily lying against the bars, one hand holding the bars with little effort. He twirled his wand, eyes not leaving her.
"You were leading them all this time," Hermione said. Her voice was rising in a slight panic as she realized Lucius' involvement was not something recent. He was their leader from the start.
Rabastan's eyes shifted to Lucius standing next to him and then smiled down at Hermione.
"Did you honestly believe, Mudblood that Lucius Malfoy had turned into a fluffy little teddy bear for the champion of Mudbloods and Muggle borns alike?"
Hermione shook her head as the visions of her summer trapped in a house with him flashed…the almost kisses and then the one time he did. Then Severus crossed her mind and the words of the vampires she heard in the corridor of the estate.
"You killed my father," she whispered, still shaking her head.
Lucius bowed his head.
"A very inconvenient occurrence," he replied coldly. "But yes, I lead the team sent to kill him."
"Severus," she whispered shaking her head as the tears fell down her cheeks.
Lucius' cold stare turned into a cruel smile.
"He was in the way…always watching over you and I had to fix your mistake to keep you alive."
Her forehead crinkled.
"My mistake?"
"Yes," Lucius said. "The Dark Lord put Severus to death. He should have remained on that dingy floor to die as dishonorably as he lived."
That ruffled Hermione's feathers. She bristled, standing up straight and holding her head high as if she were not the one in a cell shackled to a wall.
"Dishonorably? He had more honor in his little finger than you'll EVER have."
"CRUCIO!"
Hermione fell to her knees and then her side, squirming in torturous pain. The flashes of memory from her last experience with the curse entered her mind in quick succession.
"That is enough!" At Lucius' angry bark, Rabastan dropped the curse and looked condescendingly down at Hermione.
"Lucius is the only reason you are alive, Mudblood. I believe a little respect is in order."
Hermione glared up at the Death Eater through her hair. If given the chance, all it would take is one word and Rabastan would be torn limb from limb.
"Leave, Lestrange."
With one last sneering look of disapproval at her, Rabastan left. Lucius waited for the door to close above before he spoke.
"You are the brightest witch of your age. I expect only the best to be next to me, to be a part of my family. Unfortunately, the best around is slightly soiled in her birth. And soiled by her actions against the Dark Lord. You will be mine. My family will be whole again."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
The room was silent. It was as if someone had died. No one moved, the silence pressing down on the room's occupants, suffocating them. No one had an answer; no one had a solution. Rui sat on his throne, elbow resting on the arm of it, trying to think of some solution. After all, the current Princess to Darkland was gone. Ayame slid down the wall at some earlier point and was now sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up to him, elbows resting on them and hands in his hair, holding his head as if trying to get rid of the horrible image of Hermione going with Lucius. He could feel his heart breaking all over again. On the other side of the room, Kuro stood by the window, forehead leaning against the wall, his right hand splayed next to his head as if he could rip the wall out with that hand. The anguish could be seen in his every move, his every sigh. He was lost without her.
The only real movement in the room came from Chi. He stood in the middle of the room with a book in hand, flipping through the pages, pausing to push his glasses up his nose. He would pace back and forth as he read. In the back of the room Chloe stood, eyes following his every move waiting for Chi to remember her presence there and send her back to Taka.
"We have to go get her," Kuro said shaking his head against the wall.
Rui's eyes shifted to his Prince.
"She made this sacrifice for you, Kuro-san, for us…for the family, for Darkland." Rui smiled bitter sweetly, his eyes drifting out the window. "We could not have asked for a better Princess."
"Yes," said a bitter voice. "But we could ask for a better Prince."
Silence rang in the room again, as Kuro dropped his hand from the wall and turned, looking at Ayame as if he were the one to take Hermione from him.
"What did you say?"
Kuro stepped away from the wall and Ayame stood up, head held high ready to fight this time. Ayame stepped away from the wall. All eyes were on them, wary of what was about to happen. Chi instinctively stepped closer to Chloe, standing between her and what seemed to be a growing fight.
"You heard me," Ayame said. "What kind of Prince puts no guard around his Princess? She sacrificed herself for you and all you can do is sit in the corner whining like a child! You aren't fit for the throne anymore than you deserve Mi-chan!"
Kuro's fist flew through the air making contact with Ayame's face. Ayame was not docile this time. He was not bating Kuro as he did in the past, finding his anger amusing. No, Ayame was angry. He glared heavily at Kuro as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Then Ayame's fist flew through the air ending with a thud as he too made contact with Kuro's face.
Fangs were bared. Growls could be heard.
"My room, Chloe-chan," Chi said as he glanced over his shoulder at her. She shook her head as if not wanting to leave Chi's side, not wanting to leave him in that room.
"NOW!" His voice boomed and shot through her. Chloe turned and ran out of the throne room and up the stairs straight to Chi's room where he told her to go.
Rui stood up , looking down on the floor, where Kuro and Ayame now fought as if they had been holding it in for years.
"You think I wanted this responsibility! You think I wanted the weight of this curse on MY shoulders? You can have the damn throne!"
Chi stood back watching with a gleam of delight in his eyes. Kuro and Ayame didn't seem to want to quit hitting each other. It wasn't the taunting Ayame this time, taking his hit, standing up and smiling…he was fighting back…no longer holding back, but hitting with anger and hate.
"I hate you!" Ayame screamed at Kuro, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "You came to Darkland as nothing more than a bratty CHILD and Rui-san handed you the throne…handed you whatever little Kuro-san wanted. Why Mi-chan too!"
Ayame threw a punch with everything he had in him. Rui watched from the front of his throne, feeling the pain and heartache of seeing his beloved vampires fighting, hearing the bitter Ayame scream such hateful words. He felt his own heart breaking and wished more than anything for Orchid to be there, whispering comfortingly into his ear and helping him know exactly what to do.
Then, Rui could take no more. He calmly stepped down off the platform and reached down grabbing each vampire with a hand and pulling them apart with ease.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!"
Ayame and Kuro's chests both heaved for breath from the physical exertion of fighting. They glared at each other and despite the hold Rui had on both of them, they struggled to get at each other still. Rui's patience was running very thin and when the struggling continued all it took was a slight shove from Rui and both vampires flew across the room, hitting opposite walls.
Kuro and Ayame both slid down the walls and stilled as the reality that Rui had just done this to them and why hit them. They sat still, staring at each other across the room for a moment. Rui stood in the middle of the room, hair tied back, flowing down his back. His eyes turned hard to Kuro.
"You were born to rule, Kuro. Fated to find the answers…destined to save us. You cannot run from who you are."
Kuro's eyes were locked on his King's listening to his words and understanding it all. It didn't mean he had to like it. It was what it was and Kuro had to live with that. He nodded his head once. Rui's head turned, eyes landing on Ayame. He took a couple steps toward Ayame.
"I made my choice based on who I felt was best suited to be King." Ayame nodded and Rui continued. "And Hermione-chan made her choice, Ayame-san. She is your Princess, Kuro-san's wife." As the words came from Rui's mouth, Ayame's head fell forward, arms wrapping around his head and his body shook as he became wracked with sobs. Rui felt his pain. Knew what it was like to love someone so deeply and can no longer have them. At least in Rui's case she was dead, long since taken by old age, but Ayame would be forced to watch her as his Princess…day in and day out. He knelt down in front of one of his young Princes. His hand, as delicate as any samurai from his time, lay upon Ayame's head in a most comforting way. The affection seemed to make the tears come more fiercely and Ayame would not raise his head. Rui nodded his head in understanding, sitting on the floor, pulling this young vampire…one he remembered raising in Darkland, into his arms and comforting him as any father would a young son.
From the other side of the room Kuro watched Rui and Ayame. He never realized how deeply Ayame felt for Hermione. True it was deep enough that he was willing to give up any idea of the throne if he could just be with her. That by itself spoke volumes. But the pain he must have been feeling watching her and Kuro together. Kuro didn't know that he would have handled it any better. Hermione wasn't just precious to him, but to the whole family. His heart ached as the vision of her handing herself to Lucius for their sakes passed through his mind. He gasped for air. He had to get her back no matter the cost to himself. Yes, Rui was right. He had a destiny, but his destiny was nothing without Hermione.
"Excuse me," said one of the estate guards as he stepped into the throne room.
Chi, who had been silently watching in the shadows of the room turned toward the guard.
"Yes," he said pushing his glasses up.
"Shadou-san is in the courtyard," the guard said.
"Which one?" Kuro spoke rather hoarsely from his place on the floor.
"Taka."
Kuro's eyes drifted to Chi.
"Do what you have to do, Chi-san to protect what is yours."
Kuro leaned his head back on the wall looking up at the ceiling before closing his eyes.
Chi stepped out of the room, glancing up the stairs on his way to the front door as if ensuring Chloe was no where near. When he stepped out the door, sure enough there was Taka, standing just inside the gates, pacing, looking ready to kill, his lips curling up over his slight fangs in anger. Taka saw Chi approaching and turned forcefully.
"Bring Chloe-chan out…NOW."
Chi remained calm, hands in his pockets as he shook his head.
"You saw her on the battle field, Taka-san. You saw what Katanas she wielded."
Taka's nostrils flaired in anger.
"Bring her out, Chi-san or face the consequences."
Chi smiled and pushed his glasses up his nose.
"Why don't you ask your dear cousins about the consequences of trying to take what was always meant to be mine. The last time they attempted to take her resulted in a rather large depletion of their Shadows. Surely you know this, Taka-san."
Taka shook his head.
"That was different. Return her…NOW."
"NO! You do not seem to understand. You saw her on the battlefield with those katanas…the katanas meant for only one. She has a destiny to fulfill, Taka-san…a destiny intertwined with mine and the only place you have in that destiny is at the end of her blade."
Taka shook his head as if saying no to something, perhaps Chi's line of thought. He stormed forward, prepared to storm into the estate and take her. As he began to pass Chi, he reached out, putting a hand on Taka's chest and pushed him back.
"No," Chi said. "You will go nowhere near her."
Taka glared at Chi. He moved to go past him again. Chi pushed him back again. This time as Taka moved to go past Chi, he shoved him. It did no good. Chi was already angry. He grabbed a hold of the front of Taka's shirt and slammed him only too easily to the ground with a loud thud, knocking the air out of Taka. Chi kept a hold of him, leaning over him.
"You will go nowhere near her again. I am not about to let Chloe-chan go…not again…NEVER again."
A couple guards came forward, offering to take Taka off the grounds. Chi let them grab him before letting go. He stared Taka in the eyes as he spoke to the guards.
"No Shadou is allowed on the grounds again."
The guards nodded and pulled Taka off the grounds, throwing him at his motorcycle. As he sped away, Chi turned around, eyes drifting up to the French doors of his room. On the small balcony stood Chloe, looking down at the scene below, eyes locked on Chi's.
He ran into the house.
He wasn't letting her go…not again…never again.
Chloe had just stepped back into the room, gently closing the French doors of Chi's room when his door burst open. She froze, her heart pounding as she looked at the nearly shocked look on his face. As if the reality of it all had overwhelmed him. With one swift move, his door closed behind him and he surged forward, one arm wrapping around Chloe's waist, the other moving up her jaw, into her hair as his lips crashed down on her.
She felt like she was drowning in the sea, like the undertow had taken a hold of her and was pulling her down into the crashing waves.
"Never...leave…me…again," Chi said as he kissed her.
She giggled into the kiss as he began to back up, pulling her with him, keeping her from falling.
"I didn't leave you….you sent me away," she said when she could. Chi backed against the bed and plopped down onto it, letting his lips leave hers for a moment as he looked up at her. Keeping a hold of her hand, he pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her.
"Never again," he said as his lips began to dance around her neck, the desire for a taste about to boil over. He heard her whimper as his teeth barely scraped across her neck, his hands pulling the straps of her shirt off her shoulder. When her hands slid up his shoulders and into his hair all he could do was see that as acceptance…as permission and slowly his teeth sank down into the flesh of her neck causing her to gasp as his arms tightened around her.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
She could feel his pain. It churned her stomach and made her want to drown in the darkness of the dungeon. She felt as if a piece of her was missing and every time she heard of "that vampire" trying to get in, her stomach would jolt in anxiety for his safety.
"Are you going to be cooperative?"
His cold voice was no longer comforting. It hadn't been for a while, but now, knowing what he was it did nothing but send a cold chill down her spine.
"I came to you willingly, Lucius," she said as she stared up at the tiny window, watching the feet of various Death Eaters walk back and forth. "Obviously I'm willing to do what is necessary to keep my…to keep the Monogatari family safe."
The sound of the creaking dungeon door opening echoed in the cavernous underground rooms of the manor. Lucius turned slightly to see his son coming down the stairs with food.
"Was there something wrong with the house elves, Draco?"
Draco looked at his father and shook his head.
"No, I just thought I'd visit for a few minutes."
Lucius nodded and turned to leave, but paused first at the bottom of the stairs.
"Tomorrow you will be released from the dungeons at which time you are not to leave my side. You are mine now."
Hermione watched the blond man she once saw as a protector climb the stairs and disappear into the shadows of the darkness. When the creaking door closed with a thud, her eyes shifted to Draco and her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Draco, you have to tell him to stop. Please."
Her hands were wrapped around the bars of her cell and she looked at Draco pleadingly. He felt uncomfortable seeing his friend like this. He took a deep breath.
"I'll tell him," he whispered. "But you cannot be fool enough to believe he will just give you up." Then something seemed to dawn on him. His mouth opened and he looked at her in disbelief. "You're giving up!"
She shook her head.
"No, I'm not," she said biting back the tears. "It's a sacrifice I willingly made for the safety of the ones I love. As long as I am by Lucius' side Kuro and the family lives."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Kuro sat alone in the throne room, elbow resting on the arm of his throne, his eyes closed where only visions of Hermione would lie. He could sense another person in the room and slowly opened his eyes. Rui stood peacefully at the door watching him. With a graceful move, he moved a piece of hair from his face and came forward. Kuro dropped his hand from his head and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. Kuro glanced around, eyes traveling out the window.
"Where is everyone?"
He had noticed the absence of the princes all day. Rui stepped forward a bit more, his eyes following Kuro's out the window.
"Chi-san took Chloe-chan out shopping for a ring," Rui said. Kuro smiled. "He's determined not to lose her again," Rui continued. "And Ayame-san said something about that young woman that ran into him, Rowan-chan, needing him for something."
Kuro nodded. Life was going on. Hermione sacrificed herself for them and they had accepted the gift she gave them. Kuro sighed.
"It's been three months, already," Kuro said. "I can't just give her up like this."
Rui nodded, understanding.
"She went to Malfoy-san because she didn't want harm coming to us, to Darkland," Rui said. "She didn't want to start a war."
Kuro nodded.
"I know, but…" He dropped his head into his hands again.
"Kuro-san, you are the crown Prince. You have to make the ultimate choice. Going and taking her back will start a war. Is her value to you worth the price?"
Kuro looked up.
"Yes, she is."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"The guests will be arriving soon."
The back of his cold hand caressed against her cheek. She sat at the vanity seat, staring coldly at herself in the mirror and his pale hand. The soft light of the candelabrum reflected in the mirror setting her face in a strange glow. She ignored his touch and leaned forward slightly, dotting makeup under her eyes in an attempt to cover the dark circles formed by months of restless sleep and worry.
Lucius backed up slightly when Hermione moved to stand out of her seat. She was ready. When she turned, Lucius was stunned by how well she cleaned up…he always was when they would have these little dinners for his followers. She stood still in the room, as if she were an empty shell. Lucius reached out to her, hands moving up her bare arms and shoulders.
There was never any sort of reaction from her.
His eyes bore into hers, but she simply stared back as if she didn't see him. He had noticed this and paid no attention to it. In time, it would pass. In time, she would remember the man that protected her from that vampire. Victory filled him. He had won this game. Hermione was by his side for every dinner party.
He took her arm and led her from the room. The guests were arriving.
She followed as promised in order to keep Kuro and the rest of her family alive. This was the man that killed her father, admittedly placed Imperio on her mother for the betrothal agreement and the man that did everything he could to simply possess her.
He did not love her.
At one point early on he may have shown signs, felt an inkling of love for her, but it was smothered by his growing insanity and need to simply own her.
She felt dead in his presence. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make though…one she invited. It had been about a month since she last felt Kuro. Which meant that any trace of her blood in his system was gone as well…she was fading from him just as he was fading from her and it was leaving nothing but a giant hole in its place.
In truth, she hated being there. She hated overhearing the hateful plans Lucius would hatch…plans that would hurt Harry and the other Order members…plans to continue Voldemort's work.
They entered a set of double doors that led to a large dining room used for the dinner parties. The guests were already seated, all rising as they entered. Every last one of them were Death Eaters. Each party she worried when Lucius would tire of it all and offer her up for the killing. He never did though, but the fear still ran through her each time.
Toward the head of the table, Draco watched his father enter with Hermione. She was pale, had been for months. When she agreed to cooperate with Lucius for the Monogatari's safety she did so with a coldness he had never seen in her. She was like some robot, going through the motions required of her. And each Order meeting he attended he had to report her well being and urge them to stay away for her own safety…that Kuro would surely find a way.
Then at the start of dinner, Lucius stood proclaiming he had an announcement to make. All eyes turned to him. Hermione's heart pounding nervously, wondering if this was it.
"This little gathering is to celebrate my upcoming nuptials."
All movement turned to look at Hermione. She was stunned. When had this come about? She showed no reaction though, something Draco found disconcerting. Lucius nodded.
"As you all know, Hermione's mother did sign the betrothal agreement, even if it was with some…encouragement. I have given her three months to adjust to life within the manor. We will marry this Friday."
Like good followers, they congratulated Lucius, a round of toasts and most chose to ignore Hermione. She nibbled at her food, anxiety causing her heart to pound uncontrollably. The nausea was overwhelming. Her head suddenly felt like it was full of air and she could see nothing but black spots in front of her. What would happen in the ceremony when the binding would not work? What would happen when Lucius discovered she was already married…to Kuro?
And with those last thoughts everything went black.