A/N:
This story will progress much slower than the rest of my stories. I may even skip updating this one sometimes depending on how well the ideas flow.
Don't get me wrong, I really like this story. I just don't have a basic idea of the events that will occur to lead to the end. And I certainly DO know how it will end.
Anyway, I'm done blabbering. I'll let Hiei take over that for me! XD
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Chapter 3: How to Be Blind
I left her often, but at the end of the day, just before dinner, I would return.
The longest I ever left her was for three full days.
When I finally returned, I found Cera staring blankly out the back door, tears silently falling down her cheeks.
Seeing her that way sparked something inside of me. I didn't like it.
I pulled her into my arms and, without a word, wiped the moisture from her cheeks.
"Hiei." she whispered. It was too much. I lifted he face to mine and pressed my mouth to hers. She flinched automatically. I could tell that it wasn't because I was kissing her, but because I was kissing her.
Neither of us knew what to think. I didn't have a clue why I had thought to kiss her. Why did I always come back to her? Why didn't I push her in the slightest to finish her story?
I sighed and pulled away, "Why were you crying?"
Cera's eyebrows furrowed, "I - Nothing. Just - remembering is all."
She turned away from me and went into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry." I said.
Her footsteps halted, "It's alright. You were only acting on instinct."
"Feh." I turned towards her, "I'm not apologizing for kissing you. I'm saying I'm sorry for leaving you for so long."
I heard her sharp intake of breath just before she turned my way again.
Fresh tears ran down her face and I hurried to embrace her once again, not knowing the reason for my actions.
She embraced me in return and this time, she kissed me. I did not stop her or pull away. I only let her draw comfort from me.
"Please don't ever do that to me again!" Cera whispered before kissing me again.
We stood in that way for a long time before she finally pulled away and stroked my cheek with her thumb.
I wiped away the remainder of her tears, "I'm hungry."
She laughed, "I'll get dinner started, then."
I allowed her to pull away from my arms to find her way to the kitchen.
I remained rooted in place, my thoughts in turmoil.
Could I risk falling in love with her? How much danger would she be put in if I did and allowed myself to take her as my mate?
Was she already in danger with me just living with her?
I knew my pursuers were still on the hunt for me. Not to mention all the other enemies I had made, and not yet managed to kill yet, in my life-time.
These thoughts were still processing in my mind when Cera finally called me into the kitchen to eat.
I stiffly trudged in and sat at the table. Cera looked up as I began eating slowly.
"Is something wrong?" she asked. She already knew me too well. That sent my thoughts reeling again.
"No. I just have a lot on my mind." I told her. It was true enough. I don't know if she believed me entirely, but she didn't say anything more about it.
"I think - "She paused, " - it's time for you to hear the rest of my story."
I paused mid-bite and all other thoughts fled my brain.
She looked down solemnly as, I suppose, she pondered how to start.
"If it troubles you too much to continue, you don't have to." I told her, even though I was eager to hear the rest.
She looked up again quickly, "No. It's fine. I want to tell you."
I nodded, forgetting momentarily that she couldn't see me.
"Okay." I said to let her know I was ready to listen.
She took a deep breath before beginning.
"I couldn't leave the man there to die if he was alive and so I dropped my basket of herbs and knelt beside him.
I checked his vitals, and, although he was gravely injured, he was very much still alive.
His shirt was bloodiest on his side. Just above his hip where a deep wound showed through his torn clothing.
I whirled around, searching the surrounding area for anyone who may witness my actions.
I managed to lift the man and carry him to my cottage without being seen.
Once I'd latched my door and shut every window, I built a fire and boiled some water.
I peeled away his shirt so that I could clean his wound. I bound it tightly to stop the bleeding and went back to fetch my basket of herbs."
Cera paused. I was completely enthralled by her story, struck by the similarity between the man's situation and mine. Passed out, wound in the side, and taken care of by a beautiful young maiden.
I blinked and examined her face carefully. I guess I'd never really taken her looks into consideration before. They didn't matter to me. She was who she was, no matter what she looked like.
She started speaking again after consuming some of her own cooking.
"When I returned, he was awake and looking around. He seemed fearful, so I immediately quelled his fears.
'You're safe here. It's alright.' I gave a timid smile, 'I found you unconscious and bleeding in the woods and brought you here to heal you. If I may ask, what is your name?'
He tried sitting up and I tried to warn him not to, but it was too late. He winced in immense pain and fell back onto the bed.
'Orion.' He groaned through his pain.
I stood and approached him, bringing a few select herbs with me.
'Orion? That's your name?' I smashed the herbs into a paste.
He nodded and looked at me, 'Yeah.'
I smiled approvingly, 'Named after the stars. An honorable name, if you ask me.'
He grunted reproachfully, 'What about you, woman? Have you got a name?'
I paused, halfway done unwrapping his bandages. I bowed my head and smiled and finished the unwrapping, 'Yes.'
He grinned, seeing through my game. He winced painfully as I spread the herb paste on his wound and re-bound it with fresh bandages.
'The herbs will numb the pain and keep away infection.' I explained as I turned to wash my hands.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. His smile had returned, 'Your name? Please, what is your name?'
I smiled back, 'Cera, young soldier named after the stars.'
'Cera? Named after the celestial princess that watches over us. A beautiful name, if you ask me.'
His grin turned broader as I blushed.
I pulled sharply from his grip, 'You would do well to get some rest, Orion.'
'Alright. You're the doctor.' I could hear the humor in his voice.
'Yes. I am.' I said seriously. And I was. I had been the village healer for many years and I enjoyed my job. There is nothing more satisfying than helping others.
I continued to care for Orion in secret until the day came that he could finally move without recoiling in pain.
He tested out his strength for a few days, and one night during dinner he asked me something that sparked the major turn in my life.
'You've been very kind to me, Cera. I have nothing of value to give you, but if there is anything, anything, at all that I could do to repay you, please let me know.'
I gaped at him, entirely shocked that he would even offer.
He laughed. He was a pretty easy going guy and hated war and fighting. He'd been unwillingly drafted into the current war, and it was the only reason he hadn't left yet. Not to mention he felt obligated to repay me in some way.
It was maybe three days later when I finally figure out how he would repay me.
'Orion.' I said as I approached him, a look of determination upon my face.
'Let me guess,' he grinned almost lovingly. We'd come to think of each other as siblings, 'You know how you'd like for me to repay you.'
I nodded, 'At first, I was going to let you just go on your way without paying back an ounce, but then I got to thinking. War is looking inevitable for our village. It creeps closer each day and there will come a time when we will either have to flee or stand and fight. If it comes to a fight, then I would wish to know how to defend myself. I refuse to flee like a helpless coward. Could you teach me this?'
Orion's grin turned into a grimace, 'Personally, no, but I know someone who could.'
I nodded, 'I understand. Who is he?'
Orion closed his eyes, 'East from here is a master by the name of Reikuu. Find him and he will teach you. Your reasons for learning are noble. He will certainly accept you as his student.'
'Thank you, Orion. I will forever think of you as my brother. Live a happy life with a healthy family.' I blessed him and a week later, he left.
The night after he left, I was dragged from my bed by the villagers.
They'd somehow found out that I'd been housing and helping a man of the war.
The village elders decided that for my punishment for secrecy and for supporting the war, they would curse me to be forever blind and exiled from the village."
She stopped and breathed hard. I could sense her fury and distress at the injustice. It angered me as well. They hadn't given her the chance to speak up. It reminded me of a similar incident. Once she'd calmed down, she went on again.
"I only made one request. I would not make things difficult for them or curse them in return if they at least turned me towards the east.
I still desired to be able to protect myself. Especially since I would be blind now. Except, I wasn't sure I could learn while I was blind.
I could only try.
They agreed to face me east and during my journey, I learned how to rely on my other senses to lead myself across the terrain and how to differentiate one herb from the next. I got sick a lot doing that, but I had to learn.
I also had to re-teach myself to cook and earned myself a few burns. Thankfully, I could heal them at that point so that they wouldn't scar.
It wasn't until some years later that I finally found Reikuu.
Orion had been right. Reikuu took me in very willingly. Turned out that Orion had even visited Reikuu the year before to see how I was or, if I'd finished training already, how I had done.
Reikuu had been sorry to tell Orion that I'd never been to see him.
I still wonder what happened to Orion. If he went back to look for me, or if he thought that I had just decided not to fight.
I trained with Reikuu for five years. He trained me to use my blindness as an advantage rather than a disadvantage.
He taught me how to 'see' energy that is in every living thing and how to feel it.
I eventually finished my training with him and became a traveling healer.
Being able to only 'see' energy, it was very easy to differentiate between humans and demons.
I could even see ghosts because, even though they are dead, they still give off energy.
I found many of both humans and demons that would benefit from my healing hands. I eventually settled here, in a safe house, where it would be easily accessible to humans and demons.
Anyone seeking healing, either for themselves or for someone else, could find me."
I swallowed my food hard. Anyone could find her. I didn't like the sound of that, but I had seen proof of her capabilities to defend herself.
But had she ever been in a real fight?
"Thank you for sharing your story with me, Cera." I said.
She blinked and stared at me, "What?"
"I said 'Thank you'." I became confused.
She shook her head, "No. I mean, did you just call me by my name?"
That's when it dawned on me, "Yes. I did."
"You've never used my name." she whispered, "I've always wished for you to say it."
I stood from my seat, a strange, yet strong desire for her burning through my body.
She stood, too, and I took her in my arms.
"I will find the cure for your blindness. I promise."
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A/N:
Wow. That one was ling, but I liked this one, too!
And, now! For an Author's Note Secret! –gasp-
Cera isn't actually human. Hiei figure this out in the very end, but we will see some of his doubts in the next chapter. But you'll have to wait until the end to find out what she really is!
So, there it is! You guys know the drill! Review or give cookies! Or even both! XD