Disclaimer: Don't own VK. Any resemblance to any fanfictions, the living or RIPs is highly unintentional.
A/N: I'm so terribly sorry for the late update, I haven't given up on the story, I promise. RL work has gotten busier and I'm trying to balance some other things which I (unfortunately) have to prioritise over writing. Thanks loads for your support, much appreciated!
# CHAPTER 26
In an instant he was right in front of her, his face inches away from hers as his hands gripped her arms to block her from escaping. She instinctively tried kicking at him as the temperature in his room dipped dangerously low but his telekinesis jammed both her feet. There was no way this technique of his – albeit despicable – wouldn't scare Seiran whom he knew lacked the sensual contacts of vampires. Her heart was palpitating in her chest, he knew he was winning.
"Hey, if you don't pry into my matters, I won't do the same to you…Kuran-sama," retorted Seiran.
"Kuran-sama? Learnt some manners, Seiran? What exactly are you implying?" Now Kaname's voice sounded slightly hard, his grip applying more pressure to her arms.
Seiran did her best not to wince at the force – the bruises wouldn't go away in awhile, she was sure. "You're actually not Kaname, aren't you?" she answered, seeking confirmation. She forced herself to remain calm.
There's no point in trying to deny it when you've already startled me once, Seiran. "How do you know all that, Seiran? Not even Cross does…," he whispered into her ear, his breath icy cold. His russet eyes widened momentarily but his grip on her remained. Unless…
One hand reached up to cup her cheek as his face closed the distance between them. Their noses were almost touching and Seiran's heartbeat shot up another notch in speed.
How innocent she is…What an innocent Orchid Princess…Chaste, despite having the one she loves…
She tried pushing him away from her but no avail. "Kaname, if Yuuki comes into the room right now – " Her tone was a mix of defiance laced with pleading.
Back to calling me Kaname, huh? "She won't enter unless she knocks first. Which leaves me and you…alone…." His fingers traced the outline of her lips.
The truth was in front of me all along…I was blind. To not have realized something as significant as this…!
"You won't betray her, Kaname. And I won't betray Zero."
With that, she struggled once more, trying to push him off; to put some space between their faces. "I don't know what you were trying to do, Kaname…and I don't care if this is some undermined method of warning people off…" Her face twisted into what seemed like a grotesque-like smile. "But you've really gone too far!"
Kaname released her and took two steps back while she plastered herself on the wall, her eyes planted on him. "Perhaps I have…if anything, some questions which we have for each other have already been answered, Seiran."
"You're the one who has the answers while I have the questions!" Seiran almost wanted to shout at him but then her eyes widened. That woman in my dreams! She…and him! So far I've only gotten dreams about her, and yet the funeral…! She opened her mouth to continue, "That lady – "
"I feel we should continue this another day," Kaname cut in. That lady…
"Yeah, right, like you're going to tell me things which I'm assuming you haven't even told Yuuki!" she furiously bit back.
"It appears to me that we both have questions and answers that each party would like to acquire. Let us make this fair – I will not tell Cross, Yagari and Kiryuu about the contents of those nightmares, and answer whatever questions you have about those nightmares. In return you will not say anything to Yuuki and answer my questions as to how you know…that lady."
"Let's get started." Seiran's tone was brisk the minute she sat on the sofa opposite Kaname.
"Straight to business, aren't we, Seiran? Wouldn't you want something to drink because I'm sure we'll be doing quite a bit of talking today," Kaname answered in somewhat teasing tones.
"No. I'm only interested in getting my answers and that's it." The more I stay away from you, the better. She folded her arms.
Kaname nodded. He had spent a few days trying to mask his agitation on how much Seiran knew about him and it was a good thing that Yuuki didn't try asking him if anything was wrong. "Alright."
The Kaede pureblood asked, "Why are you so intent on knowing about how long I've been having nightmares and what their contents are?"
"Your nightmares could be a form of PTSD symptoms. And if I knew what they were about, then I could tell if you were having any distress or not, if you weren't so stubborn." Kaname couldn't keep from mocking her. After she stopped glaring at him, he continued, "My turn. Why did you ask me about the Kuran name having the Orchid flower as part of its written characters? 'Ku' means nine, and you obviously know what 'Ran' means. It means 'Nine orchids'."
She snorted. "That wasn't your reaction when I first asked you. I admit it was a question which had occurred to me when I had gotten that dream and Aidou-kun and startled me. You've been hammering me about my status as an Orchid princess, and we know my bloodline is from the Orchid purebloods, an ancient line. Why a new line of purebloods would have a similar name, is what I wonder…?" Her eyes were glued on him, noticing that Kaname had lost his mocking countenance. "Can you accept my explanation?"
They knew what she was going to ask next – she wanted to know how much he was going to lie to her, and he wanted to know how much she was going to hide what she actually knew to him.
Kaname nodded his agreement. "What do you want to know next?"
She was silent. Two uppermost questions were in her mind. Who exactly was he? How was that lady in her dreams linked to him?, since he acknowledged that lady, which meant that she hadn't been dreaming about someone who didn't exist. Either question would lead them to reveal the same thing…
"Who are you, really?"
The Kuran prince lifted a finger to his lips, as though signalling her to keep a secret. "I think you know who I am. Even if I don't say it out loud, your assumption is indeed correct."
"That's not even an answer! If you're not going to keep to your words, I'm leaving since I have other things more important to do instead of seeing to you act like some almighty lord." Seiran got to her feet, her eyes narrowed at the other pureblood.
"Remember the time I asked you why is he so important to you? You have yet to give me an answer…," he lazily responded.
Seiran knew he had gone back to being his 'oh-so-high-and-mighty' supreme self and was now prodding at her 'weak' point - Zero. Tch. Tit for tat, how childish. It's no wonder I've never really liked you from the start, Kaname. She let him read those thoughts of hers. "I'll reply with the same manner. Why is Yuuki so important to you?"
The Kuran pureblood snorted. "You know the answer, Seiran. She's the Kuran princess, brought up to be my mate."
Yeah, yeah, yeah, with all your love and devotion…Yada…yada…"Would you still love her if she wasn't the Kuran princess? Would you even spare her a look, as a normal human girl when she did her duties as a Prefect? Would it be possible for the prince of vampires to fall for a human?" she shot Kaname.
It was his turn to fall silent.
Seiran turned to leave. "Then if my assumption regarding my earlier question is correct, Yuuki's probably not your first mate but you fell deeply for her because you loved the radiance she emitted!" her voice was sharp. Then in gentler tones, she added, "At least you've moved on."
The similar gentleness in the midst of hurtful words.
Is she from your side…?
"I want to know how you know of that lady the next time we meet."
She didn't give him an answer, but merely strode out of his room.
"I want to know how you know of that lady the next time we meet."
Could she tell him about that lady in her dreams? It was very likely that he knew much more about the lady compared to her, and she was certain that once Kaname had the information from her he would not tell her what she wanted to know – Kaname was that type of person.
Her clutch on her pen tightened momentarily – she was making notes regarding the progress she had made with the Orchid Darts. Kaname had been concerned about not saying anything to Yuuki which included mentioning that lady; she must have meant something to him! The other day, that dream about the funeral and both Kaname and Kuroumura being there…Kuroumura was glaring at Kaname. That means the person in the casket meant something to both of them…
Kuroumura had stared at Kaname in hatred…and it seemed like that funeral had something to do with Kaname because the other vampires present were approaching him from time to time…
Her pen dropped onto her notebook. That lady was Kaname's…mate! And Kuroumura hated Kaname because…? Don't tell me he had some interest in her…? Then when Kuroumura had been after the Orchid Princesses he targeted Taku-chan to lure both Kaname and I, was it because he wanted revenge on the Kuran bloodline?
Her head was throbbing with all the links she had been making. Maybe the revenge link is somewhat acceptable, but why was Kuroumura specifically after the princesses? He already had power from all the other purebloods he murdered…
Wait…wait…Maybe Kuroumura had interest in that lady – the Kuran Queen…Nine Orchids…Orchid Princess…
The Kuran Queen is the first Orchid Princess!
Then I'm actually the fourth?
My name…even if my parents thought I was the third princess, 'Sei' also sounds like four. Four orchids.
Seiran flopped onto her bed, overwhelmed by the thoughts she had been having. This is insane…
Am I trying too hard to find links with everything so my mind is making up nonsense or…?
"That lady had been appearing in my dreams. I don't know how I've been getting those dreams."
That's direct of her. I thought she wouldn't have told me that. Now I've confirmed the contents of her dreams – they have to be a mix of her memories against Kuroumura and her... Kaname kept his face unreadable. Any change in his facial expression which had nothing to do with the topics they were discussing would surely put Seiran on alert – and he didn't want her to know about the development in the case. "What would you like to know in return?"
Why is it that he seems to be more forthcoming? Was it because I'd finally told him how I knew the lady? "I had been trying to find out who the lady was but there were no records of her…"
I erased her records, Seiran.
The Kaede pureblood stopped speaking when she clearly heard his thoughts sent to her mind. Instantly she understood why he was telepathically communicating with her. This was extremely private.
But why?
Why what, Seiran? Your question means many things. Kaname was sitting upright now, his hands clasped together and resting on his thighs. His eyes had not left her. Actually he wasn't sure if what he was doing was the right thing – he was revealing something which was very personal to him – not even Yuuki knew about this matter – in order to take her mind off the copycat Orchid Murders. However in doing so would prompt Seiran to ask him more questions which he didn't know if he could stomach answering, without having to recollect the memories he desperately wanted to forget.
They were married under the full moon of the ninth month in the vampire calendar, according to the elders – the most auspicious time. Vows were exchanged between both the purebloods without much emotion, as was required of them to be married in regality. However the emotions were real – both were clearly not in love with each other – being bonded together for the sake of their families.
Kazuo looked at his new bride who wore a blank expression, refusing to reveal her true emotions. He was finally able to study her delicate features and realized she was a real beauty indeed. Her lush black hair was braided – he was sure it reached her tiny waist – and her rose petal lips and small pointed nose complimented her sapphire blue orbs…It was there he realized his breathing had somehow hitched slightly and his heart was hammering in his chest. His mind, initially racing of various thoughts began to calm down as one thought outshone the rest – he was getting interested in her, there was something about her which drew his heart towards her…
The male pureblood blinked when Mayuu called out to him, "Kazuo-san…"
"Yes, my d – bride?" Good Lord Almighty, he had almost called her his 'dear'! And they were still standing at the marriage altar with people watching them!
"You're required now to create a new bloodline and a new name," she softly said.
That was the first time she had spoken an entire sentence to him. Even while they were courting she had been quiet as a porcelain statue with her veil hiding her face and the maids fussed around them incessantly because they wanted to admire his looks.
Kazuo's mind raced again with what he would name their new bloodline. He recalled what the busybody nursemaid of Mayuu's told him when he had enquired the lady's interests, purely out of being a gentleman. Her favourite flower, he remembered were orchids, as she used to sit beside them in the garden…His russet brown eyes turned back to his wife and he spoke, "Kuran." Ku – standing for the ninth month they were married and Ran – orchids.
Yes, that was the beginning of the Kuran line.
No, Seiran decided. Kaname's telepathic thought – I erased her records – was sufficient for her knowledge.
There could only be one reason why he did something so drastic since it was a known fact that purebloods were highly revered and constantly focused on in most vampire texts.
The lady had done something unforgivable.
And Kaname decided to protect her.
At least you've moved on, Kaname...
Lesson no. 27 : It takes a thief to catch another thief.