A/n: Sorry it took so long to update! I only have time to write on my days off work, and i just had 11 days straight of nine+ hour shifts .; The chapter I was intending to write ended up taking a loooong time to get to the point, and was 3x as long as my usual chapters, so theres now two chapters to start with, and my intended chapter im halfway through right now ^^ enjoy, and please review! it inspires me to write in my lunch breaks, and I do try to include all of your wished for scenes. Im getting the feeling this is heading for a lemon at some stage but I'd hate to ruin a story im happy with so far if people dont want it. Opinions please! (if so it will be an estimated 3-4 chapters away ;)

Chaper Six: False Hope

Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man. - Friedrich Nietzsche

The setting sun glared with the promise of tommorow on the horizon as Kaname re-entered the stronghold he had built for himself and his companions, half a day ahead of schedule. A falling out between two nobles had caused an early end to the conference he had been attending. With none of his usual cohorts attending, he chose to back away as gracefully as possible and punish the usurpers later. The afternoon travel and the inability to act as he wished irritated him, the piercing ache behind his eyes adding to his usual aloof indifference. Maybe seeing Yuuki would make him feel a little less... irksome.

He had made it barely two feet inside the door before Aido was bowing in front of him, trying in vain to smooth the wrinkles from his sleepwear.

"Forgive me, Kaname-Sama." he stuttered, stealing glances through the hair obscuring his eyes in an attempt to judge his Masters mood, "We were not expecting such a swift return"

For the most part ignoring him, Kaname strode past him with a dismissive wave of his hand, heading towards Yuuki's chambers. Seeing his intended goal, Aido fidgeted, fighting the urge to interupt, as he took two steps for each one of Kaname's. He was saved from the internal conflict by one of Yuuki's personal maids posted at her door.

"Kaname-Sama," she bowed deeply, and remained in that position "Forgive us, but Yuuki-Sama is presently resting. She had a full day today. Do you... wish for us to wake her...?"

With another flash of irritation, Kaname pulled his hair slightly as he ran his fingers through it along his temple. He wasn't starving, but he was peckish, and had been toying with the idea of feeding on Yuuki. It wasnt like he hadn't resisted that temptation before he supposed... His eyes alight with the glow of vampirism, he extended his senses to examine what lay beyond the doors. He felt the warm glow that was Yuuki, tainted by a bitter smear of cold darkness, exhaustion...and something else... Was it worth the loss of face to demand that they awaken Yuuki to satisfy his desires? That he, a pureblood, was suseptable to bloodlust?

"No." He stated, emotionless, "That will not be neccesary."

He turned on his heel and sauntered futher down the hall towards his own adjoining rooms. Darkness...he needed to be out of the light...natural and atrificial for a while. He stopped just before opening his bedroom door, pondering about the next gathering he was due to attend.

"But Aido..."

"Yes!"

"Send her to me when she awakens..."

"Yes... Kaname-Sama..." Aido monotoned as the doors came to a close with a snap.

...

Yuuki slept late. Her restlessness and near constant tossing and turning had amounted in very little actual sleep all day, and only once night fell, the pattern set by over a decade of habit helped the exhaustion along. Mid-"Morning" in the household, the echo of activity resounding through desolate halls broke into her subconsious, causing upheaval in her peaceful dreamscape. She awoke, if possible, more frustrated then when she fell asleep, it seems keeping quiet was not her forte. Maybe, she could be "good" by instead being very honest and forthright. Feeling a bit more purposeful, she swallowed the lump in her throat that seemed constantly present lately, and began to attend to her appearance.

...

The moon had fully risen, to vampire "Midday" as Kaname lazed in the solace of his study. Reports of Yuuki's actions the previous day had confirmed his thoughts. If she was finally cowed, and would behave as expected of her, then she was ready to attend the week long political convention at the ruins of the vampire senate buildings with him. He had been debating it since he first discovered its purpose, would she be ready? She had been so restless, so distant, that it seemed lose lose. If she stayed it would be possible that the extra week of no attention in her rooms would cause her to rebel and leave the house herself, that was unacceptable. If she came with him, it was possible she would consider it a treat, and therefore behave, and it may have the secondary effect of easing her feelings of isolation. However, it was also possible that she would rebel in the public forum, bringing her training back to square one, and ruining her reputation, and as her master, his reputation would also suffer. The news of yesterday eased his fears.

She must be finally broken he mused with a slight smile, tipping his brandy glass of blood to the ceiling in a twisted salute, then draining it. With a slight flick of his hand and servant appeared at his side in an instant to take the empty glass.

"The girl, Yuuki, bring her to me" He fought to keep his usual indifferent, bored tone in his voice.

The servant bowed as she exited through the double doors backwards, alarmed by the glint in Kanames eyes. He would take her, he decided. He toyed with the concept of her adoring response, and the powerful feelings it evoked in him, as at the other end of the long dark hallway, the same servant ran to Yuuki's bedchamber.

Yuuki was lazily winding a light silver/blue ribbon through her newly brushed hair, when one of Kaname's personal attendants came rushing in like the building was on fire.

"Princess Kuran, I shall assist you to dress immediately. Kaname-same requests your presence in his study, forgive my indescresion of offering an opinion, but he does not look in the mood to wait, I think we should hurry."

Yuuki took in the servants flustered appearance, and hair that had undoubtable been tugged on repeatedly due to stress, and nodded her compliance. Thankful that the notoriously improper girl wasnt going to object to a process that was hard enough with the co-operation of the wearer, the servant fetched a light pink gown, Kaname's favourite.

Yuuki sighed and reach upward to remove the ribbon that had taken her fancy earlier, it had reminded her of Zero's hair... and simultainiously reached for her brush again.

"Nonononono, what are you doing!" fretted the servant woman, wringing the beautiful garment in her hands.

"It doesnt match... I have to change it"

"No time! ...Fine!" the servant stomped back to the wardrobe, thrust the pink ruffles back into lacy oblivion, and retrieved a silvery-blue empire-waistline dress that was a very similar colour to the ribbon, if not a perfect match. "This one then!"

Yuuki smiled at the frustrated mutterings of the woman as she laced the bodice onto Yuuki's frail form. It reminded her of Zero's "God-I-hate-shopping" tone... not that he ever helped to dress her, she blushed. Feeling slightly too revealed in the spaghetti strap dress, she grabbed a dark blue bolero jacket and added it to the ensemble before submitting to being practically dragged down the hall to the study.