Disclaimer: I do not own Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji (Wolf Girl and Black Prince) or any of the characters
Erika watched Kyouya and wondered if something was on his mind since he seemed to be distracted. Even when she tried to speak with him, it would take a moment for him to respond and she was beginning to worry about him. Even though he was polite yet distant from her when they first met, she would rather him be the prince she came to know over the journey.
"Kyouya, are you still worried about Midnight?" Erika asked, trying to discover the reason he was so silent. He didn't answer her besides grunting silently and she tried to think of anything else they could talk about. At least the grunt was more than she received the past hour of travelling. "He wasn't affected by the curse again so you don't have to worry about him."
"He's a strong horse so he wouldn't let a stupid curse affect him a second time." Kyouya finally spoke a full sentence to him and her heart reacted by quickening. How could the simple sound of his voice make her heart race? She didn't know the answer but knew that she was glad that he was speaking to her again. "Again, thank you for bringing him back to me."
"I didn't help that much," Erika blushed at his acknowledgement. She knew that he rarely gave out praise and thanks so the simple words made her feel humbled. She honestly didn't think she did much since the light within her was small and natural to her. "I'm sure that it was all Midnight here! You're right when you said that he's strong- just like his master."
"Girl and their empty compliments. I'll never understand why women even hand them out so much. You know they become useless if you giving out compliments?" Kyouya chastised her but he knew that she was too simple minded to have any ulterior motive when she complimented anyone. It was just in her sweet nature to give praise to people.
"But I'm saying the truth that both you and Midnight are strong! Why is it so hard for you to believe me when I'm trying to be nice?" Erika asked. She was truly curious about the reason he was closed off from others. Something in his behaviour told her that it was more than the philosophy of the Demon Realm since he had moment of kindness.
Even though she knew that she unfamiliar with his life in the Demon Realm, she felt as if she was beginning to learn more about him. She found herself leaning against his back and found that it was strong and warm. The man before her was the Dark Prince but she felt safe with him. "You don't have to believe me but I mean it. You're really strong and you've saved me a lot."
"I didn't really have the choice since you always find yourself in danger. I'm sure if I hadn't found you that day, you would've been eaten by wolves by now." Kyouya spoke the thought out loud and Erika had to laugh as she agreed. But he surprised her by saying, "Then again you might've saved yourself. It'll only be a matter of time before you get yourself in danger again then."
"I don't know if you're complimenting me or not." Erika puffed her cheeks and Kyouya laughed. It felt freeing to him but he didn't turn to face her since he didn't want her to think that he was letting his guard down around her. "And I don't think I get into danger any more than you do."
"Want to count the number of time I rescued you and the number of times you rescued me? Whoever loses can walk the rest of the way to the gates while the other rides Midnight. Carrying two people and our packs is putting a strain on him." Kyouya joked but Erika paled and fretted over Midnight's health. "Don't worry, Midnight's strong enough to carry the moon on his back."
"Just because he can carry that weight on his own, it doesn't mean that he should. I'm worried that over time he won't be able to carry this weight." She felt Kyouya stiffen in her arms and she wondered if he was worried about Midnight now. "Maybe we should stop and let him rest. We've been riding for a while so it's time we eat as well."
"We haven't been riding that long and if we stop every few miles to eat, we'll run out of rations. Your stomach will just have to wait until we make actual progress. I doubt we'll find a place that serves food this far from the capital. My father forbids people to even travel to the gates so the only thing we'll find in this forest is monsters and curses."
"But what about that building?" Erika asked when she looked over his shoulder and saw a sign mostly hidden by greenery. Kyouya was focused on the road so didn't notice the sign. He only stopped Midnight briefly to read the sign before continuing on. "Wait, that sign says that there was a hotel if you take the marked route. We should go to get more food and let Midnight rest."
"This is the reason that I said you'll find yourself in trouble without me. I told you that no one will live this close to the gates so that sign is probably another trap my father set up. You trust people too much so it's easy for people to trick you." Kyouya lectured but Erika knew that what he said was logical. "We shouldn't diverge from this path."
"I guess you're right." Erika agreed but something made her look back at the sign they passed. While she liked travelling with Kyouya, she missed having a hot home cooked meal. Ever since they left on their journey, they had been eating animals he caught. A part of her also wanted to have a normal dinner with him instead of sitting in a dark forest. "It would've been nice though."
"Even if the hotel wasn't a trap set by my father, I doubt that the hotel would be any safer for us." Kyouya knew that women had a less stamina and seek finer things so he shouldn't be surprised that she would want to stay in a hotel for the night. But a part of him was surprised since she didn't seem to be like the other ladies he knew.
Kyouya placed his hand over Midnight's ear and focused his magic on his horse. He didn't know if his magic could overcome his father's but he could at least he could help Midnight fight its effect. He couldn't have another of his father's tricks slow them again. A weight in his gut told him that he needed to reach the gates quickly but he couldn't explain the feeling.
"Are the trees moving?" Erika asked when she looked around his body and Kyouya turned his gaze back to the path. The road was beginning to be swallowed by the trees and Kyouya swore since he knew Midnight wouldn't be able to continue down the path. He jumped off and went to investigate the trees. A weak spell was placed over it and Kyouya almost laughed at how pathetic the spell was.
"You're losing your touch old man," Kyouya didn't think twice before summoning black fire to burn down the trees. The path was cleared but he wondered if it was the right thing to do when he saw that a war torn building was now blocking the path. Was it the same hotel that Erika saw advertised on the sign? If it was, it would be best to leave it be.
"Let's go around and see if we can find the road again." Kyouya took Midnight's rein and walked him around the building. Erika stayed seated on Midnight and wondered why he was walking instead of riding. She looked curiously at the building and thought she felt someone staring at her. "It's a trap Erika so stop staring at it. We're not entering so just stay on Midnight."
She knew from his tone that he expected her to follow his command. Logic told her that it was best to leave the building be so she tried to tear herself away. But she found that she couldn't ignore the building when she heard something come from inside. It sounded like a scream and something breaking so she rushed off Midnight to help whoever was in the hotel.
"Damnit Erika, I told you to stay on Midnight!" Kyouya chased her but she used her wings to push herself forward. She flew into the window closest to her and found herself in a bar filled with people and demons. Before she could ask if someone was hurt, she felt Kyouya behind her. He pulled her back into his chest and placed his cloak over her.
Kyouya's crimson's eyes stopped the demons from moving forward since they were the namesake colour of royalty. His gaze dared them to attack him as he stood but he kept a protective arm around Erika. He placed her behind and kept her hidden under his cloak. He pulled his sword from its sheath to fight. There was no question that they saw her wings and he couldn't let them run to his father with the information.
"I heard someone shout and I was worried someone was hurt. I'm a healer so I can help." Erika tried to move around him to see if someone was truly hurt but it was difficult since his strong arm held her back. He wished that she wasn't a terrible mix of impulsive and kind. Finally she relaxed behind him when she realized that crowd of demons staring at them.
Erika berated herself in her mind for possibly falling for their trap. Kyouya waited for them to attack her but they started to slowly back away from him. He didn't want to fight them but he couldn't risk having his father discover that he was traveling to the gate. Traveling through the shadows, he rushed to block them from leaving.
"Wait!" Erika shouted when she realized that the demons were clearly afraid of him. He ignored her and lifted his sword to fight them. The demons started to transform to fight as well and she knew that she wouldn't be able to talk either out of fighting. Panicking, she used her power to stop time around them. "I said stop! Kyouya, I don't think they want to fight."
"Are you crazy? This hotel is obviously a trap set up by my father and these demons are dangerous. Do you really want to risk letting them go?" Kyouya argued and tried to break through her spell. At least she stopped the demons as well and he wouldn't have to worry about them attacking her. "If I don't kill them here, they'll hurt us later."
"Just let me think of a way out of this!" Erika told him and he wanted to throw his hands up in frustration. No other woman had talked back to him so blatantly, especially when it was clear that she wasn't confident about her action. He wondered if she had a plan but a voice in his mind told him that she most likely didn't.
"You can't honestly believe that anything you do will make these demons help us." Kyouya sighed heavily and Erika looked at each demon with eyes free from any judgement. He knew that she wouldn't believe his words but he doubted she could think of anything to offer the demons. She bit her lower lip and seemed to have notice something he didn't.
"You're not trying to fight my spell." She lowered her arms and Kyouya felt the weight keeping him in place lessen until he could move again. Erika was calm when she faced the demons when she saw that they were slightly weary of her. "Why are you here in this hotel when Kyouya says that no one dare travel so close to the gates? You all must have a reason to leave your family in the capital."
"We don't have much of a choice but to live here." Someone finally answered her. A shadowed dropped from the ceiling and she stepped back in shock. Without Erika's spell over him, he moved between her and the shadow quickly. The shadow fell off the person and Kyouya was surprised to see a woman standing before him. It was obvious that she hid her power and he hadn't notice her until now.
The other demons gathered behind her and it was obvious they were looking to her for protection. Kyouya thought she looked vaguely familiar and the angry gleam in her eyes made him confused since most of the warriors his father employed had empty eyes. She pointed her finger at him, her deadly claw a clear threat. "How were you able to find my hotel?"
"It just appeared in front of us! Kyouya wanted to go around it but I thought someone was hurt and ran in!" Erika explained in defence of Kyouya. It was obvious to even Erika that the women held some resentment against him since there was a glint in her eyes. "My name's Erika and this is Kyouya. We're just travelers and we don't want any trouble."
"I don't believe that you just stumbled on this hotel. It should be protected from outsiders and this hotel will only show itself to people who need its protection. I doubt the Dark Prince needs my protection." She placed her hands on her hips. The woman's dry tone annoyed Kyouya and he wanted nothing more than to leave the hotel in ashes but knew Erika wouldn't allow him to.
"What do you mean?" Erika asked and Kyouya was surprised that she was so calm when they were surrounded by demons. He doubted that it was merely her ignorance of the danger around her. The woman didn't have any reason to answer Erika's question and Kyouya wondered why Erika thought the woman would. "You don't seem like a bad person since you haven't attacked us yet."
"Why is someone like you with the Dark Prince?" The woman asked, truly confused. It was obvious to anyone who listened to their conversation that Erika and Kyouya were drastically different people. "This hotel is a refuge for people who don't have a home to return to anymore. People wrongly prosecuted by your father have no choice but to flee or face death."
"So you're all wanted for going against my father?" Kyouya laughed when he finally recognized some of the demons. He relaxed knowing that they were afraid of the power his royal blood gave him. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Erika look at them with pity. A part of him could understand her pity since they were forced to run as far as the gates to hide from his father's wrath.
"If there anything we can do to help?" Erika offered suddenly and he couldn't understand why she would do so since there was nothing she could do. "I don't sense any evil in you and if you were wrongly accused, Kyouya can convince his father to let you return to your families. The hotel revealed itself to us for a reason and it must be to help you!"
"The hotel doesn't have a will of its own. I have a friend in the royal guards that help guide innocent victims here. I protect everyone here from the likes of people like you!" She threw an accusing finger at Kyouya but he didn't dignify her with more than a blank stare. "How did you find this hotel? I don't think my friend would lead you here!"
Kyouya was silent for a moment but then faced the woman with serious eyes. "Is your friend from the castle guard named Takeru?"
The woman stiffened and that was answer enough for him. Kyouya sighed and didn't know if he should let the hotel be or stay to investigate the group. The woman opened her mouth to ask him something but he cut her off. "Takeru is the only person I know that both brave and stupid enough to pull off a stunt like helping people escape my father."
"Takeru and Kyouya are friends so you don't have to worry!" Erika tried to explain though she knew that it would be difficult to believe when Kyouya words were so cold. She could feel the cold distrust between the two and tried to come between them. "If Takeru tried to bring us here there must be a reason! Can't we just get along until we know the reason?"
"Fine you can stay here while I try to contact Takeru. But the moment you try something, I'll know." She gave in. Before she could walk away, Erika asked for her name. "It's Sanda. That's all you need to know about me."
"You're even quieter now than you were this morning." Erika found Kyouya sitting alone. He barely greeted her and kept his attention on the window where Midnight waited. His gaze only turned to her when she placed a bowl in front of him. "At least we get a home cooked meal now so you should eat while you can. Is something on your mind?"
"Why didn't Takeru tell me about this place? We're friends and we helped each other so many times so I don't see why he wouldn't ask me for help." Kyouya found himself speaking with her. She thought back to how Kyouya sent the boy to Takeru for protection. It seemed like something natural to them and it was obvious they were close despite how detached Kyouya was from others.
"I'm sure Takeru has his reason and you only need to ask him when we get back." Erika told him encouraging and that smile made his heart swell. It was silly but her smile made him believe that everything would turn out alright. Maybe it was the groundless confidence she had in others. "But we should make the best out of this."
"I don't know why you're so happy that we're trapped here. Even if it's true that Takeru is helping her, I don't know if we can trust her. We need to get to the gate before my father returns to the castle and find me missing. Takeru will be the first person he question and I don't want to think of what he'll so to get the truth out of him."
"Takeru is a strong man." Erika tried to comfort him.
"As strong as he is stupid, I don't want him to get into trouble because of me." Kyouya sighed and leaned back in his chair. Takeru hid the hotel from him so why did he make the hotel reveal itself to him and Erika? Something in his gut told him that something was wrong. "What is taking that woman so long to connect with Takeru so we can get this whole thing over with?"
"I'm sure Sanda will come back with good news soon. I'll go and clean up these plates." She took the finished bowl from Kyouya and he watched her leave. Despite her confident tone, he saw how stiff her back was as she walked away. Knowing that her optimism wasn't endless made her appear stronger to him. How could she smile when she wasn't even confident in it?
Erika walked into the kitchen where she took the food. The stares the other demons gave her ranged from distrust to curiosity but she ignored them since she didn't want them to affect her. She placed the bowls into a water basin and began to wash them. She could sense the demon's fear and she knew that it was because they were afraid their refuge was at risk. "I wish there was something I could do."
Erika spoke to herself as she washed the dishes. A pair of hands took the plate she was about to set aside and Erika turned to see Sanda drying the plate. Erika didn't know what to say to the woman but she appeared to be deep in thought. Treading lightly, Erika asked. "Were you able to ask Takeru why he wanted to show us the hotel?"
"Why are you travelling with the Dark Prince so far?" Sanda asked instead of answering her question. "I can't believe that someone like you will be traveling with him willingly. You don't seem to be like the other Cerberus owned by royalty since you wouldn't follow any order but the prince's and I doubt he told you to wash these dishes. And there was also that light."
Erika knew that she couldn't reveal that she was an angel so tried to think of a lie. "That light was just a trick. It was to get everyone's attention when I tried to find who was hurt. But I'm really glad that no one was hurt. Kyouya's probably mad at me for acting so rashly but he'll come around."
To Sanda's surprise, Erika had a slight blush as she laughed softly to herself. Sanda couldn't believe that the light she emitted earlier was merely a trick. "I know Kyouya may not seem like it but he really is kind. I wouldn't have joined him on this journey if I didn't think that. I'm sure Takeru will tell you that Kyouya's kind as well since they seem like great friends. He's not like his father."
"Takeru did say the same," Sanda admitted. "When he first offered to help me rescue demons, he said that we should ask the Dark Prince for help. I begged him not to and I'm surprised he kept his promise 'til now. I'm just worried why he led you guys here now."
"He must care about him as much as Kyouya." Erika saw that Sanda's face softened when she spoke of Takeru. She knew that it wouldn't make her happy to hear but Erika thought Sanda and Kyouya had more in common than they knew. "I hope we can be friends too!"
"Okay," Sanda took the hand Erika held out to her.
Erika looked around the room but couldn't find Kyouya. After she finished speak with Sanda, she went back to look for Kyouya but he wasn't in the room anymore and she could only guess that he was taking care of Midnight. Her thoughts were confirmed when she looked out the window and saw Kyouya feeding his horse apples.
She opened the window and called out to him. Midnight sensed her first and trotted to greet her. Kyouya watched the two interact as if they could actually speak and he could almost forget the reason they were in the hotel. Kyouya leaned against midnight and looked up at her. "I saw you speaking with that woman. I'll take care of Midnight and then we can speak privately."
Kyouya didn't wait for her to answer before he led Midnight away. She watched him for a moment before pushing herself away from the window. She was still confused about his distant behaviour but she was glad that he was still willing to speak with her. Deciding that it was best to wait for Kyouya, she sat on a chair randomly.
"Do you play?" Sanda asked and Erika realized that she had sat on the piano seat. She was surprised that such an instrument was in the Demon Realm. While angels were known to be musically talented, Erika didn't have the talent or patience to play. "That thing has been here forever but none of us know how to play. I don't even know if it still works."
Gently, Erika lifted the cover and pressed a few keys. The soft notes were soft but drew the attention of the other demons. They started to gather around her and she felt pressured to continue playing. She continued to press the keys, lost on what to actually do with everyone's eyes on her. Suddenly, she felt Kyouya's familiar warmth cover her hand and guide her fingers across the keys.
"You suck at playing the piano." His voice echoed in her ear. She looked over her shoulder and found his face close to her but he concentrated on the keys. She couldn't feel the stares of the demons anymore as her attention was on Kyouya's hand over hers. "I thought angels were supposed to be musical."
"Kyouya?" She turned to face him when he played the final note. She wanted to ask him he learned to play but he leaned away from her, breaking the moment. When he saw her struggling to play as the demons watched her, he decided to help her but he didn't know if it was the right choice that her eyes were staring at him curiously.
A frantic knocking made Erika jump and pull away from Kyouya. The demons scurried into the shadows and Sanda looked through the window to see who was outside. Her face became pale and she rushed to open the door. Takeru fell through the doorway and Kyouya ran to his friend's side. "What are you doing here Takeru?"
"Thank goodness I got to you before the king did." Takeru rushed to make an explanation. "I don't know how but your father found out that you're going to the gate. He's on his way right now!"
For the past four week (excluding reading week) I had at least one midterm every week and today was the only day I could carve out to write. I have another one on Tuesday too so I don't know when's the next time I'll have time to write. But I will never give up on this fanfic since I'm determined to finish it. You don't know how relaxing writing is to me.