Part Thirty-Three:

Kurogane, as he hid behind a tree, watched Fai in the dawn light. Fai had left Kurogane's bedroom early in the morning and walked out to some nearby woods with his magic staff. Kurogane worried a little, so he followed the mage. As the last week wore on, Fai's memories had come flooding back quickly, and he became more and more like the the person Kurogane had grown to love.

When Fai truly remembered that they were lovers, Kurogane invited him to share his bedroom. Fai did, but they hadn't resumed the sexual part of their relationship. Kurogane wanted to wait until Fai was totally comfortable with the idea before he approached Fai.

He watched Fai loft his staff and trace several pink runes in the air. He flung the topper at the runes and sent them smashing into several trees, turning them into so much debris with a horrific boom. Kurogane smirked and walked over to Fai. "Oy, mage, what do you have against trees?"

Fai flinched, turned, and gave Kurogane a bright smile. "Just practicing to see if I still could accurately do it. I didn't want to face danger without solidly remembering Captain Demetri's spells, nor anything King Ashura taught me. That was one Father taught me. He can be a little bit, how should I say, vicious at times. Though no one ever minds, because he uses it for good against really rotten people.

"Well... there was a time or two Yuui was hurt from King Ashura's treatment of criminals. It wasn't my favorite thing to deal with, the aftermath. Yuui would get absolutely ill and frightened, so Ashura started sending him away from Luval anytime court was held when it promised to be something serious."

"Good thinking about practicing. How are you feeling today?" He started to wonder if the ice king was as wonderful as Fai portrayed him.

Fai grew a little bashful, to Kurogane's shock, and said, "I'm really sorry for everything I put you through. I was so terrified as child, and I lashed out all the time. The more I lashed out, the less attention they... my biological family... would pay to Yuui. I'll apologize to your parents, too. They were really nice to me, all things considered."

"We figured it might have been a way to protect your twin, and no one holds it against you."

"But your father still calls me a little beast."

"So? I still call you a pampered snot. He's just teasing just like me."

"Oh. I hoped I hadn't offended him, because I remembered the argument we had before those espers kidnapped us. It was rather ugly, Kuro-wa, and he was going to send me back to Edo. Has he changed his mind? I've been too afraid to ask."

"He has. He respects the courage you showed during the kidnapping and the lengths you went to to save him. And I want to thank you for that, personally. My parents mean a lot to me. You went out of your way to save my father, and I appreciate what you did."

"I'm sure if it were my father or Yuui in some sort of danger, you'd do likewise. They mean the world to me, too."

"I would. Tomorrow, my father and I are headed to the coast to see about a few demons that pressed through your wards. Will you come with us?"

"Of course, they shouldn't have been able to do so, so I'd like to know why. It's my punishment, isn't it? Even thought, I admit, it hasn't all felt like punishment."

Kurogane felt his temperature rise at the emphasis on the word 'all.' Fai was adopting coy mannerisms, which was his way of flirting. He liked it when Kurogane struggled and domineered over his strange games. Kurogane admitted, it was the struggle, physical and mental, that kept Kurogane coming back to Fai. Fai was a challenge, and any real man enjoyed a challenge and would pursue it.

"So, why don't you come back to bed with me?" Kurogane asked, careful to watch for signs he'd pushed Fai too quickly. Fai only chuckled and continued with his fake bashfulness.

"Aww, is Kuro-rin sleepy and needs a nap? This early in the morning?"

"I need a nap, alright. But I don't think Celians spell 'nap' the same as Nihongoans."

"Oh? How is nap spelled in Nihongo?"

"S-E-X," Kurogane said, feeling Fai would take the bait.

Sure enough, he did. "Our cultures aren't that different. That's the way I spell nap, too. So why don't you take me back to bed."

"Are you sure, Fai?"

"Positive! Kuro-pon has been so kind and generous over last several days, so he's earned a big reward."

"What kind of reward?" he asked, leery.

"Me, of course."

Fai skipped ahead towards Kurogane's room. The ninja shook his head and followed. Once he got in his room, he glanced down the hallway and shut the door firmly. Even though everyone knew about him and the mage, he didn't wanted what happened in the cherry tree orchard repeated.

Fai pounced on him with a forceful kiss. Kurogane let Fai have control, for once. Fai loosened Kurogane's clothes. Fai's eyes traveled downward. "Just like I remember."

"Enough looking, mage."

"But I like to look at Kuro-kuro's nice body," Fai said, going all fake coy again. Kurogane grabbed Fai and dragged him down to the floor. "And so impatient."

"Yeah, well, morning tea isn't long now," Kurogane said, tugging Fai's clothes open. He lay down on top of Fai and kissed the mage before he said something to ruin the mood. He stopped kissing Fai, desperate to get release. He was so maddeningly close. He started rubbing himself against Fai's legs.

"We'll get all messy if we do it like this."

Kurogane stopped and glared at Fai's timing, now was the time he picked to be fussy over neatness? "I don't care."

"Well, I do. Roll over on your back." Okay, Fai's idea was much better. Kurogane complied and found himself enjoying Fai's mouth soon after. But it wasn't too long before tension fled his body.

"See, I remembered how you like it," Fai said. Kurogane reached over and pushed the mage onto his back.

"Turn about is fair play."


"Any more testimony?" Vlad asked.

"I'm done," Aleksei said.

"Me as well," Zasha said.

Zellen bit his bottom lip while Vlad D Klaus gave the instructions to the nine jurors. He was so worried. He hoped the people would see the truth. There were two jurors that had no magic of their own, so he hoped they had sympathy for Drysi.

"Alright then, so are you all clear?" Vlad asked

"Yes, sir," the foreman of the jury said before being led off by a bailiff.

"Well, I doubt they'll be done soon. How about lunch?" Vlad said.

"That would be fine," King Ashura confirmed.

"Great! Adjourned to the dinning hall," Vlad said. Then his face skewed up in anger when the crystal around his neck glowed a bright pink. "Those little shits! I swear I'm going string up the little bastards on oak trees by the balls and leave them there until they rot and their eyes get pecked out by birds! Pardon me, Ashura, I have to deal with this."

"Is it something I need to help with, Vlad?"

"No, just a pack of your soldiers being irritating idiots and forgetting they're in the army. I'll settle them once and for all. I swear, Ashura, you need to find and execute that little bastard, Boris. He let them go to hell in a hand basket."

"I do have a 'Dead or Alive' order on him for leaving Yuui at risk. So, he'll more than likely end up on the wrong side of a constable's hex."

"Good. If that little, apathetic piece of shit of a reanimator was in front of me right now, I'd hex his skin right off," Vlad fumed and marched out of the courtroom to deal with whatever problem required his attention.

Zellen flinched. He had liked Boris a great deal; Yu seemed to implicitly trust Boris while not liking him in the least. Zellen had noted it was something strange in his friend and wanted to ask further, but time hadn't permitted. But when he found out that Boris had done something so vile and revolting as raise the dead, he sincerely regretted trusting Yuui to the man's care.

Who knows, maybe Boris was already crazy from it and had something twisted on his mind all along? He had seemed antisocial, but sane. Reanimating gave a person a three to thirty year window of sanity, no one knew when you'd finish losing it, it was always gradual.

Surely, Yuui would have picked that up. The insane were not people he could easily tolerate. Being in the same room with someone with insanity, his empathy would pick up the very same malady and imitate it. There was a part of Zellen hoping that Boris was brought to justice rather than killed in some sort of hexing battle.

He looked up when a shadow fell over him. It was Drysi and her barrister. Zellen stood and looked over at Zasha. She explained, "Since the case is over, I saw no harm in you exchanging a few words. Old Man Lexie agreed. I think that tough, old buzzard is a secret romantic at heart. Okay, I'm just teasing about that. He's as jaded as me. Hurry up and say what you have to say." She walked away a few steps, but Zellen noticed constables were still keeping a wary eye on them.

"Zellen, I want you to believe me. I had nothing to do with any of this. I don't care if no one else does. I mean, I do hope the jury believes me, but it's so important to me that you believe me."

"I've never doubted you, not once. I still believe in you."

"I'm so scared right now."

"I know. You just don't know how much I want to hold you right now. You're shaking so badly."

"What if... the annulment...? I don't want that, Zellen! I want you as my husband!"

Zellen's eyes went wide at her uncharacteristic, sudden outburst. People that were milling out of the courtroom paused and looked at her. He raised his arms to embrace her, but one of the constables shook his head at Zellen. He lowered his arms and hung his head.

"Even if it does happen, I will marry you again, legitimately. I promise you that. I'll get you a proper ring, and we'll make a life together. I don't care what people believe happened. I know the truth, and I know my feelings. And I know your feelings right now. I want you, now more than ever. Please don't lose faith in me, because I love you so much."

Tears rolled down Drysi's cheek. "I love you, too. I do believe in you. No matter what, you are my husband. I will never waver from considering you anything different."

He started getting choked up. He couldn't take it one minute longer. He threw his arms around Drysi's shoulders. Fortunately, he didn't make skin contact with Drysi in his recklessness, but he just needed to be near her and couldn't bear it one moment longer. Seconds later, the constables pulled them apart.

"Drysi! Don't lose faith!" Zellen said as the constables tugged her out of the courtroom.

"I won't! I love you!"

"I love you, too!" he said right before they took her from the room.

"Bad move. You knew better," Zasha said.

"She's my wife! I have a right to hold her!" Zellen snarled with a balled up fist.

"And she's on trial for something that could put her away for a good chunk of her life. At least have the sense that the spring goddess gave a billy goat, and restrain yourself. By the way... are you serious? You'd marry her all over again."

"In a heartbeat," Zellen said, meeting her blue eyes.

She gave him a smirk. "I believe she's innocent. You, more than anything, convinced me. I'll be honest, though, it doesn't look good. Are you ready to stick by her with a forty year sentence?"

"In a heartbeat. She's the one I want."

Zasha gave him a patronizing smile. "You and her are still children. Give it a few years."

"Give it a few hundred years, my heart won't change," Zellen said earnestly.

The jaded woman gave him a raised eyebrow. "It'd be nice to see, once in a while, the loyalty you have towards the girl. I did my best, and I'll do my best to save your marriage. I'm pretty certain the collusion charge against you will stand."

"Then we'll find a way through it. Thank you so much, Madam Zasha. I owe you so much."

"You owe King Ashura. He's paid my fees. I hope I beat Old Man Lexie. I took him down in our last case. It'd be nice to see him brought down now."

"That old bitch, the duchess, did all of this. She hates me and is punishing Drysi for staying with me. I promise that's the truth."

"Normally, I never believe anything people tell me. You, I believe. You and Drysi are the most sincere people I've ever met. Good luck to you and her."

"Thanks," he bid her farewell. Zellen flopped back in his chair and silently prayed his bride would be acquitted. It wasn't too odd for him to take a leaf from Fai's book, rather than Yuui's. Fai was religious, whereas Yuui wasn't. Most people thought it was the other way around, but Fai fought for faith in their survival, and Yuui only saw the horror of the pit and couldn't believe any deity would allow such a thing to exist.

"Please let me have my bride back and let us have a happy marriage and a lot of children in the future," he begged Celes' deity.


"So you're looking cheery, mage of Celes," Lady Suwa observed as he and Kurogane joined her and her husband at the tea table. "How are you feeling?"

"More memories are coming back. It is wonderful, and I'm sorry for doubting you. Oh... and I'm doing much better now that I had a quick nap with Kuro-rin," Fai said with bright smile.

Kurogane wanted to choke the mage until he turned purple. His mother was too naive to understand, but his father crossed his arms and ignored it; he got the implication. "Are you going with them tomorrow? I could help you translate more books into your language."

"I better go. I want to make sure my wards are holding up, and, if not, why. I also need to map out the new ley lines before I leave."

"Of course," Lady Suwa said. "I just hate that our translation project is put on hold. I was having fun."

"Me too," Fai said. Lady Suwa was reading books and scrolls out loud while Fai copied, with Celes runes, what she said into journals. He wanted to take back some Nihongo magical knowledge to Celes.

"We leave at dawn," Lord Suwa said.

"By the way, I wanted to tell you and Lady Suwa how much I appreciate what you've done for me over the last several days. I wasn't all together, and I thank you for putting up with me. I also thank you, Lord Suwa, for allowing me to stay. I know it wasn't easy to change your mind."

"Hondo, you were going to send the mage away?" Lady Suwa looked shocked.

"Yes, I was. It was before those vile, foreign mages caught us. I should apologize for some of the things I said to you. I was rather rude about the relationship between you and your father. I didn't mean to imply it was anything less than legitimate and sincere, and I didn't mean to show disrespect to your ice king for his role as your true father. I hope you'll be charitable and chalk it up to surliness at me being taken by surprise over the news of you and Kurogane."

"And I hope you'll be charitable and forgive me for accusing you of not having Kurogane's best interest at heart. I know you do, and I was lashing out in anger. I know Ashura would be offended, too, if someone accused him of not caring about me or Yuui."

"All is well between us, mage of Celes... Fai... I don't want anything but peace between us."

"I feel the same way."

Kurogane felt an inwards sigh of relief. His father and his mage were smiling at one another, and it made him feel happy. That was until the mage said, "So, Lord Suwa, your Kuro-pu certainly can be a cranky puss. Where did he get that from? You and Lady Suwa are just so sweet and laid back."

"Hey! Mage! Stop with calling me cranky all the time and stop with the bloody nick-names already!" Kurogane raged.

"You're just proving his point... Kuro-pu," Lord Suwa teased, to Kurogane's consternation. Now he really wanted to choke the snot out of Fai until he turned purple.

His father and his mage took turns teasing him all morning. He had to admit, as irritated as he was, there was now an element of relief at seeing them back to a version of their normal relationship, even if it had a heavy scar over it. One day, Kurogane was sure his father and his mage would have a stronger relationship for it.


"And so, court is reconvened," Vlad announced. Zellen was still shivering at the man's very aggressive presence.

They were having lunch at the king's table when he reappeared in a swirl of pink runes. He described the punishment he'd assigned two door guards at the castle in Valeria. Basically, the men engaged Valerian prostitutes and contracted embarrassing sexual illnesses and were spreading them around. Vlad cast a spell where they couldn't get aroused for a year as a punishment. Ashura approved with a smile and a nod.

"I know the place is disreputable. That's why Yuui picked you, I'm sure," Ashura said.

"Yu... if I didn't love those little scamp twins of yours so much, I'd take him over my knee for sending me to the shit hole," Vlad groused.

"My meek, little Yuui was picking the best person for the job. I would have picked you, too," Ashura pointed out with a warm smile, knowing Vlad was full of bluster.

"I know," Vlad sounded defeated. "Still... I swear, if I have to hear the word gonorrhea one more time, I'm going to remove the person's teeth, one by one, through their anus."

There were some snickers at that, even Ashura snickered. Vlad flopped down at the table and cast some pink runes to bring the borscht pot closer to him.

Zellen wondered what kind of world Valeria really was. Yu and Fai had been too traumatized to talk about it much, so he avoided the subject. Most people talked bad about it, but was it really that bad?

"Well, I suppose the jury is still out? Probably, be out for a while," Vlad said.

"How long do juries usually take in a case like this?" Zellen asked.

"Several days," Vlad answered.

Zellen's stomach sank at the news. He just wanted to take Drysi home.

To be continued.