Here we are at Chapter 11. It's back to school time for Yuki and her friends. I do not own Code Vein. They belong to Bandai Namco. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 11. Enjoy.
Chapter 11: What comes Next
It's been over a week since the incident in the forest and classes are back in session again. However, despite the school getting back on track, some of the students are still having trouble moving on after losing their friends. On the bright side, most students stopped speaking ill of Yuki or harassing her. Though, they do give her some weird looks when they see her riding on Hana's abdomen, as part of her punishment. As for Yuki and Hiei, when Yuki's not dishing out Hiei's punishment or they're busy with classes, they've been deepening their bond. Those that have good eyes can tell that there's something different between them now. But that number is only a few. Yuki is on her way to her etiquette class along with Princess Iris. The two have become good friends and have been speaking more informally, much to the royal's glee.
"It's so hard to make friends when you're royalty. Everyone's either trying to get close to you for selfish reasons, or they're afraid of insulting you accidently and remain at a distance. But, you and your friends are not like that at all. I'm glad for it," Princess Iris notes.
"Hmm, maybe for me, it's because I'm technically a princess as well?" Yuki taps her chin.
"Possibly, but I think it's just your personality," Princess Iris thinks.
They reach their class and the lesson begins. Today's lesson would focus on dancing.
"Now then, as fine ladies of aristocratic society, you all must be able to show elegance, poise, grace, and talent in the ballroom. You will be expected to attend many of these parties and events, even after finding a husband to marry. Some look for ladies who know how to dance with skill even. Now then, while I could have you all dance by yourselves, that will only get us so far. So, I ask some of the boys from a few other classes to step in and act as your dance partners. Come in," Professor Tiana claps her hands.
The door opens and in walk several young men from the first and second years. Some of the girls smile since some of these boys are quite handsome. The boys smile as well at the chance to dance with the ladies. However, Yuki notices that most of the boys have their eyes on either the princess... or her.
"Now then, we'll start with something relatively simple and practice the waltz. Find a partner and get ready to dance," Professor Tiana.
The boys suddenly move and gather primarily around Yuki and Princess Iris, though more for the latter than the former. This makes a few of the girls pout at the lack of attention.
"No fighting over a dance partner. Will be switching around throughout the lesson. You must learn how to dance with multiple partners at a time as well. Now hurry up and get yourselves together!" Professor Tiana rubs her head.
The boys quickly separate and find other partners, which is a breath of relief for Yuki and Princess Iris. The lesson begins in earnest and the pairs practice their dancing in the center of the classroom. Yuki practices with a boy with slicked back brown hair and orange eyes.
"S-So, Lady Yukitsuki, do you have any plans this weekend? I hear there's a new restaurant in town that has some delicious sweets," the boy asks her out.
"Apologies, but I already have plans, so I must decline," Yuki shoots him down.
The boy shows a look of defeat for the rest of the dance. When she switches partners, this one having blonde hair and green eyes, he's about the same deal.
"Lady Yukitsuki, I know of a beautiful spot that overlooks much of the city. It's a nice place for a picnic, and looks even better at sunset. I would be honored if you would accompany me there this week. Would you like to go together, just the two of us?" he asks.
"It sounds like a nice spot. I'll be sure to go there with Hiei sometimes. As for you and me, I must decline. My mothers told me not to go out alone with strange men," Yuki says, making him stumble a bit.
This went on for a few more dance partners. Yuki was getting annoyed by it. Why are these guys hitting on her when she's already with Hiei? It's then she realizes that only a few people know about her relationship with the Kitsune. They haven't become formally engaged yet and haven't made any announcements about it. She doesn't even know if Hiei's parents are aware of their relationship. If she's going to get these boys to stop fighting for her affections, she'll need to change that. But the worst one was the last partner for the class. He didn't ask for a date; he went even further. Apparently, his name is Alan von Defoster, the son of a duke. There aren't many ducal houses in Anatolia, but he is in one of them.
"So Lady Yukitsuki, what do you say to becoming my future wife?" Alan asks.
He has black hair, dark blue eyes, and a smile that would charm many girls... just not Yuki.
"I'm sorry, what?" Yuki replies.
"I'm asking if you'd like to become my wife. I'm the heir to dukedom, just like you, so it makes sense in that regard. You're beautiful and talented and I can match those talents with my own. Plus, as my wife, you wouldn't have to worry about others harassing you because you lack noble blood. I can protect you from anyone," Alan speaks, smiling a dazzling smile.
Yuki only looks mildly annoyed, "I am quite capable of protecting myself, and I do not care about people harassing me. My family informed me well about that matter and they have shown me more love than I could ever dream of,"
"Even so, the love of a parent pales in comparison to the love of a spouse. I promise you more love than you thought possible. I will shower you with gifts and we can stand together as the pinnacle of noble society," Alan is not giving up.
"I'm not interested. More importantly, I am already in a committed relationship with someone else. And I have no intention of ending that relationship. Not even for all the gold and jewels of the world," Yuki shoots him down.
"What about my undying love and loyalty to the most beautiful woman in the kingdom?" Alan smiles again.
"You want to marry Mother Emilia? I don't like the idea of having to call you 'Father'. Plus, I highly doubt she'd agree to marrying a boy that's several years younger than her," Yuki replies.
It's hard to tell if she said that as a joke to throw him off, or if she seriously thought he was talking about her mother. To Yuki, Emilia has always been the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.
"What? No, I don't want to marry your mother! She's already married, and too old for me," Alan retorts, not expecting that kind of answer.
"My mother is not good enough for you? I find that insulting," Yuki pours it on.
"That's not what I meant! I want to marry you. With our two families united, who knows what we could accomplish together. The power and influence the two of us could wield," Alan corrects her.
"I still politely decline. As I have just said, I am already in a committed relationship, and I have no intention of ending it," Yuki shoots him down again.
"What? But I..." Alan can't believe it.
Thankfully for Yuki, the dance ends as does the lesson. Yuki gets ready to leave with the others when Professor Tiana walks up to her.
"Miss Yukitsuki, a moment if you will," Professor Tiana speaks.
Yuki glances back at Princess Iris as she leaves, "Is there something wrong, Professor?"
"No, not quite. I overheard your conversation with Mr. Defoster. I think a marriage with a fellow ducal family is something you should take more time to consider. Think of your family's reputation and future. You can't just make these kinds of decisions rashly without at least discussing them with your family," Professor Tiana says.
Since she's a noble, it's no wonder she's so adamant about this.
"I have already had this discussion with my family and they already gave their approval. So, there's no need for further discussion," Yuki replies.
"Ah, but, what about the future of your family? You will need to produce an heir to carry on the family bloodline. While your mother did not perform this task, a task that every lady of noble society must complete, that doesn't mean you should make the same mistake," Professor Tiana says.
"Are you saying that them adopting me into the family was a mistake? Or that Mother Fuyumi and Mother Emilia falling in love was a mistake/' Yuki asks, getting a little irritated now.
"No, that's not what I meant to-," Tiana waves her hands.
"I'm sorry, Professor Tiana, but I must go. I cannot be late for my next class. Good day to you," Yuki, having had enough of this conversation, curtsies and then takes her leave.
Professor Tiana watches her go, feeling frustrated. Yuki sighs while making her way to the next class.
"Everything okay?" Yuki turns as Hana joins her side.
"Not really. During etiquette class, I had male students either asking me out and one of them, the son of a duke, kept asking me to become his wife. I turned them all down, but it was tiresome. Worse, Professor Tiana tried to coax me into accepting the marriage proposal as well. I declined of course. First, people were harassing me because I don't have noble blood. Now, people are harassing me because they want to marry me. When will it end?" Yuki lightly groans.
"Maybe at graduation?" Hana jokes, but that only dampens Yuki's mood even more. "Look, all you need to do is make your relationship with Hiei public. Once people, especially the boys, understand that you're only interested in those of the fairer sex, they'll back off. Though, that won't work with the female students. I know Sophia is at least interested in getting closer to you, and there may be a few other girls who might try something too," Hana says.
"Yes. I suppose that was a mistake on my part. I'll talk to Hiei about it after class. Let's just finish this one and get something to eat," Yuki is definitely feeling tired after the previous drama.
The performing arts class flies by quickly enough. Yuki's never had any issues in that class with everyone, even the teacher, loving her talent with a harp. Once that's done, it's time for dinner. They meet up with Hiei in the cafeteria and explain to her what happened before. Hiei's reaction was... about as well as expected.
"Who were the bastards that tried to lay their dirty hands on my Yuki?! I think they need to have a little conversation with me and my sword," Hiei has a dark look in her eyes.
"Easy there, Hiei. No need to go murdering anyone here right now. Yuki said she already turned them down. But, if you two don't do something soon, this may just get worse," Hana says.
Yuki gets an idea, "Then let's just settle it right here and right now,"
"Huh? What do you me-mmph!" Hiei asks, only to get silenced by Yuki kissing her on the lips.
Hana smirks at Yuki's sudden boldness. Eyes turn in their direction, followed by gasps and sounds of shock and awe. Though, some of them have looks of dismay, but those are mostly from the boys. Hiei's face turns crimson. She's kissed Yuki before, but only on the cheek and in private, and it was the same when Yuki kissed her cheek.
Yuki eventually frees her lips, "There, that should do it," she smiles.
"Y-Y-Yuki! There's a time and a place for something like that!" Hiei stutters, her composure in shambles.
"But, at least this way everyone will understand that you and I are together. And I do want to become your wife, so let's make our engagement official. You already have my family's approval anyway," Yuki replies.
"But, what about my-," Hiei begins.
Screams stop her as they trio look to see the girls in the cafeteria swarm around them.
"Oh my god, are you two dating? Are you engaged? When's the wedding?!" they all flood them with questions.
While Yuki's little stunt seemed to solve one problem, as the boys lament the fact that they have no chance with her now, it also created a whole new dilemma with the girls. The ladies always want to hear about people's love stories. However, Hiei's thoughts are on what she was about to say before she got interrupted.
"What about getting MY parents' approval?" Hiei wonders.
...
Late in the evening, Yuki and her friends are back in their dorm, getting ready to head in for the night. But, not before Yuki gets her daily dose of Hiei's fluffy tail. She's been wrapping her arms around it every day since Hiei and Hana's punishment began. The only mercy for Hiei is that Yuki only does it when they're alone. Same when she wants Hiei to wear her maid outfit.
"Ah, the fluffy is so healing," Yuki coos, smushing her face into the fur.
"Y-Yuki, you've been holding onto my tail for the past ten minutes now. Can you please release me?" Hiei begs.
"Just about done... Ah, so fluffy," Yuki replies, not letting go in the slightest.
"I really need you to let go. I have something important to discuss with you," Hiei pleads.
Yuki eventually releases her tail, "Okay, so what did you want to talk about?"
"It's about our engagement. While we basically have your family's approval, we have yet to seek the approval of mine. I want to seek their approval first before we decide to officially get married. This way, there will be less drama down the road," Hiei explains.
"Do you think it will be hard to get their approval?" Yuki asks.
"I don't know. My mother may be more accepting. My father... I'm not so sure. I remember how he wanted me to find a mate someday and give birth to an heir for the family... since I'm an only child," Hiei shrugs her shoulders.
"It's annoying when people can't be more flexible, huh," Hana notes while reading a book upside down from the ceiling.
"I was given a little more leeway when I began working directly for the imperial family, but I'm sure that won't be enough to convince my father," Hiei sighs.
"Perhaps Mother Hikaru can help. As the Dragon Princess, maybe she can convince him. Maybe he'll at least go along with it since you'd be marrying a member of the imperial family. I'm sure he won't oppose that. Mother Hikaru is still in the capital for a few more days. I'll send her a letter asking her for help in this regard. I know she'll help," Yuki says.
"Okay, we'll start from there," Hiei nods to the idea.
"I'll send a letter to my family back home. Maybe they can help too since they've known Hiei's parents for years," Hana says.
"Thank you, Hana," Yuki smiles.
"Well, with that settled, we should get to bed. We've got another long day of classes tomorrow," Hana stretches before laying back in her silk hammock.
"Let's go to bed," Hiei says and gets under the covers. However, she feels something press against her back and glances back to see Yuk laying down next to her. "Yuki?"
"I want to sleep next to you for tonight. Is that okay?" Yuki says.
"Yuki... alright, as you wish," Hiei replies.
Hiei turns around to face Yuki, who scoots over into her warm embrace. Hiei finds herself kissing Yuki's forehead before the two of them drift off into sleep. Up above, Hana watches them affectionately before going to sleep as well.
...
The next day, at the royal castle, Fuyumi had just returned from her mission in order to give her report to the king. After she did so, he debriefed her on what happened to her daughter at school. Suffice it to say... Fuyumi was not happy.
"I see I have a few pests to get rid of in my backyard, huh. Don't worry, this will only take a few hours," Fuyumi gets a crazed look in her eyes.
"Please, calm down Ser Fuyumi. The one responsible for this has already been punished, I can assure you. Your daughter's actions have also gained more support from her peers. From what my sister has told me, few students think negatively of her now,"
"Calm down, Fuyumi. No need to go making a mess of Yukitsuki's time at school," Anelia holds her hand to calm her down.
Elane lightly grasps her shoulder from behind to help.
"Ugh, fine. I'm just pissed that I didn't get to punish the punk who messed with my daughter myself," Fuyumi groans.
"Well, I wanted to talk with you about that. Specifically, something we retrieved from the school," King Mikhail nods to his advisor who places a box on the table in front of them.
He opens it up to reveal the flute that Raul had used to summon the monster horde.
"Is that what summoned the monsters?" Elane asks.
"Indeed. My people looked up records of it and found only a few old documents related to it. A monster summoning flute. However, they were thought to have been destroyed a long time ago. During the great war against the demon army. It was said the demons used these flutes to summon hordes of monsters to attack the human race long ago. Many fell at their great numbers during that bloody conflict," King Mikhail explains.
"But, that war was generations ago. How could something like this have survived all this time?" Anelia asks.
"I'm not sure, but it definitely doesn't bode good tidings. Raul only said he got it from someone else, but never learned that person's identity. Rest assured; I have my people looking into the matter. We'll find out who gave Raul that flute and stop them. You have my word," King Mikhail says.
"Then I'd better help them. I'm not just going to sit by and do nothing. But... I'd like to see my daughter first. It's been some time since we last spoke," Fuyumi says.
King Mikhail nods, "I understand. I will let you know if I come across anything,"
"Do you think this could become something more serious, Your Majesty?" Anelia asks tentatively.
"I certainly hope not, Lady Anelia. I certainly hope not..." King Mikhail looks out the window, silently praying his fears are just a matter of him worrying too much.
...
Meanwhile, in an unknown location, several hooded figures meet up in a candle-lit room once again.
"The mission with the monster horde failed. However, we were able to better ascertain the girl's abilities. It seems the experiment wasn't a total failure," one voice says.
"But still, we have not yet retrieved the girl. She is the key to everything, isn't she?" another voice asks.
"Indeed. Which is precisely why we must be smart and patient. This was merely an experiment to test the waters. She can't stay in the academy forever. Once she leaves it, then we will make our move. However, that doesn't mean we can't get a little more help from the inside. We just need to find the right help this time," a third voice says.
"We must be swift this time. The longer we remain idle, the greater the chance that she will find us," a fourth voice notes with worry.
"Do not concern yourself with her. Should she come, I will deal with her... myself," the final voice, a deeper voice, says.
"As you say, holy one," the four bow their heads to their leader.
"Let us make preparations. The time has come to take back what is rightfully ours. The goddess bestowed this gift unto us, and only we can make proper use of it. For the will of our goddess," the leader says.
"For the will of our goddess," the others say in unison.
...
Meanwhile, May Fanchone arrives in a small village. The very same village where Fuyumi met Yukitsuki all those years ago.
"Now then, where should I start?" May mutters.
And that's the chapter. More pieces are put into play as more players enter the game. Meanwhile, Yuki and Hiei make their relationship public, but who knows what will come of it. Until then, please Read and Review.