Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  Sitting behind her as he watched her nursing his son, Kurosai couldn't stop the smile that played on his face. Moving up so that his legs were around her he leaned into her back and looked over her shoulder to look down at his son as his wide awake eyes flicked back and forth between his and Sorae's. "I don't think you have to worry about that. I am sure the love that your mother showed him will stay with him forever."

  "I hope so. It just still hurts so bad."

  Kissing her shoulder, Kurosai wrapped his arms around her waist. "I know it does. It will forever. When I sit and think about my parents it still hurts. But each day it will start getting a little better. And before you know it, Kiyoshi will not give you time to sit and dwell on it while he is zooming all over the place. I promise it does get easier."

  "I hope it happens soon."

  "So do I love. So do I."

  "It will."

  For a while at least, the two could share some happy moments as mates and parents. Once Kiyoshi was done eating he erupted into a fit of laughter and giggles that was so infections that both Kurosai and Sorae couldn't help but be drug into doing the same thing. She could still feel the pain in her heart over the loss of her mother. But Sorae knew that at least her son would always be safe and have his grandmother to watch over him as he grows. And that the one who took her away from them was gone. 'Soon as I can move on from this I will be fine. He can't hurt us my son. And you are going to be key in me moving on. But Mama. I will always love you. And will make sure that he knows just how much you loved him as well.'

  Making of a Lord Chapter 22

  "Would you get back here!"

  As the giggles rang out through the halls once again, Kurosai found that he was once again chasing his three year old son through the halls of the palace. His son giggling and watching him as if he was taunting him to try and catch him. And according to Umarus, Kiyoshi was giving him just as much if not more trouble than he gave his parents at the same age. And he couldn't help but marvel at how fast he was. Just when he would think that he had him, he would zig zag and be gone again! Rounding a corner to find his son standing already half way down the hall he took off again. "Kiyoshi if you don't stop right there you have had it when I get you damnit! "

  Dropping her head with a sigh, Sorae shook her head side to side as she heard her mate once again yelling her son's name through the halls. Another yell and more giggles she dropped her head to thump on her desk. The first year after her mother's murder, she was in and out of depression. Dealing with a growing pup and trying to deal with what happened, she got so far behind on work as Lady of the South. And here they are two years later and she was still finding it hard to do the work. Even when he was with his father it was still just as distracting to her.

  Standing, Sorae went and steped out of her study just in time to snag her son around the waist and lifted the giggling boy up in her arms. Smiling as his arms went around her neck. Looking up with a smug smile as her mate rounded the corner with a glare for him. Laughing herself as he reached them, Sorae looked up into his glaring eyes with dancing ones of her own. "What was that you said this morning? About Kiyoshi being a breeze to handle now?"

  Growling, Kurosai crossed his arms as his glare stayed fixed on the still laughing pup. "Fine. Fine. I take it back. I just don't get where he can be three and so much faster than I am."

  Snuggling her son to her, Sorae giggled with him as she rubbed her nose against his. "It doesn't surprise me at all Kurosai. Children are supposed to be stronger than their parents. Look at him on his presentation. His eyes were already bleeding like he wanted to transform. And he was only a few weeks old."

  Turning his glare to his mate, Kurosai growled again. "And they are supposed to listen to their parents too."

  Laughing as she gave her mate a mock glare herself, Sorae shook her head. "Really? What was it you said to me my first day here when you were showing me around? Didn't you say something about about how you were not good for your mother? I would imagine that you were not good for your father. Maybe he takes more after you than you are willing to admit."

  Reaching over and taking his still laughing son, Kurosai half glared at his mate with a smile. "Didn't you tell me last night you have work you want to get done?" He then kissed her as he turned and walked away with his son over his shoulder.

  Sorae smiled as she shook her head and crossed her arbs before going back in her study with a small sigh. Sitting down she looked up to see the portrait of his parents that had been moved over and right next to it was one of her, Kurosai and Kiyoshi. Looking around with a soft smile she let out a long sigh. "And one day Kiyoshi's mate will be in this room with a portrait of her, him and my grandchild. With his or her great grandma watching over them too. Huh Mama."

  X

  Once he was outside in the gardens, Kurosai smiled as he gave a quick look around. They were destroyed when Shinra and he transformed and were in them. With the battle raging around them. But after that first year and Sorae was able to motivate herself to move on without her mother, she set straight to work on fixing them. And they were back to perfection now.

  The wiggling on his shoulder made him laugh as he held his son under his arms in the middle of the garden and smiled up at him. "You really are giving me all this hell right now for the hell I put my parents through huh boy?" He then gave him a good hard throw up in the air sending him flying over the trees and caught him as he fell back to him pulling an excited squeal and enthusiastic fit of laughter that followed. "Oh so you like that huh?"

  Walking toward him, Umarus smiled as he watched this moment with father and son. Moments that he loved to see between this father and son. Just like the last. "My Lord."

  Tossing his son high again, Kurosai didn't even look at him as he smiled at his son's smile. "What is it Umarus."

  "A messenger has just arrived from Lord Chirio My Lord. It seems that he is planning a trip to see you and should be here within the next week or two."

  Catching his son, kyichi turned to him with a sigh. "Alright. Does it say if Yori is coming with him this time? Last year I swear I thought that she and Sorae were going to kill each other."

  Laughing as he shook his head, Umarus crossed his arms. "No. Actually he says that he is only bringing young Lord Soichiro with him."

  Nodding as he turned and once again tossed his son high into the sky, both Kurosai and Umarus laughed at the pups giggles. "That is not a problem at all. He adores Sorae and Kiyoshi and she wishes she could keep him here and away from his mother. It really is a shame that he wasn't born first. He would have made a much better heir to the North than that other one does."

  Nodding as he shook his head, Umarus laughed at the pup again. "Agreed."

  X

  Her eyes wide and just about popping out of her head, all Yori could do was stare back at her mate who seemed to ignore her. She couldn't believe what he just said to her! "You are doing what!? Are you serious right now Chirio?"

  Glaring up at her over his paperwork, Chirio sighed. "I am."

  Putting a hand on her hip she pointed up to her eldest in the family portrait done after Soichiro was born. "Why don't you take Motoichi with you!? He is the one that you should be wanting to do this stuff with. He needs to learn what it means to deal with the other land. Not Soichiro!"

  Narrowing his eyes, Chirio growled deep in his chest as he looked up at her. "That would be true yes. However thanks to you he acts like anything to do with me and learning how to lead the North is a bother to him. All he worries about is making his body stronger. Being physically strong won't make him a good leader. But when I try to tell him that, he laughs and says any who don't listen will just get cut down. He doesn't see what I do try to teach him because you got his damn head warped!"

  Don't you dare!" Storming up to his desk she stood before him with both hands on her hips. "Don't you dare try to blame me for this Chirio. I am trying to make him understand what he has to know to rule. I can only do so much where it comes
to that because I have never been allowed to be part of the choices of the North! He needs his father! Soichiro is only ever going to bw weak and on the sidelines watching his brother and you…"

  "Enough!" Slamming his fist down on the desk, Chirio growled as Yori jumped back some. He has had it! With her and Motoichi! "Motoichi is more conceded I think than you could ever be. You got two choices Yori. And I don't give a damn what one you chose to do either."

  Her eyes flashing again Yori crossed her arms. Cursing the fact that she was not physically able to do anything, or she would have already killed him and Soichiro, stayed Lady and made sure that Motoichi became a force. But that wasn't going to happen. At least not at her hands. "What are you talking about?"

  Looking up at her, Chirio didn't try and hide the glare in his eyes or the growl in his voice. "You are to bring that cub of yours down a few notches. He is not better than his brother. He is not better than his father. He cannot torment the demons and humans of the North with a rule of tyranny. If he turns out to do something like that, it will back fire on him in the end and someone will end him as Kento ended the Tiger of the South. You don't bring him down a few notches, then I will name someone else my heir. And you can leave and take him with you."

  Growling as she narrowed her eyes down at him, Yori couldn't believe what she heard come out of his mouth! He couldn't do that! "You wouldn't dare. You wouldn't dare do that to me or to your own son! It would be your ruin I promise you that. It is his birthright!"

  Growling back at her, Chirio was serious. "If you don't bring him down a few notches, he will never see himself as Lord of the North as long as I can stop it. I can promise you that one Yori."

  Growling back at him, Yori stood her ground for a moment. She wanted to see if he meant what he said or not. When he never wavered she took a deep breath as she closed her eyes and stormed for the door. "Fine. You win this one. For now."

  Just before she was out of the door, Chirio growled again making her jump. "Oh and Yori."

  "What?" Turning her eyes were still glaring with pure rage right now. If she could she would run him through at this moment!

  The warning in his eyes clear, and he knew she got it when the fear flew through hers at first. "Kenta is with Soichiro. If I am not he is. You and Motoichi are to stay away from him. As far away from his as you can. Have I made that clear? I will not allow either of you to take what I am doing out on him."

  "Whatever."

  Chirio sighed as she slammed the door shut. He knew she only agreed to keep her status and to try to do something stupid to make sure that Motoichi keeps his. 'I have to do something to make sure that even if they do something underhanded to get Motoichi to be Lord, that they can't do anything to ruin what is going on with the other lands. I just hope that I can get Kurosai to agree to it. If he does, then it will tie their hands for a while at least."

  Making of a Lord Chapter 23

  As she stormed through the halls of the palace, Yori growled to herself as she pushed anyone who got in her way out of the way. Her destination was her cub as he trained in the garden. But her mind reeling with what Chirio just told her. Motoichi wasn't old enough to do anything about it, or strong enough. And with Chirio being Lord he could do exactly what he said!

  Exiting the palace she took a deep breath as her eyes set in stone. 'I will show him what happens when he crosses me and my son. He will not threaten us like that. He will not take what is Motoichi's birth right from him! I will not have it!'

  Just before she rounded the corner to where Motoichi was, she glanced to the right and saw that Kenta was indeed with Soichiro. Training him. All she could think was if he had only been a girl. Then Chirio wouldn't be able to take being heir to the North away from Motoichi. But no she had to have another son that was a weak coward like his father was. The shared idealistic ideas that they had made her sick. When he looked up at her and smiled she stuck her nose in the air and walked on. In her mind, she only had one son and didn't care what happened to the other one. Motoichi was her only concern.

  Once she rounded the corner of the palace she found Motoichi and smiled with pride as she stopped for a moment. He was there and faced off with two members of the Northern Army. Sending them flying as they charged him with little effort. Though he stood just a little above her knee now when he was grown he would be able to show his father. But a few guards that were not really trying to hurt him was different than his father by a long shot.

  Holding her hand up to stop them she made eye contact with her son. "Motoichi. Come with me we need to talk." She then turned headed toward a spot in the garden where no one was. Once they were by a secluded koi pond she looked around the spoke only loud enough for her son to hear as she turned on him with an angry look. "We have a problem."

  "What?"

  Crossing her arms she growled. "Your father. Right now he can do this. I will figure out a way so he can't. But for the time being you have got to act like I taught you. You must act different than you are naturally. Or you will never become Lord and ruin our plans that we have so carefully laid out."

  Giving his mother an odd look Motoichi let his head fall to the side. "No matter what he says he cannot take the right to be the next Lord away from you. I am first born and it is my birthright."

  Her eyes flashing at him she growled down at her son. So easily he forgot, just as she did sometimes that he had a brother. "He can do so. If he has someone else that he can name a legitimate heir. Think son."

  His eyes going wide the glaring, Motoichi snarled. "Soichiro."

  Nodding she began to pace back and forth. "Exactly. However we can't just dispose of him and be done with it. Your father has taken precautions against that. And he is taking him to the South in a week. While he is gone it will give you time to practice."

  Growling low in his small chest, Motoichi looked up at the palace as he crossed his arms. "So why don't I just defeat him now and take the title of Lord right now? That would fix it."

  Glaring down at her pup as she stopped, Yori growled loud enough she pulled a yelp from the cub. "You can take down a few weak low level guards yes. But your father is a different story all together. For the two or three you can deal with, he can teal with a hundred times that amount. You are good son, just not that good yet."

  Dropping down to sit in the grass, Motoichi growled as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Well then mother. What are we going to do about this?"

  "For right now we make it look like we are doing exactly what he wants us to do." Glaring toward the corner of the palace knowing that Soichiro was just around it Yori growled. "Starting with when you are around your father and brother, you play nice to Soichiro. Treat him like your equal. And don't act like you are above your father either."

  An annoyed groan as he fell backwards on his back, Motoichi hated this plan. "But I am better than both of them mother."

  "I know that son." Yori sighed as she moved to look down at him with a half-smile. "I know you are and so do you. However if your father doesn't think you are at least trying to change then you are going to be cut off and I won't have that." Sitting down on a bench near him, Yori let out an annoyed sigh as she rubbed the sides of her head. "Our plans will not be ruined because of this and I will personally make sure of that. You just start playing the part of the good son. But never….." Her eyes met Motoichi's as they narrowed at him. "Never ever forget who you really are. And while you play the part I will figure out how to get your father and brother out of the picture."

  "Yes Mother."

  X

  Though he was still annoyed even after Yori left, looking up as he smelled Soichiro coming toward the office, Chirio smiled as he burst through the door. His second son was the light of his life. And he knew deep down that he would make a much better heir to the North than his brother is. But he wasn't going to put that pressure on his head. Not anytime soon at any rate.

  Laying his hand on his son's head as he reached his side with a bright smi
le, Chirio laughed. "What is it son?"

  Looking up at his father with his bright smile, Soichiro stood to his right like he always did. "Father. Master Kenta showed me some new moves today. Will you please come out and watch me do them later?"

  With a nod, Chirio felt his smile get bigger as he moved his hand off his cub's head. The only time he smiled like that was when it was just he and Soichiro anymore. "I will do that. And perhaps I will show you a few things as well. Soichiro there is something you need to know. I have sent word to Kurosai and Sorae that I will be at his palace next week."

  Dropping his head to try to hide the pain and fear that swam in his eyes, Soichiro gave his father a nod. He didn't understand it. He loved his mother and brother very much. Even though they were not nice to him ever. He didn't like the feeling of having his mother and brother treat him like he was nothing. The only time he felt safe and like he could be himself and loved was when he was with his father. "I see."