by Max Jager
"How do you figure that one?"
Moving from his mate, Kurosai started to dress for bed. "It will be good for him to see what I mean when I talk to him. I swear he thinks there are hardly any humans out there in the world. He tells me all the time we would be better off without them. While I agree with him, there are more out there than there were when I was born. And more come every day. It will be good for him to see just how many there are and why we have to work with them and try to avoid war with them. It will show him it is not as easy as he seems to think it is."
Her arms crossing Sorae hardened her eyes as she glared at her mate. "You expect him to run into trouble with them!?"
Slipping into a pair of loos hakamas Kurosai didn't even look up at her. "It isn't that I expect it will happen. I know it will. It does me every time I leave too. That pup is a good son. Respectful to those that he knows he has to be. But rude as hell whenever a human comes to have a meeting with me. No matter if it is a low farmer or a human Lord."
Her eyes wide now Sorae just stood there. After a moment she looked out the window with a sigh. "He is? Why haven't you ever told me this?"
"I can handle it. he was a first child for both of us. I am no slouch either you know Sorae. There have been more than a few times when he has had to be shown physically that he doesn't act like that and expect me to retire any time soon. He has a good head but stubborn as hell." Looking up when he smelled her unshed tears he sighed as he walked up behind her and hugged her. "What are the tears for Sorae?"
Taking a deep breath Sorae sighed as she leaned her head back on his chest. "In a word. Kiyoshi. I can't believe after the way he was raised that he would be rude to anyone who comes to have meetings with you. He is always so respectful all the time. I guess I just didn't think that he had it in him to be rude like that. With Sanzo that is different but no someone who is here to meet with you."
Lifting her into his arms Kurosai kissed her cheek as he headed back toward the bed. "He is also still technically a pup you have to remember. Those rebellious years. A few times of doing this, knowing if I get any humans coming and complaining about him he won't get the title for hundreds of years to come. That will force him to at least be civil with them."
Smiling as she let out a sigh, Sorae snuggled into his arms as he lay down and pulled her close to him. "I hope you are right. I just hope he isn't going out looking for trouble. He was so adamant about it."
Letting his own eyes close, Kurosai took a deep breath. "I told him that if he was to come across one he was not to engage them at all. However that is a possibility that he will come across one. Even if he is out looking for them, now or twenty years from now he would have done it. All we can do is trust his judgement when it comes to things like that."
As her eyes closed she fought back tears. Sorae didn't know if he was ever going to leave to do this again with the way it was affecting her. 'I just hope that he isn't that big of a fool that he would think he can do something like that.'
X
Finding a tree with a large branch to sit in for his first night away from home on his own, Kiyoshi had a rare and small smile on his face. To have his first night where he was not constantly being watched by his parents or Umarus. Or to not hear his sister yelling his name every time he turns a corner was more than relaxing. He absolutely adored his family. Even if he didn't openly show it to them all the time. But they also had a way of stifling him in a sense. He used any excuse he could to find a place to be alone in quiet and calmness. It never lasted long in the palace though.
However just as his eyes started to drift closed, he got the smell of blood and could hear the feint screams of humans. His first reaction was to just block it out. He hated them. But then remembering the lecture he got just the night before on preserving the balance from his father, he growled as he dropped from the tree and rushed to the village to help.
As he entered the village he glared. A large centipede demon in the middle of it with a couple dozen bodies strung throughout the half destroyed village. "You fool." Then pulled one of his two katanas and lets the wind swirl around it. One fast swing from holding it straight out even with his shoulder, to pointing to the sky over his other shoulder, blades of wind sliced that sliced the centipede to pieces. After it fell to the ground Kiyoshi turned and headed out of the village without so much as a word."
After just three steps he narrows his eyes as he jumped clear of an arrow that hits the ground right where he stood. Landing a few feet away, Kiyoshi hardened his eyes when he saw a miko standing where the demon was at. "Your problem with me is what?"
Standing in the middle of all the destruction, the lone miko let her long black hair flow in the wind around her red and white outfit. Her look for the demon before her was one of more disappointment than anything. "I sensed your presence while I was picking herbs. Your nose and senses are better than mine. And yet you couldn't stop this from happening!?"
His glare never wavering, Kiyoshi stood there as he watched her hands gripping her bow so tightly that her knuckles were white. Making eye contact again he sighed. "I came when I smelled the blood. Just because there is a demon around doesn't mean that I am going to kill it just because of what it might do. If you could sense me, then your senses are not that bad. You should know that there are demons all over these woods. You don't want the attacks, then move the village."
Her black eyes flashing, the miko quickly drew another arrow and fired. Her eyes hardening as he side stepped it with ease. If she wasn't injured from trying to fight the centipede she would have hit him she knew it. "You know nothing of how hard it is to live in a village like this! Judging from your clothes you are a high class as they call themselves. I would love to see any of you, especially Kurosai or his kid live this life for just a day! Maybe, then just maybe they might do something!"
"We make our rounds."
"And what about between that! There are countless deaths! All across all the lands! But someone of your class just doesn't care! Neither does Kurosai!"
Growling, Kiyoshi turned his back to this woman. He wasn't going to indulge in her petty arguments. She didn't even know who he was! "My father Kurosai. He is the one who thinks that we need to have a good standing with you humans. Personally I couldn't care less what happens to any of you." Hearing her clothes move he moved and had her back slammed into a tree.
Looking up through half closed eyes into the ice blue eyes of the demon she never let any of the rage leave hers. He wasn't hurting her but she could see the loathing and want to kill her in his eyes. "You bastard. One of these days. Those words are going to backfire on you and it will be a miko that causes it."
After a glare and a growl, Kiyoshi dropped the weak human to the ground and left without another word. Just one more reason for him to hate humans in general. They think they are superior and want special treatment. And yet when saved can't even say thank you for it! 'Just makes me wonder why Sanzo and Shone say that some of her kind can be a threat to us. She couldn't hit the side of the palace let alone a demon. I doubt the South will ever have a problem with them.'
Back at his tree, Kiyoshi closed his eyes as he wore a scowl on his face this time instead of a smile. He hated talking to humans and every time he did, even at home he wanted to retch. If it hadn't been for the fact he did not want his parents cross at him at the moment, he wouldn't have bothered going anywhere near that village and let them fend for themselves. It was clear though that if she was the extent of what the South had as far as mikos went. There was going to be nothing to worry about from them.
X
With a sigh as she waltzed into the throne room where her brother was, Shinra closed her eyes. "You wanted to see me?"
Turning on his sister with a glare Kenji growled as he crossed his arms. "What the hell were you thinking Shinra!?"
Glaring as she crossed her arms, Shinra then turned her head as she humphed. "I don't even know what you are talking about."
His rage soaring
at her lack of interest in what she could have done to them, Kenji growled. Then before she could react pulled his dagger and flung it at her, letting it just barely graze the bottom of her bangs. Pulling glaring and angry eyes to him. "That last damned village! What the hell were you thinking attacking it!"
Turning to fully face her brother now, Shinra's eyes narrowed even more as rage soared through her. "What the hell do you care? You were the one who told me that I could do what I want to do so that I cause trouble for Chirio. What I am doing is for a friend. A friend whose cub you are personally training so he can kill Chirio and Hiro. What is it to you?"
Slamming his hand through the wall, Kenji snarled at his sister. "I told you I didn't care what you did in the North! The last village wasn't North it half and half! You destroyed it all and half of it rested on the South!"
Turning her shoulder to him, Shinra sighed then looked over at him with the same glare. "What does that matter? In the end you plan on crushing the South right? I don't even see why you think we have to stay in hiding anyway. Once Motoichi takes over the North it will be like our playground."
Pulling his hand out of the wall, Kenji growled as he looked out the window to where Motoichi was going through drills, watched by his mother. Even he had to admit that she devil pulled one over on him with her silver tongue she has. But he knew not to trust them in the least. "I still say you trust them too easily Shinra. And too quickly."
Her eyes flashing as she stormed up to glare at her brother, Shinra stuck her finger in his face. "What do you mean by that brother? She is one of my best friends. To stand there and foul mouth her to me you better have more than a feeling to back it up."
Giving her a stern look Kenji never moved. After a lingering stare into her eyes he turned back to the leopards in question. "When she set out just after she was grown to pursue Chirio to become a Lady. That was the last time you saw her before she showed up with that cub. The taste of power must have warpped her. The few dragons that didn't flee to follow our bastard brother have told me they have heard her and what her plans for that cub are. And it foils ours."
"And what are they?"
"To make him not only Lord of the North but Lord of all the lands."
Shaking her head as she crossed her arms again Shinra closed her eyes. "That is not true! Whoever told you this needs a lesson in running his mouth. Her only reason is to get revenge on Chirio for sending her and Motoichi away."
Taking a deep breath, Kenji turned and walked away from her to sit on his throne again. "I guess you are going to have to learn this the hard way. She is just as devious when it comes to getting what she wants as we are. Once that cub of hers takes over the North she won't stop with that. And we won't have free run over either. And once that blood pact is over, they won't know friend from foe unless it is each other."
Growling, Shinra then stormed from that room and down the hall to her room. Looking out the window she found Yori smiling as she watched Motoichi training. "You are wrong brother. They may be devious but not to us. When the time comes I will expect an apology."
Making of a Lord Chapter 33
Six long months have passed since he left, and now with a sigh as he smells his sister racing for him Kiyoshi walks back in the gate of the Palace. After his first interaction with a miko that first night, he was convinced that they were not a threat like everyone thought they were. But every single village he came to had a miko in it that either tried to kill him or demanded he leave. And he now hated the humans even more than he did when he was little. Now it was convincing his father that to keep a good standing with all the humans was next to impossible.
"Big brother!"
Smiling as Yukani rushed to his side and grabbed his leg. Resting his hand on her head Kiyoshi sighed. "Yukani."
One hand holding onto his clothes, Yukani let out an excited giggle as she walked with him. "You were gone for too long brother. It was boring. Why did you stay gone for so long anyway? Mama is angry about that."
Closing his eyes as his smile faded Kiyoshi dropped his head. "I knew she would be. At least until she hears why I hope."
"That is something I am interested in hearing as well son. Six months is a long time to be gone when I can do it in four."
Looking up at his father, his usual unemotional mask in place Kiyoshi moved his hand from Yukani's head as he glared. "In two words what took me so long were humans in general and mikos."
Fisting his hands at his side, Kurosai growled as he narrowed his eyes. Sorae was right! He did just want to leave to find a miko! "So your mother was right then. This was just to find a miko. You idiot!"
Shaking his head side to side Kiyoshi walked on past his father. That was the reason but he would never tell them. And he wouldn't have had to look hard for one either. "It was not my reasons for doing this. I merely want the experience in doing it. But it was rather hard to avoid a miko when there is one in nearly every village that dots the South."
His eyes going wide Kurosai gasped as he froze and looked at the back of his head in shock. "Wait what did you just say?"
Stopping he turned his mask to his father, Kiyoshi nodded to him. "From the very first night that I was gone up until last night. The low level demons attack on mass whenever they can. Every village I went to and destroyed the demons attacking lead to an argument or a fight with a miko at that. Each miko had different level of abilities as well."
His eyes now stern as he walked after him as he went in the palace Kurosai crossed his arms. "You didn't kill anyone did you?"
Taking a deep breath as he entered the palace Kiyoshi shook his head side to side. "No Father. I did not harm a single human. Though the level of disrespect that they have. I do not understand why you insist that we keep peace with them."
X
Though she cried tears of relief as they got closer to her, Sorae had her arms crossed and her face in a glare. He was gone far toolong! And there was something different about him. But at least he was safe home. And until she couldn't tell him no, he was never leaving the palace walls again! The second the door opened she had to fight herself not to rush to him. "Really Kiyoshi? Six months?"
Dropping his head with a sigh as he stood in the door, Kiyoshi never changed his mask. "Yes mother six months. I would rather not go over the details of what happened more than once. Would you mind coming to Father's study?"
Rushing after him to walk next to him as he just turned and walked away she still had tears streaming from her eyes. "Being gone for so long. I know I am right. You went out searching for mikos didn't you?"
Shaking his head again Kiyoshi kept his eyes straight. "I did not mother. However I did have dealings with them. You will hear it all when we reach Father's study."
Just a few moments later, Kiyoshi was standing in his father's study with a map laid out of the South. Looking at the map the then glared up at his father. "My first night out there was a demon attacking a village. I destroyed it and the thanks I got was an arrow from a very weak miko that couldn't hit a target as big as the palace I don't think. After that, they seemed to be everywhere."
"You said nearly every village has one. How many don't?"
"Just five of them."
His eyes hard as he kept his own arms crossed Kurosai took a deep breath. "What are their power levels?"
Looking back down at the map his eyes flicked to two places. "For the most part I think Yukani would be able to take them down in a fight and win with ease using a practice blade. However. There are a few that we should keep a close watch on. They would be someone who would be a threat."
Fisting his hands Kurosai narrowed his eyes down at the map. "So where are they and why just these locations?"
Reaching out and sticking the map with a pin in two different places Kiyoshi sighed as he met his father's eyes. The first one he pointed to was just over the border from the North. "This was not a village that was attacked. However as I passed over it, the smell of purification was overpowering. Looking do
wn there were several women watching me with red and white clothes. I don't know if it was the combined power of them or if just one was projecting it. But I could feel the sheer power of the purification that made my skin crawl a few hundred feet up in the air."
"The other one?"
The other spot was nearly right on the border of the West. Glaring at it he growled. "That village was established and is lead by a miko and her monk 'husband' as she called him. When a smaller village near them was attacked they could sense it and rushed to help them. When they got there they found me leaving and a bear demon dead on the ground."
In barely a whisper, Sorae was in a state of shock right now. "What happened?"
Stepping back and crossing his arms, Kiyoshi looked up into his father's eyes. His eyes just as hard as his father's. "They asked me what happened and I told them. Keeping my distance. The amount of power they were giving off was intense and immense and they didn't seem to be trying to flare it either. Just one had more than enough power that like Torakus said years ago. One arrow could kill anyone in the palace or multiple." Then taking a deep breath he relaxed. "However this I have to say was the one conversation that I had that wasn't hostile."
