Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  Looking at the two sets of eyes that looked at her, then to Yukani again Imae blinked her large chocolate eyes. She knew those looks. They didn't like her. "These are yours and Lord Kiyoshi's parents?"

  "That's right honey." Yukani then looked up at her parents as she moved Imae to stand right in front of her . "Mama. Papa. This is Imae."

  With a bright smile, Imae gave a gracious bow as she held her hands together behind her back. "It is very nice to meet you Lord Kurosai and Lady Sorae."

  Blinking down at the child, Sorae didn't know what to say at first. She was amazed that being surrounded by demons as powerful as the four around her, this little girl didn't have an ounce a fear where most grown adult humans would cower in pure terror. "Hello Imae."

  Growling was Kurosai's only response to her. He wasn't going to fall for this sweet an innocent act that she had going on right now. He was still trying to figure out how in the hell she got his son to fall for it.

  That all too familiar feeling flooded over her. Imae didn't even have to open her eyes or look up at Kiyoshi's father. He didn't like her. But his reason was because she is a human and his son cares about her and he didn't like that. In the other world it was because she was an orphan. Something she had no control over. But she adored Kiyoshi, Yukani and Kamui. That was all that mattered to her was she loved them and they loved her and wanted her to stay as much as she wanted to stay.

  Dropping ot her knees, Sorae gave a forced smile as she looked into the girl's bright eyes and smile. Clearing her throat she drew the girl's attention to her. "Imae. My son told me that you didn't want go with any of the humans and live with them. Can I ask you why?"

  Freezing at the tone that her mother used, and the question Yukani was instantly thankful that her brother was still in his study and didn't hear her say that. His mother or not, Kiyoshi would have went off on it. 'Oh Mama. I can see it now. You and Papa are going to set him off so much this week.'

  Closing her eyes again, Imae giggled as she folded her hands before her this time and stood there. "That is easy to answer. Every human I ever met was mean to me because I am an orphan. My Papa died before I was born, Mama when I was born, and my big sister when I was five. Lord Kiyoshi didn't treat me badly. He let me follow him. I asked him if I could stay with him forever and he said I could. So here I am."

  Another disgruntled growl, Kurosai walked away from them as he headed for the palace. "I need to talk to that pup of mine again."

  Giving her mate a look, Yukani knew what she had to do. If she could convince her mother to not push that Kiyoshi send her away, and get to know her, she knew her father would follow suit and they would both love her as much as they did. But she didn't want Imae to hear it.

  Seeing the look in Yukani's eyes Kamui nodded then kissed the side of her head. Reaching down he lifted Imae up to sit on his shoulders as he smiled. "How about you and I go check and see how the fish are doing in the other pond. Remember they put more koi in it the other day."

  "I forgot about that! Of course lets go Kamui!"

  Watching her mate with her as they walked away, she couldn't wait to give him his own pup. He would be amazing. But it would happen when it happened. Once they were far enough away that she knew Imae wouldn't be able to hear her, she crossed her arms as she turned a glare on her mother. "Really Mama? Really?"

  Sitting down on the bench Sorae glared back at her daughter with crossed arms. "You mean to tell me that you are really okay with this? That you and Kamui actually really care about that…that….heathen?"

  Her eyes going wide as she paled, Yukani couldn't believe that her mother just called her that! Imae was nothing like a little heathen! "A little heathen! Imae is nothing of the kind!"

  Rolling her eyes Sorae closed her eyes. "She is an orphaned human that for some odd reason your brother has taken pity on and I still don't understand that one. This family hasn't exactly been overly friendly with them. Well until now at any rate." She then stood to walk away from her daughter. She didn't really want to have to argue with her about it like they were already doing with her brother."

  Growling as her mother started to leave, Yukani stormed around and crossed her arms as she looked her mother in the eyes. She couldn't believe that her mother was acting this way toward a child! Human or demon she was nothing but an innocent child that never hurt anyone. "Really Mama you want to go there? Really?"

  "What are you talking about Yukani?"

  With her hands on her hips now, Yukani kept her growl. "You were the one that drilled it not only into my head but Kiyoshi's as well not to judge anyone, not just demons, anyone without first knowing everything. And never to judge someone just because of what their status or race is."

  Growing more and more cross at her daughter, Sorae crossed her arms as she let out an annoyed sigh. "You know as well as I do Yukani that I was talking about in the demon world. Why would I tell you to give a human the benefit of the doubt and not judge them?"

  Yukani closed her eyes as she turned her back to her mother. "I don't see this as any different. She is a child Mama. Human, demon or even half demon she is a child. Not some grown miko that is planning on trying to kill us. You call her a heathen because she is an orphaned human little girl. Well that means that Papa is the son of an orphan right? Since he told us that grandpa had both his parents killed when he was still small by the tiger. If you would stop being so judgmental, and get to know Imae and really get to know her you would see why everyone here at the palace loves her."

  Not even going to say anything about Kurosai's father, seeing as she did have a point on him, that was a different time and a different situation and demons all the way around. But she didn't think that everyone here cared about this little human. "Really Yukani? Really everyone here cares about her."

  Looking over her shoulder Yukani glared at her mother. "Well everyone other than Akahito. But he has always been a jerk so that doesn't count or matter. What does matter is that for whatever reason your son and daughter do care about her and want what is best for her. We don't see her like that. You do. I don't see that as being a bad thing, and you are being hypocritical about it too. You know I bet from what you have told me about her, that Grandma wouldn't have done that to her." Then she walked away before her mother could say anything to her about it. Trying her hardest to calm down before she reached Kamui and Imae.

  Staring after her daughter, Sorae was in shock. Hundreds of hears not living her has changed her, but she did like it. Not that both she and Kiyoshi both felt they could smart off with her and their father. But she did like that she was standing up for what she believed in.

  Headed for the palace, Sorae crossed her arms. Headed for her mate and son. "I just never thought that it would have ever been us verses our pups when it came to a human kid."

  X

  Walking out of the palace, Sorae had her arms crossed as she growled with an annoyed sigh. Another argument with both Kiyoshi, then Yukani, with Kamui in it this time as well. And it was all over the kid! To Sorae's way of thinking, that one little girl was doing nothing but tearing her family apart and she hated it! "And those pups of ours just don't see that she is already causing nothing but trouble for us!"

  "Oh my goodness Lord Kiyoshi! Look at that!"

  Hearing the girl, Sorae went to the edge of the palace and looked around the corner. But what she saw caused tears to spring to her eyes. The scene in front of her was something she always imagined seeing, just with a demon little girl not a human one. There standing in the gardens, under the first night of the full moon was her son. The moonlight making his white hair glisten and glow, with the warmest smile on his face that she had ever seen him have. He was standing there watching as the little girl chased lightning bugs around that area of the garden with giggles.

  It was the look in his eyes that told her everything. There was complete adoration as he looked at her, and the same in her eyes as she looked up at him. It was exactly the same scene that she saw with Kurosai a
nd Yukani when she was that small, in nearly the same spot in the garden.

  Watching as they moved on and walked through the gardens, Sorae now knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that the fight was lost. That little girl was going to be staying there forever. The look in her son's eyes, she knew that look. It was the same look that Kurosai had for Yukani. There was love there and she figured that it wouldn't be but a matter of time that he was going to have her calling him Father. "I wonder if that is his other choice he has made?"

  X

  Looking up as the door opened to see his mate coming in crying, Kurosai growled as he went to her and wrapped his arms around her as she grabbed his clothes and tried not to sob. "It is alright Sorae. Tomorrow I will beat some sense into that boy if I have to and make him send her away."

  Looking up at him, Sorae shook her head side to side. "I would love that but it won't do any good. You would just be beating up on your son for nothing. You should have seen him Kurosai. I saw him a few times with Yukani when they were younger. In the garden tonight with that little girl. The warmth in his eyes and the smile on his face. It was a double edge sword in a way. I always dreamed of seeing him with a little girl doing that. Just like I saw you that one time with Yukani. I just never thought that it would be a human child that brought it out in him."

  Rubbing her back as Sorae once again buried her face into his chest Kurosai sighed as he closed his eyes. "I know and you will see that again with his demon daughter. I will make him see reason for…."

  Pulling a gasp from him, Sorae growled as she twisted out of his arms, took his hand and pulled him to the window and pointed outside to her son with the girl. "Look at that and tell me how easy it is going to be to make him see reason with the kid? Tell me."

  Looking out the window, Kurosai shook his head as he glared with a sigh. There was his son walking along the girl as she chased the lightning bugs in the garden. A smile on his face and a softness in his eyes that he never even had for his sister. Crossing his arms he growled again. "Damnit all to hell. I guess the only thing we can hope for now is that she marries off fast and leaves on her own."

  "I doubt that one." Sorae watched her son as she welcomed her mate's arms around her. "I don't think that one is going to leave this palace until she takes her last breath. But I guess we should at least talk to the girl and give her a true chance tomorrow. Right?"

  Standing there as he too followed his son and the kid in the gardens, he rubbed his mate's arm as she did the same. "I guess we really have no choice in this." But in he still wasn't going to be happy about this at all. Not in the least. 'I know it can't last more than forty or fifty years at the most with her being human. But in in less than twenty years Motoichi is going to be moving to start the war. She will still be young even in human standards. What will you do then son?'

  Making of a Lord Chapter 42

  Standing next to the same koi pond where they said their first words together, Kurosai and Sorae both were still upset over everything that was going on. both knew that Kiyoshi was going to stand his ground, and after what they saw last night was going to be fruitless to try to make him send her away. They would never be happy about it, but they were not going to push it anymore with him.

  Moving next to him, Sorae hugged Kurosai's arm as she leaned her head against his shoulder with a small sigh. "I still can't believe this is going on. But there is nothing we can do to change it either."

  "I know." Rubbing her arm with his free hand Kurosai growled as he looked down at the water. "That damned stubborn pup."

  "Lady Imae! Wait for me!"

  Both looked toward the palace to see the little girl running through the gardens with a guard chasing after her as she giggled. Growling Kurosai closed his eyes. "And now she has a guard with her. And calling her Lady. Damnit."

  "Lord Kurosai. Lady Sorae. How are you doing today?"

  Looking down to see the little girl coming up with a bright smile as she stood there before them, Sorae had wide eyes. She had never seen a human that was that fast. With a half-smile, Sorae let her head fall to the side. "We are fine. How about you?"

  With a sharp nod of her head Imae smiled as big as she could. "I am doing wonderful. Lady Sorae can I ask you something?" When she nodded, Imae looked around at the flowers then back to Sorae. "Yukani told me that you were the one who planted all these wonderful flowers in the gardens. Is that really true?"

  Looking around at the flowers that she and her mother worked hard to get in the right places Sorae smiled as she gave a small nod. "Indeed I am. I had them all planted and growing beautifully before even Kiyoshi was born."

  Her eyes extra wide in amazement, Imae just stood there looking up at her. "Do you think that you could show me how you did it My Lady?"

  Turning blinking and startled eyes back down to the little girl, Sorae was a little shocked to hear that question. Since it wasn't like she hid the fact she didn't really like the kid. "What was that?"

  Giving another bow, Imae giggled as she had her hands behind her back. "I always loved gardens nad flowers. But the village never let me in them to help. I was only able to grow a few flowers in the floor of my home. I want to learn how to grow ones like this. So please Lady Sorae do you think you could teach me?"

  Pulling his arm free from his mate Kurosai groaned with a growl as he dropped to look in the girl's eyes as he reached out and used a finger to make the little girl look up at him. "Look kid. I am not going to play around with it. I do not like the fact that you are here. Or the fact that my son is doting on you like you are his own pop. But what I don't get is you. Any normal kid would have run the opposite way from him. Not followed him and wanted to stay with him like you did. What the hell is wrong with you that you want to stay in a place full of demons?"

  Standing tall and proud, Imae giggled as her eyes danced into Kurosai's. "You did not have to tell me that Lord Kurosai. I knew that already by the way you look at me. But that is alright. I know that not everyone is going to like me. And like me less being here with Lord Kiyoshi. But he cares about me. And I love him. No human ever cared about me. So long as I have one who cares about me that is all that I need. I am sorry to have bothered you Lord Kurosai. Lady Sorae." Then she turned and rushed away, giggling over her shoulder for her guard. "Come on Master Yoite! Catch me!"

  A quick half bow to his Lord's now stunned parents, and Yoite was off and running after the little girl once again. She had limitless energy every day! "Not so far ahead Lady Imae!"

  "Come on and catch me Master Yoite!"

  Looking at each other, Kurosai then let out a long sigh as he dropped his head with a groan. "I never expected that sort of an answer from her."

  "I know. She is rare. Most adult humans run from us. Let alone the children. Yet watching her, everyone acts like having her here is just natural like she belongs here."

  Looking up to find his son walking toward them, his usual emotionless mask in place, Kurosai sighed. He had to admit he did like seeing the emotion on his face, just not with the kid. But Sorae was right. Everyone but them were treating her like she belonged there and always had. "To say the very least."

  Stopping just before his parents, Kiyoshi looked to the right to see Imae running Yoite around the garden like crazy, he let a half-smile play for a second on his face before turning his mask back to his parents. "Mother. Father. The two of you can be on board with her staying here or you cannot. It doesn't matter to me. But after tonight her status will no longer be the human child that is under my protection."

  With blinking and curious eyes, Kurosai kept his eyes on his son's. "Well then what is that going to be? What will her status be tomorrow morning?"

  "My daughter."

  X

  That evening, Imae once again found herself walking through the gardens with Kiyoshi on her nightly walk with him. Leaning her head over she rested it ontop of his. The last couple of months have been the best of her life. And Kiyoshi was like the father she never had. With a conten
t sigh she smiled. "Lord Kiyoshi."

  "What is it Imae?"

  "I want to thank you. Thank you so very much for letting me come and live with you. I love it here and feel like I am home here with you." Imae then wrapped her arms around the top of his head as she giggled. "So thank you."

  Stopping by her favorite koi pond, Kiyoshi lifted her from his shoulders with a smile and sat her on her feet before him. He then knelt down before her so that he could look in her eyes. Gently using a finger to have her look into his eyes. "That is good to know. There is something I want to ask you Imae."

  Giggling as she kept eye contact with him Imae gave a sharp nod. "Lord Kiyoshi you can ask me anything in the world that you want."

  Smiling at her, Kiyoshi let his eyes dance as he looked into hers. This was right. She was like his pup to him. She has said more than once that he was like a father to her to Yoite and Yukani. "Tell me Imae, you would do anything if I asked it of you wouldn't you?"