Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  X

  With a bright smile, Yuriko sat on her bed as she held her precious and beautiful little girl. Her little Cho. She was a true princess. But then she tensed when she smelled not just Yokiyo, but Katana and Kiara's purification all flare up at about the same time for a moment. "I wonder what is going on to make them do that? I hope it is nothing bad."

  After a few moments she could smell her mate leading the way with Isamu toward them and she relaxed as she looked down at her daughter as she smelled Kaoru now. 'I wonder if she could be the reason for all the purification?'

  With her daughter going wide eyed as she stretched, Yuriko laughed. "But I know nothing will happen to you my little princess. Not with your Papa with them."

  "Mother."

  Turning her smile to her son as Isamu came to a stop next to her and gently sat on the bed she sighed. He was not even half grown yet, and already showed a maturity for his age that was far beyond his years. And since the birth of his sister, he is already showing a protectiveness for her already that she absolutely loved.

  "Oh Yuriko she is precious!"

  Laughing as Yokiyo glided across the room to stand next to her, Yuriko smiled as she turned back to her little girl. "Thank you." Looking back up at the miko she sighed. "I am sorry for not being present during your time here Yokiyo. I just don't like to stay too far from her if you know what I mean."

  With a nod Yokiyo reached out and tapped the pup on her chin a couple of times pulling a smile from her as she laughed. "Oh don't worry about it. She is so darling. But whose side of the family do those chocolate eyes come from? You have green and Shone has blue."

  Nodding as she looked into her daughter's eyes, Yuriko laughed. "She gets them from my mother who had the same chocolate eyes that she does."

  Stepping back so her pups could see the baby, Yokiyo sighed. "So what are we calling her?"

  Joining everyone in the room with a laugh as Cho let out a small sneeze, Yuriko smiled. "Her name is Cho. I carried her the same way I did with Isamu so we assumed that we were going to have another boy, but when she was born we couldn't think of a single girl name we liked. Just before the sunset, a butterfly flew in and landed on her nose just a few hours after she was born, making her giggle. That was it. Her name was going to be Cho."

  Nodding as she crossed her arms, Yokiyo laughed. "Well it is a beautiful name for a beautiful pup." She then stood back with her pups as she watched this wolf moving closer Yuriko. She didn't like her.

  Looking down at the pup whose eyes seemed to be focused on her brother, Kaoru smiled. At least her son's pups would not be ugly with her. "Oh she is just darling isn't she? And will be the perfect mate for my son."

  Growling as he stepped closer to her, Shone hardened his eyes as he crossed his arms at her. That was what she was up too! "Excuse me? Kaoru what in the hell are you talking about? That is not going to happen."

  "Yes it will." Kaoru then turned on Shone with a sly and cunning smile. "Don't you remember Shone? The time that father offered me to you and you turned me down flat then? Don't you remember the promise you made me that day?"

  Moving Shone pushed the wolf around and now stood between Kaoru and his mate and pups. "No Kaoru that I remember perfectly. I promised you that because of that, your first born be it male or female would be free to find a mate here at the palace. I never promised to have your pup mate with one of mine. I think you have gone mad if you think that is going to happen."

  Her face turning red as she growled and stomped her foot, Kaoru glared with him. "Tell me Shone who is better for your daughter? She is a true princess. My son is a true prince. Heir to a tribe. What more could you possibly want in a mate for your daughter than that?"

  Leaning into her face as his growl got even louder, Shone pointed at her nose. "It is not going to happen Kaoru. Damnit I mean it. When your son is of age he can come and try and find a mate here at the palace as I promised. However my daughter is off limits to him and that's final!"

  Growling as she refused to budge, Kaoru put her hands on her hips as she stomped her foot. "You were the one that I wanted. But no. You turned me down flat and never even gave me the chance to see what could have happened. And now I am coming to call on the promise you made me that day and again I am being turned down! My son Noke would be a perfect mate for her just through bloodline and breeding and you know it!"

  Stepping closer to her, Shone narrowed his eyes. "It is not going to happen Kaoru now you can get off of it or get the hell out!"

  Taking a deep breath and seeing where this was going, and it was clear that the issue was going to be forced, and just trying to get a betrothal was not grounds to kill her, they would see her again no matter what. But Yokiyo could see the stress that the situation was causing in Yuriko as tightened her hold on her pup. Looking at all the p ups, even Isamu, Yokiyo gave them all her classic 'don't you dare argue with me' look as she moved around to stand to the side of Shone and Kaoru. She flared her purification slightly to get their attention, turning sorry eyes to Yuriko as Cho started to cry. "I am sorry about that Yuriko." Turning back to find Kaoru glaring at her, Yokiyo folded her hands before her. "You might as well just give it up Kaoru."

  Turning a snarl with a glare to the miko, Kaoru didn't hide her hate this time around. "First off human you do not address me like that ever again. And second this is not any of your concern so just stay the hell out of it."

  With a glare of her own, Yokiyo stepped closer to her and made her back up a few feet. "I am sorry to inform you but it is my concern so I will not be staying out of it thank you very much."

  Blinking, Shone just looked at Yokiyo with an odd look. He was about to force Kaoru out when she stepped up. He did understand that she was trying to help the situation, he could feel the nerves of his mate, but this was a matter that really didn't concern her. Taking a step he stopped when he felt a shaky hand reach out and grab the only thing she could reach, his tail, Shone turned to see the pleading eyes of his mate. Stepping back he crossed his arms to see what she was going to say or do. With Yokiyo no one ever knew. 'I just hope she doesn't do anything stupid.'

  After a glaring match with the wolf for a moment, Yokiyo sighed and turned a smile as she motioned to Katana. "Katana come here please." Resting her hands on his shoulders as he stood before her. "It is my concern. We had agreed upon it, but were not going to announce it until they were old enough to understand what it meant themselves. Twenty-four years ago in the South when Katana was born, who I might add has just a distinguished bloodline as your son, it was agreed. Kiyoshi, myself, Shone and Yuriko, we all came up with it and agreed it would be wonderful. In the event that they had a daughter, to further the bond that the West and South have had since Kiyoshi's father was young, they would be betrothed. He cannot promise Cho to your son, because she is already promised to mine."

  Turning to Shone with wide eyes and a pale face, Kaoru had not counted on that one. With the friendship that he had with Kiyoshi she didn't think something like that could have happened. When she saw no shock in his face, her eyes darted to Yuriko, Isamu, Kiysohi, the other demon pup. The only ones shocked by it were the half breeds! "It's true?"

  Crossing his arms with a sigh, Shone sighed. He was actually elated that was all the outspoken miko said. That was something that they could go along with on the outside, until they were old enough to make up their own minds as to who they wanted. "It is. Like she said, it was agreed upon through the adults, Kiara and Isamu were there too. Things are what they are Kaoru. Had you told me your true intentions the other day, I would have told you then."

  Tears of frustration streaming down her face, Kaoru stomped her feet and had one more plea to change that to her son. He needed to be Lord! "You would do that to her? His father has a grand bloodline but he is tainted by human blood. You would do that to your daughter?" When all she got was the continued glare she turned and stormed away.

  Stopping at the door she turned back and looked at them all. "This is
not over by a long shot. I will have my way this time. You will see." She then slammed the door behind her and ran through the halls."

  Once she was gone, Isamu pulled his father's attention to him when he touched him and gave him an odd look. "Father I didn't know anything about that. Why wasn't I told about when she was born? She is my little sister."

  Moving and making the pup blush, Yokiyo grabbed him from behind and hugged him as she laughed. "Oh honey it isn't true. That way she will be forced, at least for a while to stop trying to force this down your father's throat is all."

  Relaxing her death grip on her daughter, Yuriko smiled down at her. "But like she said, it isn't over. I know we are going to see her again. The rage in her eyes frightened me."

  Knowing she could now, Yokiyo sat down on the bed next to her and held her hands out, smiling when she finally had the infant in her arms. Laughing as she smiled when she tapped her chin again. "That may be. But by the time either she or her son are big enough to do anything, they won't get near her. I do believe her daddy and big brother would make sure of that."

  Laughing, Yuriko was finally fully relaxed now she leaned back and against her mate as he sat down next to her and put an arm around her waist. "This is very true."

  X

  Storming into her den, Kaoru growled as she stomped past her son and father to flop down on her bed of straw. "I swear he is a damned fool."

  Giving her an odd look, Dai arched his eyebrow at her. "Who is a damned fool? What happened?"

  Crossing her arms as she looked up at her father, Kaoru sighed. "Well it would seem that we were twenty-four years late. He and Yuriko betrothed their first born daughter to the heir of the South then."

  With a growl, Dai glared down at the den floor as he narrowed his eyes. "So he dishonored you, and our tribe twice now. That bastard."

  "Indeed." Taking a deep breath, Kaoru forced herself to relax. "However before I was told about that, he was refusing anyway. That Noke could go find a mate there, but that his daughter was off limits. That his promise was never for my pup and his to mate."

  Punching the side of the den, Dai snarled. "Did he really think that we would take any less than his daughter as a mate for him? A true prince should not be saddled with an ordinary mate. I should go and rip his damned fool head off is what I should do."

  Shaking her head as she looked down, Kaoru sighed. "I wouldn't mess with it for a few days if you do father. You would only get yourself killed right now."

  Turning on his daughter with an annoyed growl, Dai crossed his own arms. "Do you now doubt my ability my daughter."

  Shaking her head side to side, Kaoru stood up as she gave him a stern look as her skin rippled just thinking about it. "No, it isn't that. But there is something that you need to know about Kiyoshi Father."

  Giving her an odd look Dai blinked. He could see her tense as she closed her eyes. "Well what is it?"

  As she moved to stand before him, Kaoru knew she had traces of fear in her own eyes. "We had heard that he took a human mate, well that was true. And it was also true that she was indeed a miko."

  Turning away from his daughter, Dai sat down as he sighed. "He is an idiot. If she isn't dead already she will be soon. But what exactly does that have to do with anything about Shone?"

  Pacing now, Kaoru shook as she closed her eyes and rubbed her arms. "No father she isn't. She still looks like she is in her prime. I questioned it and all she told me was that it was a secret but her scent told me that she was telling the truth. Normal humans you can smell how fast they age. Before a demon is half grown, three generations are born to a human family. The way she ages is different. Like a demon."

  Turning to his daughter, Dai just blinked at her. He had never heard of such a thing and wasn't sure if he believed it or not. But he wouldn't flat out call her a liar on that one. "Still daughter. A miko is a miko and I could kill her with ease."

  Turning on him, Kaoru stomped her foot. "But that isn't all Father. Not only is she a miko not only now ages like a demon, but she gave birth to two, two demon pups. Both of them use purification."

  On his feet now, Dai growled at his daughter. "That is a lie Kaoru and I taught you better than that!"

  Storming up to her with her hands on her hips, Kaoru growled at her father. "I will lie about anything to anyone outside of this den. You and Noke are two that I would never lie too and you know it! I saw it with my own eyes. I smelt it, felt it. It is true!"

  The look in her eyes, Dai knew she was telling the truth. She was taught from the time she could sit up that she can lie to anyone she wants, but not to him. "I see." Sitting down with a sigh, Dai crossed his arms as he glared at the top of the den. "This changes things then. We need to rethink our plan to make him Lord of a Land."

  Leaning against a wall and sliding down to the floor, Kaoru sighed as she dropped her head. "It changes more than just that Father. Kiyoshi and his miko adopted a human as their eldest pup too. She turned out to be a miko. She is the current Lady of the East mated to Sanzo. And according to her, it happened again and she now ages like a demon as well."

  A plan forming quickly in his head, Dai smiled. It would show both Shone and Kiyoshi and his human mate. "Do you know if they have any female chicks yet?"

  Shaking her head Kaoru gave her father an odd look. "I don't know they didn't go that far into detail with me."

  Turning and headed out of the den, Dai smiled. "Come on you too. We will find out if they have a girl. We are going to the East to see if Sanzo has a girl and do a betrothal there."

  Branching Out Chapter 115

  Watching as Torakus sparred with his father, Imae sat in the shade of a Sakura tree with a bright smile. Watching her son, it was clear who started his training early. He had the same fighting style as she did, including being a natural with using his twin swords. Just like his mother. And actually beating his father in every single match they had.

  But it was the quiet sigh in her arms that drew her attention from her mate and son. Twenty years after Torakus was born, Imae now had her own daughter. Just like Seiji and Santrix she was born half demon, though she has demon ears. She couldn't believe that she was already a month old.

  However, she did wonder on one thing. Seiji and Santrix both had a night twice a month when they turned from their half demon forms to a human form for the night. So far Hoshiko hasn't done that yet. Rubbing her finger across her daughter's forehead Imae sighed herself. "But I do know even if you do have to turn human for a spell, you will be anyone's match. Your Mama, Papa and big brother will make sure of that."

  "Easy son! You are not really trying to kill me! This is just a sparring match remember!"

  Laughing as she looked up, Imae shook her head. Once again her mat was backed up against a tree with a practice blade at his neck, and the other at his heart. "Good job Torakus."

  Backing away from his father, Torakus looked back at his mother. "Thank you, Mother." Turning back to his father, he rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down. That little habit he got from his father. "I am sorry Father. I just get into it a little too much sometimes."

  With a big smile, Sanzo laughed as he tussled his son's hair. "I tell you what boy. You are more like your mother than I think you realize."

  Looking over at his mother and the glare she had for his father, Torakus looked up at his father with blinking eyes as he let his head fall to the side. "But is that a bad thing?"

  Pulling her mate's gold eyes to her, Imae growled. "You know Torakus I agree with you. Is that a bad thing that he is more like me than you Sanzo?" But then smiled as he moved to stand behind her as he half glared down at her.

  Leaning down as he clucked his teeth at her, Sanzo kissed the side of her head. "Now I never said it was a bad thing. It is actually just the opposite and a very good thing I might add." When all she did was shake her head, he let his eyes soften and half close as they turned down to his daughter. "And how is she doing?"

  Looking back down at her litt
le girl, Imae took a deep breath. "She tried to stay awake and watch you two spar. She did through the drills, never took her eyes off of you two. I do wonder if she will end up being like Kiara with that."

  Moving to sit next to his mother, Torakus gave her an odd look. "Mother what do you mean you wonder if she will be like Aunt Kiara?"

  Smiling over at her boy, Imae laughed. "Because your Aunt can remember everything word spoken to her, or what she has read, every movement she has seen. Everything. Her memory is perfect. She could be ten thousand years old and repeat a five word phrase exactly that I said to her when she was five. The way Hoshiko was watching you and your father reminded me of Kiara when she was a baby. So I wonder if she will be able to do the same thing."

  "Oh I get it now." Torakus then stood and moved away from them and started to go through the drill set that he just learned from his father again.