Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  Going to sit on the bed next to Ayame she sighed. "I never said anything to the two of you because it wasn't something I couldn't handle with Torakus and Hoshiko. A couple of times, something as simple as a spilled cup of tea would make me cry and I couldn't stop and didn't know why. Mama was like that after she had Kiara too. And with something like this, I just can't seem to get control of my mood back. It will pass in a couple of weeks. I hope."

  Stepping toward his mate, Sanzo then groaned as he turned and looked out the window. They weren't supposed to be there until after dark. Yokiyo must know something was wrong. "Speaking of your mother. They are early."

  Lifting her son as she headed for the balcony, Imae shook her head as she groaned herself. "What timing. 'Hi Mama, here is your grandson, he is demon also and his name is Hajime. Oh and Torakus and all five others snuck off in the middle of the night and are who knows where.' Yeah great greeting wouldn't you say?"

  Lifting them into his arms, Sanzo jumped from the balcony as he sighed. "I don't think it will be all that bad Imae."

  Looking up at him as he landed Imae glared. "Are we talking about the same woman?" She then let out a sigh as he put her on her feet in time to look up to see her mother in her face, and her father right behind her. "Hi Mama."

  Still in her face, Yokiyo hadn't even glanced down at the baby in her daughter's arms. "What happened? I got a feeling on the way here and then we get here and he doesn't smell them anywhere! Where are they?"

  Giving her mate a glare, Imae sighed as she looked down at her finally clam and now wide awake infant. "First Mama calm down some. You have a new grandson here." She then looked at her mother as she sighed. "As far as the others, we don't know where they are, but we do think we know where they are going."

  Going pale, Yokiyo stepped back as she grabbed onto Kiyoshi as he was there behind her with his arm going around her waist. "What do you mean you 'think' you know where they are going and they aren't here."

  Pulling their eyes to him, Sanzo sighed as he put his own arm around Imae. "About a month ago a friend of mine Yusuke, he lost his human mate to old age. They were not as lucky as we were. Imae and Kaori grew close, as well as Torakus, Hoshiko and their one chick Shian. When he didn't get a message from Shian a couple of days after we got home from toing to see them after it happened, Torakus got worried about her. We shrugged it off that he was just worried because of what happened and told him with what happened she was fine and just give her time. But we woke up this morning and all six of them were gone. We searched the only path we thought Torakus knew to get up there but can't find them on it. Atsana is on his way to Yusuke to see if they are there and get his help searching down the mountain while we go up."

  Closing his eyes, Kiyoshi sighed. "So you think he lead them and snuck out to check on her?"

  "We do Father." Her eyes half closing, Imae took a deep breath as she stepped closer to Sanzo. "He was the only one that was worried about her. And we didn't put much concern on it because of what the chick just went through. But now, seeing how far he went to go and check on her, I am starting to wonder if he was right about it and something is wrong with her."

  Giving his mate a worried look as she closed her eyes and started shaking, Sanzo turned back to Kiyoshi. "I know it seems like a lot to ask, but we are going to give it a few days. Where I left Atsana, he was two days from Yusuke's strong hold. If in four or five days they aren't back here yet any of them, my entire mountain is going to go up that mountain from all sides."

  Nodding Kiyoshi looked down at his mate and sighed to feel the surge of emotions that she was on right now. With as vast as the mountain is, and how tall that it takes at best 3 days to get up and down, that was the best option for them to do right now. "Right. That does seem like it is the best plan right now."

  X

  Breathing hard, Atsana landed on a thick branch. It was well into dusk, and though he was now beyond the half way point, pushing himself more than he even told Sanzo, he still hadn't seen or smelled a single sign that they had been on this side of the mountain at all. Crossing his arms he hissed as he looked up at the darkening sky. "Damnit Torakus where the hell are you at?"

  After a few moments, he sat down on the branch and leaned against the tree. One hand in his lap, the other on his sword as he let his eyes drift closed. He didn't want to fall into a deep sleep. But he needed to rest some before he pushed the rest of the way up the mountain. At least a few hours.

  But just as his eyes shut, he let out a gasp as they flew open and he jumped to his feet looking to the East. It was Torakus and the rest of them. They were moving fast too. His eyes narrowed though when he smelled Shian with them. "Why do they have Shian with them I wonder? But they are coming right for me. What is going on?"

  Without another thought, he lunged from the branch he was on and raced right for them. The fact that she was with them, and coming from the side of the mountain told him something must have actually happened at some point. And she was human right now. Yusuke never let her leave his side when she was human.

  X

  Breathing harder than ever before, Torakus slid to a stop as he smiled. "What luck is this!"

  Giving him an odd look, Shian blinked her now black eyes as she started to shake. "What is it?"

  Sliding from the shaking Katana, Hoshiko laughed. "It's Uncle Atsana! And he is coming fast right for us!"

  Once everyone was off, Katana along with Kiara transformed back into their humans form and he fell backwards. "Perfect."

  Sitting Shian down on her feet, Torakus then looked up in time to see a very angry looking Atsana fall from the trees to land right in front of him. He had that look. He was not happy and he knew no one else at home were going to be in any better a mood than he was right now. "Uncle Atsana before you say anything I can explain everything that I did and it is a damn good thing I left when I did and went the way I did at that."

  Narrowing his eyes down at him, Atsana crossed his arms. "First of all Torakus watch your mouth. You are not grown yet. And for your sake I hope that it was worth the trouble you know you are going to be in for this adventure you have had." But then his eyes focused on the human Shian and how she was all but fusing herself to his side. "Now why is she with you all and in the state she is in?"

  Leading her to a tree, and sitting down as she sat with him and leaned on his shoulder, Torakus sighed. "I will tell you Uncle, but can it wait until she is sleeping so she doesn't even half to hear it?"

  Her eyes once again misting over, Shian sighed as she started to shake some. "It is going to need told a few times in the next few days anyway Torakus."

  Looking down at her , Torakus sighed as he nodded. "I know that. But you don't have to hear it and relive it every time it is said. Just get some sleep and we will be home in a couple of days."

  "Okay." Shian then took a deep breath as she let her eyes close. For the first time, with Torakus, Hoshiko and now even more so with Atsana there. She could sleep good for the first time she hoped.

  Leaning on another tree across from his nephew, Atsana let his eyes travel to them all. They were exhausted. Each one of them so tired that nearly the second they found a comfortable place and way to lay, they were out. Once Shian's heart and breathing slowed to that of sleep, he met Torakus's gold eyes. "So what is going on Torakus?"

  Looking at Shian then back to his uncle, Torakus sighed. "It was no secret that I was worried about her. But no one else seemed to be. I tried to go to Mama and Father about it, but the put it off as I was worried about her because of Kaori. I tried to ignore it and say they were right but I just knew that something was wrong. I knew it."

  With a sigh, Atsana was calming down now. "That was still no reason to sneak out like that. Any of you. What way did you come up?"

  Looking back at Shian as she sighed, Torakus let his own eyes half close. "Last year when Hoshiko stayed with you and Aunt Ayame, and I went to stay with Yusuke and Shian. She showed me the back way up. It is longer, instea
d of three days, it takes five days to get down to the flatland to the right of the palace. Yusuke showed her that way so she could get down to us if something happened. Yusuke, Shian and myself were the only ones that knew about it. And I was right. Something bad was going on."

  His eyes narrowed, Atsana tensed. "What happened?"

  Looking back at his uncle, with a glare that matched, Torakus took a deep breath. Humans attacked. Humans that were related to Kaori. The Lord form her family was her great nephew. His army and eagles attacked, just a couple days after we left a month ago and killed everyone except for her. She was who they were after."

  Flinching, Atsana gave him wide eyes then let them land on the human girl at his side. "They did what? Even Yusuke?"

  "Him too. She told me as we ran around the side of the mountain, that she had to watch as they killed him when he tried to rush to her when he heard her scream. They then put her in a small cage that she couldn't break and made her watch as the burned not only Yusuke's body, but the entire strong hold was killed. Everyone she knew was in that bonfire." Taking a deep breath to keep his rage in check, Torakus closed his eyes. "We ran all night once we were out of the palace. By mid morning we stopped to rest some, and that was when Katana smelled the humans. We went to check it out and that was when we found her in the cage, like she was lower than a damn dong. And they ran their mouth. I know the one responsible."

  His senses on high alert, Atsana gave him an odd look. "What do you mena that you know the one who is responsible for it?"

  Nodding, Torakus let his rage show in his eyes. "You remember when Hoshiko was a month old, that wolf and his daughter and grandson that showed up to the palace thinking that Father would betroth them?" When his uncle nodded, Torakus looked back down at Shian with sad eyes. "Her mother's family never got over Kaori leaving. They knew she had a daughter. Noke's father paid them and the eagles treasure and promised them land if they could produce a female demon or half demon for Noke to mate when they were both of age. They chose Shian as a way to get back at Kaori and Yusuke I think."

  Turning his eyes up to look at the night sky, Atsana sighed. "I am just guessing, but I think that would justify what you have done. Even according to your grandmother I would bet."

  "I hope so." Torakus then smiled as he laid his head on Shian's as he yawned. "I bet Mama and Father are furious with us aren't they?"

  Laughing as he stood and jumped to an upper limb where he could see better, Atsana shook his head. "Well they were not pleased that is for sure. But once they hear what happened, I don't think it is going to be as bad as you think."

  "I hope not." As his eyes closed, Torakus could feel his body relaxing out. "Thank you Uncle Atsana."

  Giving him an odd look, Atsana blinked at him. "Thank you for what Torakus?"

  "For being here. We would have all kept going until we dropped from exhaustion. We were all about at our limits."

  "Don't worry about it. Sleep. We leave just before dawn." But Atsana smiled as he let his own eyes close. Pride filling him fully. Torakus had done not only himself proud, but his parents and the East proud with this. He didn't let someone tell him that it was nothing. He took action and made sure that Shian was safe. And he was sure that Sanzo and Imae would see that, and this time they would let things slide with him.

  X

  Looking up with a gasp as she sat on Imae's bed with her and Ayame, Yokiyo blinked. "Well this is good."

  Looking up at her with wide eyes, Imae blinked then gasped. "Mama?"

  Smiling as she laid her hand on her chest, then looked down at the smiling baby in her lap, Yokiyo laughed. "It's gone. My feeling is stopped. It's just gone."

  Shaking now, Imae gave her mother a wide and teary eyed look as she covered her mouth. "Really? Like it is completely gone?"

  Laughing as she nodded and looked back up at her daughter, Yokiyo smiled brightly. "Completely."

  Seeing the instant relief that Imae had on her face, Ayame gave each one a confused look. "Alright I am lost. How exactly is that a good thing?"

  Laughing as she leaned over and hugged Ayame from the side, Imae smiled. "Because that means that whatever was wrong, it isn't wrong anymore. If she goes from worried or concerned to hysterical, things went from bad to worse. But if she goes from that to it being gone, then it has passed."

  With a gasp, Ayame hugged Imae back as she laughed. "Then that must mean that Atsana found them!"

  Watching as the two hugged each other with smiles, Yokiyo couldn't help but laugh as she rocked Hajime in her arms. Sixty-four years ago when Katana was just a week old and they met for the first time, she never would have guessed that they would be as close as they are right now. "You know, this just tickles me to see the two of you like this."

  Letting Ayame, go, Imae looked over at her mother with wide eyes. "What tickles you Mama?"

  Smiling brightly as Imae took her son from her, Yokiyo laughed. "The two of you and the fact that you are just like sisters right now. It tickles me to see it."

  Giving the miko an odd look, Ayame let her now wide gold eyes blink and was more confused than ever. Something she was getting used to when Kiyoshi and Yokiyo came to visit. "But we basically are. She is mated to my brother after all."

  Giggling as she stood up and crossed her arms, Yokiyo shook her head as she let out a sigh. "I don't mean that Ayame. I was just remembering when the two of you met for the second time after Katana was born. The way you two reacted to each other, all the way up to something in the four years from the time she mated your brother and Torakus was born couldn't stand each other. And now you are acting just like sisters would. Like you really grew up together."

  "And I would greatly like if you did not jinx it Yokiyo. I would very much like for them to keep getting along just how they are now from now on thank you very much."

  Glaring up at Sanzo as he came in the room, Yokiyo put her hands on her hips and growled. "Oh you just hush it."

  Walking in behind Sanzo, Kiyoshi gave them all an odd look as he landed on his mate. "The mood in this room is much lighter. And my headache is gone."

  Laughing as she stood next to Sanzo, Imae looked up at her father as she sighed. "Mama's feeling is gone. Nothing at all anymore."

  Putting his arm around Yokiyo, Kiyoshi gave a small smile. "That is good."

  Groaning as he let himself fall backwards on the bed, Sanzo rolled his eyes. "You know I wouldn't change it if I could. Nothing about how anything has been since the day that you met Imae Kiyoshi. But when you are all together you talk in circles and codes to the rest of us and it can be hard to keep up. No feelings is a good thing then I take it?"

  Laughing as she nodded and looked at him, Imae smiled. "Yes. If it is gone that means that there is nothing more to worry about. If it gets worse than the situation just got worse. If it goes away then whatever was going on, is done with."

  Sitting up as he smiled at his infant when he turned his gold eyes to him and laughed, Sanzo sighed. "Well if it is because they are with Atsana, we will know at least by day after tomorrow. The two of us went up the mountain but at a slower pace for half the day. He pushed himself on up after I left him and came back here. So we should know what is going on in the afternoon day after tomorrow."

  Glaring at the floor now, Yokiyo crossed her arms as she let out an annoyed sigh. "I do know one thing though. Now that I know it isn't anything bad that happened to them, the pups are grounded. Nothing but nonstop chores for a year. They know better than this and I really want to know what in the world they were thinking. I mean they all had to know that we were not going to be happy about them doing this."

  Smiling as Sanzo too Hajime from her, Imae turned back to her mother with a soft look. "I don't know Mama. Like you just said, they had to know the world of trouble they would be in for doing something like this. I am sure that Torakus was the leader in this. I am going to wait and talk to him as well as Hoshiko before I started punishing them. I am not condoning what they did, but if he did i
t because he really was worried about her, I don't know if I could be that harsh on him. The two of them are really close."

  Watching as Kiyoshi came up next to her, Yokiyo couldn't help but smile as her daughter sat down next to her mate smiling at her newest child as he laughed at them. She couldn't help but see that smiling little girl whenever she saw her. But she did have a point. They knew the trouble they would be coming back too. "You know Imae you have a point. Let's see what they say, and then figure out what to do with them."

  "Indeed." Kiyoshi then looked down at his mate as he took a deep breath. "Sleep."

  Crossing her arms as she glared up at him, Yokiyo sighed as she tapped her foot. "I really wish you would realize already that I am not your father, Umarus or a pup. I don't answer to one word commands. I still don't know how you all can say ten words between you and that count as a conversation."