Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  His eyes full of worry, Chiren knelt down next to her as he touched her back. "Kiara are you alright?"

  Shaking her head Kiara was still shaking. "I don't know actually. This is all just so overwhelming. Things are happening so fast all over that as soon as we catch up one thing, we realize we missed ten others!" Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes. 'And then there is what is going on with me about you. I don't think I can take it.'

  With a sigh, Chiren let his eyes half close. "I know Kiara. But come on. If Yoite is with them they will be fine. Let's go on to the North and wait for everyone to get there. Once we are all in one spot we will all know what is going on."

  "Right." Pushing herself up on her feet, Kiara put her hand on her head then flinched when she felt Chiren's arm go around her waist. "I am…dizzy."

  With a worried look Chiren steadied her. "Kiara can you manage or….."

  Giving him a small smile Kiara nodded. "I am okay now to go on my…" But then everything went black and she collapsed in his arms out cold. With everything going on, and her demon bonding to him, she just couldn't take it anymore.

  "Kiara?" With a sigh and a smile, Chiren lifted her fully into his arms. "Out cold. Come let's get to the North." Once they were on their way. But, he got the sensation that something was wrong with her before she passed out. It has happened off and on since they came across the blazing compound. But he didn't understand it because none of these sensations or feelings were his own. 'What the hell is going on? It is like I am feeling what she does but why?'

  X

  Cracking his eyes open, Seiji looked to the side to see Nyoko sitting in a chair next to the bed, with her head on the edge of it. She was sleeping and a picture of absolute loveliness at the moment. He did hope though that what she said just before the fight started wasn't just because of the moment. He didn't think that was the case, but he was going to have to ask her at some point.

  Moving a hand over he brushed her bangs from her face as he smiled. "Nyoko. Time to wake up."

  Hearing his voice, Nyoko started to open her eyes then jerked to her feet when she saw that he was awake. Smiling as she sat on the bed, she covered her chest with her hands. "Thank heavens you finally woke up. How do you feel? You have been out for a day. You passed out not long after Master Yoite found us."

  Laughing Seiji sighed. "I am fine. I am a bit sore, but another couple of days rest and I will be back to normal."

  Nodding as she smiled, Nyoko couldn't stop her blush as she dropped her head. "Master Yoite and Lord Shone said that we are going to leave first thing tomorrow morning and go back to the North. You said it will be a couple of days before you are back to normal. Do you think that you should stay here? I can stay with you if you want."

  Laughing, Seiji reached out and pushed her head up so he could look in her eyes with a sigh. "I will be fine to go tomorrow. I am half demon, not made of glass Nyoko. You don't have to worry so much about me alright."

  Flinching, Nyoko dropped her head. She didn't mean to make him think that he was weak, when he was actually far from it. With a sigh she closed her eyes. "I am sorry."

  Giving her a glare, Seiji let out an annoyed growl. "Really where is this attitude coming from? As long as we have known each other, you have never apologized to anyone as much as you have me in the last two days. What's going on?"

  With a sigh as she dropped her head even more, Nyoko let her shoulder slump too. "I still can't help it. I feel like you are hurt like this and it is all my fault. Like if I hadn't come then you wouldn't have gotten hurt like this."

  A soft smile now, Seiji reached out and took her hand letting out a sigh as she jerked shocked eyes up to his. "Nyoko, I don't ever want to hear you say that you are sorry to me again alright? You didn't do anything to deserve this. Nothing. I would have fought at some point, and probably been hurt then too. And don't start with the useless crap either. This was your first time facing someone who wasn't your father, brother or someone loyal to them. It doesn't matter how good you are trained or by who when you face someone for the first time that is actually trying to hurt you. I would do this a thousand times over if I had too so no more alright. I am fine."

  Dropping her head again as tears fell from her eyes, Nyoko took a shaky breath as she squeezed his hand some. "It is hard not to feel like that when I see you like this though. Knowing that everything that happened to you was because you were protecting me."

  Smiling even bigger, Seiji squeezed her hand back as he laughed. "I told you before that I would do it again. They hardly hurt anymore. And even if they didn't heal totally, that is fine. Knowing you that I kept you safe, it wouldn't bother me."

  Another shaky breath as she moved both hands to hold his, Nyoko was shaking really bad now. "Thank you."

  Blinking, Seiji let his head fall to the side. "For what? I didn't do anything special."

  "You protected me."

  Rubbing the side of one hand with a thumb, Seiji sighed as he closed his eyes and smiled again. "You don't have to thank me for doing it either Nyoko."

  Looking up at him with a small smile as tear streamed down her face, Nyoko nodded. "Yes I do. If it wasn't for you, who knows where I would be right now or what might be happening to me. I will always thank you for that."

  Moving his hand from hers, Seiji forced himself to sit up as he leaned forward and leaned his forehead against hers as he smiled. Taking her hand again he sighed. "Neither of which is the case so don't think about that. You are with me and safe and sound now. It's all good."

  Nodding as she closed her eyes with a sigh as she finally relaxed, Nyoko smiled but she couldn't stop the tears. She had always felt something special for him, but figured that it was because he was her best friends brother, and that it was like he was her brother as well. But when she saw him in the North. And everything that happened to this point, she knew it was more. It had always been more she just didn't realize it until now. But sitting here with him, knowing he felt the same, it seemed natural, and she was already calming down.

  Without moving, Seiji let his eyes land on their hands on the bed as he sighed. "Nyoko I do have something I want to ask you. Though I am sure I know the answer, I want to make sure."

  Flinching some at how serious he sounded, Nyoko froze. "What is that?"

  Moving and watching as some of his white hair with black tips fell over his shoulder over their hands. "When you said you would if it was true. Was it the situation, or did you really mean it?"

  Not moving, Nyoko opened her eyes as she sighed when some of her own hair slid from her shoulder to land over his hair. Mixing over their hands, Nyoko smiled. "I always felt something special for you Seiji. Even when we were all little. For the longest time I just thought that it was like a brother because Kiara is my best friend. But with everything that has happened since you got to the North with the others, I know it is more than that. I think it always was I just didn't realize it. When I saw that wolf, you were the first thing that popped in my head. When he said it before your fight, so many things clicked. My heart broke the first time I smelled your blood. I was terrified that I was going to lose you before I could even have…."

  Leaning down, Seiji pulled her lips up to his own as he gently kissed her. A few seconds later he pulled his head back and framed her face with his other hand. "You don't have to worry about losing me. Not now that I know I can have you."

  "Do you promise?"

  Giving her a big grin, Seiji nodded. "With all I got."

  With a smile as he walked in the room, Yoite cleared his throat and pulled both sets of eyes to him. The glare in Seiji's eyes and his unamused face was clear. He was not happy about the moment being interrupted. "My Lord, how long has this been going on? The way the two of you are talking about it, was like it has been months now."

  Smiling as he leaned back on the headboard, Seiji sighed as he kep this hand in Nyoko's. "Well to be honest, other than what Mama would call a crush growing up, the rest of it just sort of sprouted
up in the last week or so."

  Crossing his arms as he glared down at him, Yoite growled. "Don't give me that pup. I am mated you know. I know it doesn't happen that fast. It didn't even happen that fast for Lady Yukani and Lord Kamui. There is no way that it was that sudden for either of you."

  Growling with a glare, Seiji sighed. "Alright then wise guy. It couldn't have been for even a month before this. I haven't seen her in more than twenty years, and I just got to the North little over a week ago. The attraction was instant on both parts and it went fast from there. Do you really think if this was going on more than this that Mama wouldn't have found out about it?"

  Blinking as he gasped, Yoite then sighed as he closed his eyes and rubbed his neck. "That is true. If the messengers were going back and forth that much, she would have known nearly instantly that something was going on with someone in the South and the North."

  Nodding, Seiji then blinked as his eyes fell to the side. "Wait, speaking of Mama. You said that she and Father are on their way to the North? What for?"

  Turning serious eyes down to his Lord now, Yoite nodded. "They are. They will be there before we are I am sure. In the words of your father, it is time for everyone to get in one place and piece together what is going on in the Lands and about who is behind it."

  "Yeah that will be fun. Oh man I hope I can at least take some of these bandages off before I see Mama." Seiji then let his head drop fully as he groaned.

  With a sigh, Yoite turned to leave the room as he closed his eyes. "We leave first thing in the morning. Though I do think your wounds are the least of your worries. You are going to have to deal with someone very irate about this when we get to the North."

  Blinking as her head fell to the side, Nyoko was a bit confused. "Considering who he is, I know that neither Father or Mama would be irate about anything."

  Stopping at the door, Yoite turned and looked over his shoulder with a wink. "I am not talking about your parents My Lady. Lady Yokiyo will think that this has gone on longer than a week as well and will think she was purposely left out." When Seiji paled he laughed as he walked on through the door. While she may be mad about it at first, he also knew that she would be thrilled with the idea. Their pups, or cubs would stay there in the South, and she will get to see more of these grandchildren.

  X

  As he landed in the middle of the court yard, Chiren moved through the reunited families in the make shift tents that were everywhere. Just as he entered the palace he nearly ran into his mother who had frantic eyes. "Mother I…."

  "To the west! Why didn't you have Seiji bring her here!?" But then Emiko turned her eyes to the passed out female in his arms and she paled as she covered her mouth. "Oh my, what happened?"

  Walking on past her, Chiren sighed as he headed for the room that she used while visiting Nyoko. "She just got overwhelmed and passed out. She will be fine. There is just so much going on out there all over the place. I wasn't with them when Katana sent Seiji to the West with Nyoko. I was on my way back to them, but hadn't gotten there yet. According to Katana the leader of them said that they were there just for Nyoko, and he figured that there would be another ambush closer to the North if they ran that way. But turns out there was an ambush in the West too."

  Her eyes bulging as she walked next to her son, Emiko felt her heart drop. "What!?"

  Going in the room, Chiren laid Kiara down on her bed and brushed her bangs from her face as he sighed. Leaving the room with his mother on his heels, Chiren headed for his father's study. "The two dog demons that are with us are men under Yoite. They were on their way to the West when they smelled Seiji's blood and went to find them. More than thirty wolves ambushed Seiji and Nyoko alone." Holding his hand up as his mother sucked in a breath, Chiren smiled. "More than thirty wolf bodies lay around. Seiji had a small sword sticking out of his stomach, and a deep gash on his chest. But Nyoko didn't so much as have a scratch or a split hair. She is just fine."

  Relief flooding her, Emiko bowed her head as she sighed but kept with him. "That is a relief. I do hope that he heals fast. I will also have to send word to Yokiyo about…"

  "You don't have to worry about that. Come on, let's talk more with Father."

  X

  Looking up as the door opened, Soichiro glared. "Chiren I want to know…."

  Holding his hand up, Chiren sighed. "I wasn't there I didn't send them. Yoite found Seiji and Nyoko, after he did exactly what he promised you he would do. He took a beating, hurt bad but not life threatening, Nyoko didn't get so much as a scratch. But there is so much more to this."

  "How so?"

  "There is just so much going on everywhere. They told us that Kiyoshi and Yokiyo are on their way here, and they sent for Shone, Yuriko, Sanzo and Imae to come as well. We all need to get in one place and figure out what is going on." But then he snapped his fingers as he crossed them. With blinking eyes, he met his father's serious ones. "By the way did you know that Kenji has a daughter?"

  His eyes going wide, Soichiro looked at his son like he had ten heads. "What? How do you know this is true? I never would have thought that bastard would care for anyone other than himself."

  Nodding Chiren sighed. "We know because once we found the women and kids and got to them, Sidhae's mate showed us what way their mates would be brought to let them see where they were. Kiara and I went to find at least one, hoping Sidhae, and that way it could spread through the dragons that were forced to turn that they didn't have to do what Kenji said anymore. Well she showed up and taunted Kiara, insulted her father and her mother. She actually transformed and used full purification she was that angry." Crossing his arms he sighed. "But at the mention of Yokiyo, she acted like she knew her. She was for sure grown, but not sure how old."

  "I am sure all that will come to light though soon enough. Soon as Kiyoshi and Yokiyo get here, along with everyone else, you kids are going to join us and we are going to figure out exactly what the hell is going on." Turning and looking out his window to the West, Soichiro narrowed his eyes. "And as for Nyoko. She isn't leaving this palace again."

  Nodding, Chiren sighed. 'I guess that Katana didn't tell him what he told us about Seiji acting like he wanted to mate with her. I guess I won't either. That will be Seiji's place to talk to him after all if it is true."

  X

  Watching as Chiren brought an unconscious Kiara over the wall and for the palace, Isamu couldn't help but blink. He didn't smell her blood, so he knew she wasn't hurt. But just seeing her like that in and of itself was odd to say the least. "I wonder what happened there?"

  Moving over to stand next to him Santrix sighed. "I have no clue there. But she isn't hurt and Master Yoite's men are with them so I doubt we need to be worried if they aren't."

  Looking down at her with a sigh, Isamu smiled. "Well what about you? Aren't you worried about if your twin is alright or not?"

  Shaking her head Santrix laughed. "He is alive and I know that. That is all that matters really."

  Arching his eyebrow at her, Isamu turned to face her as he put his hands on his hips. "How can you be so sure? No one really knows what happened once they left to the West."

  Smiling as she looked up at him, Santrix winked. "I know this is going to sound a bit odd but it is the truth. And seeing as who Mama is and that she is still alive, nothing should shock you. Mama says it is because we are twins, but not like normal twins. In all the twins that even Master Umarus has seen in his entire life, none have the connection that Seiji and I have. If something really bad happened to him, or if he died I would feel it. And the same thing with him if something happens to me."

  Laughing Isamu sighed as rubbed the back of his neck. "Different but not that odd. Not as odd as other things that happen in the South."

  "My Lady."

  Both looking over to one of the guards that was with Chiren and Kiara, Santrix blinked. "What is it? Why were you with Kiara and Chiren?"

  Giving a bow the guard stood up. "Lord Chiren actually aske
d me to come and ask you to sit with Lady Kiara. When we informed her of Lord Seiji's condition, it seemed to be what pushed her over the edge and made her lose consciousness."

  Blinking Santrix let her head fall to the side. "Wait really? I know he is alright but what happened and what condition was he in?"

  With a sigh as he dropped his head the guard tensed. "Another ambush was in the West. Not sure if they were there for Lady Nyoko or Lady Cho. But when Lord Seiji went to the West, they helped the three chasing him in an ambush. Lord Seiji had some really bad wounds, but nothing that was life threatening for him."

  Gasping with wide eyes, both Isamu and Santrix tensed. Isamu narrowed his eyes. "Another ambush? How many of them and what were his wounds?"