Divine Worlds
By: S.R.
Shinohara
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Chapter XII
The Hidden Truth
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“Itai!”
“Are
you alright?” Kneeling by her side, Souhi checked the bite with a frown before
looking at her already pale face. She already looked bad. The spider’s poison
was going to spread completely into her body before they reached Aiyoku if he
didn’t think of something fast. “Damn…I should’ve been watching you more
carefully. I knew this place was filled with dangerous creatures…sorry,
Saori…your brother was being careless.”
“Don’t,”
she smiled weakly. Stubborn girl. She was still going
to keep acting like she wasn’t screaming in pain on the inside. “I asked to
come, didn’t I? And I knew the risks anyway…Kosuke-papa told me the Swamplands
in Kakori were dangerous before we left.”
Shaking
his head ruefully as she gave him a smile from where he’d laid her down, Souhi drew a dagger and sliced his finger open with a
wince. It had to be done or she’d be dead within the hour.
“Souhi-ani! What are you doi-” Her words were cut off as he
promptly shoved something small and round in her mouth, its taste sweet like a
ripe berry. That sweetness seemed to stop all other feelings in her, the pain
washing away with its strong taste. “What was that…?”
Souhi
watched as he let droplets fall into a pouch he’d taken from his side, each
droplet turning into another of those berries. “I’m creating a cure from my
blood…so Saori won’t die on me.” Once it was full, he let his blood fall to the
dirt below him, bushes of those berries growing from that fallen blood. “I’ll
leave this bush here and it’ll never stop flourishing with these berries.”
Kissing her forehead he smiled, “As a sign of how much I love my precious
imouto…”
“Souhi-ani…”
“Lord
Souhi? LORD SOUHI!”
Falling
backwards with a yell, his legs twitched as he looked at Kenta who looked down
at him with a frown. “What is it, Kenta?”
“We’re out
of Blood Berries.” He motioned to a patient that writhed in pain on the nearby
bed, ocean eyes serious. “He needs one to fight off the Nayami poison or he’ll
die…”
Silently,
Souhi stood up, pricking his finger and letting a single drop of crimson liquid
fall into the man’s mouth, turning into the small crimson berry before it
touched his tongue. The moment he took it in he settled down, relaxing as he
slowly eased into a restful sleep. “He will be fine…”
“You
created this berry that cures all poisons for Lady Saori, right?” Kenta asked
quietly, “To save her from death’s grip.”
“I
couldn’t let her die then,” he said solemnly in silent pain, “She’d been
holding back screaming because she knew I hated seeing her in pain.”
“Could
you let her die now, should she come in?”
The
question shocked him so much Souhi nearly fell over from the force of his head
turning, eyes wide. “What?”
Kenta’s
gaze was serious. “If Lady Saori were to come here writhing in pain as she was
then, could you let her die now?”
Souhi
was silent. “Stop talking nonsense. If she were in pain she most certainly
knows not to come here.” Turning away he muttered, “We have more patients to
tend to, Kenta. Stop asking such silly things and help me.”
With an
inward sigh he nodded, mentally noting to finish this line of questioning
later. His unknowing ‘patient’ would have to wait. I will find a way to get
through to you before your own stubborn nature destroys you. It runs in your
family, Lord Souhi. “Yes, Lord Souhi. Right away.”
Just wait a little longer and you’ll see what you refuse to acknowledge,
Lord Souhi…
~*~ : * : ~*~
“…What…?”
“You
remember Illusian, right?”
“…Daddy’s
Hall…?”
“Yes…”
Relief flooded his face as he saw her calming down, though she was still
holding her head and anguish still filled her eyes. “It’s in
“Lord
Kosuke? Lord Kosuke!”
Kosuke
blinked out of his memories with a clueless, “Huh?”
Smiling,
Kayoko sweat-dropped, “I was asking, would you like more tea?”
“That
would be good, Kayoko. Thanks.” He held it out, watching the steaming liquid
pour from the pot with a lethargic smile. “It’s delicious as always. It’s a
shame Ryu-kun isn’t here though. Any idea where he disappeared
to?”
She
shook her head sadly. “I haven’t seen any sign of him.”
“Maybe
Isako-ane visited him again…” he muttered lowly as he drank his fresh tea
leisurely, “She seems to have taken a certain interest in him…”
“What?”
“Nothing,”
he laughed, waving it off, “Say, Kayoko, what do you think Saori-chan’s doing
right now?”
Her eyes
softened. Though he’d looked like he normally would, relaxed and carefree,
she’d wondered exactly how long he’d go before he mentioned her. “I don’t know, Lord Kosuke…but I’m sure she’s nice and relaxed. Smirking
too since the Nayami caused quite a stir yesterday.”
Nodding
wistfully, he swirled his tea around, eyes holding a hidden sadness. “I wonder
if Shiko still hates me…?”
“Isn’t
that answer obvious?”
“Ryu!” Kayoko smiled brightly as he walked in looking a
little worse for wear but alright for the most part. “We were wondering where
you disappeared off to.”
His eye
was narrowed grimly. Images of what Isako had showed him burned his mind, the
last words he’d heard Shiko utter haunting him. Her tone…something about that tone
was bugging him. “I ran across some interesting things.”
“Oh, I
hope you didn’t get caught in yesterday’s fight,” Kosuke smiled. It was a
forced smile, though looked masterfully authentic. “The Nayami can get quite
vicious, especially when defending Shiko.”
Good to
know. Filing it away in his head to go over later, he took the cup of tea
Kayoko offered him with a vague nod of thanks. “I noticed…it sounded like a
harsh battle.”
“Kayoko
told me you were a warrior yourself once,” he noted with raspberry eyes alight
in interest, “Perhaps you might consider joining Tengoku’s defenses? I know
Hiiro could use the help…especially of a Karyuudo warrior.”
Ryu gave
Kayoko a dry look, arching his eyebrow slowly into his hairline, and she smiled
nervously under his gaze, a sweat-drop rolling down her head. “He asked…sorry…”
His look
dropped into one of mild exasperation, rapping her on her head with his fist
lightly. “Whatever…It’s no big deal.”
Kosuke’s
head tilted as he saw Kayoko flush slightly, his eyebrow arching even
though he said nothing. Now this was interesting. Definitely
something to watch further and see how it progressed. “And judging by
your face…” He smiled lethargically, lost in some past memory. “I remember
you…”
Ryu
turned and blinked, confused. “What?”
Before
Kosuke could say anymore, Sakori came into the room, smiling gently. “Good
morning Kayoko-san, Kosuke. Oh, and Ryu is here too. Good morning young man.”
Kayoko
and Ryu bowed in respect and uttered their greetings while Kosuke beamed and
charmingly got up to help his mother to her seat. “Did you rest well, Great
Mother?”
“Yes…Illusian
has always been the most tranquil of all the halls on Tengoku,” she sighed
blissfully, “I wish I could come visit more often. The atmosphere here is so
soothing.”
Soothing?
Kayoko and Ryu’s faces twitched and paled as they echoed each other unknowingly
in their thoughts. She calls all this magic SOOTHING?
“Yes, it
is,” Kosuke smiled, motioning for the two attendants to sit with a sweat-drop.
He knew how the heavy magic which drifted around them constantly made the two
uneasy. “But I like it most when it’s lively…”
Sakori’s
smile turned rue. “Still no word from your father…?” Her eyes saddened but the
emotion soon disappeared, covered under sincere worry for her grand-daughter.
“No…you
know father never contacts me. If anyone, he’d contact Isako-ane, and she
hasn’t come seen me at all yet.”
Shaking
her head in disappointment, Sakori’s silvery green eyes turned towards Ryu and
made him stiffen slightly. Though she was a thin woman, barely any taller then
her son, Sakori the Queen of Gods had a stately and intimidating air despite
her seemingly calm demeanor. Being under her unwavering gaze was a little
disconcerting. “My daughter…Isako has visited you before, has she not? I sense
the feel of her magic around you still…”
Ryu
twitched. Great, now Kayoko and Kosuke were staring at him. Well, actually,
gawking was a more appropriate word. Was it that odd for her to appear to
someone? “Yes she has.”
Her
smile was slow and knowing. If it weren’t so seemingly impossible, he just
might’ve thought she knew what the dream goddess had done. “I see…” Scratching
her head she laughed, “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised…You were born from a
divinely blessed town after all.”
There
was something about her tone that piqued his curiosity but a small tug on his
arm by Kayoko distracted him, making him push that curiosity away…for now. Looking
at her, he arched an eyebrow and allowed her to tug him to a corner, out of
earshot from mother and son who turned to discussing something amongst themselves.
“Did
Lady Isako…really come to you?” Was it just him, or did she look hopeful?
He nodded
slightly, eyebrow inclining further. She did light up this time. “She
showed me some things she thought I should know. Not sure why though. It’s none
of my business.”
“Lady
Isako must see something in you,” Kayoko smiled, “Something that will help Lady
Saori…” Without a word she abruptly bowed, head down as her hair shielded her
face. “Ryu…I know I have no right to ask this of you, but would you please try
to bring Lady Saori back? If Lady Isako thinks you can help her somehow…maybe
you can…” Her voice faded, though she still never picked her head up.
Ryu’s
eyebrow couldn’t have extended higher even if he tried. And it would’ve if it
could at that request.
“Ruko-chan
did say the key would be angering her,” Kosuke mused, having heard them
loud and clear, “And no one angers Saori-oukijou more then Ryu-kun lately.”
“Oukijou? Haven’t heard that epithet in a long time,” Sakori
chuckled, “Since she was a newborn.”
“I’m in
a nostalgic mood, Great Mother.”
Veins were
throbbing wildly on Ryu’s forehead. Did they forget he was here?! “Now
wait just a minute…!”
“Isako’s
instincts are never wrong,” Sakori noted mildly, a gaze that was persuasive in
its gentleness and mildness in her eyes, “And all you would need is a visit to
Souhi for the right herbs to be able to go down to Kakure. I could take you
when I go back.”
“Excellent idea!” Kosuke beamed, “Ryu-kun will certainly
bring Saori-oukijou back!”
Kayoko
beamed, finally looking up. “Un!”
More
veins busted out on his forehead and fist that he held up shakily, a deep scowl
on his face. “Since when did I say yes to this?”
Oh, who
was he kidding? They weren’t even listening anymore, their spirits up as they
started breakfast. And how could he disappoint them, now that they looked
happier then he’d seen them for the past few days?
Damn.
When did they cuckold him into this?
~*~ : * : ~*~
“Souhi!”
“Mama!” Running up, the tiny boy jumped into her arms,
throwing his small gangly limbs around her neck as he planted a big kiss on her
cheek. “When’s daddy coming home?”
“Soon,”
she smiled, “Daddy’s going to come home soon.”
“Because mama and papa made up again, right?”
Aiko
flinched slightly, smiling as a sweat-drop ran down her head. “Yes, mama and
papa made up…again.”
Finger
to his lip, Souhi’s azure eyes were thoughtful as he said, “Papa hasn’t been
home for 2 years…do you think he forgot me?”
“No,”
she soothed, kissing his forehead, “Your papa could never forget any of his
children…” With a deep frown she muttered, “Even those he begets by those other
then me…”
“Souhi? SOUHI!”
“KYAH!” For the godforsaken second time that
day, Souhi found himself falling over, clonking his head against the floor of
his infirmary with a yelp, though this time it was Hiiro who he looked up at
with a glare. Why was Isako cursing him? Why oh why was she choosing to
curse him today of ALL DAYS? “What is it, Hiiro…?”
He
jerked his thumb towards the bedridden warriors. “How they
doing?”
“They’ll
be fine if they rest a week,” he muttered, not even bothering to get up from
the position he’d fallen in, shutting his eyes and lacing his fingers through
his long bangs, “Good as new…”
“You alright? You look ill yourself.”
“Tired,”
he said lazily with a wave of his free hand, “And I hit my head one too many
times on the floor I believe.” Because people can’t leave me alone in my
thoughts for 5 SECONDS!
With an
airy nod of his head he waved it off, moving on to a new subject. “Those blood
berries are something else, Souhi. Normally my men would be bedridden for
months.”
“It’s
because of what was put behind their making,” he sighed, frowning, “But they
shouldn’t need to rest at all…Blood Berries were originally an instantaneous
cure. No rest necessary.”
“Maybe
it’s because you’re wavering.” Looking down at him, Hiiro saw Souhi’s eyes snap
open in shock. “I remember the Great Mother telling me once…your cure was made
out of love for Saori to protect her…Perhaps its because you hold such a grudge
and hatred for her now that the effects of them are weakening. Father is
worried of what might happen if this decrease in efficiency continues…”
My
feelings…they’re interfering with my cures? The thought made him pale
deeply, horrified. But you have one thing wrong, Hiiro. I’m sure of it. “Tell
him not to worry when he returns from his latest trip, Hiiro. I won’t let
anything interfere with my duties.”
Hiiro
gave him a weary glance. He wasn’t so sure about it. Your family is very
much the same, Souhi. Your family is very connected to emotions, and the
majority of the time they will affect your efficiency. It happens with Kosuke
if he is troubled by Saori’s curse – or any child of his with a problem for
that matter! – or a bad marriage like before. It
happens to Saori whenever she’s upset or angry beyond all reason. It even
happens to Kohaku if he worries too much over Ruko. And now you, Souhi…because
you’re so stubborn and not hearing the whole story, holding onto this biased
hatred at “Saori” for trying to kill Aiko, your cures are weakening.
Souhi
noticed the look and sat up, shaking his head. “It’s not what you think, Hiiro.
Their decreasing efficiency happened because-”
“Lord
Souhi?” Ryu’s knock on the door made both gods stop, Souhi going over and
opening the door. “Sorry to disturb you suddenly, but I need your help.”
“Come on
in.” It was a relief; he’d almost told him his secret. “I’ll talk with you
later, Hiiro, alright?”
“Sure.”
With a wave he left, Ryu’s presence beginning to irritate him. The pretty boy
always irritated him lately, though it was probably from misdirected
frustration. I’d been so CLOSE damn it…
Ryu
watched him go with a shrug, brushing off the uncomfortable feeling the god
gave off. Figuring that guy out gave him a headache.
“So what
is it you need help with?” Souhi tilted his head curiously as Ryu sat down
casually with a cup of tea that he offered the youth in his hand across from
him. “Are you ill?”
“No. I
need something to protect me from the cold of Kakure. Queen Sakori said I
should see you about that.”
Souhi
nearly dropped his tea as he sat down on one of the empty patient beds. In
fact, he choked on it a little, azure eyes crossing. “You want to go to Kakure?”
From the
looks of it, Ryu’s own eyes crossed as well. “I got swindled into going to try
and get the demi-goddess back somehow.” How they managed to do it I still
have to figure out.
Souhi’s
frown deepened. “Right…I forgot. Shiko is partial to Kakure whenever she comes
out…” Shaking his head he sighed, “Saori will come out on her own you know. You
don’t have to go. She’s too stubborn to stay down long.”
Ryu
arched an eyebrow. “I would think you of all people would want her back soon.”
Souhi’s
eyes widened slightly from over the rim of his cup. What did he mean by that?
Noticing
he’d struck a cord, Ryu relaxed more, his gaze unwavering as he spoke calmly to
the healer god. “I saw the past, Lord Souhi…I know what you felt then and I’m
certain you still do. This hatred you have isn’t because she ‘betrayed’
you. You know it’s not in her control. I’m sure you tended to her in the past
concerning this condition so you, in fact, know the most of it.”
Souhi’s
eyebrow twitched. Who was he to tell him this? And damn it, why did Isako show
him the past? Unwittingly, a vein popped out on his forehead, throbbing slightly.
“If you
will forgive my bluntness,” he murmured cordially as he set his cup of tea
down, “I believe your hatred is more from the fact that you were never
mad at her to begin with…You’re mad because you know it was probably a provoked
incident.”
“Even if
you are right,” Souhi grunted, a sour look on his face
that quite reminded Ryu of his sister, “I love my mother. I would never betray
her again.”
A vein
twitched irritably on his forehead. Was this how he was over Ichiro? No wonder
Saori was so irritated with him. “This hatred of yours isn’t at her, Lord
Souhi…It’s more at Lady Aiko for putting you in this position…”
“That
child…”
“Who,
mother?” Souhi queried, eyebrow arching curiously as they sat
together in the lounge of Aiyoku, “Saori?”
Aiko’s
face twisted, her hands rubbing her face harshly. “She usurps all his
attention…she’s taking your father farther from me.”
“But
she’s a BABY, mother,” Souhi protested, utterly confused. Why was she so angry?
She knew nearly as well as his father or Queen Sakori that all babies always
took up a parent’s time. He’d probably taken up a considerable amount of their
time too when he was an infant. “Babies take up every parent’s time.”
“I wish
she’d just disappear,” Aiko frowned, lips twitching downward deeper, “Disappear
from our home. She doesn’t belong here in my home…that child of another’s
womb…”
His eyes
widened. “Mother!”
“You’re
the only one who belongs here, Souhi,” she sighed, holding onto him lovingly
with a relaxed smile, her eyes glazed over slightly, “You’re our precious boy…”
“Mother…”
Souhi
shook his head. No. He was NOT mad at her. He was not mad at his mother.
He was mad at Saori. He was mad at her for…for…oh damn, what was he mad at her for
again? His mind was all scattered thanks to Ryu now. Rubbing his temple, Souhi
gripped his head and let it sink between his knees, shutting his eyes.
“I
understand you want to protect them both…and that you don’t want to choose,” he
sighed, “I wanted to do something similar myself once, with my son and my
sanity, but ultimately you can’t…in these situations you will have to
hurt someone. I’m selfish…I hurt my son instead of myself, but you have 3
choices. You hurt the sister you love, the mother you love, or continue doing
this and hurt yourself and your patients since the latter will hurt the
effectiveness of your potions and antidotes.” Lip turned down as he saw Souhi
tense, he looked at the closed door of the room and said loudly, “Happy now?”
A distant
crash echoed in the hall before Kenta came in calmly, a large bandage over a
bump on his head and a small vein popping near the corner of his twitching eye.
“Ryu-san…”
It was
barely visible, but he grinned at the wolf demon, grabbing the pouch of pills
as promised before swinging it on his finger and looking at Souhi seriously. “I
meant what I said. I’m a selfish man. But I know my limits. I don’t think you
do yet, Lord Souhi, and you need to before you lose them both.” That said, he
left, shutting the door behind him.
Kenta
was thankful as his footfalls grew to nothing. That immortal youth annoyed him.
Largely. Were all mortals and immortals this
aggravating? It’s been so long since I saw one I don’t remember. Shaking
his head, Kenta looked at Souhi worriedly and muttered, “I’m sorry, Lord Souhi,
I shouldn’t have sent him after you like that, but I’d heard from Kayoko-san
that he was persuasive, though I must say somewhat cruel, and…”
“You’re
babbling, Kenta.” Souhi didn’t lift his head, though he sounded vaguely amused.
“Sorry.”
“You
were really worried…you did it to help me.”
“That’s
what I live to do, milord.”
Souhi
picked his head up, leaning back on his hands and staring at the ceiling with a
sigh. The youth was blunt, that much he agreed with, and it annoyed him how
closely he’d pinned his feelings. Exactly how much had he been told and shown?
I love them both…I hate them both…I hate myself for not seeing this sooner
and stopping it…
“Souhi-oi…”
Isako’s sudden voice sent a cold chill down his spine, sitting up rigidly with
a shudder. “…Love can drive a person insane…and Aiko is love…”
Insane. He hated that word. How he so
hated it, and how he hated using it for his mother. But there were just
no other words…and he was no better! He was letting himself lose it because he
loved them both too much. Rubbing his forehead, he sighed, “Arigatou, Kenta…”
“Eh?”
“No ‘Eh?’,” he chuckled,
“You should be glad…I got the message. I think I’ve been selfish like he was,
Kenta…and I’m losing them…both of them…”
“You can
fix that,” he said mildly, a relieved smile crossing his lips. He could already
feel it in his presence. That resentment was slowly easing away. “Perhaps not
so easily with Lady Aiko, but with Lady Saori…”
“You’re
right about Mother,” he muttered, running a hand over his face, “Lately, she’s
been going to Phylos often…and I have a feeling it’s with King Joutei. Whenever
she’s here, too, she never sees me. Hell, she went to see RAIKOU instead
of me the last time she was home. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,
but she’s never seen Raikou in CENTURIES.”
“It is
odd,” he agreed, “Do you think she’s losing it more? Lord Kosuke’s divorce with
her shook her badly, right?”
“Yeah…”
he uttered seriously, eyes narrowing in concern, “And it didn’t help with her
hatred. I haven’t told anyone yet, but it’s reaching uncomfortable levels…the
darkness is almost…almost like…” He couldn’t say it. Not yet. He couldn’t say
her name. “You know who.”
Kenta’s
eyes darkened considerably. “I remember mortals always saying love changes a
person…it can drive them crazy in pain or make them drunk in happiness…”
Shaking his head, those thoughts which the words invoked in him dangerous, he
smiled, “But I’m sure Lord Souhi will do what is right from now on, ne?”
Sweat-dropping,
Souhi caught the not so subtle hint loud and clear. “Yes, yes. Subtlety isn’t a
strong suit of yours, is it?”
His
eyebrow twitched as he saw a furry gray tail wag behind the tall wolf demon
man. It was a somewhat disturbing image given the fact that he had a large
satisfied smile on his face. “Demons don’t know subtlety very well, Lord
Souhi.”
Souhi
eyed his ears that started twitching cutely with a roll of his eyes. “I can
tell. No use trying to look cute, Kenta. I’m not Saori. You’re still not
getting away with this stunt un-punished.”
His ears
and tail drooped. He’d forgotten it was only the who
sister forgave him if he made himself look cute. It was worth a shot though.
“Hai, Lord Souhi…I understand…” I have to ask Tetsuo-san how he manages to
get away with it with Lord Hiiro…
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