by Max Jager
Her eyes going wide with worry, Imae let a few tears fall from her eyes as she climbed up on the bed to sit next to the miko. "I was really worried that you were not going to wake up again today."
Blinking at her as she let her head fall to the side, Yokiyo was confused. It seemed like just not that long ago she was in a barrier with this girl from the cat. "Really? How long have I been asleep for Imae?"
Looking up with a perplexed look on her face, Imae crossed her arms. "Well you slept all day the day we brought you back here after you protected me. And then you slept for two more days after that. If you would not have woke up, today would have been the third day."
With a small laugh as she relaxed fully, Yokiyo smiled. "I see. So I have been sleeping for three days now."
"That would be correct miko."
Jumping nearly out of her skin at the sound of the voice by the door of the room she was in, Yokiyo jerked her head up and then glared. There he stood. The Demon Lord Kiyoshi. Scaring the daylights out of her no doubt. She was almost taken in by his looks for half a moment. If he were anyone else he would be quite handsome. But she loathed the being before her. "I see. So you brought me here then?"
"I did." Walking in with his emotionless mask, he kept his eyes on her. The glare in her eyes already annoying him. "You were weakened and had an injury to your shoulder. For the fact that you did what you did for my daughter, I brought you here to heal." Though now he glared right back at her. He had thought about letting Imae have her wish and let the miko stay if she wanted to with Imae until Yukani and Kamui came home. But not if she was going to be like this.
A glance down at the little girl as she jumped from the bed and ran to stand next to him with a giggle and a smile, Yokiyo couldn't lash out at him like she really wanted too. Closing her eyes and turning her head from him, she let out a sigh. "For that I thank you. As soon as my strength is back enough I can, I will be on my way."
She glared at him, and then disrespected him by turning from him as she spoke. And yet for some reason, the open disrespect that she showed made him want to make her submit to him instantly. 'Damn her.' "That is the plan exactly miko."
Turning her glare on him for a second then back away from him, Yokiyo crossed her arms. "I know who you are. I would assume that while I am here you want me to refer to you as Lord Kiyoshi and not demon. Then I ask that at least you call me by my name Yokiyo."
With a glare as his eye twitched, Kiyoshi was doing all he could not to growl at this woman. She was in a bed in his palace and was disrespecting him in front of his daughter! Taking a deep breath, Kiyoshi sighed as he looked down at Imae and laid a hand on her head. "Imae. Yoite is outside the door. Go outside with him for a moment. I need to talk to the miko."
With a nod, Imae looked from his clearly angry eyes to Yokiyo who still refused to look at him, back to his eyes with a nod. "Yes Father. May I come back and see her later Father?"
"We will see Imae. Go." Watching as she smiled and ran out the door he sighed. It seemed nothing could get her spirit down. Once she was out the door with it shut, he turned a growl and a glare at the miko. "You want any level of respect in my palace you will show me the proper respect. Especially around my daughter. Is that understood miko?"
Tears already streaming down her eyes, Yokiyo turned and glared at him again. She could still remember the day that he flew over her village. The day the demon attacked them, days after others destroyed their village. She and Senri watched as he he flew over and didn't so much as look down. He did nothing at all! "I will show respect to you, only when she is around. Until I am able to move on my own and strong enough to fend for myself, I can't just leave. My one 'request' that I have is that I have as little interaction with you as possible."
"That will not be a problem." Kiyoshi then turned and stormed out of the room. He needed to calm down so he turned and followed his nose to find his pup. The defiant look in that miko's eyes, the way she stood up against him. He hasn't been this angry at a human in a long time. 'Damn that wench. The sooner she gets the hell out the better.'
X
After another long visit from Imae that evening that lasted into the night, Yokiyo now found herself sitting alone with a single candle on the bedside table. Starring down at the bed as she sat there. Focusing small amounts of purification at a time around her wound. The sooner she could get that healed, she could get her strength back and be the hell out of there.
Jumping when there was a small knock on the door she sighed as she looked up at the door. There were so many demons in this palace she couldn't pin point where any one was. And that alone was keeping her on edge. "Who is it?"
"My name is Takara May Lady. May I come in?"
With a sigh as she dropped her head, Yokiyo shook her head. 'OH man not that.' "Come in." Once the door opened she looked up to see a young female dog demon walking in the room with food for her. blinking as she sat it down next to the candle she sighed. "You know you do not have to call me My Lady. Or Lady Yokiyo. Yokiyo will be just fine for me."
Smiling as she set up the table so the miko could eat, Takara shook her head side to side. "I will call you Lady Yokiyo or My Lady. That is what I was instructed to call you when I was told to care for you until you are healed enough to leave. So that is what I will call you."
With a half-smile as she shook her head, Yokiyo eyed the food. "I would really rather you only call me Yokiyo."
With another smile Takara laughed. "I shall only call you My Lady then. You aided in saving our princess Lady Imae. For that alone I would give you the upmost respect."
With a sigh, Yokiyo half smiled. "Well thank you I guess." Then she reached over and lifted the tea to take a drink. "Who told you to care for me anyway?"
"Lord Kiyoshi. He wishes for you to be treated with respect while you are here for what you did for his daughter."
Closing her eyes behind a glare, Yokiyo took another drink of the tea. "It's shocking that he did that much."
Giving her an odd look as she stood, Takara couldn't help herself. "Why do you say that My Lady. You helped to protect Lady Imae until he was able to get to her side. For that I am sure that he is most grateful."
Snorting as she next lifted the rice, Yokiyo shook her head with a smile. "I still don't get why he acts like he cares about her."
Shock on her face, Takara didn't understand why the miko would say something like that. Dropping her head and closing her eyes, she had to ask her. "My Lady. Why do you hold such distain in y our voice for Lord Kiyoshi? He chose on his own to bring you here to heal knowing you were a miko. It was his way of repaying you for saving his pup from the cat demon. He did not have to do so."
A single silent tear falling down her face, Yokiyo turned a glare to the young demon. She didn't know the story, and she seemed to think he was a good guy too. "Because of what he did. I still remember the day when I was that little girls age. Watching as he flew over my brother and I after nearly being killed by a demon that ran off when he flew over. Only a few days after a rather large village was destroyed where a dragon killed my parents. He didn't even look down. Almost like looking at my brother and I was a bother to him. Why should I have anything but hate for someone so heartless?"
Her eyes wide as she listened to the miko's story, as more and more tears fell from her eyes, Takara didn't know what to say to her. With a smile she gave a small bow as she sighed. "I did not mean to bring up such sad memories for you My Lady. I have brought your food to eat to get your strength back. I am sorry once again and I shall see you in the morning."
Watching as she left then turning to the food so she could eat, Yokiyo whipped the tears from her eyes. "This is going to be a long week or so. I just hope I heal fast."
X
Sitting in his study, Kiyoshi gave his door an odd look. It was late at night and there shouldn't be anyone coming to see him. Let alone the maid he assigned to the miko. "Come in."
Walking in the room Takara dropped to her knees as she
gave him a bow. "I am sorry for coming so late My Lord. I just felt that I should come to tell you about the conversation that I just had with Lady Yokiyo."
His eyebrows arching, Kiyoshi sat his scrolls aside. 'Well this might be interesting.' "What sort of conversation was it?"
Keeping her eyes on the floor Takara took a breath as she folder her hands in her lap. "If I did overstep by bounds My Lord, I am sorry. But hearing the hate and anger in her voice when she talked about you. I couldn't help but ask her why she held such distain for you."
Even more curious now, Kiyoshi crossed his arms as he kept his eyes on the maid. "What was her answer?"
With a look of sympathy in her own eyes, Takara looked up at her Lord with a sigh. "She told me that when she was the same age as Lady Imae, her parents and village were destroyed by a dragon and other demons. A few days later, her brother and her were nearly attacked by one that ran away when you flew over them. That she and her brother watched and to them it didn't even look like you looked down. That is her reason for holding such hate."
Looking down at his desk, Kiyoshi sighed as he crossed his arms. When the miko would have been the same age as his daughter, he was on the trail of Shinra who was reported to be in the South causing havoc. There were several destroyed villages. "I see. That I remember. It was the only village that I came across that smelled so strongly of Shinra. It told me what way she was going my aura was enough to send that demon running."
"Would you wish for me to tell her this in the morning My Lord? It might make her time here less stressful for her so she can heal faster. As well as less stress for you My Lord."
Shaking his head as he went back to his scroll, Kiyoshi sighed. "No. I will tell her sometime tomorrow myself."
"Yes My Lord. I will take my leave now."
Once she was gone, Kiyoshi let out a long sigh as he looked out the window at the full moon. He did not see the reason in it, but he could understand coming from a human child why she would hate for him. But not knowing how long it is going to take for her to heal, there was but one thing to do. Yukani and Kamui left the day that Imae came back. It has been two full days now and he figured that if Yukani got her way and they came, it would be any day now. 'The miko and I need to come to an agreement on respect while she is here. Just in case they show up.'
X
His hands gripping his spear as tightly as he could, turning his knuckles white, a set of dark blue eyes glared as he stood in the middle of the destroyed village. "Damnit all to hell!"
Looking up at her mate with sad eyes, Zokeni reached out and touched his back as she sighed. "Sen….."
Dropping to his knees as he looked at the mass grave, Senri let frustrated tears fall from his eyes. "There is no way in hell to know if my sister is in that mass grave or not." Closing his eyes his eyes tightly he punched the ground. "Something told me that night to turn around and get her and bring her with me. Now I have no way of knowing if she is dead or not! Damnit!"
Laying her own spear on the ground, Zokeni sighed as she moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. "Of course there is Senri. From what you told me about her, your sister wouldn't have just sat here this time. She probably set out to look for you with her friends. I bet if we went from village to village asking if anyone has seen a miko that wears blue instead of red we hear something. She is the only one I have ever heard of that doesn't wear red."
Reaching up behind him, Senri smiled as he nodded and cupped his mate's face. Turning to wink at her he couldn't help but laugh. "I knew there was something special about you the second I met you."
With her own giggle as she let go of him and let him stand up Zokeni nodded. "I felt the same way. Course, with how rude you were to me that day, and for weeks after that who would of thought we would be mated."
"This is true. I hated all demons at the time and I thought that meant you. But I just couldn't not follow you for a while. I am glad I did." Senri then reached out and pulled her to him as he dipped down and seared her mouth with his. She was so much shorter than him that she barely come to the middle of his chest. She completed him in every single way. And the fact that she was a demon still shocked him. The last time he was in the village he vowed to kill them all. Now he found himself vowing to kill anyone who hurt this one at least.
After a moment he pulled his lips from hers and smiled down into her eyes. "So let's get going. Let's go and find my sister shall we?"
Her head still reeling from his kiss Zokeni blushed as she laid her hands on his chest. "Let's get going. The sooner we find her the sooner I can see you this happy all the time."
Nodding as they lifted their spears, Zokeni giggled as Senri lifted her in his arms and they headed out. Wrapping her arms around his neck she sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder. Life was nearly perfect for her. All that was left was to find his sister.
The Priestess and The Demon Chapter 60
Starring out the window yet again, Yokiyo let out a long sigh as she sat in the huge bed. The only thing that has kept her from going insane was the memories of when she was Imae's age and lived with her parents and brother. The window in her bedroom was just like this one. A perfect view of the sunrise this time of year, right up the very middle of the window.
The thought of the times she spent watching the sunrise through her window with her parents. Sitting on her grandmother's porch watching it with her when her parents had to go hunt demons. A single tear traced down her cheek, only to get whipped away half way down. That seemed like so long ago and right now she couldn't let herself look weak. Not here.
Hearing a knock at the door made her jump as she tensed. Turning narrowed eyes to the door, Yokiyo took a deep breath. "Who is it?"
"It is Takara My Lady."
Hearing the friendly voice, Yokiyo relaxed as she closed her eyes. In a different situation, Takara was easily one of the demons that she would talk to and then go on about her business. Even though she was a demon, she didn't think there was a mean or evil bone in her body. The only thing she did wish was that she wouldn't use titles when she talked to her. AS the door opened, she smiled at her as she glided across the room. "You know I do wish that you really wouldn't call me My Lady. I am a simple miko and really don't want a title."
Keeping her bright smile, Takara laughed as she sat the cup of tea down on her bedside table. "And it is like I told you last night My Lady. That is what I am going to call you. It shows you respect as requested by Lord Kiyoshi. And that is exactly what you deserve for your part in helping to protect young Lady Imae. If something were to happen to her it wouldn't be the same here."
Giving Takara an arched look as she lifted her tea, Yokiyo blinked her eyes. "So you really do care about her don't you?"
Standing as she placed her hands behind her, Takara gave a nod as her smile got brighter. "Yes My Lady. Everyone here at the palace absolutely loves her. Akahito was the one exception. He was the reason why she was in the woods when you saved her in the first place. Though for his actions Lord Kiyoshi dealt with him forth right as soon as Imae was safe with Lady Yukani."
Sitting the tea down, Yokiyo humphed as she crossed her arms and turned her head away from the young demon. It may not be her fault, but it seemed like Kiyoshi had everyone fooled. But not her. "Ha. Just an excuse to kill someone is all it was." When she felt eyes on her still, she looked at the girl and sighed to see a mix of shock and a glare in her eyes. "Look I told you my reason last night. I see nothing noble about anything that Kiyoshi does. I refuse to bow down to him. I will only be civil and show 'respect' when Imae is in the room. And that is only because that little girl thinks he hung the moon and wouldn't understand it. I mean really how do you tell a little girl the man she looks at as a father is nothing but a cold hearted bastard?"
Her usually smiling face was now twisted in a glare as Takara glared down at the miko. Letting out a small growl, she had the miko jerk shocked eyes up to her. "With all due respect My Lady, Lord Kiyoshi did
not use that as an excuse to murder anyone. Akahito took his daughter to kill her. That was a just punishment. If you would take the time to get to know him on your own you would see that. Especially when you see him with his daughter. I shall take my leave now. I will return later today with lunch My Lady."
Watching with wide and blinking eyes, Yokiyo was in a state of shock as the demon rushed from the room. She couldn't believe it. Even other demons think he is a good guy. With a sigh she lifted her tea and looked out the window again as she took another sip. "It isn't like it matters what they think to me. I am healing slower this time for some reason. Two weeks at most and I should be able to walk out of here on my own. And once I am gone, I won't even think about him or anyone here ever again."
Then she sighed as she half closed her eyes and smiled. "Then again I may have to check in with Imae once in a while. Just to make sure she is still safe."
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