Twelve Lords

by Max Jager

  As her uncle and mate blocked the attacks, Imae called Ryu to her. "Takara take the kids and get on Ryu. He will keep you out of the fight. Now!"

  "Right away My Lady." Takara then stood up as she watched Kiara, Nyoko Isamu and then Chiren all get on him, she then climbed on herself still holding Katana in her arms. Turning back to look at Hiroko, though she was wicked, she was a child. "Lady Hiroko?"

  Clinging to her father Hiroko shook her head side to side violently. "That dog will push me off. No way am I getting on the dragon."

  Looking around at the wolves that were now on both sides of them, she growled as she closed her eyes. "I am sorry about this guys." She then strted to glow blue as she let her purification flare to its fullest. Sending everyone there through the wall and the out the hole in the wall. Ryu shooting straight for the sky the second that he was out. Now standing back to back with her mate, Imae glared at all the wolves that were around them. "So tell me are you Northern or turn coats? Or do you just not like Mama?"

  Stepping ahead of the rest, one of the wolves looked at her with a hard glare. "Do not flatter yourself human. We have always been loyal to the North and Lord Motoichi. That is why we are here. Doing his bidding."

  Leaning her back against her mate, Imae laughed. "Oh that is good. I have no problem killing you all then. I might have had a hard time killing those that were loyal to Shone." But feeling the rumble, she turned to find Shone and Yoite coming around the corner and glared at Yoite, telling him clearly to stay out of it. Satisfied when he merely transformed and leapt to stand on the palace roof. She then turned back to the wolf. "So are you here hoping he will give you a high ranking position or did he send you here on an order to kill my brother and sister?"

  Glaring, the wolf growled. "For one they are not your brother and sister. You are no blood to the bitch in the South. For two he did send us. We do this because of who he is, not what we want him to do for us." He then growled as he pointed his sword at her. "This act would have been done before you had a chance to get here had you not split them up making have to do the same with my force."

  Laying her head back on Sanzo's back, Imae sighed with a smile. "Oh then I am glad that we split them up. Uncle Kamui would have let nothing happen to Aunt Yukani or Grandmother. So they are dealt with."

  Nodding as he looked back at her, Sanzo laughed. "And those that Atsana and I assigned to my sister would have none of it either."

  Giggling as she looked up at him, Imae nodded. "That is true too."

  Growling again as he narrowed his eyes at them, the wolf didn't hide the venom in his voice. "Everyone else was just bonus. You and those mongrels, and the bitch is who we really wanted." His eyes then shifted to Sanzo as he snarled. "Though I am glad that I get to take you out. Since you betrayed the demon world just like Kiyoshi did. Course Lord Motoichi will not complain. Your death is just sooner than he thought it was going to be."

  Shaking violently, Imae kept her head down as she gripped her katanas as tightly as she could. That was the second time that he referred to her mother as a bitch. He wasn't going to get off lightly with this. Not at all. "So you really think you can take me out?"

  "I know I can." His growl and glare back to the female, the wolf didn't budge. "Miko or not I can take you out. You would not be the first miko that I have killed."

  With her eyes glassed over and hard as stone, Imae looked up at him. Her typical chocolate eyes that were always so sweet and smiling, had a resolve in them to kill. She was through playing games with them. "If that is how you feel then you will agree to this. If you can land one scratch on me, I will let you have my head. My orders will then be for the Southern Guard to hand over my brother and sister to you the second that I am dead. However." Her eyes then met his and narrowed even more when he visibly flinched. "If I win, I let you live so you can crawl back to that welp you call a Lord and tell that son of a bitch that we are coming for him!"

  A snarl on his lips for the way she insulted Motoichi, the wolf just glared for a moment. This would be cake. "You know what girly I think we got a deal on that one. Taking out the human mate to the Lord of the East, the pups of the South. And the Lord of the East. Yes Motoichi will be highly pleased after this."

  Not even flinching as he laughed, Imae kept her glare on him. "I wouldn't bet on that you bastard. Her eyes going behind her at Sanzo, she gave a nod. "I think it is time all the sparing that we have done together get put to some good use don't you think?"

  Nodding as he joined her in glaring, Sanzo gripped his one sword. "You know I couldn't have said it any better my dear.

  X

  Watching from where he sat with everyone on the dragon, Chiren couldn't believe his eyes as he half glared down at what was going on. He couldn't believe that she would do such a thing! "What is she thinking making a deal like that? She knows that no one would do it."

  Watching as well, Takara sighed. "My Lord. Lady Imae is not stupid nor is she near as weak as he thinks she is. You have seen her in action." As she bounced the now wide eyed and curious Katana in her arms, Takara never took her eyes off of Imae. "She has no intention of losing. She willingly made that deal with him to get his confidence up. She knows that should the unthinkable happen, myself, Yoite and Lord Senri would never hand over either Lady Kiara or Katana to them. Or anyone else for that matter."

  Never taking her eyes off of her sister and Sanzo, Kiara had a mix of emotions right now. She was upset that they mated, because that meant that her sister was going to be leaving for the East. But she was happy that she found a mate at the same time. Hearing the conversation behind her, Kiara smiled one of her rare and true smiles. "She will not lose to them. My sister has only ever lost two times. One to Grandfather, the other to Father."

  Turning to look down at her, Chiren sighed. "My Lady, this is far from a sparring match with her father or grandfather."

  Turning her glare at him over her shoulder, Kiara growled at him. "I know that. But this battle is just like with Kado. It is to protect us. When Imae is protecting someone she loves, she can't lose."

  X

  Each with a matching glare, Imae and Sanzo turned and looked like they were going after each other in an all out effort to kill the other. But instead went around each other taking out the charging wolves as they rushed them. Closing their eyes, they just trusted the other knew their moves as they had the last few months. Finally after a few moments when she didn't sense any more charging, Imae turned and pointed her sword at him. "So you think you can do better than your men just did?"

  A snarl on his lips the wolf just glared at her. He knew he could take them out. He didn't know why his men didn't do it, they fought better than that most of the time. But he knew he could. "Oh I know that I can. However I am no fool. The two of you, I can't do that on my own. You without him at his side I would be…."

  Taking a deep breath, Imae sheathed one of her katanas as she dropped her head. "Sanzo."

  Looking back and forth from Imae to the wolf, Sanzo then sighed as he sheathed his own sword. "Alright I get it. Get lost." He then laughed at the shocked look on the wolf's face as he leapt out of the way to land on the roof and watch next to Yoite. Sitting down he shook his head. "Hey you attacked her brother and sister, and insulted her mother. You deal with her. I am out of it."

  His eyes blinking the wolf just looked at him. He was a falcon and bonded like wolves do. He should be trying to shield her not letting her fight on her own. Especially with how much weaker she was than him. "You are going to truly stay out of this? I will have no retaliation from you when I attack her?"

  Smiling as he closed his eyes, Sanzo shook his head. "Not just for attacking her no. You deal with her on that one. But you won't be able to touch her so it's all good." But then he opened his eyes and glared with his smile. "However. If it does look like you are going to get lucky and she doesn't see it, I will be taking your head off then. Just so you know."

  'Not if I take her head off and then get over the wall
before you get to me.' But then without a word, the wolf lunged at Imae and swung his claws at her from the left and he brought his sword up from the right, but he gasped when instead of taking her head off and slicing her body in half, his arms went all the way around and it looked like he was hugging himself. Turning to look behind him, he snarled to see her there. "You bitch!"

  Imae glared as she dropped down to duck from his claws and blocked his katana. Transferring most of her purification to her foot she reached out and kicked him, sending him flying back a hundred feet. "You know you really should watch your mouth. There are children here."

  "Bitch! Die!"

  Taking a deep Imae focused as he charged her swinging wildly with both his sword and claws. Compared to sparring with her father and Umarus every day he was moving in slow motion. Being able to use her purification to see his moves, and counter, this battle was a piece of cake.

  Waiting and watching for the opening she needed, Imae smiled when she saw it. she plunged forward with a dagger. She moved out of reach of his claws and deflected the sword. Her dagger going into his neck as her katana sliced into his gut. On second thought you bastard, you don't get to live. You attacked and insulted my pack. Die." She then flared every ounce of purification she had to its fullest and turned him to dust nearly instantly.

  Once it was done she turned and walked a few feet to the pond to rinse the blood off her hands. As she stood up she smiled as Ryu landed next to her and Kiara flew off at her side. Putting her hand on her sister's head, Imae let out a relieved sigh. "You are alright?"

  With a tight grip on her sister's clothes, Kiara smiled a bright smile. "Yes I am fine. We all are. No one touched us."

  "Good." Looking up to see the worried look of Takara as Yoite came up to stand with them, Imae couldn't help but blink as she looked up at him. He was covered in blood. "You know I don't have the nose here everyone else does, is that the leopards or did you get hurt?"

  Giving a bow as she shook his head no, Yoite smiled. "No My Lady I am just fine."

  Nodding as her uncle came up to her, Imae sighed. "Since everyone is alright, we leave as soon as possible." Turning to look over at Shone as he greeted his mate and son, she noticed the two with a pup to the side. "I take it that is Kisa and her mate and daughter?" But then she blinked as she looked down at Kiara and how she glared and growled at them. "What is all that about?"

  Looking down at the now happy and laughing Katana, Takara sighed. "When the fighting started with Yoite and the others, we were in the safe room. Lady Hiroko said that she felt that if they were given what they wanted they would just go away. She then started to move for Lord Katana."

  Her entire body tensed as she glared at the pup. Imae's eyes were no longer soft. "She did what?"

  Nodding, Takara laughed as she pulled shocked eyes from both Imae and Sanzo to her. Laying a hand on Kiara's shoulder, Takara smiled. "Though I believe that Lady Kiara showed her that isn't an option."

  Looking from Takara to the glaring Kiara, Imae blinked as she started to relax some. "Kiara what did you do?"

  Not taking her glare off the wolf, Kiara let go of her sister as she crossed her arms. "I put her on the floor. End of story."

  "Good girl." Imae then took her hand as she headed for Shone. "Let's go and get Shone and the others so we can get back and Mama can calm down."

  Her eyes going wide with worry, Kiara shot her head up to Imae. "What is wrong with Mama?"

  Laughing as she looked down at her sister, Imae let out a sigh. "Mama is why we are here. She had one of her feelings. I am sure since you are safe now it's gone but you know how she gets when she gets those."

  Laughing, Senri walked with Zokeni in his arms. "She goes crazy when she gets those feelings."

  Rolling her eyes, Imae looked up at her uncle and half glared. "Really Uncle Senri?"

  "Truth is the truth Imae." Senri then winked at his niece. But he couldn't stop the glare as he looked at Sume. He actually thought that they were going to let him touch Kiara. That one would need to be watched.

  As they reached Shone, Imae smiled. "We are ready to head back. So whenever you are ready we can go."

  With his mate in his arms, Shone nodded. "I am ready to go now. Since I rode on Sanzo all the way here, I have the energy myself to transform and carry them." He then turned to Sanzo and laughed. "Would you like me to return the favor?"

  With a glare, Sanzo hissed at Shone as he crossed his arms. "I swear you know I am not so weak that I can't fly her home too. It will save room on Ryu's back as well. I can take her, Kiara and Nyoko. Chiren, Takara, Katana and Yoite can ride Ryu." Turning to Imae he laughed. "If that is alright with you of course."

  "It's fine." But everyone looked up when they heard a growl to find Sume glaring at Shone. Imae though held her own growl as Senri stepped up and put Kiara between the two of them. And Takara moved with Zokeni to stand behind them with Katana.

  A glare in his eyes, Sume growled. "We are not going with you Shone."

  Growling back at him, Shone was not happy with Sume right now anyway. The second that Isamu got to him he told him what happened with Hiroko and Kiara, and how Sume reacted to it. Once he stopped walking, Shone was not going to fight with him. He wasn't going to argue. He loved his sister, and still did his niece to a point. But this wasn't the time to try and play who has more control. "Sume I get it that you are her mate, but the day you left your pack to come here you gave up your title of Lord or Leader as well. I am Lord of the West. You are mated to my sister, and you will shut your damned mouth and do as you are told right now. Once this war is over and Motoichi is dead you two can do whatever you want to do. Go back to your pack and rule them, or stay here I don't give a damn. But if you stay things change. And right here, right now you don't have a choice. You go to the South. Move it!"

  His amethyst eyes narrowing as he glared with Shone. He wanted to play friends with a human lover and his mongrels, fine. And right now, for the moment he couldn't do anything about it and would have to go to the South with them. But he would see his daughter a Lady of the lands one day. If not all of them. "Fine. But mark my words Shone. I will have my say about what is going on at some point Shone. Trust me on that one."

  "Not in the South you won't." Her eyes hard as he turned to glare at her, Imae crossed her arms. "Just remember that had your daughter not been a threat to my brother, nothing would have happened to her. She could of said anything she could think of and Kiara would not have so much said a word to her. IN the South, being Shone's niece will only take her so far there. She has no power in the least. Remember that and make sure she does." When all she got was a glare and a growl before he turned to Kisa and the pup, Imae sighed as she looked down at Kiara. "Let's just get going and go home shall we?"

  Nodding, Kiara smiled. "I want to see Mama and Father."

  X

  With all the worry and fear she had racing through her, Yokiyo gasped as she jerked her head up. It was all gone. Replaced with the peace she has felt the last twelve years daily, a peace she hadn't felt since Kiara and Katana left. "They are safe?"

  Taking a deep breath, Kiyoshi sighed as he closed his eyes. "You are alright now then?"

  Leaning back into his arms, Yokiyo closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. "I am to a point. I will be back to normal when I get them all three here again. But they don't leave again. This time we rethink their guard for when we are gone at war and everyone just stays here."

  Blinking as he rubbed her back, the headache he had quickly melting away. "What do you mean by rethink their guard?"

  Easing away from him, but staying on his lap Yokiyo nodded as her dark blue eyes met his ice blue ones. "I know something happened. My feelings like that are never for no reason at all. I had hoped that by just like in the story, splitting them up would have kept them safer. But it put them in real danger I know it. I hadn't felt that terrified in my life. Not even when I knew something was wrong with your mother."

  Moving them so the
y were laying on the bed, Kiyoshi pulled her to him as they lay on their side, his chest against her back. "That is fine but I still do not know what you mean by rethink their guards."

  "Senri. I know he wanted to go and fight but he went with them…." Being cut off as he put a hand over her mouth, Yokiyo blinked as she took a deep breath.

  Once she stopped talking, Kiyoshi let his eyes start to drift close. She had no sleep for a full day and neither has he. They would sleep while they waited on the pups. "I do believe that Senri will end up staying after all Yokiyo. He had no problems going with them. He has told me had we been going against Kenji and Shinra he would fight. But this is Motoichi. Umarus and Yoite will stay no matter what either way it goes. Now rest." Pleased when she nodded then let out a sigh as all the stress from the last two days fled her body. Her heart nearly instantly slowed to that of sleep.

  He for one could not wait for this to be done. To see what Imae's bond is going to be like. And have more than ten years where it is just he and his pack with nothing threatening them.