The Dragon of the Shadows in the Dark

The First Gifts of Blood

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Seiryuu, Abi, is quite the foul-mouthed person, in addition to having a bad temper. But he is very quiet and sensitive and would do anything for his friends. Abi is rather protective of me and because of this he only allows himself and on rare occasions King Hiryuu to take care of me when I am ill. Despite my strength, I still find myself ill much too often for my liking. In return, I am always there to comfort Abi when it is needed and even more so when it is not. 

Abi is usually quite flustered around me, I do not believe it is because I am the only female of the 5 Dragon Warriors, but because I was the very first person to call his eyes beautiful. We both had received the Dragon's Blood together, quite literally side by side. He is the first of the other Dragon Warriors that I met. I wonder how the others are? All I can do is hope for the best but prepare for the worst ... Perhaps, if I am lucky enough, they will become family. What a nice thought that is.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Ouryuu, Zeno, is an energetic, cheerful young man who enjoys the company of others. I have noticed that he shows a preference for my company, likely because I am the only one in the group of Dragon Warriors who treats him decently. He mostly uses third-person speech and rarely calls anybody by their given names even after learning them as he calls the dragons by their titles. I find him to be quite adorable, though I do worry about him. Most of the time, he appears to be childish and rather attention-seeking, though he has his wise and mature moments. 

He is quite intelligent but enjoys being silly and childish, I do not mind but the others dislike it. As I have, unfortunately, learned first hand he is always on the front lines, wanting to protect everyone from danger and willingly puts his body in harm's way. Despite the fact that he chooses not to fight, he constantly puts himself in danger. It makes me afraid. He is still young, the youngest out of all of us in fact, but the way he puts his life so easily in danger worries me. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I feel like a mother to them, I do not mind it as much as I thought I would. I try not to get angry at the things my fellow warriors do, no matter how foolish or how unplanned. I am the mediator between the Dragons, though King Hiryuu is the only one who can truly get us all under control. I feel that the men would end up killing each other without me. No one but myself and Abi know how to cook. Only Shu-Ten and I know how to properly dress wounds. Gu-En and Zeno are the only ones that go to bed on time. 

But I also know that I would not be nearly as happy without them. Though I know how to cook, I often forget that this body of mine requires sustenance. Though I know how to dress wounds, I did not have the resources to tend to all the wounds I would receive before my time in the palace. Though I know that this body needs sleep, before, I had no one to force me to bed and ensure that I actually slept. I think I will enjoy my time with this new family of mine. They hold a special place within my heart, I care deeply for them.

I care so much ... it frightens me. Now that I have come to care for them more than I do my own life, I do not know what I would do should something happen to them. They have become my very reason for everything I do, they are my reason for living and I am terrified to ponder what would happen to me should I allow them to get hurt. I find my heart filled with their presence, despite what I have endured, I find my heart all too willing to fill and overflow with affection.

I fear this love I have. I fear that this love that warms me through the coldest of night, this love that keeps me company through the murderous sorrow and isolation ... I fear it will one day this love of mine will leave me cold and bitter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

- Kagemi, The Kuroryuu

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~