Enemy Hearts

Anger is powerful

When I came to, I was standing in the middle of a battlefield, thousands of Yokai and Nadaný lay unconscious on the ground.  Hearing the cracking of flames I spun around to see our kingdom in flames. My hands danced with the source of this chaos.

Me: Yukiro?
Yukiro: yeah?
Me: did I do this?

He was hesitant, his icy eyes coming into focus in front of me. Tears stung the corners of his eyes as he spoke.

Yukiro: not entirely. You don't remember?
Me: remember what?
Yukiro: K was murdered.

The images faded as I collapsed to the floor. Both the guard's and K's body, burnt to a crisp. My hands felt like they were on fire as a sob ripped through my chest, I felt so broken, so alone.

This wasn't supposed to happen, K was supposed to make it out alive. Glancing back at her body, the realisation set in, my sister was dead. I don't know how I managed to leave the dungeons, leave her side, but I did.

My steps now felt heavy, like I was living my life in a haze. Every step I took, i lost more reason to keep going, and for a moment I truly believed it was better if I just gave up. The I remembered a quote Siah told me when  I was younger, I think I was crying over a toy or something.

Sorrow is strong, but Anger is powerful. Throwing open the gates to my kingdom, I marched out and across the waste land to stand between my parents and Yukiro's. I sat down and looked up at the sky as it began to cry.

Me: this blood shed started because of a lie. A lie everyone believed. That a strong warrior was murdered by my clan, but now you're probably wondering what the truth really is.

I shot Siah a glance as he smiled and nodded. Then at Yukiro, who took my hand and squeezed it gently.

Me: the man who told you Nadaný that us Yokai murdered one of your kind, was lying. Your soldier was almost murdered by your own kind.

My mind flashed back to the scars I had seen littering his body and the stacks of bandages Siah always kept on him. Everything made sense.

Me: He attempted to slaughter that man on our land and when our own wise worry saved him, helped him. That Nadaný thought he had the perfect alibi. But you forgot one thing.

Siah walked hand in hand with his lover to stand behind me and Yukiro as they kissed. A sweet, slow and mesmerising kiss.

Me: you forgot we Yokai, are still capable of loving. And so what if he's gay!

The crowd showed a mixed reaction, some didn't want to believe it, others were happy that the fuel could stop. And my mother, wore a look of realisation before I'd even finished my sentence.

Me: yes Siah is gay.. But so am I.

I spun around and grabbed fistfulls of Yukiro's clothes, pulling his lips against mine in a deep rhythmic kiss. One that I will never forget.