Blood Blades

Reluctant Royal

       "Himitsu!" A booming voice rang out. "What is the meaning of this!?"
       "Come forward, Torakka, and I will explain. These are friends, cousin." Although those friends were now standing on guard, having jumped and surrounded Karuma protectively. Ah-Un let out a growling rumble, facing outward and staring into the darkness.
      "It's alright, boys...geez." Karuma said, standing up in their center. "Stand down. Don't need to scare the crap outta them. I don't need them on edge when I talk to them..." she reached out and touched Sesshomaru's shoulder. "It's okay, love..." he was shaking, a growl rising, his hand gripping his sword tightly. She stepped closer, hugging him around his back and belly. "I'm alright, baby, calm down..." she laid her forehead on his back and squeezed tighter...and hummed to him. He relaxed, the tension leaving him. In fact...they all relaxed, listening to her calm Sesshomaru.
"Damn, princess...you are incredible." This from Koga. He motioned for his wolves to sit...but it was much closer now.
     Karuma stopped humming. "Come, love...sit and wrap around me. I need you...Inuyasha, sit down pup." He nodded, removing his hand from his own sword and reluctantly sat. Karuma again touched Sesshomaru's shoulder. "Sesshomaru?" He turned back to her.
     "Sit down, sweetheart." She complied and he wrapped around her again, protectively. Ah-Un laid down beside them, still on guard.
Torakka stepped into the firelight when her boys had settled down. A tall, dark, and at the moment, very on edge demon. His features and long dark hair and brows, along with two blue-black stripes extending out from his hair line and down his forehead and over his eyes, the tips just touching beneath them, made him look like a stoic Native American...all broad shoulders, pointed ears and black tail, and wearing the same get up as Himitsu...he looked around at them, his dark eyes landing on her. His eyes widened, a look of surprise passing over his features. He smiled...to her relief.
"Obake! Come here, brother! You are not gonna believe this!"
Another voice spoke up...this one much closer, making her flinch in surprise. "I see her, Torakka..." Obake sat close, almost within their ranks, quietly contemplating her. He was dark as well. Long black hair tied back with messy bangs...a hulking demon, sitting with bent back and hardly noticeable...his glistening dark brown black eyes seeming to take her apart as he observed her, the cross like deep purple stripe starting at mid forehead, crossing between his brows, ran down his nose...his skin was paler, making the purple pop as he stared at her. His eyes though...he read much as he looked at her.
"Cousin?...Karuma?" He spoke, his voice deep and raspy. She had to stop her smile as she thought of Batman, just lacking the mask...
"Yes, Obake...cousin..." she replied, a shiver running down her spine as her eyes met his. Definitely intimidating...I may grow to like Obake...
"Are you kidding me!?" Another voice rang out...and hopped into the firelight. Smaller and much more of a bundle of pent up energy...Kieru. She was small, to the point of being almost tiny, dark hair with a white streak starting at her right temple...two stripes hugged below her dark brown eyes that bore a bright saffron color, her black tail pointed up and wagging....she is adorable...
"Karuma!?..." She asked hesitantly, looking at her with a puppy dog glow.
A bright smile spread across Karuma's features. "Yes...Kieru?"
"Yes!!" She replied...and promptly jumped on her...wrapping her small arms around her, pushing Karuma back into Sesshomaru. Karuma let out a laugh...yes, I love this...her arms hugged the pup.
    "It is really you, Karuma!?..." the pup looked up at her, all big eyes glistening...Damn...I cannot resist those eyes.
    A fang toothed grin lit Karuma's face. "Yes, Kieru..."
   "Kieru, get off her...have some respect." This from Torakka...who truth to tell, wanted to bear hug Karuma as well...and berated his little sister for doing just that. Hell Hounds were very affectionate...often hugging and nuzzling noses in greeting...and the greetings could get a bit overzealous. They wouldn't turn their nose up to a pet or two either. True attention hounds.
    Karuma turned her smile to Torakka. "It's alright, leave her be...truth be told, I absolutely love this, Torakka...may I ask for a hug from you as well, cousin?" Tears shone in her eyes as she choked up...Obake noticed.
    "Me first..." he stated, surprising Karuma...it showed as her eyes came back to him. He smiled at her, and it changed his features so much...giving him a softness that no demon had a right to possess. He stood, his full height extreme, stretching well above Torakka...a true powerhouse with a soft smile. "I cannot resist your soft eyes, cousin..." Obake spoke softly, raspy...like he hadn't talked in a long while. "I wish to share your happiness." Yes...I could certainly grow to love Obake.
    He walked over to her and extended his hand. Kieru released her and sat beside Sesshomaru...looking up at him curiously. Karuma reached back and squeezed Sesshomaru's arms...he released her as well, though she could tell he didn't like it...Karuma reached out and grabbed Obake's large, warm hand...a connection sizzled between them. Obake...ghost...and like a phantom, he was already sneaking in to steal her heart.
     Obake pulled her into him, his long arms coming around her...she wished to know his scent...but that could wait. Standing on tiptoe, her arms snaked around his neck as he leaned down, hugging him tightly to her. "Karuma...it is indeed a pleasure to meet you...finally." Obake spoke softly, melting her heart.
     Karuma lifted her head to look at Obake. A sweet hulk of a demon that smiled down at her. "If I had only know about all of you, Obake...I would have arrived much sooner." Karuma smiled back at her cousin.
    "Damn, Karuma...you are beautiful." Obake said gruffly, touching her cheek at the edge of her smile. "You look nothing like us...like a bright beam among the shadows."
    "What you see is the elf, Obake...it is like darkness and light. I look like my father...but it wasn't always thus."
    "No matter who or what you look like, princess...you are still one of us...cousin."
    "More like queen, brother..." Kieru spoke up, "just wait till Mother finds out..." the pup snickered.
    Woah!...woah. Queen!? No...
   Obake felt her tense up in denial. "You cannot deny it, Karuma...on either side. You are a royal...and it shows."
   Dammit. No. "I never asked for this...never wanted it."
   Obake chuckled. "Does any royal born ever ask? Irregardless, it is who you are, cousin."
   Who I am?...a reluctant royal...damn.
   Obake released her and stepped back, sitting close to her and nodding at Sesshomaru. As he sat, that is when she noticed the twins standing behind him...all smiles and twinkly eyes. Identical...with their scent barriers up, she would have a hard time telling them apart. They were smaller in size and stature, closer in age to Kieru. Twin light green stripes ran under their chins, starting where their upper fangs lined up to their lower lips and running down their necks, ending at a two sharp points just above their collar bones. Both had messy, lighter brown hair that spiked up around their foreheads extending past their shoulders behind their pointed ears...and grey eyes...that was indeed different...their shaggy tails were a lighter brown as well...almost her coloring before she had changed. Huh...thought I got the lighter coloring because of Father...when did the Hell Hounds start to produce different coloring?...maybe we are not as pure as the snobs like to think. The thought made her smile.
    One grabbed the other by the arm in feigned surprise. "Woah, brother!...is she smiling at us!?"
    "Well, we are irresistible...any poor woman would fall victim to us. None can resist our puppy eyes or charms." Karuma promptly busted out laughing. "See what I mean, brother?"
    "Yeah, I see...she laughs because she thinks you're a fool. So much for a good first impression." These two...they reminded her of herself. Laughter opened many doors that hatred and misunderstanding tried to lock tight. Something these two obviously knew and understood.
    Still chuckling, Karuma addressed the twins. "Kage and Yami..." their names didn't really suit them, shadow and darkness... "Thank you, boys...I needed a good laugh."
Torakka spoke up from close behind her. "You really shouldn't encourage them, Karuma...they can be insufferable."
    She turned back toward Torakka, a warm smile on his face. "I'll take that hug now, cousin..." he spoke, opening his arms. Yes...
She ran her arms around his neck and pulled him in, hugging tightly. "It's about damn time, cousin. Took you long enough to find your way to us. Things are about to change drastically, I'm thinking...but, you are on edge." He leaned back and looked down at her. "Whatever is bothering you, Karuma, if you need help, you need not ask. We are here for whatever you need, to support you...despite what our dear Mother may want. We, my siblings and I, have always thought it was wrong, the way you and Himitsu have been treated...and have fought many times with Mother about it. I'm so sorry, cousin, for the actions of my mother...it should've never happened."
The tears that had threatened streamed down her cheeks, triggered by his words. Damn...I could grow to love Torakka too...tracker...she wondered if he was a good hunter. "Don't cry, cousin..." he reached up and wiped her tears away, "we don't want to be the reason for your tears, but your beautiful smile. Let's see those fangs, beautiful." He flashed his fangs at her, the shine catching the firelight...fierce looking, the beast shining through. Dang...the ladies must love him. She smiled at him, baring her own fangs, a twinkle in her wet eyes.
    "There it is...Obake is right, Karuma, you look nothing like us. And yet, you couldn't belong more. The very soft to our hard..." he reached up again and tucked her stray hair behind her ear,  "Yes...you should fit into our fold quite nicely, completing our little circle. The missing puzzle piece. It is indeed good to finally see you, cousin."
"Yes, thank you, Torakka." She spoke, a crack to her voice.
One of the twins...god only knew which one...spoke up. "Quit hogging her, brother! We want to welcome her too!" Twins...in the demon world, oftentimes identical twins could share the same mate...I definitely wouldn't be able to share, thank goodness Himitsu wasn't her identical twin...
    "Wait your turn, pups...I am not finished." Torakka's voice rang with authority...deep and scary sounding...but the twins only snickered in response. Torakka shook his head, looking back down at her. "Welcome to my headache, cousin...go meet the twins before they make my head pound worse."
Karuma chuckled. "Heaven forbid." He chuckled back and released her. She turned to the twins with a grin. "Hey, boys...what do you call a boar with no legs?" They looked at her, confused.
     One shrugged, the other responded, "I don't know...what?"
     Karuma chuckled again, and answered. "Ground pork."
     Their mouths dropped, she heard Torakka mumble behind her, "Kami, not another one." Obake chuckled quietly...the wolves tried to hide their snickers, and Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's faces lost a bit of the seriousness in them. Sesshomaru's eyes bore a twinkle as he looked at her.
    Himitsu sat smiling, shaking his head at his sister. She's got them eating out of the palm of her hand. Obake was correct...her royal blood shows.
Kieru started laughing. "Looks like you got some competition, boys! Good one, Karuma!"
"Thank you, Kieru. I got a whole sack full of cheesy jokes for serious occasions such as this..." she smiled at the pup, "You know, when it is least expected."
    "Yeah, and the twins definitely didn't expect that! You got em speechless, Karuma." Kieru said, laughing again.
    "We ain't speechless, just surprised, that's all." Karuma chuckled and stepped closer to them.
"Okay you two, which of you is which?...and you will probably have to tell me more than once, just so we are clear. Without your scents, I cannot tell you apart, boys."
The twin on the left spoke up first. "I am Yami...I wear black beads around my right wrist, Karuma..." he held it up and shook the beads, "my brother does not. It was Obake's idea, so there would be no confusion."
Huh...smart. "Yami..." she smiled at the pup, "I shall endeavor to tell the difference between you two, even without the beads, rest assured. You may have a mirror image of yourself walking beside you, which is a blessing...but, none other possess your soul, that is one of a kind."
    Himitsu grinned...the twins had always tried to present a sense of united individualism... indeed, it wouldn't take her long to tell them apart, unlike most...who thought their opinions were always the same, never taking the time or caring to know how each one felt. He watched the softening come across Yami's face...yes, Karuma certainly knew how to read people...
   "Thank you, cousin, that means a lot." Yami spoke softly, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around her. "To be honest, I hate these damned beads. I wish everyone could tell the difference between us, without the damn things."
Soft heart...Yami. I am already beginning to know you pup. Karuma brought her arms around him, he shook with emotion...her words meant more than he let on. She squeezed a bit tighter. "I look forward to getting to know you, Yami. Know you can always be yourself with me. I prefer it that way...I wish to know the real you, cousin. Through and through." He shook more as his own arms squeezed tighter.
    "Damn, Karuma..." he leaned back to look at her, and his look...so hopeful. She vowed not to let him down, "Where have you been? We needed you hundreds of years ago. Kami, Mother was so wrong."
Karuma smiled softly at the pup. "I am here now, Yami..." she brought a hand up and touched his cheek gently, "and I intend to be a big part of your life from here on out...is that acceptable?"
He grinned brightly and nodded. "Oh yeah."
   Kage leaned closer to Yami's shoulder, smiling at her as well. "It seems you have made Yami very happy, cousin. That is usually my job...nice work." Yami released her and stepped aside so Kage could embrace her. His arms came around her and squeezed gently. She hugged him in return. "I know it's a little late, but welcome to the family, Karuma."
"Thank you, Kage...better late then never right? I am very happy as well. My family keeps growing it seems...after all those long, lonely years on my own, this is a dream come true...beyond anything I could've hoped for, so that late welcome means the world to me."
   "Should've happened sooner, cousin." He said as he pulled back to look at her. "Mother has a lot of explaining to do...even if you don't want to take her crown, you are a queen. I can feel it...you, cousin, were meant to lead...whether a small band, or a whole nation...where you go, others willingly follow."
The truth rang in his words...and she couldn't deny it. "Dammit." She muttered, at wits end.
Kage chuckled. "Let me guess...you don't want that kind of responsibility?...that is why we are here, cousin...to help you shoulder it. Lean on us, Karuma...we need a change, and I feel you can bring it. The simple fact that you have wolves following you is proof of that. I mean, damn cousin, we have been at odds with the wolves for centuries. Impressive."
She smiled brightly. "Koga is my friend...would you like to meet him?"
Kage smiled again and nodded eagerly. "Never met a wolf before..." his voice dropped, "you think he will like me?"
"Absolutely, Kage..." she answered just as quietly, "Koga is awesome...come." She released him and led him over to where the wolves sat.
"Koga, Kage would like to meet you, my friend...seems he's never met a wolf before...and I can think of no one better than you for his first wolf to meet." She flashed a fang at Koga.
"Well now, is that right?...come, sit down with us, Kage. Let me regale you on my many brave deeds."
"Feh...brave deeds, my ass. I recall you turning tale and running from me a buttload of times, ya mangy wolf. You wanna hear stories of brave deeds, you're better off with me, pup." Inuyasha piped in.
Yami chuckled. Karuma smiled. "Come, Yami, meet my foster son, Inuyasha." He nodded and stepped over, sitting beside Inuyasha.
"See, your brother has some sense, Kage! Come over whenever you get sick of Koga's mouth."
"You're just jealous, mutt, that the kid has interest in a clearly superior pure bred pack leader over you. I am amazing, after all."
"Amazing!?...amazingly full of yourself, ya pompous jackass."
   Geez. "Give it a rest you two, would you please?"
    Torakka looked around again, his eyes landing on the imposing Sesshomaru. Karuma heard him speak up once more, directing his words at Sesshomaru. "So, who might you be?" Dammit...she came back to Sesshomaru and put her hand on his shoulder. He was definitely tense. She bent to his ear.
   "Easy, love. He means no harm."
"Isn't it obvious who he is, Torakka?" This from Obake. "He is her chosen."
"Yeah, you can tell she cares about him, Torakka. What's your name demon?" Kieru asked, looking up at Sesshomaru again with wide, sparkly eyes.
He looked down at her, raising an eyebrow and smirked...obviously won over by the pup's charms. "I, little princess, am indeed Karuma's intended, Sesshomaru...and, I am far mightier than those two over there..." his head jerked toward Koga and Inuyasha, "and, I could tell you the amazing tale of how I met and fell in love with your cousin. It has been centuries in the telling. And," his eyes came up to hers, "you shall have to help me tell the end of it, Kieru, since you are now a part of it. We shall wait in suspense to see the final outcome." His eyes went back to the pup, Karuma's heart racing...he is reaching out! "How does that sound, little one?"
    A wide smile split across Kieru's face. Sesshomaru had an instant fan...how cute is that!? Who knew he was so good with kids? "Yes! I want to hear it...and help finish it! I wanna know everything."
   "As do I." Torakka spoke up again, taking a seat beside them. Karuma came around Sesshomaru and looked down at him, smiling. She mouthed the words, 'thank you' when he looked up at her. He nodded and opened his arms again, melting her heart. She sat in his embrace with a contented sigh.
   "It can wait, Torakka. What I really want to know is what on earth is bothering you, Karuma?" Obake asked. "I cannot feel your aura, but I can tell you are definitely not at peace. Please, I wish to help ease your fears, cousin. Confide in us." Karuma took a deep breath, then started explaining her situation, and mission. She gauged their reactions as she spoke, telling them her plan. The shock on each ones face as it all sunk in. They may regret agreeing to help her...