Nine Tails of the Yokai: Tail 2

Chapter 4

          The wooden shoes and tabi socks made her begin to feel the weight of the kimono on her back. It was like the weight of a crown, though her current attire lacked a headdress.She was a little surprised, but Kat told her before dressing that one would be place on her head as part of the ceremony. At the doors to the great hall Haru, Masato, Shen, Sora, and Lyal waited for her in formalattire befitting their station. They wore hatori jackets in Clan colors, kurotomesode (pattern less black kimono), and an Obi at the waist in their family colors. Aiden wore only the kuro tomesode and a dark brown Obi. 

Haru's hair wasshorter than before, with a few single marks showing on his back. He offered his arm and she took it, "Traditionally the Lady's bonded mate is to walk them into the hall."

"But Cassidy has six. I'm not even sure how the clans will react to the news."Lyal added sternly. 

 "Perhaps, she should walk in under her own power. When she accepts our rings it will be the time to worry." Sora suggested. 

 "What if I take that role today? I'm the closest thing she had to family before awakening." Aiden added, hesitantly. 

 "Actually, Can Yuri be the one? I love you Aiden, but she raised me after my parents died. I think they would have wanted to be part of this day, if they could." Cassidy countered, taking one sleeve of the Furisode in each hand to lessen the weight a little. Her steps were already short thanks to Kat tightening to the point where Cassidy could barely breath. 

 "I think you may be right, LadyCassandra. Your father would have wanted to see this. It's the closest thing to a wedding ceremony you'll get." Yuri nodded her head to Haru and the rest of the shogun. "She will follow once as soon as you find your place on the stage." No one argued the point after that and Aiden began the procession of the shoguns. 

The elders followed, filing behind them from their place in the back of the hall. When the doors opened for Cassidy she froze. The sea of kimonos, hatori, headdresses, wings, tails, ears and horns were all focused on her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as Yuri took her arm to urge her forward, 

"This crowd represents all of the free ayakashi who live in the village and in other parts of the Yokai world. For every Free ayakashi you see, there are ten enslaved by the Nagavashi, the one who tried to kill you. Just pretend this is just another costume contest, only the stakes are higher." Cassidy cocked her head at Yuri as she stepped forward in small steps. 

"How did you know about that?" 

 "I've been watching you for a longtime. I never missed one. The Nine tails one was the best so far. I've never been far from your side. Remember small steps and smile." Yuri encouraged her fluffing Cassidy's tails a little with her wings. 

 Cassidy winced a moment before continuing down the narrow isle. Every clan was gathered together in groups with a single color blending them in. Her anxiety began to show a little at the true weight of her role to these people, these ayakashi. 

"The only way to free the ayakshi is to lead them. Working together we can do anything we put our hearts into." Yuri told her as she squeesed  Cassidy's arm. "You were born for this."

"You don't make this any easier, Yuri." Cassidy focused her eyes on the stage nearly a mile away, at least it felt like it despite being far shorter. The hall was wider than it was long with some benches to accommodate the 3,000 hoping for a glimpse. Those sitting along the asiles began to brush her tails, only to be brushed off with a flick of Yuri's wings.

 When the walk finally ended Lady Aya helped her onto the large stage. Along with her shogun, six more offered her a bow. She returned the bow as she had been taught, and waited. Yuri joined her on the stage with an elaborate gold headpiece in her hands. She spoke, projecting her voice so everyone could hear over the silence. 

"Today we welcome the awakened one in our midst. Many Ladies of the Yokai have been born to bring us a time of peace.Many challenges await Lady Cassandra of the Yokai. She has the great fortune to have six fate bonded mates to help her along the way. As members of our clans, this headdress represents the fates of each and every ayakashi. Let your mates be your guides as you discover what it means to bear this responsibility."

The headpiece was placed on her head as Yuri spoke. Cassidy felt the weight bear down on her, but the weight of her tails helped her balance physically against it. She felt a surge of power swell within her. The room filled with a soft glow leaving only Cassidy's form at it's epicenter. The bright light faded, leaving webs of faint light connecting her to every ayaksahi in the room. Most of the webs lead outside of the walls. The brightest of the webs connected her to her six mates. 

"If you will accept their suit, your fate bonded are asked to come forward." Aiden, Haru, Masato, Shen, Lyal, and Sora took Yuri's place and bent onto one knee silumotaneously*. They pulled a ring out of their kimonos and offered them to Cassidy. She nodded to each of them and they placed the rings on her hands.Haru chose the ring finger on the right, while Lyal claimed the ring finger on the left. Once it was done the mumbling of the crowd erupted into a whirl of elements at the display. The shogun winced a little as they cast shields to protect Cassidy and the Shogun.             

In frustration, Cassidy shouted at the top of her lungs, "Shut it." When she spoke a wave similar to the one that broke the tree spread across the room in waves, with her at the center. It negated every elemental power in the room. "For each one of you standing before me, there are ten gripped by fear and enslaved by the Nagavashi Lord. The remains of the Ryu village remind us every day. The Nagavashi tried to kill me once, but I will never fear them. For every ayaksahi, enslaved with chains of fear, I will come, as was fortold. For that, We must work together. Me with all six of my fate bonded shogun, and you with each other. We will repair the veil with those broken chains."

~~~~~

At the Nagavashi Village the darkness was filled for a moment with webs of light. A voice filled their minds with these simple words. "I will come, as was fortold." The webs faded and the enslaved Ryu looked among each other. They spoke freely for the first time, in spite of their Nagavashi guards pulling our their whips.

Among them a tear fell down Amira's cheek. Chains of poison bound her to her daughters. "Our Lady will come. We are not forgotten."

The Nagavashi Shogun pushed the bright web of light away as he heard Cassidy's voice offering a different message to him alone. "I will never fear you." The Nagavashi Lord broke the web and began to destroy the viles sitting on the desk next to him. He felt the sting as each one hit his scales.

"You will always fear me. No ayakashi will be free again."