Hakuouki : Kazama's Spring

Chapter four

Chikage and Chihana had sat down together in the dining room for dinner, she sat a few feet away and nibble on her chopsticks sheepishly as she stared at the lavish meal.

"Is it not to your liking?"

Chikage asked, his voice caught her from her thoughts and shook her head.

"Oh... no,it's wonderful..I'm just not hungry. But it's delicious, thank you"

She said giving the maids her thanks. She set down her chopsticks and drink her tea. Chikage couldn't help but feel fascinated by her beautiful manner. The way she carry herself and the way her soft hands lifts the rough heavy cup. Feeling the intense eyes on her, she set down her cup carefully and cleared her throat; catching his attention.

"Is there something you may ask me?"

She asked looking straight in his eyes, he hesitated for second.

"You're Mikazuki's illegitimate child, are you not?"

Chihana tensed at his blunt question. She sat there quietly for a few minutes and the air got so tensed that the maids ran to the kitchen. Chikage never breaks his intense look at Chihana.

"What if I said I am?"

She asked, returning the same look towards him. The coldness in her tone was venomous.

"Well... you tell me. I'm just curious"

She smirk at that but she stood up from where she is then left. Chikage couldn't help but think of other possibility on why her own clan had branded her. The only he could come up Is that Chihana's an illegitimate child of rival clans.

Chikage couldn't sleep that night, he went to the library but on the the way there; The door to Chihana's room was opened. He's alerted, thinking some might've gotten in. He carefully crept in and was astounded by the sight. Chihana slept peacefully like a porcelain doll and the moonlight shone her skin through the open window. Before he realise it, Chikage stood near her. Her lashes were long as her lips as red as a petal of rose, he has this strong urge to touch her, to kiss her. And just an inch from their lips touching, her eyes shot open and in a swift moment; she has him pinned down with her on top of him and her dagger ready to cut his throat. Her eyes were dead as if she has no soul and the hatred behind it was horrendous. But after she realised who it was, she scurry off him and tossed the dagger aside.

"I apologised for startling you, I saw that the door was open and I thought..."

"So you thought you could just come inside and kiss me?"

She hissed, Chikage couldn't help feel ashamed and his cheeks were flushed red in the slightest. But he was glad that it was dark enough to hide his expression. Then, he wondered. What if he did kisses her then? Will she kill him?

Chikage cleared his throat and stood up, just when he's about to apologise once more; a loud explosion shook the ground.

"What was that?!"

Chihana asked looking at Chikage, obviously alerted. She picked up her dagger and walk towards the door. Footsteps can be heard and the maids calling out to Chikage. He walks passed her and the maids let out a sigh of relief seeing their master unharmed.

"Master Kazama! There're explosions going on the east side of the palace!"

Kayo reported to him between her gasp.

"Where's Shiranui and Amagiri?"

"They're already there"

She said, trying her best to keep her composure and hiding her shaking hands into the sleeves of her kimono. Chihana notices it and put her hand onto her shoulder, giving her a light squeeze.

"I'll stay here, I won't run"

Chihana said with determination, even with only a dagger as a weapon; not a hint of fear was shown in her eyes. Chikage hesitated for a minute before another explosion shook the ground again, from the same direction. Chikage took off to join the others; there he found Shiranui and Amagiri fighting with a group of demons. Their hair were white and their horns sticking out from their head. They covered half of their faces with a black mask, they were wearing ninja suits with the emblem he knows too well; the Mikazuki Clan, with the red crescent moon on the back of their hood for everyone to see and fear. From what Chikage had learned, they were a proud clan; not scared of anything and the humans who lives near territory knows about them and fears them.

"You have guts to show up here...but why?"

Chikage tossed one of them that were charging at him and pin him against a tree with ease. The ninja struggles under his grip around his neck.

"P-princess..."

He muttered, Chikage presses him harder making him choke and releases him as he falls down wheezing.

"Speak!"

He didn't raised his voice but it was stern and cold with his sword pointing directly to the ninja's throat, the ninja look at him with fear.

"Princess...Chihana. W-we're here to get Chihana-sama"

Just then an arrow shoots and hit the tree just above the ninja's head. Out of instinct, Chikage shifted his sword pointed at the direction where the arrow came and he let out a sigh of relief without himself realizing it when he saw who it was. Chihana walks towards them completely furious, she was holding a bow in her right hand and an arrow in the other. The ninja whimper at the sight of her enraged expression. The other two ninja's dropped their weapons in her presence and got down on their knees and bowed.

"What is your excuse to intrude another clan's territory?"

There it was again, her charismatic and the commanding tone. Chikage's were right about her and he found himself unable to tear his sight away from that beautiful woman.

"Princess! we're glad that you're not hurt. We're here to rescue you"

Chihana's brows knitted together at his word, before she could say anything; Chikage beat her to it.

"In what way are you trying to 'rescue' her? I'm sure it's not by blowing up her home"

Chikage scoffed, surprising Chihana when he walks in front of her as if shielding her from the intruders.

"No! that wasn't us and we intrude because we thought....you were holding her hostage."

Chikage's eyes narrowed in suspicions, the ninja trembles in fear under his intense glare.

"you're mistaken. I am not going with you. I'm not going back there.....not while he's still alive"

Chihana pushes past Chikage and raised her bow, aiming at the ninja. She was looking at him with such cold and vengeful eyes. Her hair was turning white, her eyes were red as her horns appears; she was turning into her demon form to scare them. Which was working as they trembles and trying to stand up to run away. The other two that was under Amagiri's and Shiranui's watch, didn't waste time and ran; leaving their comrade behind to fear for his life. But instead of releasing the arrow, she kicked him right on the head until he loss consciousness.