The Life You Live

Chapter 32

He ran his hand over the fur of her head, down her neck, and surely weary body. After pressing a kiss to the side of her muzzle, the white demon would scoop her up, despite her size, and turn.

The moments that followed simply affirmed the passage of the throne as the room evolved into something more accommodating to sentient beings. The throne room, now a large living space with a variety of rooms off the main area. Including a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and perceived workspace in addition to what Akito would coin as the war room. And, a music room, of course, with a large, black harp.

Although emissaries and advisors to the throne rushed in and pledged allegiance, Akito said nothing to them nor acknowledged their presence, and moved to the bedroom where a vast bed awaited. He took Kaya there and laid her on the bed, had a healer tend to her—while he ate what he could of Nobuno’s corpse—before returning and dismissing them when she was tended to.

Umo Josoku-ka licked his lips of silver blood, his pale eyes aglow in a silver light if only briefly. As the transformation took place, he sat beside the bed at a tea table and drank some tea; pale eyes gazing into a space that was surely not in the present...

. . . .

When Kaya heard Akito reiterate her statement of being home; she allowed herself to drift back into the oblivion that was filled with dark peace. Nothing about her life from the mortal realm troubled her time of rest. The moral life she once led felt like a lifetime ago. A well cherished memory that she was grateful for experiencing and would never forget. However, the way her soul, her mind, and her body felt now was irrevocably different. They held no yearning to return to the place she once called home. She was content to stay in the spirit realm.
The scent of tea drifted through her olfactory senses like a warm autumn day. It made her aware of the thirst that plagued her parched maw. Her emerald eyes opened and observed whatever was immediately before her sight without movement. She acknowledged the unknown territory in a very minimalistic manner.

Tea.
Thirst.   
Comfort.
Bed.
Akito.
Paws?
The last one had her confused as she took in the sight of her new form’s forelegs. Why wasn’t she in human form? She felt fine. She shrugged it off and maneuvered to crouch on all four legs and stretch. Her canid body back to the brown fur and green leaf combination as it initially had been formed; now that Okane was a resident of the vessel once more. She turned her head and found a welcomed sight of her beloved sitting at a tea table with his gaze off in the distance that had nothing to do with his sightlessness.
She leapt off the bed and discovered that perhaps she wasn’t as fine feeling as she initially thought. Her paws didn’t cooperate with any sort of grace in landing. A half roll and half tumble later, her green eyes were looking up from the floor near Akito’s feet. “I’m okay. Now I know how Ashitaka felt like the morning he awoke from San’s den and took a tumble down the hill to Yakul. Guess I have a bit more recovery to do before I am back to my other self. The others, Aften, Yo, Rowen, are they still alive?” She asked of him, momentarily forgetting her thirst to a matter deemed of more importance to her like the welfare of their family and friends.

. . . .

When Kaya leapt off the bed and made her awakeness aware to Akito, he lowered his tea cup to the table and turned his attention over his shoulder, even though his eyes would not perceive her. He was wearing a slight smile and there was a silver tone to his hair, skin, and eyes. His hair was plaited and he wore a simple set of white robes. That, in truth, he did not remember changing into. Not as what was once Nobuno’s, pulsed within him, changing him into more than a demon that was half by blood.

He listened as she spoke, features evolving into something soft and fond, framed by a hood of white lashes. “I am glad you are awake,” he said softly. “Yo and Aften are more than likely on their way and Rowan… she abandoned us in light of a single lover. She abandoned her duty. I do not know what is of her now...”