Junni Kokki part 22-Suiguu

“You’re going to kill him you know.”
“I am not.”
“Shitsudo is a very painful disease.  He has already suffered it once.”
“He will not suffer it.”
“The last time was because of a womans love also.”
“It was not.  It was because she lost her way.”
“Because she loved him.”
“Shut up.”
Green eyes scowled at the shadowed form hunched on the rock not far away.  Feet that were reminiscent of hands gripped the stone, long arms draping long hands towards the ground from elbows draped across knees.  Twin points of glowing blue peered at her from the shadows that obscured the rest of the form, but she knew who it was.
“I thought I had mastery over you.” She grated.
“Oh no queen of Kei.” Came the sarcastic voice.  The figure disappeared, a hand appearing over her shoulder and making her spin in time to see the monkey like face grin and fade once again.  Kei flicked her gaze from side to side, waiting for him to reappear.  His sardonic voice filtered all around her, the air thick with expectation.
It had been ten years since she had been here, in this strange universe within the blade, where the visions of the scabbard of Suiguu could torment her.  The swords name was made up from the elements that were part of it.  Sui-water and Guu-the monkey that formed the visible entity of the blade.  And the identity of her tormenter.  Back then he had tried to trick her into killing herself, but she had won mastery over him and he had disappeared, the up and coming queen having passed his test.  
“How long have you waited for him to fall?” came the voice, echoing in her head.
“He did not fall.”
“The Kirin is a holy creature, yours is impure.  What would lady Genkun say if she knew you had ruined a Tai ho?”
Yoko lifted her head, swiping out an empty had at the face of her tormenter, frustrated when he disappeared again.
He coalesced on the rock again, wearing a mask decorated with fine hair pins and waving a fan.
“I knew she was unfit to be a queen.” Came the voice of the head of the Nyousen on Mount Ho.  The Monkey wearing the Nyousens mask leaned down and gestured with the fan.
“As soon as I saw that girl I knew she was trouble.  She was always so close to her Tai ho, more than was suitable.”
“Stop it!” Yoko yelled.
“I mean look at her! She really is nothing more than any other Taika, if it were possible I would say she was even more unfit to been the queen of Kei than the last queen.”
Yoko looked down at herself, realizing for the first time that her robes were gone, replaced with the travel clothes she had worn for months when she had first come here.  Dusty and torn, bloodied in places, and definitely not the garb of queens.
Yoko’s lip trembled.  “I… I didn’t ask to be a queen.” She said softly.  “Keiki chose me…”
The monkeys voice echoed, the mask gone.  “Is that really so?  Didn’t you see the state Kei was in?  Did he really choose you because you were the best?  Or because you were the easiest?”
Yoko frowned.  “That’s a lie.”
“What will I do?”
Yoko blinked and looked up, that was Keiki’s voice.
The monkey wore a mask I the likeness of her Tai ho, but it was twisted with worry.  “What will I do? Kei is falling apart and the last queen I chose lost her way.  What if the next ruler is worse?”
“Stop it.”
“I know, perhaps if I choose a young ruler I can manipulate them.”
“Keiki is not like that!” she shouted.
The monkey continued in the voice of the Kirin.  “Yes, if they are young, then they will be more… willing to listen to reason, to what I have to say.  To… suggest.”
“Stop it!”  Yoko ran at the monkey, her hands striking air as the apparition faded in a heartbeat, the queen stumbling to her knees and staying there, staring at the ground.
“Perhaps this one wont kill me.”
Yoko’s eyes widened, and her fingers dug into the flooring sharply.  No.  It was a lie.  Keiki was not manipulative.  He had not chosen her because she was only young.  It was the sword, the lies the scabbard should have protected her against.
“Stop it. Please.”
Her own mask appeared before her.  “Stop it please.” The monkey mocked.
“Raagh!” Yoko swiped at the mask angrily but met nothing.  “You are a liar and I know you.” She yelled, getting to her feet.
“I conquered you once and I will do it again!” She looked around, her green eyes burning.  “You will not trick me anymore!”
The monkey at last appeared and stayed visible, her tormenter settling on the rock in the center with his back to her.  “You will kill him.”   He sounded so sure.
Yoko’s lips parted.  Once before he had sounded like that.  And he had been correct.  He did not always lie.  He played on her insecurities, on what disturbed her sleep, but occasionally he told her the truth, even when he was not submissive to her.
The queen of Kei stared at his slim back, at the pigtail of white hair that snaked between his shoulders.  No… he could not… know…
“I…” Yoko hugged herself.  No… not her Keiki… not now when she just… they… no! It wasn’t fair.
“No!” she shouted, lifting her head to see the monkey gone.
She looked around, trying to find him, but seeing nothing but the blue void that surrounded her.  “No!” she shouted again anyway.  “He will not die.  Even if I have to go to Tentei myself and demand it Keiki will not die!  I swear it!”
She quieted, breathing hard from the forceful nature of her shouting.  “I swear it…”

Her eyes flashed open, and Yoko started blindly for a moment, the cold fingers of her dream still reaching for her before her eyes adjusted and she realized where she was.
Rain still fell outside, but the clouds beyond the windows were tinted with the coming of dawn, the sky slightly silvery in the east.  The room was dark and chilled, the glass rattling with the water assaulting it from without, the light mottled and dim, calming and cool.  
Yoko stirred, green eyes opening sluggishly, lips parting at a dull ache that she gradually became aware of below her abdomen.  She frowned, still muddled from sleep and made to move, freezing when she felt something heavy across her chest, pinning her down.  She turned her head, memory slamming back into her skull when she saw the pale hair that fanned across her pillow next to her, the smooth face slack in sleep and oh so peaceful beside hers.
Keiki.
Asleep in her bed.
Asleep with his arms wrapped about her naked body protectively, nothing between them.
She blinked stupidly a moment at the delicately carved features inches from hers then a small smile tugged at her lips.  Oh yes… Sleep had become an intermittent thing this past night, the Kirin taking her up on every sly hint she had ever offered him and then some.  She blushed at the thought.  It was impossible.  Completely impossible.  It was another of her stupid dreams.  It had to be.
She moved, lifting an arm to touch his face ever so lightly, reassuring herself that he was indeed real, and he was still there.  She felt firm warm flesh beneath her fingertips and snatched her hand back.  It was… impossible.  She had loved him for so long.  Her Kirin that had once been so cold that he drove his ruler to take the wrong path, her Kirin that had then been afraid to show her too much kindness.  He could not be here, touching her so intimately, so relaxed against her body.  She was so sure it was a dream, that she would wake and find him as aloof as he could manage, but the ache between her legs told her otherwise.  
Yoko bit her lip, watching him sleep, amazed.  He seemed so peaceful.  It had been a long time since he had worn such a relaxed face.  She touched him again, tracing her fingers along his jaw, brushing his tangled hair from his face.  The smile tugged at her mouth again.  She would have to brush his shaggy hair.  Not that that was a problem, the silky strands glinting in the meager light.  Her fingers brushed his forehead and he did not even flinch.  Kirin hated people touching their forehead, as it was where their horn was, but Keiki seemed undisturbed by her touch.
The rain intensified, hammering at the windows and a confused frown flickered across Yoko’s flushed face.  Wait a minute, they had not been close last night she was sure.  Ooh yes, she had gotten up to close them in the middle of the downpour and Keiki had come up behind her and…
More blushing.
She became aware of narrowed violet eyes watching her silently, only the Kirins eyes having moved, opening to look at his blushing queen.  She giggled nervously, withdrawing her touch from his forehead quickly.
“Sorry,” she whispered over the rain.  “Just checking you are real.”
Keiki said nothing but his grip on her tightened, drawing her whole body against his frame, her chest pressing against his, her shoulder, her hip, her legs twined with his.  His larger hands slid up her back, pulling her shoulders square against him and he kissed her ever so lightly on her lips.
“I am real.”
The queen of Kei wrapped her arms about him.  “I am glad, but Keiki, will you stay?”
He frowned slightly.  “Stay?  I am afraid I do not understand. Do you mean here?  In this room now.”
“No,” Yoko buried her face in his hair.  “Will you leave me now?  Will you go back to how it was before?”
“Before…?”
Her grip tightened and he barely heard her whisper.  “Before I loved you.”
He smiled into her hair.  “I swore to never desert my post before your throne.”
Emerald eyes burned into amethyst, the queen pulling her head back to watch his face closely.  “What about before me?  With no crown, no rule over you.  Just as me, Yoko Nakajima.”
Keiki smiled, an expression only she had been privileged to see, and he tucked her hair behind her ear affectionately.  “It was Yoko that I called to every time was it not?”
That was true.  She had never expected her hear her name on anothers lips like that, especially not her Tai hos’. She giggled a little, her expression falling when Keiki’s face turned serious and he lifted his head, almost like he was scenting the air, his tangled mane spilling about his bare shoulders in the dark.
“Keiki?” Yoko sat up with him, watching him as he frowned a little, his expression confused.  “Keiki what is it?”
“The En Tai ho.” He muttered.  “I sense him.”
Yoko pulled the sheet up over her breasts and inched closer.  “What do you mean?”
Purple eyes looked down at her.  “He lives.”
Yoko frowned.  “He had not died Keiki.”
He shook his head once.  “No I mean…” he struggled for the words.
“He has stopped dying.”