Magi: Heart of Sword

Night # 8

Kayami was brushing Kurodayu's hair as she hummed softly, soothing the horse as she cleaned him up. His halter was tied to two posts on either side of his stable, the rope was long enough for him to eat his straw. She put the brush down when he was done and was untying one of the ropes when Kougyoku entered the stables.

"Hello, Kaya." she said as she walks over to her and smiles at her.

"Hello, Gyoku," Kayami said with a smile. "What can I do for you?" She unties the other rope and grabbing both of the ropes to lead him out of the stall.

"Oh, I just wanted to spend time with you before I left." Kougyoku said as she walks next to Kayami and Kurodayu walking behind the two girls, his tail swishing.

"You're leaving?" Kayami asked looking at her in surprise, she didn't know that.

"Yes, dungeon had showed up near here and Kouha and I are going with big brother to conquer it," Kougyoku said. "Of course, Judar is coming so he won't be bothering you and Koumei will be here with you as well."

Kayami smiles at that and said, "Well, that's good...all I have to do with Koumei is to make sure he eats and gets some sleep." They arrive at a dirt fenced area that was done in a circle, Kayami unlatches the gate and pulls it open before she leads Kurodayu into the area as Kougyoku closes the gate behind her.

Kougyoku leans on the gate to watch Kayami whistle and snap the ropes to get Kurodayu to trot around her as she said, "Yeah...will you be okay, Kaya?"

The Ki warrior looks at her, she knew why she was asking that. Many of the nobles don't want Kayami here and that the reason why she was even brought here had died with the first Emperor, and that she should return to her Empire.

"I'll be fine, Koumei wouldn't let me be alone for too long and that he'll be keeping me busy." Kayami said as she moves in time with Kurodayu as he trotted around her.

"Okay though I wish that you were coming with us." Kougyoku said.

Kayami chuckles as she tugs on the ropes and Kurodayu slows to a stop, shaking his head and stomping his hooves as he snorts. She then leads him back to where Kougyoku was and said, "I wish I was going too and I am sure Kouha nagged his brother about taking me."

"Oh, he did but big brother wasn't having it...he wanted you to remain behind with Koumei."

Kayami pushes open the gate and steps out and when Kurodayu walked out she closes it behind him before she takes Kougyoku's hand and together they walk back to the stables. "I can see that but he is right, someone needs to watch over Koumei and help him." Even though he had Chuu'un.

She returns Kurodayu to his stall, tying the ropes back to their respected posts. The war horse had this bad habit of charging at anyone who got too close to his stall and Kaisei had told Kayami to keep the horse tied up so that he didn't kill anyone. She patted his muscular neck before she steps out of his stall.

"Come on, I'll help you pack." Kayami said as she takes Kougyoku's hand and both girls headed to the Princess's chambers. When they got there, both girls packed up Kayami made sure that Kougyoku only took the important things, like a change of clothes...and a dagger in case she needs it.

Once they were done, they allowed the servants to take the two cases and carry them down. Kougyoku grabbed Kayami's hand once more and together the girls walked after the servants, and before they stepped outside to join the crowd that was saying their good-byes and well wishes, Kougyoku releases Kayami's hand but remains at her side as they walk outside.

Kouha was the first to notice them and he comes running over where he proceeds to jump on her, wrapping his arms around her neck and to make sure that she doesn't fall over she wraps her arms around him in turn as she locks her knees.

"Hello, your Highness." Kayami said with a smile.

"Kaya! Tell En to take you with us!" Kouha pouted up at her.

Kayami looks up to met Kouen's eyes before she looks back at Kouha and gently pats his head as she said, "Not this time, maybe next time...besides we know how Koumei is so he needs someone to watch over him."

Kouha huffed and released her, crossing his arms over his chest as he said, "Fine! But you're going next time! And that's that!"

"I live to serve my Princes and Princess." Kayami said as she bows with a small smile.

"Good!" Kouha said before he drags her over to his brothers.

Kayami smiles at Koumei and then looks at Kouen and bows, saying, "Be safe...all of you." She looks at Kouha and Kougyoku and then at their households.

Kouen doesn't say anything instead he turns, causing his cape to flare out behind him as he walked over to his horse and climbed on top of it. After a quick and subtle hug from both Kouha and Kougyoku, they too mounted their horses and rode off after their older brother. Kayami waved good-bye until she could no longer see them.

She lowers her arm and looks at Koumei, "All I have to worry about from you is not eating or sleeping."

Koumei sighs and scratches the back of his head as he said, "I almost wish that you did go with them..."

Kayami just shots him a smile before she turns around and heads back inside, she knew that Koumei would want to read some scrolls in his pavilion...and that she would have to make sure he eats and rests when he needed to, and that's up to her because Koumei would try to stay up and say that he wasn't hungry or tired.

While she was younger than Koumei, she was always looking out for him and in return so was he. Like that time when they got caught in to storm.

Kayami let's out a loud sneeze before shivering violently and rubbing her arms, trying to warm up her freezing body despite the drenched clothing that was sticking to her flesh. Her teeth chattered as she violently shivered until she felt something warm being draped over her shoulders, surprised she looked up and saw the Second Prince of the Kou Empire, Koumei Ren, standing there as he draped his outer robe over her.

"I'm fine, Prince Koumei...please, don't worry about me!" Kayami said as she tried to give him back his robe.

"It's fine, my younger siblings wouldn't be happy if you returned sick." he said as he sat down next to her.

"And your household member would not be happy either," Kayami muttered under her breathe before she perked up as an idea came to her mind. She scouted closer to the Prince and draped the robe over them both as she nestled against his side, she felt him tense up a little. "With this robe and our body heat combined, we should be fine while we wait until the storm passes." This storm had appeared out of nowhere, no one was expecting it especially Prince Koumei and Kayami who had gone ahead of their company to scout the area...how the Second Prince got roped into going with her was beyond her but she had a suspicious feeling that Prince Kouen was behind it.

Koumei doesn't respond but he does relax against her as he gazes out of the cave that they had found when the storm hit them. Kayami also watches the steady stream of rain that fell outside their cave, her gaze was heavy and lidded.

"I hope Prince Kouen and Kouha found shelter as well." Kayami murmured as she stared to doze, she always got sleepy whenever it rained, hence why Koumei wasn't really doing much while she is using his shoulder as a pillow. He might not be as muscular as his brothers but Koumei was comfortable in his own way and he did have some muscles.

"They probably did." Koumei said to ease her worry but when he didn't hear anything in response from his female companion, he looked over at her and saw that she had fallen fast asleep against his side. Koumei smiled at the sight and patted her head gently, careful not to wake her up.

Despite being so thin, his shoulder was actually pretty comfortable and she had slept until the rain had stopped. Koumei had gently woken her up and they returned to the company where Kouha had dragged Kayami off so she could change out of her wet clothing and into her dry ones.

Kayami walked further into the palace, her feet taking her to the pavilion by instinct and not much by thought. Whenever she gets left behind with Koumei that is where she spends most of her time anyways, the only time she leaves is to sleep or to get food for them both...after she chases Koumei to his own chambers of course when she was going to go to sleep.

To be honest, she enjoyed these moments that she got to share with Koumei he wasn't as blood-thirsty as Kouha (she loved him regardless) or as cold as Kouen (she loved him no matter what) or as shy as Kougyoku who was just cute when she acted like that but Koumei was calming to her and actually reminded her of other brother...a little.

So whenever she knew she being left behind, she looked forward to spending her time with Koumei..