Vampire Knight Fan Fiction ❯ Painted Veil ❯ Conditions ( Chapter 3 )

Oh Lady of the Foreign Land, you let the sun and moon idolize your beauty. But you hide it from me, why?

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Kaname kept his eyes closed longer than necessary. He sent the offer once the treaty was declared. To appease their nations, exchange in supplies, gross and product was mandatory. Their countries would stand together like brothers, march arm-in-arm into battle, celebrate and mourn together as one family.

The proposal was fruitful, allowing everyone to witness the treaty meant more than paper. Now it was personal, brimmed with honor and reverence. If one of them declined the marriage, in spite of the obvious ineptness, later it wouldn't draw issues. Their fathers' words would remain sincere as ever.

Yuuki inspected the table separating her from the silent prince.

Her father merely accepted his proposal, validating the significance of their nation's relationship. Now she wished she hadn't screamed at him.

“I accept the proposal.” She spoke confidently, “But I have conditions.”

The red of Kaname's irises winked eerily in the stillness. The attentive elders shifted in their mats uncomfortably, leaning forward on their knees, lured by her cherub voice.

“What are your conditions?” Kaname observed for symptoms of doubt in her body language.

She was error-free, undaunted unlike earlier and immobile. Her voice even and loud, harnessing authority he often acquired for his guards. Never having to obey other's orders, Kaname was surprised that he didn't feel anger, and instead intrigue stole over his stolidity. Someone was actually going to make him follow orders. Kaname chuckled under his hand.

“What if I don't agree to your conditions?” Kaname murmured, a hint of amusement wired in his words.

“These conditions aren't hard to follow.” Yuuki assured, “But they are important to me. If you feel uncomfortable, I'll have to leave and the marriage contract must be forgotten.”

“Very well.” Kaname waited with an inviting smile as he watched Yuuki. “You seem reasonable. I wish to hear your conditions.”

The veil shifted and his heart palpitated nervously. He was already sitting up, strung by the thought of what lay hidden beneath the cover. The elders also sat riveted, eyes planted upon Yuuki. His discerning gaze caught glimpses of red lips. Kaname felt his own tremble and his knees weaken. He coveted to see more, but the owner had other plans apparently. Ruefully shaking out of the alien emotion known as impatience, Kaname sat back, calm and immutable once more.

“First condition, you will let me see and communicate with my family.”

Calmly Kaname blinked, a knuckled fist brushed his left brow briefly before falling somewhere under the table. “That can be done. I had no intention of keeping you apart from your family.”

“Second condition,” Yuuki began, “You will not impose restrictions on my daily life.”

Kaname's brows furrowed in contemplation, but he wasn't angry, only confused. “Restrictions?”

“You won't stop me from having interests outside of the palace, outside of our marriage life, in foreign subjects and recreational activities.” Yuuki described.

The furrow of his brows cleared into its previous serene line. “Not to worry, you will have your freedom.”

“Third condition.” Her jeweled hand rose to clench the table edge. His eyes skittered toward it like a running spider, latched onto the sight thirstily. “You will not see my face.”

The elders gasped and threw their heads around, baffled. Kaname's stare lifted from her hand to the veil. “But I must see my wife.” He said purposefully.

“This veil is as far as you can see.” Yuuki lifted the jeweled ends.

His eyes fastened raptly on the beautiful red lips appearing for half a second, then she lowered it, forever casting the sight into shadow. His heart throbbed like never before, instantly sprung with horrid lust for more. Yet Kaname swallowed his desire and evenly replied, breathing shakily. “You are tricking me.”

“I don't believe it's important to see each other's faces. As long as we can see each other's hearts.” Her reply credible, blended with supercilious decree.

She was a pureblood, indeed. A wry smirk tickled the corner of his lips, Kaname nodded. His finger tapped the table in speculation.

“Ouji-sama.” And elder twisted uncertainly toward him. “This, this, are you sure?”

“Fair.” Kaname declared. “I accept your conditions.”

The elders cast explosive glares among themselves, never uttering a vowel. They set the contract in front of Yuuki and Kaname.

“This contract will bind you two in marriage: you will be joined physically, mentally, and spiritually as one. For the future of our empire, you will bring new generations and a new future to the world. In this contract, you are both liable to protect, love, and care for one another. Each person will initial in his or her designated places. Both will promise to continue their life together.” The elder turned from Kaname to Yuuki.

“The marriage denotes the ties of two countries who are now sworn in alliance. In the event of war between the nations, it won't nullify your marriage. You will continue to stay devoted to one another until death.”

The elder on Yuuki's left held open a palm. She allowed him to take her wrist. His grip tightened testily, loving the sensation of her skin. Holding her wrist over a cup, he slit the skin and showered the depressed with crimson rain. The elder who had been orating, paused, enveloped by the sensual invitation of her young blood.

On the other side, the elder on Kaname's right had done the same. Once the cups were filled and their cuts sealed, the orator issued them to exchange blood.

“You will both drink each other's blood from these cups.” The elder picked up Kaname's and placed it in front of Yuuki, repeating the motion with hers. “Take each other's life forces, from today onward you will exchange blood forever. Marriage between purebloods last for eternities. Accepting the other's blood is a sign of affection, a promise to equally take and receive life forces.”

Kaname lifted the cup. His nose tingled from Yuuki's scent. As he drank the contents, his senses burst. Too suddenly he tasted her, felt her, touched her, wanted her again and again. His world shook at the enormity of the taste falling inside of his body. His organs absorbed it immediately. She tasted pure and saccharine.

Yuuki helplessly gripped the mat as the force of his blood plummeted inside of her body. Her nerves tickled as it soared into every corner and curve, filling her emptiness. He felt and tasted glorifying, as she had assumed. Now that she had tasted his blood, she became desperate for another round, but she refused to indulge. Rationality scorned instinct, and Yuuki pushed the empty cup away coldly. One assumed she was disgusted to have drunk another's blood. Her heart continued to pound in her chest. It screamed inside of her perfectly still body.

She quelled the hunger with a ferocious mental shake. Her mind won the battle. Yuuki gazed at the cup intently.

“You must now sign the marriage contract.” The elder revealed the document. “This states you will be legally become husband and wife, ready to spend your life as one body. Do you, Kohana, Yuuki Maemi, take Kuran Kaname to be your wedded husband?”

“I do.” As her whisper flooded the room, the elder offered her a quill and pointed to the empty space.

“Your signature, here.”

Seconds passed as her elegant hand worked her name in beautiful calligraphy on the paper. The ink dried, and the elder retrieved the document.

“Do you, Kuran Kaname, take Kohana, Yuuki Maemi, to be your wedded wife?”

He didn't say anything for a moment. Yuuki regarded the prince pensively. Casually Kaname took the quill, his contemplate stare beheld the document. “I do.” He said, running the ink on the line that required his name.

“This document is proof of your marriage. You are now pronounced husband and wife.” The elders bowed toward them.

It was merely signing a contract, although, it was life altering for each. Since both were bound legally as one for the remainder of their life. Yuuki held back and let the thought seep into her brain.

Husband and wife…Man and woman…Prince and Princess…Many names to the relationship, yet the appropriate one sufficed was `strangers.'

Despite Kaname and Yuuki were declared a couple, she hardly knew the vampire, consumed his blood, let it revolve in her body, and wanted it secretly. Now she was shuffled deeper in the tent where lights were dim, and the sounds of the night barely touched the warm room.

“Wait here, Hime-sama.” The grinning maids trailed out of the room.

Yuuki gaped around herself, welled with dread all over again.

The entire experience was odd: after signing the contract, they had shared their first meal, which ended quite soon because she barely ate a thing. According to the maid's insistence, she was given a warm drink before being guided to the large suite.

“It'll help you tonight.” Why did they grin like hyenas?

Yuuki was helped on the bed, her gown draped over her mattress. Leaving her to sit in the middle, they lowered the transparent nettings, giggled musically and danced out.

“Where are you going?” Yuuki called.

The red-faced maids snickered. “Just sit still, Hime-sama.”

“Leaving me all by myself…” She muttered at the flapping curtains. Huffing loudly, Yuuki stared at the frail nettings. She felt as weak as the dim fire in the lamp. The golden colors galloped the ceiling and floor, embraced her through the netting.

The silence reminded her of how tiresome the day had been. Yuuki eyed the pillows and lay down. Her bones were weary from traveling, demanding rest. Now that she had a chance to sleep, her eyes stayed wide open. Restively she turned over, twitching in the tight garments and pinned hair. She ached for her own bed, to be in the company of her own maids and parents.

Movement drifted from the entrance of the suite. Yuuki sat up, lifted the veil over her chin. “Can you open my robes? It hurts to sleep in this.”

Kaname halted in front of the bed, blinking wide.

Her own eyes bloated on the tall man standing outside of the nettings. “I-I thought you were a maid!” She gasped, the veil dropped as she shrank back.

“The maids have retired.” Kaname replied, sweeping the net aside.

Yuuki fidgeted and pushed her legs over the side of the bed. Gripping the sheets, she shakily breathed. Why was he in her room? Did he honestly believe they would initiate in strenuous but enjoyable activity that often occurred between a man and a woman? They were strangers!

Sound laughter echoed from over her shoulder. The weight of the mattress shifted, indicating he had taken the spot on the other side. She kept her back turned, lip tucked between fangs, fingers squeezed sheets and eyes clamped shut.

The marriage bed…the marriage bed… She feared the marriage bed.

Kaname leaned forward; his hand brushed her straight back.

She tensed automatically, trembled and leaned away.

His fingers dipped down her spine, inciting short gasps. Kaname's eyes narrowed over the golden sash around her narrow waist. His arm swept across her abdomen and his mouth brushed against the shell of her ear upon the veil. Yuuki raptly turned her head away, cringing from the touch.

“You said you couldn't sleep.” He whispered in her ear.

She felt his fingers undo her sash, shedding the material in a single movement. An amused smirk filled his lips. The closer he leaned into her ear, the further she slipped out of reach, until he was bending over Yuuki and she lay cramped on one side, face hidden in her arms.

“I don't bite hard, promise.” Kaname watched her shaking arms. The red veil clung to her cheek. He noted the paleness of the skin pressed against the material.

Yuuki opened her fists and reared her head. Her piercing red eyes looked head on into his. “Don't take me lightly!” She sat up fluidly, almost shoving him back on the mattress. “Do you think this is a joke? If you toy with me, do you think I'll give in and let you-you…Don't even go there!” Yuuki admonished.

“Where?” Inquisitively Kaname tilted his head to the side. His eyes traveled over her bouncing chest, heat radiated from Yuuki. His knuckles glided against her ribcage and touched a button over her breast. “Here?”

She slapped his hand sharply. “We may have signed a contract, but you don't know who I am.”

“I do. You are Yuuki.” He answered with a genuine smile.

Her mouth fell open. “How can you look so…So…”

“Hmm?” His eyes were shimmering as he leaned forward, almost breathing against her veil.

Yuuki yanked back, head hitting pillows. “You are not as pure as you look.”

He stared solemnly at Yuuki then grinned. Turning his head away, Kaname laughed. “Do you think a man of my status hasn't been with women before?”

“You can have thousands of women in your lifetime, it's none of my concern.” Yuuki informed.

He whispered something under his breath, head rotated to admire Yuuki. The adoration of his gaze enticed her, it told her to remain lying on the pillows, let him overpower her and all she had to do was succumb to him. Yuuki blinked awake from the mental image and jerked up, tucking her knees under herself, observant of his pursuing eyes.

“I can't, because tonight you are the only woman in my mind.”

Her eyes narrowed distrustfully. “And tomorrow it'll be someone else. The next day, same thing. You sure make a good impression.”

The corners of his mouth were raised in a smirk. His mouth was full of taste of Yuuki, hugging his breath. She lovingly decorated his thoughts all evening. “You taste as glorious as you seem when you are angry.”

Yuuki clenched her teeth. “Are we actually having a conversation about me?”

“If you don't like it, we can do something else…” His fingers trailed over her skirt.

She wiggled out of the way. “No. We are certainly not doing that. What do you take me for?”

“My wife.”

“I told you, I need to prepare myself.”

His eyes twinkled. “I don't mind, but you can't keep hiding your face from me for an eternity.”

Yuuki sucked in a quick breath.

Kaname stared at her glowing eyes through the veil. “They say you are beautiful, like a goddess.”

She turned her head away.

“You're incomparable.”

“Did you know about me when you proposed for my hand?” Yuuki asked suddenly.

Kaname didn't blink away, his stare deep and lonesome. “I didn't.”

“Then why did you propose?”

“To show our sincerity to your father. That we accepted and understood your people, that we were willing to take his reason for existence and treat it as one of our own. However, I didn't expect…” Kaname carelessly smiled, “Someone impetuous.”

“I am not.” Yuuki announced.

“You sure are hot headed.”

She stared at the crinkled sheets where his hand lay between them. “You…are not sleeping here.” Yuuki informed.

“I'm not, according to whom?” He defied.

“Me.”

“And why is that?”

Yuuki gritted her fangs. “I've never shared a bed with a man in my life. Even though we're…married, I can't cross that border yet. I can't trust you.”

“Are you always picky?”

She paused, “You don't understand.” Yuuki whispered. “To you it means nothing. But to me it's waiting for the right time…to…” She clenched her eyes.

Kaname was on his feet in a start, tugging the nets back in place. “I'm sorry to have scared you. Please, don't fret.” He stepped into the dimness of the room, farther from the bed. “No one will disturb you. I loosened your sash, I hope you can rest easily.”

Yuuki curiously parted the net.

Kaname turned around patiently. “I was jesting earlier. I have no intention of touching you against your will. I knew something like this would occur. When we leave for our new home, you'll have none of this to worry about. I've arranged private quarters to accommodate you.”

For some reason as Yuuki gazed at the man standing in the melting light, he seemed charming all of a sudden.

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