Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ My Naga Knight ❯ Chapter 35

Neda had headed to Blythe's house to try and get ready for the ball that would be happening that evening. She had her elder sister work on her hair after Neda had put on her dress. “I am still worried about why he won't marry me,” the young woman sighed. “I try not to bring it up often, but I do think about it.”

 

Blythe smiled to herself, as she continued to run the brush through her sister's hair gently. “I am sure he has a reason, but I don't doubt one bit that he loves you. If he didn't, he wouldn't have been around as much as he has. Now, do you want your hair up or down?” She moved Neda's hair up and down to let the girl decide.

 

“I think halfway up might do,” Neda said with a chuckle, looking up at her sister.

 

Jin already put on what clothing he had desired to wear. It was a simple white, short-sleeve shirt and baggy, brown pants with boots. He wasn't about to put on anything that shined. He had combed his wild, red hair thinking that he looked good enough as he was. He was waiting eagerly for everyone downstairs in the living room that they had. When the floorboards began to moan, Jin looked up at the stairs to see Thane arriving in his armor. He wore everything but his helmet. “You wear…armor to the ball?” Jin asked. He was a bit nervous over the thought of a knight being in battle gear should he transform in front of him.

 

“Knights, to prove that they work under the King, must wear their armor. But I am not going there with my helmet or weapon. The palace guards have theirs, though,” Thane explained. He grabbed an apple from the basket in the center of their table before pointing at Jin and what he was wearing. “Are you really going dressed like that?”

 

Jin looked down about the clothes he was wearing. “I am sorry, but I feel most comfortable in this than those fancy clothes I saw for sell.”

 

“You could at least do something with your hair.” Thane finished a majority of the apple before tossing it in the wastebasket. “I guess it is naturally wild like this?” He asked, touching parts of it to watch it just fall back in place should he do anything with it. “Come with me.” The knight nodded over towards the mirror that they had in that part of the house. “I can probably do something with this.”

 

He watched as Thane combed some of his hair back to put into a ponytail that he could keep out of his face for the most part. “I just hope the dance lessons paid off when it came to Blythe teaching me.” Jin was still nervous about getting on the ballroom floor and possibly making a fool of himself. He had asked Blythe to help him, knowing that Nash wouldn't bother with him. The winter elf was already irritated at the redhead for taking Neda from him.

 

“You should do fine. There isn't much to it,” said Thane, as he finished with Jin's hair. “There, that looks a bit better.”

 

Jin still had some of his wild hair up front to help frame his face. He was fixing some bits of the wild tresses before hearing the door upstairs open and close to signal that the girls were coming down finally. Turning around, he watched as Blythe made it down first. She was wearing a purple and white dress that looked similar in design to Neda's. Her reddish, brown hair was down and wavy, given how the strands were so used to being braided. He watched as Thane headed over towards his wife to compliment her before eyeing the stairs once more to catch Neda. She was wearing the same dress she had picked out yesterday and a pair of dangling earrings, which glistened off of any light source. Her hair was halfway up in a bun to keep from her face, while the rest of it rested down her back in a few curls. The former demon smiled, reaching out to take her white, gloved hands. “You look beautiful,” he complimented, almost struggling to find the right words.

 

Neda bowed her head slightly in embarrassment at his kind words. “Thank you,” she whispered between them. “You look rather handsome yourself.”

 

“I didn't do much,” Jin pointed out with a light chuckle. “I just wasn't about to wear something so flashy to a celebration.”

 

“I am not saying that it was a bad thing.” Neda held the redhead close in a tight embrace.

 

“I think we are all ready for the celebration, then,” said Blythe, holding onto her dress to keep it out of the way of her shoes. “Let's be on our way. The castle isn't too far from here by foot.” She accepted Thane's hand into her own before parting from the house.

 

Jin watched the two leave before offering his hand to Neda. “I guess this is a better time than any.”

 

Neda accepted his hand and headed out after her sister and brother-in-law. She couldn't help but notice that Jin was acting rather nervous. “Is something wrong? I can sense you're trembling a bit.”

 

He didn't want to admit that he was thinking about the midnight expiration on the potion he had consumed a year ago. Trying to brush it off, he smiled down at Neda with a shake of his head. “No, I am sure it is just the coming chill in the night air. Don't worry about me.” When Neda turned her attention from Jin, he couldn't help but focus on the dairy he had brought with him. He was hoping he could find a moment to pull her off to the side to give the warn diary to her to read.

 

The dirt road led up to a rather large iron gate, which was guarded by two knights. Thane went up to the knights to express he was there for the party to have the man in iron open up the passage for them. Everyone walking through, they followed the road further up to where the castle was resting up the hill. The palace was beautiful so up close. It was completely white and every light in every window lit up the coming darkness. The commotion from inside of the castle got louder the closer they got to the entrance to the palace itself.

 

“Wow,” Jin stated between him and Neda, “this place looks beautiful!” As they got further inside, he watched as the corridor opened up to a huge ballroom filled with many people already. There were minstrels playing a charming melody in the back with many tables lined with food that were closest to the walls. Jin tried to look all the way up to how far the ceiling went, but he found himself about to fall over just by doing so.

 

“I must admit, I have never been here before,” gasped Neda as well, enjoying what was before her. “My family was never invited often, and if we were, we just couldn't have everyone go, so my parents usually went.”

 

Jin walked by one of the tables to look at the assortment of foods, finding some he had never seen before. “They have quite the choice in foods here.” He grabbed one of the shrimp nearby to toss it quickly into his mouth just to taste it.

 

“Still eager to eat as always, aren't you, Jin?” Nash's voiced commented rudely from in front of them. He had caught the redhead sneaking food.

 

“Hello, Nash,” he mumbled, trying not to show his hatred in the winter elf all too soon given where they were. “I guess you were invited? I didn't expect an elf to be called to such a thing.”

 

“When you live in Eytheria long enough, you get recognized as a citizen,” Nash explained just as bitterly back to Jin. He shifted his attention to Neda and smiled at the woman. “It is a pleasure to see you around here, Neda.”

 

Neda could feel the tension between the two, and it was making her a bit nervous about even being brought into it. “Hello, Nash.” She curtsied quickly before holding back onto Jin's arm. “It is good to see you about. It has been awhile.”

 

Ever since Jin had moved into Neda's house and the two had been working to start a family, Nash had never found a reason to return back to Eytheria as often, except for work he often picked up in the castle town. “For good reason,” he stated, looking over at Jin. “Well, let me know if you ever have a moment to spare. I will be amongst the crowd.”

 

Jin let Nash nudge his way past before looking to Neda. “That went well, as usual.” He guided the young woman about the ballroom to continue looking at all there was to see. “Sorry that I caused him to be at odds with me.”

 

“I am not too worried about him,” Neda expressed honestly. “What he wants to gripe about is his own affair.” Watching all of the couples dancing on the ballroom floor, she couldn't help but want to join them. Tugging on Jin's arm, she nodded towards the open floor. “Care to join me? I know you've been practicing with my sister for the past few weeks.”

 

“Well, we shall see how I do,” Jin said nervously, taking her hands to make it out onto the ballroom floor. Holding her appropriately, he began to lead the young woman about on the floor as Blythe taught him to do. “It is a bit different from anything I have done before.”

 

“You don't like it?” Neda questioned with a tilt of her head, as she glided about, following Jin's lead.

 

“It is alright,” said Jin with a shrug of his shoulders. “I just preferred singing or playing the flute. It is two of my favorite things to do.” He made sure not to do anything drastic as far as dancing, because he wanted to make sure she and the baby would be alright. “Dancing is fun, but I don't know if I could get used to it no matter how often I try it.”

 

“Well, I think you do a wonderful job,” Neda complimented, as she continued to follow his lead.

 

The more he danced with her, the more Jin couldn't help but realize that his time would be up soon. Often, he would glance over at the clock within the castle just to see what time it was. When the music did stop, Jin brought her hands close to his chest. “Neda, there is something I need to tell you.”

 

She had to admit to herself that she didn't like the tone of his voice when he spoke. Neda gripped onto his hands tightly. “What is it?”

 

As Jin was about to try his best to explain, he was stopped by the sound of trumpets going off to announce the arrival of the king and princess. Turning around to watch the two make their appearance, he saw the king had a white beard and hair to match with a flowing cape that was red and white and crimson attire. The princess had long, flowing blond hair with a tiara, which was litter with jewels, upon her head. Her dress was the most silky and magnificent thing that Jin had ever seen on a human. It was aqua and white in color.

 

“So that is King Alexander and Princess Demelza,” Jin gasped at finally seeing them. “I have never seen them before.”

 

“Nor have I, to be honest.” Neda eyed the princess up and down and couldn't help but feel a bit inferior to how she appeared. “She sure is beautiful…”

 

Jin turned to Neda to smile tenderly. “So are you. You could have made the perfect princess if you were born into royalty.” He didn't feel like listening to the king's speech, as he knew he had other things he had to talk about with Neda. Pulling her from the ballroom, he made it out to a nearby balcony. Jin wanted privacy in what he was about to say to Neda. “I am afraid I don't have much time to tell you all of this.”

 

“What is wrong, Jin? You've been nervous about something ever since we made it here. I can tell.” Neda held onto Jin's hands tightly within her own. “You're not going to leave me…are you?”

 

“No, no, it isn't that. I mean, I don't have to leave you if you don't want me to,” Jin explained best he could. “I am afraid that I have a secret that I have been hiding since the day we met, and I was waiting for the right moment to tell you about it.” He knew he had Neda's full attention when he mentioned the secret. “I just want you to know that, I—.”

 

“There you two are!” Norris interrupted, spying Jin and Neda out on the balcony. He was oblivious to the fact he was intruding on a conversation between them. “I have been looking for you guys everywhere. This palace is bigger than I thought it was!”

 

“Norris, we're kind of in the middle of something,” Jin expressed seriously, not wanting there to be any more interruptions.

 

“Well, normally I wouldn't intrude, but I was asked to find Neda on Blythe's behalf,” Norris insisted, looking over at the woman. “Your sister wanted to talk to you about something. She promises it won't be long.”

 

Neda nervously pulled from Jin with a brief smile. “I will be right back. I am sorry, Jin.” She spared the former demon a kiss on the lips before heading back inside to find her sister.

 

Jin sighed a bit, watching Neda leave before catching the time on the clock. He had one more hour before it was to be too late for him to say anything. Growling at the timing, he rested against the balcony railing. “I am not going to be able to tell her in time. This is a lost cause.”

 

“What is wrong, Jin?” Norris asked, joining the redhead at the balcony railing. “Are you okay? I have never seen you this stressed out before.”

 

“I have a secret I have to tell Neda before the day is over,” Jin explained, looking back over at the clock. “And if I don't get it out soon…I may lose her forever. Hell, even if I tell her, I may lose her still. I don't know.”

 

Norris wasn't sure what Jin was talking about. There were so many thoughts running through his mind that involved any secret that Jin could be hiding. “I guess it must be a tough secret to tell.” He placed his hand on Jin's shoulder in attempts to reassure the man once more. “I think you just have to remind yourself that, no matter what, your friends and even the woman you love, will still care for you after you tell it.”

 

Jin exhaled heavily with an attempt to let out all his frustrations through it. “I do suppose.” He looked over at Norris with a nod. “Thank you. I just hope you're right with all things considered.”

 

When Neda finished speaking with her sister several moments later, she went searching for Jin to find him at the balcony still with Norris. She had to admit, given the secret he was about to tell her, she was still nervous about going out to meet the redhead. I guess I have to face him sooner or later, Neda thought to himself. Folding her hands in front of her, she made her way back out to the balcony. “Sorry about that, Jin. My sister was just asking if we wanted to spend the night at her place. I told her that would be alright.”

 

Jin couldn't help but remind himself he would be a demon by then. He didn't feel as though getting too excited would mean anything. “That sounds like a plan,” he expressed almost dully.

 

Norris looked between the two, hating that they both appeared down on such a wonderful night. “Ugh, for heaven's sake, Jin, go out there and dance with the girl!” He demanded, pushing the redhead towards Neda when the music started back up again. “When people dance, a secret can usually be told there, as you do dance close together.”

 

Neda blushed at having Jin so close to her again. Looking up at him, she managed a smile upon her face. “Shall we? I know you don't like dancing, but maybe Norris is right. It might be a better way to explain things as a dance is something between two people.”

 

“Neda, I am afraid I don't have long,” Jin expressed, as they continued their dance on the marble flooring. “But I have been about your farm longer than you realize. I was even there the night your parents got killed.” He knew he had to get it out quickly before the third chime on midnight.

 

“What…what are you talking about?” Neda asked, unable to find the words just right. “That's impossible! You couldn't have been there!”

 

“But I was there, and I held Pearl when she died,” Jin explained, only to be interrupted by the first chime of the midnight stroke. He turned to the clock, shaking his head at the time finally being up. He felt Neda pulling away from him when Jin gazed back at the confused farm girl. “Neda, I am sorry. But I wasn't meaning harm that night. I was doing what your mother asked the moment she died!” Hearing the second chime, he couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach.

 

“No…it can't be…!” Neda exclaimed, as she backed away from the redhead.

 

“Neda, I am so sorry…!” Jin managed to get out before the third chime of the clock bellowed about the ballroom. Grabbing onto his head, he felt his body changing back into the serpent demon form he was given at birth. His clothes ripping from his body as he changed in appearance and size, he could hear everyone around him screaming at the fact he was actually a demon. When he felt he was back to normal, Jin looked up at the frightened Neda. He had never seen her so scared before. He reached out to her desperately. “Neda…please…!”

 

“You…I cannot believe it is you! You lied to me!” Neda had never felt so betrayed as well as frightened for her own life at seeing the demon there before her. “You killed my parents! There is no excuse for that! Nothing you could say or do would excuse you from what crime you did!”

 

Realizing that everyone in the ballroom wanted him dead, Jin knew he couldn't be around much longer. Without having anything else to say at that moment, Jin hurried out of the castle as quickly as he could. Once he made it outside, he heard someone calling his name. He found Touya to be hiding in the bushes not too far away from the gate. “Touya, you're here!” He said with relief.

 

“We don't have much time!” Touya insisted, grabbing Jin's wrist to pull him away from the mob of people who wanted him dead. “We have to get you out of here and back to the nest!”

 

Neda remained within the palace, dumbfounded by what had all just come crashing down around her. As the king was trying to calm everyone over the incident, she looked down at where Jin was last standing to find a book with worn, leather binding. Picking it up, she noted the word `Diary' on it. Holding it close to her chest, she decided to take it back to the house with her.

 

 

 

 

Thane and Blythe allowed Neda back to their house for the coming hours. Everyone was in too much shock to really sleep, however. With so many thoughts racing through his mind, the knight didn't bother chasing after the redhead. Inside, he knew Jin was kind and gentle, but he was always brought up to believe that the naga were evil, malicious creatures that killed others for their own personal game. Hearing Blythe heading down the stairs, he looked over his shoulder from where he was standing at a nearby window to watch everyone try to pass off what had happened at the ball. “How is she doing?”

 

“She is really upset,” Blythe answered, as she made it over towards her husband. Resting her cheek against his back, she closed her eyes unable to believe what she had seen. “I don't want to imagine that a demon can easily march around as a human for a full year. That's too much to consider.”

 

“I know who he is,” Thane said off topic. “I remember those eyes of his. They have haunted my dreams ever since that attack on the snake nest in Kalrune Village's old graveyard. I think he was there. And his wife…his wife was that demon one of the knights killed with an arrow to the chest.”

 

“Do you think he was trying to get revenge for it!” Blythe exclaimed quietly between them in worry.

 

Thane shook his head honestly, “No. Within the short amount of time I got to know him, I don't think he was looking for trouble.” He moved the curtains on the window to watch the frightened people outside a bit better. “I think he was being honest when he said he was trying to watch over you and your sister.”

 

Blythe shook her head, as she made her way over towards the sofa in the living room area. “That's impossible. Why would our mother beg that of him? He started the barn fire!”

 

“I think tonight we have learned that not everything is as it appears to be,” Thane explained, as he walked over to join his wife. “Maybe that night didn't happen as you think it did. I am sure there is a reason he continued to follow you and your sister around in the shadows.” He was silent, thinking about Lily for that moment. “Maybe Lily herself even knew who and what he was before any of us did. She is blind, and she trusted him with her life.”

 

“Maybe…Neda told me that Lily really loved him, and Jin really loved her,” Blythe said, remember a letter she received from Neda once. “But she said that a fish cannot marry a bird unless the Goddess grants it wings. She found that to be an odd saying, and, I must admit, I did too. Maybe she did know. She was a demon hugger after all.”

 

Neda could hear the two conversing downstairs, making her remember the diary that the redhead had left behind. She had hidden it under her pillow to keep it from anyone taking it from her. Pulling the worn book out into the moonlight, she opened to the first page to find a note there addressed to her.

 

Dear Neda:

 

If you are reading this, it means I have failed to tell you in time. Forgive me, but I just didn't know how to. I hope you will continue to love me always regardless of what you read in these pages and how things happened.

 

Love,

 

Jin

 

Quickly, she shifted through the pages to find the one detailing her parents' death. She wanted to know what happened that day through his eyes.

 

------------------------------------------

 

 

Once back home at the farm, Neda eventually closed the diary that the naga dropped the night before. She didn't know what to think even if he had flattered her several times in the many pages he bothered to write upon. The last part really tore at her involving the party at the palace, but she couldn't control her emotions towards Jin's sudden outward change. He had written in the last page that he would come back again to see her, so Neda knew she would have a chance to see the naga once more even though it would be hard.

 

She pushed the covers off of her and headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen so she could walk out on the terrace. Feeling the chill in the air attack her softly, Neda embraced her body as her ankle length nightgown whipped about from the wind caressing it. She gazed out at the barn not too far away with a soft and yet eager filled sigh as she waited for the naga to reappear knowing if anything, he would want his diary back that he dropped when chased away from her side. All was quiet for some time until the naga announced quietly his arrival.

 

“Neda,” Jin called quietly from the stairs to the farmer girl's left.

 

Spooking from the sound of his soft tone, Neda jumped back as she kept the worn diary within her embrace. His crimson red scales that were more visible than the cherry underbelly glistened a bit from the light of the full moon once touched and almost made the beast seem as if he were bleeding. It was tempting to want to touch his scaly body, but with all the stories she had been told as a child growing up when it came to the monsters just beyond the house, she couldn't help but feel fear rise up within her. “What do you want?” She asked almost defensively.

 

“I came back for my diary, which you obviously have,” Jin remarked pointing to the book within her embrace, “and to speak with you once more, because I want you to hear me out.”

 

Neda sniffed back her tears of anger since this was the man she had come to love for the year he was allowed to remain a human man and to find out he was nothing but a lying naga was more than enough to make her world seem to crumble. “You wanted to eat me…” she seemed to mumble almost randomly.

 

Jin blinked several times, confused at what she said, “I wanted to—eat you? I never wanted to eat you, Neda, I love you!”

 

“Liar!” Neda growled, throwing the diary at him only to have it miss and slide up beside Jin's large reptilian body.

 

Looking at his diary that was closest to his tail Jin picked it up with that appendage to open up the page she marked with a piece of fabric to find the section she meant. Seeing that it was the segment he wrote about when they first made love, he couldn't help but chuckle a bit at what she must have gotten out of what he wrote.

 

“You find this funny?” Neda asked, trying to control her emotions.

 

Jin moistened his lips a moment, regaining his composure so he could recite what she had bookmarked, “Her human body was much unlike my own kind and in a way that made it all the more special. The feel of her touching me and me touching her, it took all the strength I had not to lose control of myself and harm her. To feel the human warmth of her body caressing every part of my being when I entered inside of her for the first time was heaven itself. I found myself clawing at the covers beneath us and tearing at them from the new feeling that attacked me, and it nearly forced me to become quite harsh with her frame. It was a new experience and though wonderful the more I dwell on it, scary for me at that time and how I would respond considering the naga inside of me. Even the smell of her virgin blood drove me a bit crazy once I managed to make it seep from her body. I must admit a part of me wanted to taste it just once, but I feared what that would do to me and how she would react. However, I just wanted to taste every part of the body I had admired from afar. And I did and I will never forget this day, this hour, this time that felt as if it lasted for eternally.”

 

Looking back at Neda with a sort of mocking smile, he closed his diary before taking it from his tail to place within his arms wondering what she had misread since it was all clear to him. “You thought I wanted to eat you because of me unable to control myself? To the contrary,” Jin assured with a bit of a laugh. “I was admiring your human body, Neda. I feared going too far for it both being our first time to where I would harm you physically as in accidentally tearing at your skin with my nails or going beyond the limit when it came to my endowed size and the width and depth of your body. I didn't mean that one thing would lead to another and I would devour you.”

 

Neda couldn't help but look off to the side, feeling a bit embarrassed at the moment, not noticing that the naga was inching a bit closer to her. “I—I feared you had come to seduce me and then eat me…”

 

“Why?” Jin asked, finally right in front of her as he stayed upon his scaly length. Seeing that she was about to bolt with him so close to her, prompted Jin to grab gently onto her wrist with his tail to make her stay put so they could speak, “Because I am a demon? I think your kind has done a number on you and your people when it comes to us. We do not eat people, we eat cattle, and only attack when we or our nest and friends are threatened.” Showing off his angered expression that he rarely conveyed, Jin continued, “I know I ate some of your cows, chickens, and horses to survive growing up, and I apologize for that, but that was what I needed to live. And regardless of what people and yourself want you to believe, I did not devour your parents.”

 

Hearing the sorrow and rising anger in his tone and knowing how he felt about humans slandering his kind made Neda furrow her brow before avoiding his gaze. She wanted to apologize but a part of her refused to form those words. The farm girl wanted to blame someone for her parent's death and the nagas she had blamed for the years she had grown up. But this one, deep down, she knew wouldn't lie to her. All of his truths were written down in a diary that Jin didn't expect for her to encounter and for her to read them all.

 

Jin placed his hand upon her cheek to make her look into his cobalt colored eyes. “Neda, it's me…the man you knew and loved for the year we got to know one another. I am just in a different body. Can you not accept that regardless of all the fairy tales you were told as a child?”

 

If there was any part of him that was still there, it was his big, innocent eyes that continued to stare back at her. Feeling the warmth of his hand on her tanned cheek, Neda placed her own upon his before closing her eyes tightly shut so the tears wouldn't come forth. “Jin…I cannot love you…” She found herself pulling away from the demon, not able to look at him much longer. “All of this was different when I thought you were human. I didn't expect you to be the one thing I hated and feared!”

 

Jin hummed in thought, wrapping his serpent tail about Neda's wrist gently. “Lily knew who I was,” he said softly. “She guessed what Touya and I were the moment we slithered into her house in Eytheria Market Town.” He sighed at having to remember the human woman he really cared for. “I wish she had reconsidered.”

 

“That's why you blindfolded me when you took me to Touya,” Neda recalled that moment when she had injured her ankle. “You didn't want me to notice he was a snake demon. You wanted me to trust he wouldn't hurt me.”

 

He scratched an annoying itch in his wild, red hair. “Mhmm. He has the ability to control ice while I can control wind. We're one of the few demons who can control elements. Kurama, Hiei, and Shishi all could as well. All the other demons don't have many powers, which I know of. I am sure they have passed down theirs to their children though, and I would have more than the five if Silver wasn't killed by the knights Thane was accompanied with.” He didn't like talking about that topic, as he was at that point where he didn't harbor ill will towards the knight completely. “Besides, there is also your baby I have in mind.”

 

Neda looked down at her round stomach to place her hand there. “This child…is going to be a half-breed, isn't it?” She witnessed as Jin shrugged to show he either didn't know or didn't want to tell her. “It is, isn't it? That potion only modified what you truly are. It didn't make you completely human. You still passed down what you really are.”

 

“I still am not sure where these coming days and nights may go,” Jin admitted honestly, still thinking back on the reading he was given those many months ago. “All I know is that I will try my best to protect you both no matter what it takes.” When the young woman reached for him, Jin couldn't help but duck away from her this time. “I should get back to my nest. Touya doesn't want me to be here for too long.”

 

“Jin…I…” Neda couldn't find the words in time, as the naga quickly dashed from her side. Feeling him slip from her, she sat down in the rocking chair with her head in her hands. It was hard for her to think about what to do next.