Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Strings ❯ Enter The Marionette ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: Just want to inform you that YYH isn't mine…but you, you just might be ^_^

Hiei: Is this a romance fic?

Kurama: Yes…although we aren't supposed to know who yet…

Me: Yup ^____^ it's a secret!

Kurama: But I'll bet I can guess *smirks*

Hiei: *scowl* Hn…it had better not be me onna….

Me: n.n;;; look it's a secret okay? Anyhow … Here's the deal. This first chapter is to set stuff up. There is a pretty descriptive death scene, not graphic, descriptive, so this is your warning for that…

Oh also! Elaboration on Romance-yup its here, but I'm not telling you who you will fall in love with, just that it's one of everybody's two favorite demons. How bout that? A surprise!!! I don't know who it is yet, guess the Fates are still pondering this over ~_^

One last bit…The diety Kitev is mine, as are the words of sealing, and any other spells I use with in the "divine" are mine. If you ever feel the compulsion to use them ask, and I'll probably let you. Okay well read away!!!

Enter The Marionette…

What if the Fates, cruel as they may be, had decided on another destiny for you? What if instead of the world you know now, you were born in another, carrying the mark of death upon your head from birth. Imagine that you are the tragic priestess of the High God Kitev(kit-eh-v) of time and space. The priests at his temple took you from your mother as soon as you could leave her breast and reared you up for this one single moment: sacrifice. Your whole life you were told you were more, beloved of the God and given the name Kitev-rah which means Kitev's beloved. They told you that on this day you would go into the arms of your God, and you should feel joy, but you do not. Until your prophecy the Gods had not spoken to their people in nearly a century and faith was failing. You knew the truth, you saw it every day in the eyes of the priests that would not meet your own.

So nameless, alone and death bound you tried to flee. The first failure resulting in a beating so severe it left you with angry scars on your back, long whip lashes of pale raised flesh. As soon as you were healed you tried again, and again, until you were placed under lock and key, a guard ever posted at your door and window. You spent six months locked away like a bad memory, and in that dark prison of your room you decided that death was a better option than this, and surrendered to your fate.

They began to teach you things, a few spells of healing, several blessings, and time stopping spell, all very minor, but standard for a priestess of the order. You were dressed in the blue robes of Kitev, as a sign of your position and favor. Only the High priests were allowed to wear blue, the rest had to wear the nondescript gray. On the rare occasions when you walked among the worshipers they would come to you and beg for a blessing, and while you would give it to them, you wanted nothing more than to shake them and demand why you should bless them, when all blessings had gotten you were a death sentence. You felt soured on life, for what joy can be found in a prison? Even one so beautiful as the Time God's temple.

And now here you stand, looking out at the faces of the faithful, recognizing so many, and none of them are looking at you. You have blessed their children, their fields, their marriages, and in return they have come to watch you die, but they will not meet your gaze. You fight to keep the rage from your eyes. You must be a peaceful and willing sacrifice to a God who, for all you know, might well be dead. Or perhaps he still lives, and is laughing to himself at the foolishness of these men to think a God could have any use for a single dead girl.

The High priest touches your arm, and smiles, but the effort shows in the way his eyes are tensed, and the slight twitching at the corners of his lips. His eyes connect with your cheek, not quite meeting your own. He guides you to the stone alter where you will literally lay down your life for your God. The stone is cold, even through the fabric of your robes, and you fold your hands over your stomach serenely, just as you were taught. Their words echo one last time through your mind: Look at peace for the people. It will only worry them to see you struggle. The thought leaves an almost tangible bitterness behind.

You lay on the cold stone and gaze upward, into the High priest's eyes. He is speaking to the people, the sacred words to send you into the arms of your God. You smile. At last oblivion will swallow you and you will have a rest from the nightmare of living. The dagger flashes in the light of the setting sun. You have one last prayer to make. It plunges through the air and you feel the tip scrape the stone beneath you, but there is no pain just yet.

You have a moment of detached utter stillness. You are watching him. He won't look yet. The cold from the stone is creeping into you. One last prayer. It stings, and you feel the shooting ache from your chest distantly, like a muffler has been put to the ache. Just one prayer. You cling to life, as your breathing grows shallow. Dark spots are knawing away at your vision bit by bit, but you linger. You watch as the High priest wipes the blood, your blood, from the dagger. You don't remember him pulling it free. Just a little longer, it's your last chance. And at last, he looks down at you, looks into your eyes and sees you fading there.

Never let him forget. Im trow phet kah.(so mote it be)

Your last prayer said, the holy words of sealing spoken, his eyes still locked on yours, you simply…let go.

***

The darkness you feel is warm and comfortable, and you relax into it. You must admit a certain disappointment. If this is death then what have you to do for eternity other than think back on a life filled with pain and lacking in value. Where is your God now, you wonder. Weren't they sending you to Him? Was the darkness Him? The warmth? You try to relax further, maybe your thoughts will dissolve into this vast warmth and oblivion will swallow you.

Then you feel it. A sharp pain. But you are an ethereal body now, how can you feel such a thing? But there it is again, where your chest should be. It feels like your chest if burning, and freezing simultaneously. The pain makes your head spin, and you cannot think clearly past it. You try to draw breath to scream, but the gargle that follows proves that there is damage to at least one of your lungs. You choke on the fluid, and light burns across your vision.

You make out two figures. Have you not died yet? Has someone come to save you? They are speaking, and the language isn't your own. You have no idea how you can tell, you haven't heard a distinct word or sound yet, but you know. The shapes are coming clearer now, and you can see a boy and a girl. The girl is crying, and the boy is holding her, trying to comfort her. The shooting pain returns and a moan, followed by another gurgle passes your lips.

"Oh thank goodness she's alive!" the girl cries, and crawls closer to you. How did you understand her? "Can you hear me? We are waiting for Genkai. She'll take care of you…" the girl pauses to stifle another sob. "You'll be okay. Just hang on!" You wonder why she should be crying for you. Doesn't she know you were meant to die? Did she save you from dying at the altar? How do you understand her? Just a moment ago you were sure she spoke another language.

"Just hold on," the boy adds encouragingly, then turns to speak to a new person. "Looks like she's been stabbed. Keiko and I just stumbled across her. Looks real bad."

The new voice replies, "I'll take care of it." But even as she speaks you are losing sight again, and that warm darkness is coming back. But somehow through the darkness you hear voices…some of them you recognize, others are new. One sounds like a young girl.

"This wound is deep. It's good you called me when you did. Her right lung is collapsed and filling with blood," says one new voice.

"Can you save her?" This from the sobbing girl.

"I can heal her wounds. But I do not know if that will be enough." A hand slides into your own and you find yourself grasping it tightly. "Do not be afraid. I'm here."

***

Me: So what did you think? Tell me about it, write me one of those lovely reviews and say "I hated it!" "I liked it" "it was so-so" whatever you're feeling about it. I want feedback ya hear. They make me happy and they will get you additional chapters!!

Hiei: I hope nobody reads it!

Me: *sticks out tongue*

Hiei: *unsheathes katana* Do it again and I remove it!

Me: O.O

Kurama: You really ought to stop harassing Hiei…it could end badly for you.

Me: But that's why I have you Kurama-kun *bats eyelashes*

Kurama: o.O Ummmm

Hiei: Hn…