Chapter 8
Stirring, Kaida finally started waking up on the fourth morning. Stretching big, she pushed her hands into someone. Startled, she snapped her eyes open as she looked up at Tsubasa. Rubbing his eyes with one hand, he opened them slowly as he tried to focus through the slight blurring. Once his eyes focused, he smirked at Kaida as she got up quickly. Stretching slightly himself, he yawned and reached over to the end table picking up the bottle in the ice bucket and handed it to Kaida. Taking it in her hands, she smiled and took several drinks. Looking at the foot of the bed, a fresh kimono had been laid out. She looked at him kind of puzzled as Tsubasa just shrugged his shoulders.
Tsubasa Endo: "When I noticed you stirring more than the other days, I figured you would probably want some fresh clothes for a bath. So, I got some ready for you."
Kaida Endo: "Well thank you for that. At least I do not feel as hungry as last time. You must have kept me fed as well. I take it you never left my room much then, did you?"
Tsubasa Endo: "No I did not. I waited to see if you time might have been shortened, but those outsider lords really pissed you off. So, you used more power than anticipated."
Kaida Endo: "Well they did piss me off, but that is not the point. They were disrespectful at every turn. And calling me a mindless lessor, I was not going to let that stand. Any others disrespect me like that will most likely end up the same way. Anyways, I am going to grab up my clothes and head to the bath. Please ask a maid to come in to help me in a little bit."
Tsubasa Endo: "Okay sister. I will. Expect them in about half an hour then."
Smiling, she grabbed up her stack of clothes and hair wash; she then proceeded to head toward the baths. Going in, she put her clothes carefully on the bench and disrobed her night clothes, leaving them in the laundry basket. Taking a lavender bath bomb, she dropped it inside the bath. As it began to bubble, it filled the room with a fresh scent. Sitting on a small stool, she used a bucket to scoop out some water and poured it over herself, doing an initial scrub down before she got into the bath. Once she finished, she sat inside the big tub relaxing as she dunked herself under the water periodically. Taking her hair, she rubbed it in her hands, she scrubbed in the hibiscus leaf mixed with rose and lavender. Rinsing her hair thoroughly, she stood up wringing the extra water from her hair. She began to dry herself off as a knock could be heard from the door. Telling the maid to come in, Kaida finished drying herself down as the maid began to help her put on her clean kimono. Once her sash was put in place, Kaida sat down on the bench as the maid helped her put her hair up once again. When that was finished, Kaida thanked the maid and headed out to the dining hall. Tsubasa was already waiting with a freshly poured glass as he and the other lords sat at the table making small conversation. Botan, no longer surprised when Kaida shows up unannounced anymore.
Botan Date: "Nice to see you awake my queen. I trust you slept well and had a nice bath after all that."
Kaida Endo: "Yes I quite enjoyed myself. It is always nice to have a good bath after so many days.
Botan Date: "Tsubasa did not leave your side this time in hopes that you would wake up early. But it was four days like last time."
Kaida Endo: "Well they did irritate me to the point I expended a bunch of energy. I am still agitated that they would call me a mindless lessor."
Botan Date: "Well they had lost their way completely. They could not even feel the power you possess."
Tsubasa Endo: "I know what you mean. You can feel it just being near her. I do not understand how it was not obvious to them even a little bit. But what they said about the female shortage was a bit disturbing. Was not the type of news I was hoping for at all."
Botan Date: "Well there is nothing we can do about it. It would appear that our situation is more dire on that aspect than we feared. Though I do agree with what you said the other day about us not being able to rule this world. That was the truest statement ever said that made sense."
Kaida Endo: "Well it is obvious. If we live on blood, killing off all those that keep us alive is just stupid. How can such self-destructive behavior exist? They were lords and still could not understand that. Animal blood will kill us, it makes no sense whatsoever to kill off your only food supply. Even humans know to moderate their kills of animals, or else they will starve."
Shaking her head as though she were fed up with the conversation, she downed the rest of her glass and headed for the library once again. Going back to her task of writing out all the information being given to her through the stone's long memories. Though the only thing going through her mind as she wrote the scrolls was, "How do I solve the female shortage problem?" It was the only thought that kept her coming back to the library every day. The only solution lied with their bloodline. Kaida had finally come to the only conclusion and knew that the other lords had already been most likely planning it all from the start. She thought back to how many children had been sent, the amount of building supplies and food, the lords were going to turn her family into baby factories to try and bolster their numbers. It was the only scenario that fit everything they had done. Kaida sighed heavily to herself as the vampire part of her agreed to push forth while the side that had lived as a human found it repulsive. But the vampire side was clearly winning this inner debate. It was at that moment Kaida decided to give in to some of the vampire nature. Knowing her family was the only one, she planned to go back to her home village in another five years. There should be a new line of children born to her five siblings that remained by then. She also still contemplated the meaning of the vine band with stones. Did it symbolize their unification as lords, or was it a wedding symbol? That was the only part of the vision that never came into focus.
Tsubasa showed himself in the library later on that night. He came bringing her another glass that he had freshly filled. Kaida had been working hard on her scrolls and the study of the laws. She only looked up when he sat the glass down in the middle of what she was working on. With a smirk on his face, he sat down next to her. Leaning over, he took a look at what she was working on.
Tsubasa Endo: "You are still working. Why not take a break and enjoy the glass of refreshment I brought for you? I know you want a detailed record, but damn Kaida."
Kaida Endo: "Just working on some more information to write down. That stone never seems to shut up. And I was thinking about how dire our situation is. I have come to the undeniable conclusion that our bloodline is the only salvation the pure bloods have. I am also already well aware that the other four lords have had the concept in their mind from the very beginning most likely."
Tsubasa Endo: "You are probably right about that one. Out family is the key. The other lords that trespassed made it clear that there are no other females in their original areas. If there is, they have secluded themselves something fierce and had already realized the lords of their lands stupidity."
Kaida Endo: "You are right Tsubasa. If I did not have to fill the role of queen, I would have hid from all those males out there as well. Seriously, look how you guys have been acting. The instincts of a vampire are crazily controlling."
Tsubasa Endo: "I cannot argue with that."
Kaida Endo: "I am still not sure the significance of the vined ring with the different stones. I do not know if it is supposed to signify our unity as lords or a wedding symbol. I have been bothered for years over this. The vision has not gotten any clearer for me."
Tsubasa Endo: "It has not gotten clearer for me either. I just know the ring you drew out and the scene that accompanied it. I have never had any more concerning it just yet."
Kaida Endo: "Well there is not much that can be done about it. All I know is in about five years, we will go to our original village and see if any of our siblings have given birth to any more girls. By then they should be old enough to leave without issue, unless you are wanting them to be raised in the vampire's way."