AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I want to apologize first if it took me so long to update. It's been what… years since I've posted an update? I've stopped writing for quite a while because I was taking my last term in college. But I hope ya all forgive me.

Also, I'm finished with the next chapter already. It only needs some revisions and checking. I also want to hear your thoughts in this before I post another chapter. I've been quite worried that my writing is not what it used to be because I stopped for such a long time. I only posted some short stories and one shots but I guess writing a long story is quite different and I hope the story will not be too confusing.

That is all. Thank you! :)

CHAPTER SIX

Yori, who just recovered from her recent injuries, knelt on one knee and greeted her lord while Higeshi walked by and sat in a large throne in the mid corner of the room. It was the only furniture inside aside from the fountain in the middle. The fountain looked ancient and large with several layers made of fine porcelain. There were several engravings written on it but like its antiquity the letters were undecipherable. Aside from that, the fountain didn't have any design except from the floral symbol made of copperplate on its top layer. It looked like it used to encase an ornament but the symbolic engraving was rather empty.

"Where is the girl?" Higeshi said.

Yori stood nearby, her face a mask of calmness. "In the dungeon my lord."

"Bring her to me."

"Yes, my lord."

Akemi pulled at the metal chains wrapped around her wrists. It was attached to the wall behind her, quite high that her arms was dangling above her head while the sharp edge of the manacles dug through her skin.

"It's no use." A shadow appeared at the doorway of the dungeon. "That chain is made to incapacitate even the most powerful demons. A weak human being like you will likely die first before you can escape."

"You heartless monster." Akemi spat, her eyes blazing. The demon narrowed her eyes at the girl. Such impertinence coming from a weak human.

"Lord Higeshi ordered me to fetch you." She said and then added, "If you want to stay alive then obey without a fuss."

The demon raised her hand and flicked her fingers. As easily as that, the chain around her wrists snapped open and Akemi fell to her knees while holding her swollen wrist.

"Follow me." The demon said "And try not to do anything if you want to keep your head on your shoulders."

Akemi followed warily and kept a safe distance away from the demon. They took several flight of stairs before entering a very long and wide hallway. It seemed she was being kept in a dungeon from the looks of the area where they came from. She lost consciousness after a group of demons took her away while she was looking for some herbal medicines. After that, she woke up in a dark room, her wrists bound in chains. She had no idea how long she was locked inside but it felt like eternal million years. This was the only time she'd seen the place beyond that dark prison she was locked into.

The demon stopped in front of a large double-door with brass colored knobs and pushed them wide before they entered. The room inside was very spacious with nothing except a big fountain and a throne where another strange demon sat.

From the looks of the man sitting at the throne, Akemi knew for an instant that he was the 'lord' the demon was referring to. The power emitting from him was quite unmistakable.

"My lord I brought the girl you asked for."

The man stood from his seat and took a few steps closer. His eyes— they were so dark that the iris wasn't even visible and so cold as he surveyed her from head to toe. "You look exactly like your mother." He said with a dark smile.

Akemi frowned while the demon cackled at her expression. "The same fearless eyes and," He touched her chin. "The same beautiful face." He ended the sentence with a leer before Akemi pulled away with evident disgust.

"Who are you? And why do you know my mother?" She said, eyeing him carefully through her thick lashes.

"You don't know me?" The demon raised his brow mockingly while Akemi remained silent. Then, he bowed low with elegance and all. "I'm Lord Higeshi of the Suzakus."

Akemi stared at the demon with a blank face as though he just spoke in a foreign language.

"Ah. Still not remember?" He said with a smile. "Of course you wouldn't. Well then, let me introduce myself in a different manner." His eyes darkened ever so slowly. The hair on the back of her neck practically rose on end.

"I'm just the one who attacked your village a long time ago."

Akemi's eyes widened.

"Ah, now you remember?" Higeshi watched her face paling against the light. It was entertaining to see that look of dismay on her face. Wanting more, he pulled a strand of her hair and placed a kiss against it before saying in a grave and low voice, "I'm also the one who.. slaughtered your family.. your father.. your mother.."

The air swooshed as a small hand landed on his cheek, his head got slightly knocked to the side. Yori drew her sword in an instant but he narrowed his eyes at her before turning his attention back to the girl and pulled the hair he was holding tightly upwards. The human girl yelped in pain as she was lifted a few inches off the ground.

"That impertinence—" He whispered at her ear. "Is what made me kill her in the first place."

"Let me go you monster!" The girl struggled against his hold, kicking and cursing before he threw her a few meters away. She rolled onto the floor, the skin on her cheek and the side of her jaw started to swell and redden.

"There," He smiled. "You said to let you go, did you not?"

"What do you want from me?" She glared at him.

Higeshi regarded her under hooded eyes. "I'm afraid you don't yet have what I want. But soon," he smiled. "I'll have everything whereas you and your sister will pay for the mistake your parents have done. Take her away."

Yori appeared right beside the girl and pulled her up.

"You. What did you just say?"

Higeshi glanced at her. "Enjoy your remaining days in this world, princess." He said before going back to his throne.

Higeshi stared at the strand of dark hair wrapped around his fist and regarded it with narrowed eyes. Yori took the human back to the dungeon where she was locked again in chains. That girl, she dared to look at his eyes with such fierceness.

"You'll have to kill me first before you can lay a hand on them." Kazusa looked at him straight in the eyes while clutching a sword tightly in her hands. Not quite far behind her was a room where the wailing of a child could be heard.

Higeshi shook his mind off the image, but he was already swamped with the sudden rush of memories.

"You will betray our clan just to save that woman?!" Higeshi, with a younger look, exclaimed in exasperation. In front of him stood a man who looked much like him but only taller and quite older. He was holding something glowing in his hand before he placed it inside a small bag.

"She'll die if I don't do this." The man said back.

"And what of our clan? You'd rather see us cursed to die so that woman can live?"

The man remained silent. Higeshi cursed under his breath and drew his sword from its sheath. "If that is your decision, then I can't let you go. Partaking in such a treacherous act is punishable by death."

"Don't do this brother. I don't want to fight with you."

"Don't call me that!" He hissed as he raised his sword. "As of this moment you are—"

The man braised himself from the sudden gust of wind.

"—no longer my brother!"

Higeshi stood abruptly from the throne.

"My lord." A demon appeared in front of him with the same semblance to Yori. He too has a tattoo on his shoulder. But while Yori's face always looked calm and composed, the man's dark and wide grin was the exact opposite.

"What is it?" Higeshi said, the stoic expression back on his face.

"We found her." The demon said. "The first child."

Ah.. finally. Higeshi tried to hide his excitement but the glint in his eyes was evident. "Take this to that wolf." He said and threw him the strand of hair that was ripped from the girl's head.

"Yes, my lord." The demon was about to turn around but then suddenly stopped. He looked at Higeshi with that hungry and predatory eyes.

"You may take anything you want along the way." Higeshi shrugged.

"But the girl is mine."

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I just want to clear some fog around Higeshi as I've only written bits and pieces about him in the previous chapters. Also the missing princess, Akemi. In chapter 5, there was really no accurate clue or evidence on who kidnapped her but in this chapter we've put some light to that.

However, there are still some fog and some new twists but please please bear with me. I can't just reveal everything in one shot.

Thank you and hope you enjoyed reading Forever By Your Side. :)