Ryuusei No Solitude

Chapter XXXII



Kanna smirked as Tetsui screeched and hollered in the supply room. The head woman had just finished her daily inventory and was screeching on finding several winter blankets and garments missing. With the help of Meko Kanna had successfully smuggled the supplies to Hiei with several fresh loaves of bread and a water bag full tea to help the fire Koorime's cold. Hopefully, with some luck, Hiei will be able to escape without the risk of dying from the freezing temperature.



Kanna finished her pre-bath hair brushing, picked up a spare yukata and went to the ladies bathing room. When she came to the room the pond size pool was full of women either cleaning or playing in the warm water. Kanna set her yukata on a rack, stripped out of the one he was wearing and slipped into the water. She was used to crowded tubs and easily avoided being knocked off her feet. After grabbing a bar of soup she set about to cleaning herself. The others around her cleaned or they talked and ignored Kanna. The water demon didn't mind, she was used to it. She had made it a point to not socialize with the rest of the servants. She saw this place as a prison, not a home. She only spoke to Meko, Koga and Hiei because she saw a kindred spirit in them.



When she finally finished cleaning she stood out of the water and rubbed herself down. Putting on the fresh yukata she went to the hairdresser to have her hair done. Her hair was done in intricate braids and beads after being seated for an hour. After she left the hairdresser she walked into a minor guest's quarters on the ground floor and opened the window.



"Keiko," she called softly.



"Here," called the earth demon and appeared under the window. Kanna smiled.



"Right on time. Come in."



Keiko climbed inside as Kana went to the bed and grabbed the spare yukata she hid there. It was a servants yukata with parallel stripes instead of the diagonal ones like Kanna wore.



"Take off your clothes and put this one," said Kanna, handing Keiko the yukata.



"It's different from yours," said Keiko holding it up.



"Trust me, you don't want mine. Put it on. You know what you have to do?" Keiko nodded, putting the yukata over her head. "All right, as soon as the distraction cones in I'll get the key and set us free." She brought out five circlets and placed them on the earth demons arms, ankles and head. "These are fake, so you can use you ki, but I suggested you wait."



"Agreed," said Keiko, adjusting the headband.



"Just do as you're told. You're a servant, so you'll be asked o serve drinks, food and stuff. Just remember your job."



"I will," said Keiko, putting packet in her yukata.



"Do you know your job?"



"Please, Kanna-san, this is not my first inside job."



"Right. Then, let's get started."



Keiko nodded and followed Kanna to the kitchen. As usual before a party everyone was busy and wouldn't notice, or mind, an extra person around. Kanna left Keiko to take care of her self to finish getting ready. Her outfit this time was a sleeveless red dress. It buttoned at the next but there was a diamond shaped cut to reveal her chest, but kept her modest to a degree. The shirt fell to her ankles and ha d slit up both sides to her hips. The bottom of the skirt was intricately embroidered with gold thread.



'Well, I'll be able to make some money off the dress,' she thought. She slipped on her buckled sandals and stepped outside as the rest of the girls gathered to get ready. Tetsui was telling everyone what their assignments were, but Kanna was half listening. She was wondering if the plan she came up with would work.



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Keiko watched as Kanna walked into the ball room and went to Yasha, a notorious demon that's been said to never have been defeated in battle. In her hands, Keiko held a tray of grapes to serve out to whoever wanted them. She had a while to wait before they started the plan. Might as well make the most of the time left before then.



Balancing the tray carefully in one hand she placed the other on the stone wall and felt the earth in the mortar. All elemental demons could sense their own element. Plant and earth demons could sense terrain no matter where they were. Water and snow demons could feel rivers currents and sense a waterfall miles away. Wind and air demons could sense the wind and know when a storm was coming on what day and time. It is said some fire demons could sense the magma in the core of the realms. Keiko felt throughout the castle and knew what everyone in it was doing. The head cook was borating a scullery maid for dropping a tray full of her finest dishes, the head woman was organizing every detail of the party, and a guard was getting frisky with a man-servant. Keiko quickly diverted away from that and checked the dudgeons. Meko and another guard were sitting on a table playing poker. Meko was winning. She almost sobbed when she saw Hiei curled up asleep in her cell. To her luck the key stone was nearby the cell in the dudgeons. She smiled at her good fortune.



"Oi, you girl, get out with those grapes," yelled Tetsui



"Yes, ma'am," said Keiko in a slurred clipped accent. She walked into the room and began to serve the grapes.



She and Kanna caught eyes for a moment before she returned to the kitchen. This was her job for the last three hours. She was given a tray and told to serve the guests, return, given another tray and sent out again. Finally she was able to step out of the cook's sight, grab a wine bottle and head down to the dudgeons. As she walked down she slipped the packet that she hide in her yukata out and dump it into the wine. She spotted sight of a door on her way walked down the stairs. Entering the dudgeons she brightly smiled at Meko and the older guard as they played poker.



"Wine, boys," she asked sweetly.



"Not for him," said the other guard, nodding toward Meko. "He's too young."



"Oh, too bad." And she handed the bottle to the guard. She left the dudgeon, but anxiously watched from around the corner. The effect of the drug combine with the alcohol in the wine was almost instantaneous. The alcohol would strengthen the drugs effect and he'd pass out in a drunken stupor in less then twenty minutes. Meko and Keiko watched as the guard ranted and raved on past the battles before he fell face down on the table.



"He lasted longer then most," said Keiko as Meko picked up the older guard's card hand.



"Pair of deuces," he said throwing the cards back on the table. "And I was about to fold."



"Well, don't fold out yet," she said. "We've still go work to do. Grab the keys."



Meko did, taking one key off and put it in his pocket. He took another key off the ring and gave it to Kanna.



"Go," he said. Nodding she took the key and headed to the door she saw on her way down. Putting the key in the lock she turned it and opened the door. Giving a loud dog whistle, then animals, one fox and two cats, ran inside and Keiko quickly closed the door.



"Where is she," asked Kurama.



"Down the hall," said Keiko. "Kanna managed to have smuggled warm blankets and clothes for her and Meko gives her herbs daily through her food so she'll recover quicker, but it's still bad. Meko should be with her now. "



"Good, and Yusuke?"



"At his post."



"Then let's get started," said Kurama and nodded toward Kuwabara and Shizuru. Kuwabara went with Kurama toward the cell and Shizuru stayed with Keiko by the key stone. Placing her hand on the stone she closed her eyes and started to push her ki in it.



The castle started to shake.



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Kurama nearly ran to the cell that held Hiei, but walked instead. He needed to think and calm himself. He hadn't seen Hiei in over a year and he didn't know what he would if she was awake. He didn't know how he would handle himself when he saw her wounds. He knew Hiei had been beaten bad, but didn't know if he could control himself. He'd just have to try.



Meko was standing in front of the slightly open doors and looked up when Kurama and Kuwabara arrived.



"Keiko should start dislodging the keystone soon," said Kuwabara.



Meko nodded but kept his eyes on Kurama. The fox demon had his eyes on the cell door.



"She's wrapped in as many blankets as we could smuggle in, but Koga doesn't think she'll survive the chill," informed Meko.



"I'll find a way," said Kurama. He opened the door and walked in.



The cell was filthy, and the smell was no better. There was nothing but a rotten straw cot that served as a bed and a bucket in the corner for a bathroom. In one corner was a bundle of blankets and a small window looking outside. A rat scurried across the wall.



The bundle started to move and Hiei emerged from it. The fire-demon was still asleep, but looked to be having a nightmare. Her blue black hair had been combed and braided. Kurama was glad they were able to do that much for her. The large bruise on the side of her face was obvious and there was a split down her lip. She thrash again as Kurama bent down to reach her.



"It's all right," said Kurama. "We're taking you home."



Whether unconscious or not, Hiei's thrashing ceased and she settled quietly in her blankets. As Kurama started wrapping her in blankets Hiei gave a cough so fierce a wad of phlegm shot out of her mouth and onto the ground. Kurama gave a low growl at the disgusting mass as he finished blanketing Hiei. It was when the castle began to shake when he picked Hiei up and left the cell.



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Kanna was panting at the end of the dance and was grateful for the break given to her by another servant to take her place. The guests were particularly rowdy. Off the one side she caught sight of Yusuke walking around, supposedly patrolling the ball room for any trouble. He did break up one fight but mostly kept off to the side. He slowed where she sat in the corner and stood guard.



"When does it start," he asked in a low voice.



"Soon. I saw Keiko walk down toward the dudgeon a while ago. If everything goes according to plan we'll be out soon. So you have it?"



"Yeah." And he showed her a plain metal key. "I remember what to do."



"Good. Koga will meet you there."



As she said those words the castle began to shake. Kanna shot out of her seat and tan to the women's quarters as Yusuke went the other way. Many girls were already in the room with Tetsui trying to calm them down.



"Everything is all right," she said. "It's just an earthquake."



"But there's never been an earthquake here before," said one of the girls.



"Tetsui, what are we going to do," asked Kanna frantically, playing the role of a scared servant girl. At the same time she slipped her hand in Tetsui's pocket and took out the key ring, slipping it into her pocket.

Tetsui patted her arm gently, which surprised Kanna considering the head woman hated the concubines.



"Everything will be all right, Kanna," she said.



The ground shook again forcefully and Kanna threw herself on the floor, behind the crowd of girls. Clutching the key in her pocket she ran out the door in a seemly frightened reaction. She ran down toward the dudgeon and met up with the others.



"The key," ordered Kurama. Kanna took out the key ring and began un-locking both her and Hiei's circlets.



"Where's Yusuke," asked Keiko worriedly.



"Right now, he should be with Koga in the treasure room," said Kanna as the last circlet fell from Hiei's ankles. "They will go out the door leading outside in the accountant's room. Here." She handed the key to



Kuwabara. "Take it to Koga." Kuwabara nodded, turned to his small cat form and left with the key in his mouth.



"Good," said Kurama. "Killing two birds with one stone. Let's go."



Smiling Kanna threw open the door and lead everyone out.



TBC