"Why this happened...?" I asked.
In a way, I did understand what Keru had said, but there was a lot that I couldn't fully believe.
"Why my parents engaged me to you," Keru answered, "They told me I'd be marrying a nine-tail, but instead... I was given you."
"Hey... my parents were involved, too," I said, sounding slightly defensive.
"They were likely enthralled by some spell," Keru answered, "that might not have happened... but it is the most likely."
I raised an eyebrow in some puzzlement. There was a lot about our wedding that was surprising to me, and I did want to figure out why Keru and I were engaged to each other, seemingly out of the blue. Though, from what my parents had said, the engagement had actually been made when I was born. But, beyond what I had been told the day before the wedding, when I found out about it, and in the hours leading up to the wedding, I hadn't been told any more than that. The fact that Keru had made mention of something "sinister" about it also left me fairly nervous. Kitsune were well known as tricksters in mythology and renowned for their power. Did that mean there was something Keru's parents wanted? And what could they want from me? I had no magic and even if Keru's magic allowed us to have kids, they would likely be weaker than her.
"We Kitsune can be mischievous and we are powerful," Keru answered the unasked question, "if they wanted to... my parents could easily overwrite everything about your parents to get something they wanted."
"But why would they want you to marry me?" I asked softly, as I noticed the blue furred Kitsune nervously look toward the windows.
"The bigger question would be why did they tell me you were a nine-tail," Keru countered, "if it was a simple game of mischief with humans, they would have told me... and you are completely human... no trace of latent or disguised magic on you... so it's not like you're a Kitsune who's powers and abilities were hidden."
"Is that possible?" I asked.
"If a weaker Kitsune had it done by a more powerful Kitsune, yes," Keru sighed, "we are powerful in magic... but it's in staged levels and depends on how old we are... A newborn Kitsune is essentially powerless with regard to magic, we don't even have one tail. It can disguise itself, but that's about it. We then grow up and learn magic, usually from our parents, but some study at, what you would call, magic schools. After one hundred years our bodies have matured to resemble an adult anthropomorphic fox and we've grown our first tail and begin to cast more spells... though our power levels are still weak..."
"But myth says Kitsune begin to gain power with age once you grow your first tail," I commented.
"Yes, though it still takes us one hundred years four our power to advance to a point that we'd grow a new tail," Keru explained, "Once a Kitsune turns nine hundred and grows its ninth tail they have attained a level of power equivalent to a god and can do nearly anything..."
"So you're only two hundred years old?" I asked, "maybe that's why they told you I was a nine tail... they think you're in danger from something."
"I'm actually two hundred twelve years old," Keru answered, "and my father is a six tail and my mother is a seven tail. There isn't much that could threaten them... and even if there was... why the subterfuge with you and I regarding our forced marriage? If I were in danger and they couldn't protect me, why not actually marry me to a nine tail?"
I looked down with no answer ready.
"Anyway... with your earlier question, you are completely human," Keru then spoke, "once a Kitsune has grown their fifth tail they would be strong enough to hide the magic of any Kitsune with one tail or fewer... a nine tail could probably hide the magic of any other Kitsune... but since you're completely human... the reasoning is absent. My parents gain nothing from our marriage... none that I can see... and something tells me they have some plan in the works... something that is not good for you and for humanity."
"You're sure?" I asked.
"That is what I fear," Keru answered, "and it's what I intend to find out."
"Not without me," I answered.
"What?" Keru gasped, eyes widening and her two tails flared out.
"I want to know, too," I answered, "and if your parents have six or seven tails...there won't be much that you can do... and well... I won't let you stand alone. I know we were forced to marry and you probably don't love me... but that doesn't mean we can't be friends and that we can't stand together."
I then looked down. The next feeling was the soft fur on one of Keru's fingers lifting up my chin.
"I don't hate you," Keru said softly, "My only problem with the marriage is the same problem that you have with it. We don't know each other. The only other problem is the fact that you will grow old and die before you turn one hundred years old. Provided no one kills me through the ways one can kill a Kitsune... I will never grow old."
I blinked for a moment.
"I'd have to explain myself to you and that requires a relationship that was denied us," Keru finished, "and for the moment, I need to find out why..."
"Please... let me help," I urged her.