Disclaimer: Neither Yuu Yuu Hakusho, nor any of its characters belong to me. They were created by Yoshihiro Togashi and affiliates. This is based on "The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton.
Original Version

Once long ago, in a now old and forgotten kingdom of the Makai, there reigned a powerful and barbaric queen named Mukuro. She was brutal even by demon standards, for although most youkai regents of that time took little intrest in their insignificant subjects, Mukuro ruled her hapless citizens with a sadistic and tyrannical hand. The only thing that pleased her more than a kingdom that ran like clockwork under her watchful eye, was a stitch in her grand tapestry that needed to be mercilessly flattened out.

Despite this tyrant's many ungodly methods of rule, none was quite so without compassion as Mukuro's method of judgement.

In the heart of the kingdom's most glorious city, an astounding testament to the crown's might and strength, was the Grand Ampitheater, Mukuro pride and joy, a century in the making. It's breath and scope had never been measured, it's many balconys and alcoves uncountable. It was so large as to be able to seat every soul in the kingdom, and legend had it a powerful enchantment ensured that this would always be the case, no matter the fluctuations of the populous.It was here that the divine retribution that was Mukuro's took place.

Whenever a crime had been commited within the kingdom's borders, with enough weight in it to reach the ears of the queen, a date would be called for a trial at the Grand Ampitheater. On that day every subject under Mukuro from the street urchin without a name to the crown's own heir, would drop all matters to attend the judgement of the hapless criminal and witness what was known as "The gods own verdict of life or death".

Alone in the wide expanse of the arena, before the eyes of the entire kingdom, this verdict would take place. After a bow of homage to the royal balcony, the accused would have the choice of opening one of two doors. Waiting behind the one would be the youkai most well suited in the kingdom, to which the liberated prisoner would at once be wed, whether they liked it or not. Behind the other door though, would be the godlike and monstrous Kokuryuhaa, which no one had ever faced and lived. It was one of these doors the accused would be forced to face and unwittingly choose, greeting either life or death. No one ever knew out of which door would come the dragon or which the lady, not even the queen herself.  

Kurama supressed a smile, his silver fox ears flattening with contentment. It was a wonder the prince, seated beside the Mukuro at the head of the banquet table, even bothered to maintain the pretense of trying to look and appear not to be looking at the same time. How could he not feel eyes that burned that hot, whether from half a room or half a world away? He caught himself about to sigh, and allowed himself a fleet and happy expression instead. He had thought, in his long years on earth, that he had felt every emotion there was left to feel. That was before he had met Hiei.

"Good evening... Kurama." Kurama turned to cordially greet his addresser, and couldn't stop from cursing under his breath that the sight of this one courtier could so ruin his good mood. Karasu seemed amused at this response, though his emotions were hard to discern due to his gleaming silver face mask. Kurama bristled.

"I hope you do not design to further ruin my evening by putting forth your proposition again." Kurama removed his hand from the table as Karasu made as if to brush it.

"I had hoped you'd lose some of your hostility on a festive night such as this." The masked youkai murmured, leaning in closer to be heard.

"I have more sense than to get drunk on a night when you are in attendance, if that's what you were hoping for." Karasu laughed at this barb, causing Kurama to seeth all the more. By far the most ardent of his suitors, Karasu had made an annoyance of himself more times than Kurama cared to count. Kurama didn't want to risk killing one so close to the eye of the queen, Karasu being one of her most favored courtiers.

Kurama deliberately turned, tucking his tail close to his body in order to prevent it from touching Karasu, effectively ending the conversation. He turned his eyes to Hiei's place at the table. Kurama blinked, startled. The prince was gone.  

  Hiei tried to keep his temperature down to an unoticable degree as Karasu leaned in just a bit closer to his fox. The back of Kurama's silver head bobbed with speech, and Karasu broke out into laughter. Hiei struggled harder to calm down.

Countless times he had been forced to witness much the same thing, as Karasu forced his advances on the kitsune. Kurama assured him it was nothing, but Hiei still found it hard to quench the fury inside him at the sight of the raven haired youkai.

"Excuse me," he directed at his mother, Mukuro, as he stood from the table and quickly exited the room.

He stalked down dark corridors to his chambers, stopping just inside the door to lean into the shadows and wait. Sure enough, a silver youko stepped through the doorway shortly, his ears instictively cocked to make up for the loss of sight in the darkness. Hiei lit a ball of Makai fire and suspended it in the air above the two. Kurama closed the door behind him.

"Hiei, why did you leave so suddenly?" Kurama asked, stepping closer. Hiei was silent for a moment, gazing contemplatively into Kurama's fathomless golden eyes. Eyes that held many secrets, many facets to the unpredictable and far from wholly known personality that was Youko Kurama. But not that secret, the one in a moment without clarity Hiei had feared was there.

"Kurama, promise me," He began, his red eyes intense. "Promise me you'll always belong to me, in here." He took the youko's hand and placed it where he thought his heart was.

Kurama smiled, genuinely. He leaned foreward, and tilted Hiei's chin up, and gave him his answer.

Karasu leaned back in his seat, his violet eyes scouring the queen's face for any emotion other than absolute glee. There was none.

"I had my suspicions as well, but your testimony has assured me. This is an instance in which the gods' justice must surely be met out. What higher crime could there be, but to dare to love a prince?"

"I must agree your majesty, such a breach of station must be accounted for... therefore it would do me great honor, your grace, if I were to perhaps take a hand in the gods' admirable form of justice."

Mukuro's non-sythesized eye twinkled, she knew where the courtier's heart lay and where the youko's did not. Yes, a fitting form of justice.

Kurama looked up from contemplation of his balances, as he heard a resounding knock on his chamber door. He growled irritably; it was too late an hour for company, in addition to the added lethargy he was experiencing as a result of rigerous activities with the prince earlier that night.

"Come in," he called wearily. His sleepiness vanished abruptly however, as he noticed the crest of the queen's guard stamped on the livery of his visitors.

"Youko Kurama, you are under arrest for crimes against the crown."

Hiei pressed himself deeper into the shadows as a guard passed close. Once the danger had passed, he moved on.

Kurama was in jail. No one had been allowed to see him, and the day of his trial was close at hand. Hiei felt as if his world had fallen apart.

It had become widely known that Karasu had been chosen as Kurama's mate, should fate swing that way. The bastard saw this turn of events as his dream come true; either way, no one else would every touch Kurama again. Hiei wanted nothing more than to kill the raven haired youkai slowly, but Karasu had been hidden away since Kurama's accusation, in preparation for the event.

Now Hiei was here this night, determined to learn one of the most closely guarded secrets of his kingdom. The gods would not be fate on Kurama's judgement day. He would.  

  The cheering of the multitude echoed throughout the ampitheater as the tall, silver form stepped into the arena. The people were euphrorious at the handsome figure this youko represented, striding strongly and confidantly, so near to his death or salvation. Money changed hands.

Kurama halted his steps before the royal balcony, clay dust from the floor of the arena stirring at his feet. He lowered himself to one knee on the ground, and raised his eyes heavenward to meet the ruby pair above him.

Hiei was staring, staring, his eyes soaking in the kneeling from before him. He took in the bold mane of silver he had contented himself with for hours, the golden orbs under whose gaze he had found his soul.

He finally knew the secret of the doors. Which of these protals of chance held the Kokuryuhaa, and which Karasu. But what he had thought would become easier, had instead become unbearably harder. He had lost him. The smiling, laughing, silver haired half of his soul. The one he doubted he could live without.

Memories of the happiness whose profoundity he had not known flooded back to him. Talking, making love, just enjoying each others presence. How he would trade his soul for those times again. He smiled wryly. If he even had a soul anymore, that is.

The past few nights had been sleepless, a constant contemplation of feelings whose depth and breadth he had yet to find an end to. Would he be able to live on without those sweet and wonderous emotions? Hiei was not at all sure. The only question left to him now, he knew, was which pain would be more bearble? The pain of knowing that every moment of every day he spent without peace or end in sight Karasu would spend in rapture, would own his kitsune, would forever be with the love of Hiei's existence while Hiei himself could only watch this, his own personal hell, from a distance? Or the pain of seeing the end of the brightest spot in his world at the ravenous jaws of the Kokuryuhaa, the monster of demon fire that some say sprung directly from the nightmares of Kami-sama himself. He had lost him... he had lost him...

Promise me you'll always belong to me, in here

Yes, Hiei thought. Zutto... in here.

Shortly, quickly, he waved his hand to the right. No one but Kurama saw him. Without hesitation, the youko stood from his prostrate position, strode to the door on the right, and opened it.  

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