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The muddy battlefield was filled with the sounds of war: the clashing of weapons, the bang-smashing of heavy blows on curved shields and helmets, the hoarse shouts and screams of men and animals; a discordant Symphony of Death to the ear. It was a tune that the Warlord, General Asami Ryuichi, knew all too well and he relished it. The battlefield was where one found out who one's comrade was and who was a coward. It separated the real men who had fire in their veins and iron in their bones from the scared little boys and those who were only out to scavenge for scraps.As he towered over the men on foot, he cut down any enemy soldier who dared rush him in an attempt to either end his life or maim his steed. His ever watchful golden eyes spotted a large soldier approaching from offside, gravely injured, but paying it no mind as most men on the battlefield were known to do as the high from blood lust sometimes made them temporarily oblivious to the damage done to their own bodies. Plus, this one looked like he was more than just Human, far taller and broader than all the others in the skirmish. Asami simply grunted as he sheathed his sword and dismounted, facing away from the approached attacker. The enemy soldier grinned wickedly as his pace quickened, targeting the General's back, thinking he'd be the one to end the great Warlord Asami's life. He'd be rewarded beyond his wildest dreams when he brought his leader this general's head."NOW YOU DIE, BASTARD!" The soldier roared. But before he could attack, something odd happened. His feet were rooted to the spot, and he was unable to move his legs. He felt his blood run cold as Asami's golden eyes took him in with a glint of sadism.General Asami sneered and held up his open hand, palm facing the man. His gauntlet glowed bright red and yellow as a spark leapt forward, first becoming a tiny comet, then growing into a stream of fire before finally forming into a fiery shrieking dragon, no bigger than a blackbird, zeroed in on the soldier. The enemy rocked where he stood as it struck his torso and melted through the metal rings of the hauberk shirt protecting his chest. It passed through the layers of cloth and wool beneath it and entered the man's body. He stared in horror as he felt his innards start to scorch until his eyeballs began to steam inside his head. His screams elevated in pitch to an almost ear-splitting level as he was boiled alive within his own armor. The howls caught a few men's attention for a moment before they continued with their fighting. Asami Ryuichi - also known as the Lord Warlock, a rare and imposing title both within Sion and beyond - took off his dragon's head-shaped helmet and held it by the leather strap. Observing the few fights that were still being waged, he knew his men were winning, all he needed to do now was take down the enemy commander. Said coward "led" his troops by sitting atop his fat horse with his entourage on a hilltop away from the actual battle. He would take great pleasure in ending the disgusting pig once his was pulled down off his perch."Kirishima." Asami called out. Even over the last loud battle cries and noises of scuffles, his dutiful and loyal subordinate heard his call. Throwing knives suddenly stuck out of enemy soldiers' exposed necks that stood between him and his lord. Kirishima Kei stepped up next to his general, still playing with a spare knife in hand."Yes, General?" Kirishima asked, making sure his reading lenses were still secured by their frame to the thong around his neck. "I'd say we've played with these children long enough. Tell Suoh to take a squad 'round to the west to block their escape back towards the sea. Kill the rest, but bring me their leader alive. Which doesn't mean "unharmed", if need be." Asami ordered as he simply walked through the dieing fray, taking no notice of the swords and other weapons that danced around him. After picking up the Warlord's discarded helmet, Kirishima followed behind, striking out at any enemy who got too close to his general's perimeter. Once they emerged from the battle, mostly unharmed, Asami whistled for his warhorse. Following close behind it was Kirishima's own chestnut mount. As they mounted their horses, a familiar hulking knight wearing a helmet with bull horns ran toward them, swinging a massive war hammer, knocking away anything in his path away in a fluid, barbaric way."Suoh, what are you doing here! You should be closing up the southern end of the battle, cleaning up any escapees and pushing the rest into our men waiting in the west." Kirishima scolded sternly. He worked hard on these battle strategies and he didn't need this oaf messing them up. "Also, this army is bigger than it should be. Have our archer battalion and longbow men fallen asleep on the job?""That's just it." Suoh panted slightly, removing his helm to reveal his signature closely cropped blond hair under the cowl. "Something's happened. I think someone betrayed us.""Say what?" Asami growled angrily. All who knew him knew he didn't take betrayal kindly nor was he lenient to it. To say he was surprised by the thought that one of his was brave - or foolish - enough to consider it was an understatement. "Battalion Leader Sakazaki and a squad leader was with me just a few minutes ago, along with the body of one of his archers. The rest of their battalion was ambushed; somehow, the enemy knew where they were waiting and sent a mounted troop to slaughter them all", Suoh explained. "They didn't stand a chance; most of them were trampled under the heavy warhorses' hooves."As the General absorbed this information, Kirishima took the bigger blond aside and asked, concerned, "Why did you run here? What happened to Silme?", referring to Suoh's prized stallion. "That fucking brat, the archers's squad leader stole her!" Suoh fumed. "Probably to desert, the coward. He'll come back on his own for sure, though. Hopefully, he kicks the runt first." There was a sudden war cry that caught the attention of the entire battle field. They turned toward the sound and Asami later swore he stopped breathing at that instant. He couldn't believe what he was seeing: an enraged, ragged little thing riding Suoh's elegant mount. Blood spattered from the rider onto the horse below as he screamed at the top of his lungs,"DIE!!" The rider wasn't much older than a boy, his silver blond hair whipped around his head as tears flowed from his eyes. The boy knew no fear nor did the stallion he rode, almost as if the spirits of Death and War had a son who was barreling toward the enemy horde at full speed, the thunder of the hooves beneath him the beating of his own heart. Like an avenging angel, his eyes blazed with rage. This boy didn't even have a sword, just a short bow on his back and less than a half dozen arrows left in his quiver. What on Earth possessed this boy to charge right through the middle of a fucking battlefield?!"Kirishima!" Asami yelled to his assistant, not taking his eyes off the lad for an instant. "Who is that!" His second in command tightened his hands on his reins, opened his mouth a few times only to close it again. For once in his life, the knight didn't have an answer. They ignored Suoh's complaints of that being his precious Silme getting so befouled. That must mean that the boy riding him was the archer's squad leader. He was a sight to behold, fierce, beautiful and deadly. And while it was a rare occasion for Asami to be taken by surprise by anything, the boy stole his breath away.He surprised them further by dropping the reins as he got closer to the panicking routed fighters - anyone with a functioning instinct for self preservation would know better than to not fear the runaway rider. The lad suddenly pulled his legs and feet up onto the saddle and was then crouched side on to his target. Now they knew this boy had to be insane! No one, not even the most skilled trick riders seen at the fairs, stood on a moving horse's saddle at full speed. He pulled his bow from his back and nocked one arrow as he held another at hand alongside the bow . He gingerly leaned forward and whispered into the horse's ear. The horse slowed to a collected gallop, but didn't stop as the squad leader aimed at the opposing general.With that the boy let fly the arrow, hitting the other man so fast that it took a moment for the men surrounding their leader to register the sound of breaking bone before the second arrow struck him in the breastbone below the first. The sheer force knocked the man backwards over his horse's rump, startling the spoiled beast into a fast waddle away. Seeing their commander fall, the rest of the enemy soldiers stopped trying to fight and started trying to scatter. They'd already learned that General Asami's men were insane, they didn't need to risk facing a mounted archer that was possessed by a demon too.Asami's soldiers howled, pumped with adrenaline after witnessing the little archer's bravery. "Kill them all! Take no prisioners!" Asami bellowed above the din, smirking a bit in spite of himself at what had transpired.Now victorious, Sion's soldiers began to sweep the field with newly found vigor. As his army cut down the remaining enemies, Asami, along with his second and third in command, made their way toward the boy. Silme snorted and pawed the earth before falling in with Suoh, having thoroughly enjoyed his mad little adventure. The boy merely stood above the fallen general as he lay there, gasping like a hooked fish, his unseeing hazel eyes staring up into the stormy sky as the first drops of rain hit the ground. ------------------------ Earlier that day The dark clouds were still gathering on the horizon. Akihito squinted his eyes to look at them; dark grey and heavy, they took up a big chunk of the morning sky. He could only hope it wasn't a foreshadow for a defeat. They couldn't afford to lose this battle in particular, since they weren't all that far away from the Capital, and the lives of a thousand civilians depended on them. Even the General, that famous dark warrior, the Lord Warlock Asami Ryuichi had joined them with his unbeatable force."Oh my. I feel so -" Akihito turned to his left, catching Takato staring at him, all blushing cheeks and bright eyes. He sighed. Not. Again. "Hey, Takato..?""Uh.. yes?"Takato was an old friend, in his young twenties like him, young, handsome, and full of life. He was positive and easy going, fair-haired and tall, and the ladies all loved him. It was beyond Aki why he was still single."You're staring at me.""I am not!""And... you're blushing." "I am not!"Aki shook his head and sighed louder. There Takato went, acting all weird again. 'If he was feeling ill, why didn't he just say so?', Akihito thought, reaching out to touch his friend's forehead to see if he was perhaps feverish. Takato stepped back, tripping over a stone and almost fell on his ass."Aki! I said I'm okay!""If you think so..." Akihito shrugged. "Just go drink some water, will ya?"One of the saddled horses on the line on their hidden plateau whinnied nervously, drawing the archers' squad leader's attention. Looking around, Akihito noticed for the first time how strangely quiet the place was. The horses were restless, milling about with ears flicking nervously or cocked back, some nipping at each other to keep away. He knew there was still time before the enemy would be spotted, marching towards their own forces not far from here, but there was something weird with the static air that had nothing to do with the storm in the distance; he could feel it."Aki? What's wrong?" Takato murmured with some slight trepidation to his voice; he too could feel the strange atmosphere. Then... it happened. The birds in the tree line below the lip of the hill exploded in a rush of wings, startled by the sudden thunder of heavy hooves. As far as the mounted archer unit was concerned, the end of the world was upon them. They came up the hill on their heavy warhorses, huge beasts, some bleeding from the nostrils and foaming at the mouth from the huge strain of charging the hill while bearing their armoured riders, trampling archers and grooms and the small, fleet horses who didn't even have time to react. Their little world was shaken asunder under those terrible hooves; flesh, bones, everything was trampled and crushed.It took him a little to register the horror that he saw. The terrible screams, all the agony, fear, rage, pain... It was insanity. Whoever was lucky to survive the trampling wouldn't escape the assailants swords, clubs and maces, the horsemen's pikes and much worse.Kurono, a seventeen year old boy who had just joined them a little while ago, doing his best to keep up, still fresh from childhood with dreams to gather just enough gold to buy his own tavern someday... Part of his head was knocked several meters away, the mace that killed him already drenched in blood and bits of brain. At least he died fast.Akihito saw it all in slow motion, his brain taking its time to register everything. No one could ever expect something like this. This wasn't a battle... "This is...a massacre", he breathed. This wasn't supposed to happen. Things like this didn't occur. None of this made any sense. Archers were expensive because of their effectiveness; they were supposed to be protected. Their location was kept a secret. They had no way to defend themselves against heavy horsemen.In a trance, Akihito didn't see the swordsman ride at him, huge and strong, swinging a broadsword, manic look in his yellowed eyes and an insane smile on his broken face as drool dripping down his chin like a rabid dog."Akihito!" He heard Takato's scream and suddenly his body was pushed aside, tumbling along the hard ground before he hit his head in a rock. The pain scrambled his thinking as his vision blurred for a minute, but it wasn't enough to hide the details of the moment the blade took his best friend through the chest and his blood splattered him like rain.This couldn't be happening.Out of his mind, Akihito stood up, grabbing the rock he had just hit his head on and threw it with all his strength, hitting the soldier in the back of the head, making the crazed bastard fall from his mount to the ground. Finding another stone, he ran up to the stunned man and started pounding the other's face with it until it was a soggy, unrecognizable mess. He wouldn't remember any of it later, just the image of Takato's blood sprinkling him like a warm Spring shower.The heavy clouds continued closing in. By now, he could almost taste the rain in the air. 'Takato had feared storms as a child', Akihito thought with a sad smile. His friend wouldn't fear anything anymore."Hey, Archer! Hey!"Akihito looked up. Earl Sakazaki rode up, surrounded by a cadre of soldiers that turned to engage the heavy horsemen. Stunned at the carnage, he just gaped about as a larger companion rode up wearing a higher quality of chainmail then any of this force had been supplied with. He cut an imposing figure on his foreign-bred horse with his horned headgear, and his angered expression said it all. "What the hell happened here!?""They knew exactly where we were... Their heavy cavalry came in before we knew it... trampling everything... they knew... where..." The archer and the commander didn't say anything further, but in their minds there wasn't any other answer: someone had betrayed them. As the howls of the wounded men and cries of their horses rose then diminished as the invaders were summarily dispatched and slaughtered, Sakazaki stared at something on the ground. "Is that Takato?", his shocked voice trembled out. Akihito nodded dumbly as the big man dismounted to see if the other boy yet lived. One look at the wound told him all he needed to know."His attacker's over there", the blond pointed listlessly to another pile on the ground. Several strides took the commander over to the body of the invader. Between the shape the dead man's head was in, and the nearby bloody stone, the story of what occurred was pretty clear to see. The design of the chainmail shirt and the helmet was enough to confirm who was coming this way to attack the Capital from the sea: this was a Baishe force leader.Even as he mulled over this information, Akihito turned and made his way slowly over to the great horse standing patiently nearby. Picking up a random bow and a pair of scattered, half filled quivers on the way, he walked up the beast's shoulder to show he was no threat, and as its head turned to look at him, he it offered his cupped hand, palm up. Placing it's muzzle into the boy's hand, the horse took but a moment before it blew out a soft welcoming snort through its nostrils. Aki answered by softly blowing on the creature's nose himself and patting the high shoulder before he stepped back and took hold of the hanging stirrup. Clearly speaking the command he hoped the horse was schooled in, he was rewarded when the big head swung around further to look at him, then turned back and the big animal shifted its weight onto its hind legs, slightly splayed them and, balancing on the canons of its back legs, settled back into a controlled rearing, or levade, with its forelegs held curled in close to its chest. Since it was maintaining a near 45° angle from the ground, the blond was able the grab hold of the rising stirrup with both hands and swing himself up onto the magnificent animal's back. Seating himself in the saddle even as the horse's owner shouted in dismay, he shifted his weight forward to signal his mount to release its stance and land, then, eschewing the stirrups (‘who has legs this ridiculously long anyways?'), he gripped with his thighs even as he signalled with his heels and the horse leapt away to begin their dash down the hill to the battlefield beyond. Someone would pay for eradicating Takato and his other lads, and he was going hunting as far up the fucking enemy's chain of command as he could get.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
General Asami's command tent lorded over all the other tents surrounding it. It was grander, more comfortable and far more well equipped than even the Supply Master's own, and was the army's makeshift HQ set in the middle of the military camp. Inside, the Lord Warlock was looking over a map of the day's skirmish lines. A golden goblet of wine was in hand as he listened to Lord Kirishima reporting the various battle results in detail when a commotion outside pulled his attention away, making him frown. "Go check on it, Kei." Asami interrupted. Kirishima bowed promptly and left, only to return a minute later holding a boy by his worn out shirt like someone might hold a puppy by the scruff of its neck. Older boys fighting in wars wasn't all that unusual, unfortunately, but this one was far too young to be away from home and the general's frown deepened. The lad was dark hued and darker haired, and his wild eyes showed nothing but angry distrust. A moment later, from behind them entered Suoh and Earl Sakazaki. The boy started struggling when he caught sight of who had come in, whether to get away from, or to get at the man in question was at the moment, unclear. Asami's hard golden gaze fixed on the young lad long enough for the boy to stop struggling and lower his head, cheeks flushed in anger, looking like he was trying hard not to cry. "This child supposedly attacked him." Suoh dispassionately informed them, notably disregarding any title or hint of status of the man he'd indicated had. Only the hard line of his eyes let on about any personal opinions he had on the so-called "noble" with him. Sakazaki stepped around him quickly, making like he was about to take his sword pommel in hand when Suoh grabbed his arm - hard - until he winced and dropped his hand. Kirishima frowned, matching Suoh's look: any fool should know better than come into the presence of their General with a blade buckled on unbidden. "This little pest should be sentenced to death for aiding the enemy by treachery against his superior. Don't pay any mind to a minor nuisance like this, m'lord General; let me deal with this. I promise, it will be dealt with quite promptly." Asami watched the boy's eyes glow with bitter fury before lowering his head further and hiding his expression under his thick dirty bangs. "Leave us." Asami dismissed. Sakazaki hesitated - enough for Asami's suspicions to be aroused, and for Kirishima to get more than a little annoyed. The assistant was less then subtle with a "cough" into his fist before Suoh placed his hand on the commander's shoulder this time, prepared to haul him away."A-ah, as you wish, my Lord." The greasy little noble bowed and scraped, wiggling to try and escape before the giant blonde let go of him, fleeing with the bare minimum of courtesy that would be considered unpardonable in the newest untrained page. "Suoh, make sure that... man..." he qualified with a curled lip, "is followed closely wherever he goes from now on." Suoh bowed quietly and left to make arrangements. Focusing back on the boy, he took a sip of wine. "Come here", Asami rumbled. Kirishima let go of the boy and assumed a position in a corner of the tent where shadows had gathered, giving enough of an impression of privacy to his lord and the boy while still staying nearby for whatever may be needed, knife readily at hand. The boy came and stood before the general, no doubt feeling rather small before the imposing man, and probably more than a little cowed. The man tipped the boy's chin up with a curled hand and the lad had no choice but to look him in the eye, seeming almost as if he was caught in a trance. "What is your name, boy?""Takaba... Kou.""What's this about then, Kou?"The boy hesitated, but knowing he had no choice, he vehemently muttered "That evil, hateful excuse of a prick! I hated the way he treated the horse archers, I hate how he despises me, and I especially hate the way he looks at him...""At whom?""My brother.""This is why you "attacked" him?"Kou tried to remain quiet and looked away, probably just now realizing why discretion could be the better part of valour, but Asami was nothing if not a patient man. He knew he wouldn't get the whole picture if he tried to push the boy too hard, but he could wait him out. After a bit, Kou's eyes met his straight on once more."My brother told me not to let that man touch me, ever, and to never ever let him him get me alone. And every time something bad happened to a mounted archer in camp, that prick'd always be there. I don't know what happened during the last battle, but, he, Sakazaki... I overheard him say he thought he'd finally broken my brother. I can't take it anymore; he can't ever hurt Aki nee-chan again!""He said he broke your brother?"The boy nodded angrily. "And your brother's name?""Takaba Akihito, Sir." Seemed the lad finally sensed he might be talking to someone who would listen to him and could do something to help the situation."The mounted archers' squad leader. He was hand-picked for this assignment by Sakazaki himself to form this experimental division, and was directly under his command." Kirishima intoned from the shadows. The two men exchanged a ook over this Kou's head. Something unsavoury was brewing beneath the surface here in camp. Something that would require the General's men to clean out and purge it before the real battle out there could be joined as a united front."Where do you bed down at night, boy?" Asami asked after dropping his hand. Kou hung his head again, hiding his expression as he tried hard not to sniffle. "Either with my brother or his friend Takato, in their tent, with the mounted squad." Asami shared another look with Kirishima. Any of the dead archers's goods were being gathered up and dispatched back to wherever that person was from, to be returned to any family they might have with their last pay from the King. The tents and remaining supplies, such as they were, would be absorbed back into the army. The living would be needing them more than the dead.“Has this Takaba cleared his tent and been told to report here yet?" "No, m'lord. He said he needed some time to himself before he went back to face what had been his squad. He said he was going 'down to the pond', if he was needed.” Asami could commensurate; a young man, losing his first command, through no fault of his own, many under him no doubt thought of as friends and comrades. It would be hard to get over, as it seemed certain that they were indeed lost through betrayal. And from what early gossip he’d caught on the way to his command tent through the established ranks, the now-dead horses had been cared for better than the ones who had rode them. He weighed the waiting boy once more and came to a decision. “Kirishima, have you found a suitable replacement for your former squire who went to serve at court as a herald?” Kirishima came forward into the light, guessing at which direction his lord’s thoughts were headed.“No, m’lord Asami. None of the candidates so far were suitable for the tasks of a page at their tender ages.”“Kou, can you learn new things easily and ride well yet?”“Aye, well enough, Sir. I learned to read and write some from Pa and Akihito before we left home, and I can stick to a horse like a burr on a saddle blanket.” Asami’s amused look as he took another sip told Kirishima his fate was sealed. He was getting himself a new page to train, whether he liked it or not.“Kirishima, try Kou here out as a private messenger between you and Suoh for a spell. If he suits and is trainable, he’ll be your new page, and Suoh’s new trainee for squire later.” Kirishima nodded in understanding, then went to summon a servant outside to find and alter some shifts into more suitable clothing for the boy after he was cleaned up some and fed. Asami barely kept a chuckle back at the lad’s gaping mouth and wide eyes. But first…”Now then, where is this pond I can find the elder Takaba at?” Akihito sat bare on a log as he waited for his clothes to dry. He’d already tried to wash his pain away along with Takato’s blood and the mess of the battlefield, but it had taken him submerging himself completely time and again before the screams and din of the massacre cleared from his head. He should go back and gather his and Kou’s belongings from their tent, make sure his brother was alright, then go report to General Asami and find out what his new posting would be, if he was even allowed to stay with the forces now that he’d lost his squad. Refusing to even think about Takato or any of the others from before the surprise attack, he knew he would be hard pressed to fit in anywhere in the army now, much less with his little brother in tow. Maybe he could stay and be a groom, or just look after a picket of horses, or act as a scout… But no matter what, he wouldn’t crawl to Earl Sakazaki and plead to be his “camp follower”, as the bastard had mockingly predicted time and again he’d end up doing, just to feed his brother. He’d abandon the Sion army altogether and make their way to the Capital ahead of winter before that. Hell, they’d spend the winter out here if need be. He’d never submit to the Earl, leaving Kou to the whims of that squire of his. Surely their father’s reputation still held some merit within the city. Any reputable stable master should count themselves lucky if he negotiated clothing, room and board for the two of them for just his apprenticeship alone. Not one, but both sons of the King's former Master of Horses? That should be quite the prize for any lord or land owner...His thoughts were interrupted as he heard two men's voices coming through the trees, down the path from the camp he had left earlier. Looks like his time peacefully alone was at an end. He should probably head back and see to Kou, and Takato's remains, as well as their tent. Besides, those voices were coming closer, and it was never wise for the younger ones to be caught, alone and unclothed, too far outside the camp. But as he was about to move, something made him freeze where he was. Something was moving, almost silently, through the reeds on the far side of the pond. Whatever it was, it was big. The deer the lads had hunted to feed themselves wouldn't come to the water by way of the reeds, not wanting to give themselves away during the daytime. Something slithered among the green stalks once more, pin-pointing where the sounds was coming from for the boy. Moving nothing but his eyes, he allowed them to roam over the moving wall of green before something caught them: a shadow was sliding against the direction of the sunlight. Now that he'd marked it, he couldn't unsee the shape. It looked like one of his hunters had, clothed in different shades of green and brown to blend into the woods and fields around them. And this shape was definately hunting something.Slowly, steadily, it settled down where it was, close to where the path lead out of the trees by the waterside before becoming a twisting mass of game trails beyond. From there, anyone or thing coming out of the treeline would stand out against the streaming sunlight at this time of day. Perfect targets. Meanwhile, the voices were that much closer, and they were discernably different from each other now. One was rather quiet, carefully modulated, while the other one, when he spoke, was more of a deep baritone that drove tiny shivers up Akihito's uncovered spine. And they were coming closer still.The shadow, whomever it was, was now carefully moving, an arm slowly bringing a camouflaged rod upright, then a leg making quiet movements to step in around of the rod and slowly, gently, bending it back gradually in a practiced movemnt that Aki recognized without even seeing the attached cord needed to string a bow: this was an archer before him, and they were hunting whoever was coming down the trail. Without even waiting to see if the archer was going to nock an arrow, the boy slowly, carefully, leaned over to one side and felt around on the ground for something to use as a distraction even as he kept his eyes on the bow, not the arm that held it, nor the body it was attached to. Nothing made a target nervous faster then feeling eyes directly on it. So far, no luck; just sticks and twigs. Damn. And those voices were getting progressively closer all the time. Easing himself a little more over, he finally found what he was looking for: a stone. Nothing amazing or magical about it, just a stone that fit comfortably in his palm. A boring, dull, everyday piece of rock that would save one, if not both lives coming towards them. Slowly moving his posture and getting his arm and hand in position while getting used to the feel of the stone, he carefully shifted it about in his hand until it felt right. Then, cocking his arm, he waited, breathing slowly and quietly, marking where the arrow was now sitting ready against the bow, pulled back, ready to let fly. And just as the pair of men stepped out of the trees, Akihito threw the stone with his whole focus on his target, striking the bow hard enough to knock it off its line-of-sight and sent the silent arrow flying away into the trees. Before he could move, the archer was falling backwards, a knife sticking out of the neck. Letting his tense muscles sag and reflax, Akihito sighed in relief as his head fell forward until he tensed up once more as a deep, rumbling chuckle sounded right behind him. Refusing to turn around as his face became warm, he stuttered out "A-are you both well, sirs?", knowing that without his squad, he was now less than nothing in the army. Even a squire had status over him, and someone to protect him as well, so if he was going to provide for little Kou, he needed to mind his manners."We are, thanks to you." Fuck, that voice..."I'm releived, sir. If you give me a moment, I'll collect my things and be off to the camp for help.""Why are you not out here right now, accepting the thanks of General Asami and myself?" came the other voice, sounding rather suspicious.Aki gulped and called out "Begging your pardon, Sirs, but my clothes are closer to you then they are to me..."Silence reigned for a moment before one man huffed in disapproval while the other rumbled in laughter. Akihito finally reached the camp while the sun was still above the horizon. His dead squad members weren't there any longer, save for one. Takato had been wrapped respectfully with a now blood-stained cloth with the mounted archers' banner covering him, as befitted Akihito's second in command. Kou sat down beside him, red faced and teary-eyed. Commander Suoh waited a few steps behind him, silent and still as a rock. As soon his black eyes noticed Akihito's approach, Kou ran to him, and Akihito lowered himself to the ground as small arms went 'round his neck. Now, at least, he didn't feel quite so alone anymore. "Aki nee-chan...", came a quiet sob."Shhh.. I know. I know."Kou looked up to his brother's caring expression and nodded. "He died like a soldier, protecting his leader. I'm proud of him."How fast had this child must of grown up to be able to say such a thing? The archer patted his little brother's head and kissed his temple before answering softly, "Me too.""Aki-chan? Once, Ta... Once, he told me if he had to leave this word first, taking care of you would then be my responsibility." Akihito forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat and hugged the boy once more. The Commander continued to wait for them patiently, but he wouldn't push his luck with his superiors any more this day. "I'll be back soon. Keep watch with... him for me, will you?"Kou nodded. Saying their beloved friend's name was still too painful. Clearing his throat as he stood, he wiped his eyes after making sure Kou wasn't watching before approaching the large, imposing man. "Commander Suoh. I'm ready to report."Kazumi continued to observe the small boy talking quietly to the body for a moment before turning his eyes to the young archer in front of him. Now cleaned of all the day's blood, he regarder the serious expression that somehow seemed ill-suited on such a young, expressive face. He had watched the boy ride his aloof warhorse with beautiful dexterity, and shoot an arrow while in mid-stride with impeccable aim. He certainly wasn't an average person, being far too young to be burdened as a squad leader, yet still successfully leading them from one victory to the next, he was indeed something else. Yet, he was still respectful and seemed friendly to others of any status, and Suoh could respect that. "You don't need to say anything. Allow me to tell you what I've gathered from my own observations, and from what others have reposrted as well, and then you tell me if I am right or wrong, aggreed? It will be faster", ('and easier', he thought) "that way." Akihito nodded his assent, silently relieved, and steeled himself to relive the day's events. Takato was buried at twilight, overlooking the bloody, churned up battlefield where, just hours earlier that same day, their friends and comrades had camped and their horses had grazed. The rest of his squad was cremated as the military tradition of their kingdom dictated.Akihito couldn't blame the other soldiers for having their fun. Even though so many people had died so violently not far from there, it was okay: they were alive, they all had the right to celebrate their life and their victory. They had sung to their dead already, to honor their sacrifices and their past battles won, and then after that, the celebrating started. There was music and laughter, extra food rations to replace their reserves and cheap wine to help them forget the day's horrors. Akihito listened to the songs, like he did after every battle, wondering if the spirits stayed near to hear them. He let Kou roam free, the only child now in the military camp. Doubtlessly he would hear ithe mproper stories the soldiers made up to impress each other of their sexual adventures or of the marvelous, vicious battles that had won them glory. With so many strangers now in camp, he kept his eyes on his brother, following his travels around the fire pit, until the boy stopped and talked to... wait, was that the Lord Kirishima? A movement behind them caught Akihito's attention: the golden eyes of General Asami were studying him quite intently.
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The man across the fire was tall and robust-looking, the jet black hair still damp from a recent wash, and his amber eyes reflected the warm glow of the flames. The stories about his fighting prowess, his magic skills, his presence alone didn't do him justice. He was greater, stronger, and far more impressive up close then whispered about in rumors. And he was looking at Akihito like he could not only read his thoughts, but see further down inside him. The archer's heart started to thump hard in his chest.As for the Warlord, he wasn't only taking in the former squad leader's fair looks by firelight, he also kept watch on what was going on beyond everyone else's sight. After the funeral pyres had burned low, he watched the shades of those who had died slowly take shape and draw near the camp fires among their old comrades, to hear the familiar songs and all the old drinking stories one last time. Those specters who were survived by kin, or friends close enough to be considered family, said their farewells to the living one last time before they faded into the gathering darkness. Asami had witnessed this scene so many times now, he simply used it as a gauge to his company's cohesiveness, of loyalty between those from Beyond and those still living. Most of the ghosts came in singles or pairs, and soon departed after they arrived, their good-byes completed.As the last of his rugged warriors faded away, his attention was drawn to the young leader of the mounted archers. There was a number of younger souls gathered in the empty space surrounding the lad, close to thirty if he hazarded a guess. They drew near to the blonde en masse, jostling and elbowing each other as they no doubt had when they were alive. One by one, they approached their former leader, and either clapped him on the shoulder, or a few even gave him half hugs across his back before they reformed as a troupe facing him. Finally, a lone shade, tall and fair-haired, sat down beside Takaba and embraced him fully, resting his forehead against the blonde's shaggy head for a short while before standing, bending over to give a last caress of the young leader's cheek before giving it a fleeting kiss, then joined his comrades by the bonfire. Together, instead of fading out, all the boys became bright points of lights, like fireflies, before they joined the stream of sparks rising up from the bonfire and disappearing into the starry sky.It was a chilly night breeze that made him shiver, or at least that's what Akihito told himself. Wearing his old worn cotton shirt from earlier in the day, he wasn't close enough to the fire to warm himself. The General, meanwhile, wore a leather cuirass over a new shirt, lighter and more mobile than his metal war armor, but still useful protection in case of emergency, even in the heart of his camp.'That man was born for battle', Akihito thought distractedly; his willingness to enter the fray himself did not surprise the youth at all.Only the strongest and most determined that rose to power, after all, and if he was the King's son, he had a long line of men and women with such drive behind him. Aki thought of the differences between them, yet here they were, fighting the same war; such close proximity, yet so far apart. How did life unwind in such a way that a prince was more himself leading warriors into battle than as a nobleman of leisure at the capital; and a simple freeman's son, who had learned under his father about being a horseman, had once been the leader of mounted archers, and was now without arrows, men or mounts once more.He nodded once to the General, acknowledging him, not minding at all if that wasn't exactly correct protocol for a superior, and got up, turning his back to the fire, the warmth and light of the gathering, and to the General's eyes.The music and conversations slowly dwindled down as everyone noted the Warlock General and his trusted brigadiers arrival among them. It was as if a great brooding dragon had left its keep to choose a resting spot in the middle of a sleepy village: the only sound left was the pop and crackle of burning logs. Asami strode into the middle of the crowd and stood. Turning about in a circle, those bright golden eyes took in all the men around the fire, appraising the injuries of each one."Today's battle was a difficult one. I'm sure you've all heard by now the tragedy of the mounted archer division. We have lost brothers in arms. I ask that the spirits of this place and gods of our lands guide them to their rest. Tonight is not only a celebration of our victory, but a mourning for our dead. They fought valiantly and died bravely, but I find myself questioning how an entire squad of men and horses was discovered and brutally murdered?" Asami's eyes seemed to glow with his magic as small streams of cool red flames danced around his finger tips. "The archer division's position was well planned and thoroughly thought out. There was no way the enemy could've found them unless someone here betrayed them. Betrayed your brothers. Betrayed us. When I find this traitor, I will make them endure a day of hellish torture before allowing them to die a terrible death." The men visibly paled at the dark promise of their general. His punishments, and rewards, always fitted the action that lead to them, and were always memorable for their lavishness.Asami reigned in his magic as he signaled his lieutenant Kirishima forward. "On another note, I wish to present a reward to the man who helped end the fighting that much quicker this day and saved many of our lives for doing so. Mounted Archer Commander Takaba Akihito, come forward."Aki froze where he was, never having been addressed as anything before but "you, boy!". Unsure what to do momentarily, he steeled his nerves as he stood. He felt the eyes of the gathered men on him as he stepped forth, probably all wondering what a mere kid could've done to end the fighting, as most of them had arrived from elsewhere by the time his charge was over. He felt his heart beat harder in his chest as he approached the golden-eyed man. It was like willingly walking up to a fire drake that could immolate him as a sacrifice without warning. He stopped a few feet from the man; looking up, his eyes focused on the molten orbs that bored into his. Kou quietly walked up beside him and grasped his hand with his tiny one."Takaba Akihito, I wish to reward you for the seizure of the late enemy general today." Aki flinched at the collective muttering that passed among the men. Asami wondered what the lad would think if he knew that their foe had lived long enough to answer some rather... painful questions before being dismembered and then put into several travel chests, all for easier delivery back to his forces and family, of course. Stepping closer to the boy, he lowered his voice to a more intimate level. "I know it was hard for you to lose not only your best friend, but the rest of your squad." Stepping back, his deep voice rumbled over the crowd. "You are now the captain of the archer division and will attend my war meetings along with your own staff." Turning to Kirishima, he picked something up that had been laying across his assistant's arms. "As well, I wish to gift you this bow, crafted by the elves. It has been enchanted to hit whatever its master intends to target, and provides its owner with unlimited arrows, without the need of a quiver to hold them, by simply drawing back on the bow."Aki was speechless as he looked at the beautifully crafted bow. It was made of a single piece of pure white yew wood, with silver inlay of vines. The string looked to be made from a single thread of silver the thickness of a hair."I- Thank you, General Asami, but I can't accept a gift like this." Aki shook his head. "Nor can I accept the title you're giving me. I mean, it seems kind of useless, since I'm the only mounted archer left. Sir.""Nonsense. The bow is yours. Also, in light of the many successes your squad had managed, despite the disgraceful negligence on the part of their superior officer, I plan on recruiting more young archers and horsemen, like those that gave their lives today, once we return to the capital. In fact, this experiment has been so successful, I will be championing the expansion of the mounted archer division to the war council and the King himself." Asami stated, pressing the bow into Aki's hands.Recruit? Didn't he mean "replace"? Aki felt his temper suddenly flare. Replace his team. His comrades. Takato, who'd died in his arms? Raymond, the young boy who'd just enlisted, only to be murdered during his first battle? Goran, who had joined to help support his family more than his king? Faoran, Alex, Samwell, John, Torand, Mytharin, Cale? Eiji, with his nervous twitch and steady aim? All the young men who'd died this day had been coerced to join the war as tribute forces for the Sion army by their lords; to be so easily discarded, then replaced... Akihito knew this was war, but that didn't mean he'd be willing to lead several new batches of strangers that had been picked out for him.Aki shoved the bow back at Asami, surprising the man while the others around them stared in shock. "As I said, Sir, I do not want the bow, and I do not want the title. I refuse to just move on from the men I considered my family so quickly. Without them, those "victories" wouldn't have taken place, and I won't step on their cold bodies to help climb the ranks of an army I don't belong in. Thank you, Sir, but I will remain as I am." Aki turned, thinking to walk away toward his tent, which he knew would be cold and empty without his best friend there. The men parted, whispering among themselves as they let the boy pass, disbelieving eyes following him until the night swallowed him.Kou watched his brother leave, his youthful face sad. He turned to look at the large general and his new master, then bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, Sir, my brother wears his heart on his sleeve. It may take him more time than just a single night to get back to normal." With another quick bow, the boy hurried off after his brother, leaving the general standing in the middle of his men."Kirishima." Said man blinked as his name was called unexpectedly."Yes, Sir?" He was surprised to see his master grinning widely."Did you see that?""Yes, Sir. That cheeky brat was unforgivably, unutterably rude. You offered him your thanks, a gracious gift, and a great honour, and he refused it all like a petulant child." Kirishima sniffed, pushing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose."No, not that. Did you see the fire in his eyes? The way he refused my wishes, so confident in his beliefs, caring not for any consequences?""I- Yes, I did, Sir. Why...""We're going back to my tent. I wish to think on this further, in comfort. You and Suoh, join me for some wine." Asami turned on his heels with a billow of his cape. As he made to leave, he called out: "You may all resume your revels for tonight. Just be ready to travel come morning." With that final declaration, he left his men, flanked by Kirishima and Suoh. As they departed, none of the trio noticed a certain young man with a beauty mark watching intently, his eyes burning with equal amounts of desire and jealousy. Kou would be fine, the boy knew better than to be alone with strangers, and knew which of Sakazaki's men to avoid, drunk or sober. Besides, he had their father's knife with him, which, thanks to some of the lads, the boy knew how to use. Instead of heading to their assigned tent, Akihito veered off to the armory tent instead, further back in the camp, now poorly attended by drunken guards. Sakazaki's men, no doubt. He somehow figured the General's own men wouldn't let things be this lax, no matter what the circumstances. Akihito scowled when he heard them catcalling him; but, there really was nothing new in this, it was just annoying, is all. But, not for much longer, most likely.At the back of the dark, cavernous tent, Aki sat down on a barrel for a moment. He'd left a bag with some of his stuff here earlier, wondering if he could get a chance to make some makeshift arrows for himself because he didn't know what was going to happen to his brother and himself come the morrow. They would've been allotted to his squad anyway, had they survived, so he didn't feel the least bit guilty in taking some for himself. He saw it as a type of severance pay.As he selected shafts, he tried hard not to think about Takato, whose father was an arrow maker. It called to mind the scorn of some of the other older, more permanent longbow men had of the thought of crafting their own shafts, saying that real archers don't make their own arrows. 'Of course not,' he chuckled, the crafting of a shaft, then fletching the feathers properly and affixing the arrow head in of itself was an art form. And while any idiot could chuck an arrow about, not everyone could make a decent one. Arrow makers commanded the prices they did because of this, and the armed dummies didn't realize that the life of a craftsman was a hell of a lot better than dying in a field somewhere for someone else's fight. Well, an archer's pay wasn't really that bad either, so long as one stayed alive long enough to spend it, so in the end, he guessed it really didn't matter."You smile by yourself, alone in the dark, but never spare one for me? How rude." Mused a familiar despised voice coming from the entrance. The voice that always makes him feel goosebumps of disgust, like cockroaches or millipedes were crawling over his bare skin. He didn't lift his eyes from the arrow he was holding now in a vice-like grip."Hey there, hot stuff." Sakazaki spoke again, coming closer. "I'm talking to you."Akihito closed his eyes for a moment. None of this would matter in the morning; he had to look out for Kou and himself. Come the dawn, Sakazaki would still be with the army to face his own enquiries, if the General's comments were anything to go by, while they would most likely be long down the road, headed elsewhere. The repulsive man would be in his past, together with his brief career filled with arrows and horses, and the current feelings of being a failure and a loser. He got up and looked at the man straight in the eye, contemptuous hazel green eyes clashing with arrogant slate-coloured ones."Give it up, Sack-a-shit. If you were the last man alive, I still wouldn't come near you, cuz everyone knows you're. no. man. Now, let me pass, I'm leaving." He tried to push his commander aside and exit the tent, but the infuriated lord grabbed his arm so tight it hurt."Don't you dare disrespect me like that, you dirty little runt." With his other hand he grabbed Akihito's butt and squeezed hard, causing the lad to spit in his unsavory face. "You're gonna regret that so bad, you ungrateful brat." The Earl snarled as he tried to grab the boy by his throat, only to have the arm attached to the hand gripping the blonde twisted sharply as the other flung himself aside and about, breaking the older man's hold. His attempt to make a break for freedom died though, when the nobleman kicked out and tripped the boy up.Falling on top of Akihito, they struggled for a moment. The older man was taller and heavier, but Akihito was so angry and desperate to escape, he got a shoulder between him and his attacker and shoved upwards, nearly toppling the slimy lord off of him completely. Suddenly having a vision of his little brother trapped alone with this man, Aki pushed against him with all the force of his desperate rage, when he felt it: warmth spilling over his fist. Sakazaki let go of him suddenly and slumped back, his face blanched with shock.Looking down, Akihito saw blood dripping from his hand, but he didn't feel any pain. Realization hit them both at the same time, like a thrown brick: the arrow he'd been grasping, forgotten until now, was sticking out of Sakazaki's soft, leaking belly as they both stared at it.
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Akihiko stood in silent shock at what he'd just done. He'd stabbed Sakazaki, a piece of shit who dearly deserved it, sure, but the man was also a commanding officer within the Sion army, and a nobleman. Both men stared down at the arrow sticking out of his slowly bleeding gut. Sakazaki looked up at him, his eyes full of incredulous rage."You stupid little bitch!", he hissed, taking hold of the arrow as if to support it. The movement caught Aki's attention enough to bring him out of his stupor."Don't pull it out!" he exclaimed, trying to think fast about the best way to handle the situation."Don't you dare try to order me around, brat! You're the cause of this!" Sakazaki growled as he started to pull the wooden shaft out, only to be stopped by the pain and Akihito taking hold of his wrist to stay his hand. The Earl grunted and glared at the young man."Listen, I apologize that I did this, though it was your fault to begin with. But if you pull the arrow out here, you'll bleed to death." Aki tried to explain, lots of experience hunting for dinner behind his words, only to feel a sharp sting on his cheek as he was backhanded aside."I don't take orders from you! And you're not a healer, you don't know what your talking about!" Sakazaki snarled, still on his knees, slightly lightheaded from the burgeoning pain in his guts. "I'm going straight to the Warlord with this and he's likely going to take off that pretty head off your shoulders himself for this offence to his authority!"Aki glarred up at him, gently touching his bruised cheek. 'Fine. If the bastard is so eager to kill himself, then be my guest', Aki thought angrily."It's a shame I'd lose such a pretty thing." Sakazaki grimaced as he began trying to get his legs under him to rise without moving the projectile too much. "Thankfully though, there's another little Takaba running around the camp, almost as pretty as you. He's young enough too to be easily broken in and trained to my liking."Akihiko felt his blood boil at the thought of this disgusting fuck putting his hands on Kou. He rose slowly, palming a small dagger from his boot top with a snarl on his lips. "You go anywhere near my brother and I'll kill you for sure." Aki growled. Sakazaki only grinned wider."Brave words, but what can you do if you're already dead for the crime of insubordination?" Sakazaki laughed, managing to painfully get to his shaky feet."I could ask the same of you, traitor", a venomous voice spat from nearby before the injured man was knocked to his knees by a well aimed kick to his thigh. Standing there was the one person Aki had actually been hoping to avoid coming across any time soon."Mitarai." Akihiko whispered unhappily, lowering his head in shame. Mitarai was Takato's older brother by several years. He was serving in General Kirishima's division as a colonel, using his instincts for people and a knack for gathering and sorting through information that contributed to building division battle strategies rather then actually fighting himself."Are you alright, Aki-chan?" Mitarai asked as he made his way to stand between the man he despised and his little brother's best friend. Akihito nodded miserably, keeping his eyes on the ground, not seeing who else entered the tent. A large hand startled him as it entered his peripheral vision before it caught his chin in a gentle but firm hold. His head was lifted up to meet the golden gaze of Lord Asami himself."General, I- it-" Akihiko tried to explain himself while looking into those eyes, only for his injured commander to interupt."Prince Asami, this good for nothing lowlife stabbed me! He tried to murder me! I came in to comfort the surviving member of my mounted archers, and he turned on me like a mad dog!" Sakazaki spat, one hand still around the shaft, trying to keep it from knocking against the hard earth. "I believe him to be the traitor in our midst!"Asami remained quiet, keeping his gaze locked on Akihito; more specifically, the mark that would soon mar his fair skin. Akihiko felt himself go slightly weak in the knees at the molten anger he saw roiling in those golden depths."Oh? You say he's the traitor? Then tell me, my dear earl, if he's the traitor, how could he possibly have known about any of General Kirishima's stratagem before you shared his company's part in it with him?" Asami questioned softly as he released Akihiko's chin. With a nod from his master, Mitarai grabbed Sakazaki by his hair as Kirishima and Suoh entered the tent with a contingent of loyal officers. "We had the tent completely guarded and it was only the highest commanding officers permitted in there.""Not to mention, one of my scouts confirms they saw you flee from your post just before the enemy arrived in that area." Kirishima stated with distaste as he adjusted his lenses."But I- n-no! M'lord, you've got it wrong!" Sakazaki shook his head as best he could, trying his hardest not to hurt himself further."Aki-chan," Mitarai called quietly, looking over at the young man by Lord Asami. "You might want to leave for this. Kou is awaiting you by the fire at the end of this aisle. It would be best to stay there with him until this is sorted out."Not needing to be told twice, Akihito jerked his head in a nod then moved to go around the general and his men, headed for the tent flap and parts beyond. Just as he passed the warlock, though, his arm was seized in that same powerful, tender grip. "Don't go too far, Takaba. We need to have a private chat afterwards." Asami stated, that sultry voice making Aki's blush brighten. The boy looked away and nodded once, showing he understood, and when Asami released him, he fled the tent in a quiet panic as the nearness of what had almost happened caught up with him. Once the little archer was gone, the dragon turned and zeroed in on his prey."Shall we continue then, Sakazaki?" The mere sight of Asami's feral grin nearly made the injured man faint dead away. He would soon wish he had. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For once, the blonde did as he was told without question. Aside from the odd stumble in his haste to get away from what was sure to be a nasty turn of events for his former commander, he made straight for the spot where his little brother awaited him along with several guards. Nearly collapsing, he sat down beside Kou and gave him a tight squeeze. The younger Takaba, arms trapped against him from what he was holding, quietly waited until his big brother's shaking fit had passed before offering him some warm broth in a clay mug along with a plate of roasted meat and a small loaf of bread. Ogling the wealth of food he and his squad had never known, the blonde was about to offer Kou first choice when the young lad picked up his own plate and resumed tucking into it. A pair of apples and a water skin by the boy's feet completed the unlikely scene.As he ate, he noticed his brother looked cleaner and neater than he had for quite a while, and noted a new warm tunic to boot. The fact that he was also eating carefully so as not to stain his improved attire made Aki wonder what exactly had happened while he was outside of camp today. Upon asking, the answer he received was "Well, as the lords Suoh and Kirishima's newest messenger-in-training, I now have my masters' reputations to uphold. I can't just let my newest piece of clothing get dirty for no reason now, can I?"'"Newest?"', Aki thought. 'Dammit. I can't leave the army and take Kou with me now. He's accepted a position with that bastard's brigadiers, which is the same as working for the prince himself. There's no walking away from that.' Somehow, the thought of those few touches and looks he'd received from the man now infuriated him. The general couldn't foist a stupid gift and a rank on him that he didn't want, but he wasn't above using Kou to make him stay put. That meant to him then the only difference between this Asami and Sakazaki was that the bigger man hadn't made any plays for him, yet. But if he tried to use Kou to manipulate him too, he would come to regret it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mitarai left the tent, the back of his hand pressed against his mouth, trying to control his urge to be sick. He wasn't used to these "information gathering" trials yet, but he wasn't about to lose face in front of the others and possibly cause any doubts about Lord Kirishima's choice of men serving under him. Stepping to the side of another tent a little ways away, he closed his eyes and tried to breathe clean air through his nostrils to cleanse the stink of fear, sweat, piss and bile left there from the soon-to-be late nobleman.Despite how the man had suffered as the prince and his men took turns forcing confessions out of him, using the arrow shaft still in the man's guts, Mitarai knew from the few messages Takato had managed to get out to him that the disgusting brute in there deserved no better. Physically abusing the lads in his charge, forcefully taking some of them, making them all have to hunt and scrounge for their own food and clothing where they could... The General seemed less concerned with the money that had been earmarked for this army that Sakazaki had pilfered for his own vault then the treatment of the men and boys in it that weren't the earl's own. A list of men and officers of Sakazaki's had been drawn up, and the names on it would be arranged in such a way that the old punishment of decimation would be visited upon those in the ranks of the earl's troops that deserved it before the rest marched out in the morning. Truly, one in every ten of his men would die for their perfidious parts in their lord's schemes come the morrow.Restored once more to his usual self, Mitarai set off towards the campfire where he'd find both Takabas. There was still a long evening ahead, and much had to be settled before turning in for the night. Tomorrow was going to be a long day for everyone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The prince and his two top men were seated in his tent, leisurely sipping wine once more when the summoned mounted archer commander that had been the centre of their discussion was announced and shown in. The blonde, far from being shaken by this day's events being piled on him, appeared to be trying very hard not to bristle in their company. This certainly promised to be an entertaining end to a otherwise brutal day.Unsurprisingly, Takaba started off the discussion. "Why am I the last one to know that my little brother's going to be your flunkies' messenger boy?"Brigadier Kirishima spluttered and reacted like he was hit in the back of the head by a thrown brick while brigadier Suoh seemed to be hiding what might have been a snicker behind a drink from his goblet. The prince was amused, eyes alight as he regarded the spirited young man before him, so different from the saddened or restrained personality he had seen early. "I thought it would be best to offer your sibling the protection of my two best men when you were being instructed on your new duties, which will hopefully also keep him out of trouble; "idle hands do the Devil's work", and all."The little blonde scowled, reminding two of the men present of the bigger blonde when he was far younger and much less world weary. "And how is treating him like a servant or a serf of benefit to him? He's a Freeman's son, with his own rights and privileges, as am I.""I had thought to have Lord Kirishima try the boy's hand at being a messenger to see if he was a suitable candidate for training as a page."That stopped the archer in his tracks. Training for knighthood? After a moment, he quietly continued. "You know he's not 'noble'.""Neither is a lot of the nobility, as you have seen firsthand.""Then why...?""Because I surround myself with experienced people I know and can trust. With any of my men, he'll be well looked after. I can promise you that, and I mean what I promise, for I rarely make one. Besides, in my army, he'll have opportunities to learn many skills, and he'd be protected should the unlikely happen and the invaders try to overrun the camp, like this morning. At the very least, he'll be clothed and fed and provided for."Akihito mulled this over in his mind, looking at the three men seated before him. He was bargaining for more than just his life here, after all. The prince sat there patiently, sipping wine, casually comfortable, in furniture, in the middle of an armed camp. Lord Suoh, the great solid warrior, was calmly observing, listening without comment or judgement, holding his proverbial cards close to his chest. Lord Kirishima, however, was eyeing him critically, like a buyer at a butcher's stall evaluating a plucked chicken, cataloging its flaws to use when he went to haggle for a lower price."I've heard from your brother that aside from your unique insights in the care of horses, you can read and write. Can you tell me what this says?", the man with the perpetual frown asked as he set down his drink and picked up a piece of parchment with writing on it. He held it out to the boy, waiting for him to take it in hand and look at it. The boy glanced down at the proffered piece without touching it then glanced back up at the prince's man. Kirishima's frown deepened. "Well, what is it? Can you not read it then?"Hazel eyes looked him up and down, unimpressed by his rank, titles, or who he worked for. "It's a letter to Earl Sakazaki's retainers, telling them that he died from a wound in battle. It has the prince's seal attached to it, making it an official document. There's at least one more copy around here somewhere, for the King, his Court's official notice and the archives."Asami chuckled as he shared a look with Suoh. Seldom had either man seen Kei so caught off guard. Very few educated clerics could both read silently and grasp the meaning of a message that quickly; the fact that this lad had read it without sounding out the words aloud and upside down to boot? None of them had never seen the likes of it before."Alright then, we'll stay for Kou's sake, seeing as how's he's already accepted your food and clothing for his apprenticeship. So what am I to do to earn my keep? That whole promotion to captain idea was outright ridiculous; what ranked commanders in this army would listen to an untitled nobody who was probably younger than their own sons?""I was going to propose you stay on as the prince's personal knave." With eyes the size of silver coins, Aki turned to stare at the big blonde as he stirred in his chair, causing the poor thing to creak as if it were near to collapse under the sturdy man's weight. Suoh paused to take a drink, making sure he had everyone's attention before he continued. "You would become familiar to the military men of Sion, they would see how the prince or one of us would weigh your opinions and how we'd take your advice, and there would be no questions about why Lord Kirishima or I'd be training you as if you were a squire at court." The smaller blonde by now had recovered somewhat, and was working his jaw, trying to figure a way out of this, when Souh continued. "As for me, I saw the way my Silme responded to you today, and I would be happy to have you care for my horse. He's tempermental, and if he likes you as much as he seemed to, perhaps continued interactions with you will help his disposition somewhat.""And what about my archery?" Akihito spluttered, grasping at straws, still somewhat flummoxed by the whole absurd notion.Suoh shrugged. "I'm sure I'm not the only one here that tires of dried meat and salted fish for every meal. If you hunted once or twice a week for us, would that keep you skills sharp?" Outwitted and out of excuses, Akihito muttered and growled, but finally accepted his new lot in life; poorly, but he accepted it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You both can see it, yes? He's different from all the others before", the general murmured, looking at the entrance of the tent flapping loosely where the ungrateful brat had stormed out just moments before, loosening ties as he shoved the canvas aside. Somehow, the atmosphere within the shelter was different. The general's attention had been on the boy's words, and the way he fed off their exchanged looks had made Kirishima more attentive to the boy's presence."He surely has neither manners, nor a sense of self-preservation", the second in command replied. Suoh nodded in agreement, reserving his opinion until he was directly asked, his recent participation in Sakazaki's Trial of Truth by Pain not bothering him in the least. That he'd pinned down the prone, screaming, begging man with his foot on his torso, judiciouosly applying his weight as needed to make the man talk affecting him not at all. Asami chuckled and Kirishima eyes widened a little. One wouldn't expect Sion's Prince Ryuichi to find outright insubordination amusing, considering how he'd mercilessly "questioned" the corrupt Earl earlier. The way he'd jerked the blunt wooden shaft back and forth, tearing open the man's stomach wound and made it gape until bile, blood and intestinal juices had leaked out of the fool had been especially brutal. Then again, he couldn't talk much either as he'd "assisted" the traitor's memory and confession along with his knives to get all of his confederates' names that had stolen from the army of the King. In the end, they had broken the arrow shaft off outside of the man's sweaty body and shoved it further into the wound with the stomp of a booted heel, then had the man moved into the woods and left there without food or water. After the army left, it would take days for him to die, either from dehydration, fever and madness from the contents of his bowels getting into his bloodstream and poisoning his organs, or the boars and wild pigs coming to scavenge the abandonned campsite and finding him there, helpless and alone, ripping him apart."It's his eyes... " Asami spoke musingly. "They burn, like fire. He will bend only with the greatest reluctance, yet he won't break. It's not like he doesn't know any better, he just welcomes the challenge. He's simply unafraid." The general stood up and reached toward the flame of a nearby candle; his fingers were far too close to the fire, yet he remained unharmed, unburned by the heat."As I was mastering my powers, years were spent dealing with the elemantal entities that serve our gods and live among us." The flame burned more intensely, burning first green then turquoise, then bleeding into a shade of royal purple, feeding on the warlock's deep spiritual force, burning high, licking at the man's fingers, but not burning them; the fire acted like his friend, wrapping about his wrist like an exotic pet serpent. "I've learned that the inner stregnth of the will is the real strength of a person, Kei. And I can see a wild fire in this Akihito's eyes, like a force of nature. And just like any wild fire, you can attempt to divert its course, flee from it, or try to put it out, but you can't simply tame it." He smirked, his golden eyes gleaming like molten gold as the flames returned to their true shade as it slowly slid down his hand, diminished its size, and returned to the candle's wick. "It will consume whatever is in its path until it burns itself to ashes. And I want to play with this particular fire before it goes out."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Understandably, Kou went to sleep rather early that night. And Akihito, uncharacteristically, went mute, staring at the flames of the fire until he couldn't take the brightness anymore and had to close his eyes. He heard Mitarai's movements when the man stood up from the log opposite him that he was using as a seat and came to sit right beside him.They had never been really close, and until recently, Akihito thought the older man detested him. He could see it now, though, that Mitarai didn't blame him for his little brother's death; there was no hate, no accusation, just sadness."Remember that time you brats stole my clothes and left me naked in that fucking freezing cold lake? The old lady who found me there screamed so loud, thinking I was a water sprite come to seduce her to a watery grave, the king himself probably heard it from his throne."That was the last thing Akihito ever expected to hear from Mitarai. A second later he was laughing until the tears burned his eyes when the story continued. "Well, that old hag screamed even louder when I assured her that I was indeed human, and seducing her, then, was the furthest thing from my mind. She came after me, set on robbing me of my virtue..., well, let's just say I ran for more than just my life! Naked, desperate, running through the woods with this shameless old strumpet after me every step of the way... It was all I could do to protect myself from getting whacked down there by brambles and branches."When Aki finally stopped snorting and guffawing enough to draw air, he wiped his eyes and quipped "At least you didn't get into a patch of poison oak!", thinking of the unbearable itching and burning irritation that any contact with that plant could cause on arms or legs.Mitarai grimaced in horror as he whispered "I almost sat in that stuff, finally finding a patch of shrubs to hide in...", and they both howled with laughter, not caring if they slapped their own thighs or the others. Throughout the evening, they both reminisced about all of Akihito and Takato's antics, - some of which Mitarai was the chosen target of; most of the really bad ideas were Takato's, Aki swore - stories and adventures he had forgotten about until that very moment. That night both young men laughed and cried, happy to be alive and having known the best brother and friend that had ever lived. Takato would be forever remembered now for how he'd lived, rather than how he had died.~~~~~~~~~~~~~Odd noises nudged him from his sleep. Distant cries and pleas for mercy...? The blonde half sat up, listening, but nothing more was to be heard. Maybe it was the tail end of one of his battle nightmares, then. Crisp morning air tinged with wood smoke filtered through the camp, awakening Akihito fully. Sitting up with a stretch and a yawn, he crawled out of his bed roll, glancing over to his side, expecting Kou to still be asleep in Takato's spot from last night, only to find him gone. Though he felt a bit better about their situation now, he was still worried for his little brother, especially after just losing his command second, best friend and kin in all but blood. Quickly, he dressed in his pale blue civilian tunic and brown breeches. Finished with pulling on his boots, he rushed out of the tent, looking frantically for the small boy.From the looks of things, the others were getting ready to move camp: tents were coming down, horses were being hitched to wagons or saddled for the higher ranking officers. Akihito left, searching for Kou, asking everyone if they'd seen him. When he kept coming up short, he began to worry. He didn't meet any of the Duke's men; they seemed to have already departed. What if someone took him? With all the strangers and bustle going on, it'd be so easy to do. He couldn't help the dark thoughts that started to plague his worried mind, knowing plenty about what could happen to pretty young boys in army camps..."Hey, Aki-nee! Good morning!" The bright, happy voice broke through his thoughts. Akihiko looked up with a relived sigh, only for it to be cut short at what Kou was wearing. His little brother had exchanged his normal ratty clothing for new, well-tailored, comfortable ones. His slacks fit him perfectly without having to be held up by a piece of rope, his normally bare feet were wrapped in well-made brown leather short boots. A bright green soft tunic peeked from beneath an apple red cloak. And he was squeaky clean with a fresh haircut to boot."Kou, where did you get off to?" Akihiko asked, pulling the boy into a tight hug once he was close enough. "Don't you ever run off like that again without waking me! It's too chaotic for anyone to watch out for you. What if someone had snatched you up while you were alone?""But he wasn't alone, sir." A young voice calmly stated. Akihiko looked up again, startled, to see a boy a few years older than Kou, wearing the same outfit (though the edge of his cloak had bright golden stitching on it). Just above his heart was an embroidered white dove, the sigil of messengers for the Crown. His eyes were a deep forest green, his shiny black hair about sholder length. "I came and got him earlier this morning. Lord Kirishima asked me to show the new junior messenger his duties and to have him outfitted in a uniform.""Aki-nee, this is Tristan. He is one of Lord Kirishima's page boys." Kou stated happily as he wriggled out of his brother's arms to stand next to the older youth. "He's taught me so much already.""I see. Thank you, Tristan, but the next times, at least wake me before you take off like that for your new master." Akihiko asked."Come now, Akihiko. Surely you wouldn't hinder your little brother's responsibilities already, would you?" That familiar annoyingly sensual voice spoke from behind his shoulder. With a silent groan, Akihiko turned to face the Prince General, who was dressed in a silken tunic, leather pants and knee high riding boots. His top men followed to his left, while on his right he was leading a beautiful well-bred white mare. Equipped with a flowing mane and tail, the carefully brushed coat picked out glints of golden hairs from the early morning sun."If it means I don't know where he is during a camp break down, then yes, Sir." Akihiko said, crossing his arms. Nodding to the nervous mare with the whites showing around her eyes, he asked "What's with the palfrey? Did some fine Lady leave her steed behind when she fled being discovered in a tent in the night, perhaps?"As lord Kirishima huffed, Asami smiled, amused, as he came to a stop before the young man. "Actually, Akihiko, I bought this horse just this morning. For you." The widening of Akihiko's eyes made Asami's own smile widen a little more too."You bought me a horse?" Akihiko asked with quite a bit of surprise, a fair amount of disbelief, and not a little suspicion, either."Of course." Asami stated, rather proudly. "With your new position, you should have an appropriate mount. My buyer assured me she is well trained and responds to commands perfectly."Akihiko felt a bit deflated at that. A buyer. The prince had gone through a buyer. Not knowing why he was disappointed, he took a hard look at the horse before him. She had good legs and both sides were in balance with each other. Approaching her with his hand palm up, though, she tried to shy away. As he cupped his hand under her nostrils, offering it to be sniffed, she again attempted to pull back. As he reached up slowly to scratch her forehead between the eyes, he felt her flinch under his touch. These actions made his eyes narrow. He stroked both hands along her neck, feeling as he made his way to her withers them down to her side. He could feel his temper rising as he felt welt marks from a heavy whip under her hide. He came back to stand by her shoulder, gently pulling her head around to the side to see him. Meeting her marble blue eyes, he saw and felt her trembling fear. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the Prince, who, in turn, was looking expectantly at him, awaiting his verdict. "This lovely creature is truly my horse, Sir?" he asked in a low voice, not wanting to stir up the mare any more. With a gracious smile, Asami nodded and said "Truly, she is yours to do with as you please.""Then, thank you, Sir." And with that, he took the reins from Asami's hand, who looked rather pleased that Akihiko had finally accepted at least one of his gifts. That is, until Akihiko gently wrapped his arm under her neck, slid off the bridle and the bit from her mouth that was too severe for the animal, and brought her head down far enough to whisper into her ear: "You're free, beautiful lady. Now, run. Find a herd with a stallion that will fight for you and protect your foals, graze beneath the open sky, and never let another man capture or harm you again." He let go of her head, bridle and reins in hand, and stood back. At first, she stood still, head down, nearly breaking Aki's heart, before the mare threw back her head with a snort. Shaking her mane, she half leapt off to the side of the men, kicking and prancing around in a large circle before coming back to Akihito. She nuzzled his cheek with her soft lips, softly snorted down his neck, then nibbled at the ends of his blonde hair before giving it a playful tug. With a whinny, the mare then made off, mane and tail like unfurled banners, trotting past several startled men, causing a few to drop what they carried. The group remained silent as the expensive prized mare made its way to the open field beyond the tent city and galloped off down the hillside out of sight.Kirishima was the first to react. In outrage, he turned on the smaller blonde. "Do you have any idea how much Prince Asami spent on that horse for you?" he demanded, shocked and angry at what he saw as a waste of resources. He then tried not to step back at the blazing glare he got from the young man."That mare has been horribly abused. Her spirit was all but broken, and she was almost at that point. She was a wild horse that had been captured, brutalized and beaten into submission and obedience, probably just this week, and needed to be set free. She'd be a danger to herself and anyone around her who set her off, and I won't have such a one anywhere near Kou. Whoever your purchaser bought her from needs to have that whip used on him while his head's yanked about with this damned bit in his mouth for harming such a sweet girl." Akihiko growled. "Then you can punish him for taking money under false pretenses if you want to." He turned his gaze to the still surprised Asami. "From now on, if it pleases the Prince, I'll pick my own horse. When I find one I like, I'll let you know. Now please, don't throw any more money away; it'll save Lord Kirishima from having any more fits since you seem so keen on tossing unwanted gifts at me. Now, if everyone doesn't mind, I'm going to go hunt, since I don't know where we're going, or when I'll have another chance to do so, and I don't want Lord Suoh to be vexed at me for breaking our bargain so soon." So saying, he nodded his head at the trio, spun on his heels and walked back toward his tent. A few steps away, he turned his head and shot back over his shoulder "And I'm NOT taking that stupid bow you tried to give me either. Sir!"The remaining group stood in stunned silence for a moment before Suoh's chortle broke it. "Ryuichi, I must say, you have your work cut out for you with that one." Suoh then laughed, earning an unimpressed look from Kirishima. "Kazumi, this is no laughing matter. That ungrateful cur just cost the Prince a lot of money! I saw nothing wrong with that horse; they're supposed to be broken in and tamed, complying with their owner's wishes." Kirishima sniffed as he crossed his arms this time."Really, Kei? Have you ever met Souh's Silme, or my own stallion Frost?" the prince asked in a teasing tone, thinking of their warhorses' infamous reputations among the stable hands at the castle."If I may, Lord Kirishima..." Kou's small voice caught all their attention, and the men turned to look at the pair of boys, Kou standing in front of his new companion. "My brother has always had a strong connection with horses. Even at home, where our father raised and trained them, Akihito always treated them with kindness and regard. They always did whatever he asked, once they understood what he wanted, with hardly any prompting. Whenever father had a stubborn horse that didn't take to being saddled, instead of beating it to make it comply, he'd get Aki on it and let him ride it until it stopped throwing him, no matter how many times he got bucked off. Even dirty and bruised, when it would finally give in and let him stay on, he'd give the horse an oat cake, carrots, or an apple as a reward." Asami arched a brow at the boy in impressed surprise. "Also, My Prince, with respect, when you offered Aki-nee, a squad leader of archers, a magic bow that never missed its target, that was basically the same as saying his shooting was for shit." Suoh and Asami both tried not to grin at the language, even as Tristan worriedly plucked at his arm. Kou explained: "Aki-nee's never liked getting gifts, even from father and mother, me, or Takato. He's extremely modest, and always felt he needed to prove his worth by looking out for us." He shrugged, which both men found charming in so serious a youth. "That's all, m'lords.""I see." Asami nodded. "Thank you for the insights, little one. You and Tristan may continue with the chores Kei gave you earlier, and then pack up you and your brother's tent and goods. We'll be leaving soon." The boys bowed and departed, the older no doubt chastising Kou for talking out of turn as the camp continued to be dismantled around them. Asami smiled to himself: it would seem there was more to the brothers than he had originally thought.Kirishima finally puffed out some air and observed "I can see we'll never have to worm out of either Takaba what's really bothering them..." Suoh clapped a hand on the serious one's shoulder and chuckled as the prince was lost in his own thoughts. Asami had once again been set back on his heels, being far more used to people bending over... backwards... to get his regard and gifts from him, not trying to discourage his attention. He thought that perhaps, the next town they came to, he should find a way to get Akihito some money to buy his brother and himself whatever items they wanted on his own, and see how that worked out instead.~~~~~~~~~~~~~Akihito had retrieved his bow and quiver of arrows, then headed out to the familiar pond, possibly for the last time. Neither turning left nor right, or stopping to decide which path to take, his feet chose at random and went down one of the many game trials that split up on the far side of the trees past the water. So much had happened here and taken place around the area: so many tales of harassment and abuse before he came to the camp and made the ragtag band of youths a unit that watched out for each other, so many trials and tribulations to prove what his team was capable of while trying to provide the basics for them all... So much pain and hardship, yet so many good times, too. He didn't know how he felt about leaving here to move on with the Prince's forces. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings that he didn't know which all trails he took until he finally noticed that the light was, in fact, getting dimmer with the day instead of getting brighter. Looking around himself, he realized that he must have wandered far afield in his daze of thoughts as he had only ever been as far away from the camp as the ruined stone mill with the silted in canal, and that was almost two hours of walking from the camp...! Shit, how long had he been out here?! Was the army still being torn down, or had they started to head out already. Fuck, Kou...! The blonde sighed, disheartened. Some "nee-chan" he was.Aki wiped the sweat off his brow as he looked about to see what his situation actually was. The dark grey surroundings from where he stood to the not-so-distant shadows of massive trees trunks and dank green water pools here and yon gave him the impression that the fields and light brush where he was used to hunting was not anywhere near where he was now. Hidden insects buzzed loudly out of sight as dragonflies the size of sparrows (or possibly actual baby dragons!) flew heavily in the moist heat under the canopy hiding the sky. Aki was about to turn right around and head back the way he came, pretty sure he could at least trace his own tracks back to familiar territory, when he heard a wet snort and a splashing close by. Closing his eyes, vaguely fearing what he thought he'd just heard, he stood still several heartbeats to see if the sounds repeated; if not, he was gone.Unfortunately, it did. Something big was in the water, probably deeper than it had intended to go in this terrain, and was likely in trouble. The former squad commander wished he could pretend he hadn't heard anything and just go, but he knew his conscience would bother him long afterwards if he did that. Really, as if being such a "nice young man" had ever worked out for him, anyway.
Now, It had known the boy was coming from a ways off, just like the others of its kind gathered in this swampland. They were all adolescents, too old to stay with their mothers anymore, too young to find their own territories, clustered together until they were ready to begin their lives of solitude. They all knew the young human was there, and some, feeling either bored or perhaps a bit peckish, had thought to have some amusement at the blonde's expense, and made splashing noises to see if he would come further into their home. If the boy wasn't at least be a bit of entertainment for a while, then one or more of them would simply do what their kind had done with the lost for centuries; that was, after all, what they were made for.
Aki noticed deeper pools in among the boggy edges and sick green reed beds, and saw some dark, indistinct shapes sweeping in and out of the shadows lurking about the bottom. Assuming they were large fish, like the catfish that fed among the silt and weeds in the ponds of his old home, he paid them no mind, concentrating on finding safe passage through the treacherous footing. Seeing what he thought were the two white halves of a clam shell lying a little ways apart, broken open by something wanting the meat inside, he dismissed them from his mind, not noticing the others that were littered around in the mud; if he'd have lingered a moment more, he might have seen that instead of shells, they were really white, dead eyes that occasionally blinked as they followed he passage.
One of the creatures had Its interest piqued by something about this youth, whether it was his risking life and limb because something seemed to be in trouble, or he simply was intriguing, It shadowed his movements from behind a patch of weeds, over to a floating mat of last Fall's dead leaves, then moving in closer still to peer out at the blonde from under the cover of some lily pads. At some point, It finally surfaced, just allowing the broad diamond of the very top of Its head to surface, hidden within a hollow floating log, all the better to get a clearer sniff of its target. Based on what It learned from this experiment, It sank down below the water once more, trying to determine whether It wanted to eat the boy, or choose him as a companion instead. Humans could be very bright and entertaining, easily trained, or so It had heard from its elders, and if one was chosen carefully, they could be endlessly amusing to tease and play tricks on.
When another of its kind sought to stalk closer to the boy, It laid its ears back against its neck and bared its fearsome, toothy maw and snapped at the interloper. With a toss of its head and a swirl of weed-infested tail, the other gave way and moved off. By this point, It realized it had made its decision, and moved to position itself to intercept the boy cautiously heading that way.Aki finally spied the oddest looking thing in this strangest of places: a horse, stuck deep in a pool, with just the very flat of its face and a patch of the top of its rump visible above the surface, like an alligator floating below the water, but instead of being wary, scared, or even of running away to save his own fool self - after all, it was a creepy looking beast in a horrible, dangerous place - Aki carefully approached, then slowly crouched down on a somewhat solid piece of "ground" to stroke what he could of its head in a soothing manner. Aki was, if nothing else, brave and kind, and he used his patient, calm voice to try to rescue the "horse" after it had quieted down. The creature could feel the timbre of this youth's inner strength and spirit, and it felt like this was someone worthy of being a companion of its own. Intuitively, It knew that Aki really meant to try and rescue what he thought was a poor, dumb animal without wanting anything back in exchange; he had no agenda, he just wanted to calm the poor scared "horse" to help it out of its situation. ...And It could respect that.After a bit of pretending to shift itself from side to side and toss its head about, snorting out water when its head "accidently" went under and spraying the boy, It was shocked when the blonde shed his clothes and weapons and slipped into the water, diving under to see if the legs were trapped in something, or not. Seeing the legs were free and barely touching the mud, Aki then swam around, letting the animal know he was still near by his voice, as he searched for a shallower, firmer place for the "horse" to use to get itself out. Just as the water was starting to sap the warmth from his body, the archer found a good spot not too far away that would allow the animal to pull itself up and out of its trap. Now, to coax it over here... Akihito turned about in the water and almost screamed, finding himself nose to nose with the one he was trying to save; the "horse" had paddled over to spy on what he was up to, and seeing that the boy had found a way out of the water for It, let itself be cajoled, urged and pushed a few times it accidentally (on purpose) went astray, It finally heaved itself out of the water onto dry land. Aki cheered, then quickly got out too and stood clutching himself, then crouched down once more to try and warm himself up as he looked the animal over. Dripping wet with weeds in its mane and tail, the horse looked like it was tired, head and neck down with ears flopped loosely and standing on trembling legs (not from overworked muscles and nerves, as Aki thought, but because it was upright and out of the water for the first time in its life). Its colouring was like a white horse that had splashed through puddles of red clay and gotten some patches stuck on itself; not one for the wealthy's solid colouring fashion trends nor the commoners' superstitions about a horse's coat colour being linked to its temperament, Aki thought these unusual "paint" markings were quite distinguished and was taken with them and the animal that bore them together. Now, to dress and see if this fellow had ever had a rider before, once its shaking had stilled... It didn't take very long for the beast to get used to "land legs" and carrying its full weight around on dry ground. After the boy had dressed, retrieved his weapons and started out of the swamp, it followed him, curious to see where he was headed. Soon, boy and beast were walking along side by side, then with an arm slung over its back companionably, then trotting out of the olive gloom into the sunlight with the on board. It picked up speed in the direction the lad's legs were pointing it. Soon, the exhilaration of galloping through the grass with the wind tossing its mane and tail about made it/him want go faster and faster as the laughing youth laying against his/its neck urged him to. When they came by a creek, the blonds asked him to slow down and stop finally, then slid off his back and patted his shoulder then neck as he lead the horse to the water. Thinking that the human likely offered him to drink, the horse lowered his mouth and nose to the water, inhaling some into its nose and mouth to relieve the unusual dryness there within. His human sat down aside him, weapon at hand, thinking to give the horse a break before continuing on their way, when a young deer stepped out of the grass further up from them, aware of the lone horse rather than the hidden archer beside him...As it turned out, once out of the swamp and back across the woodlands into familiar territory, the day hadn't even approached midmorning yet, and on the back of his swift ride, Aki was still able to spend a bit of time taking a buck, which his mount had sniffed and licked the fresh blood of (odd, that) before allowing it to be put onto its back in front of the where the boy would be seated there. Even so, the bulk of the armed forces had already departed, and only the Prince's men, the Prince himself and Lord Suoh were still there, packed up and ready to head out. Unbeknown to the blonde, Lord Kirishima had been sent ahead with Kou and the main body of men earlier, when Asami had sensed his new knave was in mortal danger. Preparing to take some of his men that had volunteered to accompany him, most having witnessed yesterday's wild dash across the battlefield and the capture of the enemy by the archer leader, they heard shouts of welcome and congratulations from their brothers in arms and watched the Prince's boy arrive back in camp with venison astride a singular horse.Fluctuating between relief that his mounted archer squad leader was safe, and the desire to punish his boy in some way for making him worry so, he stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of Akihito's new steed. That a kelpie might change its appearance at will to mislead unwary humans and lure them to their doom wasn't anything new, but Asami, as Warlock, could see right through any magic glamour to see what it really looked like and what it actually was, and upon seeing his knave arrive, several worrying hours late, on the back of such a fiend, he forgot himself and demanded not in a worried ttone "Where have you been?!", but roared "Takaba Akihito, what in the Five Hells have you brought amongst my men!!"Aki, of course, being rather pleased with how things had turned out this day, all in all, when greeted with that kind of attitude, felt himself get a bit prickly once more with his self-appointed "master". "What; it's a horse. Are you having problems with your sight, Sir, or perhaps you're tired, cranky and in need of a nap, as one tends to with age...?" Not finding any amusement that his snark usually seemed to provoke in the man, the blonde rethought his approach and regrouped. "Look, Sir. It's a good, sturdy young colt, of age and temperament to start training properly. After I found it in a spot of trouble, I helped it out, and it followed me after that. I wouldn't have been able to carry this venison back here by myself, and this boy's swiftness and stamina got us back here in good time to leave with you, when walking back otherwise would never have. So, my lord Prince, Sir, please: can I keep him?"And, of course, seeing that wide-eyed, earnest, hopeful look on the lad's face, that most fearsome warlord, the Warlock General, Prince of Sion, Heir to the Throne and ruthless leader of his own army of men, did what any other in his position would have done for their boy in that situation. Despite knowing better, he buckled; and with a mutter of disgust at himself, the mighty Asami turned and stalked off, and Akihito had himself a mount. Suoh, looking the horse over, approved of it, even if its coat made it stick out like a sore thumb, and walked over to the blonde lad he was forming a soft spot for as he dismounted then put an arm up under the horse's cheek and around the back of the ears to lead it away after handing off the deer carcass.
"He was worried for you, you know." Solemn hazel eyes turned to him as he spoke, attentive without saying a word. "He sent your brother on ahead with Kirishima and the army, and was readying to go after you alone when he sensed you were in danger. If we had arrived too late to help you, he would have been beside himself with regret and rage." Aki stood a moment without comment, then gravely nodded to the bigger man as he turned his horse away to find some rope to use as a halter and lead before they all departed his first home away from home.Later on that night, after keeping the odd pair in sight all day, Asami and the kelpie had a little heart-to-heart chat under the cover of darkness, when the early day's start and travel had tired the men, and almost all had sought an early bed. It felt the Warlock's power coming from a long ways off, and was waiting for him, ears back, head up, teeth and hooves at the ready, at the end of the tether that his boy had put him on. The Prince approached the beast, a fist sized fireball floating before and behind him as he walked, both coming to rest between it and him when he stopped. "We know what the other is. If you so much as snort the wrong way at my men, drown and devour any of the horses or oxen, or anything at all happens to Akihito or his brother Kou because of you, I'll steam you alive like a lobster until you're boiled inside your own hide. Do we have an understanding between us?”, he growled, as the twin fireballs became one and roared into blazing life. The kelpie's white, pupil-less eyes watched it for a moment or so, then stamped the ground with a foreleg, causing a spray of water to spring up into the air and dowse the flames. Asami and beast eyed each other, until at last, a hand was held out, palm up, and a damp, whiskered nose was extended to rest on it. Asami looked into those bottomless dead eyes and murmured "A truce then, for him; well met." The kelpie snorted back softly in agreement.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They got the news on the 5th evening out that part of the invading army, led by one of the Silver Dragon Emperor's most trusted hands, General Yoh, was closing the distance to the Capital through the Southern Marshlands, a part of the island kingdom that had annual floods. The rains and snow melt from the mountains northeast of the Capital caused melt water to carry volcanic soil and rich dirt down towards this part of the coast, producing some of the best spring fed farmland and vineyards of the nation. Well-fed and rested, not finding much resistance among the farm folk and trading villages, they could soon reach the Capital stronger than ever and more than ready to fight Sion's armies. "That won't come to pass. We'll get to them before they reach the road they'd need to take to avoid getting their wagons stuck in the rice fields and river bottoms there." The Prince General had decided so after their army made camp, Asami's personal men and his knave gathered to eat and make plans.
The boy was in and out of the Prince's tent now as he pleased, like a house cat, watching, judging, and not at all impressed by the luxurious accommodations around him. And like a cat, all he needed was food, water, the odd bit of attention, and something to sharpen his claws on. This, at the moment, was what he was doing, sharpening his arrowheads. Even Kirishima had admitted out of the boy's earshot that he doubted he'd ever see sharper blades, and had allowed the blonde touch up his own knives.Since the first night on the move, the weather had stayed warm and clear, so the only tents set up were several four metre wide canvas tents for the leaders of each company of troops to retire to, and a large eight metre wide tent where their meetings were held. Aki, as Asami's knave, went everywhere he went, and after the first rush of anxiety at being separated from Kou for the night, (all of the Royal Staff's young messengers and pages attended to and were housed by Lord Kirishima; the older squires slept near Lord Suoh to keep them in line), he figured he would be bedding down in the feed wagon near the horses' pickets again to see to them after the long march that day and the early start to follow. He'd sat down for a moment to rest, and next thing he knew, the dawn was breaking and he realized he must have fallen asleep because he was now wrapped in a soft warm cloak that was much too big for him.
Instead, as the march ended for the day, he was told he would be dismissed after the evening meal before being directed to meet Prince Asami in his tent. The Prince's large "bell" tent could easily, with practice, be taken down or put up within minutes, the poles, supports and ropes being wrapped within the waterproofed cotton canvas and stored in the Prince's own supply wagon for travel. When he arrived at the tent after washing and tidying himself up, Aki hesitantly entered, not eager to be trapped in one again, this time with the second-highest ranking officer in the land, especially if he were in a lustful state of mind. The Prince wasn't there, though, even as a table with loaves, jugs of wine and bowls with spoons had already been set out. A "perpetual stew" that simmered away in a pot nestled on some coals was set up and waiting. Still, despite how hungry he was, he waited for the Prince, not wanting to appear greedy nor be accused of taking things that weren't meant for him.After a short while, a pair of older stewards came in, carrying a large rolled up bundle on a stretcher with some folded blankets resting on top of it. They bid Akihito a good evening and went to put the bundle down opposite the table, the spacious tent affording some distance between the two. Once the whole affair was down and being pulled apart, the blonde saw that the "stretcher" was actually a flattened travel chest that could be set up and fixed into place at the corners from the inside into its characteristic shape, standing upright to be used as a wardrobe for cloaks and other good clothing needing to be kept tidy by hanging them, or laid on its side for packing bedding and other items into it and out of the way. The large bundle itself, it turned out, was a thick futon mattress easily a tatami mat in size. It was stuffed nigh to bursting with fresh bulrushes to keep its user comfortable, letting them sink into it for sleeping as it kept them clear of the cool, damp ground. Next came two pillows, each the size of flour sacks, wadded full with dried sweet grass, to impart a light aroma when crushed to encourage a blissful night's sleep. Aki, feeling useless as he waited for Asami to arrive, told the men that he could set out the bed sheets if they had something else they'd rather be doing. Both men were surprised at the offer, nodding their heads in thanks to the boy who, by virtue of being Prince Asami's knave, was a member of the Royal Household and ranked above them. Before they left, they both urged Akihito to help himself to what food and drink he wanted, as the General never begrudged his people neither a meal not rest despite his own unfixed comings and goings.The boy, thus emboldened, took a bowl and spoon, ladled himself some of the hearty offering, and after biting into a hunk of crusty bread, carefully carried his stew with both hands, minding his bread didn't break off and fall to the ground, and was slowly walking over to sit on the grass between the table and the only chair in the tent (to readily serve the Prince when he arrived), only to be caught midway by a low rumbling chuckle of amusement. In the doorway of the tent stood his patron (he refused to call Prince Asami his master, even in his mind), golden eyes alight at the sight he presented. Startled, the blonde froze as Prince Asami came into the tent proper, paced over to the table to pour some wine from each jug into one of a pair of cups, then carried them over towards his knave. Barely grazing by the nervous, he set each cup down on the broad ends of the chair's arms. The larger man then turned to Akihito and advanced on him, stopping just shy of the rim of the bowl away from his knave, his hands reaching upwards from his sides even as his head dipped down towards the archer's face. Eyes wide, Akihito was helpless as the was bowl was taken into the grasp of bigger hands as Asami's mouth came ever closer, only to snare the other end of the bread in his teeth and tear it out of his blonde's clenched bite. Smirking around a partial loaf of bread in one's mouth is a difficult feat at best, but the quickly reddening boy took note, (despite himself), that the Prince could do it handily, likely from years of practice of one sort or another. "Your service for the night is done, now, go get yourself something to eat." the prince dismissed him with a look of bedevilment after seating himself comfortably. Scowling at his lost meal (and nothing else!!), Akihito turned back and got himself another steaming bowl and a replacement chunk of bread before heading back to sit down. Asami indicated that the boy was to use the chair's stool to seat himself on; pulling it by a leg alongside his chair with his booted foot so the blonde could easily reach his cup. As they ate, the prince asked him questions about himself and his little brother, where home was, described his warhorse Frost's antics around the palace grooms and others he didn't suffer easily in his presence as a fair warning, just passing the time to get to know this intriguing blonde a little better. Aki was reluctant to talk at first, not wanting to be the butt of anymore teasing or jokes, but the warm food and mostly the wine, though weak enough for the pages to drink safely when the local water may be an issue, set him at ease and he opened up more as the evening wore on. The prince showed off a bit, lighting the candles set about the space with a bit of magic, impressing the boy enough that he himself actually felt little sparks in his stomach at the wide eyed and honest admiration for such a little feat. Carrying their bowls back to the table despite Akihito's protests, he then brought his jug of strong wine over to the stew pot and poured the remainder into it after refilling his cup and adding some of the "good stuff" to the boy's drink to make sleeping easier for the lad. Asami didn't know what all treatment and harassment he'd had to bear witness to and had undergone before with the late Earl and his troops, but he'd have to carefully gentle the blonde like a spooked colt to be comfortable in his company if he was to help groom the boy to be with him at court. Thus, he decided to head out to see his companions in case there were any new developments come to light, giving the boy a chance to go to sleep without his being present to put him at ease. Leaving him the jug of weak wine in case he got thirsty later, Asami took his leave and headed out into the camp. Akihito was feeling a bit tipsy, pleasantly so, and felt grateful that the prince was heading out as he was tired enough now to go to sleep soon. But where to bed down? Obviously, the mattress and pillows were for the prince, not that he wanted to be caught dead under the sheets with the man! But speaking of bedding, there weren't any left out for him to bundle into for warmth and comfort. ...But before he worried about it further, he had to use the jakes, something he never would have thought of doing alone with the old troops after dark.Upon returning, feeling relieved and a bit more clearheaded, he looked at the situation again. He knew that his offer to sleep within the tent by the entrance had been firmly shut down when he was told he was a prince's knave, not his hound. Feeling more tired by the minute now, his eyes came back to lie on the chest. Regarding it, Aki began to consider... it was the same size as his bed was at home, it would give both him and Prince Asami some privacy while sharing the same space, and it would give him some warning if 'anyone' should try to have at him in the night. Besides, there were blankets inside to soften his slumber… Deciding on this, he made himself ready for bed.An hour later as the candle clock burned, Asami returned to his tent, ready for a bit of relaxed reading before turning in. Slipping through the flap of the tent, he glanced at the futon to see if the boy was indeed asleep yet, only to find it undisturbed. Frowning, he went back outside to make sure he hadn't missed the lad sleeping outside somewhere nearby, only to circle the tent to find nothing. He even went to the horse picket in case the blonde had checked on the horses one last time and had fallen asleep there again, only to be welcomed with the snorts of the stallions and Kirishima's mare further away. Right away he noted that the boy's "horse" was missing, his lead rope/halter left empty on the grass. Just as he was starting to think the boy had rode out alone into the dark on his nightmare, he heard a distant shriek come out of the night. Moments later, he heard the muffled sound of horse hooves coming back his way. Out of the darkness plodded Akihito's mount, muzzle covered in fresh blood as strips of skin from the front half of a rabbit dangled out of his hideous mouth. Startled to see his arcane rival there, the kelpie drew up short, surprised at being caught with his late night snack. Asami turned away from the sight, relieved it wasn't the boy the beast was eating, and went back to his tent to see if the blonde archer might have returned there in the meantime. Once more in the tent, he was welcomed with a low moan and a dull thud. Not seeing anything obvious in the open, his eyes zeroed in on the chest by the foot of the futon. The lid was slightly askew, and another thud and some subdued noises could be heard coming from inside it. Moving towards it, tensed for a possible trap, he kicked off the lid to see inside, magic at the ready, when he saw his knave in the throes of a night terror. Whimpers and choked cries sounded, thumps caused by the boy twisting and thrashing about in the midst of an apparent battle, calling for his dead friend and young Kou, hair, tunic and breeches drenched in sweat. Without thought, the prince bent over and scooped up the boy in his arms, held him close, and rumbled lowly to him as he made his way to his chair and sat down. The blonde stilled, as though listening to him as he caught his breath, and still asleep, curled up in his lap, leaning against his chest, and drifted back to into a deeper rest. Morning found the blonde blinking his eyes open at the odd sensation of something snuffling around his face. Bringing a sleepy hand up to shoo away whatever was bothering him, he came into contact with something soft and moist. Startled, the boy sat up, hazel eyes wide and awake, to see his horse, inside the tent, sniffing him and the big arm that was over the sheet and around his waist. Horrified by both scenarios equally, he squirmed to get out from under the arm of "whoever" was lying beside him AND get his horse out before Prince Asami found him in there! However, the arm tightened around him as the horse looked them both over critically, then turned about, lifted his tail and proceeded to not only take a piss within the night chamber of the prince, but then followed that performance by taking a dump only a short distance from where they lay before it left on its own. Mortified, Akihito was far too petrified to move, until he heard a small noise that turned into a snicker. Turning slightly to look beside him, he saw the prince was curled up on his side, his head buried against his back, shoulders shaking convulsively. Suddenly alarmed now that the Prince General was in the throes of a fit, Aki twisted about to take hold of him, not knowing what else to do, until the dark head looked up and a golden eye moist with unshed tears stared up at him. The Prince was silently laughing his ass off! The blonde gaped in disbelief as a chuckle broke loose from the large man beside him. After a few moments, Asami sought to get himself under control enough to shakily get out "Well, it seems your horse strongly disapproves of this arrangement..." before he started shaking again in mirth, this time losing enough control that a strangled fart sang out. Instantly, both males had collapsed back onto the futon, howling with laughter. The blonde's concentration didn't break. He never scraped a nail, much less cut a finger, yet his mind wasn't completely on his arrowhead; but instead, it buzzed about on all the military strategizing going on around him. Finally putting aside his treasured whetstone that was a gift to him, he looked up and offered his thoughts: "I could ambush their caravan. Right about now, they've picked all the local villages and manor farms clean, so even if they went out on a further raid or two, they'd end up without enough food or necessary supplies to last more than a day or so at a time, and wouldn't be able to sally out any further abroad in search of anywhere else to plunder without leaving both the caravan and the raiding party open to attack, so most likely they'd have to retreat back to the coast to regroup and get more supplies, right? In doing so, they'd likely divide their forces fore and aft to ward off thieves and harriers as they marched, spreading themselves pretty thin along the middle with the wagons.""'I'? Meaning you, all by yourself...” Kirishima questioned bluntly, the "a mere kid" part being left unspoken, but clearly understood. Akihito didn't even bristle at that kind of that baiting anymore."I've been on a campaign or two in this region before, with my archers. I know the trails, the riverbeds and the landscape like the lines of my palm. They will probably hide their caravan somewhere in the Green Valley Woods, here," he spoke as he pointed to a crossroads marked on the map, "and launch their raids from a post there. Then, after their victory, loot the village, seize whatever food there was, take women and children for slaves, round up anything of value and whatever animals they can find, and bring them all back to their caravan to collect their spoils until sending them all to their ships on a regular basis. We should watch their supply route, follow it back to the coast, then take the caravan first, hit their supply base before their men are missed by more than a day, and destroy the enemy's jumping off point from there. And I think I know the best route there for secrecy. And the best place for the initial ambush too." Kirishima snorted. But Suoh muttered something quietly, to which Asami nodded absently, frowning a little in thought."Wait. Don't you tell me you're actually considering this nonsense?" (That's how the Kei vs. Aki battle of words usually started these days.) "First of all, who the hell would do something like that?!" Kirishima demanded, trying very hard to not yell. The image of him being a composed, dispassionate lord just didn't exist anymore. Less than a week around the archer knave and his brother had changed that. Now, it was a wonder how it had not lost its magic yet, no matter how many times it was repeated: a heated Kirishima and a boiling Akihito, arguing, was always one hell of an entertaining show."Nobody would think to do that, silly. That's my point! They won't be expecting me! It'd be like “king me" in checkers after three jumps in one move: the ultimate ambush." Akihito replied with an infuriating grin; the kind that never failed to both arouse Asami and piss off Kirishima. "Shit." Kazumi muttered low enough that only the prince could hear him. "I think I've just lost again.""Did you just called me silly?!",Kirishima demanded, cheeks flushed in anger. Lord Suoh choked a little on his own saliva as Prince Asami bit his tongue to prevent a laugh escaping. "Sorry, m'lord", the boy raised his hands in mock surrender, now all honey and light. "I didn't mean it, it just slipped out. But, you've gotta give my idea some credit; that there's a hell of a plan!"The lord and the knave stared at each other for a second, labored breathing from the yelling and arguing all that was to be heard. "You are so stubborn!" they yelled at each other in unison, pointing accusing fingers. Then, turning to Asami, they both demanded "Can you please talk some sense into him!"
Turning back to each other, Kirishima glared. "Your plan is stupid, naive and risky, boy! What do you think is going to happen when you get caught?""'If',Sir. You mean 'if'."Asami reminded himself that this lad had a serious lack of any sense of self-preservation and sighed. "We all know the boy is going to do whatever he wants to do in the end...," Akihito smiled in victory, but his triumph was short lived when the prince finished with "...but, if he or the men I lend him get into a situation that's too dangerous, he's going to pay for it with his hide." His disinterested façade didn't fool Aki in the least; by now, he knew when the man was dead serious. Kirishima huffed and barely excused himself politely before storming out of the tent. Aki had won this battle. Suoh sighed, then reached his hand into the purse on his belt, loosened it a little and extracted a gold coin with his fingertips to present to the prince. He always bet on his cousin Kirishima out of experience and family loyalty, but lately, it wasn't paying off at all. After hours of heated debate once Lord Kirishima had cooled off and returned, they decided together that Akihito would have his little ambush, accompanied by Kirishima himself and a small complement of men. After all, the army would have to delay their arrival at their end destination in making their way by Green Valley Woods, and that side trip would be difficult for some of the heavier horses and armored forces at a forced pace.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After several days taken with gathering intelligence on where the Baishe raiding party was and what it was up to, as well as trying to ascertain where its supply caravan was, Prince Asami's force had plans in place and was ready to split up for the dual attack. Lord Suoh and the Prince were going after the raiders with the main body of men while Akihito and Lord Kirishima were heading off in another direction with a smaller band to hold off the caravan and keep it from resupplying the enemy troop.Early the next morning after the assignment orders were given out, just before camp was broken, Prince Asami and his two top men stood nearby, watching as young Takaba scolded the General's warhorse, Shimo. The large slate-grey beast had whitish legs, face, mane and tail, that blended into small starburst patterns all over his body which had reminded Asami of frost on cold dark steel; that, plus its cool demeanor and haughty attitude, had lead him to name his horse "Frost". However, right now, Akihito was not impressed at all with the horse’s attitude, taking a strip off Shimo's ass for his impatience:"Oh no, you did NOT just snort and paw the ground at me, sir! I'm working with Silme right now, so you'll just have to wait your turn, you ill mannered lout." The mount, almost twice the boy's height, blinked down at him a moment before seemingly dropping its head in embarrassment."Aw, I can't stay mad at you when you get like that. It’s ok. C'mon boy, let's kiss and make up." Offering up his cheek, Asami couldn't help but chuckle as the imposing beast that killed on command perked up its head and brushed its velvety nose over the side of the trusting boy's face, gaining a sunny grin and a quick scratch between the eyes in return."It seems the boy has turned your mighty steed into a lap dog, my prince." Kei observed rather dryly."Best beware, Ryuichi. That's how he stole my Silme's affections." The big blonde jokingly forewarned his future king."I think you're mistaken, Suoh. Silme never liked you that much to begin with." Asami needled him back, getting an aggrieved look from the bigger man and an eye roll from their cousin. Meanwhile, Shimo, having lured the boy into a false sense of security, had rubbed his flat forehead up against Aki's chest and without warning pushed him suddenly into stumbling backwards towards his partner in crime Silme, who braced the flailing boy's back with his own forehead before giving him a hard push back towards Shimo. They bounced the protesting boy back and forth between them, never giving him a chance to gain his balance or get his feet under him properly. The three men laughed among themselves at the "horseplay" until seeing that Shimo was getting bored, and probably going to miss the boy on purpose on his next turn, Asami moved forward quickly and caught Akihito by the arm before he could fall flat."Stupid stuck-up arrogant nags. Never did an honest day's work in your lives, have ya? See if I get either one of yous any oat cakes as a treat, you bullies." Akihito muttered as he unknowingly shook off the Prince's hand and glared at the unconcerned troublemakers. His own horse looked a tad solicitous, stretching out his head for a sniff as if to make sure his human was alright. The shaggy blonde walked over to him, telling him he was fine and petted him soothingly; that is, until a certain splotchy nose started sniffing about his clothes, looking for those treats for himself. With a huff of mock disappointment, Aki pushed his muzzle away before giving him a hug about the neck."Akihito. Have you thought of a name for your horse yet?" Kazumi asked as he walked over to fondly pat his horse's shoulder."Yeah, actually. I was stuck for a bit, then I decided to name him after the Prince", he answered as he turned away with a slight blush."Oh ho, now? I'm honoured." Asami rumbled with a coy look. "What did you settle on, then? The obvious one, "Prince"? Or perhaps "Gunshō" (military general)? Ah, I know: Heika ("Majesty")", he teased. Aki gave him a look that clearly wondered if the man had lost his damn mind before turning it into a cheeky grin. "No sir, I thought long and hard about it, and I finally came up with the perfect name that made me immediately think of you, oh Prince: Dastard*." Suoh snorted, trying to maintain his usual stone face even as his shoulders shook suspiciously while Kei looked like he'd just swallowed a whole lime by mistake. Only Asami returned his knave's grin and laughed in appreciation of the moniker. The sun was high in the sky and Akihito squinted against the dust being kicked up by the horses on the road. The days were getting warmer earlier, and he still had a few layers of clothes on him from the early morning chilly start, and he hated traveling out in the open on sunny days. He heard a horse trot up alongside and a low mutter before a bycocket cap was shoved onto his unruly blonde head."Don't you think you're past of the age of needing a nursemaid?" Lord Kirishima huffed, giving him the side eye. "Really, do you have to have someone chasing after you, telling you to keep the sun off your head?"Akihito grinned a little. That's was the man's way of showing he cared, without sounding like he meant anything by it; in other words, his grumpiness was pure bullshit. "Oi, so, if I'm a big boy then, why are you always escorting me around? Do I need to hold your hand in crowds too so I don't get lost? If we're together so much, won't people start to talk?"The sound of nesting songbirds got louder as they entered the fringes of the woods. He was so aware of the essence of all the vibrant vitality within the leafy shade; he closed his eyes and breathed in deep, feeling happily at home. He didn't expect an answer back, so Lord Kirishima's low voice surprised him a little. The men around them had been signaled to back off a ways, letting them talk more privately."The General has taken an interest in you; even so far as to taking your brother in and making you both part of his personal entourage and staff. Therefore, as Souh and I are his kin and sworn men, in his absence, it's up to either one of us to keep you safe."The boy could feel his cheeks heating up, not used yet to frank personal discussions with either the prince, or his most trusted seconds. "Ah.. W-what are you talking about?" He laughed awkwardly, not looking anywhere near the other man in the least. Kirishima was serious, feeling this talk was somewhat overdue. He leaned over and took hold of Aki's rein to slow them up, annoying said "horse" and making the archer look him in the eye. "You know what I am talking about, but you'd better have a reality check anyway." He pulled his hand back before the young horse took a notion to snap at him, if the look of his pinned back ears and rolling eye was any kind of guide. "Our General doesn't take to people easily. Yet, you share his tent at his insistence, then break bread and sleep with him. He trusts you not to poison his drink, nor try and harm him at rest. The mere fact that he sleeps with you in his bed... For him, at all, that's saying a lot."Akihito spluttered while turning a deep shade of magenta that any dyer of fine silk would envy. "We didn't... I never... W-we haven't done nothing...I mean...!"I don't want heard about it." Kirishima said, looking straight ahead as his horse started forward again. "Suoh and I have shared enough adventures at pleasure houses, and closed down plenty of wayside inns with the Prince to know he's a sensual man, and what his tastes in male and female entertainments are." Aki followed him quietly until his cheeks stopped burning, before catching up a few paces at a quick trot."Who would want to harm him anyways? It's absurd; he's our King's only son, and likely the future ruler as well, isn't he? Without him in place, there'd be chaos and infighting!""That's exactly the reason why." The lord replied tersely without looking at the boy. "Any open discord at the top is an opportunity for the advancement of even tenuously related families, to say nothing of the King's "loyal nobles" in general. And being associated with him will now mark you a target, as well."The blonde slowed Dastard down once more, needing a bit of space to think about this. While the unexpected turn of events in meeting Prince Ryuichi had its bonuses, was he putting himself, and thus Kou, in harm's way for no good reason? That he enjoyed the Prince's company and the unanticipated feelings of recognition and security it brought him couldn't be denied; but would he be better off removing Kou and himself from the Prince's immediate influence, and perhaps taking a post at the capital instead, as had already been mentioned as a possible future course for him? Albeit, thinking about future personal safety concerns while on the march with a mixed troop of armed scouts, pikemen and longbowmen spoiling for a fight with foreign invaders really didn't make a whole lotta sense right now, either. Later that evening, after watering and seeing to Lord Kei's horse and his oen, then leaving them hobbled with the others in a nearby clearing, Aki was starting to nod off, cocooned within his comfy blanket. Wanting to be awake a little while longer, the blonde decided that the best way to stay awake was to stir something up with Kirishima (no longer "Lord", as no other responsible adults were around to hear them)."Hey. When do mounted men-at-arms go to sleep? At knight time." Aki grinned, but the lord didn't react. "...Ok... which knight likes to make pottery? Sir Amic!" Not even a twitch. "C'mon! That was funny! ... At least, it was when Takato told me... "The advisor finally glanced his way. " 'Takato' ?""Yeah..." The archer replied, turning suddenly morose. The odd tone of voice captured Kirishima's attention. Sounding cheerful or awkward was typical of the lad, but sounding sad definitely wasn't. "Do tell." Lord Kirishima murmured and it made Aki think to himself of calming wild horses. He appreciated the man's concern; not that he would ever mention it."He was my oldest friend. Got in and out of trouble with him more times than I can count. D... died saving my life, the day we all met.""That lad... he sounds like a good friend."Aki smiled, but it wasn't a happy one in the least. "He was the best.""You mean 'He is the best'." Kirishima corrected absently, looking over his papers.Confused, Aki sat up and frowned. "No, he died. I just told-"The lord shook his head. "He may no longer be with you, Takaba, but he's alive, now, in your memories. While you live and remember him, he'll always be alive. Even if you get so old you forget his face, what you and he did together in your youth will still be in your memories. Now, to honour your debt to him, you should live long and well, enough for the both of you. I really do hope you know that what we're doing here is not just for the living, but for all those that died fighting for this kingdom; now, and in the past." With that being said, Kirishima turned back to the table, took up a handkerchief and dropped it in the boy's lap as he moved past him to exit the tent, leaving a surprised Aki behind. A tear dripped from his chin, spotting the blanket. When had he started crying? Looking at where the man stood outside the tent, apparently waiting for the evening star to appear, Aki smiled a bit. Despite their silly bickering, he truly admired the man. He was clever, quick, and fiercely loyal. 'I really want to be like him' he thought, relieved nobody there could read his thoughts. "Your Highness." The fair-haired man bowed, his dark blond locks falling over his forehead as Asami tried to remember how the younger brother had looked. Nodding at the obedience, the prince motioned to a chair with the cup of wine in his hand. "Sit." Mitarai obeyed quickly, trying to hide his anxiety by looking Prince Asami in the eye, but his boldness didn't last long. He had started sweating after entering the command tent. Why on earth had the Prince General called him here after dusk? Had something happened to Aki, or Aki's little brother? Or, perhaps he was going to receive another secret mission? He knew better than to try and rush the man, so he tightened his fists and kept them still on his knees."Both Takabas are fine, don't worry." Mitarai sighed, relieved. He didn't even wonder how the General knew what was in his mind, given the fact that the man was extremely astute. The General could probably read him like an open book, arcane powers aside. The prince put a cup down in front of him and offered it to him, saying "It's a chill night for this time of year, you may want to have some mulled wine to warm you."Mitarai took up the cup but didn't taste it. "Thank you sir" he muttered, bowing his head."I know you must be tired, as we all are, traveling so fast.""I am well, Your Highness; thank you."A few minutes of silence got Mitarai wondering if he had said or done something wrong, because if he had, he was surely screwed. But the prince didn't seem angry, just somewhat off. That's when the man turned his golden eyes on him, saying "Takato. I wanted to know more about the lad with this name. He seems important to my knave." Mitarai's own brown eyes widened at the mention of his younger brother's name here, in this setting.The prince, seeing this, added: "You know Takaba is still dealing with his passing; he has nightmares and won't stop calling out to him in his sleep."Despite the lump in his throat and the ball of anger forming in his gut at the careless tone of his General's mentioning his of late little brother, Mitarai couldn't help but wonder how close Aki and Prince Asami were. The Prince's words implied they were sleeping together. What the hell..?"How close were they?" Asami asked, breaking into his man's thoughts. It was a rather selfish question, he knew, but he couldn't help but want to know the answer. Whether this niggling feeling was what people called jealousy, or if it was just intense curiosity, it didn't matter as it irked him to know. And if it was unfair to be talking about this now with his kin so soon after the lad had died, that detail wasn't important to Asami in the least. As for Mitarai, it took him a few seconds to understand the question, but when he finally got it, he had to take a sip; the slight burr on his tongue from the alcohol was welcomed. "They were childhood friends, sir. The best friends a pair of boys could ever have."That was the expected answer, and it wasn't really a bad one, but somehow it bugged the prince a little bit. Why the simple fact that other people had known the blonde longer than he had was bothering him beyond reckoning was beyond his ken. The silence was suddenly too heavy to take and Mitarai drank a little more."I saw him that night." Asami sighed, feeling he should offer the other man something for his trouble. "Your brother,” he added after the startled look he got. “There was a number of young spirits surrounding him, not at all all depressed and miserable as you usually see after a battle. They seemed a little sad but also proud. They had died bravely, together. And at the end, their only regret was leaving Akihito's side. His whole squad... Your brother was there, among them."A few warm teardrops ran down his cheeks as Mitarai got up clumsily, assuming he was going to be dismissed. While it was painful to hear, the truth had also helped. His Prince's voice stopped him. "Just know that his spirit ascended to Gaia like a hero, leading the others onwards." Everyone’s deepest fear was to become a lost soul after their death, forever roaming the world, starving, sick and furious, forever lost and forgotten after the deaths of their family and friends. "Thank you, my Prince, for letting me know."Asami sighed once more. "You may go now. Rest well.” He ran his hand through his dark hair, mussing it up. Even Mitarai knew this to be atypical behavior from the usually cold and collected lord. Bowing and turning his back to leave, he heard the prince speak again, low, almost musing to himself. "That Takaba boy..." Something made the hair at back of neck stand up and he stopped in his tracks. "There's something very unique about him." Mitarai felt those golden eyes come to rest on his back. Prince Asami was trying to fish for something and he didn't know if he had reacted wrongly in front of him. But, there was nothing he could do now.After his man had left, Asami fetched himself another cup of wine, his mind far away from there. Moving ever towards the enemy supply wagons, to be precise. He wasn't a man to lie to himself, so he didn't even try to not think about his knave. Whatever made this boy so alluring, the General was intent on knowing everything about him.He reached out for the piece of paper on the table and reread Kei's update for the tenth time since its arrival at sunset:
"All's well with the men; we have yet to reach Middle Hills Pass.
He's in fine humour, but he really needs to work on his jokes."
The Prince smiled, totally oblivious to how his molten eyes mellowed to the shade of warm gold , or how much younger he appeared at that moment in time. The spell, however, was broken by a young voice clearing its throat from outside, and the man quickly regained his stoic image. From the darkening night beyond the shelter, a soft, hesitant voice hailed him: "Uh, Y-your Majesty...?"For all his earlier wildness and prickles, the youngest Takaba could be almost adorable, Asami would give him that. "Come.", he answered. After the boy's reluctant entrance and stilted bow, the powerful man eyed him over a sip of wine. "The Clerics and courtiers both address me as "Your Highness". But they're not here now, so you may call me Asami-san if you want. Welcome, Kou. Come take your ease."Kou came inside a bit further. With his dark eyes and darker hair, he didn't resemble his brother one bit. Asami motioned towards the table. "There's bread, honeyed butter and cheese with some warm milk by the fire. Help yourself." The boy, by now far less suspicious of the leaders of this battalion then he had been, smiled and jumped up on the bench. "Thank you, onee-chan." Asami chuckled, amused by the innocent error in titles."Don't let Lord Kirishima catch you calling me that", he advised good naturedly.Kou grinned, relaxing with the tasty food in the Prince's presence. "I'm not stupid, sir. I'm sure I'd never hear the end of it if I did," completely missing the point of Asami’s joking. Before Akihito's departure, Asami had promised to look after the boy and guaranteed he'd remain happy, healthy and not alone, since the siblings had rarely been separated for any length of time before this. While he honored his promise, he was also using the boy for his intimate knowledge of every single aspect of Akihito's life and personal preferences. All he had to do in return was feed the boy and pay attention to his stories.As he sat back and made as if he was paying rapt attention the boy's tales of his great Big Brother, Ryuichi decided to notate his return note to Kei in their secret code that he should leave the second note he'd send out for the blonde to read. In it, he intended to leave a directive that upon their return, Kei was to resume teaching Kou the proper titles of the court, whereas he would personally teach Akihito those lessons himself, starting with addressing him properly as "Master". He idly wondered if he would hear his boy's howl from here...
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Akihito had a few rough spots, getting used to the idea that he was in the service of a warlock. Not only did the posting have a lot of perks that some less stalwart individuals may find themselves giving in to; the various temptations that came with the job, (like, unlimited food, for the first time in his young, bottomless gut's experience!), but also the ability to intimidate larger, older jerks merely by dropping a few key names of who he was now associated with if he wanted to. However, the most unnerving difficulty he had thus far, was having his sleep hijacked at the whim of his prince. The first time this happened, he had just snuggled down into a light doze as Lord Kirishima looked over some reports, when he woke with a start to see Lord Suoh bending down over his head as if checking to see if he was still alive. With a squawk and a flurry of covers, he found himself sitting in the Prince's tent, on the Prince's futon no less, gawking about himself. Several floating balls of flames lit the room as Asami gestured one over by the table to cast more light on some reports Kei was pointing out. Akihito clutched the sheets closer to himself, not completely sure if he had been magically transported back to the main army with Kirishima, or if this was but the beginning of a bad dream. Suoh, looking him over critically, took a sip of wine before asking nonchalantly "What's wrong with the lad? He's never this quiet this long. Are you sure it's just from being tuckered out; riding with the scouts all day, then doing his hunting on the way back, or is he naked under there for some reason?" The blonde froze momentarily before flinging up the sheets, diving out the other end before they'd settled back down, trying to find a top to cover his loose-legged brias. Finding one of the leather corselets his (he REFUSED to call that man his master!) Prince had provisioned him with for under his armour, he slithered into it before realizing it was far too short to do more than show off his long throat, half hidden collarbone, and lithesome torso to an admiring golden regard. Suoh snorted loudly into his wine cup as Kirishima gave him a reproachful look before handing Asami a cloak to wrap the blonde in. Much as he wanted to "feel" the boy in his arms again, he settled for a grudging smile of thanks as he merely tossed it over to his knave. Wrapping himself in the comfortable cloth, he realized it must have been worn by the prince recently as it dimly had his scent on it. Throughout the rest of the evening, Aki would try to steal little sniffs off of it without anyone else noticing, all as Asami took no notice at all with approval. Later on, after the impromptu get together was winding down and Lord Suoh was telling the boy how off his Silme seemed without seeing his head groom about, and how much he himself was missing his meals of local game. Akihito promised the big man, first chance once they rejoined forces; he'd get a nice tender "squeaker" (a wild boar piglet under 10 months old) to roast, just for him. As the other men watched both blondes talk, Kei had Ryuichi's ear. "If you're commandeering his dreams as well, are you ready to let him know of your past, Ryuichi?" Not taking his eyes off the vibrant youth, the prince sighed. "I had been hoping to avoid most of that, letting him get to know me himself." "Yes, of course. How silly of me. For is it not known far and wide that one may easily get to know the Prince of Sion through talking to him, as much as one would a stone wall? If he can't speak to you, or hear your story from yourself, who is he to hear it from? The Scribes and their histories? The Courtiers’ restless gossip? Or the Princess, perhaps? Ah, mayhap the Queen. Yes, that would make for a jolly bedtime story, I'm sure; all about how you and the King ruined her life; the poor woman." With a grim look from his royal cousin, after the words "As always, your counsel will be taken into consideration", both Kei and the lad were dismissed for the night and sent back to their own slumber. A few nights later, little snippets of memories from a child that had spent time both in a luxurious townhouse of a lesser noble and merchant in the Capital as well as the Keep of House Asami out in the country began to wander through the archer’s dreaming mind. Though Akihito had never seen the old King or spent much time with the Upper Classes, he became familiar with the happy squeals of "Granpaw!" and "Grandsire!" alike. A pair of playmates began to make their appearances, as well as the start of hero worship of an older relative.Akihito was startled one sleep to find him outside, on a cold day as the wind swirled a few snowflakes about and played with strands of the boy's black hair. The youngster stayed still as he smiled encouragingly at the crows in the bare trees around him, quietly offering a quartz pebble, the shiny black kind he knew they liked best, while they cawed and clattered their remarks above him. His mother had told him to be kindly to these birds as they tended, in many ways, be more discerning and loyal friends than humans were. So, he did, because his mother was the wisest and kindest person in the whole world, and she was always right. She was an angel all her own, and the reason why he wanted so badly to grow up to be like his father was because she loved the man he was. To his amazed delight, a crow finally flapped down from its perch and landed on his thin arm, turned its head to look him over up close, then tapped the offering with its black bill before it took the pebble in its beak and flew away to the raucous calls of its flock members following after, demanding to see its prize. There was no time to waste in rejoicing over his victory, though, and the boy resumed his hiking with a little smile. He was on the hunt for a certain plant with curative properties. A Silver Hellebore, it was called, a rare, magical flower that was known for its healing properties. He'd heard the foothills of the mountains north of the Asami Family castle was where he could find Hellebores in the wild, so all he had to do was to find one of the mystical silver ones and his Mom was going to be okay. He wasn't never a loud, noisy kid, and his idea of fun, much like his future knave's would be, was snooping around the old passageways with his grandsire and cousins in the family keep, wandering in the woods with his mother, or even sometimes his father, and talk with the crows and see if they'd accept his gifts and become his friends. He felt at ease, never fearing of wolves or bears nor the Forest Elementals. He already knew his father's family was of an Important Name, and he knew to behave around his elders and his parents' guests, but most days, being a noble himself was at the furthest back corner of his mind and really didn't seem too relevant to him. He had only seen his seventh winter, and the Most Important Thing to happen to him thus far had been his first pony he'd gotten for a Winter Solstice gift, so he was far too young and busy to care much about such adult things; until, that is, his mother fell ill. There had been a sickness that autumn, creeping in from the east, which had wiped out entire villages, and most of the royal family and the nobles had locked themselves up tight in the warmth of their palaces, not having to strive outside in the cooler months to survive. The isolated wealthy didn't get sick, they just carried on, eating and drinking, playing music, visiting each other and having fun with gambling and pursuing whomever caught their fancies. Outside, the world was cold and cruel, and the poor were dying in large numbers. But the blonde watcher knew that strong stone walls couldn't keep the disease away forever, and at some point, nobles too started to sicken and die. The boy’s Mom got sick, and right now she looked so much more a mere mortal than an angel as she lay in her huge bed last night, somehow seeming both older and tinier than just the other day. His father too had lost weight, spending the whole time praying for her deliverance without once leaving her side. He seemed to have aged suddenly, as well. He'd heard some of the stable boys talking about the rumoured plant while visiting his pony, and had decided that his parents' only hope lay in him finding one. He'd woken up before dawn that day, borrowed some of his cousin Umi's (Kazumi) clothes and boots to help cover his own layered garb, then simply walked away with as little forethought as Aki would be known for, from the castle through the door in the wall where the hay and straw had been brought in from outside. He then had simply walked and climbed as far he could with his little legs during the shortened daylight, heading in the direction between where the Sun had risen, and where it would set. He'd fallen a few times, and the layers protecting him from the snow had by now gotten wet. He was starting to get cold enough that he could barely feel his fingers through his Mom's leather gloves he'd thought to take from the falcon mews. He was so darn tired, but he only stopped when he reached Hellebore Hill. But, the winter was too cold and too new yet, and though he'd heard Hellebores could bloom even while there was still snow on the ground, there wasn't a single plant to be seen poking through the snow banks yet. What there was was a corpse, laying half buried by last night's snow, like a foreshadowing of his own doomed hopes. He wasn't the only one desperate for a cure; all the local villagers had tried to locate even the simplest of the evergreen plants that hadn't any magical properties at all. He knew that his grandsire had told him last year that most of the kingdom's subjects had a pact with their lords and their sovereign: they would work to support the government with a portion of their annual yields, and sometimes obey the call to defend their homeland, and in return, those in power would protect their people as best they could, striving to give their lives peace and security. But, if a full grown man had succumbed to the winter here, where he, a child, had hiked in mere a day, how bad were things in the countryside really? This situation struck him as wrong, like somewhere along the lines, some people hadn't lived up to their end of the bargain, and this poor man, and now probably the rest of his family, had paid for it. It smacked of unfairness and almost betrayal to both him and his witness. 'What to do now?’, he thought tiredly as he struggled through the deeper snow towards the leeside of the hill, where the wind at least might be lessened instead of feeling like it blew through his bones. It had taken most of the day and all of his energy to get here, and he knew it was impossible to get home before nightfall, as the sky had already turned the delft blue shade of winter sundown. The hills were relatively close for an adult, but he had struggled just to get here. He was exhausted and hungry and heartsick. The illness killed so fast, and his Mom was dying right now, and he wasn't there now to even say goodbye. He fell on his knees, shivering, hurting and weakened. 'I'm just a kid' he muttered, thinking of how many times his father had reminded him of that fact with a fond smile at some grownup thing he'd said he wanted to do. 'I am so sorry, Mom...' he whispered as a weary tear trickle down his face. By now, his hands were shaking bad enough that he couldn't even brush it away with his aching fingers. He tried to create a fire a bit later by snapping his small thumb and middle finger together while chanting his mother's spell for making sparks, but he could barely do that half the time on his best days, and right now he was hungry and couldn't even feel his immoveable fingers and frozen toes, so the tamarack twigs and branches he'd gathered earlier for kindling a camp fire were useless as Akihito stood by helplessly. That night, he couldn't see the stars for the clouds, so he couldn't even comfort himself looking at the one that would be rising over the Keep. He wondered if it was going to snow again; if it was, would he be found like the man below the hellebore's hill, partially covered, blue, and stiff as a rock, or would he be a bundle of rags and bones someone came across in the spring. He felt apologetic about being his father's only child. He'd not only failed to save his mother, but now his father was going to be all alone, missing them both. Would his Mom be upset, seeing him waiting for her on the other side of life? Laying his back against a snow bank, he felt it pack in a little behind him and tried rolling from side to side a bit, finally creating a little sheltered nest for himself out of the wind. Hugging his knees, he tried to think of something else he could do, but now slowly he was starting to feel warm and very drowsy. And both he and Akihito knew from hearing tales by old soldiers what that meant: he was gonna die soon. Would he be awake to see his last breath puff up into the cold air, he wondered, his eyes frozen open? If so, he didn't want to look scared, in case it was his father that found him. And all his Akihito could do, despite his instincts to comfort and care for the boy, was to stand by and bear witness. In the cold dark night, the boy's eyelids were getting real heavy, readying him to sleep forever, when he thought he saw it: a faint glowing sparkle reflected against the blank white snow. Blinking weakly, he forced himself to keep watch until he saw it again, a bit more faint this time, like a tiny dying firefly. "A firefly?" he slurred out loud, completely groggy. In the wintertime...? The faint light zigzagged randomly over the fresh snow, glittering like the freshly shaved ruby ice that preserved berry juices had been poured over for a treat, finally zeroing in to where he lay, and it seemed to hesitate over his face as he felt a little bit of warmth from it. That's when he remembered; his grandsire's Sage had told him once there were Fire Elementals that took refuge in nooks and crannies under the bark of trees during the winter, to burn a little dead wood inside the trunk to try and to keep them alive 'til the Thaw came. The boy smiled weakly, though it pulled and prickled the tight cold leather-like skin on his face. "Here; let's both not die" he whispered, and forced open his curled fist. The weak Fire Elemental didn't wait, but flew straight to his palm, burning a hole through the glove and searing his hand like he was clasping an unquenched spike straight from the forge in his fist. Just as he was going to cry out from the blistering of his skin, it stopped hurting, and he could feel warmth blooming inside his hand, causing shooting needles and pins sensations as the nerve endings in his fingers revived, and the comfort started to flow down his arm into the rest of him. Wanting to tear off his glove and plunge his throbbing burn into the snow to numb the heat and pain, he resisted, resting his gloved hand, hole side down, on top of the snow bank instead. He fell asleep that way, knowing somehow that they both were gonna be okay. Next morning found him waking up, hands under his head, curled up on his side. His clothes were dry and melted snow around him had refrozen during the night into a heat shield for his body while everywhere else, deep snow lay all around. The little Fire Elemental had survived the night within him, and so had he. In fact, he almost felt like throwing off a layer of garments because he felt so warm he was almost hot, and started to cast around for something to nibble on when he saw a small flurry of bright sparks flitting about under the fir trees. He went to wave at them when he thought he heard a distant call and tilted his head. When he looked back to where they were, they had all disappeared. "Ryuichi! Ryuichi!!" He heard a familiar voice and quickly got on his feet, feeling much stronger than yesterday. A chorus of caws from the trees surrounding him brought the sound of swishing evergreen tree branches and someone stumbling through crisp layers of snow closer. Between the trees, an eager-looking young teenager came into sight. Tall (to Ryuichi) and fair, the black hair and citrine eyes identified him as the best hero and older cousin the boy could ever desire: Asami Keigo. The other boy stopped for a moment, and to Aki's keen eye, seemed shocked as though seeing a ghost. As they heard other voices in the distance come closer, Keigo snapped out of his daze. "Ryuichi! Wow, was I worried!" the boy called as he came closer. "Everyone able-bodied man in the castle's looking for you! Your mother's failing quickly, Ryuichi. We need to get you back there. Now." The courtyard had been cleared of the last of the dirty snow. Footfalls could be heard echoing from the hard cold stone underneath, and though the breeze was warming, it stirred up the sand and soot that had been used to make the ice less slippery to walk on. The skies were heavy and grey, and the melancholic air about the castle made him think about his Mom who had passed away a month ago. Now, Yui (Ryuichi) would always despise the snows of winter. The boy perched on the stone wall beside him elbowed him, shifting his attention to the males brandishing swords nearby. Keigo was sparring with a young man training to be in the royal guard, a fighter of some experience, but his cousin had barely broken a sweat. The lad had formidable reflexes and was gaining strength and skill. Yui admired him greatly, even though his auntie complained that the charcoal hair was a messy length that clung to the collar of his dark red coat. "What a beautiful sword he's got there," said the boy next to him spoke, running his cool dark eyes over the blue tinged blade. Even then, as Akihito rolled his eyes, Kei had been keenly observant, especially of all things pointy that were made of steel. "Our grandsire gave it to him before I was born, Kiki." Ryu murmured, eyes not straying from his hero. "Don't call me that. I am not a kid, Yui." Asami scoffed. "Of course you are! We both are!" he grinned as he shifted his seat, using his right hand to steady himself, which let some of his bandage escape his mitten. "What's that?" Kiki observed, looking now at Yui's right hand. "Oh." Ryu looked at it as if he forgot that it was hurt for a second, smiling a little bit sadly. "We barely saw each other these past weeks; what with Mom’s funeral and all, I totally forgot to tell you about this." His golden eyes reminded Kiki of a cat's, maybe that's why the Royal Asamis all looked menacing to some degree. "I made friends with a Fire Elemental." Kiki's black eyes widened . "You're gonna be a fire mage!?" Keigo heard that from across the courtyard and the distraction almost cost him his thumb. But it did end up making him take a blow by his eye. Annoyed with the soldier's audacity to actually hurt someone related to the Royal House, he finished the exercise with bold, strong moves, almost as if he really meant to kill the young man. The other men all around them clapped, impressed by the display. For one so young, Asami Keigo was a sight to behold. And, in Aki’s humble opinion, well on his way to becoming an asshole. Ryuichi shrugged. "A fire mage, eh? If I can learn how to control magic, I will achieve so much more to help my father guard the kingdom, and make him and Grandsire and Granpaw proud of me." Kiki nodded, then snickered. "Leave it to you to become a warlock at a young age. I really know how to make important friends, don't I: I just gotta stick within the family." Yui grinned back. "But of course. And leave it to you to carefully research and select your parents and kin beforehand. Nice job." Later that evening, little Yui had fallen asleep while reading. The lamp next to his futon was dying already, so when Akihito saw Keigo silently enter his chamber, it was already in shadow. With a feeling of dread, the blonde watched as the older boy calmly stole away a pillow that his prone cousin wasn't hugging to himself, pushed it over his face as the preteen straddled the boy in one smooth move and started to smother the prince as he slumbered. At first the young Yui didn't seem to struggle, perhaps thinking this was a joke by one on his cousins sleeping nearby in the young boys' suite. However, when the pillow wasn't removed forthwith, the little form began to push and struggle, trying to get out from under the heavy, suffocating weight of the body, sheets and cushion on top. Faint muttering could be heard from Keigo all through this, things like "can't believe I even liked you, once", "a warlock, eh? Can't let you grow any stronger, then", and "die, you little upstart! Grandsire liked me best until you came along! How dare you steal his lap from me!" Ryuichi had known no anger in his life up until that point, but inside his core he felt a tiny spark of fear that burst into a fury that his little body couldn't contain. The Fire Elemental within flared, and the lamp erupted into liquid flames that splashed over its sides and burned higher and hotter swirling flames. Yui wriggled loose of his restraints, grabbed his cousin's closest wrist and burned the teenager's flesh with his scorching grip. Keigo screamed and tumbled aside, clutching his wrist even as the groggy night steward and the guards stationed outside in the hallway tumbled into the little prince's chamber. Some time later in the Spring, his father met little Yui at the sacellum within the Shrine of the Rulers of Sion. They both stood, looking at the newest additions to the Asami Family alcove, his father contemplating how his love was now surrounded by the memorial markers of his late father and brothers while Yui wondered whether his mother's spirit could see him now in his royal garments and chain. The King soon broke their silence, telling his son that he knew what had happened in his chamber, and how Keigo's mother (his Sire's sister!) and father had plans in place to dispose of both him and Yui, then his cousins, one by one, to ensure that Keigo would rule Sion one day, and that they would be his regents. Now, however, as one of the very few members of the Royal Family, in light of the tragedy that happened so recently, Keigo and his parents wouldn't be given a death sentence, as there were so few numbers of the Royal Line left. The Court has decided that both Keigo and his father would be sent into exile, and his mother, having been given the option, had decided to accompany them. The boy absorbed this news, even as he couldn't help but wonder if he's going to have to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life, just waiting for another attack. But his Sire, the new King of Sion, went on, as if musing aloud to himself: "...if the escort and travel party doesn't suffer a mortal accident before reaching the border, that is...” seemingly implying that Keigo, his family and their retainers were going to be eliminated. The King turned as he told his boy "You are my son, the child of my beloved, and now the future King, should you wish it. This incident is going to be at the back of everyone's mind at Court when they see you from now on. Don't you ever forget what's been done for you this day, Ryuichi, or whose blood I've spilt to give you room to grow. Because they won't." the young King said as he nodded towards the Courtier's Gate of the castle. With a squeeze to his young shoulder, his sire departed, stepping into his waiting retinue. As his own armed escort gathered about him for the ride back to Sion Castle, little Yui looked down at his palm, but by now the archer could see the wound had long healed without a trace. Soon, the boy thought, there would be other markers in here: his auntie's, her lord husband's, and his own betrayer, Keigo. The youngster was still but a boy, but someday, when he was a grown man, he quietly vowed to his mother, he'd be a powerful warlock, Prince Asami Ryuichi, Protector of Sion and Its People, and His Magesty's Most Loyal Subject.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Akihito closed his eyes as he put his head back for a moment, enjoying the fresh breeze on his face, full of the aromas of the greenery all around him. The foothills they'd been travelling through had given way to the higher terrain of the Fortress Mountains, and in these valleys above the rolling plains, summer hadn't arrived yet. The bright scent of evergreen firs mixed with
flowering berry bushes and budding Mountain Ash trees abounded. He was stealing a break to enjoy the stillness away from the camp, out hunting Kei and his last meal before preparing their final ambush plan after their scouts finally tracked down General Yoh's returning supply caravan.They had a two day quick march through the mountains before they arrived at the base of the Neck - the steep, narrow, torturous passage up through a canyon that the invading General had chosen to use to save time - after the enemy reached the other side of the mountains, they'd have a clear, open plain that his ambush had no way could be carried out in: anything bigger than a medium sized dog would be seen a long ways off. Aki grudgingly admitted that General Yoh's plan was a good one, even though it wasn't risk free in the short term, and would be hard on both men and horse alike.Just for a few hours, though, the archer had himself a bit of freedom to savour, because while at war, no soldier was ever free, and even though he wasn't an actual leader anymore, he knew his upcoming responsibilities and allowed himself a bit of slack.The warm sunlight filtered through many layers of young leaves and bathed patches of his bare skin with warth. The never-ending songs of the different birds, insects and the breeze blended together with his horse's hoof beats, making him feel a little dozy... Until, that is, a faint familiar scent made Dastard shake his head and sneeze, and Akihito smile."Can you believe it!?", cheered the lad. "A fairy gard-UMPH!" Dastard chose that moment to buck and shy away. And even though Aki was an excellent rider, the sudden movement caught him by surprise and he didn't have time to hang on as the horse dumped him like a sack of rocks and he fell on his ass. Dastard bolted off with a rebellious snort, head up and ears back, without so much as a backwards glance, the hairy bastard."Ow! REALLY?!" Aki complained, rubbing his arse. "Just... why?!" But, the blonde already knew the answer. Fairies. Dastard didn't like them, not one bit. And it seemed the feeling was mutual, as any fairies they'd spied on their travels had avoided the horse like he had the pox. Dastard had to be the most screwed up creature he'd ever met. The horse tried to nibble on any fresh game he caught (even fish!), hated fairies to the point of apparently having an allergy to them, and seemed to understand (but not listen to) every word he said. And even though he'd met Dastard right when he needed him, it's true, he still wasn't sure if he'd actually been blessed or cursed.Of course, fairies, as shy as they were, hardly just fluttered around in the open like butterflies, allowing themselves to be seen, so there really wasn't a good reason to be thrown like that. Besides, fairy gardens had many precious flowers, some of them poisonous or harmful, it's true, but most of them had some medicinal, miraculous or magical effect, and most animals felt safe and welcomed in them. Wolves and deer rested together in them, and young dragons, alone and seeking their first territory to start their own hoard in, visited them often to safely find out the lay of the land. These gardens were secret and as far from human villages as possible. He looked around, half expecting to see a murder of crows or some standing stones guarding the place, but he didn't see anything as Magic Folk of any kind were as shy as fairies themselves.It didn't take him too long to find the garden, following his nose to find it hidden behind an interwoven screen of flowering vines. "Wow..." he sighed, letting his eyes wander over the colourful vista. Pink dahlias, amaranths, cream-shaded peonies at one side, cornflowers, limoniums, lavender, blue salvias, fan flowers bloomed along both sides of a tight passage, and at the back of the garden, blue poppies, white begonias, a riot of zinnias, towering sunflowers, petite buttercups, rare tangerine tubular culpheas and blushing day lilies. All were in bloom, from all over, all at the same time. It was magnificent.He knew he didn't have much time, but still... He shrugged and decided if he was on foot, he may as well explore a little, mindful of course of where he stepped to avoid stomping on someone or something. Growing up near a Royal Forest with his parents and a squalling baby brother, a secret fairy garden wasn't all that new to him. As rare as they were, he had first found one of them back home when he was much younger and was tolerated by the fairies there as long as he was quiet and didn't cause any damage; although none of the villagers or farmhands believed him when he told them where he'd been.Off in a far corner, surrounded by a myriad of colourful coneflowers, was a hefty flat-topped rock, and resting on top of a bed of white striped zebra grass lay a crown made of Freya lilies. The lad's eyes lit up and he grinned with delight, not having seen these flowers since his mother's garden. Sauntering over to take a closer look, he reached out, barely touching the curled back tip of a petal when a loud voice unexpectedly called out, startling Akihito into jerkily knocking the crown away with his fingers as he stumbled backwards a step.He looked up in the direction of the sound, only to meet dark penetrating eyes in a breathtaking face at the outer edge of the flowers. The taller slender man had long, silky black hair and fair skin. He seemed so ethereal that the only thought in Aki's head was "That's one grown ass fairy!" The stranger's eyes widened, then he raised an eyebrow, and the boy realized he must have spoken with his "outside voice" and blushed in embarrassment. Clearing his throat, he ignored his words and any affect they may have had, and innocently asked "Pardon me, sir, but did you say something?""Yes, I did. I tried to warn you that you would be smarter not to touch it."Aki frowned, confused, so the long haired man sniffed and enunciated slowly and clearly: "The very crown that you knocked aside. You shouldn't have risked touching it, especially not here."The archer looked down on the grass, noticing he had slightly damaged a flower on the crown. He immediately bent over and picked it up, attempting to fix the bloom as he bit his lip in concentration."Unbelievable," signed the pretty man, looking like he wanted to face palm himself. "You do know what this place is, correct, boy?"Aki looked the (rude!) stranger over, taking in his foreign garb. Aside from his exotic looks, he wore a dark grey hooded cross-over cloak covering a navy blue inner shirt, matched with charcoal pants and dyed leather boots, cut in a mercantile style, yes, but the inner clothing was made of some unusually embroidered fancy fabrics. Some merchants were pretty rich, either through their own trade in rare goods or by being the younger sons of noble families, but nice clothing like this would look like rags after just one long trek. So, this fellow hadn't travelled far, probably changed outfits at least daily, and likely had staff with him to keep him and his things looking fresh and pretty. Aki himself only knew how to recognize high quality or, as he considered them, overpriced cloth and fancy tailoring after the change in lifestyle he and Kou had gone through since joining the Prince's household; but he had always been observant of little details around him. Hunters that did so tended to eat more often. So, this guy was only pretending to be a traveling merchant. Why? "Yes. This is a fairy garden..." he mused, frowning again. "And it's supposed to be a secret place...""And yet, here you are." They both said at the same time, eyeing each other. The other man broke the ensuing silence first. "They won't like that you touched their things. They do it on purpose, setting a pretty trap so some stupid kid like you will steal it or break it, and they'll use it as an excuse for revenge. They'll probably curse you for this."Aki looked at the lily crown on his hands for a moment, thinking on what his Pa had warned him about The Fairy Folk so many years ago, then shrugged. His father, as learned as he was, had still been wrong about a few things a few times; but to err is human, and anybody can be wrong at any time. He gently blew on the injured bloom a couple of times to fluff it up a bit then put the crown on his own head, unafraid, and replied "They don't necessarily curse people for slights, but they can get rather... 'playful' with their magic."There was a spark of interest in the stranger's eyes as the man asked "And isn't that the same thing?""Of course not. Not everything to do with fairy magic ends up as a curse. They have a good enough nature; it's just humans misunderstanding their intent that makes them seem so bad. Some that have wronged them on purpose may bitch that that's not true but... The thing is... Uh, what are you looking at?"The pretty man seemed distracted by something, looking intently over his head. Then he centred his attention back on the blonde. "Pardon me if I seemed rude. It was nothing personal, I assure you." The stranger suddenly changed his tune. "As you said, it's most likely just some misunderstandings on our part. You seem rather intuitive about fairies, hm? How did you become so familiar with them?" Then, in a lower, more intimate voice, he asked "Are you yourself completely... human?"That was the second time recently someone had asked him that question. Prince Asami had brought it up not so long ago, too. Reflecting back on that, he answered without rational thought. "Well, not exactly. My father used to say I must be half scholar and half donkey. He'd never heard of such a smartass before." Watching as the man blinked at him several times, he realized Kei was right: really he needed to work on his jokes. He'd save the introspection for later, though. What was wrong with him; after all, someone from somewhere else was traipsing about a strange land in turmoil without a care in the world. Something was off here... Then his eyes darted back to the pretty man appraising him too. Out of nowhere, he opened his mouth and spoke. "Huh, I'd always wondered what passed for humour in the Baishe Empire; guess now I know." The man stilled, then smiled a slow, off-putting smile. "Yes, I come from abroad, born and raised in Baishe. I hope that doesn't present any problems between us, young master. I am just someone trying to stay alive by avoiding the war." He bowed slightly, which revealed something unusual hanging from his golden chain belt: wooden fan. A big, sturdy, collapsible fan that looked like a concealed weapon that Suoh had introduced him to before they'd split camps. They had hidden steel spines happen among the silk panel, concealed throwing blades, the braided silk cords in their handle could be used as a garrote, and they were favoured accoutrements of privileged nobles in the higher courts of the Baishe kingdoms.Still, Aki rolled his eyes. Of course he wasn't a person of high standing, despite his recent gear and clothing upgrades, and the only things he knew of that got buttered up this much usually got fried. "Really, I'm just a regular guy, and you're not just any traveler. You're part of some rich, influential family, hiding in enemy territory, in the midst of a war your side started, "disguised" as a merchant. I shouldn't really let you roam around freely..." But, well, arresting some random guy he had no actual proof against of being guilty of anything but awfully pretty wasn't really a strong enough reason. And besides, he was burning daylight, and couldn't risk the upcoming ambush plans for anything he thought Kirishima would consider as silly as a gut instinct. With a nod, he shifted back a step, preparing to leave. "I really have to get heading back now, so let's chalk this up as a chance meeting between passing travelers." He raised his own eyebrow at the man across from him, hoping he'd take his meaning. "You'd better take more care to keep yourself out of sight and out of trouble. I do really have nothing against Baishe people as a whole, it just seems that a few of their silly princes got bored and wanted to make a name for themselves by stirring up trouble. But don't worry, Sion will give them all the trouble they can handle, then shove the rest down their throats. Just be sure to stay out of the way, and you should be fine." Carefully taking hold of the crown once more, he tipped it towards the stranger in farewell, then turned about and strode off through the garden. -------------------- At first, Feilong's reaction to discovering the young interloper in the fairy garden was that of someone who'd found a child pissing on a priceless statue. ‘Just some brat that happened upon a special place, and had no idea where he was, or what kind of damage he could do here.’ He half expected the blonde to run wild in the garden and climb on the rocks or rampage through the delicate blossoms assembled here. However, he may have mistaken the lad for younger than he was at first glance, as he behaved with decorum, appreciating the massed flowers without damaging the plants. Being the second son, most especially an adopted "spare" to his father's heir, he was expected to not only unquestionably support his elder brother when his time came in taking up the Liu Family mantle, but he was also trained as any younger siblings would have been as someone who could collect and piece together random scraps of information and act as an assassin for the betterment of his house. His brother had resented him since his arrival in Master Liu's palace, likely begrudging any and all attention given to the younger boy that used to go to him, and instead of trying to cement his loyalty as a beloved Big Brother, he had amused himself in tormenting his "darling baby sister".Seeking some alone time from the never ending bullying and his loud, coarse men, he had set out specifically to find a fairy garden and see what wisdom could be found among the fairies of a foreign land. Needless to say, the discovery of the alien-looking youth at first annoyed him, then slowly enticed him with his (to a Baishe) unusual fair skin, fairer hair and expressive hazel eyes. The lad continued to amaze and beguile him with his mixture of manners and speaking his own mind, his odd wit, and straightforward fearlessness in the face of the unusual. The clincher had been when a sleepy fairy child that the young Baishe had seen tumble out of one of the blossoms on the young man's head had looked about blearily before snuggling down into those silver-blond strands and fell asleep once more, not the least bit scared.When the blonde left, still wearing the "crown", Feilong followed him through the garden like a shadow. He saw the lad stop as a swarm of fairies rose up before him, and made his way closer when the blonde made a gallant bow to a fairy that approached him and seemed to be addressing him. He took hold of the crown in apparent surprise, lifted it off, gently sifted the still sleeping fairy child with his fingers from his hair, and offered both to the hovering fairy conversing with him. As close as Feilong dared to approach, the breeze swaying the nearby trees disrupted his eavesdropping, so that all he caught of the discussion going on was "...didn't realize she... even there!", and "...sorry... the lilies... they reminded... of my Ma."A small trio of fairies came forward, seemingly a mother and two older children. The mother picked up and cuddled the youngster to her as the eldest child flew forward, head down, and seemed to apologize to the blonde, who rubbed the back of his neck, grinned and seemed to say "...I know... younger kids can... just turn aro... they're gone. Don't wor...'bout it." The mother fairy then came up to him, still holding the child, and gave him a kiss on the forehead, impressing Feilong indeed. The trio then turned and flew off as the fairy swarm began to break up and drift off. Fortunately, the breeze died down as the remaining fairy spoke once more."Young Akihito, accept this blue Larkspur, or, as some humans call it, Knight’s Spur, as our gift of thanks to you for the child's safe return. There is a Midsummer tradition that holds that if a human looks through a bunch of Larkspur flowers at a bonfire, their eyes will be healthy for the coming year. The flowers are also used to frighten off scorpions, snakes and other venomous creatures, like insects. Planted in the garden or kept in the home, Larkspur also repels ghosts and ill-humoured spirits." After a few more moments of chatting, he watched as the blonde bowed once more, then took his leave. Truly intrigued by this person now, Feilong drifted along after him as he left the garden and started following some hoof prints. After a little while, hoof beats could be heard in the distance. The lad stopped and perked up, calling out "Dastard! Hey, Dastard! Here, boy!" This 'Dastard' however, didn't turn out to be neither horse nor dog. Feilong was shocked to see it was actually a hideous Longma, a "horse-dragon"! He'd heard of these demon water horses who preyed on the unwary near the water's edge back home, as they were also sometimes blamed for summoning floods, but he never thought he'd actually see one, much less in a faraway land. But to see someone who was little more than a boy calmly walk up to such a deadly predator of people, talk to it like a common pet or companion animal, then ride off on it, made him start to want the fair-haired one for himself. Blonde slaves were a great status symbol back home, both jealously guarded and proudly displayed due to their rarity, and no lords in any three kingdoms around the Liu's had one. Even in the empire's capital, there weren't more than a handful in the Emperor's Court. To own such an unpredictable and entrancing one as this would put him above his prick of a brother, and maybe even above Father as well... These thoughts gave way to thinking about the blonde as he made his way back to his own horse. As he rode off, he imagined this 'Akihito', if he indeed gave the fairy his true name, wearing the crown of lilies once more, the curled white tips of the sunset pink petals setting off his light-toned skin, the purple "freckles" of the flower complimenting his imaginary blushing cheeks. Those thoughts started to turn towards revealing more of that skin in costly “barely there” silks as he decided to flaunt his own wealth by bestowing some of it on "his" blonde slave, in the form of golden collars with large amethyst and aquamarine pendants dangling from them, golden hoops in his ears with big pearl, peridot and gold drop beads on them, and a belly chain that trailed down the long back, laying over the crease of the bare ass, lazily swaying to and fro like a contented cat's tail as the blonde walked away, those hazel eyes peering back over his shoulder in a teasing, "come hither. way... -------------------- Aki had a full day out already, and was really starting to feel tired. After the encounter with the long haired male beauty, he'd wandered for over an hour to find his ungrateful bastard of a horse, and when he'd again found Dastard, once more he showed up sprinkled with blood not his own. By this point, Akihito really just didn't give a shit; he just mounted up and headed out.He'd hunted on the way back to camp, and after getting a couple of rabbits to eat, they supped on fried rabbit bites with wild mushrooms and garlic in silence before Aki and Lord Kirishima went over again the minute details of their ambush strategy with the group leaders. When the other leaders finally left to go to their tents as the next day was going to need an early start, the blonde archer sighed and sat across from the other man, both drinking some of the prince's wine."Beating around the bush really doesn't suit you, boy", the older man drawled without moving his eyes from the map."Don't call me that." Akihito replied, peeved that his tone sounded as callow as ever. Why did this man bring up his lack of years every damn time? Looking at him in the warm fire glow made Aki think how he could not help but admire the man, no matter how stressed he got with their silly and never ending banter. Lord Kirishima was strong, stoic and intelligent, someone to be admired and taken seriously, a man Aki looked up to, like the big brother he'd never had, and that made him really annoyed. Kirishima looked at his thorough his lenses, not a single feeling exposed by his dark eyes. "Don't you think I am going be easy on you now that Asami-sama can't intervene in our heated conversations... boy."The condescending "boy" was infuriating but oh, he was so damn tired. Akihito pinched the bridge of his node, mimicking Kirishima's own characteristic move and signed. "You don't really care for me much, do you?"The noble frowned. "Takaba, if I didn't "care" for your presence, you would be the first to know."Coming from Kirishima, that was a big deal. After a short quiet moment Aki muttered "I think I'm seeing glimpses of Asami's past. I'd heard that warlocks can... communicate? through dreams... Is that true?" Kirishima nodded, clever eyes on the boy's carefully avoidant ones."I am not.. anything. I know I can’t do any magic, but.. Do you think I could..." His cheeks were glowing as hot as the fire now. Ah, gods, why did this little talk have to be so embarrassing? He just wanted to talk to someone with some more experience, right? Sometimes the general must consult him too, right? "Do you think I could...? Contact him myself, I mean?"Within his mind's eye, Kirishima could almost see his cousin's preening smirk. The boy wanted to reach out to him. 'These two are almost courting', he thought, the idea alone just about making him want to crack a smile. But he didn't, as there wasn't any sense in scaring the boy like that."There is three types of people, Takaba. The ones like Asami-sama that are naturally gifted and have always had a predisposition to do magic, even before his association with fire elementals, the ones like myself that can learn how to do some simple magic through study, and the ones that can't do anything remotely magic related, which is the majority of the people in this world.""Do you think I could try and learn some?" Akihito asked, his sudden "bright eyed 'n' bushy tailed" expression as cute as all fuck, making even Kirishima chuckle a bit. "Hey, wait a second! You can do magic? I've never seen it, what can you do?!""I'm afraid you'll see it first-hand, soon enough. And yes, I do believe you can do magic, if you want to learn bad enough. Now, if you want to get his attention, we'd better start now if we want to get some sleep tonight." -------------------- From where he stood, Aki felt close to sky. The grassy plateau wasn't really high up, but the stars out that night shone brighter than ever as the moon was absent from the darkened sky."Wow", he breathed, and heard a familiar voice say from close by: "Mm, interesting. It is you."
At the edge of the mount was a familiar figure, the strong back, broad chest clad in dark armour and confident posture all pointing to it being the Prince. Aki's heart pumped a little faster, with longing. He wouldn't ever, never admit it, but he had missed the man.Swallowing, Aki cleared his suddenly dry throat. "W-what do you mean?""When Suoh or Kirishima contact me, there aren't any stars if we're outside. But with you..." The bigger man spoke as he walked over to him, put his hands on Aki's shoulders and guided him to turn around, and the sight made the blonde gasp. Arching overheard from the edge of the horizon was a great ribbon of stars strewn against a royal blue sky. They were as bright and numerous as the early morning dew drops in late summer, just before the season cooled, heading into harvest time. Without thought, Aki stretched his hand up to try and brush the bejewelled night sky. Both hands dropped off his shoulders, then a large ungloved hand slid up his arm to come to rest underneath his own and gently encompassed it to softly rub the back of the lad's hand.The Prince General finally brought their arms down and partially turned him 'round to face him, and for a wonder, he was actually smiling fondly at his wide-eyed look instead of that all-knowing smug look. But, of course, this was Dreamland, so Aki supposed he should be seeing a flying purple cow go by any moment now. Actually, whose dream was this anyway?"Well, you called to me, so I suppose it's my dream, but does that really matter now, Akihito?" Aki shrugged. When it came to this, whatever this was, with Asami, and the amount of time he'd spent thinking of the dark man, awake or asleep, he'd stop trying to figure it out tonight, and just accept whatever happened this evening. The prince was the more "experienced" of the two of them, after all. He was the one who should lead.The general shifted and offered his hand up to him, and the blonde simply took it, too tired for nerves, too anxious about the battle to come, in need the man's strong arms for comfort and support. He closed his eyes and physically felt the man close in around him as a warm wall of strength and confidence, bigger than life, enveloped him. He felt protected, and something more, a feeling he couldn't name yet, quiet and persistent, start to grow within him. Looking up, he saw those golden eyes soften as they looked down into his, like the man could read his bare soul like an open scroll. It wasn't easy for his fighting nature, but this time the blonde was still, his eyelids sliding closed as Asami dipped his face in closer, feeling the warm breath on his face as their lips come together. They pressed together, nerve endings tingling, moving smoothly as one until Aki quietly gasped and Asami pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against the archer's. Aki kept his eyes closed, enjoying the closeness. His first kiss was strangely and unexpectedly sweet, and he knew he had seen through Asami's outer facades. Next morning woke him up with a hint of the general's taste still on his lips. Dream or not, last night had really happened. But he wasn't embarrassed. If anything had changed after that, he felt stronger and more determined than ever. He felt like he could conquer the world and bring his prince victory and pride in him, and when they met in person once more, he would do just that.
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Battalion Leader Zhou sat back in his saddle as he lifted his helmet off his head and wiped the sweat from his ever expanding forehead. When he was sold into the Baishe army by his father, he was still a youth, with a full head of hair, and no wrinkles. Now, all these years later, the exact opposite was true. His whole life had either been spent marching along with the troops in the dust, or leading them on horseback, stirring up the dust himself. He had neither home nor family, and any sons he might've sired were some camp follower's bastard somewhere. But, given a few more years, he'd be pensioned off with some monthly stipend, a small plot of land to farm and the freedom to be able to start his own family line, in thanks for faithfully serving his lord. The Baishe rulers weren't given to generosity by any means, but they did reward loyal service in their armies and navies. It was certainly better than he could've expected, living out a short, hard life in that shit hole of a village he'd come from. Watching as the last of the five wagons passed through to the other end of The Neck, a long narrow passage cut through the crumbling rock of an old riverbed canyon, barely wide enough for eight men to march abreast, he felt a sense of relief. Once the troop had unhitched the horses and manually pushed the cart partway around and backed it up, it was an easy downhill grade from here. They'd reach the next campsite at the base of the trail the scouts would've set up well before sundown, and then be protected by the road through the wide open plain until they reached the forest. Watching the horses being unhitched, his mind turned back to his new hobby and secondary job of plotting his future. Nowadays, he had earned enough seniority and hard-gained experience to be put in charge of the caravan taking plunder to their beachhead "port", and returning with supplies and weapons to keep their captured territory secured while sending out raiding parties to seize more. After that, it would be up to some younger military rulers to keep the captured land long enough for Baishe babies to be born among the barbarians here and get established, then slowly absorb this land's people into the Baishe Way. One, maybe two generations from now, it would be a prosperous colony for the Empire, fit for the youngest sons of lower noble families to expand their clan's treasury by moving here and settling in to trade. Within four generations, only those that looked, thought, and acted like Baishe people would remain. As for him, he'd go back to the Empire after his part in this war was done, sell the valuable trinkets he'd claimed for himself while putting together the various carts of plundered goods to enhanced his retirement, go to wherever his assigned farm was, and make a good living there, buy the prettiest, least troublesome young wife he could afford, then hopefully father a son or two in his last remaining decade to make his life worthwhile. If he had sons to carry his name, he'd be assured a comfortable existence in the Afterlife from those descendants who'd worship him with offerings fit for a Founding Ancestor. Then, if things went really well, he might even afford a mistress to get him away from home some nights. No way would he have a wife and a concubine share a room in the same small house! He was smart enough to know the written symbol for "trouble" was "two women under one roof" for a reason. And that was the last thought to pass through Zhou's mind just before Akihito's arrow did. As the body started to tumble off the startled horse, arrow sticking out of an eye socket, Sion pike men marched silently up the road leading to the cleared area where the carts were, long pikes extended ahead of them, blocking any escape route downwards. Only a small number of the newest Baishe men were still among the carts, allowing some of the more experienced soldiers to try to get into a defensive formation on the limited plateau. All movement stopped, however, as twanging was heard from the far end of The Neck that they'd all just passed through, followed by a whispering from on high, as if unseen spirits overhead were quietly speculating about the fate of the men below. As heads craned to turn and look up, a rain of arrows appeared, coming almost straight down at them. There was no time to react, no time for fear to take root. By the third and final wave of bolts hit the dirt, nothing out in the open was standing, much less moving. The pike men that had waited out the deadly downpour below the head of the trail swarmed among the wagons and the spooked abandoned horse teams, dispatching the remaining enemies, both hardened warriors and terrified raw recruits alike. By the time the blonde archer strode down the track with the bowmen to meet the soldiers, only the Sion troops were left. The tang of smoke and ash still hung in the mountainside air when the man reached the end of The Neck. Piled against the blackened stone rock side laid the remains of Baishe men, Commander Zhou unrecognizable now that what remained of the flesh of his body had melted together with the tallow and offal of the other corpses. Behind his owl faced helm, the man tried to block out the terrible smell of burnt meat and hair by breathing through his mouth. He knew that the practice of burning the bodies of fallen soldiers to be a military tradition in Sion territory, meant to honor and demonstrate respect and care for the souls released from the rotting bodies they once inhabited, even that of enemies, since warriors were well respected in this culture. But that didn't change the fact that Sion people as a whole were an inferior, barbaric people who barely knew anything about magic versus superstition, much less basic world knowledge; all in all, an archaic and backward race. It was shameful to have these near savages as a neighbouring kingdom and trading partner instead of a vassal state or a territory of the Baishe Empire in the owl man's eyes. Old Zhou had lost to Sion; that much was obvious, and even in the young man's limited experience, he didn't have to think too much to come to the conclusion that this had been one hell of a successful ambush. The wind rustled the brown feathery cloth layers of his hood and cape, and through the eyeholes of his owl helm he looked at the distance, over the top of the mountain, wondering where the Sion commander was who did this was, and when he could avenge these men he'd known. Circling in the air way above was his Companion, a snowy owl named Ghost that dove headlong, then swooped up at the last moment to perch on his raised gloved arm with a simple mental call from the man. "You watched everything from on high, didn't you? Tell me of what all you saw, my lovely." And using a mute language that only they could understand, she told him about the two-pronged attack, and of a straw-haired youth that had loosed the first arrow. Akihito was leaning against a rock by himself while the men merrily chatted about their easy victory as they secured the teams to the wagons. They meant to start their journey back to join the main troop that same day as the Prince had ordered, as there were still battles to be fought in the south. He smiled a little to himself, wondering if Takato would be proud of his first armed engagement without his best friend by his side. "I'm proud of you", he heard a deeper voice than his late friend had say as someone sat on another rock beside him. The blonde didn't need to look to know it was "Glasses", as his men called him behind his back, the Lord Kirishima. Knocked from his trail of thought, it took him a heartbeat to come back to himself. 'Oh, right...' the youth said to himself; being reminded once more how his reality has changed in the past months. "Really?" Aki sighed then smiled sadly, and that had Kirishima paying the lad some serious attention, as he wasn't being his normal self. "Last time I used an arrow on someone, I had to stab him up close to save myself." he muttered, playing with an arrowhead in his fingers. "I don't know how many people I've killed thus far, but I don't like wondering whose lives I've destroyed, both the one in the heat of battle, and those waiting back home." "Everything fights to survive", Lord Kirishima replied, "both the wolves when they hunt, and the deer when it flees. Think if you didn't fight, others wouldn't have to die? Life goes on for the farm boy safe at home, and maybe he won't ever have to engage in a fight in his life; but then maybe his hovel gets burned down by the enemy's army. Maybe he and his family get slaughtered like mutton, or maybe he needs people like us doing this dirty work to keep him safe so he'll have a normal life to lead, ignorant of the bloodshed beyond his fence. Takaba, you should be proud. You have fought bravely in the past, and today executed an outstanding victory that you planned and lead. If we get this war done with as quickly as possible, less people will have to die, and you will have helped save those lives." Getting up again, Kei went on, though he was loathe to admit this. "The reason my pike men and I didn't have to battle the enemy scouts all the way up from the base and alert the wagon train was because of you." Hazel eyes glanced up in surprise. "Having my men walk both facing forwards and backwards as they went down the trail yesterday to the base camp? And then have our scouts do the same twice both ways, with some leading their horses? Instead of signs of mounted warriors with marching soldiers, you left tracks in the dirt and gravel of many people and animals passing both ways up and down the mountain, as if coming and going to market day. I never would have thought of something like that, but you did, to disguise our passing and protect our men that were waiting for the Baishe below at the watering hole. You have a soul for mischief, Akihito," he added, not quite smiling. "I hope the Prince knows what he's in for, with you." Aki had never heard the man talk so much and he carefully absorbed his words. "Thank you", he soberly said. Kirishima nodded and turned. "We'll be leaving soon to water the horses and replenish our own supply below. Go see that your Dastard’s ready for travel." The lad was suddenly on his feet, pleading. "Hey! No, wait! Let me hunt something real quick! Tonight we should have a little victory celebration for our troop. Please?" Kirishima looked at the boy, and oh, by the fires of the Seven Dragons, how could he deny anything to those earnest puppy dog eyes; it would take a man made of far sterner stuff than he to do it. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose to block out those trembling pools of fretful pleading before capitulating. "Yes, okay, fine, but don't go off too far. Linger any longer than it takes to hitch the teams to the wagons, then water all the horses below, and I will find you, and I will drag you back by the scruff of your neck, making sure your arse hits every rock on the way down this mountainside. Understand?" "Okie dokie! I mean - yes sir!" He yelled behind him as he took off running, quiver and bow in hand. Since they hadn't gone back down to the camp yet, Kirishima supposed the boy couldn't go far without his mount, and as the men would be heading back in high spirits that afternoon with no casualties to slow their progress, his prince would be more than pleased with the results of this venture and forgive his leniency in this case, he was sure. The ridiculousness of the situation would not go unnoticed afterwards, once Aki woke up and understood what had befallen him that morning He'd been hunting marmots for a little celebration later, complete with roasted meat that evening as they rested for the night, on their first leg back to the Prince and Sion's main army. He knew he shouldn't wander off on his own too far, but as pumped as he was after the ambush, he needed some time to himself to cool off. True, he was a bit distracted, but in his defense, no one ever expected an attack from above. Wasn't that how they'd won against the raiders, after all? His was set on bagging a few more “guests” to have for dinner when his instincts suddenly screamed and he dodged to the side in time to avoid huge talons tearing at his eyes as he stumbled over some loose rocks, the sound of leather tearing and the scattering of loose stones all to be heard.
The snowy owl's flight angled up again against the sporadic clouds, swiftly, to flip over and dive relentlessly towards Aki's head again, feet extended. He must have stepped too close a nest, he thought, although... Wasn't this too far south for the bird’s range, mountains or no? This time, talons pierced deep into an arm that he threw up to protect his face at the last moment. "Again!" He heard a male voice call out, and that's when he realized he hadn't wronged the bird, but rather was being hunted himself. There was so little he could do with the owl’s talons clutching him ('Gods! The wingspan's longer than Kou’s tall!', he thought wildly) and the slope he was on was less than stable, which meant risking sliding or falling several arm lengths to firmer ground below, but he wasn't going down without a fight... Or so he thought, before hearing a slowly speeding up "whop whop whop" through the air. His attacker was whirling a bola over his head, three ropes tied in such a way that they had the knotted ends form a central handle to hold onto while each of the other ends were wrapped around a weight and swung over the user's head. A weapon used mostly in open spaces to bring down large game, or used by those wishing to capture live wild cattle and horses, (or in this case, a wild blonde archer), and in the hands of an experienced user, there would be no escape. When the bola was spinning at top speed, it was aimed and released in one movement, and the ends wrapped tightly around his legs. The owl was fiercely locked onto him, beating its wings furiously, keeping him upright even as the talons starting to rend his skin and muscles. With no time to think or plan, he felt around the slope above him and grabbed up a stone and threw it with all his might at the direction the bola had flown from. The man he aimed at was wearing a cloak made of scraps of cloth the colour of their surroundings that flowed about him and covered a metal helmet with the face guard worked into an owl’s visage. The rock hit the mask right at the apex of the nose/curved beak, taking a chip off an inside corner of an eye hole as it bounced off with a dull clang. Then it all happened in a blink: what looked like a flaming coal appeared in mid-air, before it unrolled itself to reveal a sleek fire salamander. The owl released its grip on him as a long fiery reptile tail whipped out and charred the feathers around the owl’s talons. As it screeched and clawed its way back up into the air, huge silent wings momentarily blocked out the sun. Thrown off balance by the sudden release, Aki landed in a heap and got the wind partly knocked out of him. After he caught his breath, he lifted his dazed head up to see what was going on around him and noticed his arm was bleeding enough for a trail of bright red to drip in rivulets down his arm and be leftas droplets on the ground beneath him. When the owl stooped to attack once more, the archer's eyes widened as he tried to wiggle out of the way and caused himself to slide down the gravel of the slope sideways, then got caught in a minor rockslide of his own making. Disoriented, tumbled about and unable to brace for impact with his bound legs and no balance from a flailing and an injured arm, he fell several times a man's height off a sudden embankment to strike the hard ground below and went still.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The potent silence in the council tent could've blunted a copper knife. Lord Suoh and the General poured over a hastily scrawled map while the King’s messenger stood stiffly nearby, reciting his news while steadfastly maintaining eye contact with the far side of the canvas, dreading how the message was being received. Fortunately, both leaders were far too involved with formulating and discarding a myriad of possible plans to the latest news to notice the slight in common courtesy. And disturbing news it was indeed: a large military Rus camp had been reported being erected within striking distance of the nor'eastern border of Sion.Finally, the taut silence cracked. "What was the King's response?" Asami questioned, eyes still intently on the map.Mitarai replied carefully. "Your Grace, His Sovereign enjoins you and the High Officials of the North to return to the capital as quickly as possible for a conclave about the possibility of war on a second front."After a moment the prince stood upright and turned to Lord Suoh. "I need you to prepare a brief message to send to Kirish-…" before he froze in place, his attention caught on some far horizon."…Your Grace?" Suoh prodded; still in proper form in front of strangers; wary of the other's actions and distances and prepared to act.The prince, however, was no longer aware of his surroundings. It came upon him so suddenly he didn't even notice his attentiveness shift from his physical locale. A frantic heartbeat accompanied by a sharp squeeze around his chest that made it hard to breathe was his only perceptions beyond his own growing rage. He glimpsed frantic hazel eyes, glassy and confused, right before he lost his mind. Akihito!--------- "RYUICHI!" Suoh thundered. Asami had never heard his cousin roar so up close before, especially using his own name. "What's wrong with you, Yui?!"He relaxed his stance as his vision cleared and he came back to himself. Around them, a small congress of fire salamander writhed and played amid canvas walls dripping flames. The tent was burning down around them. Within moments, most of the Elementals had been dismissed as the fire died out under Asami's control, saving most of the wooden travel furniture, aside from the odd scorch mark or soot deposit here or there. Once they were clear of the ruined canvas, he noted how the elder brother of his knave's friend clutched the rumpled map to his chest, pale with shock at the sudden turn of events. He turned to his cousin and found Suoh's face flushed and bathed with sweat. He also took notice of the drips of blood down the man’s elbow, and the swords clenched in both their Suoh's hands. What in the Hells...?"By the Seven Dragons, Ryuichi, what's wrong with you?! Out of blue, you got this murderous look in your eyes and mere moments later, your salamanders starting popping up here and there, everything was catching fire, and you had your sword drawn. Against me! I had to engage you before you killed us by blaze or blade..." Suoh's ranting died off, mostly due to his shortness of breath.Asami noticed now the hand the other man kept pressed to his chest and the blood seeping from between his fingers. "Did I strike too deep?""What? This? I'll be fine, but weeping gods, I was worried for you. What the hell was that?!""That was the boy."Suoh frowned. "You mean Akihito? Wha-""He's in danger. I can feel it. And him." The prince sheathed his sword after wiping his friend's blood from the blade onto his palm, then applying it to Suoh's wound. "I need to get him back. Now." Asami all but growled, turning his back and walking away from the blackened remains of the tent as the cut on Souh's chest healed."What you mean? Hey! Don't ignore me!?" Suoh followed him, feeling the stares of the soldiers that had rushed to the threat of the fire surround them. "I mean, your pardon, Your Grace, but what are you plan-""I told you. I'm getting him back. Myself.""You can't! Asami-sama, your father... My Prince, the time of our attack is drawing nigh, the King has called for a war council in the Capital in a scant week or so -""I know." Asami replied, turning his resolute gaze to the man that easily caught up to his angry strides. "You'll lead our troops back to the Capital and then attend the meeting for us if Kirishima or I aren't there. The attack can wait. It makes no difference if the enemy gets a few days closer or not, there are plenty of bridges to pick from between here and the Capital. I will come as soon as possible, once I retrieve the boy. …And summon Kei.""Your Grace, m'lord, your pardons, but just what the hell am I supposed to tell the King?" Mitarai asked plaintively, jogging after them to keep up."The truth. We were in a closed meeting. I sensed imminent danger, and drew fire elementals to me to help deal with it. In fact," he gritted out, directing his golden gaze to another scene only he could behold, "I'm sending one of my most trusted ones ahead of me right now." And with that, he pointed to one of the larger fire salamanders that had followed in his wake. It flowed within a pod of its own flames as it swam and swirled about in midair, then winked out of sight as the seething man called for his horse to be made ready for travel. Immediately.-------- It wasn't real. He knew that much since he could see through his own hand; he was translucent. He was just unsure if that was his dream or someone else's, maybe a memory lost in time since the feelings with it were totally unfamiliar. He wanted to call out to the prince, but somehow, in the back of his mind, he didn't want to disturb the peaceful quiet around him; in some way, that just didn't seem right.He was moving down a path through a deep forest and everything was still. The leaves and insects seemed frozen in midair, but he could hear the wind sighing above him. He didn't know how long he walked until he finally found her, standing in a forest glade, with her soft pretty hands caressing her round belly, talking softly. Loosely piled silvery blonde tendrils of hair covered her lowered face like an exotic veil. A beautiful crown made of tiny woodland Lady Slipper orchids was resting on her head, and the simple cream coloured dress that she wore made her look like an angel."Can you feel it, musuko (my son)? Your haha's (mommy's) love for you, my little Akihito?" she murmured, gazing down at her tummy. Akihito gulped, not really that surprised. The sweet, mousy-haired woman that gave birth to Kou, that'd called him "son" for so many years, wasn't the mother that gave birth to him. And he realized suddenly that, having lost both mothers and the man that raised him as his own, really did mean he and Kou were now orphaned and alone in the world."Now listen up, little one: I need you to be strong and wise and brave, like your chichi (daddy). One day, you'll need it all to bring a little peace and harmony to this stifling, violent world, to prepare the way... And for that, never forget - " her image had become fuzzy, as if a mist had floated in between them. It was getting hard to keep his attention on her and he fell on his knees, feeling weakened as her voice grew faint. "Whenever you need to, call on his name. He was born to give you his protection, you know...""Ryuichi..." Akihito heard his own voice breathe out, unbidden, before the dizziness overwhelmed him.--------When Aki came back to himself, he was once again in a dream. But this dream he knew and liked, having relived it nearly every night since he left the main camp. It was the day before Kirishima and he had headed out with their troop for the then upcoming ambush, and with all but the last moment rushing around done, it was a day of rest for the ones departing. He and Kou had left the camp early and gone fishing at a nearby river. Their bait already in the water, with wine corks acting as bobbers for the strings tied to their freshly cleaned tree limb rods, they lazed about on the bank near where some deadfalls lay in the water, talking about nothing and enjoying the day. Kou already knew that the Prince and Lord Suoh would be looking out for him during his brother's time away, and while he seemed a teeny tiny bit nervous that his ani might not come back this time, he did his best to hide it.By lunch, they'd broken out the sweet buns and dipped them into the crocks of soft cheese, then scrounged for some early strawberries for dessert. Akihito had to admit, they'd both done well under the ample food allotment of the Prince's forces. He was not so scrawny and lanky anymore, and Kou had put on enough weight to actually starting growing again. His friends among the pages, Tristan in particular, were slowly starting to have their manners and propriety rub off on his little brother, and Kou's antics were starting to remind the other boys that that they were, in fact, still boys. Pranks and harmless mischief were beginning to become a daily occurrence about camp now.Lord Suoh had begun training the blonde archer in other standard weapons and in the use of shields that a knight had to be familiar with, and had quietly introduced him to his own private collection of rare and unusual arms. His complaints of the Prince's pig sticker's size and bulkiness had made Kirishima grind his teeth to hear such a valuable and high-status weapon referred to in such a way, but Suoh had merely grunted and quietly gave the prince's knave a smaller, more easily handled (and hidden) knife for his everyday use. It looked like a long tear drop-shaped pair of matching wood pieces fastened together by a metal pin on each end. But, within the handle was hidden a short, double edged blade with a spring that he could easily open one-handed by pushing one of the pins to the side with a thumb while he flicked his wrist outward.This soon became his "go to" knife for all manner of jobs, from cutting rope to trimming raw sticks he'd transform into arrow shafts, to cleaning and gutting the Brook Trout they were catching by the handful today. While Aki worked on the fish then tossed them into a wicker basket and put it back into shallow running water to keep them fresh, Kou amused himself by separating the swim bladder from the entrails with a stick, carefully scooping them up without puncturing them and carrying several at a time slightly downstream a bit before tossing them in and watching them bob along the eddies on top of the water, racing along, before they finally got carried away out of sight.As the day grew warmer, the brothers traveled downstream a bit before they came to a fair sized bay that emptied into a small woodland lake. Reeds grew along the shallow bank where the sun poked through clumps of trees. A bit of a natural sand and gravel beach, warmed by sunshine, was the perfect place to spread out the linen towels to sit down and lay their outer clothes on, but the boys soon got restless with the peace and quiet, and the blonde decided to show Kou how to skip stones across the surface of the water. Their father had taught Akihito how to do it when he was about his brother's age, so he was going to pass on this family tradition in his turn.He helped Kou find some flat, smooth stones that'd fit into his palm, and showed him how to hold them between the pads of his thumb and fore finger. Getting down as low to the ground as they could, Aki then demonstrated how Kou should hold his arm out from his shoulder, cocking his elbow back before he quickly twisted an underhand throw from the wrist and let the stone fly. Five skips across the calm surface was his reward before it slipped beneath the water. Kou cheered and tried his hand at it. After several failed attempts, he finally succeeded with two weak skips, but with several more tries, he refined his technique and was soon competing with his ani for the longest distance and the most number of skips each turn.They each had one stone left, and had just released their throws in tandem when a third stone off to the side skipped past theirs, bouncing off the surface of the water nine times before it landed on the far bank. Kou leapt up and whooped in surprised delight as his big brother hung his head and face palmed himself, 'Of course...,' he sighed, not even having to see who it was that his little brother shouted welcome to with such enthusiasm, 'Who else?' Alongside Kou's astonished friends Tristan and Faia, the Warlord himself stood with an amused grin on his face, tossing another stone up and down in his hand. Turning to the pages, he tipped his other large hand and let his remaining collection of "skippers" tumble down into their cupped hands before he headed over to the blonde, tousling Kou's dark hair in greeting as he passed."Enjoying your outing with your brother, Akihito?" the warm, deep voice called out as he drew nearer. Aki nodded his head affably enough. "Yes, it was agreeable, Sir..." he said with a fake smile, the '...until you showed up...' part being left unsaid. The Prince chuckled as if he understood what the blonde was thinking, then came to stand beside him, looking over the bay. "Any luck fishing?” he asked. Aki nodded, not even wondering how the man knew what he and Kou had been up to earlier. He was a Warlock, wasn't he? Plus, his men were his eyes and ears, everywhere... Yeah, that idea was only mildly disturbing. "Of course. Kou and I caught plenty for you, the lords and us to have a proper supper tonight."The prince hid the tiny sting of disappointment he felt when he heard he wouldn't be having a last quiet private meal with the blonde before his departure. Ah well, there'd be time for that in the future. Meanwhile, the boys had run out of stones to skip, and now wanted to splash about in the water, and Akihito was going in with them. The prince decided to stay on land, not only in case something unexpected came up that wouldn't wait for him to dry himself off and redress, (though the thought of a certain brightly blushing knave of his, desperately trying to look everywhere but at his wet, exposed body, did have some appeal to it), he decided to stay on land, using the excuse that he'd keep watch for any danger that may be about. Though, truth be told as he settled down, he suspected if there were any beasties about, Dastard would've been here, taking care of them already. Instead, he sat on a sun warmed towel, absently watching the boys shuck off their casual attire and fling them about randomly as they ran whooping loudly into the lake, while Akihito, playing at being the "responsible adult", took his clothes off, dropped them into a somewhat neat pile on the other towel, then dashed in after them, making an even bigger splash than them.They all bobbed about like apples in a basin, occasionally dunking each other under the water or starting up water fights with the others. Aki, having more years to practice, showed off his swimming skills by diving underwater and retrieving bright clam shells or colourful water polished stones from the gravel lake bottom. The Warlock's golden eyes gleamed whenever the blonde did, for in diving deep, he would partly propel himself out of the water and jackknife down at his waist, exposing his creamy wet buttocks for a moment for all of Nature to see. 'Quite the appetizer before dinner', the dark haired warrior thought with an appreciative glint. 'I wonder if he even knows that he's doing it, the little tease. Well, two can play at that game...'...And next time the fearless archer broke the surface with another treasure from the deep, he happened to glance over at the beach where his patron waited, and damn near choked on a bit of duckweed as his mouth dropping open. There, on the towel, lay the Prince of Sion, breeches rolled up over his knees and lower legs unfettered of wrappings and walking boots. Helpless to stop himself, his hazel eyes travelled up from those large elegant feet, along the toned lower limbs to where the linen breeches covered thighs built and strengthened by combat and days of riding. Above the leather belt strap laid a naked masculine torso, hard muscle ridges and a brawny chest leading up to the broad shoulders and muscled arms of the man. His tunic had been discarded and was bundled up, under the strong hands that cradled his head as he lay stretched out in the sun. Aki blinked and closed his mouth after a shaky exhalation, not really sure what was causing the flurry of feelings and the tightening of his own stomach muscles at the sight of the other man spread out before him, but he was glad he had managed to catch a quick breath of air before the boys attacked him together, driving his head under the surface amid flailing limbs, lots of splashing and copious amounts of laughter.Minutes later, the battle was over, and a soggy Akihito emerged victorious on to land, his brother clutching his own elbows as he dangled from his ani's shoulders down his back, while the other two little hellions were each secured in a headlock under one of the blonde's arms. When he released Faia and Tristan as his little bro slid down his back, he realized he was short some covering as the boys were sharing Kou's towel among themselves, and the prince was sitting on his. Just as he was feeling a bit uncomfortable being naked around the man, something flumped over his head and blocked out his sight. Pulling the towel off his head, he was just in time to see his master's Prince's arms and head disappear into the tunic he'd pulled over his head before bringing it down into place, eyes leveled at the blonde, who was staring open mouthed again. His knave went pink and quickly turned to dry himself off and get dressed as the boys ran off to gather the waiting fish from their spot in the river before heading back to camp.All in all, a pleasant way to spend their last day together, the prince decided.--------- Even before he had the chance to read it, Shinji knew something big was happening elsewhere with Ryuichi and his men. The parchment was blackened along the sides, meaning fire had licked around its edges. Given that the prince wasn't one to be careless with a message, that was extremely disturbing. What in Gaia’s name would make Ryu set fire to anything in his own tent?The messenger bird flew out of there faster than a bat given leave from Hell. Not even crows liked extreme cold temperatures, though they stayed the winters here, and Shinji felt bad for the poor creature for a second or two. It wasn't even time for the first haying yet, so the crow wouldn't have the extra feather it grew in the autumn for warmth. But, knowing Ryu, he had probably put a fire elemental inside its body temporarily to survive delivering the missive here.He hurried his steps to his chambers, his boot cleats helping him to walk on the sheer ice, since the floors were covered in several inches of it. In fact, this hall beside one of the castle towers was covered every bit in ice and snow, and not just the normal type, but the magical kind since Shinji was an rare Ice Warlock, and wouldn't have it any other way. He had made quite a reputation for himself, the aloof, powerful and feared Lord of Ice, since any common noble title weren't fit for one in his position. A man of apparently mysterious origins, without family or title, if not for being the king's own ward, he wouldn't be anything but a wandering wizard, sculpting ice statues for nobles' parties or keeping harvests cool in root cellars for pay.Even now, a grown man who had proved himself deserving of his position, his unquestionable authority of the Laws in the King's Name, his remarkable intelligence and fearful cunning, plus his imposing stature and dark good looks, there were more than a few who whispered that he was another bastard of the King's. Behind his cool facade, though, he'd yearned for this rumor to be true. The King was an honourable man, and being Asami Ryuichi's little brother wouldn't be bad at all. He knew the possibility was real, after all, the Queen Consort was a manipulative bitch, and those unhappily close to her knew very well, no matter how discreet, what the King and Prince's reactions were to her spitefully childish mind games.That was the very reason why he had been given leave to freeze over this part of the castle, as protection for himself from the Queen's minions with their stupid attempts at mayhem to curry her favour. Normal people wouldn't be able to get close to his personal chambers, and here at least he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder constantly. And it was here, in his personal study, that he opened the parchment to see Suoh's short, curt message and hurried handwriting; again, other signs of bad tidings from afar.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Aki didn't want to open his eyes; his head ached far too much to do that... Well, not only his head really, but most of HE ached too much to do that. He didn't know what or who was out there, but he felt someone was watching him rather intently, close up. He also sensed a distinct lack of "Asami-ness" about him, and for some reason, that absence was disheartening.'Get a grip!' he sternly told himself. Really. What was happening to him; all his life he'd been a fighter, counting only on himself, and his father, and then Takato. What difference did it make if that arrogant charming prick was with him or not? He took a deep breath and peeled open one eyelid, cautiously and carefully. He likely would've screamed if his throat wasn't so dry, and he surely would've jerked away if his back wasn't so tender and sore, up and down. Because close-up, a tiny face was looking at him, almost eyeball to beady eyeball."He is awake! Yay!!!" a young fairy lad shouted, jumping up and dancing on the human's chin, too happy to mind his manners. "Hey, everyone, he woke up!"A group of noisy fairies fluttered about him, talking among themselves about his state of being like he wasn't even there."He's gonna be okay now?""What about his leg?""I wanna see the colour of his eyes!""Is he a human or a not-human, then?""Ugh! What he needs most is a bath!"He tried to sit up slowly, but a jolt of pure agony burned up his leg, stealing his breath away, making him pant. Once the pain died down, he started cursing with gusto, causing some fairies to flee in disbelief, gasp either in horror or applaud his creative use of their language. Which, he realized with a burning blush, he could understand and speak quite perfectly."Careful, child!" The eldest one of them scolded mildly. The color of her wings were like iridescent glass, sliding from shades of lilac to ice blue on some points, then green to aqua in others as they moved, and her silver hair was tinged in blue as it reached down beyond her dangling little feet, adorable as all get out. "We've tried to keep it still, but your bones just won't heal as fast as we anticipated."He looked down at his leg and the sight of the jagged tips of his tibia bone poking out through his shin made him sick. An exposed green stick fracture; just freakin' great.The fairies seemed to have made an attempt to support it, as there were vines and long flower stems wrapped above and below the punctured area, and some of their fairy spells had been written on his skin, using his own blood as ink. But their hopeful bright eyes made the whole scenario strangely cute. Also, it was sorta unusual for fairies go out of their own way so much to help out a defenseless human."...Thank you. Thank you all.""Now you have to make a bargain with us!" said the same enthusiastic fairy youth from earlier, who was now bouncing happily about on his chest."Not yet." The leader admonished, even as she winked at Aki. "For now, the human-looking boy needs to rest." She flew closer to his face, looking intensively at him, like trying to solve a puzzle, but it was just for a blink or two before she nodded to herself."Uh, as far as I know, ma'am, I am a human," Aki murmured, yawning out loud, somewhat amused despite the situation. She was right, though: no matter how long he had been out, he needed some honest rest. So, closing his eyes, he layed his head back onto his mossy pillow, and fell into a deep slumber almost immediately. The next time he woke up, the sunlight was playing through the leaves above him at a different angle, and he saw Lord Kirishima resting nearby with his back supported against a tree trunk with at least one horse close by, judging by the soft huffing. The man was so exhausted; his head was resting forward on his chest, so that one could barely see the worn look on his face while he was snoring away softly."He has been working hard on your behalf." Aki heard. It was the head fairy again, sitting on a nearby twig growing close to his ear."Yeah?" Akihito's throat was even barely hurting now. Whatever magic that had been used on him made him feel better, although a stray glance at his leg told him a whole different story. "W-what happened?"She laughed. "Shouldn't I be the one asking these things, child? When we found you both, you were lying in a pool of your own blood and the other one over there was desperately chanting a spell over you to keep your spirit within your body.""What?!" Akihito, forgetting, tried to sit up once again, and the blistering pain made him nauseous. Clenching his jaw, he held his howl in for dear life, uncaring about the sweat dripping down his neck so as not to disturb his mystic saviors. "Please don't move just yet." She said, frowning slightly at the blonde."He... saved my life with a 'binding spirit' spell of some kind?"The elder fairy sighed. "No. I mean, he was using his best healing spells on you that he knew, trying to keep you alive. Let me tell you, he's a pretty learned mage; for a younger human, that is." That explained Kei's exhausted state. Poor fellah."But even though that helped, he was limited by the extent of his knowledge. If you were purely human, you wouldn't be alive right now. I'd call that lucky! ...Or blessed..." What in the hells was she talking about? Akihito tried again, patiently, his recent dream not coming to mind. "But I am human. As were my parents who raised me, as is my brother."She seemed to consider the thought again for a moment, then shook her head and smiled kindly. "Anyhow. We lent him a bit of our powers so that he may recover his strength faster. And he'd better do that soon, as this place by itself is none too safe. And, judging by your military outfits, I daresay we're likely closer to your enemies than your allies."Great. Just great."I hate to ask too much from you all since you've helped me so much already, and aided my comrade too, but is there anything to be done about my leg? I need them both sound and well... I need to be able to ride to get back to my prince..." he gulped and blushed. "T-to report.""I see." she considered. "Well, to be honest, the question itself is somewhat rude. I mean, of course, we have enough magic among us to mend you, child. We haven't done that properly yet only because there's a custom we must see through, first.""Sure." He nodded politely, not understanding anything at all. "What is it, then?"She grinned, her black eyes glinting with mischief and magic. "We must forge an agreement between us. Our help earlier was a tribute to someone that another fairy gifted with a Kiss of Understanding. So, what can we expect in return for our offered healing service!"**********The first summer after his mother's death, young Ryuichi went on a personal quest to collect flowers to decorate her grave with. Her Flower Sigil had been the Amaryllis, but he wasn't gonna find them here during the summer. 'Lilies, then. She loved tall poofy white flowers', he decided.One of his father's court sages had taught him how to not forget someone's face, because Ryu had been afraid of doing so with his mother. The advice had been, "Remember what she loved, or what she loved to do, and think on it often." Fair enough. She'd loved his father, and she loved to cultivate flowers, and one of the special memories he had of her was one time when he had been spying on them, "alone", in her private garden at the Asami Keep. His father was laughing his heart out, after his Mom had tucked a large, exotic bloom of her special flower behind his ear. The left ear, of course, for "taken"."Amaryllis, huh. You recall its blooms represent femininity?" His father teased, and Ryu had tried hard not to giggle out loud. The man was like a mountain to him, strong and tall, black bearded with dark mysterious eyes, like Tiger's Eye gems in firelight . Definitely not feminine in the least."Yes, my dear, but that's not everything. Remember, it also represents pride." Even little, Ryuichi knew she was ignoring the "purity and innocence" parts on purpose.His father smiled, playing her game. "Well then. Think you the flower sets off my dainty leather jerkin?""Absolutely!" She laughed as he swept her up in his arms and twirled her around the garden stepping stones.There was no laugher in their home anymore. Even the servant kids weren't the usual noisy brats anymore inside the castle. The prince had been rather stoic as became the grandson of the King; aside from his immediate family from birth, his comrades naturally weren't much different. Sarcastic little Kiki would snort once in a while or add a snide comment here or there, and ‘Umi could be mistaken for a deaf/mute or a tree stump most days, what with his lack of response. Later on came Shinji ("Jiji"), and he was such a quiet, serious, obedient little boy that their mostly hushed harmony had never been broken. Ryuichi didn't mind much, as there really was no time or room to be a normal child in the Royal Family then anyways. His hero cousin and parents had tried to kill him, and they likely weren't the first, nor would they be the last ones to try. A large vividly coloured fox that'd looked him up and down before crossing his path made him break his stride. Looking around at the thick mossy trunks and dense dark greenery of the underbrush made him realized he was in unfamiliar territory. He was lost. Again. So much for not having time to be a child.He sighed and sat on an old tree trunk, feeling kinda tired. His black hair was dump at his nape, and he wanted to splash around a little to cool off, but he couldn't hear the stream he had been following now. Truth be told, he was probably so deep in the forest by now, it could've been anyone's guess. He stayed there for some time, not really eager to go further into the woods, knowing chances were that any direction he took, he'd be leaving the Keep further behind.But eventually he went, walking over the stones and twigs, stepping on wild flowers and grabbing only the berries he recognized to eat. He was so darn hungry but he was keeping his little catch for later, in case he was still off-track and he couldn’t ignore his hunger anymore. His morsel was tied to his belt, drained of blood already so as to not attract big hungry animals. The squirrel had a clean, quick death and he was proud of himself for that. Even though Kei had shown him how to throw a knife with some accuracy recently, his knew his kill had been more luck than skill anyway.The sun slid further down behind the trees, and as the hours passed, he grew worried. He gathered some loose rocks into a small circle and summoned up a fire over the twigs and dead branches he'd found. The squirrel was cleaned and spiked on a stick over it and its guts were disposed of away from his camp, the flayed skin scraped clean as much as could be by the boy's unskilled hands. In light of his previous adventure, he had begun to be trained in survival skills, but he still had much to learn.He ate his meager meal and watched the flames for a time, considering whether to put the fire out and keep going, or just stay there for the night that was coming on. A refreshing breeze brought a scent to him that he'd been searching for earlier, fresh water and flowers in bloom. Looking at him from across the little fire, a ghostly white deer stood. He got up, slowly and quietly, awed by the sight. No way could that be just a regular deer. For a split second he wondered if was his Mom's spirit, but somehow, deep down, he knew it wasn't. It quietly stamped its hoof, like it was impatient to move, and Ryuichi saw that where it had moved, its body seemed to thin out somehow, like a fog that was rolling in in waves. He'd kicked dirt to smother the fire without breaking eye contact with it, as he feared it might leave him. And when he was done, the "deer" turned away from him, not the least bit nervous or restless. "This, is no regular deer" Ryuichi decided with certainty, as he followed the apparition.They could have walked an hour, or five minutes - there was no way of knowing - when he saw the daisies. A whole glade of sweet grass and huge Shasta daisies, hidden away in a glen among the trees. He glanced at the animal before reaching out and collecting an armload of the flowers, confused why the spirit deer had guided him here, but so very grateful that it had. He didn't expect the deer to patiently wait for him, but it did. Finally it turned away after it had made sure the boy was looking at him attentively.‘He's guiding me.’ Ryu thought, trying to make a connection through the fire elemental that lived within him and the forest spirit. Somehow he knew those things had nothing to do with each other, but then again, why else would a forest entity be helping him out. Neither was known for openly showing themselves, much less helping lost people find their way.Nevertheless, there it was, the forest spirit standing next to some flowery vines. The flower, Ryuichi recognized, was clematis, Kei's own sigil. He went closer to it, and the deer didn't move away, utterly unafraid. Behind the vines, the boy could see the old broken wall they were growing on, not really too far, and beyond that, the top of the slate shingled roof of the Keep in the distance. But, how?He looked to the deer but he was alone once more. "As expected" he muttered. The White Deer had used its magic to transport him back home. But why?The prince had never told anyone about it, thinking over time that the memory was, in fact, a daydream. He'd explained that he had covered his mother's grave with the gathered blossoms and simply lost track of time (or so he'd said), and as months and years passed, that made more and more sense then what had really happened, and he never questioned it ever again. Until now. Shimo was used to having magic move he and his master from one place to another, though he didn't care for the sensations the gathering power caused him to feel, and he tossed his head in annoyance when they arrived at their destination along a riverbank between a mountain and the forest. Awaiting them was a big white spectral deer like Asami remembered from so long ago, blocking their path. The Prince didn't know if that was the same entity as from his past, though what did that matter? For all he knew, right now, he might have fallen ill at camp, maybe even feverish, and was having delusional dreams in his tent.Horse and deer, however, had no such doubts. They kept their ears pricked forward as they sniffed the other's nose and snorted softly, introducing themselves. The palid deer then looked at him directly and nodded its head once. Asami nodded back, and nudged Shimo forward toward the deer, which turned away slowly, ready to guide the prince to wherever it was that he needed to be. ********* The young man stroked his helm with his toughened finger tips, pissed because that fucking Sion prick had damaged his most precious possession. His owl helmet was made of hardened metal by skilled smiths, and the chip from the eyehole wouldn't be able to be easily repaired."Report."He huffed, but this was General Yoh's straight out order, so he turned to him, red faced with shame and frustration. "Battalion Leader Zhou fell at the Neck with all of his men. They got ambushed, dying disgracefully within a few minutes, barely having had a chance to react. My familiar saw it all and told me. I felt I had to try and avenge this insult to Baishe honour myself."Now this was interesting: both the Emperor's general and the Lui's lesser prince Feilong reacted with the same wide eyes and raised brows, seemingly impressed with the ambush itself. Grudgingly, even he had to admit that it had been quite the achievement."Who lead the Sion force?" The general asked, attention tuned in to him now tenfold. "The lord called Kirishima? That trap showed some remarkable foresight."He felt a bit sick now. He knew that this general was a good man, but he seemed to ignore the fact that they'd lost a whole battalion. Then again, dying during war was to be expected of soldiers. Seems he still had a need to man up a bit.The prince, meanwhile, was silently brushing his river of black hair, dark eyes fixed on him."It was a blonde guy, around my age. He was-""Blonde?" The prince broke in, truly alert now, and the young man wondered if blondes were of interest to Feilong, beyond any use as a status symbol, and his cheeks immediately burned like fire. Quickly lowering his head to look at his visor again, he hid his secret. Crushing on anyone above his station, prince or not, was such a foolish thing to do."Yes, my prince. Hazel eyed, pale hued, athletic, about my height.""Was he well dressed for an archer?"At the outfit’s mention, Tao remembered while tracking the Sion guy, he thought how the protective leather looked smooth and dark, no wear and tear to be seen, but still mobile and comfortable looking. Was that some rich, noble kid then, playing at soldier for sport? But then again, that "noble kid" had just lead the slaughter a whole battalion without his soldiers breaking a sweat."Yes.""Interesting..." prince Feilong mused, humming in thought over this piece of information like it was a tiny delicacy. This made his jealousy grow a bit more."You said you wanted vengeance." Yoh spoke, steering debriefing back on track. "What did you do? What happened to the enemy force? I assume they took our supplies and wagons.""Yes sir, they did. I followed the guy further down the mountain, away from the main group, and managed to strike, but..."""But?"", the general pressed."I didn't get the chance to capture or kill him. For the Seven Dragons, I swear, a fucking fire salamander materialized out of the air in front of me! I was taken unawares! I stumbled back and fell on my ass because of it.""…A fire salamander?!"“Surprised” was the understatement to this news. General Yoh and the prince stared at each other, speechless, and he was getting nervous. Was that fire elemental really so important?"You're saying a fire salamander protected the boy?"He gulped and nodded. "W-Why?" But the general didn't answer him. Instead, he stepped back and ran his hand through his hair in thought, messing it up. Now he was officially getting worried."Then what happened!" Feilong demanded as he stood up and strode toward him, onyx eyes glittering with excitement, like he couldn't quite contain himself."He fell, I don't know... Like, several men's height? I thought he might've died, as he deserved to, but when I reached the area his body would've landed, there were at least a couple sets of horse hoof prints and he had been dragged off to them. A high ranking soldier with dark hair shorn close to his scalp was tending to him. I... I wasn't in any condition to fight, and judging by the concealed weapons the man had about himself, he must've been good at throwing knives, so, I left...""By the Fire.. " the general muttered to himself "That was Kirishima Kei himself!"Prince Feilong sported a predatory smirk that gave the young man the shivers. This didn't bode well. At all."M-my prince…?""Tao. Well done, my dear one. I believe you may have just poked a dragon where it's rather tender. Sion's prince himself seems to be protecting that boy. We need to get ahold of him. Now."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The White Deer, his spirit guide, disappeared for a moment, but the prince wasn't worried. As everyone knew, white animal spirits were benevolent and loyal servants to the Green Lord, a powerful forest god that was mostly forgotten by humans nowadays.The deer reappeared about twenty meters ahead, on top of a rock pile that thrust up above the local trees and scrub, looking down at them with somber eyes. Below the deer was a tumbled down and mossy standing stone, dried earth clumps still clinging to its base. And between them, Asami caught sight of his assailant. But he felt certain this wasn't a trap, per say, but instead, it seemed more like a test of some kind. The various rustling and clicking sounds made when it scuttled bothered Shimo his warhorse, as he felt the muscles twitch beneath the stud's hide. He didn't blame his mount, as only a few meters ahead, taller than himself on his horse, an atrocious giant centipede, an Ōmukade, reared up. A man eater with noxious breath and an unbroachable brown carapace, its venomous orange legs stretched out like multiple claws from beneath the overlapping layers of its armour. The monster was known to be a man-eater, its modus operandi consisted of pulling off the limbs of its mountain traveler victims one by one. Some creatures seemed to gorge themselves on human agony, he supposed, not being in any particular moral position himself to judge them. The white deer looked positively bored now, and the prince chuckled. Whoever has sent the guide for him wasn't oblivious to his power, and he watched, murmuring calming words to Shimo as about a half dozen more monsters of varying size gathered around them. Shimo piaffed, mouthing the bit as he appeared to trot in slow motion while remaining in the same place; certainly not liking the situation, but he was well trained, and he trusted his master, so he neither bucked nor bolted. When the monsters clustered closer around him, close enough to make his horse snort in disgust at their metallic smell, Asami closed his eyes and invoked the fire goddess; he didn't really need the goddess' blessing, he simply did it out of respect for the source of his power. When he opened his blazing eyes, the irises were like molten rocks, a dangerous amber orange. With a sweep of his arm, barely flaming heat swirled around him before bursting out in a boiling wave, so intense that the vegetation and detritus around the centipedes caught fire and the monsters screeched in anger and pain as the flames licked at their limbs. After the flames died down, the monsters, though smoking, remained unharmed. Thinking back on folk lore, he remembered that the many-legged horrors were, surprisingly, susceptible to human saliva. There were tales of hunting parties and soldier patrols being attacked by these crawling horrors and dispatched by simply spitting on an arrow's head, then firing the arrow into the creature's eye. His lips quirked as he thought how neither Kei nor Akihito, both of them deadly accurate with flying missiles, were not by his side when he needed them, by his own leave. Henceforth, one of them should always be at hand, and he knew which one's company he'd prefer. With that, betting that these monsters were built similarly to the average centipede, he released another wave of fire at them, but this one seemed more like a liquid flame, like flames burning off a layer of oil. It splashed over all of them, coating the great beasts, and seeped into every crack and crevice it could find. It found its way into the breathing holes on the underside of the armour and was inhaled inside the sinuous horrors' breathing tubes. The flames raced into all the internal organs almost at once, and the creatures started turning on each other or attacking themselves, trying to stop the searing pain within. Finally, one by one, they dropped, burning husks venting steam and smoke. The husks shifted and collapsed under their own weight onto the forest floor, sending up showers of sparks. After a moment or two to make sure the fires didn't spread, the deer nodded, leapt gracefully down from its aerie and resumed his stride without a backward glance. The prince sighed and touched his heels to his stallion's sides to follow. But they didn't wander too far this time, as the spirit of the forest had guided them through an ancient stone circle and to an airy clearing. The first thing those hard yellow hawk eyes noticed was the golden morning light bathing the little white flower sprigs that adorned the boy's blonde head. A couple of young female fairies were busy adding them to his Akihito's hair, like transplanting flower bushes in a garden. 'Baby's Breath, Akihito's Flower Sigil', he mused. 'How appropriate.' The forest spirit had once more guided him through a magic shortcut, miles and miles and miles from where they had likely been, to where he wanted, and where he needed to go: straight to his boy's presence. He looked back, but of course, the spirit was gone. He wasn't sure why he had been tapped to help, but he was grateful this was his reward. Kirishima Kei counted their blessings while nattering with the blonde. Despite the near death experience for both of them, they were fine now. Not "fine" fine, but alive and well . He was still exhausted from working his magic on the boy, but he wasn't about to complain. When not being pushed off of a mountain, the boy was a really skilled hunter and gatherer of information. He'd kept them both well fed, and the troop's leaders supplied with prime intel. During their close association recently, Kirishima had secretly developed a "big brother" complex, where he felt the need to not only protect but teach the boy what all he knew. Akihito was a bit naïve, true, but he was a quick learner. It was a little disappointing that there wasn't much more he could tutor the lad in besides basic magic introduction and courtly manners, so Lord Kirishima began to consider both starting a family of his own in the near future, to pass on what he knew, and taking Kou under his wing now as a precursor to his becoming a page, then being the sponsor for the younger of the Takabas when the time came to train him for knighthood. A trusted messenger who could think for himself, and fight as well as lead, was always in short supply. His line of thought blew away with the breeze the moment he spotted the huge warhorse and its menacing armoured rider approach through the forest shadows. He opened his mouth but made no sound: said 'menacing rider' didn't seem that menacing at all the moment they stepped into the light. Sion's prince, his cousin and best friend, had come himself when he'd somehow must've sensed the boy was in danger, and right here, right now, he was standing at the tree line, watching Akihito chatting with some fairies. He looking at the boy with fond eyes and a secret smile Kirishima had never seen before. 'You look so different when he's near' he thought distractedly to himself, and wondered if that was the same for Suoh and himself as well. Shimo's sturdy legs brushed through the grasses and wild flowers, the slow walk on mossy terrain not making a sound, yet Akihito sensed a presence nearby and turned over with a slight frown. It took him extra seconds to figure out that: (1) this vision before him was truly Prince Asami Ryuichi, and (2) he probably wasn't hallucinating. His jaw dropped in shocked disbelief as he pointed."You! You..?"Asami swung out of the saddle and landed lightly on his feet. His secret smile wasn't so secret now when the boy sat there, agape like a caught fish. "It seems like you must have missed someone terribly..." he quietly teased, trying not to let any worry show on his face as he wondered at the blonde not rising at once to greet him.Aki recovered quickly, making sure the blanket still covered his broken legs. "I'm just surprised, my prince. I just didn't recognize you without a goblet of wine in your regal grasp." He gave a cheeky grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Asami glanced over at Kei, who, while looking wrung out, seemed alright. The boy though, seemed exactly the opposite. "What's happened, Akihito?"The former mounted archer leader, who fearlessly "led from the front", couldn't meet his prince's eyes as he quietly spoke. "I hurt my legs quite badly when I was attacked after the ambush, and fell down the side of the mountain. I'm not in any pain, nor am I in any danger now, thanks to Lord Kirishima coming after me, but, well, I can't get up... Hey! Don't!" he exclaimed as Prince Asami crossed the clearing in several long strides and yanked aside the blanket. Staring at the ruin of the lad's legs, knowing this meant at best a life of crutches or sitting abed, where he was used to running and riding. He bit down on his anger and turned to the group of fairies that had been assembling since he'd arrived.You'd leave him like this?" he asked dangerously soft, directing his question to the perceived queen of these woodland beings. "No, Great One," the elder fairy bent her head in acknowledgement of Asami's powers. "We helped your man there save his life, and we removed his pain. Yet when I offered to bargain with the lad to heal him, he demurred, not wanting to compromise you or the kingdom of Sion in any way." He turned his hard gaze back to the blonde, who was now fidgeting where he sat. "What bargain did you propose, my lady?" The little queen laughed and shook her head. "I didn't even get to propose anything! I'd just mentioned a bargain, and he shut me right down, then and there. 'Not without my prince's consent!', he said. And there he left it. May I say, Sir, he's particularly stubborn, whether a human or a half!" she added, with true fondness and admiration. He looked to his cousin, who could only shrug in his own defense. "I was asleep, milord; he didn't wake me for my advice." Turning back to look at Akihito, he asked "What would it take to have you heal him, then?" He could see the boy splutter, but he was in no mood to indulge him right now. The fairy smiled and answered. "We wish the halfling there to be our voice in the Court of Sion, that all Others not human may speak with the King and Council too."Asami weighed it all in his mind: a young man who's potential and impressive skills against the kingdom he'd sworn to protect with his might and magic; but, as the boy was important not only to him, but to the kingdom's future as well, there was nothing really to consider. "What do you need from me to seal the bargain?"Aki's cry of denial hadn't even formed in his throat yet when the fairy queen smiled her mischievous smile. "I'd need but a small curl of your hair from a secret place." Asami relaxed as Kirishima attempted to cover a snort and Aki gaped like a flounder once more, turning pink. "A lock of hair, short and curly, from a secretive place, hmm?" Asami paraphrased, just to watch the blonde turn duskier by the word. Kei was off to the side, pressing a fist to his mouth, watching it all. "Well, my lady, I can attest to the fact, due to some recent skinny dipping I observed, that my knave there does not have any short and curly hair anywhere." Titters from the crowd of fairies started to get louder, as did the boy's blush. "However, if it pleases my lady, in return for my knave's and my own pledge for him to speak for the Others that dwell in this land, would you instead accept one of my own locks of hidden curls to heal him?"The fairy queen beamed. "A prince and future King's secretive short and curly lock? Who would I be to say 'nay'!? 'Tis a bargain!" And while the fairy mob began cheering and chanting like a rowdy crowd at a sport event on market day, Akihito just about turned purple as Asami nodded to his cousin, who walked over to his side and took out one of his hidden blades. Aki was about to call out in denial of the deal once more when Asami shook his head backwards over his shoulders, then ran his hand through his hair, holding the longer front tendrils back as Kei lifted his blade, twisted a small hidden ringlet of hair around a finger, and gently cut it off. The archer, while flabbergasted, was back to his normal colour again as Kei pinched the prize between his thumb and finger and showed it to the fairies, who were just about killing themselves laughing; more than one of the young adult ones rolled about, kicking their legs up in the air. Asami then turned back to his knave, amused, quirked a brow, and ‘innocently’ asked "Now, just where did you imagine that hair was to've come from, hmmm?", as Akihito immediately flushed into a bright beet red. The Prince lulled the blonde into a state of deep relaxation using a tongue of flame with alternating colours he bade Akihito watch intently. As far as the archer was concerned, he was comfortably laid back, watching a magic trick when he blinked his eyes, the sun was halfway to dusk, and the blanket was off of his legs... His legs! Hazel eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at his strong young legs, restored once more. He jumped up in amazement ~ and flopped forward, face first, into a pile of grass and moss someone was kind enough to've assembled for him, as his legs had been unmoving in the same position for quite a while, and they had fallen asleep. A volley of laughs and snickers washed over him as squeaky little fairy voices called out "Did you have a nice trip?" and "See you next Fall!". Asami, speaking with the fairy queen, chuckled as Kirishima stepped over to offer the lad a hand up. "Did you miss me so much, you're falling all over yourself to get to me?" he called out.'Smug-assed bastard!' Akihito thought, just before he remembered to pull out a bit of the tsuntsun facet of his tsundere-ish façade. Instead of hobbling over on unsteady legs to the safety of his (master's) prince's arms, he stumbled past him to reach out and envelope the war horse's muzzle in a hug. "Not quite!" he said, snuggling Shimo's cheek with his own, then flashing a mocking look over at Asami. "Your Highness knows I love me my bad boys!". Asami threw back his head and laughed. It was so good to have his Akihito back, safe and sound. He could almost feel his tightly crumpled up heart get a little bit bigger, right then and there. "Should I assume you two'll be wanting some time alone together to get reacquainted, then?" The blonde let go of the horse so fast Shimo tossed his head and pranced aside, snorting, and Asami bit his lip not to laugh again as a once more blushing Akihito made his way carefully to the warlord, grabbed hold of the arm holes of his cuirass, and hauled him down closer. And then they kissed. Later that evening, they camped in a tight clearing close to the base of the mountain. The prince was in a good mood, relieved his boy was fine. He avoided thinking on his recent blind rage, the reason why he came after Takaba himself to begin with; he'd wait for another time to think on it. Right now, after relating his tale of how he came to be here with them, other than the gasps of admiration from Akihito, the only comment he got from his kin was a sniffed “As if you could’ve expected any other kind of result from blindly following a White Stag on a quest. Haven’t you heard ANYTHING the bards and troubadours have relayed in their entertainments at the castle?”, he distracted himself with some good old Takaba vs Kirishima banter. He wasn't about to say anything about it, but he'd rather missed the spectacle. His blanket was well tucked in about the archer while Kei's blanket had been relegated to pillowing Aki's head - despite his knave's complaints that the weather wasn't so cold as to need it. "There he goes, even complaining about such care and treatment from his betters. Did those silly fairy youths give you some magic mushroom tea to make you take leave of your senses, is that it? I've told you, time and again, to not accept things from strangers!" Kei grumped. Akihito gawked at him, once again so comfortable with his place among these hardened men, he forgot all about any status or hierarchy. "Why are you treating me like a child? Also, you just called them silly, so don't you go blaming it on me if you wake up with pink hair!"Kei covered his hair with his hands "Don't you give them ideas!" He said, glaring at a pair of young fairies sitting in a branch across the fire pit from them; too scared of Asami to get closer, but still curious about their now beloved archer and his companions. They stuck out their tongues and waggled their tiny fingers from their ears back in his direction, the little brats. "You should be glad someone is worried about the state of your mind, boy." Turning to Asami, Kirishima pointed out "I think he might've hit his head too many times when he fell off that mountain."The blonde pouted, and whined "I'm fiiiiiine, Lord Glasses!"Kei spluttered. "W-what d-did you- what did you call me?!", which made Asami chuckle harder. Kirishima Kei, stuttering. Unbelievable. "Anyways", the prince intervened. "What were you two talking about when Shimo and I so rudely interrupted?""The brat here was making up silly monsters."The brat gasped back. "The Not!Tea is not a silly monster! They are creatures poorly understood by society; you should be kinder and respect them a bit, sir.""The 'Not -Tea'?" Asami asked, frowning slightly. "Legend says that the Not!Tea monster was created from the earnest desire to cheer up a sad lover. One can mistake them as shadows or ink stains sometimes, but it can change forms to move about, attack or defend itself. Unlike some crabs, they can't leave the teacup they've choose to live under. They eat used teabags or tea leaves, but some say they also feed off the shrieks of surprise caused by their hobby of pranking unsuspecting victims." The wide hazel eyes shone with sincerity. "That's why I always checked if my mug, left upside down on the shelf in our kitchen, hadn't become inhabited by a Not!Tea monster in their stealth mode.""I told you it was silly." Kirishima muttered before a yawn caught him by surprise. Asami chuckled a bit, wondering how he ever let the boy stray from his side for so long. "The guard duty -""Aw, don't worry. Dastard is happy to serve. It'll keep him away from the fairy dust." Takaba declared before he, too, was ambushed by a yawn. Asami glanced at Kirishima's dark eyes in question. Were they both truly blind to what type of creature this "horse" really was? He didn't doubt for a second that the malevolent monster could be the best guard they could have at the moment, caught as they were between woodland, plain and mountain."Besides...That horse isn't right...Give him something to keep him busy..." the boy mumbled, slurring his words with his sleepy voice. "Finally; something we can agree on." Kirishima replied, tugging the blanket up a little higher on the drowsy blonde before nodding goodnight to his royal cousin and rolling over in his own saddle blanket. The prince stayed up a little longer than the other two, relaxing after many days of nagging worry his hadn't even realized he'd had, once more basking in the boy's presence. Laying by his side and wrapping an arm around the slender waist made Asami felt like all was right with the world around them, and he fell asleep within moments of brushing a kiss across the pale neck in front of him, then closing his warm golden eyes.
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Already feeling some of the effects of the "holiday cheer" offered to guests as a welcome warm drink in the courtyard, young squire Kou reckoned he was feeling as bold as brass and twice as shiny as he made his way into the remote Great Hall for the upcoming feast days. Inside was already a mix of locals from the village below the manor walls with the workers who lived and labored within the manor grounds. The last of the farm animals were being brought into the outer ring of walls by the outlying farmers as their families sought out spaces for themselves near the braziers set up in the furthest corners of the Hall, not wishing to draw attention to themselves and their rough manner of dress. Kou found what he was looking for near one of the metal heaters where the wood had already burned down to red embers and blackened ends sticking out of glowing coals. A group of about a half dozen boys were seated about it, most seemed about seven years, barely old enough to be off being fostered away from home. They seemed sad and lost, looking out at the sea of strangers within the Hall, and had instinctively gathered into a pack of their own kind. They stopped talking the moment he shifted his knapsack and grabbed a good-sized stick to stir the fire with, the resulting sparks rising up from the embers around the piled logs within. Looking up, he liked the way the snow that seeped through cracks in the wooden shutters had accumulated on the stone window sills. The air inside the Hall had been warm enough earlier that high up to partly melt these small drifts, but the leaking air from outside was cold enough to refreeze them into icicles as the day grew towards nightfall. Now the clear glass-like masses that had frozen mid drip reflected the soaring sparks, reminding him of Ryuichi-san’s tricks with his fire. They were pretty, spiraling high into the deep overhanging shadows in the heavy rafters above. The new pages looked up at the outsider, being more than twice their years and him in his neat dress uniform, with respect and Kou felt his chest puff out just a little; contrary to his Aki-nii, Kou himself wasn't burdened by any excess of humility. This would be these boys first holiday away from home, just starting their training as pages, to hopefully continue on and become squires, then be eventually knighted themselves. Kou thought that these times now would become the memories that would stay with them forever. From his own past, back when he was about as young than they were now, when the Sion Kingdom was engaged in war after a series of short-lived but devastating plagues and disasters, most of his childhood memories had been tainted by misery and fear after the death of his parents and fleeing with Akihito. Within these stone walls was safety, food and shelter, and it was also about as comfy as it could get. Outside, the wind was so blustery and cruel that the old prayer against "ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night" sounded both positively legit and scarier than Hell, and the boys could scarcely blink their huge eyes as they started at every rattle of shutters or clamber of the huge wooden doors that now barred entrance from outside to the Great Hall. Putting his knapsack down, he seated himself among them, and lifting his stick, he blew out the little flames that licked at the broken end, sending curls of pale smoke wafting upwards like serpents climbing a vine. "This is a ghost tale, a true one, in keeping with the tradition of this time of year, when the divide between this world and the Other dissolves away altogether." "My big brother and his master were travelling on an evening much like this, trying to make their way back to the Capital. They arrived at the forefront of a snow squall, just before sunset, the Winter Solstice but one sleep away. Our Sire, King Asami, had been on the throne a pair of decades already then, and his son Prince Ryuichi was with a small travelling party, made up of his knave Akihito, one of the Prince's companions, Lord Suoh, and a few trusted guards and servants, going from the Asami Family Keep at the year's end to make it to the Capital in time for the New Year. You all know of Akihito now," he added a bit louder over the murmurs rising from the circle of boys, and continued in a lower voice when he had their attention once more, "...but at this time, his position within the army and at Court was still uncertain, as was mine." "The outer gates to where they'd sought refuge had already been bolted against the night, though the stones in the wall looked to be barely standing one atop of the other, and the soldiers in the gatehouse cared naught for lost visitors on the nights where the darkness lasted twice as long as the day. Lord Suoh made the demand to open the gates in the name of the King several times, just to be mocked and have return demands from above made that they leave and trouble the House no more. The Prince himself, cold and in no humor to have his knave and company treated thusly, created a great fireball, bigger than his warhorse, and threatened to blast his way through the gates, leaving the manor defenseless in his wake when they finally took their leave. At this, the steward himself was roused, came out of the nigh dilapidated building and into the courtyard, and upon seeing the company outside, ordered the gates opened to admit the travelers. Less than happy at the rude welcome, Lord Suoh saw to the horses and the security of both the courtyard (their means of escape), the manor (their so-called shelter for the night) and those within (possible hostages, if need be) as the Prince physically made his knave come with him into the Great Hall by hoisting him over his shoulder like a sack of grain, despite my brother's protests. I heard that the weather was so bad that eve that the caked ice and cold coming off their discarded furs steamed for most of that night as they hung dripping by the fires..." The boys shivered, living those hardships through their imaginations, fueled by the wind's furious railing outside. Taking a few moments to let the mood set in, Kou then continued his tale. "The only ones there in the Hall was an old minor noble of no note, his quaint young beau (used more for decoration than bed warming, I'd guess) and some young child relative. The area around the manor had had poor crop yields the past few years, and drought then flood had caused armed raiders to start roaming the lands, taking whatever they wished. Those people gathered in the Hall for the holidays were mostly tired old men, worn out widows and young kids too small yet to work in the fields; everyone else was either dead or had been taken by the raiders for who knows what ends." Speaking softer now, making the boys lean in closer to catch his words, Kou went off on a tangent. "Now, we all know that peasants are the poor of the lower classes, and while they are Freemen, they live primarily on unclaimed land out in the countryside or on the outskirts of small villages, eking out a living, and likely amassing more debts than wealth. Serfs, then, were the poorest of the peasants, and were basically slaves tied to the land. Lords owned the serfs who lived on the lands granted and titled to them by the King. Titles and ownership of the land could and did change, according to marriage, inheritance or the King's whim, but the serfs and the land they worked were bound together. They were born on the land, lived their lives, had offspring to replace them, then died there. For working the lord's property, they'd be allotted small plots for their family's use to feed themselves from. That was the way the older, more backwards parts of the kingdom were still run in that time." "Now, Akihito, teeth still chattering with the cold, became distraught over the condition of the people he saw within the Hall, as they were hardly skin and bones held together, and what they're wearing wouldn't have been used in the King's Castle for rags to wash the floor with. Prince Asami himself, displeased with the situation the locals were in, demanded of the master of the House an accounting of what had become of the charity moneys and relief foodstuffs the King had sent to feed and clothe the suffering people of this domain and its beleaguered neighbors. The old fart of a nobleman gave a dusty wheeze and answered that no relief carts had arrived this Fall, nor the Spring before that, and the old lord told him that no money had made its way there as he hadn't paid the taxes levied on his land nigh onto two years in a row by then. My brother started brooding at that answer, which was a sign of trouble to come, in and of itself, even as his master became glowery as he gruffly challenged where that answer had come from. The old lord just shrugged and said he himself had heard the letter from the King and Court with that decree, and that his steward had stored it within the manor's study records somewhere. Displeased but undeterred, Prince Asami decided to nose around the study of the steward a bit himself after the lights went out, fearless and self-assured, reasoning that there were few things about the rundown old dump that could 'bump' louder in the night than he." Kou stopped with his tale to accept a cup from a servant mingling about and slaked his thirst a bit while his audience wiggled around a bit to keep their butts from freezing on the cold floor as they whispered excitedly among themselves. Catching sight of a young serving lass who couldn't seem to keep her eyes off him, he beckoned her over to hand her his now-empty cup and thanked her with a saucy wink. She blushed furiously and skittered off to hide in the kitchen, no doubt, as he agreed once more in his head with the Prince's assessment that he did indeed cut a fine figure in his new uniform. Leaving that thought be for the moment, he caught the boys' attention once more by stirring the fire in the brazier, waiting for silence before he resumed his tale. "Later that night, while the winds still wailed outside like a lost banshee, Aki shielded the flame of his candle with his other hand as he moved as one of shadows down the stairs from the guest quarters. Smelling a proverbial rat earlier, he'd decided to do his own sniffing about, and thus he slipped into the door left slightly ajar of the steward's study. Stopping short when he perceived a flickering light within, he feinted and sidestepped just as his instincts shrieked out a warning. One large hand swiped through where he had stood and missed him, but the other hand managed to grab hold of his wrist and spun him about in reverse, pinning his back up against a broad chest with his own arm across his rib cage, stopping any forward movement as a deep voice purred in his ear: "Fancy meeting you here, my curious little kitten." "Bastard! ('must keep it clean for delicate ears!') My Prince! What are you doing here?!" the blonde hissed, startled. "I was alerted when I felt a cold draft from my chamber door open and close, but was bitterly disappointed when no warm body came to join me in my bed." "What, the lord's young lady wasn't a good hostess and didn't make sure her important guest's "needs" were met?" A soft chuckle and a gentle nip to the ear was all the knave caught for his snark. "No, I made sure that she knew I could and would look after my own "needs" before I'd ever even thought of seeking out her aid. No need for jealousy, now." " Jealousy?! Is that what you call it? More like I have to kick a pile of clothing aside every night, from eager volunteers wanting to tuck you in, just to find a place to lay my head!" "Fear not, kitten: you will always have the choicest of places to bed down with me, be it on top to keep me warm, beside me to pet and cuddle as I will, or under me, all. night. long..." The Prince released Akihito's wrist from his larger grasp as he gave his knave a tender kiss to the side of his neck and took a step back; turning towards the study itself, he spoke louder: "Now then, who is in here." "The head of a youngster, much smaller than either of them, slowly came around a corner of the big desk within. "Tis just I, Sir, come to see if I could find some proof to show so I could beg your aid", a young voice called out softly. As the archer sank to his knee to get down to the girl's level, the Prince stepped beside him and beckoned her forward. "What need of you to have proof in order to be able to ask anyone's aid, young lady?" "The girl stopped in front of them, shivering, looking drawn and miserable, likely on the verge of tears, but determined nonetheless. "My lord uncle has told me in the past that in order for him to listen to my claims, I needed proof. I've spent a good many nights in here, looking for that letter the steward read aloud, but never have I come across it. Had I been able to find it or any other proof before you came, though, I'm not too sure what he could have done about it himself. I kept telling him that the soldiers remaining here must be eating very well indeed to be able to stay strong enough to move about in chain mail and easily carry their arms, when the serfs could barely stand, much less use their tools." Aki's and the Prince's eyes met over her head, silently agreeing with this young girl's clever assessment. What she needed now though was warmth, sleep and a few decent meals, not necessarily in that order. Akihito, ever chivalrous, offered her his hand before he stood up, asking her where she and her nursemaid slept. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she didn't even sigh when she said her nursemaid had passed that Fall, making sure she herself had enough to eat while the other did without. After asking her leave, the blonde swung her up in his arms, dismayed at how slight she was beneath her sleeping shift and thin cloak. He followed the Prince up to their set of rooms, leaving the young lady in the care of some of his attendants. As Prince and knave bade her goodnight, her last act of the night was to warn them they shouldn't be away from the fires within the Hall or their rooms as the Grimalkin would be out and about by now, hunting the shadows for those persons who had done so little with their day's work that they deserved no new clothing given to them at the Solstice for their past year's service." "Now, a moment, young sers, about this Grimalkin. It is said to be a huge and terrible demon cat out of the ancient past, that hunted for those farmers and workers around a manor or Keep that were too lazy or disinterested to receive a reward of new clothes against the coming winter, even socks, hats or mittens for Year's End. Many smaller estates closed the gates after the peasant families moved into the Great Hall for warmth and security during this time, only allowing some to venture outside to tend to the animals and to take turns keeping watch with the guards on the walls. If the great cat came across such a shiftless person on the day before, the day of or the day after the shortest span of daylight of the year, when Darkness gathered and the veil between the world of the living and the Others was drawn apart, then the Grimalkin would stalk its prey. Though there were vague descriptions of a giant wildcat, much bigger than a man, the only real proof of the beast was a missing person or two come the morn of the New Year, when the Sun nudged back towards the south and warmer days ahead. Then, whispers of paw prints the size of a buckler shield left in the snow drifts in the night, and the occasional sighting of a pair of frightening eyes, glowing like blazing coals in the dark, seemingly higher off the ground than the biggest draft horse around, would be heard." "Now, our prince brave and knave fair were on their way back to their rooms when distant screams and sounds of violence rent the night; the awful din could be heard coming from the Great Hall below. Both men without hesitation sprinted to their chambers to retrieve the Prince's mighty battle sword and Akihito's own short sword to go with Pigsticker, the dagger gifted to him when he joined the heir's Royal Household. Racing down the corridor to the now less-than-grand staircase, they gained the Hall entrance just as a roving band of the Prince's own soldiers did. The cursing and yelling and clash of steel was dying down as they all entered; the Prince's own men within had protected the remaining serfs and servants from what at first seemed to be some lawless raiders taking advantage of the long nights in isolation. Upon closer inspection, though, most of the "raiders" bodies were identified as some of the manor's own guards, along with their friends and kin. Any survivors were rounded up and put to questioning none too gently as the knave was sent with some of the Asami men to watch over the lord and his young ward. The results, though bloody and terrible, led to the telling of the murder plot of the old lord and his niece, hatched by the lord's steward who, as is common, was a bastard half-brother to the lord himself. They had admitted between screaming and voiding their bowels and vomiting copious amount of blood, to killing the King's men that had arrived both last Spring and this Autumn, taking the relief money for themselves, then making off with the food wagons to sell the donated wares at outrageous prices in desperate markets and towns outside the manor's estate." "Seething at the audacity of this plot against his father’s charity, plus the designs on the King's nobleman and his young niece's birthright, Prince Asami sent Aki-nii off on the pretext of reporting to Lord Suoh and gathering his men from the courtyard for reinforcements when really, he just wanted his little blonde out of the way when he got down to executing punishment. Though his Akihito was as stalwart and unflinching as any of his men, his boy didn't bring picnic lunches to executions for entertainment, as a lot of his sire's subjects often did. Before his knave had a chance to return and dog his heels, the prince split his men still in the Hall and after the servers and kitchen staff pointed the way down to the excavated storage dugouts below the limestone mound the manor house was situated on, the prince and part of his band moved out swiftly to capture the traitorous thieves before they fled. Using speed and surprise, they managed to make their way through the neglected wine storage and cheese aging areas to where the only horses that hadn't been slaughtered and eaten were being hitched to the remaining wagons as chests and bags and bundled belongings were tossed carelessly into them. The steward stood in the middle of all this chaos, screaming at the lady of the manor about her shameless flirting with the Prince during his ill-timed visit, while she screamed back about how gutless a man he was not to have taken care of one old fart and one little brat already, to claim his rightful inheritance and give her the life of privilege she had been denied. Smiling darkly to himself, the Prince decided to make it his business to give both haughty scoundrels exactly what they deserved himself. The Prince's men fell on the blackguards like a fox amid a covey of quail. The local men were no match for the trained and finely honed men of the Warlord of Sion and quickly scattered, just to be hunted down for sport. Prince Ryuichi, on the other hand, remained where he was for a moment: still, eyes closed, gathering his powers to him, before his eyes flashed open like a pair of roaring golden firebrands." Kou fell silent as he stirred the fire before him one last time before snapping his stick suddenly and tossing it in. The boys around him waited, straining for the climax of this ghost story to be spelled out, so that they may either shiver in terror, or snicker in relief at both a lame ending and at the storyteller himself for the rest of the Solstice nights. When only silence remained as Kou got up then leaned over for his knapsack, one of the braver boys took the bull by the horns and spoke up. "Sir, I thought you said this was a ghost story...?" The dark haired young man looked at the group seated below him as he straightened up and smirked like his favorite bad influence, Ryuichi-san. "Well, there's enough blood and bodies in this tale to sate a pile of ghost stories! What else do you lads want? The wind outside absolutely rants with the dead's wails, doesn't it?" Emboldened by such a mild reply, another older and bigger boy felt dauntless enough to call shenanigans on the whole thing. "Pardon my saying so, but that story smacks of a steaming pile of horseshit, fresh from the stables." Kou was mildly impressed, thinking amid the shocked giggles and whispering about how he hadn't called bullshit on an older man's ramblings until well past this one's age. So be it. "Then, young gentlemen, since this is the very manor house in which this tale took place so many years ago; I will show you the proof of this tale of the macabre. Come with me." Boldly sallying forth, Kou led the way to the kitchen, then the larder, where a certain door was unbarred and opened, showing a steep stairway leading down into the dark depths of the rocky heart of the estate. Having a few of the pages gather up some torches and light them, he then led them into the enfolding cold Cimmerian shade and started their descent. Past the wine cellars and cheese curing chambers they went, most going past the side cavern where hanging sides of meat were not looked too closely at before they finally came out on the self-same stone floor that the final showdown of the story was implied to have taken place. Upon opening the cavern's barn-like doors, Kou and the boys were immediately challenged by the alert guards up top near the outer wall. After answering the challenge with the correct password for the night, Kou called up to have a few lit torches tossed down along the stone outcropping. As the group waited for the lights to be dropped over the side, Akihito's little shit of a brother gathered his nervous flock out to where a bay for loading wagons was. Holding their torches over where they stood, Kou pointed out what looked like a large puddle of blood that had seeped into the ground between the rocks there. While that in and of itself could have simply been either the staging area for unloading butchered carcasses into the dugout to hang and age, or even an outcropping of some sort of pinkish rock that happened to be just there, it definitely cast an ominous spell over the party. And when the guards up top called out warning to stand clear of the rock wall and dropped the torches over the ragged edge, the trembling inhalations of cold air could be heard rather loudly when great gouges and claw marks driven into the living stone itself were revealed, to be followed by the further revelation of the landed lights a set of cat-like paw prints, the size of each that of a serving plate, burned into the base of the rock itself.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Asami had come to learn quite recently that he now disliked to wake up alone, not feeling the boy's warmth in his arms when his eyes first opened in the morning. Since that vision he'd had of Akihito's panicked hazel eyes, he couldn't help but feel a touch overprotective whenever he didn't know where his knave was. This morning, thankfully, silvery blonde hair lay softly against his chin. It was now longer than when they'd first become acquainted, but the prince wasn't about to complain about not keeping to court niceties. None of them had much time to indulge in more than the basics of keeping themselves and their clothing clean. And as for any acts of intimacy, aside from the odd touch (mostly on his part), or a few times he got Akihito a bit tipsy on after dinner wine and they did fool around a little (with the boy's initiative), but all in all, when they'd safely joined up with his forces once more, longer hair would make for a better grip for to steal surprise kisses with. After a moment, with a head starting to fill with concerns, Asami got up carefully as to not wake the newly healed archer and went to talk to Kirishima, who was quietly making tea by the loew fire. The night sky was still at its darkest before the dawn, but the stars were starting to slip away over the edge of the surrounding trees. He glanced at Akihito to make sure he was in a deep sleep before murmuring to his cousin. "I had a vision, a premonition or something, about the boy before I left camp to find him." Kirishimas eyes followed the prince's to the boy and he nodded in understanding. "What was it about?" "I don't even know… I just saw his panicked eyes and felt... scared; for him. Can't remember ever feeling that scared before." "Oh." was all the man said before stirring the fire a little. "Oh?" Kirishim gave him the side eye and a teasing smirked. Right now they were just cousins and best friends, not nobles of differing ranks. "I was just thinking, Yui, that maybe you like him a tad too much for just "like", hmm?" "Kiki. This isn't a reason to joke. I lost it, completely, and when I came back to myself, the tent was on fire. In a fugue I'd summoned fire salamanders, and they were everywhere, setting everything they touched ablaze. With Umi and that Mitarai still in there, with me. I was furious at my helplessness. Umi had drawn his sword to stop me from doing something in that state. And I'd wounded him for it!"Kirishima was speechless for a moment. "This is big." "I know." "Maybe… maybe you don't just "like him" like him, maybe it's something more. You guys could be…" "Kei…" "...Fated, or something." "Seriously, Kei? Fables? Are Shinji's "old wives tales" rubbing off on you? Anyways," Asami didn't feel like exploring his feelings towards Akihito with Kei right now, especially without alcohol of some kind to fall back on as an alibi if he got sappy. He hadn't even thought much beyond the fact that he wanted the lad close by and protected. "I just want him safe...", he pretty much mused to himself. "That goes without saying... Speaking on keeping him safe, I know it's going to sound crazy but… A normal human being wouldn't have survived that fall. The fairy queen told me that they were only able to save him because he had magic in his blood already. I felt it start to respond when I worked my healing spells on him to keep him breathing." "This isn't everything…" The prince said, looking at the peaceful expression on his boy's face as the younger started mumbling in his sleep about honeyed butter on hot buns, oblivious to the pair discussing him. "His horse isn't a horse." "Well, this isn't really surprising," Kirishima shrugged. "Most days it does act more like a jackass. Seriously, why didn't you tell me sooner? To be honest, though, I should have known. After all, what kind of horse likes to lick fresh kills and is seemingly allergic to fairies? That brat didn't believe me when I told him, and implied I was too old for this kind of make-believe. He gets on my nerves sometimes!" Kei complained, but there was no bite to his voice. Asami thought briefly about how Akihito was taming them all without even trying. "Dastard's a kelpie." Kei stared at his cousin with no little amount of awe and concern. "Gods", he swore quietly. Such a monster, in their midst, all this time? Both men stared at Akihito now as he murmured in his sleep about how delicious and tender his dream slice of roast beef and winter vegetables were. "Your little lover can't be a human. I mean, not exclusively, that is." Kei sighed as the dark sky was lightening now towards the east as the prince hummed his agreement. "What kind of Halfling can attract both benevolent and malevolent magical allies to his side?" xxxxxxxxx His great sweaty palms were resting on his knees as the comfy chair that had been crafted especially for him barely felt like it had enough space for his large frame. Even worse, this room made him feel small again, for the first time since his 12th summer, when Ryuichi had been showing off for a chambermaid and had accidentally burned down the beautiful Royal Garden's hydrangea shrubs, and of course the Prince, Kei, Shinji and himself ended up in this same room, stuttering out explanations and apologies to the King. This time 'round, though, Ryuichi wasn't there to answer for his wayward ways; and neither was Kei, who would've surely supported the prince's every questionable decision in this misadventure to their respective ruler, father and uncle. The king was an impressive man, tall, and kept himself in fighting shape, and his cool topaz eyes didn't look too different now from the way he'd glared down at their younger selves back then. He was still a relatively young man, with few lines on his face and fewer grey hairs to belie his serious role in the kingdom's history. Ryuichi and the King were so alike in appearance, it was like spying on his cousin in the future. King Asami cleared his throat and commented "All I've heard about his absence was that he 'felt imminent danger' and 'had to see to something personally', immediately. Or, that was what that messenger Mitarai relayed to me before volunteering for another mission, right away." Suoh felt Shinji's eyes on him from the side, urging him to say something; anything. He knew it was a matter of time before the King heard about his son's obsession with a young archer from nowhere, but he wasn't about to spill the beans without a plan of any kind. He wasn't sure how his uncle would react on this news, but Ryuichi could handle his father, and more than anything, he felt he had to protect the news of the boy until the prince arrived. "When I heard about it", the king continued in an almost leisurely way, "I expected him to arrive a day or two late, at most, but it's now been almost 4 days, and most of our guests have already started to arrive from across the north of the kingdom "Y-your Grace." Shinji tried, "It's been a while since I've see the Prince in person-" The King raised a eyebrow. "You're telling me you don't know what Ryuichi is up to?" To that, Shinji shut his mouth. He was incapable of lying to the King directly. Never had been, and wouldn't start now. "No, Sire. I mean, I don't know all the details, but…" "Uncle, I-I mean, Your Grace, as you know, Ryuichi is very responsible, and takes his duties most seriously -" "Indeed. He wouldn't postpone his travel back without a serious cause." The king frowned, but didn't relieve the men before him of their misery at his impatient demeanor, so between them they came up with stumbling, half-assed excuses; and he knew it the only answer that he was going to get. For now. "He had someone to rescue…" "Yes!" "This was… a..." "An influential kind of p-person…for the Prince, I mean; that is~" "They are surely on their way…" "I'm certain it won't be long now..." So the prince was bringing someone back with him? To the Capital? Someone he had to get back safely himself? Now THAT was indeed some interesting news. His son had yet to show any sign of wishing to protect anyone outside of his cousins and immediate family, much less anyone of significance exclusively to him. Could it be his son had found his other half? Fighting to keep his "not. amused." facade up, the King finally put the matter to rest. "He'd better be back soon, then, and with a very good story, to boot. Someone worthy of a war council delay, eh? Then, I look forward to meeting this person, soonest." Getting up from his chair, the King turned to leave the room. "Send one of my prince's freeloading crows with a message to him that I am expecting him and his party back here in 3 days’ time." The "or else" remained unspoken in his wake, reminiscent of what the Spartan women of old told their menfolk heading off to war: "Come back carrying your shield, or your body carried upon it." xxxxxxxxx Deep in the forest, the breeze was too cool for the season; given the thick, dark green blanket of leaves overhead, the warming sun's rays barely reached the ground. The fairies had given them some sorrel for tea to ensure a quick recovery for Akihito, and had tried to break their guests' fast with some fire cooked bannock bread (still on the stick!) made from ground acorn flour and a variety of berries; which secretly made all three males wish of finding a cottage or hovel along the way to get some eggs or cooked meat into them as well. Lord Kei had already given his thanks for the fairy queen's kind assistance in lending him their magic to assist the boy before taking his leave early. "What's up with these mysterious comings and goings?" Aki grumbled in discontent. As they made ready to take their own leave from their gracious hosts, the blonde watched his prince pull out all the stops in courtly manners to properly thank the queen, along with her court and council and unruly mob, for all that had been done for his knave and himself. Much as the boy hated to admit it, Asami all but charmed the non-existent pants off the queen herself, not to mention none too few of the ladies and girls present, and quite of number of the menfolk, too. The archer found himself involuntarily gripping his own pants waist to make sure they stayed right where they were; much to his embarrassment and the prince's own amusement. Finally on their way, cutting a dashing figure of the bold knight with his "maiden fair" seated behind him on mighty Shimo, it wasn't too long before a sheepish Dastard found them and made his presence known. Soon after Akihito had regretfully taken his seat on ownhis steed, Asami wasted no time on the scenery, bringing his mount right up next to a Dastard - who didn't look too happy about it, but then Dastard was never too happy about anything, anyways. "Kirishima is a resourceful man. He went ahead to find the way to the Great Road, to see if our forces met up, or if Suoh made their way back to the Capital." Aki still blushed whenever the big strong man got too close. He would make up excuses that naturally, the prince was too cool and famous for the likes of him, but really, he didn't even think about it most of the time. To him, Asami was Asami: important noble and mage to others, and future ruler later on. The warlord's dark looks and presence alone made his heart pump a little faster with excitement, and those golden eyes made him forget about what was going on around them, and focusing in on that man alone. At times, the prince would lean in close to whisper something into his ear, and Aki found riding astride a horse becoming a little more difficult without something to preserve his modesty. As embarrassing as it was, Aki really didn't hate any of it. So what if his saddle didn't have a horn on it, but the front of him did? "Whenever we come to a clearing from now on, I'll remember finding you yesterday, and how I felt." the prince vowed quietly, and Aki felt the same way... just more blushy about it. Asami came to get him back; against all the odds, he suddenly arrived when Aki had just prayed for it. Too bad back then he couldn't get up on his own to greet him the way he wanted to... They had just reached a clearing and he hadn't noticed until the man murmured his name. Aki had been 'way too distracted by the prince's muscular arms to watch where his horse's stride took him. He might just as well have ended up either in a trap, or having Dastard hit him with a low hanging branch to sweep him off his back. Or maybe this was another kind of trap... "Takaba. Akihito." Asami breathed his name. Being called by his full name was nerve wracking in itself, but to have his Prince suddenly holding on to Dastard's reins like he wanted to prevent an escape, was made even stranger when Dastard simply allowed it with just a cocked resting hoof and ears at half-mast. "Asami Ryuichi." he replied, trying to be light hearted, but the prince seemed to like it. "You should call me by my first name more often", he purred. "Sure, nobody will bat an eye at that, Ryuichi." "You know I don't care about what other people think." "M-Maybe you don't but- "Aki avoided the golden stare out of shyness and felt stupid for it. "But the King-" "You're afraid of my father? You already know I want to take you to the Capital's Royal Keep, no matter what, right? Then I will give you a choice, my little knave: either you can come with me on your own, or I can drag you there myself. Either way, better get used to the idea." "But-" "Whoever may show any interest, if it's any of their business, this I will make abundantly clear: as a magic user, I feel you have great potential, as does Kei. So, Kirishima, my adopted kin Kuroda Shinji and I are going to tutor you. You may be an asset on your own, just with your experience leading your mounted archers, as any innovation to the army will be of benefit in defending Sion, but I promise you right now: any edge I can give you now to assist you in succeeding at Court, I will." Big hazel eyes stared up at him in surprise. "You do know that I'm bringing you with me to the Capital's Royal Keep, do you not?" Even bigger eyes was his answer. "Oh? Well, then, I will give you two choices, my favourite knave: either you can come with me willingly, or I can drag you there by force. Aren't those options kind of me?" Aki didn't know what to make of the "invitation" - if being "dragged" was any king of an invitation at all. It wasn't romantic, he could say that, but if he was honest with himself, he wasn't ready to let go of this man any time soon either. Besides, any fool knows that a Prince's request wasn't really a 'request' at all. "Well, as you've said before, my brother is tied to your own court now, so..." Asami smirked at the boy's excuse. "And you, my spitfire, are tied to me." With that declaration, he reached over to grab Aki around his waist, pulled him from Dastard to settle him down across his lap and kissed his knave deeply to his heart's content. Finally letting go so they could both breathe, he continued with a devilish glint in his eye "Besides, we must respect our end of the bargain and honour the fairy queen's wish for you to be their voice in the Court of Sion, that all Others, not human, may speak with the King and Council too. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you for breaking the deal, would we? Or, even worse..." his voice dropped in mock fear, "to my beautiful lock of hair..." Akihito snickered, grinning up at the man holding him tight, before he solemnly intoned "Then, Oh Prince, we'd best be on our way, before the fairies become impatient, you lose all of your wonderful locks, and we all live in fear of the day you cannot become King becasue the crown would slip right off your bald head!" With a nip to the impertinent blonde's ear, the prince chuckled as he gave Dastard a long rein and set off at a good clip with a warm, giggling bundle in arm. xxxxxxxxx The journey towards Sion's capital went smoothly and uneventfully at the beginning. To the prince's and his cousin's relief, the boy was in top shape, saying the fairy magic worked, well, like magic. The only side effect, much to the boy's embarrassment (and the other's amusement) was the occasional fizzy sneeze that produced a shower of glitter, which really annoyed Dastard. The chatterbox had been in a great mood lately, so different from the distraught, distrustful young man they met only months ago, right after the massacre. At least, during the daytime. Some evenings were just fine, with him being his fun and sassy self with his brother, his master patron, or in a group, but during the darkest parts of the night, he would still sometimes break out in a sweat, kicking and twisting about as he cried out in his sleep. At those times, only Asami's deep, calming murmurs could lure him back to slumber. The Prince and his cousin soon learned the boy could spend hours talking about everything and nothing at all. Asami and Kirishima, both high born, had great and varied educations and training growing up, but of mundane "common" things, noble kids had apparently no business knowing anything about them. Takaba, however, was a great, enthusiastic teacher. He taught them about farm work, how his family repaired their home for the winter using mud and sticks for the flooring, thatching the roof and walls with straw and if - gods forbid - they had a bad harvest the previous year, then there wouldn't be much money or materials to fix the house with at all, and the only thing that staved off freezing to death in their sleep were the deadfall trees that could be chopped up for firewood. He talked about the vegetables they used to plant in their croft so that Ma would make be able to dry legumes and peas to store up for the winter time, when she'd make porridge for breakfast and pottage for supper, which he'd always found it to be a funny word. He used the long-suffering Dastard's mane to explain and demonstrate weaving work, his voice so soothing with the repetitive movements of his nimble fingers that the monster didn't seem to mind at all. He explained knitting the way his father taught him: "You have to card the wool to remove any tangles or burrs, and then you spun it like that, with a drop spindle, of course, to make it into either fine thread or thick yarn. I didn't make my own clothes, though, our Ma did that for us, and Pa pieced together his knitting for sweaters or blankets, whatever we needed. But at least I KNOW how to do it, if I ever need to." "It's seems like a lot of work." The prince commented, thinking on how much he and his cousins didn't enjoy the long and boring lectures and lessons about magic 'enlightenment', etiquette and dancing classes, nomenclature of different social and military rankings, war strategy, and the names and locations of each city of significant size in the kingdom, nor the history of war with neighboring kingdoms, and could only imagine what the boy would think of their different upbringings. He admired Akihito's strength of character and willingness to do hard work from a young age, and in no way did his "lowly" upbringing lower his prestige in the prince's eyes. "Aye my prince" said the lad "and don't get me started with the ploughing, sowing, weeding - even Kou was put to help too, though by the time he plucked a vine clean I had cleared a whole row - pruning, you have to do it just right to get most fruits for this harvest, yet not ruin the harvest for next year~ Scaring the birds away, but that was more of a game than real work; shearing... That was Ma's work, to be the shepherd as she could be as frail as a flower, but Pa always made sure we had the sweetest sheep and milking goats! Harvesting... It was hard work; but we had harvest festivals in the village with the neighbours, so it was good. Uwah, my body hurts just remembering it, but the festivals apple fritters.. mmm, they were soo good; have either of you ever had that?" Kirishima and Asami most probably did eat something similar, but for them, it was just a snack or a (ugh!) sweet dessert; for Akihito, it was a memory of a little gift at the end of long, tiring days. "Collecting and gathering the cut hay, tying wheat into sheaves to dry. Winnowing, milling, butchering, salting and smoking, and of course, digging. I've done it all. And it is not fun, let me tell ya." During the journey, they came to learn Akihito's childhood home was on the border of these woods, less than a day and a night's ride from the Capital, and it bothered the prince to no end that they had been that close to each other without ever knowing the other existed; although, if he was fair and honest, he would admit that of course the royal family wouldn't know about a mere Freeman's boy. "That's a funny looking tree." Kirishima mentioned idlily, pointing with his chin towards a certain tree, which was fat and deformed around the middle, with spindly short limbs bristling out every which way from its wrinkly bark. "That tree was pollard 'way before Pa 'n' Ma came here. Whoever did it probably wanted to prevent the tree from overgrowing its space, or getting too tall. The cuts swell weirdly sometimes; doesn't it make the trunk look like an old, scary face?" "You made up some frightening ghost story involving tormented woodland spirits", Asami guessed. "I did not! It was all Takato's plot, I just..." his hazel eyes widened when he caught the prince's grin. How did Asami know about that? Watching the lad's face blush had Asami chuckling to himself. "Kou likes telling tales, and I like hearing stories about you." 'How did I end up between these two?' Kirishima thought, feeling slightly nauseous, his horse Kuri stuck fast between Dastard and Shimo, two males that would probably equal trouble soon. 'When did these two step in so close? Dammit.' But the general and the archer didn't seem to notice his discomfort, lost in each other's smiles, like a pair of foolish love birds. "Okay then," the lord said to no one in particular. "I'll just see myself out..." "Wait!" Akihito said excitedly, bringing Dastard's ambling to a halt. Asami sighed as the spell was broken. "We're taking a tight game trail from here, so we have to hobble the horses for a bit. I know a shortcut, but they won't be able to climb it... But are you sure it's okay if we waste a few hours so I can visit Pa 'n' Ma's grave markers at the old house?" Asami nodded. "We're close to the Capital. The King is probably already put out with waiting for my arrival, so it won't make much difference. Besides, it's just a short rest anyways." "Not very reassuring, prince, but okay. Thank you." So, once they secured the horses in some nearby grazing, they set off. Some places the vegetation grew in so close and thick, it seemed a rabbit wouldn't fit through there. In other spots, the prince could see where moss was growing over decaying foundations and stone walls. Akihito had told them that back in the day there was a tiny village here, but since he was a baby, the plants grew rampant, taking over buildings and blocking streets, so that families started leaving. By his 15th summer, just a couple of houses and the mill were still occupied in that area, but not anymore. "I think something magical must've moved into this area; why else would plants grow crazy like this?" Kirishima and Asami exchanged looks but didn't say anything. It might or might not have anything to do with the boy himself, after all. "Oh! I can see the chimney from here! I hope the house still stands!" And with that he took off uphill and disappeared beyond a hedgerow. As for the men left behind, they didn't follow after him, as they couldn't. "Dragon fire!" Kirishima swore, gingerly touching the hard "emptiness" in front of his face that he'd bumped into, nose first. It was like a wall made of solid air materialized before him. "An enchantment?!" Asami gritted his teeth. Whatever made this barrier just got his boy all to itself. And that wouldn't do. Whatever It was, was about to get a whole lot more than what it bargained for. He reached for his sword, the blade already starting to smoke before he fully pulled it from its scabbard. "Ryuichi! Wait! Don't do it. Concentrate. Can you feel anything threatening in there with him?" Asami growled, but closed his eyes and focused on the barricade for a heartbeat. "Elven magic". "Good. Don't worry; the brat is going to be alright. Elves are benevolent creatures." The general gave Kirishima a dirty look. "I want "the brat" back here, now." "To destroy the barrier, you're going to have to burn down the whole forest!" "And?" "And, Akihito and his parents' markers, with it." "Shit." The prince simmered down and sheathed his weapon, but he was still angry/worried at being denied his blonde. "I will give it one hour by the sun with Akihito, then, I will go get him myself; and if I do, there will be hell to pay."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As soon as he emerged from the trail through the hedgerow, Aki realized he was alone. Not just that the prince and Lord Kei didn't follow him directly into the yard in front of the cottage, but also by the fact that the intangible crackles that teased his skin when in Asami's presence (or, apparently now, whenever his THE Prince thought of him) was missing. Instincts alert, he scanned the yard then up into the trees, looking for any sign of danger as he moved towards the familiar shelter of the walls around him. Not seeing anything that warranted him nocking an arrow at the moment, he nonetheless took out his bow to string as he was about to make his way into the stone cottage when he heard himself a familiar voice: "Akihito! Great gods, m'dear, I didn't think anyone was still here!"Startled, he called out "Auntie Foxe!? What're you doing here!" as he turned to see the tall woman at the top of the steps leading into the house. "Why, my travels lead me back here again, of course. But it seems I arrived too late to see my friends... What's become of your Pa and Ma and wee little Kou, dear one?"Time and happenstance had made it easier for him not to flinch or tear up at another asking of that question, though he still felt the sting when he gave his answer. "Pa and Ma passed away last Spring from a plague in a town they'd traveled to to see a prospective horse, along with the local Lord who wanted to purchase it." At her saddened gaze, he turned his eyes away when he added "They'd been dead a week when the new Lord's messenger stopped by on his way with the news, for us to get Pa's debts in order." Auntie Foxe's brows rose in surprise at this, but before she could say aught, the blonde continued."Less than a month later, the new Lord and his chamberlain came, demanding his yearly taxes and dues that were paid by his peasants at the beginning of the year. I tried to tell him that we were all Freeborn, and that this, our Freehold, was a dispensation from the King Himself, but neither listened to me as I 'wasn't old enough to be a man yet'." The scowl he wore was mirrored on his "Auntie's" face as she shook her head, strands of dark red hair falling loose under the edge of her head covering."Shortly after that, Takato ran here, saying how the Lord had taken his father and impressed him into service making arrows and arrow heads for the army. Some of the older soldiers had warned Takato that the Lord was going to seize the cottage and property, then sell both Kou and I for apprenticeships to other horse trainers and breeders for our knowledge of our Pa's ways with horses, which proved the bastard knew who this family was!" His anger was matched by the woman as she descended the steps to come to his side."We took the best horses here and left, after leaving the other animals in the village, and decided to made our way to his brother's lodging at the Capital. Part way there, we heard of a Lord hiring lads that were both archers and that could ride, and thinking that we'd need money for boarding and food if we couldn't make contact with Takato's brother right away, what with an invasion happening and all, we signed up temporarily, thinking we'd be part of a hunting and supply group for this band. But nope, we were forced to learn how to fight using horseback hunting techniques, how to avoid being assaulted by our own soldiers, and being left to fend all for ourselves. Now, they're all dead, save for Kou."Silently, Auntie Foxe embraced him tight, shaking with fury. After a time, she let go to hold him at arm's length and look at him. "M'dear, I will curse them all. From the lords, on down the ranks: all those who've wronged you and Kou will never rest, ride nor roam in comfort again, alive or dead, for what they've cost you."Those hazel eyes she knew so well weighed what she'd spoke as he looked her in the face before he smiled sadly. "Nah, Auntie; it's appreciated, but I have something that's even better than a curse: my patron. You are beholding the knave of a High Noble at Court, and Kou's his messenger in training. He treats us both very well, he's protective of us almost to a fault, and I seem to have his and his men's regard, so they'd be the woe that would befall those that would vex me, or cause me and mine ill. A far worse fate than your curse, believe me; and it wouldn't “cost” you at all, like if you'd cursed them for true."Auntie Foxe looked up at him, noting the changes the past two years had wrought on him since she'd last seen him, and wondered at it. "You've grown m'dear. And not just in your height and breadth. I am sorry for Takato, as well as all else you've been through, and all you have lost. And I am sorry for your Pa and Ma the most. They were good people, and they were so proud of both of you, their boys."A change came over Aki's face as she said that, and he had to take a deep breath before quietly asking: "Did you know they weren't my sire and dame, Auntie Foxe?" She pressed her lips together before nodding. "Aye, I did; just as I am not your true blood aunt. But, we are all first born into families, and from then on we choose our families. And your Ma was the best human friend I ever had, in all my long years."After all that had happened recently, he just nodded, accepting what was said, putting it aside to process at another time as his Auntie pulled off her head covering and reveled her long burgundy red hair tucked behind her elegantly angled ears, with all the white tips that fell together at the back of her neck resembling a fox's tail. A Woodland Elf. His and Kou's favourite and only aunt was a Woodland Elf. He couldn't help but chuckle and asked "Did they know?"His Auntie smiled, relieved that the reveal was taken so well. "Your Ma never asked, and your Pa never knew." Aki smiled as well, having his own ideas about that opinion. "Why were you interested in us? Others around here grew their own herbs and medicinal plants, too, surely.""Oh, aye, m'dear, but they didn't have your Ma's intuition about what she'd need to grow for the upcoming season or two. Nor her skill and interest in growing such beautiful, decorative garden flowers. And they certainly didn't have you. Your sire always asked after how you were whenever I returned from a visit here."Reacting with a start, Aki's eyes grew wide and round. Now it was her turn to chuckle as she took his hand and lead him to the steps of the cottage to sit as she told her tale: ********* "I recall there was a maiden from a smaller village, where she was the only fair, willowy blonde from among a short, swarthy people, so most thought she was "different" to begin with, like a changeling left by sprites after they stole a human child. So then, if she preferred the solitude of forest and glade to trying to fit in with unfriendly neighbours, she was already considered to be an outsider. Now, it may be she saw a white stag of the forest a time or two from afar, and it may be that it came close by a time or two, and mayhaps she brought It an arm full or two of some sweet clover from the field near her family's home to coax it in closer still. And maybe, when she got older, the white stag revealed itself in Its True Form as the Green Lord of the Forest, what the humans considered a woodland god. When in Its True Form, as with a lot of higher mystical beings and yokai, It's not only in Its most powerful state then, It's also at Its most vulnerable. And It not only treasured the girl's friendship, but It began to desire much more with her. It wanted to protect her, cherish her, and take care of her, all of her days; but, It knew her family doubtlessly wouldn't think much of that. So, It spent as much time with her as she would spare, and, over seasons, their moments stolen away together became longer and longer, until one day, they got caught in a storm that blew up of a sudden. It sheltered her from the wild wind and the driving rain, It kept her warm and dry and safe, from the afternoon into the night, then on to the next day. When she returned to her home, there was some mild concern on behalf of her parents what with her being out alone overnight, but, as there hadn't been any dangerous men or savage beasts in the area in such a long time, being caught in the woods to take shelter during a storm was understandable... just so long as it didn't become a habit. But, it did. Quite a regular habit, it turned out. And it didn't matter that her parents worried about how this looked, or how the neighbours gossiped, or how the story spread through the village until the young woman's parents despaired of any male there wanting her for their wife. Until one day, someone saw her walking through the village, and was of the opinion that she looked like she could be early on with child. The scandal swelled like a tsunami. Within an afternoon, rumours swirled about it, and everyone knew. By nightfall, every male in the area swore that they hadn't touched her, and none knew of any man or lad who would've. By morning, no one would speak to her, no one acknowledged her, no one even looked her way. If she was pregnant, it was by no male from around there, which meant that it was by. no. man. Her parents bade her leave, then barred the door behind her. Her neighbours, who had whispered about her since she was a babe, watched in stony silence as she passed by. The villagers and their priest followed her at a distance in ominous silence, until she left the village proper altogether; then the priest, in his most dire voice, informed all present that the young woman was no longer one of them, and that if she should ever dared return, she would be driven from their midst, stoned to death, and her body would be left for the wild beasts to devour. Threats and curses arose and were hurled after her by the mob, until all were suddenly silenced by a singular sight. The young woman paid neither the priest, nor any others, the slightest bit of notice as she walked to the edge of the woods with a growing smile. There, within the shade of the trees stood her Green Lord awaiting her, reddish gold locks flowing and fine figure clothed in raiment both rich and rare, adorned with amber and olivine and cats eye jewels. He offered her his hand, and she accepted it gladly. Leading her into her new home with his arm about her waist, neither spared a glance back as the sky grew dark, a great wind arose, and what animals were within the village broke their fences and bonds and flew or fled to the forest. From that day forth, neither beast nor bird could be caught, trapped or hunted. The fish fled the nearby stream, and the lack of light, plus the constant drying wind, caused the crops in the fields to wither and die. Within the month, the whole of the village followed suite. The young lady and her Lord lived and loved within the shelter of the woods, and in time, what had caused her to be exiled in fact came to pass. She became with child in the winter, blossomed and bloomed through the spring and summer months, and in the autumn, gave birth to a strong and healthy boy. However, a happy family was not to be. As is common, some women give birth many times and live long lives, and some give birth but once, then come down with a birthing fever and pass away within a mere day or two. This, sadly, is what befell the sweet lady. Now, the mourning Lord was faced with a dilemma: did he keep his only son with him, and enshrine him shortly alongside his mother's remains, as the Lord had no way to keep the babe alive without a woman's milk; or, did he try to find another to care for and rear his child within a gravely short span of time. As it happened, the Lord's protected ones, while commiserating with his plight, providentially became aware that a man and woman, travelling to a new home nearby, had recently suffered another stillbirth. The man, instead of putting his wife aside and finding another to bear him heirs, quit his previous home in a city and was moving them both to the countryside close by, where he hoped his wife would become hale and hearty. What animals they brought with them were well treated and well looked after, better by far than most. The pair, despite their pain, still shared true affection for each other. Also, though the man wasn't wealthy by any regal standard, he was a free man, beholden to neither noble nor liege save the human sovereign of the realm. Thus, the Green Lord, while still grieving one love's loss, prepared for another as he took his little sleeping son, wrapped him in his mother's shawl, and left him by the side of the road in the couple's path. Sure enough, the creaking and groaning of the moving cart disturbed the child's slumber, and the couple came upon the boy through the exercising his healthy set of lungs in protest. And thus, the couple hastily procured a local woman to nurse the child alongside her own second born son, then took home their little foundling, their first child, their "Autumn Boy", their Akihito." *********Akihito was quiet for a time, absorbing the tale, when his “auntie” stood up and wiped a hand along the back of her skirt, going about the business of making herself presentable. “Come along now, Aki; important guests are about to arrive.” The blonde snorted softly, muttering to himself as he rose “I’ll just bet they are.” Amused at the lad’s attitude, she flashed him a smile as a large form with a contentious attitude busted through the closely grown shrubs and into the cottage yard, followed closely by a second hot on his heels, while from the opposite end, a belligerent painted horse came up the cart track rather aggressively, nostrils flared, ears back and forth, ready for anything.Taking in whom all had come to her nephew’s “rescue”, she shook her head and observed “You always did seem to gather a rather odd assortment of pets, Aki.” The archer just shrugged. “Not my fault. They found me.”Kelpie and lord seemed to take affront at being labeled as “pets”, while the prince merely nodded in acknowledgement of the elven lady waiting with his boy. “Madame Foxe. How unsurprising that you’d take an interest in my knave and would want to get to know him. Alone. And at your leisure.” She was one of the friendly elf tribes that were allies and trade partners to the human kingdom, so he couldn’t do much besides making his displeasure at her actions known.“Prince Asami! Fancy meeting you here, of all places…”, she greeted in mock surprise as she bobbed a quick curtsy in return. “I was just catching up on news with my nephew when I felt you and the beastie,” she tilted her head in Dastard’s general direction, “roiling yourselves up for trouble. Surely you weren’t worried about me and my “unnatural” influences’ were you?” she teased. Asami glowered as the “horse” snorted and lowered its head, ears back, looking to bite something.“I didn’t realize it was you, my lady, nor that you had such…familiar relations with my knave and his family.”“Ah, well, don’t let it concern you, oh prince. I’ve known the Takabas since they moved here, and Aki was knee-high to a cricket.” Saying this, she gave Aki’s hair a quick, affectionate tousle that did nothing to assuage neither prince nor nag’s foul mood. “Well, I should be on my way, then. Places to be and people to see, you know...” Turning to the lad, she took his hands in hers and spoke quietly. “You can trust the Prince, m’dear. As your mother said in your dream, he was born to protect you. Just image how unpleasant it could’ve been if it was someone else, interested in a third party, but had to watch out for you instead, eh? Count your blessings.” Blushing but grinning at the same time, Aki gave his Auntie Foxe her usual farewell hug. She savored the moment as two sets of eyes from opposite directions glared their ire.“The cottage and stables are still sound, just a bit of cleanup needed to spend an evening or two, and the well water is still sweet. Have a peaceful rest, m’dear; tonight and all those that follow. I’ll see you and Kou bye and bye.” And with that, she went down the steps with the blonde, gave him one last hug, and set off down the track before turning back to scold the prince. “And if I’d known that you’d give a fine archer like my Aki a magic bow, I’d have told you it what a shitty idea it was m’self!” With that, she strolled down the track and out of sight. *********Once she’d crossed the road and entered the forest, she made her way to her accustomed meeting place. As expected, the White Stag was there, awaiting her report. She stopped within the clearing, giving a full curtsy to the god there, and moved forward to respectfully brush her hand over the grave marker he stood by. “I am glad to say, Akihito is hale and well. The Asami Prince has taken to him indeed, his protectiveness to both Takaba boys plain to see, and his interest in Akihito extending nigh on to possessiveness, I’d say.” The Stag snorted softly and nodded, turning to leave when she continued. “I told him the story of his birth when he asked me in a roundabout way, m’lord.” The Green Lord halted a moment in thought, then made to move on. “And, if I may say so, Akihito’s grown fair and fine. He has his mother’s hair and humour, and…” she waited as the Stag’s head swung to focus squarely on her, “…his father’s strength and eyes.” Hazel orbs gazed at her a moment more before he went and disappeared among his trees.
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They'd decided to spend the evening at the cottage in order to have an early supper and let Aki pick up anything left that he or Kou would want. For the first time in a couple of months, the blonde chatterbox was eerily quiet. He sat looking at the flames in his family hearth without seeing them until the prince reached out to cover his eyes with his large hand, lightly scolding. "You're going to burn your eyes if you keep that up."The quiet was so unnatural that Lord Kirishima almost asked the boy for one of his stupidly unfunny jokes, just to break the weird atmosphere that his uncanny silence brought. "What is that?" he asked instead, eying what the archer had in his hands.Akihito scoffed, which made the other men relax a little. Their shoulders 'til then had been so tense that both combined surely had made everyone around them for miles unconsciously feel edgy and ill at ease as well. "It was supposed to have been a birthday present for Kou years ago. It was to be a knight riding a horse," he showed them the distorted wooden figure, looking like it had a pair of knobby branches sticking out of an upright stump on one side, and 3 pairs of legs beneath it (one pair were just dangling in the middle, mismatched in length), and something that might have looked like a crude handle where a tail might have been on an animal on one end and a twisted knob on the other. "Let's just agree that I'm by no means the best carver in the kingdom, but Kou was either too nice, or too imaginative, and made me believe I did a good job carving it for him."Lord Kirishima shrugged. "Obviously, he was too imaginative. It's most shameful how he can't lie to save his life, and is far too sincere to a fault. He never misses a chance to point out that bald old Major Hirawa's wig is always put on backwards." And just like that the tense silence dissolved into snickers and sniggers."That's my baby brother for you" Akihito murmured, quietly wondering if he was feeling so blue due to the confirmation that their parents weren't his parents by birth, and if that fact then robbed him of the right to call Kou his little brother. Absently, his eyes swept the outside darkness he could see from his seat in the cottage, seeking among the darkened trees for anything out of the ordinary. He frowned, feeling twitchy, like he was being intently observed... but then, he just shrugged it off. He had Asami and Kirishima, both armed, in here with him, and the horses outside to alert the 3 of them to anyone or anything that approached the cottage or stables. Nothing could get close enough to take them unaware."He is your brother, through and through." Kirishima assured offhandedly as he looked into his mug of lazily swirling wine, almost acting as if he could read the lad's thoughts. "He walks around with major bed head most of the day, can smile his way out of any kind of trouble he finds, and could make fast friends with a stone statue. Plus, he also eats like a starving dragon and has this unfortunate habit of telling truly awful jokes.""He's also a good storyteller, never one to let the facts get in the way of a grand tale; that, and he's extremely kind to animals" Asami finished off. "You both share a lot in common." Damn. He missed Kou so much; it physically hurt to think about him. His sight wavered a little with the threat of moisture gathering along the lower eyelids, and his throat felt so tight he could barely swallow until he calmed himself down. After a long sigh, Takaba muttered "Now I know why everyone kept asking me if I was human or not, with all that Halfling talk."Asami offered him his own mug of wine. "Are you upset by this?" His first reaction was to answer with a "Hell yes!", but as he thought about it a little, mulling over if he really was upset his Pa and Ma actually chose to take care of him and raised him like their own son? Certainly not. Was he upset his Mom by birth was a sweet devoted woman who had chosen love above all else? Not at all. Was he upset his actual father was a mysterious woodland god that had clearly had too much "woodland god" stuff to do to have any time to tell him anything about himself? Well, yeah, maybe a little... Then again, he didn't know anything about him, so maybe it wasn't fair to judge him... yet. But he wanted to know. He yearned to know more about the woman who gave him life, he yearned to know if he'd taken after his mystical father in any way, he wanted to know what all that history entailed, and most importantly, he wanted to know if his little brother and his older companions now were going to think differently about him."No, not upset." Akihito answered, frowning a little as he tried to explain. "A bit disquieted, though, maybe." Aki took a sip of the mug, then handed it back; prince and knave quietly shared custody of it thereafter. The men didn't urge him to spill his guts; they all just drank in sips, glancing at each other occasionally. After a time, Aki took a big breath and took the plunge. "A-... Apparently my blood mother was a young maiden, rejected by her family and village, who fell for a... a... a woodland god, t-the Green Lord. She died, shortly after giving birth to me."Both the prince and his cousin didn't seem too surprised by this revelation, though they did have rather thoughtful demeanors. There was neither judgment or suspicion, nor a drop of contempt or disgust about them, which emboldened the blonde to ask "What do you know about the Green Man, Kei?""Not much, Akihito. Woodland gods and humans don't really care much for each other's company, which is a shame if you ask me. They find each other too strange to relate to each other easily. Relationships between magical beings and humans are quasi taboo, mostly because humans take so long to mature while having such fleeting life spans, while some of these entities can live for centuries or more; so, I guess... He must have really, really loved her." That thought only made Akihito sad."I'm sure the Royal Keep's library at the Capital has information about woodland gods in general, and this Green Lord in particular, mayhap. All I know is that he is a powerful god, has shape shifting abilities, can create Life on his own, and can manipulate plants as well as talk to animals. Likely there's more It can do, too."Akihito wanted to ask if they thought he might've inherited any of that power, but he supposed there was no way to know that off hand. "You guys always told me I seemed to have a great potential to do magic; think we can work on it? Like for real now," he glared at Kirishima "not just studying more theory, but by putting it into practice?"The man in question huffed. "Of course", he allowed with a small smile at the excitement and vivacity that seemed to percolate out of the archer now. Asami frowned a little, looking around. He could sense Dastard was out there, away from the stable, stalking around like he was looking for trouble; either to start it, or put an end to it."Is there a problem, oh prince?" Aki asked casually, ready to reach for his bow and quiver. Asami had the distinct impression of being watched, but whoever it was, if they got too close or careless, Dastard would bite off a chunk off their ass to snack on sooner or later, so he just shrugged. "’Like as not." The archer nodded and relaxed, finally making a poor attempt at a poorer joke that met with groans of pain and threats of banishment.*********They fell asleep in the main room of the cottage, across from where the fireplace was. The dying embers gave off enough light that the contents of the room could be made out without disrupting one's night vision. Aki had a few pieces of clothes and odds 'n' sods from their old home and old lives to act as mementos for Kou and himself when the time came to say goodbye to this place, bundled in blankets and ready to go come morning.Kirishima and Asami fell asleep a while after Aki turned in, in case bad dreams came to disturbed the lad's slumber, but as the evening passed by peacefully, they both turned in. The Prince awakened suddenly sometime after the night had turned towards dawn, sitting upright with senses alert, to find the Green Lord seated in the chair by the glowing red coals in the hearth, watching Akihito as he slept. Feeling certain he was being summoned to an audience with the forest lord, (or possibly about to be grilled about his intentions by his blonde's father), he knew neither the boy nor his own cousin would be disturbed from their rest while the two of them talked.He vaguely wondered at Dastard not kicking up a fuss at an Other approaching 'his' boy, but a deep voice with a sense of mild amusement answered him silently in his mind: 'If I've dealt with a jealous guardian kelpie a time or two before, that's among the least troublesome creatures I've managed in a day.' Asami gave a wry smile in reply, and the Green Lord dipped his head slightly toward the young noble. 'Come, young Asami, lets us have counsel amongst ourselves about my son, hm?'As Ryuichi rose from the pile of sheets on the floor, without thinking, he automatically stopped and checked that the blonde still resting within them was comfortable and undisturbed. Clothed only in his breeches, just in such a case as this meeting of the minds should take place tonight, ("nothing like making an impression on a Forest Lord father by getting out of his son's bed, naked...") he stood up, leaving his sword and arms where they were, not wishing to antagonize any unseen Others that accompanied their Lord Protector here.'Prince of the Asamis, come: sit a spell.' Asami blinked, as a second chair appeared by the fireplace, cup waiting on the arm rest. Bowing to the god before he lowered himself into the seat, at a gesture from his host's hand, he tried the drink, finding it to be cool, sweet spring water. Great. Having the feared "father/gentleman caller talk" sober... that boded well...'Normally, I would've waited a while, slowly revealed my son's story to him as he'd reached the age to know and understand how unique he is, and started exploring what gifts he may have inherited from me. However, this past six months has brought home to me how static the human world can be for ages at a time, only to be overturned into chaos in a mere afternoon. Everything my boy knew from the past, his family, his home, his life, gone, like a puff of wind scattering fallen leaves before a coming storm. I'd barely learned the people who’d raised him had both passed before I came here to find he'd fled with his younger brother. I knew not where he was, how he was doing, what hardships he faced, whether he was alone in them wherever he'd gone... nothing. Though the Great Forest is vast, as is the number of its friends and allies, its influence doesn't extend everywhere, and I feared I'd lost my only child. Only to find that quite recently, another boy I'd had acquaintance with in the past had grown and seemed to be his self-appointed protector now. The shoots on the Vine of Fate can become rather tangled, it seems, indeed.'Asami nodded, taking a sip without commenting, eyes sliding over to the Akihito pile that was moving about restlessly, resisting the urge to go over there and gather him in his arms to quiet him. If he thought he was being subtle about it, though, it didn't go unnoticed. 'So, young prince, what makes someone with the knack for getting lost repeatedly in the woods worthy of being the son of a woodland god's protector, hm?'The prince aborted a smirk before it happened. Bus-ted. Focusing back on the "man" in front of him, he swallowed quick and answered. 'I am a man, with wants and needs like any other. What I need to do is to protect him, like I have since the first I met him. He needed stability, support for looking after his brother, and something of a future to look forward to. What I want is a part in that future. What he requires now, is someone that can teach him about his wild talent. My cousin, my friend and myself are willing to train and advise him until he is confident to make attempts further down that path in his own time.''That's not the only 'want' I sense from you regarding my Akihito, boy. Unlike your other dalliances, he will not be quietly put aside and ignored once you're finished with him, powers or no. Think you carefully on that before you try to claim him as your plaything.' The rumbling voice that had been neutrally friendly until now had turned rather sharp with the probing of some of his more recent memories.Boy!? He hadn't been called a boy since before he'd won his Spurs of Knighthood... Though, to the ancient god before him, there was but a handful of year’s difference between the blonde and himself, unlike the centuries difference between the two of them talking now.'Not so ancient either whelp.' Shades of the blonde's prickly temper! Dammit, the mind link was a hindrance to his communicating, for once. 'Deity, your pardon for my wayward, whirling thoughts; but, perhaps, if you delved into them further, they would clarify my wishes with Akihito better than my words would. Please.' So saying, the proud prince bowed his head to the divinity before him and trained his eyes on the floor, so as not to entertain any distractions while the god did as he would.The air between them remained terse for a time, Asami maintaining the unaccustomed pose of humble petitioner while sentence was being passed by one who was far above him, but in the end, the Green Lord relented as his prodding continued. Whatever he saw within the scion of the Asami kings line, he was assured of one thing: the prince cared for his Akihito. His determination to guard the boy and keep him safe, even from his own baser instincts, and to train the boy's wild talent for trouble into a gift of power he could use finally assuaged the elder father's suspicions and urges to safeguard his own "sprout".'Very well. My son's own desire for now is to stay with you. So, I accept whatever relationship develops between him and his minder, and whatever kind of bond my Aki chooses to have with you in the future. None knows more than I that the heart wants what it wants, and be damned the cost.' What could have passed for a sad smile on the being's face came and went like the shade from clouds passing before the Sun. 'In return for this, I promises protection and free passage through the Great Forest to wherever the Prince and his men need to go, unmolested by Those That Dwell Within It.' Though Asami knew no fear for himself, he shuddered with primal instinct when he heard those grave words spoken. The Green Lord's tone once more returned to a milder humour: 'Assuming, that is, that you can find your way through the Forest, for the trees...'Come the morn, Aki woke up in an odd mood, eyes blinking rapidly with unshed tears. As his prince stirred and took him in arm to pet him calm, Aki whispered brokenly that last night, he dreamed that Asami and his Pa sat by the hearth and talked for a long time about him. When his patron murmured that it seemed his father was accepting of their plan to leave together, the blonde's hazel eyes travelled to the chair to find his Pa's travel bag, which he'd thought had been lost with his parent's demise, was sitting there, packed with his belongings and souvenirs. Upon exploring it further, he found sections of it filled with his Ma's dried herbs and potions, his Auntie's notebook of simple spells and her Bo ("staff") which, when joined together, was almost as tall as his prince and the could be used as a single weapon, or detached at a metal connector into a pair of Jo ("stick") for shorter dual-handed use. With these discoveries, he seemed to come to terms with his second time leaving his home.Also hidden within the bag, away from prying eyes, was a small dark being that chittered softly to itself as it blinked its many eyes separately and used a claw or two to cover its hiding spot better from discovery as the group prepared for an early start to their travels...*********"Does this then mean that he can be killed if need be, I wonder?" Tao asked aloud, seemingly to himself. His familiar beside him wouldn't understand such a complex question. While it was true that through their connection, he could look through her eyes to see what she saw; but other than that, comprehending simple, direct orders, and being able to read each other’s feelings, he couldn't really chat with his or any other owl.
His prince Liu Fei Long had told him to be careful and never get too close to the Sion prince himself, and the judging by the way every military person he knew respected that man to the point of fearing him, Tao actually paid heed. The Sion Prince was said to be a great warlock and man of action despite his lack of age, and the kingdom's Warlord to boot. At first he was a bit skeptical, but soon enough he came to feel that man's magical aura, the area around him that his energy could be felt within, and sure enough, it was huge enough to make one think a dragon of long ago had reawakened from its sleep of ages to menace the earth once more.The reason why Tao had been taken in by House Liu as a protégé of Fei Long's, even coming from a orphanage for the poorest of the poor, was because he was perceptive when it came to estimating someone's magical capabilities - a skill that attained him a certain amount of influence, enough to get a little of Prince Fei Long's personal attention now and then. Not everyone can know how magically inclined someone is just by coming close to said person. And he could attest and be believed on his own now that the reputation of this Prince Asami was all based on facts.However, his mission was to watch not the man himself, but rather that man's companion, the younger blonde archer. Fei Long's interest in him made Tao both a bit jealous and envious at first, so he was really pissed to have to follow around someone only a year or so older than himself, and a potential rival, to boot. But as the days went by, his disgruntled feelings slowly began to change. That guy, that "Aki-kun", was kinda interesting in his own way. He got the chance to assist a famous and influential warlock and commanding general, and to ride a freaking dragon horse too! How cool was that?! But that wasn't all of it, as Tao could feel strangeness about the blonde archer's own energy field. It was like he had magic in him, but it was somehow concealed and tamped down. Also, his empathy towards animals was endearing, so maybe he wasn't all that bad after all.He'd mesmerized, then sent another owl away, carrying a report on his mission to his Prince and kept on following the Sion prince's party's trail. Avoiding getting too near after a few close calls with that carnivorous horse-beast, his strategy became to connect with his familiar and use the owl's eyes and mind to follow this Akihito closely without being detected by the warlock, his man, or the monster. He could only use his familiar like that for a few hours a day, so he did it at night because they tended to have interesting chats right before sleeping. And just now, he'd heard Akihito confessing to be an unlikely mix between a mortal and an immortal, a human and woodland entity's offspring.He tried to keep on hating this Akihito, but damn, he was just too cool. 'Such a shame he's a lowly Sion barbarian; if he was Baishe, at least, he'd have been worthy of being in my prince's presence, and we might've been best of friends', he thought. He couldn't deny empathizing a little with the archer about losing his own parents, though apparently he still had family in the form of a younger brother. If he was blonde and pale like this Akihito, maybe his prince would enjoy a gift of the pair for himself, and take great pride in his loyal Tao too...He had to let Fei Long know about Akihito's unique parentage, so that his prince and the general could conclude for themselves what risks their plans may or may not entail; but, still, he hesitated a little. Would that make his master Fei Long even more interested in the blonde? Oh, most certainly. But it also felt wrong to hold back such important information, like it was almost a betrayal of the trust placed in him.'Perhaps he could be brought over to the Baishe Way...', the former orphan thought, focusing on his feathered lady friend. The owl closed her eyes for a second, the intelligent glint that had been in the black eyes that had seemed far too human, was now replaced by a different kind of alertness when great yellow orbs opened once again. His familiar was once more just a bird that hunted by day, the prince's sway over the other ending, releasing his own pretty lady back to herself..Finally, the Baishe lad squeezed his eyes shut for a moment in a tired yawn, then opened them, looking up to the stars, wondering if his prince did the same thing somewhere else, on his way to meet allied forces within Sion territory, drawing ever nearer to the enemy capital.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They made the town of Crossroads by midmorning and lingered long enough for a quick meal as the Ravenous Beast that lurked within Akihito's tummy was making threatening noises once more, then they turned easterly toward Sion's Capital. The forest was behind them, and from here on out the ride would be uphill through foothills and alpine meadows. Though the road was now finished with stone pavers, the climb tired the horses in no time; even Dastard had no energy left to act the brat. Then again, he probably had never been so far from water before in his young life, for the Capital and Sion's Royal Keep was set on a mountain plateau; and although pools and waterfalls were plentiful higher up, closer to the castle, until they got there, it was going to demand sacrifice from the kelpie to carry his boy there safely.Aki thought on Dastard's "secret identity" revelation that morning over breakfast, when Asami had told him that because he wasn't trained in magic yet, he might not notice his horsey's dark aura as anything but a vague feeling of disquiet around him; but the prince thought he should know the truth about his mount, so that if he didn't want to deal with a cursed creature any longer, he shouldn't worry much as the prince himself would find a way to not only rid him of the terrible beast, but would find a far better horse for him too - which, of course, pissed off the four legged not-quite-a-stud off, as if Dastard understood what the humans were saying... although Aki had had had that suspicion before, so his steed's behavior wasn't all that surprising.His Dastard, he had been informed, was a kelpie, an equine aquatic predatory monster that used its natural shape-shifting abilities to change its appearance to look like an attractive horse to fool rapacious humans - their main and favorite prey - into approaching them and getting onto their backs, then took them against their will (often screaming in terror) into the water, drowning their riders and devouring their corpses, then throwing the indigestible entrails out at the water's edge so as not to befoul their home. And here Aki thought the worst his mount could do - besides "inadvertently" stepping on and crushing small animals - was to wallow about in a mud hole after a good long bath and dedicated grooming session. All that hard work for naught, the soulless bastard...Dastard cocked an ear and snorted as he slowly started circling his boy, eyeing him up and down like a shark would, trying to determine the meatiest portion to bite first. But far from being intimidated, Aki just shook his head sadly and tsked. "Your nature and true appearance would seem to match your personality exactly, huh? Poor boy; how terrible for you."There was another huff, but this time Dastard simply nodded his big head in apparent agreement, making his white and brown forelock flop over his forehead and eyes. His disguise as a pinto with big chestnut splotches all over, including a rather prominent "freckle" the size of a gold "king's" coin, which the blonde had silently sworn moved its location on the horse's rump every. damn. day, just to mess with him. Still, Aki had a soft spot for paint horses because of fond memories of his first pony, Moxie, many years past, which somehow the big arse had uncovered and used to his advantage.But kelpie or no, Dastard was a trusted companion; that is, most of time, when and if he felt like it. He was protective and jealous, and fun to have around - especially when he decided to get loose out of boredom and steal Lord Kirishima's stuff, including his mare (!), though the remains of chewed up fox tails, broken rabbits legs and discarded ripped off, blood-streaked, gnawed on skulls of the gods only knew what that he'd occasionally come across were sickening, even to a hunter like himself.The small party made camp in an open meadow as dusk fell on the surrounding peaks. It was quiet and peaceful, Lord Kirishima's voice low and droning like a lullaby while reading out correspondences that had arrived by crow throughout the afternoon as they neared the Prince's home, and the blonde rested his weary back and head against Asami's shoulder without really noticing the quiet sense of contentment it brought about in the Prince.Against a backdrop of high snowy peaks, with the first stars hanging above in a vast indigo sky, he saw a faint glint in the distance, like a lit candle, stuck somewhere in amongst the darkening walls of rock and frost. "What's that?" he asked, interrupting Kirishima as he tiredly pointed out the sight. His firm pillow started shaking quietly as Asami chuckled to himself over the sour look on his cousin's face as he fussily rolled up the note he had been reading and muttered to himself. The bowman woke up a little with the jostling, and looked again. Now that he was actually paying attention, he could see the last rosy tinge of late sunlight glinting as if it was reflecting off of something."That's the Icy Tower. It stands high up on the Royal Keep." Lord Kirishima replied. "A rather grumpy fart lives there."Asami chuckled again. "That "grumpy fart" is an ally at Court, Akihito. He's a powerful Ice Warlock and can teach you a thing or two regarding magic by contract. He stayed in the Keep as a Royal Advisor..." He caught himself and sighed, Kirishima's eyes sharp and attentive on him, as commenting on Family drama wasn't something the prince would normally do. "...to waylay any plans the Consort Queen had to sabotage the war campaign, or to stop her from sending spies and assassins against those loyal to the Asamis. He was raised with us at Court, and…. Well, there are rumors about him being a second bastard son of the King, so, he may or may not be my half-brother. …Though I, for one, would not be opposed to that idea..."Akihito's mind was blown. He, like most commoners and peasants, had grown up oblivious to the constant power struggles within the Court, and had never heard gossip about any but the most local (meaning "rural") of the nobility. But to have his Queen directly opposed to the Family that had raised her up above almost everyone and that given her such power~ "Why would she want to do that?!" Suddenly, he wasn't tired anymore, what with his eyes wide open in surprised disbelief and the need to understand."Because she's a stupid. ungrateful. selfish. bitch", Kirishima grunted matter-of-factly, shocking Akihito to his core, and even causing Dastard to look up from whatever he was eating and stare at the man. What the hell? Akihito bit the inside of his cheek hard to prevent himself from giggling: for the sake of the Dragons, Lord Kirishima Kei had just cussed out loud, in public, and in front of his military superior and noble ruler. Asami coughed to hide his own reaction, which seemed suspiciously like he was trying not to snicker himself."Right," the serious man said abruptly. "Akihito, you said you wanted to learn some magic, hm?" asked the lord, suddenly acting like he was above saying "shit", even if his mouth was full of it, trying to deflect from his earlier behavior."Oh, yes! Please!""Before that happens, I want to make sure you understand the different ways one can command magic.""Aw, Kirishima-Sensei! Theoretic lessons again?!""If you don't want to learn it my way, then you'll have to look for a new master."Akihito huffed like a frustrated child. "Fine. Magic by spell, magic by contract or magic by nature.""Good. What is magic by spell?""That's when the user follows recipes or chants spells. They use spell books and scrolls created by others to heal or hurt, or to conjure something into existence.""Right. Now, by contract?""It's where the user manipulates magic through supernatural beings such as gods or entities. Like the Prince here, who creates and manipulates fire through the Fire Elemental within him and the Fire Salamander Familiars outside his body.""Correct. And magic by nature?""...Is when the user is born as a supernatural or magical being, like The Green Man, or Dastard here.""Excellent. Now, I'd like you to-""Aw c'mon, this is booooring! No more theories, pleeaazzzzz? You promised!""Have you forgotten about hierarchies and rank, boy?" The blonde pouted even more this time, and Ryuichi found that he wanted very much to kiss that adorably bratty look right off his knave's face. Instead..."Excuse me for a moment", Asami murmured, getting up and walking some ways out into the darkness."Okay, brat. You want to show off? Then let's see you try something. I need you to close your eyes and meditate.""Whaaaat?! But we've been doing that for weeks already!""Just do as I say. I'm sure you won't regret it."Seeing there was no way to try persuading Kirishima to do something just for fun for once in his life, Akihito groaned, annoyed, but obeyed. Frustrating or not, he knew Kirishima was well versed in magic texts as well as a highly trusted friend and advisor within most of the Royal Family."Now, listen to my voice and my voice only." They had been doing the same thing for so long; Akihito knew the instructions by heart. "Cup your hands together like you're holding a weightless, invisible vase… Don't you open your eyes until I say so."Aki didn't reply, just obeyed. They had been doing this stupid exercise repeatedly for so long that it was now boring and didn't make any sense at all, but he knew if it wasn't really useful somehow, Lord Kirishima would never waste time on it; so, whether it was a placebo or just a training exercise or not, he started to feel a "weightless weight" in his hands, if that made any sense at all; it was like holding air that he could feel with his fingertips."What is this?" He breathed out softly, still trying to stay focused."We are 'opening the book of magic' for you, figuratively at least, to the first word on the first line of the very first page. We know that your style of magic should be the natural kind, and since I am limited to casting spells which I've read or memorized by rote, the only way I can help you for now is by my own way. Now, picture your own opened spell book… you can't see the writing that makes up the spells since you've never done this before, and the pages seem blank to you, right?"'Of course', he thought. After all, he had never been taught any kind of magic before."You can feel it’s current of power through your fingertips, yes? You don't need to read a spell book for that, Akihito, you are your own book of knowledge and spells, there's magic in your blood. The 'weightless vase' in your hands is a type of energy, like warm light, that shines through your palms; can you picture that?"Akihito nodded. In his mind, he was far from where they sat. Every night they did this exercise, and when Lord Kirishima asked him, once again, to picture light with his eyes closed, he didn't imagine it, he simply went back in time to a random memory of a safe era, back home. He remembered mellow Fall morning light, coming through cracks and crevices in the wooden barn walls reflecting off bright, tiny sparkles of dust floating about in the air."Can you feel it? The solid feel of energy resting on your palms and fingertips?"Yeah, he did. Its weight was soothing and calming, like warm tingles against his skin."Now listen to me, Akihito. Slowly open up your eyes as you keep the light in your mind" the lord advised, so Akihito did as he was told. And there, floating above but still within his cupped hands, was the 'weightless weight' of a solid "vase" made of 'morning-sun-in-the-barn' light, complete with autumn warmth and specks floating about in it, spilling up and over the "vessel's" lip at the top. And watching from across the way, both his tutor and his master observed the delighted wonder at what he had done shine in his hazel eyes, and they both felt satisfaction and pride for what the boy had accomplished with this, his first casting. *********During his tenth summer, the Prince had heard some of the servants whispering among themselves in the kitchen. They'd seemed so excited that the kid's interest had been piqued, and he had had put into practice his teacher's advice that a smart student kept his mouth shut and his eyes and ears open, to learn what all they didn't know. That was the first time he'd ever heard the word "bastard" before, and when he'd asked Kiki about it (because, generally speaking, Kiki knew most of the big words), his cousin had shrugged, and pronounced "That's what Mom would call a 'bad word'; not something a Noble kid should be spouting. She's said lesser men say it when they're angry about something or at someone.""It must have another meaning, or else it doesn't make sense. The cook said that Father was bringing "another little bastard" to the castle, to be raised as part of the Royal Family, if she had her gossip right."They both thought about it for a moment. To be raised? Like a child?"Maybe the King's gonna gift you and the Princess with a baby brother?!"It wasn't a exactly a baby, as it turned out, and his status as a brother was debatable since the king neither confirmed nor denied the boy's pedigree, flatly ignoring any such questions outright, as was his right. Ryuichi secretly hoped the boy was, although it would afford the six year old Shinji as many risks as rewards if it was true. But back then, the little kid was quiet and shy, and therefore, cute. Ryuichi couldn't help but be nice to the boy, and as soon he felt genuinely cared for, even the slightest bit, little Shinji, or Jiji, as he became known among the trio of cousins, became a constant shadow, quietly dogging the prince's footsteps.Being a shadow proved to be one hell of useful skill; that was how the rumored little bastard first heard the plan hatched in the dark, cold halls of the Her Highness' apartment in the castle. He caught the Queen plotting with others on killing Sion's first heir to the throne to raise her daughter into his place precisely this way. And that's why, instead of training to lead the army or going off to study magic when he proved himself the rare title of Ice Warlock, he'd convinced the King to let him stay on and train in a Law Advisor's role. The Queen would keep on plotting forever, he knew, and he felt was it up to him to always remain at least one step ahead of her, for his family's sake, and to bring her down by law once the time came. Asami moved his hands in a swift smooth manner, as crafting elemental creatures was among the hardest magic skills to master, especially the little ones. So much detail in such compact forms! But, as always, the little robin perched on his finger was perfect, as fiery and cute as a certain archer he knew, but burning with non-metaphorical fire. After whispering directions to it, with a smile he let it go, watching as it crossed the darkening sky in the direction of the Icy Tower. A moment ago, close behind him, Akihito had opened a pocket of light, and it was warm, like late summer sunshine. The weird feeling he'd had about the "rightness" of bringing the boy home, (not just to his home, but to their home, he'd decided) surged over him like warm water being poured over him in his bathing room. Shinji sighed and relaxed a bit when the fire robin dissolved in a trail of sparks as soon it approached its destination; seeing the secret signal that meant Ryuichi was soon coming back made him smile. But then, a lone bright flash down the mountainside got his attention. Another of Ryuichi's fire birds crossed his mind, but that flash of light wasn't something like the fires that Ryuichi would do. He knew Kei was with his royal cousin, but he couldn't think of any context for the serious man to do something like that either. The bird was the private signal among his few friends and trusted kin that told them that the future king was coming, and everything was fine. "By the Frost Dragon, Ryuichi, who is this stray you're bringing with you?" the Dominus muttered, as Kei's last update got crumpled in his grip. ********* Next morning, Suoh rode out early to greet the little party complete with steamed meat buns fresh from the Keep's kitchens, to break their fast with before leading them to the staging area where the forces of his fellow Lords of the North had gathered a few days before. Hearing that their Prince and Warlord was approaching the Capital along a different route, they'd set up camp to rest and groom their horses and get their armor put to right before formally accompanying the heir and his companions to the Capital. Upon his arrival, Lord Kirishima gathered his pages and messengers assigned to the incoming force for a briefing, then sent them scattering throughout the tent city, while Suoh had the shorter blonde tend to combing and intricately braiding his Silme's long mane and tail before allowing him to head out, clean up and change his attire before heading up to attend to his master himself. After getting directions to where Prince Asami was at the moment, Akihito was underway, sweeping any possible stray dirt off as he went.He'd finally wrestled the collar of his hooded cape about so that it wasn't quite so crooked or tight, after making sure his bow lay unstrung, neatly over the arrows in his quiver, and the strap over Pig Sticker's pommel secured it tightly in place. As he looked up to make sure he was still headed in the right direction, he made an educated guess as to which field tent it was, given the number of squires older than him standing about in front of it, trying to impress each other with their master's livery and other finery, as pages and messengers scurried about the tent opening, delivering dispatches, then trotting off again to do other tasks, like worker ants in an anthill. After a fleeting momentary feeling of being underdressed and outclassed, the blonde shook himself, wondering since when he'd given a fuck if his clothing was the best of the bunch, then automatically blamed it on the cause of all his problems lately, the Warlock/General/All Around Pain-in-the-Ass Master PRINCE!, and marched right through the flock of surprised dandies, up to the closed flaps of the tent, pushed through them shoulder first, and walked right on in......to the middle of a crowd of lords, dukes, earls, courtiers, clerks and higher echelon army officers, all there to join in greeting the Warlord of Sion along with the newly arrived Lords of the North. Most of which were too busy talking across a large trestle table at each other, some who were pointing at various places on a map of the lands north of the Capital. However, a few heads had turned to see whom was important enough to have entered the tent that wasn't in attendance already. Upon seeing the unimpressive young man that they took to be a mere lost varlet, many returned to what they had been doing before, while several severe looking older men seemed to take offence at his mere presence among them, and were about to call for his ejection from their midst, when every noise came to a ragged halt as a low orotund voice that Aki knew (and loathed so well at times) made itself known. "Young Takaba, you're here. Excellent." The smooth, pleasant timbre of the voice that urged him forward as it ignored all others present; bidding his boy to come to his side wasn't missed by the blonde, or anyone else present. Feeling like a house dog that'd been called to heel by its master's chair, he excused himself politely as he threaded his way through the crowd over to Asami and bowed, then blushed lightly as he straightened and saw the field chair that was already waiting for him by the prince's side table. As Aki seated himself, feeling like the centre of attention in the enclosed quiet space, the prince gestured at a second goblet for wine, which the lad self-consciously poured himself from the prince's own pitcher, and indicated for his knave to make use of a plate with some sliced fruits and cheese on it. Prince Asami then had Akihito give him an informal report of his impressions of the state of the mounts and draft horses that he'd seen in the encampment on his way there as two further chairs were brought in around the table, one significantly larger than the other, as well as a pair of goblets with their own pitcher and plates each.As the Lords Kirishima and Suoh made their entrance and took their seats, pouring their own wine as they listened to what the young blonde seated among them spoke of, the others in the tent slowly overcame their initial disgruntled surprise and started to pay more attention to the lad seated among his superiors while they themselves stood in the prince's presence. One elder yet still spry nobleman came forward eventually, waited to be noticed, then bent a quick knee to the king's only (acknowledged) son and bowed his head to the prince's other companions before looking the boy over. Curious, the lord addressed the young man seated by his own superiors, wondering aloud if he had heard correctly, and the family name used to address him was indeed Takaba; and, if it was, would he then be related to this and the late Kings' former Master of Horses, Takaba Kento.With a flush of pride, Akihito confirmed that he indeed was that particular Takaba's eldest son, and the nobleman then relaxed his demeanor as he introduced himself, uttering a name Aki had heard his father mention with familiarity and respect in the past. Getting up, the blonde first offered the noble his seat out of courtesy, which was graciously refused, then he came and stood with the lord as he spoke with the older man, who ended up calling over several other persons of note who were either his sons, men or titled vassals of his, and introduced them to Akihito, giving the lad both recognition and legitimacy amidst the whole group present. No one would now question why this particular young man was among their august presence. Asami and Suoh exchanged looks, quietly pleased that "royalty" wouldn't have to impose its will in insisting the blonde belonged there with them. Kei simply remained alert, ready to step in if any faux pas on any person's part lead to an offence or misunderstanding that would need to be smoothed over.Once acquaintances had been made and links forged, the nobleman and his people returned to the throng, spreading ripples of acceptance about who the boy was and how he might be associated with the prince and his men before them. ********* Aki had seen banners snapping smartly in the breeze from the rocky prominence he'd scaled to get his first view of the Capital City since he was a child. He'd heard about the important war council that was going take place within the Capital shortly, and could see for himself the different banners of particular fighting bands, armies of aligned allies, and recognized the sigil of the Archer Brigadier, the Duke Yamazaki himself. It bore a regal falcon in flight upon a sky blue background, claws extended, wings alight, but from the angle and distance the blonde beheld it from, not to mention his own frame of mind right now, it kinda resembled more of a fat old pigeon than a sleek predator. His father had been an acquaintance of the singular strategist of his generation, Duke Yamazaki, and Akihito had become an admirer by osmosis as a child, so this was the first time he'd gotten to see the great man from a grown up's perspective. Aki had wanted to extend his late squad's compliments and express their admiration for their commander, the Archer Brigadier, and with his prince's blessing, he'd eagerly gone to pay his respects to his one-time leader. But the man didn't deign to acknowledge the presence of the first mounted archer squad's successful founder and leader in the realm's history, being so much more focused on planning how to make an impression by winning a victory decisive enough to impress the Warlord Prince and future Asami King instead. Which, unknowingly, he had; being a rather negative one at that.Aki's abrupt embarrassment was not so much caused from being turned away out of hand by the man himself, as much as being completely ignored by both him AND his group of councilors. After being shushed and pushed to the side like an unruly child by the man's huffy attendants, he'd been mortified to think he'd wanted to waste this important person's time, knowing that he himself was no one of any standing on his own, or apparently of any use to anyone here, either in the past, or the present, so he held to the manners that had been taught to him and quietly excused himself, leaving before he got curtly dismissed for his irrelevancy to the gravely important, (in someone else's opinion, at least), situation at hand, thereby having the Duke completely miss the opportunity to indirectly influence a person of importance to the Sion Realm in days to come.The messengers in attendance did as they had been bade by their Lord Kirishima, and filed what they had witnessed away in their minds to report to their master later, and kept an eye on this person of importance to the second most important personage in the kingdom. How the Prince's knave was received within the various councils and echelons was important knowledge to his royal master. ********* Once the troops had had the chance to rest up and take time to polish their arms and festoon their steeds, they all set out for the short jaunt to the Capital. From there Akihito rode behind the Prince and between his cousins, his wide hazel eyes beholding the huge walls of the Capital and the high towers leading up to the Keep behind it. The Capital itself was a legendary city, not only because it was the Sion Royal Family's seat of power, but also because the city was referred to as "the kingdom within the Kingdom" or something crazy like that, due to its huge size and many cultures within. Nestled inside the Slumbering Dragon mountain range, its architecture was classic and beautiful, light grey walls appointed with white marble, pink quartz, as well as different shades of jade and granite, and was home to schools of powerful mage Houses along with some of the most notorious swordsman training academies and assassin clans home bases anywhere. Infamous merchant families rose and fell with each successful or failed trade gambit, and famous temples and shrines were all housed, if legends were true, above the deep lair of a sleeping dragon beneath the mountain. As newly fledged in magic as Akihito was, he could only imagine the mystical ebb and flow of this place. Aki wanted to see it all, the street market, the spell books library, the famous obsidian dragon statue and the King's Keep, all nested inside the cone of a dead volcano, right in the middle of the Capital, and towering high above the plains below. He wanted to drink from the Dreaming River, which was said to heal the body and soul of all that wounded one's person, and wander about the colorful Royal Gardens, wondering if fairies would dare live in such close confines to humans.People gathered along the thoroughfare, waving their kerchiefs or caps, welcoming the soldiers and their mounts riding by. From an enthusiastic smattering of the elderly, children and young folk clapping and whistling in Lower Town by the outer gates, to Market Place, where the Capital's day-to-day business affairs ran, the news spread and the crowds swelled. By the time the men reached the clear cold streams that separated the well-off Upper Town from the rest of the city, everyone that could be there was outdoors, cheering loudly and crowding the long low causeway that lead to the bridge to the Keep. "Isn't this awesome, Dastard? The Capital is huge!" The "horse" just blew air out of his nostrils, thirsting and trying to ignore all the potential meat flaunting itself just outside his reach... Kirishima and Suoh exchanged a quiet look and chuckle, wondering if Akihito would always spread his excitement and exuberant wonder to those around him like a simple blessing.Soon enough, they left the masses outside the square before the Keep's impressive main entrance. They were joined by stable hands at the shoulders of the horses as they reached the gates. The mounted host came to a halt as Kirishima continued forward to greet the smaller troupe in front of the gates. They wore black and golden tabards over light armor and house arms, the Asami dragon emblem on their chests and pride filled their demeanors. These were the chosen Royal Guardsmen."How did they know we were coming?" Aki wondered aloud, but no one paid him any mind as Asami was already moving away to meet a rather singular person coming from a nearby doorway."Fancy meeting you here, Kei.", said a well-dressed man in a long royal blue wool cloak, and on such a warm day, too... Akihito frowned at this oddity, and over the fact that this same man was addressing Kirishima by his first name. "I thought you both had completely forgotten about the Capital, the King, the current state of the invasion we're engaged in... You know, the little things...""I know, I know, we are a tad bit later than expected.""A tad?!" He was a handsome fellow, Aki decided, dark haired like the prince and wearing lenses like Kirishima, but didn't seem to be in the habit of smiling too much, with a mouth on him that wasn't cute at. all. "You guys should've been here days ago! You have any idea how many -""Awww, did you miss us, Shinji?" Asami said with a slightly teasing look, dismounting from Shimo and handing the reins over to the ready stable hand. "We'll attend to the war council meeting later, but first..." He wrapped one arm about the man and half hugged him "Tadaima.""Okaeri", the man in blue's answer was muffled, with an arm around his prince as well. Aki blinked, surprised, noting as the arm was withdrawn that the man was also wearing a warm fleece-lined leather glove on his hand as if it were a winter's day."Care to fill me in on the Capital visitors come for the war council, oh Prince of the Realm?" Akihito bristled somewhat, sensing the unspoken sarcasm beneath the formal words to the Asami heir. Was this the “grumpy man” from the iced-in tower they'd mentioned the night before? That would explain the gloves and the coat, if this guy was an Ice Mage, his body temperature would be really cold. And his attitude! It was worse than Kirishima’s on his most miserable day. "Nope. Not today, Satan", Akihito muttered to himself before dismounting and flipping Dastard's plaited reigns over his head and scratched his ride's barely whiskered chin indecisively. One stable boy seemed impressed by his mount, but then again, Dastard's normal horse body illusion was pretty impressive, and the fact that all that implied speed and sleek muscle was "controlled" without a bit in his mouth must seem pretty exotic, even here. Making his mind up on the fly, Aki patted Dastard one last time and told him to behave himself before the stable hand took the reins and turned the painted horse towards a certain gate that the others horses were being led down. And maybe the few glances at his unusually coloured mount helped Aki slip away from the others and into the milling masses, then a few random doorways that went downwards finally turned him loose into the city without a fuss. And boy, oh boy, the city itself was as majestic and beautiful as Pa had shown him so many years ago. It was a bustling place, noisy and crowded like a bee hive, and not everyone looked at him with kind eyes, suspicious because he was a lone young man seemingly without a purpose, but some did because of his self-limited finery, and he was just glad of that. He washed his sweaty face in a big public fountain to the giggles of some young girls, then ogled the big-ass beautiful obsidian dragon statue in the plaza before the magistrate's offices. Guards ignored him as passersby stared at his inappropriate behaviors, but later on, he was offered a foreign apple to try along with some bakery samples from another stall, and he just entertained himself with the various street markets and their flavors and scents, and before long he was far into the city, lost and unconcerned about his travel companions and his horse. As the prince and his cousins followed the Royal Advisor Ice Warlock inside the open Inner Gates, surrounded by an entourage of Royal Guards, this attracted a crowd; people were reassured and glad with the lofty trio's safe return and made sure their prince knew about it."They adore you," Shinji grumbled, "don't ask me why. If they only knew you~"Asami chuckled. Speaking of one who was adorable, he looked about, missing his boy's presence, but judging by Kirishima's relaxed demeanor, all was in hand. He could feel his tense shoulders unwind some at being back home, returning to his hearth, home and kin, soon to be reunited with his father. War missions could take him some time away from here, sure, but eventually the invasion would be over and he would come back home to help the King reign and take care of his people... and his boy. Hopefully, the city beyond was big enough for that free spirit... What he didn't know was that Kirishima had also thought that Akihito was busy looking after Dastard, and would be presently brought along to the Prince's quarters. It would seem that great minds do think alike, even when they're wrong. The blonde with the unruly hair finally felt he should really try to look for the city guards, show them his Master's knife and start back to the Keep. There was something important nagging at him that he had to do today… Oh, right: meeting Asami's Dad - that is - the Asami King, and joining the Prince and the other lords at the super important war council meeting... Rolling his eyes, he snarked under his breath "Yeah, yeah, I know, Narrator. Shut up!"But the adventurous country lad kept being distracted and led astray from his goal by all the amazing sights within the city. There was something magical in the air, both literally and metaphorically. In one small nook where a pair of alleys met, he saw a young and playful witch juggle painted flying fishes and manipulate multihued flying silk scarves, performing acrobatics and smiling at the passersby. "Heya, enroll in the Asrian magic practices today and get a discount on almost every spell book in the store! Only today for 50 coppers or a pair of 'princes'!!"'Yeesh!' Akihito muttered to himself. 'Things in the Capital are pretty expensive!' From talks with his mentors, he knew that the hollowed gold coins or 'kings' were the coins of the highest value, followed by the squared silver coins or 'queens', then the bronze coins ('princes') and coppers. Being country raised, he hadn't even known there were such things as coins until his Pa brought him here once when he was 6 years old or so. Imagine his surprise then to find his pay wallet half filled with bronze 'princes' and silver 'queens'. Damn, but the pay for being the Prince's knave was high! Possibly it was danger pay for being around Asami alone at night, after a few drinks. "Handsy" didn't cover it by half...But being with the prince had saved him lots of coins the past few months, though, so he had plenty in his own coin pouch attached solidly to his belt, but he was so used to whittling his needs down to only the essential expenses for Kou that he decided to absolutely not use any more of it then he needed to, as he had already purchased a pair of soft kidskin leather gloves with purported magic properties for Asami, a medicine herb pouch with actual glass vials for Kirishima, and a pair of Damascus steel wrist guards that could be mistaken for exotic metal cuffs for Suoh. Which was probably stupid, as with their money, power and influence they could get the best of anything the kingdom had to offer that they wanted; besides, "they live here, baka; they don't need souvenirs", he muttered, cross with himself for his perceived silliness, but he still made sure his Auntie Foxes' travel bag was firmly tucked under to his arm with his thank you treasures safely inside.Across from the knife tent, he saw a table with painted wooden figurines on top of it. Immediately going there, he gasped, enthralled. Skillfully crafted and painted in rich colors, Aki had never seen such cool little things. "This one makes my own carving look like shit!" he whispered in awe to himself. He pictured Kou smiling in delight at receiving one of the soldiers, then grinned himself. "I want this one" he told the vendor, pointing to a mounted knight with its cape flaring from its shoulders. The nice older man nodded his head and asked him which other one he wanted, as the price was 2 figurines for a copper. Aki blinked, not having any coppers in his pay wallet, and not even thinking of using his own emergency funds for a toy. Perplexed, he asked what a bronze 'prince' would get him, and the older man became flustered and tried to refuse the sale. He apologized, but he didn't have that many coppers today to offer his customer for change for a 'prince', nor enough figurines available to give him for that coin. Akihito, though mystified by such an idea as an exchange rate for coins, asked how many little figures a bronze coin would purchase, and was floored by the idea that he could get his pick of any 50, if the man had that many ready for sale. Upon enquiry, the elderly man explained that he used to be a wood carver when he was younger, but his fingers tired and his eyes ached now if he did more than carve then paint 2 or 3 little figures a week. The blonde archer then asked if picked out another one today, then came by on a weekly basis or so, if he could have his pick of 2 soldiers or knights from today until Autumn Solstice. The surprise and elated artisan readily agreed and took payment for his commission from his obviously well-off new patron, ensuring he and his wife would have enough to eat from now into winter, aside from any other sales to come.Taking his little treasure for Kou and the older man's profuse thanks, Aki wandered away, thinking about growing up here. Asami and his cousins had been raised in that city, so Aki tried to picture the noble trio exploring the city markets, running around, having fun - wait a moment, did they have fun even once in their lives? They were so damn serious and formal all the time, Akihito had a hard time imagining them running around and laughing, although he could bet one Asami Ryuichi was probably the cutest little dull grey, ‘its-probably-just-gonna-rain’, frickin' ray of sunshine ever. The crowd thinned out as he left this particular street market and walked around to find a nice empty place to rest a little, as the day was getting surprisingly hot up here for being in the mountains. He found a peaceful courtyard, bright green flowering bushes and playful hummingbirds fooling around them, with an old well in its centre. Perfect.He sat down on the well's edge, taking the figurines out of his pocked to admire the little masterpieces, the detail of them made him smile as that the figurines were made of wood but the swords was made out of some sliver of meta, that reflected sunlight on his face. Suddenly he felt his weight shift under him and a stone wobbled and fell into the well as he stood up, almost taking him with it. 'Damn, this is dangerous!' he thought as he looked around, wide eyed. There was no one nearby, so if he had fallen in, no one was coming to his rescue... Wait, there was a woman over there; she might've called for help~ but where had she come from...? And why was there a crow perched on her arm? She smiled at him kindly as he heard the familiar ruffle of feathers and when he looked up, black wings were already in his face, making him step back, bump the back of his knee on the well's edge and made him sit down hard, causing another weakened block to tumble into the well and take him backwards into the blackness of the vertical shaft with it. 'What the hell!?' he thought right before hitting the dark water below.The water was so damn cold he gasped in surprise while still submerged; it invaded his mouth and nostrils, and for a hot moment he panicked and almost drowned a little bit before he regrouped and followed his bubbles to the surface. The shock of the water temperature had paralyzed his muscles as he found the wall with his hands and fumbled around, trying to grab the slippery rocks as if his life depended it.Cursing the well's darkness, he looked up and the freedom the bright sky represented was ‘way up there, like waaay up. There was no bucket or rope down there either. "I am s-screwed", he chattered to himself. He was lucky to not have broken any bones, but hypothermia was suddenly of greater concern. ********* The castle interior was usually pleasantly cool, no matter how hot it got outdoors during the summer season, and Asami thought about how glad Akihito would be, feeling a little comfortable once in a while since he was always griping about the weather.The Keep was big, so he didn't expect to find his boy roaming around looking for him; he was probably being shown the royal stables right now. Asami and his entourage had taken their sweet time to get into the castle proper as the nobles had heard about the prince's arrival and they wouldn't stop blocking the group's passage to greet them."You looking for someone?" Shinji asked, ever the observant one. 'Yes, my boy', he thought, but instead answered "The consort queen. Why?" In a lower tone he added "Has she finally given up on my annihilation yet?"Shining snorted. "She was complaining about her "lack of queenly duties", so I gave her the task of choosing all the dishes for this week's meetings and the upcoming ball."Asami chuckled. "She's probably still cursing you right now.""Heh; right?""I'm serious, Jiji.""I know." Shinji shrugged and smiled faintly, seemingly without worry, as did his prince. Their smiles fell flat, however, as another gaggle of nobles and commanders spotted them in the hall and made to swoop down upon them. Shinji sighed, trying hard not to look aggravated by all the fuss surrounding the returned prince. "This is going to be a long day, Yui." ********* Aki had finally opened another pocket of light after several tries, the cold and wet that he found himself in not aiding in creating a calm and relaxed atmosphere in which to meditate in; but he soon found that "survival" was a suitable concept for him to concentrate on. The ball of light was currently under the water as Akihito made sure that there were no drowned bodies rising up with outstretched arms beneath him, and that the cold fingers he felt resting on his shoulder was really just a dead root of some kind.Nobody on the streets heard his calls and there was no way he could climb the slippery rocks of the wall, so he checked the waters below once again and all there was was terrifying blackness. But he saw a sunken passage close by and decided to try it out, thinking 'if I’m dying so pathetically, I may as well try something then'. His light-ball was somewhat warm in his hands, so that helped firm his resolve as he took a deep breath and ducked underwater.Inside the passage a current pushed him further and further away from the well and he almost missed the first small opening to the sky above that he came to. His shivering was so bad by now he could barely hold himself up; his legs were tiring and his hands and feet were numb. 'I'm gonna die... trying", he muttered to himself again before going back under.Confused by the changing shape of the openings to the sky and air above as he was he didn't notice his ball of light changing its form; it enveloped his body and the little warmth it gave him helped energized him enough to keep pushing on until he couldn't feel his limbs and he couldn't find any more air holes ahead to breath from anymore. The last thing he saw in the blackness as he was carried along was suddenly Asami's face above the surface the water, reaching down to him with open arms...
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Through the tall arches carved out of the living rock, streams of sunlight illuminated the main corridor of the castle's west wing. The small horde of nobles squabbled among themselves, their voices juxtaposing one another down the echoes of the passageway followed Kirishima, the sacrificial lamb of this gambit. Most of them weren't bad people, although they were spoiled, entitled and selfish in their own born-rich way, they still worked together (mostly) for the city's and Sion's welfare (kinda). Of course, there were those prehistoric fossils, members of some of the oldest Houses mostly linked to the consort queen, whose whole objective seemed rather simple: clinging to as much privilege as they were born into, then amassing more power and influence before they departed this world. But these old men wouldn't dream of being caught dead mixing together with the rowdy little horde of followers of the "newcomer" regime of the Asamis, who had only been raised to noble status these past 10 generations, and had ruled for only the last 4 of those. "Are they gone?" the prince tersely asked from behind the music room's heavy doors, his tense back braced against one as if ready to fight or flee upon discovery. Kuroda held up an impromptu hand mirror he'd formed out of thin air and the room's humidity and held it slightly beyond the doorway, slowly scanning both directions. Satisfied, he nodded and the prince relaxed. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten, Kei…" Shinji intoned with mock solemnity. Waving his hand, the mirror evaporated into a whiff of fine crystal mist. The prince sighed as he moved away from the entrance. "Isn't it a little ridiculous for the heir apparent to be sneaking around his own home, avoiding his father's fawning bootlicks?" "Well Ryuichi, you could have chosen the option of presenting yourself to listen to their endless whining, questions, requests, complaints and demands instead of forgoing Kei on such a bootless quest ~" "Shut. Up." the prince groaned, walking to the far side of the ample room towards the wooden clavichord, sheer curtains billowing lazily around the tall windows behind it. It was one of the few things his father had kept after his mother's untimely death. Playing a few keys, he offhandedly wondered if Akihito knew how to dance. "Anyways. I've gotten letters from Umi and Kiki about this lad of yours. I know that you went and wasted time retrieving him yourself, so he'd better be worth it, Yui. This war isn't a game; those Baishe bastards are expanding their occupation zone within our borders as we speak." Ryuichi sat on the bench, idly wondering what kind of music Akihito might enjoy listening to; maybe one of his Mom's pieces... "He is… really important, Jiji. Not only because I am… rather fond of him and growing more so by the day… ". Trying to clarify what the boy meant to him had him frowning a bit, muddled, so he began to play a little instead, trying to get his thoughts collected as his hands moved on their own. Shinji sighed, recognizing the opening phrase to 'Impetuous and Foolish', a sonata Ryuichi's late mother had composed for the current King's birthday gift in her younger days, when he was still a prince in title only, with no power or responsibility. "Yeah? Colour me surprised, Yui. Any stray can catch your fancy for a couple of hours. Other than the length of time you've kept him, what else is new about this one?" The prince smiled to himself as he nonchalantly stated "That 'lad of mine', as you so dismissively call him, is a woodland god Halfling." The highly educated Dominus proved worthy of all his years of training and effort in cramming for his studies as he clearly and eloquently expressed himself succinctly, coming straight to the heart of the matter: "… Huh?""Also, his mount is a kelpie that seems to have chosen him for its own."Shinji glared at the large man dwarfing the musical instrument he was sitting at. "Now I know you're fucking with me" he grumped before leaving the room to his foster brother's chuckles. ********* This capital city among the mountain peaks was impressive! How it was possible that rough barbarians such as these built such a magnificent place was beyond him. Archways, bridges, flying staircases, the Castle itself, the manors, and the sumptuous gardens, not to mention the huge number of street markets…! There was a navigable river that branched out and crisscrossed the city. And the dragon statue, carved out of a single block of obsidian within the central square, was impressive enough that it almost rivaled Baishe's own carved crystal dragon that had wire gold spun throughout it. Admittedly, he did get distracted for a little while in awe wherever he looked, but the nigh silent ruffle of Gwái's [Ghost's] wings in his head brought him back to the present. But as hard as they looked for their particular blonde target, Akihito was nowhere to be seen; gone, vanished, poof. Of course, this city was huge, but Tao knew a trick or two that the pair had used to track certain people down by their magical signature before. It was a technique used to hunt by the feel of their magic target's 'essence', so he knew the boy was within their range of perception, but he couldn't pinpoint just where. It was like he was… Like his magic signature was moving around at a rapid pace; like a leaf flowing along a swift moving current. He frowned behind his owl mask, considering for a hot minute the possibility of Akihito being submerged in the river, but due to the strong ice magic signature around most of the city, he was pretty sure the water would be just 'way too cold to survive a dunking for long. Gwái followed her master's wishes and glided lower, watching the crystal cold waters of the river below her. Tao shuddered a little, thinking of that little expedition to the north, northeast, (waaaay north northeast!), into the Rus' freezing ass highlands. Whatever business Fei Long's asshole of a brother had to discuss with that blonde idiot, the Prinsinn of the Arbatov Clan, there was no excuse for leaving him behind there. But, he never told anyone about that nightmarish day, the day the Prinsinn's uncle, his clan yfirmaður Yuri had "entertaining" ideas to torture the soft southern Baishee boy. But if there was a bright side to that whole mess, he had learned the hard way that studying to protect one's self from life sucking cold did indeed come in handy betimes. He never knew what the Rus Yuri and his master's elder brother had been on about; he could only hope whatever it was that the Prinsinn was different enough from his insane uncle to curb any cruel whims of his, and that his master would never find out firsthand about that madman's nature. Maybe he should dive into the river to take a look-see...? He had no other leads on Akihito, anyways... Now, what made Tao a formidable opponent at his young age wasn't his strength or magic skill, but his quick responses and his presence of mind. If he hadn't been distracted by that awful memory - (and that was all that straw-haired idiot's fault, now; wasn't it!?), he would have noticed far quicker; but still, the part of his mind that was guiding the owl's search had responded accurately, and the bird dove suddenly, almost skimming the water with her breast feathers, while the crow targeting her missed but for a few pale feathers clutched in its claws. Swearing, the intruder noticed for the first time their predicament: Gwái was surrounded by a murder of aggressive crows. Not only that, but he had been inside his familiar's mind for so long while they were so far from each other that their connection was faltering. Whoever was controlling the crows was an enemy, but through the owl's eyes he couldn't seem to locate this adversary. Worried, he rushed an urgent command of return and silenced their communication. He was up on the Capital's huge columned walls scanning the distant skyline, as if frowning hard enough would make his owl fly back faster. He hoped this magic enhanced murder of crows didn't mean he had been found out; but he suspected if that was truly the case, the guardsmen would be up in this section of the main wall already. But if it wasn't one of Sion's soldiers, who it was then? Maybe some ridiculous protection spell cast over the city, perhaps? That also didn't make sense; why would someone set up a spell that would attack a random owl familiar outside of nesting season? Unless... 'They know who I'm seeking...' he whispered to himself. Before Gwái reached him, bringing the crows with her, Tao had had enough time to gather plenty of energy into reinforcing a crudely drawn chalk warding spell at his feet to hold off the enemy birds. But the crows broke off their pursuit before he made the final stroke and dispersed before reaching the boy and his familiar's position. Gwái perched on his shoulder, panting, beak open, exhausted from her flight, and her master took a moment to look around them. His feet were on the edge of the steps up to the main wall, so he stepped back slowly onto the lower outer defenses, watching as the crows became less agitated the further away the pair got from the inner walls. "They're stuck!" The realization made him gasp aloud in surprise, matching the expression hidden behind his mask. "Whoever sent the crows is stuck within the city walls too!" ********* From the third floor hidden gallery, the large fair-haired warrior could survey the interior of the large sunroom. Kazumi had been thinking that, just like his uncle's lamented love, Ryuichi's mother, the boy would absolutely love getting into all the books and scrolls contained in this place."Kazumi." Suoh turned towards Kei and nodded congenially as his relative approached him, sighing tiredly. "Ah, Kei. Long time no see. Yui's little side trip went smoothly enough, I suppose?" "It was…" The heir's advisor stopped and quickly looked about as if he expected to find the consort queen or one of her minions spying from some corner. "...Eye opening." Kazumi's own eyes narrowed at the words, making his face one that could surely crack stone. "Now you're sounding ominous, cousin." "I'll tell you all about it when we get to Ryuichi's office."To that, Suoh nodded, because they only disclosed important, secret information there or within the Icy Tower because the consort queen's hordes were only discouraged by extreme heat or cold; as in, fire or ice. "Which reminds me," Kirishima asked. "Where is Yui's brat at?" Kazumi's puzzled expression made Kei's blood pressure rise. "Don't you tell me you lost the boy already?!" "What you mean? He was with the both of you..." "I thought he was with you!" Kei stuffed his sweaty hand into his ever handy handkerchief up his sleeve and pulled it out to wipe them on without staining his Court clothes. He had finally pulled rank and shooed everyone off, citing his need to freshen up and change before seeing his uncle, the King, so he was now wearing Sion's black and gold, as was proper in the King's palace. "It should be fine though. The Capital's a safe haven, even for the likes of him." The man that rarely showed internal emotion started pacing; this only illustrating his own internal anxiety, which in itself was so unusual in the man at all, that it made Kazumi edgy too."Besides," Suoh added, trying to be helpful. "Akihito knows how to take care of himself." The image Kei had flash in his mind was the boy's broken body lying on the forest floor, which brought a sour taste to his mouth. He was used to seeing hurt and dying people from the countless skirmishes he'd fought, many of them comrades, brothers in arms and personal acquaintances, but that one image nearly made him sick. "I mean... I'm certain he's fine. At least, that bottomless pit of a stomach of his is sure to show up at dinner time, so the rest'll be bound to follow after." "True, he wouldn't pass up a good meal, now, would he~" Kei mused. Kazumi chuckled; he himself made a wee bit nervous now. At least, for love of the Dragons, they hoped not. ********* He had woken up earlier than usual, his heart pounding even as his eyes opened. He'd simply assumed he'd roused from a nightmare, after all, his was a dangerous job that had been foisted on him all unprepared, and on its best days was enough to induce soured dreams in anyone, if not madness. It took him a while to notice there was something different about this barely begun day, something special, a feeling that wouldn't leave him be, a feeling he had all but forgotten about.The city around the mount might still be in pitch black if the Capital wasn't so bright with lantern light and full of the bustle of life, even during the wee dark hours of the night, and even now in his more "mature" years, this thought could still make him smile his secret, mischievous smile as the lure of adventure beckoned. But when his finger tips seemed to vibrate like harp strings as he touched the window sill to look out, he knew something of import was afoot.This was the same sensation he'd had the day he met the girl he would love for the rest of his life, all wide caramel eyes and bouncing walnut curls when they first met in her father's house of commerce, and then felt again the day his son was born while he himself was away at the family Keep; but it was also akin to the furor in his head that he'd awoken to the day most of his family had been wiped out in their sleep. Unlike the other times, though, that instance he'd woken up gasping, as though something cold and unyielding had wrapped itself around his heart while it sank its fangs in to anchor itself, like a hungry constrictor snake. Pondering this, he thought he should just go lie down again and try to sleep, knowing that the Prince was not only coming home today, but he was bringing someone of personal importance with him. Such an unlikely turn of events for the overly responsible/wandering tomcat warranted his full attention and keen eye to size up the situation for himself and see if this person felt the same way, or just had greedy eyes on a grand prize. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye on the terrace below his private rooms, and glancing down, he gasped in shock... brown curls, generous smiling mouth and softly glowing eyes looked up at him before the woman in the darkness turned and walked out of sight toward the doors into that level of the Keep. "Dani...", the long unspoken name escaped his lips. Without a thought he turned himself and started dressing quickly in the dark so as not to disturb his long-suffering chamberlain. He then stole down the hallway beyond his chamber door and took the secret passage behind a fake book shelf in his office and slipped away unnoticed to the Gaian Garden. He followed a silent urge to a secret place very few people within the Keep knew how to reach anymore, the ancient safe haven inside the great stone Keep. Running down stairs and slipping down passages from memory, he was soon walking out among moon-blooming flowers, careful to not step on anything, admiring the pale beauties of the night that he would never be able to remember the names of, with the exception of his late love's sigil flower. Vines crawled over fences and up walls alike, the chaotic aesthetic of nature shining through here. To the careless observer, the garden would seem abandoned and left to grow wild as it would, but here, Nature's taking over was by design. Nearby, in a space between songbird gleaned berry bushes and a menhir stone erected by the earliest Sion inhabitants, beyond the carefully screened mouth of a sacred cave entrance was the secret Gaian shrine.He was breathing hard, not because his days didn't afford him time to practice his fighting craft and the physical regiment required of the fighters of Sion Keep, but because he had mostly run a surprising distance to get here before the dawn. He himself had decided early on that he needed to stay healthy to buy his boys as much time as he could before they had to take over his reins of power. When he died, there would only be both his own and his nephews from his lost brothers to stand between the Noble's intentional anarchy and the kingdom's people that would be dragged into and sacrificed to the quest for ever more power should the Asamis be overthrown. Yet in the back of his mind, he had a lingering thought, just for himself. He wasn't one to be selfish by any means, but if his much loved and terribly missed Danijela had come herself to take him to his endless rest, then who was he to keep Fate and the missing half of his heart waiting?When he got to the sacred space, he looked around, memories of him visiting here with the mother of his first son everywhere around. It was even possible that this was where their child had been conceived. …Mm, perhaps not the most respectful use of the time in this space, but by no means a profane act against the Mother Goddess Herself. He settled himself to rest leaning up against a wall and waited for come what may.What had ended up coming along was a weak glow that appeared in the dark water later that day. This was unusual enough that it sparked his interest and he went see what it was. Turned out it was the tumbling form of a young lad, about shoulder high or so he looked, enclosed within a protective spell of some type or another. The glow was dimming, even as it approached his position, and if his timing was off, the lad would be swept away, likely never to be seen again. Coming right up to the crumbling edge of the fissure where the turbulent water sloshed onto the floor of the cave at times, he knelt down, arms ready, and as the body came within his grasp, his arms plunged down and snatched the blonde's head out of the water the way a wading bear midstream scooped up migrating salmon for lunch. Once he made sure the young man he'd pulled out was indeed breathing, he rolled the lad onto his side in case he needed to drain his lungs, then set about gathering twigs and fallen branches from that which made this site sacred: the ancient smoke tree that had somehow taken root within the cave and had managed to sprout and grown and thrive in this unusual place.Using the flint his father had once given to him on a days-long hunting trip with the edge of the blade he wore, he remembered building such fires to warm this cave up when his Dani had come here in the past to observe some holy day when they were young and happy and without a care. Their parents approved of their match, and they were in love, and the future had stretched out before them.... "Just more a little more time; please? Can't you let me rest some?" Akihito tired-whined, smacking his lips, slurred speech and all; he wasn't gonna wake up anytime soon if he could help it. It had been a long "jaunt" and despite the past half year, he still wasn't used to all this travelling about. Or, at least, that's what he thought. There was an annoying rushing sound nearby that continued in the background as cool air moved over him, stirring him back to wakefulness. Weakly waving an arm to shoo away what he imagined was Dastard snuffling about, he grumbled "Ugh, fine, I'm up. Beat it, you big arse!"A surprised chuckle, followed by an amused "I've many titles bestowed on me, boy, but none that are as descriptive as that one!" was what it took to bring him back to the real world. Because if he wasn't still on the road with his prince and Kei, then WHERE the FUCK was he!?!Ever so slowly, the lad opened his eyes, frowning. He was on his side, a puddle of water surroundings him, blinking at the bluish light coming from above. Looking up, he saw a wide crack in the rock ceiling that, within half a man's hand width of the lip, a clear blue crystal protruded, filtering sunlight through, and casting the space in an aquamarine tint. Beneath the crack, mirrored in the rippled slate where his head was resting, was the rushing water he'd been tossed about in not so long ago. Looking around him, the space seemed for all the world like a dry space between water above and sand and mud on the bottom of a lake somewhere, frozen in time. The fuzzy hair on the back of his neck stood up at the confusing sight, wondering how he'd gotten here in this dream world.What was it? Celestine, cava site, some other gemstone…? He couldn't tell, to him all these quartz and crystals seemed the same, but Kirishima would know all about it because… because… "Kiki knows everything" he whispered. In the back of his mind he remembered, fresh as yesterday's morning, young Umi was behind them. He'd always had long legs, so he didn't need to walk any faster to keep up, saying worriedly "It'll probably make him sick with an infection in the cut or something."Kiki, ten summers old Kiki, rolled his eyes, looking back to point out, cocky as they come: "Of course you have to use CLEAN cobwebs, without any bug corpse or spider crap on it. By my word, it can be used as a bandage with it wrapped around the moss I'm looking for; it's actually pretty good at protecting wounds. The old soldiers teach it to new recruits.""How do you even know these things?" pint-sized Kazumi asked with something close to awe in his voice. Akihito remembered the words spoken then in a higher version of Asami's voice: "Umi, Kiki knows everything."That wasn't his memory, though; he hadn't even been alive yet to see the chibi child versions of the lords Kirishima and Suoh. That meant... "By the Dragons!" he whispered, "That's Asami's memory fragment. We're not even dreaming this time." Their mental connection was peeking through in broad daylight and Akihito wasn't sure if he was happy or terrified about it. All he knew was that he didn't want any of his uncertainty to leak through into the prince's mind and cause him any undue concern during his homecoming. The blue crystal in the cave's ceiling, and below it, the scary cold black water rushing by, the beautiful tree, gnarled from cramped quarters yet twisting its limbs to catch every single ray of light it could, next to him with it's pretty deep purple leaves, and on his other side a neatly arranged fire, the discreet smoke seemed tinged green in the unusual light; the whole place was surreal. He touched his forehead, wondering if he had really lost it this time and had gone mad. "Do pardon my rudeness, but, who are you, boy?" Across the fire, a tall, handsome man sat looking at him with a topaz-hued stare that said he expected answers. Immediately, if not sooner. "Asami?!" Aki jumped clumsily, the oh-so-frickin' cold water had done a number in numbing his muscles; still stiff and achy, but when the man's eyes widened for a second Akihito realized who he wasn't. "Hold up, you're not my Asami!" the boy stated, regarding the stranger with accusing eyes. How DARE this person look so much like his prince? Outrageous! "Your-.. oh, so you have a pet Asami, do you?" Even the man's voice was somewhat similar to his prince's. But the characteristic jet black hair had grey running through it, and a long scar marked the left side of the handsome face before it hid itself under a beard."I mean… My…friend? Asami? Asami Ryuchi?" Aki blushed, not minding honorifics as usual, not out of rudeness or anything, just habit. Asami, Kirishima and Suoh were friends of his, a new family of sorts. "A-Anyways! Y-you have some explaining to do!" In his defense, Aki would confide later over a wine or two, he was confused and his brain was probably still frozen from the cold water."Me?!""Where am I and why you look so much like the prince!? And I know I am not hallucinating because I am not seeing talking food dancing around" (because the best of his previous hallucinations had some kind of dancing food theatre act in them, apparently?).That was probably the most absurd sentence in the history of absurd sentences, as the man stared at him in utter shock, lost for words as Akihito struggled to think of something to divert the subject and get him the hell out of this place."I mean, guess I can let that slide this time, Asami wannabe. Since you apparently saved my life and all that. I mean, fuck, I do have manners and shit, right? But if you don't mind, I-" The sudden laugh made the lad shut his mouth, slightly annoyed, oblivious of the miracle he had just performed: Sion's king had all but forgotten what laughing felt like in more years than he'd like to admit."Who are you and how did you enter the Shrine?" The man asked again, his voice was softer, and if Aki was good at reading people, the interest in him got bigger. It wasn't attraction, though, more like he felt like a bug under a magnifying glass and he found himself answering."Name's Aki. I was sightseeing in the Capital when I - oh.""Oh?""My bag! I bought them gifts! I can't believe I lost it!'"It's looking pretty dry and safe, right there next to you."Akihito looked around him, grabbed the bag and pulled it into a tight hug. "Aw thanks, man."The "man" was definitely amused. "I know you're a benevolent being so I am not concerned about an intruder in the Shrine. And I know you're not purely human because you have natural magic, but you have to tell me who are you.""Why, I mean, how~?""I can tell because a number of reasons: one, being your natural magic signature, another, the fact that Shinji's protective ice water didn't kill you when you slipped within the Keep's protective barrier, and third, because I didn't performed any healing magic on you, but you recovered pretty fast due to Gaia's own blessing in Her shrine, which means either you're a benevolent magical being or a Halfling of some kind.""Now sir, it's rude to mimic someone's appearance; Asami's hair is black, just so you know." Akihito's pathetic strategy to change the subject didn't work; however, the tawny golden stare was firmly fixed on his own self. "Wait; did you just use magic to dry my bag but not my clothes? Not cool."The Asami wannabe chuckled some more. "The bag didn't get wet in the first place; it was protected by a spell.""Oh... I see. Well, there's a simple explanation for this, obviously… I just haven't thought one up yet." Akihito replied, making the older man chuckle some more."Now that is something." A voice came from behind them, warming Akihito up from the inside like nothing else could. "Last time I heard that sound, I was a kid, and we hadn't come here yet."The boy's face lit up like fireworks; bright hazel eyes and an easy grin, he looked even younger than he already was, and the king sighed in awe. This was something different from boyish admiration, or trying to be alluring to the prince, this was something more. And the prince's expression: his golden eyes, usually expressionless, and his cool exterior had been replaced, the King noted, with something... warmer. Even Ryuchi's smirk lacked its characteristic acid quality, almost like...he was… happy?"Yo, Asami! I- I mean, your… Lordness?"Ryuchi chuckled "That should be 'Your Grace' in public, Akihito. Don't let Kei catch you calling me something so silly, especially in the Capital, in front of the King himself no less." Akihito laughed until the prince's words sank in. His eyes flicked back at the older version, comparing and contrasting as fast as it could go. "What you mean? T-the Asami wannabe? The K...King himself?!" Said wannabe tucked an arm across his chest and made a chivalrous mock bow from where he sat.The prince teased the blonde lad, cocking an eyebrow and giving him a look of feigned confusion. "Whaaaat?!" The lad was an open book, his cute panicked expression said everything; he would never ever DREAM of meeting Sion's king in a cave. "Your uh High-Majesty-ness…? Have I failed to mention I am a court jester… or something like that?" He was totally neither a jester nor any kind of a fool, yet he managed to make both stone cold men easily laugh. At him.Going immediately into his default "prickly defense" mode, the archer sought to distract his tormentor. "Hey! What are YOU doing here in a shrine anyways, Asami? You don't strike me as the type to beg favours from On High, do ya?" Watching his son almost grin at the jab, His Highness, King Drayce of Sion, started to get an inkling of what the fiery light in those hazel eyes hid and the teasing fondness of his son meant, and it lightened his tired spirit some.Ryuichi held forth his hand and, after uncurling his long fingers, revealed a... toy? Akihito's stormy expression cleared immediately. "Kou's knight! I thought it was gone forever! How'd ya find it?" The bigger of the two actually smiled as he tilted his hand and dropped the precious object into Aki's outstretched hand. "A crow gave it to me. It had it in its beak when it landed on my shoulder, and would only drop it when I offered it a shiny coin." Turning his head to his father, the prince observed "Those feathered miscreants' bribes are getting ridiculously high. What's been going on here while I've been gone?" He threw a mildly accusatory look at his king, who nonchalantly waved off both the look and the question that would have had other men either groveling for mercy or fleeing for their lives. Whoa. Akihito didn't know what to make of all this, or if he could still follow his instincts to take Kou and run. He shivered, and both men noticed."Son, he's cold and wet. Go warm him up with a hot bath before dinner. Stop by the kitchens beforehand and feed him something. Fit him out with some livery too. He looks like he could use it." Akihito spluttered at that, and gave the prince an excuse he'd been looking for. Scooping up his surprised knave, he unceremoniously tossed him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes "to help the water drain out of him". Watching his boy walk off with the shouting, swearing blonde, the king breathed out a laugh, and picked up the abandoned travel bag. Slinging it over his own shoulder, the older Asami headed up after them. He had a slight spring in his step now and a naughty little glint to his eye. Maybe tonight, or some night soon, he'd head out into the city again. For an adventure.
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His fine doe hide boots barely made a whisper on the luxurious carpets as he heard the one whom he sought after's melodious nagging from outside the hall. She was scolding the servants (again), as if they were her personal little army of minions. Not saying a word, he leaned back against one of the indoor garden's pair of multi paneled glass doors and crossed his arms, settling in to wait.With his longer blonde hair, androgynous features and pleasantly proportioned figure dressed in fine garments, the youngest of a large noble family's litter of sons made quite the fetching target for the unattached titled women of the Capital. He wasn't ranked within upper society, but he was handsome and word was that he did have drive and some nice social contacts, one of whom was rumored to be Prince Ryuichi himself, even if he'd had to start that rumor on his own. His dark red doublet had the Sudou House coat of arms boldly embroidered within a gold thread outline due to an aunt's fortuitous marriage to a kin of the Asamis. As he waited, he took a good look around at his surroundings, and, aside from a few minor changes he'd require, felt satisfied whenever he was inside the Royal Keep; a place he planned to take up residence in permanently someday, if he but played his cards right.The famed arboretum was legendary and popular within Sion's high society, and it used to be the height of royal favour to be invited to meet one of the kingdom's notables there. It was said that the most beautiful and rarest of plants in the kingdom could be found within, and, according to the rumor mill, fairies had originally cultivated the garden out of love for the then ruling royal family. Sudou didn't really buy that, as there was no way in hell such independent creatures would ever stoop so low as to avail themselves to anyone's whims if they were remotely like Emiko.But commoners, by and large, were dullards. They really thought as a whole that the Royal Family were blessed beings and that rainbows sprung out of their asses when they availed themselves of the "facilities", and although the prince was clearly a superior specimen of a man, even he was just a man after all. Powerful warlock he might be, but he hadn't been able to see past Sudou Shuu's pretty face, or else the prince would already have found out about some of his more "questionable" activities during the invasion. In his defense, he had only sold minor Sion military secrets to interested parties within the Rus borderlands in order to get his hands on their gold and furs, and with the sales of those and other exotic trade goods in the right high end marketplaces, he was able to buy his way to finally gain some personal influence. How would he ever get attention from the nobility without spreading money about to get their attention in the first place? And that was the only way for him to even get close enough to the prince again so he could entice and seduce the untouchable man once more.In the far corner, in front of one of the huge glass panels, sitting on a velvet chaise lounge surrounded by the servants she treated like slaves, was Sion's Consort Queen, Emiko. Her long black hair seemed to have navy blue threads throughout it, acting as accents within, and it spread over the back and shoulders of her sheer dress as a young servant girl combed it with a pretty carved coral comb. If he had to guess, based on her appearance alone, he would wager she was in her mid 30's; but if that was the case, it was due to some mystical contract, likely a pact with some demonic entity whose soul she'd probably threatened to eat, that made the whole Royal Family appear to age slowly.Her dark eyes finally noticed him at the door with a mix of mild of disdain and long suffering annoyance. "Oh, it's you. To what do I owe the displeasure of your company this time?" He smiled, just barely hiding his mutual contempt for her in as he bowed. "My Queen, it's good find you in as fine a temper, not to mention just as charming, as when last we met.""Cut the sarcasm, young man. I am not in the mood for your type of smartassery today. I may not be able to do anything about Drayce's guardian cur Kuroda or his bastard son you're forever fawning over, but you? You're a nobody that no one would even notice as not being present."With deliberate calm he raised his hands in surrender. "Peace, my Consort Queen; I come with a certain bit of interesting news I would wish to discuss with you." He knew better than to upset her to get her cooperation, but the woman irked him as equally as he did her. "I doubt it, fop. And stop calling me "Consort Queen". I am The Queen of Sion." With a flick her of hand, Emi sent her servants scurrying off. Noticing the women's rushed steps on their way out, he could empathize with their rush to get away from the woman they were condemned for life to serve."You really do like surrounding yourself with mice, hmm?" "Mice" being the pejorative term used by nobility for a very long time to refer to mere servants, but Emi, as she liked to be called, found it quite fitting: they were little more than some harmless pests for her to pass her time mucking about with."My little mice are rather useful. They squeak to me everything they hear from those old windbags of the so-called Upper Class: from whatever new political schemes they're come up with, to whom they want to pursue next. Nobody ever notices the menials. Anyway, what are you doing here? Did the King’s prick of a street busker son return already?""You'd best watch yourself, Queen Emiko", replied Sudou with a poisonous hiss. "If you dare to disrespect Ryuichi-sama so openly, you may come to regret it dearly. Think nothing would ever happen to you because you're the king's consort? Think again, my lady.""Is that a threat, Shuu? Didn't think you had the stones to try to frighten a mere woman." He sighed. He hadn't come here to argue, after all. "He is back, yes. And for a wonder, he brought a little pet back with him this time.""Oh?" She asked as she smiled mockingly at him. "A libertine or a slut? Let him have some fun; whoever he's busy with at the moment, he's not using that time to meddle in my affairs.""It's not that simple this time 'round!""Haha! Oh, are you jealous, my darling fair-haired boy? Why do you keep trying so hard, when you are utterly failing with him anyhow? Ryuchi always finds some new slattern to dally with, like he did with you, that one, single, solitary time. Weren’t you asleep, already worn out, when he was out and about, looking for fresh game for the remainder of the evening?""Go to hell.""Oh, my dear, dear boy... Just where do you think I come from? And why do you imagine I would even care a thing about that tomcat's temporary flings?"Sudou bit his lip hard to stop himself from cursing her aloud. One day, he was going move in here permanently, his prince under his sway, and when the day came, he was going to make this cheap little whore pay. "This time, it's different. I saw him offer a high military rank and an Elven bow to the boy, and the brat refused both flatly.""Oh? That's novel. What more?""He has kept this churl for months… I even heard he abandoned his troop to go after him!"'That's definitely new', the queen mulled over. 'Asami Ryuichi, actually chasing after someone?' "So, this young fellow -""He's neither a fellow, nor a peer, nor anything else. He's just some peasant! A serf! A nobody! If Ryuichi-sama really likes that kind of lowlife, his father would be more than pleased, no doubt, going by his own taste in common sluts, and then you'll dine night after night with some filthy peasant at the family table! The Prince's going to discredit the House of Asami with the way he falls over himself for his little pet! Will you be happy to share your space with some cheap mongrel with no breeding or class?!"'Even considering how much time I waste on you, that won't do', the consort queen thought to herself. If the cocky moron was this furious about Ryuichi's new plaything, then maybe she should give this situation some serious thought. An overreaching tart that can get his dirty little paws on the untouchable Asami Ryuchi's stone heart could do any number of things, most of which could greatly inconvenience her, obviously. And obviously, if she was honest with herself, the very thought of a nameless lowlife living in her castle was not to be borne, to say the least."What do you want from me?" she asked, lips thinned in displeasure. "I will not squash this bug for you with my own hands, and I don't wish to tilt at Ryuichi directly. Whether Prince, Warlock or General, he is a dangerous man that knows too many things.""If you know that, why do you disrespect him so?""Watch it, dolt; I won't tolerate your cheeky tongue for much longer. As for the boy, we don't need him dead, we just need him gone.""But-""Or, you can risk your own neck as you see fit, and try to do what you will with him, as long as it casts no shadow on me." He huffed, running his hand through his beautifully managed hair in a fit of pique. "You see, Shuu-kun, this is how things are. If you were crazy enough, you would have killed that little punk already, and surely would have been caught and hung at the least, because you are rash and stupid. If I had killed all who had stood in my way as I rose to the position that I am in, Sion would be much, much emptier than it is now." She smiled coolly at the thought of all the grave markers she would've enjoyed breaking as she danced on them. "There are other ways to remove someone from your path. People have either a price, or a weakness. If he refused the Elven bow, it means he won't be bribed with cheap trinkets. In that case, we must ascertain his weakness. Everyone has a one, after all; all any of the smart ones need to do is be patient to ferret it out." ********* Kou closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the warm breeze pass over him. He was convinced that this was the best place in the world. Not under this specific tree, just outside the Capital City, but in this mountain range, in this land. For the first time in his life after the loss of his parents, he felt safe. Big Brother was coming back today with the Prince and the bands of the Lords of the North. He'd wanted to watch and see them enter the city, surely a stirring sight by itself, but he'd suddenly gotten all nervous and twitchy with the idea that Akihito wouldn't be among the returning retinue, and he couldn't stand the thought of that and had run out here where no one from the castle would think to look for him. His free time after his classes and his duties, and his curiosity, which he got from his brother, had led him out here a time or two before already.He would never tell his brother, not even in a million years, how scary it was for a boy like him to be up and down with the army, not knowing if the enemy would strike in the middle of the night during their sleep, or if some perverted bastard would try and steal him from their tent. He still had nightmares; scared his big brother would get hurt, or end up like Takato had. But these nightmares weren't as frequent anymore, and more times than not, he could rest at night. And even when he finally got to leave the city to deliver a message outside the Capital, he was with a company that most of the time traveled the patrolled King's Roads.But if he was honest to himself, he would admit that he felt guilty. To be living well, meeting new people and learning etiquette, wearing nice clothing and eating enough good food to put on some weight while Aki-nee was still out there, fighting in the same stupid war, sleeping on the cold, hard ground and being eaten alive by mosquitoes. He had this plan, that by saving up his coins, one day he would buy them a nice little house, just anywhere inside the Capital, where it was safe. And that's why he would never buy a candy for himself, or new shoes, or just about anything. Not that he needed to though, because Suoh onii-san would give them to him anyways. He chuckled, as calling that big, surly guy 'onii-san' had never failed to amuse him, and that's because he found out he could get away with this with the big blonde; but when he'd tried the same prank with the Dominus Ice Warlock and Lord Advisor Kuroda, he was met with a cool stare that made him all embarrassed for even trying. But he was gonna melt that iciness someday. Just watch if he didn't.Opening his eyes again, he noticed the changes in the way the shadows lay. He had fallen asleep for an hour or two, but it was fine, one couldn't get scolded if nobody knew where he was. Now, the guy he had come across, close to the huge outer wall, was still deep in meditation. The snowy owl perched on the saddle of the stranger's horse watched him with a murderous gaze, like a wrathful guardian, daring him to try anything. So, this was a familiar, huh. Kou didn't have much knowledge on familiars, their uses and didn't know much about their strange kind of bond, but he did know a little something about owls, so... Tao started to rouse himself with the thought that he could just stay put and camp outside the Capital; actually, he should do exactly that, and send a message to his master while awaiting instructions. After all, he was real close to the enemy's headquarters; but then again, that wouldn't do. He wasn't very good at standing still, and honestly? They should expect that from him by this point.But just entering the city was too dumb, even for him. He knew his own hometown back in the Empire had a system of “magic traps” around the city, capable of reading foreign magic signatures, and that's because of the way people used their mana; that is, the magic flowing about them was different from place to place. As Baishe and Sion had different traditions and beliefs about magic, if a Sion spy-mage were to penetrate the Imperial City, they would be made known right away. His method to solve this obstacle was to just expel his own mana and thus becoming 'invisible' to other mages and to any possible tracking mechanism. It meant he would be vulnerable and basically powerless, if one ignored his combat skills. His prince, Liu Fei Long, would never, ever allow him such recklessness while alone, but then, he couldn't be scolded if his master didn't know what he was up to~At least, he had his beloved Gwái, the best and most loyal owl familiar someone would ever have. He smiled a sleepy smile, knowing she was watching over him, a ferocious and merciless guardian, flying over ~ Wait a second... He didn't “see” her in the sky, as she would normally go there to make sure he was safe whenever he meditated, especially if he needed to get rid his of his mana. Maybe she had spotted some danger~?He finally felt his Gwái, dozing off with her full tummy, the chirping of the songbirds nearby apparently acting as her lullaby. But it was the giggle that got his attention. Not anywhere above him when his eyes flashed open, but directly in front of him was Gwái, his "ferocious and merciless guardian", perched on a boy's lap, eyes close as she enjoyed a good head scratching session. Not only that, but said boy was perched sideways in the saddle on Baan - Tao's own horse!"W-wha?! But!! H-how?!" Through his mental connection with his snowy owl, he could feel her in a relaxed state of calm; actually, she was pretty much goofing off, enjoying herself. He had been so concentrated on his mana expelling technique that he let that slip by completely. 'Your traitor!' he mentally accused her, but she barely acknowledged him with only half of a yellow eye peeking open through her bliss. "Boy! Who are you?! What magic technique turns other people's familiars to puppets?!" This was bad, this was so super bad! With that kind of power, the boy could be a monster! The familiar bond with mages had been a traditional art back in Baishe lands, even though people capable of forming bonds with animals was something quite rare; but then because of that, those with familiars gained some influence in the military chain of command. If this boy -"Hahaha! What's with that face!?" laughed the boy and even Baan seemed to snort derisively at him as he lazily swished his tail and cocked his hind leg, comfortably relaxed. The young interloper was wearing some fancy white and blue training uniform with Sion's dragon embroidered in the left side of his keikogi. "My mother told me that it was never nice to interrupt someone's meditation, so we all just waited. But I heard your stomach growl from 'way over there, so we got you a nice lunch!" He indicated the fire with his head, where some meat was cooking up over the flames, skewered on sticks. "Hare meat. This nice lady here had her fare already, which is why she's so contented."That boy managed to steal his horse, and his make nice with his familiar, and then sneak in close and quiet enough to make him lunch without him even noticing?! Of course, if the boy had wanted him dead, he could have done so already, and as Tao was hungry indeed, he mentally just shrugged and got up to move next to the fire. "What's your name?" he asked as he took a seat."Kou!" Replied the grinning boy, sitting cross-legged across the fire, but even after Tao cleared his throat, Gwái still didn't come back to his side. He wasn't sure if he was upset, offended or amazed. "Kou. H-how that happened?! Why my familiar is in your lap?!" Tao had some espionage training in the past, or else he wouldn't know how to get into the Capital undetected, so, he was practiced in Sion's language, but there was still some Baishe accent and grammar lingering in his pronunciation that he hadn't quite gotten rid of."I grew up with Pa and nee-chan." Kou smiled, like that was enough of explanation."Is your nee-chan like, a druid or something?'"Oh, no! Haha, no; he's just really good with animals. Anyways, who're you? You're not from here, are you?"Out of all bad possibilities, like being found out sneaking around Sion's Capital, why did he have to be caught by a boy?! Wasn't that far too humiliating? He sighed. "I'm… lost?""...Is that a question?"Okay, Plan A was just to fool the kid, which, technically, shouldn't be too difficult, except… for all his training, Tao wasn't that good of an actor. Plan B consisted on killing the kid, which didn't seem much of a challenge, though personally, he didn't care for the idea."Fine. I just needed a pee."Kou opened his mouth, maybe to say something along the lines of 'there's public toilets inside the city' or some such thing, but he reconsidered, having the dubious pleasure of being stuck having to use one of the least well-kept ones before. "Oh, I get you. You're new here, right? Came from far away in the countryside, that's why you talk different. You're feeling like you don't fit in, right?" He smiled an endearing smile, "It's okay, and I get that.""You… do?""Sure! I've been living here for just a few weeks myself, and aside from those I came with, I haven't made any friends yet. The new classmates say they're all too busy, or think they're too good for the likes of me.""Wha? How so!" Tao caught himself asking, like it somehow mattered to him. But it was curious as how the boy got to be best friends with his murderous familiar so quickly, yet had not made any people friends here in weeks."I mean, I do have some people I know, like Suoh and Kuroda on account of my brother, but... the other kids...? I mean, when I was brought here, I got enrolled in a fancy academy and got personal training as I'm a private messenger for some important people, so maybe the noble kids here find that unfair; I can't really disagree with that, but -""I call bullshit!" And why the hell was Tao feeling so protective towards the boy?! The kid was a threat to his mission, he didn't know this brat, and he shouldn't care! What kind of spell was the little demon using on him here; what the actual hell?! "Nobody would just throw away a big opportunity just out of fairness! You know why? Because there's no such thing as fair! If this world was fair, nobody would feel hungry; that or everyone would feel hungry together. Yet those with privilege or power eat all kinds of hearty meals from the day they're born until they die of old age with round bellies, while farmers and hardworking people die of exhaustion and hunger and misery too soon.""Oh, I see…" Kou muttered. "You kinda sound like my brother; he's around your age, and everyone says he's the nicest person..." He inclined his head, mindful of the sleeping owl lodged on his lap and careful of the nearness of the fire, reached out to offer his hand. "I guess you could be my friend, right?" And just like that, Tao saw himself shaking the boy’s hand, and thought 'Aw, shit; I can't just kill him now, can I?'They ate together in a comfortable silence and when Kou put the fire out, Tao had already decided to back off and wait for instructions a ways from the city. Prince Fei Long or maybe General Yoh would probably call him back to report personally anyway. Not entering the Capital was probably for the best, since he would definitely be killed or tortured for information if he, an outsider, was caught within the walls."Where are you going?" Kou asked. "Aren't you coming inside?""Oh. I… Don't need to now enter, really; I mean, I have no official excuse for to enter. I worry that guards at entrance might find my accent weird, so for the best -" "Aw, c'mon, we don't have to go by the entrance." The boy reached for Tao's clothes, pulling them along with his new friend. "I know a secret way through the wall. It's not really big, but you'll fit… I think? Anyway, just come along. Can't leave my new friend alone outside, now, can I?" ********* The wonders of the Keep he had viewed from his odd angle as he'd been carted through it, over his master's Asami's shoulder, and the exclusivity of Asami's public quarters all paled compared to the wonders of being within the prince's private rooms. He'd caught a glance at a gigantic prepared bed on the far side of a room bigger than his old home, with desks and stuffed bookshelves lining the walls all the way up from the private winding staircase that gave entrance to the space. But wonder of wonders, what made him gasp and curled his toes with delight was the separate indoor wet room. There was a beautiful big beaten bronze bathtub in Asami's bathing area! Big enough to use as a trough for livestock! Akihito was so excited for a hot bath that he didn't really think before he started shucking off his worn clothes, even before the startled/curious servants had cleared the room at their master's signal. He had been left with a little vial of a scented potion and floating bubbles all up past his knees as he stepped into the tub. Oh, it was heaven!!! Slowly, he sank down into the hot water as it soothed his aches and strains from his weeks in the saddle. He slid down until his chin was just above water, then was closing his eyes with a dopey grin on his face, when something nudged his leg to the side in order to make some room for itself."Hey! What?" The boy's indignant expression was replaced by an intense blush right away. Turned out he was facing his prince's sizable 'sceptre' and 'crown jewels' dead in the eye. Asami settled down in the other end, and even as his physical size meant that a lot of him took up a good portion of the tub, he was amused at his boy's cute reaction. Akihito's sigh didn't make it obvious if the bubbles covering Asami's body or his own came as a relief or as regret, either."You can admire my bared body all you want, Akihito, but later, tonight. Now, unfortunately, we have no such time for that.""Why not?" The lad probably didn't realize he sounded a bit petulant. "I mean! I do... not ~ I don't need to admire anything of yours.”Asami chuckled "You should rest. Shinji's ice-water is no joke, and you can't protect yourself from injury yet with mana. And, I have some political and social news that I do need to catch up on before tomorrow night's festivities.""I don't really care/" Akihito may have crossed his arms and looked away in a huff, but his cheeks were still in full bloom. Asami chuffed and leaned forward, took Aki by his shoulders and maneuvered the boy through the water so that the blonde's back was up against his chest. Quietly, he produced a tortoise shell comb from a little table just beside the tub and started combing Akihito's hair, pouring handfuls of warmed water over it until his head was wetted down. Taking up the vial that his knave had kept in hand, he opened the stopper and poured the contents onto the now damp dark blonde hair. Using his finger pads to knead the boy's scalp as his nails lightly scratched where hair met skin, he hummed to himself as the familiar scent of the laving potion foamed up through the fair hair in front of him and helped relax his knave. Mm, but the scent of a warm, cleaned Akihito had its own allures, too. Feeling about on the floor around the table legs, he grabbed the first jug handle he could find and carefully, slowly, poured the contents in a luxurious lightly steaming stream over the sudsy head before him. Akihito tipped his head back, closing his eyes in rapture as the warmth flowed over him, made its way down his neck and wrapped over his loosening back and chest muscles. This was surely paradise, he thought, until a pair of large, strong hands gently began to knead and rub the remaining tenseness out of his shoulders and upper arms as a hot mouth and tongue licked the last stray runnels of liquid off of his neck, enjoying the pleasing flavour of Akihito's skin.Sighing in gratification, the blonde leaned back against the solid comfort behind him and allowed his prince to do as he would with him amongst all this heated bliss. They'd slowly, recently graduated to making out in the privacy of semi darkness without shirts on to get in the way of feeling all that supple skin between them, and Asami's insistent, questing fingers had introduced him to the feeling of having his nipples teased and toyed with by fingers, lips and tongue. The prince, in turn, who had been quite sure that he was jaded and inured to all sensual touches and sensations after long and repeated overexposure, had at first been surprised, then intrigued, by the scintillas of pleasure he had felt wherever his young leman shyly tried out returning his favours. His boy was drawing out old, forgotten feelings of delectation that he'd long thought ash cold. This brought about a wish for his Akihito to explore new things with him, so, mindful of the shaken, tear filled confession of a night's shamed storytelling; he strove not to do anything that reminded his knave of the abasement forced on him to get a reprieve for his band of young archers by the late "Boar", the traitorous Earl, Sakazaki. He should have made the man scream much longer, and much, much harder.Just then, his mind was taken off those dark thoughts by his bright young man placing his shins on his own thighs, stretching his arms upwards around his neck, and actively tasting his skin and the slight sheen of sweat up the line of his throat. Such initiative invited reward, so he slowly worked his hands down the slender but toned sides before him to the knees, and then back up along the back of his thighs, feeling the strong muscles there of an active rider; and momentarily got lost, thinking of having those selfsame thighs wrapped around him tight, urging him on... Coming back to the moment, he found he had his hands full of firm ass cheeks and a softly moaning, twisting boy rubbing himself slowly against the muscled stomach he was pressed up to. After all the indignities and dangers posed more by his previous leader and his troops than the enemy soldiers he'd fought, the boy was allowing himself to trust in his new benefactor. Such was the mettle of his Akihito. As the blonde leaned forward, asking to be kissed, Asami indulged him, lips parted and tongue waiting. Moans and sighs and ravenous rumblings took up some time before the prince suddenly parted his legs further, causing his boy to slide off his slippery perch, only to be supported by a strong forearm and hand cradling his ass cheek. The other princely hand handled Akihito's hardening cock gently, sliding his hand up and down so lightly, it seemed to be barely a ghost of a touch; but oh, how the judicious application of gentle nails resulted in hot shivers running up his spine as Akihito arched into it, crying out as hungry lips attached themselves to his chest and held his pebbled nipples captive one by one with his teeth as that tongue performed its own kind of magic on the boy's nerve endings.Taking both their cocks in hand, Asami bowed his head forward; resting his forehead against Akihito's as their shortened breaths mingled and their eyes shared what they were feeling: dazed hazel eyes meeting ravenous golden ones. Gasps and whispered encouragement was all that was heard, until finally, Aki went rigid, head bowed forward against his prince’s neck and shoulder as his long lean body tightened all over, mouth opened with nary a sound escaping, skin flushed a dewy rose. Asami's eyes closed tight, teeth gritting as he, too, found his pleasure and his body released his tensed tendons and muscles all at once. Both slumped together, breathing fast, hardly able to focus through the intense rush to their bodies. After a bit, Asami gathered Akihito into his arms and arranged him on his lap comfortably until the boy was dozing with his face resting on his master's broad chest. The prince then slid down and stretched out, staying in the tub with Akihito while the water began to cool. He warmed it slowly as his fire magic radiating gentle heat, letting his brave boy rest, and they stayed like that until the archer awoke, refreshed and still blushing, a short time later, ready to face the coming evening. ********* When Akihito left the bathing room, there was a fine white linen shirt with a pristine royal blue sleeveless doublet with silver embroidery on it, matching joined cotton hose at the ready for him, and buttery soft low black boots with silver accents on them picked by Kirishima himself, with a silver comb set and vessel of water nearby, ready to aid him to tame his messy hair and turn it into a somewhat presentable cowlick."A servant will escort you to a waiting room where you'll await further directions on where you'll be seated. Usually, seats are arranged in order of status within the kingdom, with exceptions made only when the lord of the house, in this case the King Himself, deems it to be otherwise, so... considering the circumstances...""You mean besides the fact that Asami came to fetch me himself." "Really, Akihito, I didn’t merely ‘come to fetch you’, as you say. I was rescuing you."“…From fairies...”"... Ahem… Anyway, you're the first personal interest the Prince has ever brought to the Royal Keep, so His Highness'll probably want to take a good look at you. I think you will be seated by your master, close to the King."“Then you and my father can tell me how exactly you both just happened to meet there in the grotto.”“And then you can fill us in on how you just happened to show up there yourself, Your Grace.”“The crows here are very keen and greedy, and well worth getting to know as information gatherers. They’d be good friends for you to cultivate, Akihito. I’ll introduce you to the resident flock myself soon, to smooth the way for you.” Kirishima went on to explain a few things regarding etiquette for guests when formally dining with the King. Akihito gave a spirited argument that there's no way in hell to turn him into some aristocratic snob all of a sudden, but he was actually quite nervous; after all, proper etiquette be damned, he was essentially an educated young freeman in his own right. His Pa was, after all, raised as a noble in name at least, and after having served under 2 kings, he and Ma sure as shit didn't raise no brutes. But, really, he didn't want to embarrass Asami in front of his own father, nor Kirishima and Suoh among their peers. The rest of the Keep crowd could go to Hell, for all he cared."I don't hope to turn you into some 'snobbish aristocrat', boy. The dragons know, we have enough of those around here as it is. Also, there's so much sass in you, if you don't let it out periodically, you'd be sure to explode. And I, for one, would NOT be cleaning up THAT mess." Akihito considered these words for a moment: Lord Kirishima was a considerate man, and it would probably pain him to see his own guest acting like a uncultured lout at the table, but he valued Aki's 'peculiar' personality enough that he wished to help and that made the blonde feel warm inside. Sometimes the grumpy man really felt like a big brother. He really should put some effort in playing the posh noble, even if it was obvious he was not. The lord sighed. "To be honest, I don't like that they are going to judge you, and mistakenly take you for a fool because you're a farm boy -""I am not a farmer!""- instead of the smart stubborn brat you plainly are. To them, if you're not a noble, then you're farmer or serf. And that's not the point! Show them you're smart and know what you're doing! You don't need to follow every step I lay out, just follow the specifics points I am going to tell you and your charisma will do the rest.""Why would I want to entertain a bunch of judgmental geezers?"Kirishima sighed again, feeling the need for alcohol. "You can talk to horses, you can talk to them. For the most part, it’s the same level of stubbornness and intelligence."The boy laughed. "Yeah, those horses judge us all the same: how do they get the most food yet give the least amount of effort. Guess I'd better get used to communing with horses' asses now." Kirishima put a hand on his shoulder. "I was there when the fairies made you an ambassador of the Others, Akihito. Do your part by being both responsible and intelligent. This is a game of strategy and in the end, all you've got to do to win is have more pieces left on the board than the enemy does."Akihito scoffed "What enemy? I haven't been in Sion's Royal Keep long enough for anyone to know me, much less hate me.""There will always be enemies waiting in the wings, boy" spoke a deep voice, coming from a hidden door that had been opened without anyone’s notice."Ah, Shinji; welcome." Kirishima replied, nodding to the intruder. "Tell me who all will be attending the dinner.""Most of the regulars; they seem to think this Keep is a vacation home or something; room and board provided for their scant hours of work a month." As he spoke, his dark eyes studied Akihito from head to toe, assessing him like some new, interesting breed of poisonous frog. "You must be the Halfling." He waited a tick before he reached out and offered his hand for his prince's sake; but the boy, underwhelmed by the discourtesy shown, ignored it, both annoying and impressing the other warlock at the same time."Going about, calling people ‘halfling’ just sounds rude, sir, even if it is true."Irritated, the Dominus tried to install a bit of respect through intimidation. "Well, then, show me your magic, boy!" The man clapped his hand on his sword's pommel like he was expecting a duel of some kind to break out. Aki didn't know what was going on in this man's mind, but even without proper training, he thought he might still give the jerk a run for his money, if he just riled him up enough. The only magic skill he'd sort of mastered so far was the ball of light trick, but he had come up with several ways to use it to startle an opponent and gain quick advantage in a fight. But from what Asami and Kirishima had told him, this grumpy bastard was their biggest ally at Court, so he'd better not make things more complicated for them than this whole introduction thing already was. From Kuroda's point of view, he supposed, he was just another nobody that'd gotten in the prince's good graces for the moment.This Kuroda Shinji, meanwhile, was a cool, intimidating man. He kinda reminded Aki of Asami himself, although his prince had that cocky, charming air all about him when he wanted to. Lord Kuroda seemed altogether different, something about his cold attitude just ruffled Aki's feathers the wrong way. He looked down on him like some strict old uncle that had inherited a distant nephew that he didn't know, didn't care who the intruder was, and wasn't sure that he wanted him there to begin with. 'Maybe because he's on Asami's side, but doesn't expect that much out of me yet?' And there he went, being all judgmental himself. He couldn't really criticize, he supposed; he’d heard all about the gods knew how many flings Asami had messed around with in the past. And that thought, right there, really suddenly pissed him off. 'Dragons balls, when did I became such a jealous wench; good grief!'"Oh no, that won't do; I am sorry, Your Lordliness. You see, Lord Kei here, he just forced this prissy little outfit on me, so let's not soil it or tear it to shreds, eh? Besides, as it stands, if we tarry here much longer, we are gonna be late, right? Gods forfend me to foster any bad impressions on the King. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I upset another one of the Mighty Asamis right now.""Your... Lordliness?" Shinji glanced from Kirishima to Ryuichi, who was busy biting his lower lip, suddenly interested in the carpet's pattern; a clear sign he was holding back laugher. The fact that the boy wasn't intimidated by anyone's position within these walls spoke volumes. His demeanor changed to something like suspicion. "Yui, if this is some kind of a secret weapon’ I am only going tell you one thing: the queen's head is either going to explode from indignity, or she'll combust from sheer absurdity during dinner, both of which outcomes I am okay with. But later on, I want to test the boy's capabilities myself.""You are going be surprised”, the prince replied confidently with his trademark smirk.‘What are you saying, man?! I can only make a stupid ball of light! What, I'm gonna render your Kuroda unto tears with my amazing shadow theater show, the likes of which he's never seen?!?' The golden glance in his direction, accompanied by the low chuckle only he could hear, meant that the prince had "heard" his manic thoughts. Aw dung beetles, they weren't even concentrating or training or anything with this mental link shit, yet it was getting stronger by the moment! He sighed, surprised and slightly dismayed."Fine," replied Shinji. "We're going to be late." He politely gestured to Akihito to proceed down the stairway before them, and the boy took the opportunity to sketch out a quick demure bow and a studious "No no, good sir: please; it should be Age before Beauty, no?" as he gestured with his own hand towards the exit. A pointed glare later, and the archer was on his way with a fair bit of swagger. Kirishima stayed close by, instructing Aki in whispers how to score proper formal dinner etiquette points.Asami, however, stopped as he went by, looking Shinji in the eyes. "He's not my secret weapon to drive the consort queen crazy." His demeanor was uncharacteristically light, but his voice was dead serious, so much so as to give even Shinji the chills "He is simply mine."Shinji nodded back, all blank expression and intelligent stare. He got the message. This time around was different indeed. Ryuchi was really investing in the brat. Meaning he'd better take this seriously. "If he's that special, Yui, I will personally turn him into Sion's secret weapon myself... so you can protect each other and this kingdom, together. But, if he's using you, or playing any games...", the implied 'there wouldn’t be a rock in Hell he could hide under' was left unspoken, though Ryuchi nodded like he knew that already. "I wouldn't want it any other way." The prince smiled a slow, genuine smile. His utter confidence in that boy made Shinji's pulse run a little harder around his skull, like he was about to cross one of the high up, unsafe bridge that spans the upper levels of the old caldera’s walls. 'I hope this lad really knows what he's getting himself into' he thought. Gods knew how many people in this kingdom depended on the prince's future, and the boy seemed now a party to that. ********* In the Deep Woods, the air was so humid his clothes clung to him like a second skin, but he took no notice; in fact, he would hardly notice anything but his prince's alluring back muscles and fair skin. The trees shook and the ground trembled, but he couldn't care less.The onikuma, (literally means "demon bear", a yōkai that's known to walk upright, have an unhealthy number of limbs and the strength of 10 men) roared once again, reaching four of its 6 limbs to get ‘hold of Fei Long and tear him apart. It was fast but too clumsy, and the prince deftly handled the long sword as an elegant Court entertainer would, slicing two of the creatures arms off before whirling away out of reach. The monster's purple blood didn't spray across the fighter's naked chest thanks to his skill of controlling the mist, and Yoh thanked this strange land's gods for it. Watching a shirtless Fei Long fighting the strange creature was a rather unusual treat, after all. The blood wouldn't have completely ruined the experience, but he'd rather not have that superb body get so... well, stinky.Fei Long glanced his way, pouting angrily at him like it was completely his fault that Yoh had told him a million times that the plan may or may not be a stupid one, when the yōkai bear charged. But again, his prince was just too fast to let himself get caught; although for a second there, his left foot had skidded a little on the muddy ground and his head had almost been sliced into four different quarters.Something was definitely off. Yoh stepped forward, hand on his scabbard, ready to do something even though Fei Long was borrowing his sword, when the bear staggered back on its own. "What in Hell." The sword escaped the prince's sweat slicked fingers, and Yoh could barely see why, as the mist had became a fog, getting thicker by the moment. "Fei Long! What are you doing?" The foreign general realized that it didn't look like the younger prince had done this himself since he seemed as affected as the Bear, who toppled over onto its back, struggling uselessly get up onto its feet again, the two arms still attached flapping around ridiculously. Fei Long fell to one knee, leaning upon Yoh's sword; point buried in the dank earth, to keep himself upright. "Yoh-"Instantly the general was at the prince's side, Cursed Bear all but forgotten. "What's happening?!""My mana... I feel like it's being drained... I mm-... I'm so... tired..." he reached his other hand to grab onto his General's shoulder but he simply had no energy left anymore. The lithe young man swayed on his knee, head wobbling, causing loose pieces of his messily tied back hair to splay across one side of his face.Yoh grabbed Fei Long's limp body and held it tight in one arm as he took hold of his sword and looked around but it seemed, judging by Fei Long and the Bear's reaction, and also by the lone little fairy that had just fell from a flower, that every magic user or magical creature had fallen into a deep slumber due to sudden massive mana loss. He had never felt so relieved to not be a magic user in his life. When the prince opened his eyes next, he was lying next to a small fire, arranged in the middle of the little clearing they had claimed earlier as theirs. He could hear the tall and handsome man rummaging through their possessions, piling a few thick books by his side. The thing about those enchanted traveling bags was that they could carry a huge volume of things with almost no weight to their bearer. And woe unto those with curious fingers that liked to poke around other peoples' things without permission: a missing arm would be the least of their worries. The toothed bags did have to eat as well to keep up their power, after all."Reading me a story?" The prince joked, but the other man looked at him with his usual stoic face. "I am sorry you're stuck babysitting me. Generals of your status should be leading an army of ten thousand, not looking after just my pampered ass...""Feeling better, I take it."Fei Long closed his eyes, sighing softly. "Actually, my back hurts.""No wonder. I'd tried to change your position several times, but you always went back the way you were, sleeping curled up on your side." The General shrugged. To that, Feilong opened his eyes wide. "How long…?""You've been asleep now three days. This' the fourth night after you picked a fight with the Cursed Bear."Whatever the mana-draining fog that was, it had the power to knock out a mage of his level… which meant they were on the right path! "Do you remember what kind of magic that fog was?"Fei Long did. "That was pure, natural magic."Yoh nodded, unsurprised as always. "I've done some research," the general commented, "since that was your own element, My Prince, I doubt a simple mage or magical creature would affect you that way, that quickly. So I've done some reading, and the only options I came up was that fog that was definitely hiding and protecting something having either a divine or cursed origin, meaning….""Meaning it was deity or a demon, huh.""Meaning it was simple to clarify. A cursed fog would poison you. The poison is deadly but slow and curable; the blessed fog doesn't kill, but incapacitates magic users by draining their mana, which is still dangerous. In any case, non-magic people like me won't be affected; but when I tried to cross the fog, I found myself lost. It took me half a day to find my way back here." And that was something, since the General was known for his amazing sense of direction. "Either way, I am afraid that's an obstacle we can't just cross without help.""Are you telling me the plan is a waste of time then?!" Fei Long exploded in frustration. "That we’re without any hope now?"Yoh sighed. "There are other ways...""What, go back and submit to the mercies of my brother?! Beg his mercy?" the younger man sneered, frustrated."Of course not. To murder them.""I could have done that with poison any times, but I'm not a coward, and neither are you; or else I don't know you so well." He wanted his words to sting, but he was just too pissed to gauge their effect. "By now they already know I am a deserter... Do you know what they do to the guards that betray a Royal family? They slowly roast them alive in the public square after they've been tortured for days. Do you have any idea what they're going do to you, General, for aiding me?" Fuck, what he was doing right now? "I... I apologize. I shouldn't have said that, that was totally uncalled for -""I know from whence you're coming from. You grew up in that terrible environment, and your brother... he isn't a good enough person to be trusted tending to a pig's sty. But right now, it's just you and I and that boy, Tao, against the world. I am willing to die for your dream, for you, but first and foremost, I want you to live. This is not a bad plan, it's just too chancy; too risky. Unless you know for certain that a deity can help us to cross the fog... And that's assuming there is a dragon lair beyond it, and that said dragon will want to help us -" Yoh tried to not feel too bad about his wording, knowing having all one's hopes thrown in their face as so much childish whimsy as they really sounded would hurt, but he needed to force some sense into the prince's beautiful head. "It will have to! We'd be freeing it!""Maybe it is not trapped there; maybe it simply wants to be left in peace.""Then, we will die. Hopefully, Tao won't follow us here.""But-""It's too late, Yoh! If we go back now, they will torture you to death and after Yantsui and his friends are finished using me, I will be locked up someplace, away from sight and mind, to be forgotten and left to die.""I am just saying we need help. We need allies -""That dragon will be our biggest ally!" He didn't mention the fact they had no way to go through the fog, and both men were painfully aware of that. "And you can forget about me begging Asami Ryuchi for a favour.""But, I thought -""We were not even rivals under the same Master! I don't exactly trust him, and we're not in his father’s kingdom on a friendly visit, are we." Fei Long got up too fast, trying to not wince, but he was still weak and almost fell over onto his amazing ass. "I will meditate to try and get my mana back faster; do not follow me." At least he grabbed his war fan on his way out of their camp. The night was pitch black when the prince came back, pale and exhausted. Yoh wondered if he had yet again tried to stand against that damn fog, but he didn't ask a thing. Instead, he reached out with a steaming bowl as a peace offering. "Monster Cat stew", he clarified to a suspicious look from the prince. Fei Long scowled, sniffing the bowl, then pulled a lock of hair back to tuck behind his ear as Yoh looked aside."Smells like Monster Cat stew, alright." Yoh chuckled. "If Monster Cats really existed... I'm not sure about that, but it does sound cooler than 'boring old squirrel stew', that's for sure." "Wow, the mighty General is so multi-talented, he even can even entertain with jokes. Truly, I am amazed." Fei Long said dryly, and the atmosphere suddenly felt lighter. Taking the proffered bowl, he cast his eyes down and spoke quietly. "Look, I'm sorry; you're right. That was one stupid plan, but I was so invested in it ~" Yoh opened his mouth, but the prince shushed him with a hand gesture."Before my father became ill, he told me this story, and right now... Right now, I doubt my every step up until this point, but the thing is! He wouldn't lie to me! I get that he was by no means a good man, nobody related to the Emperor could be, but he wasn't a liar! He had sent spies across to this land decades ago, and many died, true, but he still managed to get this little piece of information out, and after he withdrew from ruling his lands, I kept on investigating with my own resources. I sent in my own spies. I know, somewhere around here, in this stupid weird place, there's a dragon lair. That magic-draining fog must have something to do with it, it has to!""But how-""I don't know!"That broken voice didn't sound like the prince he knew, and for that alone, Yoh was willing to brave the damn fog and bring the dragon back here himself, dragging it by its pinky toe, if need be. "I will do it.""Do what?""Go through the fog. Find your dragon.""You can't go alone. Even though you're an amazing fighter, like you said yourself, we don't know if it would be willing to join us. I can't stay idle, just waiting here, hoping you'll come back." Somewhere a pack of wolves howled, but from where they sat, they couldn't even see the moon. The forest very rarely let any light shine in through its leaves. But they saw when a little black starling flitted among the tree branches to land on a branch and fluff itself up above them before it went poof! in a little explosion of black fluffy soot. That was one cute ninja trick, to find them all the way in here! "Tao," Fei Long smiled, reaching his hand up to catch the little parchment that had travelled gods know from how far away in the little black bird's form to them. The message was short, clumsily written in the coded symbols that only he and Yoh could decipher and understand:
The Prince and his man escorted a Halfling woodland god/boy to where I am, close by their Capital.
He passed the message to his General, covering his open mouth with his hand. A Halfling WOODLAND GOD?! That had to be sign from the Universe they were doing the right thing!"I think that just solved our deity-less problem now, doesn't it?" Yoh drawled, having mixed feelings about this news, but he couldn't deny that the timing had been just too incredible to believe. The only "help from above" that he really ascribed to was a well-positioned archer, hidden in a high place, after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Akihito had been shown to a small side room where some wine and fruit had been set out on a sideboard. Too nervous to eat for once, he felt he would need his wits about him more than a drink to bolster his nerves. Hearing a noise like a flock of geese babbling as they gathered at a pond, he followed the sound until he reached a curtained doorway. Carefully drawing it aside enough to see, the blonde was startled to find he was on a top step above the general floor of a great hall. About a hundred or so people in fancy dress were there, talking and seemingly milling about, but never really leaving the immediate area of where they were standing; almost like set pieces on a game board. Others, dressed in less finery, would approach them; appear to make small talk, then move on a short time later. It seemed to Aki that these Very Important People were holding a Court within the Court. Surely, this wasn't how business got done in the kingdom, was it?The background noise changed slightly, and in strode Lord Kirishima. Looking neither left nor right, he went along as a passage through the throng opened ahead of him, then closed up after he'd passed. Heading to the front of the hall, where several wide stone steps lead up to a long dais containing three ornate chairs, he passed right by Aki's place of concealment without a glance. Stopping in front of the dais, he nodded to an elegantly dressed older man standing there, aloof from the crowd, and when the man returned his nod, Kei came up to stand by him. But what caught Aki’s attention was a shock of carefully combed golden hair in the crowd beyond him. Though the clothes were of lesser quality than his own, he'd seen that selfsame vain, craven bastard every day he and his squad struggles to survive in that hellish outfit under the Sakazaki banner: "Suduo Shuu", he breathed, sudden nausea and panic churning within him to see which one could make him vomit first. He let go the drape and backed shakily away, trying to control the dread for Kou's safety that’s started to gnaw away at him. He needed to get Kou away from here! Now!! RUN!Taking several steps backwards, not thinking of Asami or the King or even how he was going to find his little brother inside this place, he spun around, ready to take to his heels when he jerked to a halt, startled to find a crowd of women flanking him. The one with the haughtiest look, the highest piled hair and the gaudiest jewelry was the one he immediately bowed down to, saying "Your pardon, my Lady, for unknowingly being rude to you", as Kirishima had advised him to on courtly manners, then stayed bowed as he awaited leave to straighten up.The Ladies in Waiting of the Consort Queen whispered among themselves of this mysterious young man, commenting on his fresh fair looks, educated manners and his fine clothes, as they awaited their Mistress' judgment to befall him; eager for some entertainment to amuse them with that wasn't at their own expense. Queen Emiko, for her part, quietly studied the lad. The were no identifying emblems or crests on his clothes, which themselves weren't of any House or league colours, just a standard Upper Circle royal blue uniform that spoke of being personally attached to a member of the Family or Court Council. The silver touches gave her pause, though, wondering if this was the one the Prince had brought back with him, as she was quite sure she hadn't seen the likes of him before. Perhaps he was part of the camarilla bent on destabilizing her and her powerbase here in the Keep...? Although, truth be told, he looked neither all that bright nor that cunning to be trusted as such in a conspiracy. But then again, neither did Sudoh...Just as Her Highness was about to question the young lad, a somewhat familiar voice that almost sent a shock up Akihito's bent spine rolled out in a blasé tone: "My queen: I know you are one to insist on others bowing to your whims, but I do believe the term is 'bending over backwards', is it not?" Strolling into the room, His Highness gestured broadly with his wine chalice, encompassing the whole scene. Emiko's abigails dropped into hurried curtsies, heads ducked, like they'd been caught plotting mischief by a sistren at a temple school. Emiko didn't even attempt a minimal curtsy herself, keeping her head held high, daring her the King to deny she was his equal, which Drayce, of course, failed to take notice of.Instead, he seemed to study Akihito like one would take in an new, interesting piece of furniture, and just as the lad thought he would be released from his awkward situation, His Highness quaffed the rest of his drink, put the empty chalice down on the archer's back and walked away, leaving the blonde in his problematical pose. Aki, startled, was ready to squawk and began to straighten up, only to feel the chalice start to wobble. Immediately freezing, the wobble stopped, leaving Aki in the same position as before, just now balancing something valuable on his back.Emiko, not sure what was going on with the King's behaviour, decided she was getting to the bottom of all this: "Sire, do you know this young man?" The King looked back at Akihito thoughtfully as he picked up the wine flagon on the side bench and turned around. "Not entirely", Drayce said, approaching his son's knave as he popped a grape in his mouth. "Why don't you ask him what he's about?""My sovereign," Aki began, not waiting for either royal to start with him. "I heard a noise behind the curtain there, and went to investigate. As my back was turned, Her Highness and her entourage entered the room. As I turned away from the curtain, I saw them and bowed for my rudeness in unknowingly having my back turned to my betters. I was trying to crave pardon for my error, when you stepped in, Your Highness."Nodding at the explanation, the King poured more wine into his cup before standing back once more. "You know, Emiko, he makes a rather sturdy and pleasing table top. I've half a mind to bind him to my entourage and make him my Cup Bearer. When need be, he can bend over and act as my trusty stand; or, when I'm holding court, he can get down on all fours and balance a platter of eatables alongside my drink on his back beside the throne. I'm sure he'd make an excellent side table!" Judging by his consort's stormy face, however, she didn't think it was a capital idea. Turning back to the bent over blonde with a mild sigh of regret, he took his cup in hand and nudged the boy's shoulder, saying "I think the messenger, ~ Mitarai, is it? ~ is looking for you. Likely, your master has need of you. You may go."Back and sides made strong from long caring for horses hooves, shoveling shit from stables, pitching hay into the hayloft and twisting about in the saddle to make his shots, there was nary a twinge or ache as Akihito quickly straightened up and departed the Royal Presence as fast as politely possible. Running into Mitarai moments later in the main hallway, he followed the older lad silently through a few twists and turns before entering a door way and being glomped by an armful of laughing, teary-eyed little brother.Those remaining in the chamber, meanwhile, seemed to be locked in an "I'm ignoring you!" contest. The Queen did her best to look regal and proper and apart while the King stood by, seemingly having an intimate moment with his chalice. The Queen's Ladies, meanwhile, caught in between the two, did their best to not be noticed by anyone. Relief for all finally came in the form of the Royal Chamberlain entering the room, sketching a bow to his lieges and announcing that the formalities were to begin at the King's leisure. The abigails all began sorting themselves out in a flutter like a covey of quail as Emiko drew herself up to her utmost queenly self and offered her hand out to be taken and escorted from the room by her sovereign. Who, in turn, held up his own hand to indicate that it was still occupied by his chalice of wine, which he "regretfully" seemed to deem to be the more important of the two. With an annoyed sniff, Queen Emiko and her flock departed the room in a huff, followed by the sauntering King and his advisor, who was wondering why he had to suffer this crap. ********* All those in attendance at court that day remembered it well. Stories were created there that would become legend in time. The court majordomo had made the announcement that the ceremony was about to begin, the trumpeters had sounded their first flourish of horns, and the Keep's heralds lead the way for each party of the Lords of the North: noble to the fore of his standard bearer, heir and other sons and close kin behind him, followed by his advisors, soldiers and men at arms. Everyone's armour was as highly burnished in the light of the Great Hall, and as more and more lords paraded towards the dais at the front, the welcoming applause grew louder and more enthusiastic, knowing who the final party to enter would be.As soon as the next flourish of horns sounded, the lords present bent a knee and the ladies took a deep curtsy as the King himself walked out onto the dais to stand in front of his throne, followed by the Queen, then both were surrounded behind their respective throne by his council and her abigails. As the third flourish sounded, the Queen seated herself as her head Ladies fluffed and spread out her gown to its best effect. The King remained standing, and with his nod to the majordomo, the clarion trumpeters stepped forward to sound the call to battle. With that, the King seated himself and the released crowd surged upwards with cheers to hail the heir and Warlord of Sion.And what a stirring sight the Warlock General and his troupe made! Prince Ryuichi strode proudly ahead of the black and gold banner of the Asami dragon, his own banner of a golden bend sinister from upper right corner to bottom left on a background of deep royal blue boldly proclaimed him to be the King’s bastard son. The rich leather buff coat, more auburn than his hair, fit around his upper body like a comfortable glove. Dipping open at the throat, it allowed a bit of the mouthwatering tawny skin beneath to show, while the gold stylized sword toggle, almost as long as Akihito’s hand, acted as both fastener and emblem of his station as General, lead the eyes diagonally down the opening of the coat over its hidden closures, atop the robust physique to the long deep blue gambeson pants made of quality suede. His polished black knee boots sported his knight’s spurs, while he bore the gold chain on his neckline that linked him to past and future rulers as the heir apparent.On either side were his aides-de-camp, the lords Kirishima and Suoh, having donned their official burgundy uniforms with gold crest, proudly showing their close relations to both the Asami family line and their stations as advisors to the Prince. Their individual family banners were side by side, followed by their respective senior squires and cursores (court messengers in training). And there was Aki, front row and centre, between the two parties. With his longer blonde hair already getting a bit unruly, and a different ensemble than the rest of the youths around him, he literally stood out from the crowd. That no one knew who he was at court, yet he seemed accustomed to walking with royalty and had an air of assurance about himself were not lost on sharp eyes within the Great Hall. But if the rumor mills thought they were going to have some grist to grind for days to come over this, they had no idea.As the prince and his men drew up with the front tier of lords before the king’s dais, they first bowed together to honour the man that had raised them. As weapons were forbidden to be worn in the presence of the king within the Keep, they lay their sheathed swords that they had carried in hand down before them on the floor, then bent a knee. Even though they all faced the dais before them, it was quite clear to all that they did this solely for their king as a sign of fealty. The only sign from the Queen of her displeasure was a little moue, barely noticeable if one wasn’t looking. Then picking up their swords, they stood and made their way to the steps as their young charges spread out into long lines facing each other across the aisle they had just traversed. Aki, not knowing the routine, was subtly nudged over by a few of the lads he was acquainted with to be at the head of the line of the squires out at the front. As Asami took his seat on the third, somewhat smaller throne beside the King, Kirishima and Suoh took their places standing behind the Prince.Once the Prince had settled into his seat, he leaned over towards his father‘s side, and when the King noticed and leaned over to meet his heir part way, they talked lowly before the King nodded assent and sat back as Ryuichi then leaned forward slightly and spoke but a word. Akihito, who was at the fore of the whispering Hall, clearly heard his name summoned, and with a bow to the dais, as he was a born Freeman, and hadn’t received any titles or powers from his king, swiftly made it up the steps and to his Asami’s side to take up his spot, slightly behind the throne his master He was occupying. He spent the rest of the welcoming ceremony tuning out everything and everyone out, trying his best to be a shadow behind the prince’s throne, waiting until the Notables were leaving the platform and going down through the audience on their way to the banquet hall for the feast before he let his knees start to shake from his attack of sheer nerves from what all had occurred to him, then quickly collected himself without falling to pieces in front of the all-seeing mob. After the banquet had ended some time ago, Akihito took a deep breath and a quick look about the table, seeing the men still there lean in closer in anticipation of hearing the punch line: "...and then he said, "B-but… I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HORSES COULD FART!" Those around the great table erupted in a roar of laughter as well as knee, table and shoulder slaps; the King by now being the least quiet one there by far. Ryuichi and Kazumi took their ease and enjoyed the blonde's beer-fueled antics, and even Kei himself had lost his tight, serious face as he shook his head and took another drink. Of the men present, at least two thirds of the lords there were declared to be in the pro-Asami camp. 'Asami bootlickers', the queen's supporters might sniff dismissively; but as far as Takaba was concerned, they would become tagged as "the Royal Asses", the lot of them, to be fondly referred to and remembered as such in times to come.These men, living hardscrabble lives as nobles in the northern frontiers of the realm, had enjoyed a sumptuous feast and had been entertained first by troubadours, then by the fair-haired lad that the Prince had brought back with him from his last foray. The fact that most of them had known the boy’s father themselves, and had held him in esteem, had helped smooth over some potential social sins, noticed and ignored by everyone but the Queen Consort while at meal.And as far as they were concerned, ANYONE who could make the likes of Emiko screech in outrage and stomp her dainty foot about how "APPALLING!!" such behavior was, made it all the more entertaining when she was then met by a reply from the rowdy bunch that “Her Highness must never have attended one of her august kin’s gatherings, as the only difference between any of their wakes and weddings was one less drunk!”, which then caused the queen and her flock to depart in indignation. Such rebellion in the face of Decorum, led by the sheer gall of someone with the stones to share a few funny stories AND now a fart joke at the royal table, was aces with them, any day of the week. ********* Afterwards, when the banquet had finally broken up and the last remaining lords had either gone off to continue drinking at their own after-parties, or else had decided to scare up some companionship for the night, the king, his heir, along with his heir’s advisors and newest knave, all met for an informal consultation. Of course, Akihito was congratulated for being the newest member to be added to the queen’s shit list; and that after only a few hours, too! What skill! Such charm!Aki, starting to feel the effects of too little blood in his alcohol system, merely blinked dazedly, and taking no notice of the toasts in his honour, tiredly perched on his Asami’s knee and snuggled under his comforting arm. Then, after rooting around Ryuichi’s chest a bit, found a comfy place to lay his head and rested his bloodshot eyes for a while. The scene that Shinji found soon after was not of his friends and king tensely seated around the council table, closely analyzing what had taken place during the meal and dissecting any gossip picked up in the crowd at the audience beforehand, but the group of men casually sitting in chairs and couches, discussing plans for the formal meeting tomorrow with the lords and strategy sessions for later on that same day. And one blonde, shaggy haired lad, curled up on his liege’s lap, all but purring away.However, soon after Ryuichi had picked up his kitten and carried the archer back to his chambers for the night, he found part way through undressing his knave that the sleepy purring kitten had turned into a handsy octopus, with seeking fingers questing into all kinds of openings in his clothes, and slurring questions like “…is that a mace in your pants, or are you just happy to divest me…?”Next morning, Prince Ryuichi had just completed his bathing ritual when he found poor Akihito awake in bed, suffering terribly in the throes of a hangover. The lad moaned pitifully and tried to find a position that gave him some relief from what ailed him, only to raspingly try to whisper, without making his headache any worse, why his head felt like it had been kicked by a mule, why did his ass cheeks feel warm and stingingly sore and why, for fucks sake, was he swaddled in a bed sheet like a newborn babe?!
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Aki's morning chores brought home more and more how Asami's and his own upbringings couldn't have been more different from one another. He could see his father insisting on the prince and his cousins learning to work with horses by grooming and haltering or saddling them themselves before teaching them to ride, but he doubted that experience extended to mucking out the stables, or even feeding and watering them.And when he finally got to the stables after getting lost umpteen times trying to navigate the tunnel hallways of the castle, he came down to the stables to find that the youngest stable hands were in charge of attending to Silme and Shimo, either because they didn't know any better, or because the older hands felt they had paid their dues and were passing on the punishment to a new crop of young'uns. Knowing what a troublesome pair the stallions were, Aki took over their grooming duties; distracting one with some treats it had to figure out how to get to while the other was cared for, then switching them out. He'd let these fellahs rest and recover for a day or two in stable before turning them out to a field together, far away from any mares to squabble over. As he went over to find Dastard's stall, he marveled at the grandeur of the stables, fancy scrollwork on the stone walls and watering fountains, with large windows to let lots of light and air in. In his travels lately, he'd passed manor houses that weren't half as grand as this.But, speak of the devil, and Dastard appeared, head over the railing barring his own stall. He looked well watered, at least, and he hadn't touched his feed from yesterday, so knowing the kelpie would be getting “hangry” (angry from being hungry) shortly, minus a few barn rats snacked on, the blonde took a nearby rope and twisted it into a makeshift halter and lead before taking the "horse" out. Dastard wouldn't be needing his stall before closer to winter setting in most likely, so he asked directions to the pastures from one of the younger hands, who pointed out the way to him with wide eyes at being addressed by someone who was in the Prince's own party. Even in the stables, word spread fast.Going past the paddocks and down a row of fenced-in fields, the pair moseyed along until Dastard stopped and looked over the fence, evaluating the interior. From what Aki could see atop the highest rail, there was a copse of trees at the far end, and a muddy area around a large tree that shaded a pond deep enough that no reeds grew in it. Probably perfect for his kelpie all around. Water to soothe his needs, and likely somewhere to ambush any game that came out of the trees to drink at night. There’d be dried mud by the tubful to brush out of Dastard's coat on a daily basis, no doubt, but if it kept him from eating the stable help, meh, who was he to complain. Opening the gate, he led his mount into the enclosure, turned him so that his head was facing into the fence (for anyone watching, Dastard was still a "normal, regular horse") slid the halter off its head, and watched as Dastard turned and trotted over to the pond to sniff the area with interest. Coiling the rope up as he walked off and closed the gate, his last sight of Dastard was his horse walking into the pond and diving beneath the ripple-less water to patiently lie in wait for lunch to be “served”. ~~~~~~~~~ Looking up towards the crossroads of the hall he was in, just one of the many, many ways to get around in the castle, and likely lost already, Aki took note of the masterpieces of sculpture, paintings, tapestries and whatnot around him. Back in the day, when he had a home to live in with Ma, Pa and Kou, the inside was cold, sometimes damp and always dark compared to here. The thought brought a bittersweet smile to his lips; the uncomfortable housing and days of hard work as a villager didn't sound so terrible now that he missed his parents and had been thrown into battle.Through the huge open windows he felt the fresh breeze dance through his hair, smiling more and feeling good; he would've never guessed he’d feel so at ease in such a fancy place. For someone that should be so intimidating, the King was a kindly if quirky man, and the blonde felt that he'd taken a liking to him. The Consort Queen on the other hand... Well, she was something else, putting it mildly. Also good for a laugh, but in an almost desperate way that made her not realize that she was really a joke to most people; presenting herself as being far grander and loftier than she was. The way her forced smile stretched her cheeks while her furious eyes burned like acid was strangely amusing; if nothing more, it would invigorating having someone new to judiciously torment now that Kirishima had taken to him.A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and his smile died on his face when he recognized the profile through the arched foyer beyond. Sudou Shuu was a dangerous, petty young man, as enticing as a carpet viper. He was wearing a black coat with slight golden details open over his own Family livery. It was the Asami dynasty's colours, and it felt wrong, in an almost sinful kind of way that the older blonde should bear them. Aki wanted to charge over immediately, rip the coat off him and push the guy out a window. Not that he'd feel anything but relief by doing so, and it wouldn't even be his first killing by far. But what was he doing to begin with this high up in the castle? The upper levels in this part that were still habitable were for the Prince's living quarters and his guest suites for personal visitors.Pacing the interloper down a parallel hallway, Akihito found that he recognized a few of the corridors now as being the last of the public routes servants and nobles alike used before encroaching on the Prince's private galleries. If this son of a bitch thought he was getting anywhere near his master Asami unchallenged, he had another think coming. Planting himself in the middle of the intersecting passageway, arms crossed, Akihito made ready to wait.Apparently, just like the viper, the noble had his own toxic charms too. He glimpsed the archer blocking his route, and with the evil glint in his eye, he froze Akihito to the spot. Whether it was from fear or disgust mattered little, as Aki found he couldn't move an inch as the older lad slithered closer."Takaba. Imagine my surprise, seeing you here yesterday, in the Great Hall no less. Long time no see, boy." The elder blonde sauntered up to Akihito, his steps muffled by his soft-soled shoes and the thick layer of reeds on the floor. The dried herbs mixed in with the rushes were there to make the air sweeter for those passing this way, but right now they made Aki feel sick to his stomach. His fists were curled up so tight, his whitened fingers ached. But having been forewarned with seeing his tormentor the day before, even though he wanted to throw up, his face barely showed a flicker of emotion."What a distinct displeasure to meet you here, Shuu."Sudou bite his lip so hard it was a wonder it didn't bleed. This was the second time someone had dared say that to him within a day of each other. "Still never learned a single respectful word for your betters, hm? You're little more than one of the animals raised in that shithole village you came from.""I'll die before having any kind of respect for the likes of you." This squire was solely responsible for putting his little brother and him in Sakazaki's path right after they'd joined the army with Takato. Shuu knew that disgusting piece of shit Earl in charge was a pervert with a taste for young lads, yet he still managed to make Akihito The Boar's main target. Sudou gave him a slow dark smile in return. "Oh, well then, that might not take too long to accomplish, you know." This made Akihito glower and bunch his shoulders, ready for anything, as Sudou's threats were never empty, as he well knew. That day he and Takato had rode into camp with the last group of juvenile males the Earl's man had managed to gather for the newly created "archer cavalry" still burned in his memory. Little did either youth realize that this band was supposed to fail for lack of support and leadership, but not until the Sakazakis managed to suck the last coin out of the kingdom's wallet that was set aside for this effort. Not only was this experiment designed to go awry from the start, but the fellows in the band were to be the playthings of the soldiers loyal to the Earl personally, then be done away with before the perfidy would ever be suspected within the Court.The catcalls and vulgar gestures thrown at the boys by the hardened soldiers shocked Akihito and his best friend, as neither had heard anything like it, even when tools broke in the field and the farmers had cursed up a storm. Luckily, Kou was so worn out from their long ride after they'd fled their homes that he was only half conscious as he clung to his big brother's belt to stay on the horse.Akihito and Takato had dismounted with the rest of the group as they were pushed about by a leering crowd. The longbow men and professional fighters of the King were not present here, and as rough hands laid claim to the horses and lead them away, only the frightened bunch of boys were left, surrounded by a pack of jeering rogues.He and Takato immediately went back to back, having been to a fair number of other village markets with their fathers, where strange teenage boys weren't always welcomed by the local gang of delinquents, after shoving a passed out Kou between them. Seeing this, some of the braver lads that had travelled here tried to form a half-assed protective ring as well, while the rest were fighting to be the protected ones in the middle. Into this turmoil rode a sight that Akihito would never, ever forget, no matter how much that image, or all that followed afterwards, he wished purged from his memory: Sudou Shuu, in his livery as the Earl's squire, atop a bay gelding that was a bit more spirited than he could handle single-handed, as on his other gloved arm, held chest high, perched a hooded hawk. The rowdy crowd made the horse nervous, which in fact literally ruffled the bird of prey's feathers. Sudou, of course, tried to look and sound like he was in charge here 'bouts, and loudly began both taunting and threatening the, (so he thought), cowed youths into submissive obedience. Except that he didn't know that a pair of Freeman were among the lads gathered, and one of them was old enough, and more than stubborn enough, not to be pushed around by some foppish simpleton on an ill-bred nag with a cousin to a chicken tied to his wrist.As he called bullshit on the bullying and threats Sudou Shuu had just made, furious brown eyes burned into glaring hazel ones, as both blondes vied in a battle of wills. As this contest continued, someone grabbed a clot of muddy grass, and solely for their own reason, threw it, whereupon it smacked into the haunch of the keyed-up horse. The charger immediately reared, lashing front legs a danger to those nearby, as the startled hawk attempted to take flight, but was still tethered to the glove by the jesses. All in all, for a brief moment, it looked like the hawk was attempting to carry off Shuu and the horse together, a rather comical sight, to be sure; almost as comical as when Sudou both lost he seat and his glove at the same moment, as the horse went one way, and the hawk, another, and the squire landed flat on his ass in the mud to thunderous laughter. And thus, their blood feud was born: Aki, determined that he'd never allow any harm or ill from this spoiled prick come to his brother or Takato, then later any of the other lads who would flock to him as their leader, and Shuu, swearing vengeance for his utter humiliation, doing everything in his power to set the Earl's eye on his sworn enemy, to use, break and discard as he would. Therefore, the confrontation in the hallway was just the latest flare up of their ongoing, to-the-death blood feud. Neither would ask quarter, nor give any. And so it would go on and on 'til the bitter end, and one or both no longer had the breath of life in him. And unbeknownst to them, this time, it was the prince himself that was being contested. "Takaba! What are you doing, loitering about in the hall like this? Were you not told I would be calling on you this morning?!" The tall dark figure in the long, heavy robes stood a moment, taking in the sight of both young blonde men but a moment before he continued. "Squire Sudou, you've been warned about being in places you have no business in. You should give any message you may have for the Prince to his knave here, then be on your way."Knave?! Lowly Takaba was the Prince's knave!? How was that at all possible! He himself was a squire to the late Earl Sakazaki, true, yet a mere nothing like Takaba was a royal knave? How...?As if reading the blank pages that made up the tome of Shuu's mind, Shinji went on. "And as you served together under The Boar, you should already know that Takaba's a Freeman, like his father and yourself. He hails from the Takaba clan, of the eastern hill country. Not only does his family name’s spelling mean "Long Feather" in the Old Tongue, as was granted by a past King, since they were, and still are, the breeders of the Royal Family's falcons and hawks; but Takaba's own father from a young age has served both the previous and present King of Sion as his Master of Horses with distinction." Casting his judgmental gaze over the older blonde, he finished with "Young Takaba here is the first leader of a mounted archer unit in the army's history, and he's several years your junior, without the benefit of a wealthy Family or Keep behind him. So, rather than standing here, picking squabbles with a peer, perhaps you should be elsewhere, Sudou, trying to make something of yourself as well."Cheeks emblazoned in embarrassment, Shuu barely muttered an apology to the Dominus as head lowered, he pushed past his now most bitter enemy and made off down the way he came. To add insult to injury, he could still here the King's Law Advisor’s voice echoing from whence he came: "Takaba, as the Prince's knave, you have express permission to use whatever means is at your disposal to protect the privacy of the Prince's, and your own quarters. If it comes down to it, that spell that Lord Kirishima taught you, do you have a goodly command of it?" Whatever reply the boy made was lost to the reverberating sounds in play, but what was said next chilled the Prince's would-be suitor to the bone: "Think you what would happen if all that summoned power was released within a person..." Mouth suddenly gone dry, Shuu took to his heels and fled. ~~~~~~~~~ Aki was dead on his feet. First, from being run all over hell's back acres in this damn rabbit warren of a castle, then having his brain wrung out of all he knew. His stomach was running on empty, his patience was stretched 'way past “thin”, and his nerves were racked. So far, all he'd gotten out of today was a roaring headache and cramped sore fingers from writing more than he's had to in the last six months. Holy gods, was he tired. If he wasn't careful, he'd fall asleep frozen to this stool in his new instructor's quarters, likely with his eye lids propped open by icicles hanging from his lashes. Not that he really felt the cold in here, but, like being outside in the winter for a while, he could feel it sapping his energy.He knew that Asami would have been busy with various meetings during the day, then required to be present at the banquet this evening, and finally, presiding with the King at a ball after that, as Kirishima had recited the Prince's itinerary this morning over breakfast before they'd parted company for the day. Asami had taken a moment to murmur over his shoulder, next to his ear, that he was looking forward to having his knave join him for the feast, and hoped he'd enjoy the festivities afterwards, before giving him a warm look as a soft sweep of fingers ran along his chin, and then he and Kirishima had taken their leave. But instead of a hot meal (and a hotter dinner companion!), it seemed like he was stuck here in an ice cave. As it was, though, the archer thought he'd be lucky to drag himself off to find his way back to the prince's suite and not fall asleep somewhere, propped up against something expensive and fragile along the way. With bleary eyes, he glimpsed a sliver of sunset through a partially opened shutter, which likely meant that supper was being served as he swayed on his seat. Too worn out by mental fatigue to even be upset about it, he simply waited to be released from this slave driver for the day, distinctly sure that tomorrow would be more of the same torture, right as a steaming bowl of thick soup with a small loaf of bread sticking out of it was plunked down on the table before him."According to Kei's scolding note, I've kept you too long, learning the extent of your knowledge and abilities thus far. Eat up, we're both going to be too late for the feast; but if you hurry, you can make yourself presentable for public display and still make the ball. Seems Ryuichi is displeased that you're not at his elbow right now, pouring his drinks, dabbing his chin with a tongue-licked napkin and keeping food stains off his clothes, like a good little nursemaid." Akihito blinked at the bowl of food for a moment before looking up to see Kuroda lazily twirled his pointer finger in a circle, causing the spoon to stir the soup by itself as the steam dissipated from the bowl at the Ice Warlock's touch. With a jolt, the archer took the bread that was dipped in the soup and stuck the soggy end in his mouth, sucking down the disintegrating bread and broth concoction together. As the first morsels of food hit the yawning abyss of his stomach, a great roar was let forth by the insatiable beast within, and Aki began shoveling back tasty hot spoonfuls with filling bites of bread like his life depended on it.Having finally run out of bread first, the lad was wondering if he could fit his face into to bowl to lick up the dregs of his meal, his new task master shook his head and tsked. "Kei said he left a change of clothes for you to wear this evening, lying out on the bed. He's certain they'll fit and do you "nicely", as he calls it, for tonight. Be off now, and don't keep the Prince waiting. The gods alone know what he'll get up to, being all pouty and without proper supervision..."There might have been more along that line of thought, but after Aki had made a quick bow in the Dominus' general direction, he made off out of the tower and back into the castle proper, then backtracked his way to the Prince's chambers higher up. The boost of warmth and energy that the small meal had given him might not last long, and he was determined not to fall asleep on the rinsing stool, mid wash. His The Prince was waiting for him! As he made his way back to Asami's suite, he saw that there were now glowing letters on the main entry door itself, right above the handle. Getting in closer for a look, he noticed they were the names of the maids and stewards that attended the bed chamber; and his name was now included on there too. Intrigued, Akihito touched the characters of his name with his fingertips, and the large metal door handle turned on its own and the heavy door pushed open. Once he'd slipped in past the door, it closed itself tight and latched the bolt back into its lock. Appreciating this nifty trick, he headed up the stairs to the second level, working his tunic off over his head as he rounded the turn and went directly across the office/study to mount the second set of stairs up to the bedroom and bathing room. The tunic went flying in the direction of the bed, followed quickly by the long sleeve linen shirt beneath. One leather ankle boot's band was worked down towards the foot by the opposite toe until it was slack, hastily kicked off the foot, which was then quickly put to use to hop across the floor as the other boot was loosened and pulled off as well. The trousers and short braies beneath met the same fate as he grabbed a large folded towel from its shelf before entering the wet room.Inside, beside the stool, was a tall pitcher of water with steam still wisping out it, some face clothes, and a vial of pale green potion placed on top of a written note alongside a cup full of water. Picking up the vial in one hand, Akihito brought up the slip of paper with writing on it, and read "The least I can do for Ryuichi, after working his knave so hard today, is leave this Elixir of Vigor. Pour three drops into the chalice of water and drink it, then mix the rest in with what's in the pitcher. Use that to wash up with, but don't rinse it off. Enjoy your evening." Working the stopper gently off the top of the vial, Aki took a sniff of the potion. It smelled of fresh cut hay, ripe cucumber and tart crabapple. Following instructions, he downed the drink then set about a quick wash and, finding some still left over, used the remaining liquid to dowse his head. Thus refreshed, he dried quickly and was using the towel to fluff up his hair as he made his way into the sleeping chamber and headed to the bed to take a look at what ensemble he'd be donning tonight. Peering out from under the towel over his head, he softly gasped and stopped, unmoving, as the towel slipped from his fingers and slid down his back to the pool on the floor. Akihito was awed and overwhelmed, and just plain old couldn't believe his eyes. This was really for him...?! ~~~~~~~~~ The banquet was over, and the Court had moved on into the Great Hall, where wandering minstrels strummed as they mingled in amongst the crowd, while poets and balladeers held their own courts of enthralled followers in various corners and alcoves. Queen Emi, in a sumptuous cobalt and pastel blue satin gown, was draped in a set of pearls about her neck, matching the ones on her blue and gold coif, the belted gold coins about her waist, with gold thread embroidery all over the gown dotted with pearls, kept to her lounge chair, surrounded by her Ladies, Family supporters and her many thralls. The King and his advisors, in comparison, arrayed in formal midnight blue silk tunics and matching leggings, with gold thread embroidered bands along the hems and V-neck collars, were out on the main floor among the nobles and courtiers, conversing with notables and enduring the inevitable schmoozers.The Prince, himself dressed in deep dusk blue with silver trim, eschewed formal head wear while indoors, like his father. As for wearing crowns and coronets outside of formal events, both men agreed that if someone didn't know who either the King or his heir was on sight, then that person shouldn't BE at Court. While acknowledging those that dared approach his enclave to pay their respects or introduce young, marriageable family members to the kingdom's heir and eligible cousins, he kept his eyes on the grand entrance to the Hall, waiting impatiently for a certain knave to arrive. Drink in hand swirling slightly with impatience, his willingness to linger was becoming chafing. He was about ready to seek his father's leave to depart the evening's entertainment to find Akihito once the music began, when he saw a blonde head approaching through the crowd. Loosening his tensed shoulders somewhat, Asami covered a smug look to see what Aki was wearing by sipping from his cup when some of the throng shifted aside to reveal the light-toned hair as belonging to one Sudou Shuu.A wooden expression came over the Prince's countenance at the disappointment he felt when he realized it wasn't his Akihito approaching. The smiling visage before him, prepared to charm and seduce to get his way this very night, was not the one he'd been looking forward to seeing. Clad in a fitted slate grey sleeveless waistcoat that ended above his knees and was laced at the sides, it had dark red leather swatches that swooped from his lower right side up towards his left breast, cutting a fine figure, judging from all the admiring glances he garnered. In the past, Sudou's looks had led to, at best, a wine-induced, mediocre, one-time fling between them that the prince had found less than satisfying yet more regrettable, and had in fact lead to his leaving the squire's bed long before dawn. As far as Asami was concerned, Sudou was inane and grasping, thinking he'd have his pick of all that fell for his attractive looks and nubile body. While he was easy on the eyes, in the Prince's opinion, he was more of a decorative accent piece than an engaging work of art to be appreciated for its own merits.The approaching blonde must have caught the change of expression on his target as he hesitated a moment, likely trying to formulate a new way to entice his supposed prey on the fly. In that moment, from offside somewhere, another blonde came forward, slightly smaller but with a more athletic build. The Heir Apparent couldn't help but genuinely smile to see his knave before him, wearing what Kei had not only picked out, but had caused a seamstress to alter quickly to fit his Akihito exactly for tonight. The long suede vest was two-toned and asymmetrically shaped, the fawn panel cut just above the hip to hug Aki's side and back where it was joined to a darker walnut panel that sloped down and covered the front of the tawny shaded joined hose. The copper oak leaf toggles, which started at the dark panel at the lad's left shoulder before angling down across his chest and stomach, tied in the dark leather shoes that had copper acorn toggles on the boots. The endearing blush brushing those cheeks didn't dampen the happy look on the knave's face when he bowed to his patron, then took a moment to check out the man before him. Yowza. Bringing his hand up to beckon his lad to his side, he admired the way the vest's shoulders and the fitted hose showed off Akihito's shapely bare arms and long legs rather than hide them away from sight. The colour palette matched his knave exquisitely, highlighting the fair skin, silky hair and hazel green eye perfectly. "Thank you for the gift, Your Grace" Akihito said quietly, mindful of all the listening ears around them as he came up along Asami's side, eyes dancing in the candle light."Believe me, the pleasure is all mine" the prince avowed with warmest approval as he offered his knave a drink from his own cup. Taking a sip, the lad's eyes kept looking his Prince up and down, more than happy with the view. As the pair began quietly conversing about their day, all others within the Hall seemingly faded away to insignificance. Sudou, not so much dismissed as simply forgotten about, stood awkwardly by, unsure what to do, before turning abruptly away and plunging back through the throng; this latest insult by Takaba, like all others before, never to be forgotten.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As the evening wore on, despite Kei's disapproving report earlier on how Shinji had pushed his knave all day long, Akihito was still "bright-eyed and bushy tailed", as the saying went, almost bubbling with energy to spare. Somewhat suspicious of the behavior when he knew the lad should be nodding off to sleep where he stood, he asked if his new instructor had provided him with anything besides his evening meal. Aki readily mentioned the note and elixir left for him in the wet room, and the prince almost felt like cursing the other Warlock. First, he'd worked Akihito to the bone, then mentally wore him out, and finally gave him a potion that was a double-edged blade. He led his knave over to a group of lounges with a profusion of embroidered cushions on and around them, and sat his Akihito down, explaining that while the lad might be energetic and in high spirits now, the potion only lasted the day. That is, as soon as the midnight hour struck and the new day began, not only would the archer be again as drained and exhausted as he had been prior to taking the elixir, but then he'd be doubly fatigued for all the borrowed energy he was burning now.Aki blinked a couple of times before drinking back most of his wine goblet that Asami had procured for him earlier and asked a server for more wine, quipping that if he was going to be like in the old fairy tale where he'd have to quit the ball when his fine clothes turned back to rags at the stroke of midnight, Asami had better memorize his face rather than rely on him leaving behind a magic slipper to identify his foot with later. The Prince gave him a wolfish smirk and reminded him that all he needed to do was have all young squire-aged lads go skinny dipping together, as he certainly had memorized far more than just how the blonde's face looked. Physically having to restrain himself from his urge to punch his patron in his handsome face in front of all his father's subjects, the blonde simply huffed his outrage and finished off his wine in hand. If he was going to be paying for his fun tonight come the morrow, he figured he might as well make it worth his while then.Seeing how his master patron seemed to like what he saw when he looked at him, he again thanked Asami for his wardrobe for the evening, and asked how ever he or Lord Kirishima had found the material to make his clothes in so short a time of coming to the Capital. Asami took a sip of his cup and offhandedly mentioned that it hadn't been made exclusively for Aki, as it had been the ensemble he'd worn to his first Court engagement as Crown Prince. The blonde blinked, and then said what a weird coincidence it was that they were both the same size, at the same age. Maybe there was hope for a late growth spurt for him after all...? Asami shifted his gaze to the ceiling, as if admiring the recessed carvings in the stone that accommodated hidden candles up above, saying naught. The archer eyed him suspiciously before asking if the prince had been older than he when the outfit first debuted. The Prince made a noncommittal noise as he shrugged. Pouting now, the blonde rather unmannerly demanded how old the Prince was when he made his first appearance in this outfit. Asami tried very hard not to smirk too much when he answered "fifteen".Akihito. Lost it. Whether a smidge of frustration from the day he'd had seeped back in or what, the prince had to use his trained reflexes to snag Aki's empty cup before it tumbled loudly to the floor as his knave leapt to his feet, hands flailing, jaw working in mute indignation. Getting up himself, the prince leisurely steered the spluttering youth with a large hand spread over the small of his back towards an open doorway that lead outside to terraced steps before "sympathetically" whispering in the archer's ear how much he'd heard the outfit had to be taken in at the seams to be able to fit him. He just managed to get them out the doors before Akihito erupted, cursing blue blazes as a quick look behind afterwards caught all the glances eyeing his prince's panoramic rear in passing. And if that wasn't enough to make eyebrows raise and tongue waggle, the hearty chuckle coming unguarded from the immutable Prince was.Realizing he'd been unceremoniously herded out of the Hall, Aki shook himself free and stepped away from his Asami, giving him The Hairy Eyeball so there would be no mistaking how he felt about the older man's teasing. In fact, knowing Asami the way he was starting to, he had a fairly educated guess where this harassment might be heading, and making a concerted effort to nip it in the butt BUD! bud; gods... (insert resounding slap to his own face here). Glancing up through the fingers clapped over his eyes, the look he was getting from the Prince of Smartasses just screamed that somehow, someway, HE just knew how his mind had slipped up. Fine."Well, I suppose, Your Asami-ness, that since I'm not quite young enough for you to be considered a 'cradle robber', but you're not advanced in years enough to be considered a 'dirty ol' man', then I suppose that you must be a 'coffin dodger': not exactly a young man any more, yet none too old either, but living a rough enough life that you probably should be dead..." This time, there was no mistaking the rumble of laughter coming from Sion's Heir. Some back in the Hall turned in astonishment at hearing the sound, thinking surely they must be mistaken; but no, there was the proof beyond the doorway: head thrown back, nothing held in, was the Prince, and before him was his smaller companion, triumphant cheeky grin in place at his unlikely accomplishment. Well, THIS was a new development in the gossip annuals of the Capitol... Aki was watching the display of colours and glittering sparkles in the sky above the volcano's cone as the band of musicians came around the lower steps. They were surprised to find anyone out there at the edge of the Hall's lights, much less one leaning against the low stone wall as the other sat comfortably upon it, chatting away the evening. Not wanting to intrude on the pair of notables, judging by their fine attire, but needing to make sure their instruments were tuned and ready to begin playing for the dancing part of the entertainment, they fidgeted, not sure where to go or what to do now. The band leader approached rather diffidently and waited to be noticed (one never wanted to intrude on one's betters if getting paid or being requested back another time to get paid some more were important parts of one's living). Both noticed, but it was the younger, fairer one that leaned back to look at the troupe leader from around the taller one's frame, eyebrow lifted in question.Apologizing for the interruption, the band leader was about to ask if the fellows wanted to stay where they were as the musicians "warmed up" their instruments and fingers in preparation to play, when the tallest of the pair turned about and the poor musician almost turned to stone from fright: it was the Crown Prince. He had disturbed the Crown Prince, about His business, at the Castle of the Capitol of Sion, and gods above and below, he was so toast...Reading the panicked terror on the man's face was an amusing accent to the evening so far, and Ryuichi had a plan in mind before the man could stutter out any words of apology: "Your band may prepare at the top of the steps to the Hall; turn to your right before the doors and follow the curve of the wall around the turn there. The windows are closed, so no one inside will be disturbed, but the light from the Hall should be bright enough for you all to perform several of your songs for us before you go inside to play." The band master, feeling lucky to be alive, intact and still getting paid, readily backed off, bowing his way off and tripping over his heels backwards up the steps for fear of offending the Prince after he'd just gotten away. Getting back to his musicians, he herded the curious players out of sight and hurried them around the side of the Hall's wall as he'd been instructed, and after several moments of unseen curses and scuffling, random musical notes began to drift out into the night.Gazing back at his patron with an unimpressed look of "...really?" on his face, Akihito began kicking both feet against the wall his butt was planted on and drawled "Spoiled, much?" Stepping in closer with a knowing grin, Asami closed his large hands over his knave's thighs to still his legs as he bent in closer to shrug slightly and advised "It pays to know the King." An eye roll later, they were taken up with each other's faces, so close together, in the light coming from within. Studying the shadowed contours, the highlighted planes, the neck cords and Adam's apples that should be nibbled upon, and the lips longing to be kissed and licked and nipped gently at until they parted...The first song started up, some notes a little shakier than others, but was quickly brought into harmony without losing the beat altogether. Aki tilted his head, listening, thinking he remembered this song from a dance in the country at some point in the past. Asami blinked, watching the his lad's attention wander off for a bit before asking, somewhat innocently: "Do you know how to dance?"The blonde's heed was squarely back on his prince. "Yeah. Why? Got someone in mind you want to partner up with inside, and you want me to be your wingman? Or is just staying available if needs be part and parcel of your duty tonight, and I can just go amuse myself?"Giving his knave a superior raise of his perfect eyebrow, the prince gave him a lofty look and informed him "Because. I wish to know." which just fired up Akihito's fight drive right there. "And who the fuck would I know here to ask to deign to dance with me? The Queen? As if!""That wasn't what I meant, Akihito."The high winds in Aki's sails slackened off a bit at that, but he was still watchful, knowing the older man was fully capable of pulling a cap out of a rabbit, and not fully trusting him not to. "But...?" the blonde prompted, wanting the other boot to drop now, if it was going to ruin his night."’But’ nothing. I wanted to know if you knew how to dance. That's all.""Why." Not so suspicious now, but still unsure where this was going."Because, my young knave..." (spoken just to see the sparks fire up in those eyes again), "if you did not, I would offer to teach you some steps privately, out of sight, out here, tonight. But, since you already know....", Asami smiled, standing at ease, then taking a step back to formally bow, head down before those golden orbs raised up slowly to take the whole of him in once more, "Would you care to dance?"Aki. was. flabbergasted. Eyes wide, face shocked, jaw slack and hanging open, the works. Was Asami being serious? OH MY GODS, HE WAS!?! ...And patient too, judging by the mixture of amusement and enforced calm on his face. Pulling himself together, the bold mounted archer, leader of the lost and plotter of battlefield strategies on the fly pulled up his gumption, along with his lower jaw, and answered "...Uh, sure...?"The prince, pleased, (because seriously, who likes getting shot down? and if anyone, in the whoooole kingdom would, it'd be this one right here in front of him), straightened up, giving his tunic a subtle tug and smoothing of the seams as his did so, and offered the blonde his right hand. And Akihito stared at it. His Prince's right hand... The one that wielded his weapon, reins and magic, that signaled orders to his men, and that he'd felt rub soothingly over his half-awake self to calm his night terrors, was held open and offered to him to take hold of... Aki took it as his head came up and looked his patron square in the eye, then hopped lightly down from his seat on the wall....To stand awkwardly before his dance partner, holding his hand... Right."Sooo... Are you leading this dance, or shall I?"Asami's eyes glinted with a mild case of mischief. "Do you know how to lead your dance partner?"The lad snorted rudely before he answered. "Ma and Pa both taught me my dance steps. Do you think either one would train Kou or I if we couldn't learn to tread lightly on the balls of our feet, keeping our heels clear of the ground, and be able to lead our partners if we also couldn't understand what the required steps were like backwards as the 'feminine' part, as well?"Asami hummed, considering. "No, the man that taught me to ride my first horse showed me initially how to care for and understand my mount before ever letting me get on one. So, would you mind if I lead, then? Not, that I think of you as feminine in any way, my dear Akihito," he added, forestalling the flare up he anticipated from the blonde and not giving it a chance to waste their precious, limited time. "But, because, I wish to watch you move." With that declaration made, Aki had no complaints, and as the first song wound up to its end, they slowly over went to a larger private area to have the space they'd need, still hand in hand.Finding their marks to start from, Aki swung about slowly in an arms-length arc to stand opposite as Asami turned to face him, features calm, eyes glittering in the dim outdoor light. They each took two paces back, fingers slipping across the other's palm before fingertip contact was lost. Both stood at formal rest pose, and as the first notes of the second music piece started, both bowed to the other, the prince with his right arm folded in about waist level in front of him, his left arm tucked in at the small of his back. Akihito did the same, but with his left arm sweeping down the front of his legs, hand ready to catch the front of any skirts to hold at his side, that any long hem he might've worn would be held aside to not to trip him up while dancing.The song's melody was one that they both knew to be medium tempoed, and they each took a step toward the other and halted with a head bob before taking a step back and waited a beat before gliding forward and together once more. Asami raised his hand and offered it to the blonde, who put the back of his hand against the Prince's palm; the prince curled his fingers over Aki's smaller hand, moved about to be at his side, and they began to move. Two paces in another arc, swaying stop, two paces more, Asami stood at Aki's back for a moment before raising his arm to allow the lad to duck below it and make a tight circle back to where they began. Swaying apart, being "pushed off" to clasp fingers, then drawing back together again. No matter how they moved, which direction they went in, even losing touch with each other, they maintained eye contact and would not separate.The footwork came faster and more venturesome the longer they went along together, and Asami began slipping his hand to rest on Akihito's side when they were front-to-back or alongside one another now, and Akihito began counting on the prince's arm strength to let him sweep out wider and lower on turns and under/over arm crosses, hazel eyes sparkling with verve and excitement, daring to try swinging just almost horizontal to the ground on the widest turns, trusting his dance partner not to let go or permit him to drop. At the end of the song, Asami had swung him around in several tight, fast spins and they halted on the last note, looking into the other's face and laughing together with sheer enjoyment.Setting up for the next dance, Asami saw his knave blink and hide a quick yawn, and with a pang, realized that midnight was nearing. A quick glance at the doors leading into the Hall showed that servants were starting to bring out platters of cold meats, breads, cheeses and pastries for the late light meal before the serious dancing began for those staying longer. And he found himself enamored with his dance partner. Between the blood pumping through his veins and the flashes of pale skin the cut of the vest allowed, he was starting to find his appetite was being piqued by thoughts of more than a late night snack. The blonde rested his hands on Asami's forearms and grinned up at him, not out of his usual sauciness, but out of sheer fun, happy to share this with his prince.The music started up once more, and this time it was at a slower, more intimate pace. Starting from where they were, without formalities, the blonde swung about in front of the Prince, the vest's overlapping panel sailing out from the lad's middle, letting Asami's fingers feel bare skin. The archer trembled momentarily as he heard the General hum softly with satisfaction at the touch, and then the dance began. But this dance meant that they were together more often, rubbing together more, almost teasingly touching here and there as their hands moved with the music and their changing positions.As the music swelled to the first chorus, Ryuichi took firm but gentle grasp of Akihito's waist above his hips and lifted him up in the air before turning gracefully and setting him down, facing away from him. Aki gasped as he moved his steps, then let himself be turned about to face his dance partner and was again grasped and lifted up, high above Asami's head. He gleefully laughed at the new perspective of being this high off the ground, ('is this what Suoh feels like all the time?!'), and reveling in how his prince held him up so easily, without tremor or weakness of any sort. Twice more was he lifted up, looking down at Asami's roguishly handsome face when he was turned that way; the prince then enjoying the view of his knave's partially hidden tight derrière when he was facing away. Then the song continued, and they danced on together, well and near. ~~~~~~~~~ "Wow, this city huge!"Kou smiled, softly scratching the snowy owl on his lap's cheek and replied "You know, this is a very lively place. You'd think that maybe the Royal Family was using the people's resources to sponsor their parties, but that's not the case. The people here really love their King and the Prince, so they lend their time and talents to contribute to and decorate the royal ball." The night sky was now colored with beautiful twinkling magic lights and fantastic billowing streams of colors."People here party like this during war~?""Don't be judgy, Tao. Troops from everywhere are stationed around the Capitol, their commanders and marshals are attending the War Council at the Royal Keep this week, so people are happy the soldiers, who are friends and family to many here, are alive and well now. There'll be ceremonies for the fallen, too; later. Plus, their beloved protector, the Prince is returned, so everyone is in high, hopeful spirits."Tao seemed to absorb the young messenger’s words. He could understand their traditions, but it still annoyed him so much to empathize with Sion barbarians, so he didn't say anything more. Both Tao and Kou were sitting on a high roof, not too far from the Castle, but none too close, either, so they could see most of the night sky displays the Keep itself didn't block from view."I'm happy too. I like the Prince, he's nice to me, gave my brother and I shelter when we'd lost everyone and everything, and my brother has come here now, which makes me relaxed; but I'm nervous too, so I'll talk to him tomorrow. I wanna be all dressed up and looking respectable in my livery then so he's proud of me.""I am sure already he is." Tao caught himself saying. Why the hell he was being so nice to this Sion brat? Said brat got up, disturbing a dozing Gwái. "Wanna drink or eat something? I'm getting hungry, so I'll go crash the ball and bring something back with me."Tao stood up hastily, waving "no" with his hands. "W-What you mean?" The boy was probably joking. He hoped. "Is impossible to crash royal ball, is it not?"Kou snorted, glad Lord Kudora wasn't around to hear it. "I know my way around. You just wait here; it won't take me half of an hour." Tao shrugged, figuring the boy was just going to grab something to eat in the city and make up an exciting story to go along with it. But then he sat and waited nervously anyways. How exactly could the boy "break" such a big party? Kou was fast on his feet, something not even the Lords Kuroda and Kirishima could complain about. And even though he didn't really need to sneak in, he did so, training himself to become invisible. His biggest motivation had started out to prank other boys who weren't so friendly to him, but Lord Kuroda seemed to use stealth judiciously, as to be useful to the Crown; so, he in turn had now began sneaking around too, and because of that, he had learned some cool hidden passages and secret corridors about the Keep. There was still so much more that he'd love to explore with his nee-chan in the humongous structure, but for now he was content to know the route to that most important of targets, the kitchen. As he headed there, giggling quietly to himself in the dark corners and behind the false walls as he slid past unknowing guards and staff alike, he got in there, stuffed food indiscriminately inside his carrying bag - "onii-san" Suoh's gift, and even brought along a bottle of what looked to be wine, as he thought maybe Tao would be thirsty after they ate.He was ready to go back to the outside world of the city when movement outside of a large kitchen window got his attention: on the lower circular patio just outside the ballroom, above the beautiful moon garden, two men seemed to be dancing. The Prince, with his strong back and tall figure, lead with elegant confidence, and on his arm, his brother followed the movements gracefully, smiling without a care in the world. Kou grabbed the window sill tightly with his hands and his eyes stung with salty unshed tears. When was the last time he had seen his big brother so carefree like this?Prince Ryuichi smirked devilishly and stepped forward, sweeping his brother up easily around in spinning circles toward the low stone wall, only to set him down on top of it, still safely within his grasp. As the distant music finished its last note, Aki's breathless laugh was interrupted by his prince pulling him down into a passionate kiss. Tao smiled, glad both for his brother, and their protector. "Welcome home, nii-san", he whispered before heading out to meet up with his new friend once more. ~~~~~~~~~ Gasping softly for breath when the kiss broke, Akihito's dazed eyes looked down into Asami's hungering golden ones. The questions bubbling up in his mind were fuzzy and none too coherent, and the growing tiredness and dull aching in his limbs were numbly distracting. Surely they hadn't danced that much; had they? Although, it had been enjoyable, being so close and in tune with his partner, it was too bad it should have to end soon... Without any preamble, Ryuichi lowered his head to rub his cheek against his knave’s exposed belly, where the hands holding onto his waist had pulled the vest up. Tracing one of the blonde’s abdominal muscles with the tip of his nose, he breathed in Akihito’s scent before softly planting a kiss over his cute little belly button. Looking up again at the archer’s face, he was about to suggest they take their leave when without a blink or yawn, Akihito went slack and slumped in Asami's grasp as the first stroke of midnight rang out from the court time keeper’s bell.Giving his knave the once-over, he could see Aki was limp as an overcooked noodle within his hands, eyes closed, breathing softly. Sighing with disappointment, Asami hefted him gently into a more comfortable position in his embrace and turned back towards the Hall' just to find Kei, Kazumi, Shinji and his father all grouped together, watching them from a window like a pack of moonstruck teenagers. When the prince started walking up the terrace stairs back towards the Keep, they all broke out of their reveries at being caught and began making a show of themselves being useful: Kei ordering a tray of cheese, fruit and pastries to be sent up with drink to the Prince's chamber, Suoh standing by to offer to take Asami's burden in hand for him, Kuroda looking suitable abashed for his actions earlier leading to breaking up the Prince's enjoyment, as the King stood by idly, taking a drink from his cup. (Yeah. I mean, really...)The Prince didn't say anything until he stood before his father and bowed his head. "Sire, I think it's time my knave and I retired for the evening." Without acknowledging Shinji, he continued with "Akihito has had a long, hard day, and if I may, I'm taking him off to bed now." Of course, His Highness made a dismissing gesture and wished them both a good night, after he took another sip of wine. Asami declined Suoh's offer before he made it, and he thanked Kei for whatever service he'd done for them before turning and leaving without so much as glancing at the Dominus. Shuu had stayed within the crowded Hall throughout the night, wanting to see what Takaba was taking up the Prince's time and attention with. As the evening grew longer, and he didn't see the Prince about the Hall at all, talking with other people, his unacknowledged jealousy began to grow. Yes, Takaba was his knave, fine, but why was he the centre of His Grace's attention all night? Usually by now, the prince would have a partner singled out for the night and he would be wooing them, winding them up for his suggestion that he see them back to their quarters to continue their enjoyment at his leisure. Instead, it seems they'd disappeared from the Hall entirely. Whatever even was this?! He stoutly refused to see Takaba as a peer, merely a poorer imitation of himself. Between the pair of blondes, he knew himself to be the superior of the two. So why didn't the Prince?This all began to eat away at him, until he couldn't stand to be inside the Hall any longer, and had decided to take matters into his own hands. Tonight, when Takaba left the ball to wander away to sleep the wine off, he'd make sure the boy neither saw his bed that night, nor the morrow's dawn.Concealed behind some decorative columns by the main stairs up to the hallway the smaller blonde would need to take to stumble off to bed, convincing himself as he held his dagger in hand that no one would care about Takaba, and none would be able to pin the attack on him anyway. As he heard lone footsteps come up the hall towards him, he shifted how he held his blade, preparing to spring out and strike at the same time. But the shadow cast on the floor ahead of the walker didn't seem thin and scrawny like the boy. He hesitated, and letting the figure go by to make sure it was, in fact, his enemy, he was shocked to see the regal man that had abandoned him to his own bed walk by, bearing his unconscious knave in his arms, taking him to his rest himself. Stunned, Sudouh's tense arm, bearing the dagger, went limp as he watched the Prince carry his enemy up the stairs and out of sight.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Akihito slept for sixteen hours following the ball. He completely missed the way the prince watched him slumber while the morning sunlight peeked in through the curtains, and the way the tip of a large finger felt gently tracing along his warm cheek bone and down the line of his chin. He missed Kei's rambling complaints about everyone's lack of responsibility after dancing and feasting AND DRINKING the night before away even as he picked out several outfits for the Prince's perusal. He missed Kou's excited gossip on the Royal Keep servants' personal lives, and about how he'd "accidently" discovered there was such a thing as "fortified” wine. He missed Kazumi bringing in a valuable tinted glass vase filled with wild flowers that he put down on the bedside table where the "Sleeping Beauty" lay. He even missed Kuroda himself coming by that morning and poking him with a broomstick to be sure he hadn't killed Prince Asami's "little pet". When he eventually did wake up, he found the his prince reading quietly on the balcony, chair turned to be able to check on his state at a glance. After a big theatrical yawn and stretch that grabbed Ryuichi's attention, he sleepily wiped his eyes as he asked "Is everything alright? Were you here all day? What about your meetings?" Akihito felt oddly shy as he watched the warlord close what he'd been reading, stand and set it aside on his chair, then saw how Ryuichi turned back to take in his semi-reclining form, feeling his eyes look him up and down beneath his sheet. Though His Grace had thought to leave a nightshirt covering his modesty as was still his habit for his own feeling of security, still, something had changed between them. Anyone with eyes, sighted or blind, could see now how they were drawn to each other, and how much they couldn't help it and really didn't care. Their preferred proximity to each other, the sly touches here and there, and the secretive looks they'd thought they'd exchanged seemed all rather blatant now. But, he hadn't let himself think about it too deeply, because really, what did he expect? He knew this Asami anyway had always been a playboy... but only up until now, it seemed. Aki knew he did have a few official reasons to be here with him, but now it felt like he was here more for his own personal reasons then just that of the prince's or Kou's. Last night, moving with him, feeling him and how his body would press against his own; his kisses now that they had some later evening privacy - not that Asami had ever minded too much about Kei walking in on them making out away from camp, or overhearing his muffled sounds when the prince's warm hands had crept their way to him under his sheet, harassing him during the nights on their way to the Capital.He had several perfectly reasonable excuses to travel with the Prince to the Court, not the least of which was to have an audience with the King - since he had agreed to be the fairies and all magical Others' ambassador - this was important, true, but it seemed to escape his memory at times and that's why Lord Kirishima was always nagging him about not acknowledging his own importance now in Sion's affairs of state. But all it took sometimes was a glance in that man's direction for him to forget anything not related to him exclusively, whether it was because of his bedeviling ways or just a moment where a certain look or cast of his gorgeous face took his breath away.So where did they stand now, then? The evening had been... romantic. Hell, just thinking about last night, he felt his cheeks take on a rosy glow. And the look the dark-haired prince was giving; as he leaned his tall, solid frame against the outside door wasn't helping. With a sultry little smile, his protector succinctly answered "Yes. Yes. And, what about them?"Akihito gave him a mildly sardonic look for his reply, and Asami quietly chuckled as he pushed off to sleekly stride into his bedchamber and stop beside his knave's side of the bed. Reaching out his large hand in offer, Akihito sat up and gladly took it, just to be pulled up and onto his now seated prince's lap. Cuddled to the bigger man's chest, he felt more then heard the rumbled "I missed you."Aki grinned, hiding his glee by nuzzling into a solid pec muscle. "Why, I was just sleeping. Right here, in fact. Beside you, I believe."He felt the man chuff. "Yes, quite deeply, indeed. You seemed to have no concern about what it's like to be so soundly ignored, no matter what I wanted to do." Aki wanted to do everything but squeal like a young maiden on hearing that. Instead, he merely tilted his head to look up through his bangs with his best innocent eyes to ask "And why was that so bad?"Something short of a huff now sounded before his chin was pulled up to meet warm, demanding lips in a kiss that made his head swim. "That's why."Oh gods, this man was gonna be the death of him. His heart was beating so fast, he thought he might pass out. "W-What happens now?" He murmured, hazel eyes solidly on the prince's lips. Gods, he already missed kissing him...The man smirked coyly. "And you're referring to...?"(US! This… “relationship”, dunce!!!) "T-the day's s-s-schedule, of course."Asami chuckled knowingly. "Ah. Of course; how foolish of me." He held his knave in place with one arm and reached out to grasp a tray of strawberries, pastries and cheese that was sitting on the bedside table to feed Akihito with. "Well, we have to speak with my father, there's no getting around that any longer. But then, we can sneak out of the Keep and have the rest of the day together. I could show you the city~ would you prefer to ride, or the use of a carriage."(Alone? Together?! In the city?!! EEEEE!!!) ~ Wait a moment... "Aren't you the Prince? Can't you just go in and out of the Keep as much as you please, whenever you please?""Oh, I can go in and out alright; just as hard as I please, and as often as I wish."Akihito's face went impossibly hot. "For a cold, stoic, so-called adult, you can seriously talk shit like a -""Pardon us, my Prince", Kei’s hail sounded from the room below."Come." the prince called out, winking at Aki with a worrying twinkle in his eye as Kirishima appeared at the top of the stairs..Nodding first to his cousin, Lord Kei's eyes then lit upon the blonde that had scrambled to be seated beside the older man and he almost cracked a sigh of relief. "Ah, good; you're awake. Get some food into you, Akihito; then it's time for some hair taming."Akihito threw his hands on his head, alarmed, as if to protect himself from an onslaught by a band of manic sheep shearers. "My hair is fine! It's just like it's a wild creature that can't be tamed. Believe me; you won't break its spirit, no matter what you do."Unmoved by the somewhat frantic attempt at dissuasion, Kei merely moved aside as the Barber-Surgeon to the Royal Keep made his appearance, apprentices and servants bearing small chests in tow. They bowed to the Prince before turning to examine their intended victim. "Nice try." was his only reply. Aki whimpered. ~~~~~~~~ Akihito was amazed at how, when someone that kept their razor sharp and who knew how to use it, could make such a difference. The few times he'd had the "services" of a "barber" before at various market days, they had pulled out more than cut his hair due to dull edges on the blades, and Ma had always ended up putting a bowl over his head and trimming the uneven ends that stuck out with her own shears. Pa never had much good to say about barbers either, except when he went horse trading with clients, and he always found better ones in the bigger towns he went off to, coming back looking so trim and fit.As for himself, he kept looking at his reflection in the copper hand-held mirror, amazed with how bouncy his hair was, how comfortable it was not having to discretely blow the odd strands out of his face, and how it felt like the weight of a small cat had been removed from his head, which, what with all the snips and clumps of hair on the floor all 'round where he sat, he supposed someone could actually build one from them all. A hand reached over his head and took away the mirror as Kei stood behind him and tisked, muttering about "wearing a good mirror out by staring in it too long". He didn't want to look anywhere else, though, as his eyes would be drawn to the dark wavy hair being combed through and shorn off as he sat. If he did, he'd have a rosy glow in no time and everyone would see it. None too seemly behaviour for the knave of the kingdom's warlord, if anyone asked his opinion.But then the man he was trying not to gaze at with big cow eyes made a low hum and Aki's glance shot right over to him as the large man twirled a loose strand of curled hair lazily around in his fingertips as he gave his knave the side eye, and instantly thoughts of "secretive hair, short and curly" popped into his head, and all was lost as he faced palmed his blushing self. A huff and a chuckle sounded from both sides of the room before Lord Kirishima came forward to ask, all business-like, if he had eaten enough before herding the blonde towards the wet room to wash up for the king's audience. As Aki tried to stall by turning around in the doorway to grab a towel, one came flying at him and hit him in the face, followed by a face cloth and a hair towel. Muttering "how rude!" under his breath, the lad gave in and shuffled further into the room, losing the nightshirt along the way as all the loose hair was swept into a pile and set alight by the Fire Warlock to keep such personal bits out of any unsympathetic magic user's hands. First, finger brushing through his hair to get rid of any clipped ends before he rinsed in the waiting warm water, he then started applying the soaped up facecloth in all the usual odorous spots before rinsing again and doing a quick all over wash, complete with final rinse before he judged himself squeaky clean and fit enough to see the King. Drying off quickly before wrapping the large cotton towel about his waist, he went to collect more water in the pitchers for Asami's use in case he wanted them, and as he drew the last one out of the bucket of water provided, he noticed that the others pitchers, already full, were starting to waft some steam. Apparently, being a Fire Warlock had its perks.He had just thrown the smaller towel over his hair to try and fluff it dry when a pair of larger hands pushed his own aside and took over the job. Catching sight of the muscular bare chest through the moving hem of the towel, he had a pretty good idea of who had joined him in the facilities. Not complaining, of course. No, in fact, feeling a mild case of friskiness after such a good evening spent with good company, having a good time, leading to a good night's sleep. Mmm, definitely feeling frisky ~The hands stopped moving about for a moment, as the towel was pulled up off his head for warm, devilish golden eyes to look over the results of his ministrations. Humming in approval, he let the towel plop onto the blonde head once more as the prince turned aside to have his own quick wash up before changing to go to see his father. Feeling pretty sure that Akihito might be shy after such an intimate time together last night, he decided to take mercy on the lad and busy himself so as not to seem to pay undue attention to any nearly nude exits to the bed chamber. Ah well... Reaching for two of the pitchers of warmed water, he lifted one up after putting his head back and poured it out over himself before doing the same with the other one, enjoying the luxury of warmth cascading over his body. Eyes closed, ready to put the pitchers down and start washing, he was surprised when smaller hands closed around his wrists to still them as a nose touched his chest and a demure tongue lapped up the water trails from his well-defined abdomen. Almost groaning, Asami's lower core muscles tightened as he stilled, jolted by this unforeseen turn of events. There was not a drop of coyness in his little Akihito as there was in others who'd tried perusing him; and for him to try something like this on his own, after the outrages visited upon his troop from his old leader, this show of trust took a different kind of courage than of that of the battlefield. He relaxed, lowering his head forward to watch through shuttered eyes as the tip of a pink tongue explored around his firm muscles, his hands trembling not to grab his boy up, if only not to reward such boldness by causing fear. Dropping the water vessels, his hands pulled free and wound 'round Aki's waist, bringing him in close to his body, one hand slowly wandering up to the back to his head as the other roamed down to rest on a delightful rump. After several deep breathes in and out through his nose to clear his head, Asami bent down to breathe into the lad's ear "...my naughty little enticer..." before lifting his lips to the slightly damp forehead and giving it a soft kiss. Releasing his knave, he gave him a gentle swat on the arse and told him to go get ready, watching as a blushing but pleased looking archer quickly scampered out of the wet room, leaving the prince to handle a particular "growing problem" on his own. ~~~~~~~~~ As Akihito walked along with “his” Asami through the Keep, he wondered what all the King could possibly want to know about him in the upcoming interview. Yes, he was the eldest (adopted) son of a trusted friend and supporter of His, yes, he was the Prince and Heir's appointed knave, yes, he was also the son of a woodland god, and yes, he was now the acting ambassador for all Other Beings within Sion to the Human Court, whether anyone wanted him to be or not. And yes, he thought the prince was the hottest thing on three legs. So, what could there possibly be to worry about.It took a couple of beats for him to grasp that they had in fact left the castle proper and were headed to one of the outer courtyards where grunting, cursing and other sounds of effort were coming from. Ears pricked and eyes open, they came to an enclosed area where a number of men and women from both the House Guard and the prince's own men were in various states of undress and working with various lifting weights and weapons to both keep in fighting shape and hone their skills. As they entered the yard, they were hailed by Lord Suoh who was with another man. As they approached, the man turned around and behold, it was the King, as sweaty and bedraggled as any of them there. Drayce nodded to his son in welcome before focusing on the boy. "Takaba; good to see you're recovered. I almost didn't recognize you awake and alert." Despite his bout of nerves, the archer grinned as he bowed and replied."It's good to see you as well, Your Highness. I, too, almost didn't realize who you were. Did you misplace your cup of wine?" A few startled coughs and guffaws from nearby "nosey nellies" revealed others were interested in this informal meeting as well. Both Asamis grinned at the lad's antics, mirroring what the other looked like, nineteen years apart. For a moment, Aki lost his head, thinking about what a “silver fox” the king would be when Ryuichi was his age, and how the Prince was going to continue to be the hottest thing on wheels for a long, loooong time. Swoon!"So, young Takaba, I've heard some of your personal background from Kazumi and Kei, and both I and the King before me had the pleasure of your father Kento serving both of us and being a friend and teacher to myself and my boys. I seem to recall once he brought a scrap of a brat of his own with him to the Keep while he was here to teach Ryuichi and the others to ride. If I remember correctly, the prince was bored with waiting for his turn to mount his steed, and instead of paying attention; he almost set fire to a hay mow showing the boy how a dandelion seed head burns different colours when it's lit on fire. Sound familiar?" Seeing the unrepentant smirk on his son's face and the surprised blush on the lad's was all he needed to know that the pair had been meant to be trouble together since the start. Well, he was only the King, after all; who was he to stand in the way of Fate? Taking up his sword, he bade the blonde to tell him about himself and his little brother that his son had brought back with him as he began his blade kata (Japanese for "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practiced alone, or in unison when training as a group, to create muscle memory). After he finished drilling with both hands, the small group headed over to one of the archery ranges for a "workout". While both the king and his son had a natural eye for hitting the target, neither was anywhere near Aki's calibre. The accuracy, speed and casual (as in “almost careless”) ease the lad used with the bow and arrows almost made His Highness think the Warlock was subtly shifting the target into the shots, but when he glanced at his son and saw even his face showed both respect and a tinge of awe only Kei had ever inspired before, he knew the blonde was doing this all on his own. When Kazumi spoke up to remind Akihito about the young boars he still owed them for a dinner, then offered to take him hunting himself, the sheer enthusiasm of the lad’s affable personality shone through. No artifice in this one, then, it seemed.As he waited to see if the knave was going to mention how he caught the prince's attention, garnered his station or, for that matter, how he came to be an ambassador for the non-humans, there was no bravado, avarice or even a shadow of being guileful to be spotted anywhere in the lad. If Kei hadn’t made it part of his report on him earlier, he’d guess this Akihito would never have thought to mention any bits of this pertinent information on his own. ‘He’s almost too good to be true; just like my Dani was. How did men like us even deserve such true hearts as partners..?’ Things like this happened but rarely in anyone’s life, so if it was meant to be between these two, he would not deny his son his part in it. There would be problems with the succession, but that would be between Ryuichi and Akihito and the others. Perhaps one of the boys would marry the princess, have Asami children, and all would be smoothed over. If not, they'd make it through on their own. For one, Kei had come back most protective of the boy, and Suoh had taken both Takabas under his wing, like a protective uncle. Perhaps it was time once more to "adopt" a few more strays into his fold~ taking up his favourite weapon, the jō (a 1m/3' wooden staff, some weighted with metal rings around the ends), he began showing Akihito how to use it. Both Suoh and the prince shared a quiet look of satisfaction at witnessing this development come forth. The King had accepted the blonde. At last, his allotted free time was over, and he had to take up the mantle of kingship once more. Stopping by the courtyard well, he ducked his head into a bucket of water before flinging it back to let it run over his face and neck to wash away most of the stink, dust and sweat of his workout. Having heard about Akihito's wiles at strategy and his natural tendency towards leadership, he grasped how the lad could help shape the military of Sion for generations, with his mounted archers that the prince was championing. He'd have to call a combined meeting of his council and the Prince's to plot out the steps needed to set up this Akihito for success in the army and the Capitol. And get him a decent set of livery of his own; as he'd soon need his own staff members for his many hats of office, too. Bidding Suoh and his son a pleasant rest of their day, he watched a cheerful Akihito shaking his own wet head like a dog to get rid of excess water. As the blonde looked like he might lose his balance and step awry, he put a hand out to steady the lad a moment, and as the blonde murmured a shy "Thank you, Your Highness", he waved it off. "My boys all call me 'Sire' in public, young Akihito. You should too." Leaning in closer to the lad, he added more quietly “Should things not work out between you and my son, always know, you have a position waiting for you with me; as I’m always in need of a good, trusty table.” And with that, he tousled the blonde’s head before jauntily heading back into the palace to face the grind once more. ~~~~~~~~~ The mismatched pair of “Master” and “apprentice” made their way out of the Keep’s courtyard proper atop an ambling Brabant horse and into the city proper without notice. The horse, a rouncey, was clearly the result of a long line of draft horses mixed with lighter types, to be used for packing or riding as needed. The combined weight of the Prince and his knave behind him were negligible to the beast as it calmly and steadily made its way through the busy crowd about their business between the various markets in the city. Akihito quite liked the mischievous aura around the prince’s dressing down to sneak out with him on their little tour of the Capital. Not quite “slumming it” in their dress, they still looked respectable with Asmai in a quilted arming jerkin vest over short sleeves and suede pants with dark leather long boots. Looking none too shabby himself in a haori jacket over a linen shirt with capped sleeves and long braies pants tied at the calf with his worn slip-on shoes, taking a non-descript “daisy-cutter” mount no one would look twice at, was a stroke of genius, unlike taking his own stand-out mount or Asami’s flashy and feisty Shimo. Either shithead of a horse could be counted on to be too smart for his own good, getting bored easily and needing to be amused by either randomly tugging at ladies’ apron or bodice strings, or knocking melons free from market stalls as both traffic hazards and potential snacks. This big fellah, however, gave the air of having seen it all, done it all, and would be quite happy to stand in the shade munching some hay while its riders did whatever they were about, both hind legs cocked and relaxed, if it could.Aki chose a simple padded riding blanket with chest and breech bands, and sat behind his patron, causally hanging on to his belt to maintain contact, not only to cover his “Master’s” purse, but for Asami’s peace of mind. While blondes and various shades of redheads weren’t as rare as in the Baishe Empire, the combination of fair hair and looks, youth, and athletic build made Asami cautious of not knowing where his knave was at all times. Not that the prince himself was immune to stares and whistles too, but the combination of the two made for some… erm, “interesting” enquiries. At some stops along the way, when both had dismounted and were looking about, certain men and ladies made rather pointed questions regarding purchasing the time and use of either the blonde or the brunette for, uhh… “sport” with the one making the inquiry, much to the embarrassment of one knave and the amusement of said knave’s patron. After one persistent older merchant was finally made aware that continuing to bargain the price of housing the pair in the fine hostelry he was staying at, simply for the pleasure of watching them, well, PLEASURE each other for the remaining days he was in the city, would come to naught but a snapped neck, Asami started to feel more possessive of his companion, answering any further attempts at conversation with a skewering glare. Aki, at first being mortified and/or resentful at the attention they each seemed to garner, finally just burned out that fuse in his brain and ignored the whole propositioning thing, leaving it up to his prince to let such people know they could fuck right off! at any time. Asami finally had to start bargaining for the price of a half dozen pairs of seaman pants that had attracted Aki’s inspection to snap him out of his funk, but his punishment was to accept three pairs in the end; all with four pairs of brass buttons that secured the flap covering over the “fly”. An acerbic comment that such displays were more suited to the bigger man’s highlighting of his “wares” lead to Asami buying several pairs of his own, brass buttons included, for his lad’s “private viewing pleasure”, as well. The bright blush that caused alone made it worth gifting the merchant a little extra for his service, of course.Towards the latter part of their outing, after Asami had ridden around to the “front” of the Keep, where the main floor opened onto the premiere market square, the open layout housed the offices of the Mayor, judges, assorted record keepers and other official Court petitioners along the walls in the Main Foyer, with tinkling fountains, potted exotic trees and plants, flawless marble statues and various precious stone inlays used for décor, all lit by sun beams coming through beautifully carved stone lattice work. Various sharp-eyed guards paid rapt attention to the pair until Asami flashed a subtle hand signal; then they were overlooked as part of the crowd. As the late afternoon sun was tipping further towards the rooftops of the shops and houses around them, Aki recognized some of the market streets he’d been to on his own foray the first day in the Capital, and started pointing out directions to several places he wanted to check out again. Asami, having shown him all the places he knew of that were noteworthy, decided to humor the knave, if only to prolong their freedom in the crowd for just a little while longer while seeing where all his lad had gotten to on his own. The knave’s chatter about the quality of such-and-such’s wares, compared to so-and-so’s further over there, with the odd “but the prices!” thrown in, had him smiling slightly, enjoying the uninhibited survey of his city all the more.It was in an older square that had seen better days and merchants’ wares that Aki insisted on stopping at to go over to an elderly man’s table that looked to have carved figures on it. Asami felt he knew this area, from some time ago, in the past. The houses and the paving stones looked like they needed freshening up, but still the familiarity niggled at him. The crowd was starting to thin out with its older customers heading home to make their suppers. Aki swung off the horse before Asami had fully stopped, eagerly darting over towards the table before the old man started packing up for the day. The old man was delighted to see Aki and greeted him warmly as Asami’s ride picked its way over through the people walking about. Leave it to the blonde to make friends in a new place just hours after arriving... Akihito urged him to come over and see the goods displayed, and when Asami dismounted and led their horse over by one long split rein, he saw that this was the source of Aki’s small wooden soldier and mounted knight that he was collecting for his little brother. Looking closer, he was rather impressed with the workmanship on such small pieces, suspecting the old man must take great pride in his skill even still. When the blonde explained their arrangement, the prince selected four of the horses in different poses that caught his eye and requested the vendor change the colour of each of them and their tack to match the descriptions of Shimo, Silme, Kuri and Dastard. Aki’s eyes sparkled as he listened, and the elder man was again overwhelmed with the payment of a dozen copper coins for the simple commission that the General insisted on paying for the extra work. When they finally got away from the table owner’s effusive thanks, Aki rewarded Asami by beckoning him to lean forward with a few curls of his finger, then gave him a quick peck on the tip of his nose when he leaned forward into range. Asami chuffed and swept his little archer up in a big loop before depositing him on the back of their trusty steed, side saddle, looking somewhat down on him. Roguish golden eyes danced as they looked up into the laughter flushed face of his younger knave. “Try that again?” he dared teasingly as Akihito turned three shades of pink simultaneously, but he stilled leaned down slightly, lips fully puckered in jest, one eye partly opened as if he didn’t quite trust his swain’s intentions. Asami gave a rumbling chuckle and stepped up to the horse’s side, between Akihito’s legs, ready to put those readied lips to good use when a flurry of fine linens, silks and satin layers in shades of magenta with several fine gold chains and blonde braids came flying from out of left field and glomped onto Sion’s Warlock Prince Warlord about his neck with suffocating strength. The only sound heard other than an “Umph!” from the prince as the air was knocked out of him was a loud, happy squeal of “Yui!” The Prince staggered back as he flung his arms tightly around the squirming bundle on the front of him, (whether to contain any damage done, or to secure his sudden load from harm, one will never know); them managed to get a breath or two in before wheezing out with a look of disbelief: “Princess?!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Aki was fumin'. Pissed! Outraged, even. Here he was, stuck on the ass end of this scruffy clomping couch of a horse, not even touching his Prince, while that blonde interloping hussy that'd bounced her fancy ass outta nowhere and ruined his date now sat comfortably up front across his Asami's lap. 'Oh no, don't be silly, Yui; I'll just send the carriage on ahead to the Keep and take the time riding back with you to catch up', he mimicked her squeaky tee-hee! kinda voice in his head. And Ryuichi went along with it! She’s going on about her travels since they last saw each other, talking about the foreign princes that had come to the ports she had visited before the invasion, and the sons of mighty lords that she'd met and was wined and dined by in hopes of them winning a marriage contract with the bouncy-flouncy bitch. Not only was his prince paying her rapt attention and had that smile on that he reserved only for family members ("and for him, of course"; pfft!), but he hadn't even introduced his own knave, formally or informally, at all to this princess, so he couldn't say shit about shit, even if his mouth was full of it! To be sure, he was pissed.Just then, in the midst of their friendly, somewhat teasing chat, the bimbo tossed her head full of loose flaxen curls back and laughed, but as she righted herself again, she caught sight of the stormy visage behind Ryuichi's shoulder. "Oh! I didn't even notice you'd brought someone along with you today. Is that one of the servants from the Keep for help, or did you just bring along a groom for the nag?" And damn his prince’s inner flame to be doused by a bucket of ice water, the strong shoulders before him twitched just the tiniest bit, as if he'd just been reminded of something trivial that'd slipped his mind. Aki glowered, now really pissed.With a slightest turn of his head and a quick glance out the corner of a golden eye, Prince Ryuichi cleared his throat and began. "My apologies, Hime (Princess). Ai, this is Takaba Akihito. Akihito, this is my imouto (little sister), Ai. Akihito has several important roles to play, both presently and in the near future; but for now, suffice it to say, he is my knave."Those big cinnamon brown eyes got bigger and rounder, as did those rosy tinted lips as she just stared at the blonde behind her big brother's back. Then suddenly, she was actively trying to climb over her ani’s shoulder like a cat that's been held long enough and was struggling to get away. Succeeding on overcoming her obstacle, she landed astride the broad beam of the horse's back with an unladylike "oof!" of her own and an answering grunt from their ride, before sticking her nose in her brother’s knave’s startled face for a close-up inspection.After being subjected to her close quarters squinting and sucking on her bottom lip in thought while peering at him like some fascinating new type of fungus, Akihito pulled his head back with a quick "wtf?!" scowl, then cleared his features as he dipped his head in the barest modicum of respect for her station and intoned "Milady."Saying nothing, she still peered intently at him until she suddenly leaned against the prince’s back and hummed. “So that’s what an Otaishi’s (crown prince) knave looks like. Never saw the likes of one before. Is he a commoner, Yui? Did Mother actually let him into the castle proper?”The Prince chuckled as he kept watch ahead, directing the horse’s ambling path. “Rather uncommon, in fact. And she had no say in either letting him in, or in his sitting down to feast with us, whatsoever.”That perked her interest even more. “The King approves of him?”Tossing an amused glance over his shoulder, he shrugged. “Not only has he approved of his station within the Family, he’s even offered Akihito a separate position as his own Cupbearer… or personal piece of furniture, as the case may be; I haven’t had time to finagle that one out myself yet. But, he has given him leave to call him ‘Sire’.” That, more than anything, seemed to impress the princess the most.The only one of the trio that wasn’t impressed or pleased as punch at the moment was the one being discussed as if that one wasn’t even there, and Aki’d had enough of this bullshit. Taking in where they were in comparison to the mental map he’d been constructing of the outer courtyards and other buildings contained therein, he dipped his chin and muttered “Pardon, Your Graces”, then slipped off the back of their mighty steed, pulled his hood out from under his jacket, thence over his head, and vanished from sight amongst the crowd in less than a handful of paces. The Prince halted their progress to see where his boy was making off to, just to watch him melt away in the press of people. Suddenly none too happy at all, Asami looked about until a lilting voice behind him queried “Mayhap, it was something I said?” ********* Ryuichi was quietly stewing as they rode into the courtyard nearest the entrance to the Queen’s Women’s quarters. Servants were still unloading the travelling chests and her whole bridal trousseau from the barrel-shaped carriage that the Queen had insisted her daughter take with her in case a “worthy gentleman of breeding” should propose a wedding contract that would be impossible to turn down. The bride price could be negotiated later, as payment by the prospective groom and his family for marrying the only Princess of the Realm would be both substantial and ongoing, for some time.Ai had been nattering all the way back to the Keep, going on and on about what all she’d seen at various large towns and landings, fortresses and towers, manors and Keeps. While Ryuichi had mostly tuned her out, Kirishima would be most interested in debriefing her to infer the true battle readiness of various regions of the kingdom, be they for the Asami Family or not. She may chirp endlessly, like a sparrow at times, but she had eyes like a hawk and a mind as clever as any raven.Having helped her off the tall horse by a firm grip under her arms, he dismounted himself, handed the reins to a younger stable hand flustered to suddenly be around his social betters. Thinking to see if he could trace Akihito’s whereabouts to make sure his boy had made it safely back to the Keep, he barely turned around before his arm was taken captive in a surprisingly strong hold and he was quickly pressed into service being the princess’ escort into the stables.While none too thrilled to be here babysitting Ai, at least he was in the right area to ask if any of the helpers or grooms could point the way to his wayward blonde, here being where he’d more likely run off to than anywhere else in the Keep grounds… as far as he knew. Damn, he didn’t even know where Akihito was stashing the monster that attached itself to him, he hadn’t had time to find such information out on his own, being so newly back home and all. Well, that, among other things lacking, he’d have to rectify, and soon.“Custard! How’s my beautiful one? Were you sad while I was gone?” The grip on his arm let go as the other blonde whirlwind in his life dashed over to one of the stall doors and stood on tiptoe, hands clinging to the top of the door planks, to look over at the horse inside. Said horse looked up, munching on a mouthful of hay with a look of “aw crap. she’s back.” as the ears slowly swiveled away from the annoying noise outside its gate. Ryuichi caught a wisp on another feeling of annoyance somewhere else close by, and knew it was his boy, safe and sound in the stables. Concentrating on that faintest of tendrils, he followed the feeling back to its source with his mind, not wanting to establish contact just yet, because Aki was naturally a very polite person, especially with the feminine side of the race - but then again, to his patron’s bemusement, he was truly feeling jealous, for the first time in his life.Letting herself into the stall, the princess offered her open hand to the horse to sniff as her other hand went to the halter on its head. Ai's horse first tried tossing its head to avoid her grasp, then bumped her on the shoulder with his muzzle as she took hold of the halter and laughed, giving his forehead a soft scratch of affection between the eyes. "Oh, how cute he is! You missed me, didn't you, boy."Somewhere, Aki tsked in his mind, unimpressed. ‘That isn't affection, hime; that is impertinence, bordering on bullying. Word: you let him get away with such disrespect now, all up in your space, and next time he'll show you he’s the boss of you by bumping you harder with his shoulder to make you get out of his way, where you may or may not fall down on your regal arse and get your fancy dress dirty with something that may or may not be mud.’ The prince sensed the waited pair of heartbeats before hearing the grudgingly tacked on ‘milady’ and smiled with amusement; his little blonde was ever respectful of others who hadn’t given him direct cause to despise them, even in his own mind.Still, a pair of dark eyebrows rose at the scope of the sheer sass of it all before the princess giggled again and the connection was severed. The prince settled back against a corner of a stall, arms loosely crossed over him, not looking very amused at all. From that quick look into his boy’s emotions, he could tell Akihito seemed hurt and resentful. Somehow, kitchen scuttlebutt must’ve reached the boy’s ears about so-called “plans” to marry the prince and princess together to solidify the Asami hold on the kingdom‘s throne through the backing of the Queen’s old, powerful Family that had once ruled Sion in the past.However, unlike what the politicking cooks and spit turners thought, Ai and he would indeed be married, like fuck. His father and he, both alone and within the family council of the King’s Chamberlin and his cousins (Ai and Shinji included), had broached this particular subject, and all had soundly rejected it, as it left too great a target on Ryuichi until he sired an heir and a few spares on his bride, and on Ai to be left open to intimidation and bullying by her own “Family” and “friends” to turn against her newly married husband and try to seize power by hook or by crook after their wedding night, as a legitimate contender for the throne herself. As his little blonde himself would likely put it, “Yeah…Thanks; nope.” Well, he’d find his boy soon enough, and drive any such thoughts out of his head the best ways he knew to use, for now. Ugh, finally!, that annoying voice accompanying that annoying personage was gone. How her horse could stand to be inside a stall, all day, with no stimulation whatsoever was one thing, but to be stuck inside a small enclosed space with that, he had no clue how the poor creature did it. Well, at least he could change that part up in a hurry. Going into the stall after the visitors had left; he touched the gold champagne horse’s flank as he spoke softly to make sure it knew he was there, then introduced himself by blowing softly at the horse’s extended, testing muzzle. Moving the hand alongside him as he moved up towards the head, he stopped and scratched the whither in a friendly manner as the head looked back towards him and sized him up. He showed the lead rope in his open hand as the horse blew back at him through its nostrils, rumbling softly as it did, and sniffed both rope and hand. With introductions out of the way and friendly intentions made clear, he attached the rope and headed out of the stall, horse in tow.After a quick check under the swinging tail to assure himself that the horse was, in fact, a gelding, they found a stable hand a bit his junior, (and presumably, with some knowledge of the horses here), and asked if the princess’ horse and Lord Kei’s mare Kuri were acquainted. Finding out that they were, he then asked that the horse in hand be put into the pasture with Kuri and her companions. With no chance of unwanted breeding and a friendly face he’d know, Aki was sure this Custard would be happy letting off some steam outdoors. It’s what his father and he always would agree on: why take an animal that was designed to spend its days roaming and grazing in a group, and stick it alone inside a boring box, and then get all surprised when there were behavior issues. Nine out of ten times, it would just be acting out from frustrated boredom, and not just being a natural-born shithead like a couple of highly schooled warhorses he knew.Speaking of small enclosed spaces, he’d better go clear his meager things out of the prince’s bedchamber and into the servant’s quarters by the front door of his chambers. He’d glanced in at it once, wondering if he should set his stuff in there, but was taken in hand and marched up the stairs by the prince himself with no regard to his questions. Ah well, that was then, this was now, and with the Princess back, perhaps Asami would be able to get the satisfaction he'd been missing, caused by dallying with his timid ass for far too long…That thought went straight out the nearest window when big arms reached out from an empty stall he was passing and grabbed hold of him, yanking him within. Shortly thereafter, the prince, in a rare fine mood, set off from the stall with a bound and gagged Aki tossed over his shoulder like a sack of oats.Making his way further through the stables until he arrived in an older barn area, he stopped only long enough to drop his boy softly to the floor beneath them before leaping up the pieces of wood nailed across a pair of beams in the wall as a makeshift ladder to the opening of the hayrack in the ceiling. Sticking his head into the space above to have a look around, he climbed down a few rungs before dropping down lightly to his feet, picked the blonde in a bicep curl up to his chest, then hurled the muffled protesting lad upwards like a sailor throwing his canvas bag of belongings up onto his bunk. Watching that the startled blonde cleared the lip of the opening with space to spare before he disappeared from sight with nary a scratch, Asami once more ascended the ladder until he could reach the opening, grabbed ahold of the floor planks with his fingers, swung off the ladder, steadied himself by his strong core, and pulled himself up and over the lip of the floor boards in a single fluid motion. The shocked wide hazel eyes that met his quickly narrowed in fury at the sight of him crouched there on one knee among the piled hay sheaves, smirking at him with smoldering eyes, only to widen again in panic as the big man stood easily and slowly began taking off first his quilted vest, then his shirt, as he prowled towards his trussed up captive before falling upon his prey where he lay...Aside from a lot of low muffled moans and needy unintelligible pleas that came from somewhere nearby, the only clear memory Akihito had of that part of their date was the feel of his Asami’s knowing hands roaming over him as talented lips and teeth made marks on his restrained, goose bump-raised bared body, binding both whispered promises and heated threats breathed over the knave’s sensitive nerve endings, of what his prince would do with him once the archer accepted him as his lover, leaving no doubts as to who he wanted attending to him in his bed. *********“The mist is starting to close in, Prince.”A listless glance was flicked at their surroundings before said prince hummed in disinterested acknowledgement. After a moment or two of quiet, a question was put forward. “If this hollow’s going to get fogged in before nightfall, should the horses not get watered and secured before that happens?”A lackadaisical shrug of one shoulder was all the answer given. With a quiet sigh, General Yoh quietly got up, walked over to the grazing animals, took hold of the loose reins, and led them off into the gathering gloom.Prince Fei Long stayed where he was seated a while longer, contemplating who knew what mysteries, as the mist slowly drifted over the grass into their low-lying camp, consuming the weakened sunlight and shadowy forms of the trees altogether. The fine figure in fine clothing didn’t seem to notice as the light faded away until all that remained was the low flames of the cooking fire in a sea of cottony condensation.Eventually, a low chuckle could be heard off in some direction or other. “For one with such a strong magical presence, your common sense is decidedly underdeveloped, lovely one.” The seated figure by the fire stirred and turned his head slowly, as if he’d been staving off sleep, waiting to be addressed.The throaty mirth came from another direction; closer by, this time. “Oh, the pretty boy is tired out from his long travels and his contending with a certain cursed bruin? Do your eyes get heavier with the slower your breathing becomes?” A low purr sounds close by. “Don’t worry, lovely. I’ll attend you in you slumber.”The words that would normally have roused Fei Long into an aggressive stance, ready to defend himself from all onslaughts aimed at him by his brother or anyone else, failed to be greeted by anything but an aborted yawn. It was true, he was worn and exhausted, tired from the riding and the endless abuse from one who should have seen him for what he was worth; the endurance of ridiculing torment without end, and the lack of any support of any kind was as sapping of strength of his as any mystical power-stealing web had ever been spun to entrap him within its eternal lull of rest ever had.Heavy eyelids managed to catch a glimpse of a large, impressively muscled feline shade that slunk into the hollow with him by the glowing embers of the nigh-dead fire, purring loudly as it flexed its claws from its huge paws before it dropped down smoothly into a crouch, readying a final pounce as it regarded him with tawny eyes that looked at him as nothing but its next meal. “A pity you didn’t tie your hair back with a knot, pretty one. It would have made a gorgeous toy for my future cubs to play with.”The Lui’s youngest prince couldn’t even muster the will to keep his eyes open any longer as the predator prowled closer in on him within the swirling greyness, no longer even caring that as soon as his eyes were closed, he would be no more. His family wouldn’t care about his loss, and only one, maybe two souls might even wonder about his fate enough to miss him. Ah well, so be it…As sooty lashes came down to rest on fair cheeks, a pleased growl sounded in the hollow as muscles bunched for a short leap and an easy kill. But barely had front paws left the ground than a well-toned figure detached from the leafy background and rammed shoulder first with all its weight into the side of the big cat’s ribs. A startled snarl was heard before the solid thud of a heavy body hit the ground. The upright figure pursued the downed cat without hesitation as a well-practiced kata of battō (“quick draw of the sword”) began, but still, it was almost too late as the feline righted itself and reared up to attack in one go, deadly claws and teeth bared.The muscle memory of hours of perfecting his skill paid off as the arc of the sword leaving its sheath continued rising outward through the hide of the fearsome creature from the top of its thigh, diagonally across the stomach and torso and ending below the outstretched opposite front leg, spilling blood and entrails as Yoh allowed his arm’s momentum to swing him out of the way of the gripping paws and fangs of the front, and the kicking, killing claws of the back. As it was, the beast didn’t realize it was dead as it tracked its opponent with furious eyes until it slumped down onto the trampled grass, unmoving, as Yoh completed his movement by flicking the blood off the blade before he sheathed it once more. All four components of the martial art's form, from unarmed, to drawing steel, the killing cut, the cleaning of the blading and sheathing it, to being once more unarmed, done in less than five of his heartbeats. The mist had thinned to a mere haze when Prince Fei Long again opened his eyes. He lazily grinned and uttered through a stretch and yawn “Well, I’m awake, so the plan must’ve worked.”“Yes, prince. The ruse was successful, I made it back and the beast was dispatched, and you now have a pair of rare pelts as trophies of our ‘hunting expedition’. Your brother and his princeling friends have been gone from camp for much longer, with far less to show for it than us. There may be raised eyebrows from the few sober ones when we rejoin the forces, but there’ll be no suspicions of desertion once we return.”“Hmm. What was it, in the end; the creature that stalked me.”“The older man at the farm hovel we bypassed when we entered this valley was correct: it was a Mist Lynx, one who hunted magic users and huntsman for profit.”“I see. Do you think we should barter with the crofter and one of his sons to skin and prepare the pelts for travelling back?”“I have already spoken to the head of the household, prince. We’ll leave them the carcasses in exchange for them scraping down the hides and packing them for travel. I advised them they’ll have more to gain from selling the dried meat and cleaned bones piecemeal to whatever apothecaries approach them at market. I’ll also leave them one of the pack ponies in exchange for their silence about us.” Fei Long nodded, understanding. The loss of a pack animal or two while on a hunt was not unheard of; and more than fair when it came to buying silence about a pair of foreigners being seen this far inland from the battle lines. Later, after some more rest and examining the Cursed Bear that had bled out in its sleep, Fei Long took a last thoughtful look at the higher wilderness beyond their grove. "This bear will look magnificent as a rug in my quarters; perhaps we should see if the woman of the house yonder could stitch the extra pair of arms back on to make its strangeness more exotic." As usual, Yoh remained quiet, assuming the Liu prince wasn't requiring an answer. After a time, he asked "And what will you do with the lynx, Prince?""I was just thinking about that myself, General. Seeing as how it's your kill, that's your decision to make."Taken aback by this generosity, Yoh was quieter than usual. Turning to face his charge, he saw the prince with an impish look on his face, as if a prank turned out better than expected. "My Prince, I but protected you as is my duty. The gift of the fur is too much...""Nonsense. You saved me by killing the beast with your own hand. Therefore, it is yours. I'm sure once tanned and having a backing sewn on it, it will make for a cape worthy of envy and coveting by all who see it. Especially when I help you pick through my gem stones and gold pieces to use for the eyes and the chain and clasp." Struck dumb at the gesture, the Emperor's General could only bow in return. Continuing on, Fei Long mused aloud. "I wonder what the chances are that there really is a cave nearby that a dragon might call home and keep its hoard at”, the prince said almost wistfully as he looked up at the craggy uplands beyond. The General, once more back to himself, shook his head, about to answer that fanciful question with a practical reply when panicked horse screams and a great jarring trumpeting bellow thundered around the hillsides: “WHO DARED LEAVE THESE STINKING SMELLY SHITTING BEASTS ABOUT MY DEN?!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The echoes were still crashing around the rocky hillside as Fei Long turned to the general, eyes comically huge, and stared, thunderstruck. Yoh waited a heartbeat or two to make sure it wasn’t a rock slide from further up on those unstable slopes before opening his mouth to say it was surely rumbles from some unseen storm, when a blustery snort sounded, accompanied by a billow of sparks and smoke as the stomping and cacophony of the horses continued. “UGH! GET THOSE SHAGGY CREATURES OUT OF HERE BEFORE I ROAST THE LOT OF THEM; THEN ROAST THE LOT OF YOU!!” Before Yoh could react, the prince quickly stepped forward to pass by him and headed towards the smoky kerfuffle. “Prince: halt!” If Fei Long noticed the command at all, he didn’t comment. Instead, he tossed back over his shoulder “You need help with the horses. Our pair should be manageable separately, and you can do what you must with the pack ponies.”Sighing as he started after his single-minded charge, the general overtook him in a couple of lengthy strides, then resumed his role of the prince’s one-man vanguard after a few more strides still. With the occasional pressure wave being felt through the ground as well as through the air, a column of cinders and smoke pointed out the way, making a fast paced hike to where the general had left the pack animals with little effort, and the only trouble was after they’d reached the string of plunging animals, all of them frantic with terror, ready for the chance to lunge and bolt.As the prince and general’s war horses were tied separately a bit further into the trees, Yoh directed the young “spare” of the Liu's heir to the far end of the picket rope tied between a pair of large trees. With hand signals to countdown their timing, Yoh yanked the tied off knot down and let go as the young prince grabbed his end as far down the line toward the closest horse as he could reach and hauled away on it as if he wished to conquer at a one man tug-of-war, spinning aside to put the tree between himself and those dangerous hooves. The sudden slack of the line, followed by the sharp snap of the rope sliding through the knotted loops on the horse’s leads with the sudden release made the already frantic animals flee pell-mell out the way the pair had just come through.As the young prince watched the pack animals raise a cloud of dust at their passage, Yoh went to check on their mounts. As expected, the pair was relatively calmer than the others, their training for high ranking military use demanding no less. Both his blue roan gelding and the prince’s sooty black leopard mare were blowing through flared nostrils, wide open eyes with the whites showing from drawn faces. Both tried to sidle closer to him as he approached, both for the steady sense of direction he gave them, and in readiness for any commands that might be given. Stroking their necks separately, he waited until their breathing had calmed down a bit before heading back to fetch the young man in his care.Who, it turned out, wasn’t where he’d left him....Of course he wasn’t.The general’s pulse started pounding at his temples as an eyebrow twitched with building frustration. It wasn’t enough this young whelp of a relation to the Silver Dragon Emperor had risked himself as bait earlier today already, against all common sense, but now, judging by the imprints in the loose gravel and rocks from the hillside leading towards the cave where smoke had now darkened the entrance, as well as some traces of fine ash wafting out too, along with the smell of burnt hair in the air. He was going to kill that little royal bastard he’d sworn to his Master that he’d protect; absolutely strangle him, himself, with his bare hands, when this was all done. And with that pleasing thought in mind, his face returned to its default untroubled façade and he began carefully trekking over towards the unwelcoming maw of the cave.Which, once he got up closer to it, was more of a partly opened mouth than a maw? In fact, really, it was just an opening. Not scary, or ominous, just… a dark hole into the side of a hill. Big enough that the Lynx wouldn’t have stooped to enter it or have had any trouble dragging prey in there to eat as it willed. Too low for a mine pony to fit into, but a man could fit in handily if they crawled in head first on their hands and knees, or scooted in feet first on their arse, which he definitely couldn’t picture the well-dressed prince ever doing; that is, touching dirt to his fine clothes… But, where else could that dainty long haired ~ “DON’T JUST STAND OUT THERE LIKE SOME KIND OF CREEPER; COME ALONG INSIDE ALREADY AND JOIN US.”Yoh sighed. That was hardly an invitation that he could decline, was it? Stepping forward as he pulled his scabbard and sword free from where it was secured into his wrap-around studded leather belt, he stood at the lip of the loose scree pile at the opening, held it against his chest, then stepped forward and down, dropping into the shadows of the cave. He slid down through the gravel and small crumbles of stone almost up to his knees, feet first, bracing back to keep his balance. It wasn’t too steep of a slope, not needing an out flung arm to support his upper body on the way down. He landed in a cloud of dust, carried forward by the momentum of the rolling gravel beneath his boots. It was going to take his servants a while to work the grit out of all his leather traces, that’s for sure.“Ah, there your guardian brave is. Told you he’d make a grand entrance, steadfast and prepared for trouble. I should’ve had you bet some gold on it.” Prince Fei Long was standing in a cave, facing back to where it led towards a dark decline heading underground, shaking his head to one side, fingers pressed to one side of his head, presumably from the ringing in his ears.“And why would I bet against something I knew to be true? Surely I don’t need to curry your favour with pitiful bribes of wealth, do I?”There was a raspy cluck of dismissal, then: “Meh, no, I don’t suppose you could afford what it would take to bribe me anyways, little prince.”Yoh stiffened; then stopped. Whomever the Prince was speaking with, they were talking in Baishe. That was a surprise. Not only that, but in the Regal Dialect. Few people on this island spoke the Civilized Language in any shape or form, mostly being shipwreck survivors and castaways that had settled into coastal villages and trading ports several generations back, close to where their own expedition ships had recently put in. To have someone or something sing in the Gods’ Own Tongue from the Imperial Court, though, here? It boggled the mind.“So to answer you, princeling, before your babysitter’s questions start, some of my direct ancestors are indeed lung dragons from around the Gods’ City; not THE Silver Dragon, unfortunately, but some others, nonetheless.” The voice was still for a moment, before inquiring musingly “Did you manage to catch that, nanny; or do I need to circle back to the beginning to get you caught up?”Just about done with this day, Yoh became even more stone-faced and Yoh-like and stiffly replied that yes, he’d managed to catch the drift of that which they were discussing, making the Prince turn his head towards him as his mouth quirked and eyes sparked with mischief while causing some snickers from their host, at his cost, wherever “they” were. "Be glad I didn't title you as "nursemaid", good sir." The prince turned his head away quickly as his hair flung out in an arc and covered his face, hiding his expression; but not covering up the shaking of his shoulders up and down. Yoh looked about as the amusement continued. The cave itself wasn’t all that big inside, little more than 2 men high and maybe 3 laying head to fet across. The walls were pretty smooth, with good sized rocks littered about further down the cave, which may have hinted at sudden downpours of rain and floods that picked up loose rubble outside and scoured the walls flat in here with their turbulent passing as the waters drained away. No large domes in the roof or visible antechambers or wider side passages seemed to be nearby to suggest where their fearsome-sounding host may be. No mounds of stalagmites grew out of the cave floor to crouch behind, and only a few flowstone formations were seen on the ceiling, showing where cracks to surface water might someday regrow stalactites drip by drip down towards the floor. But no large spaces anywhere…“Funny how you’re checking out the cave instead of wondering how your prince valiant came to pay a visit on me down here, custodian.”Yoh bowed in deference to the cave owner, saying “Knowing my prince, he probably got distraught with your discomfort and sought to see if he could offer you some sympathy and succor ease your suffering, if not slake his insatiable curiosity a bit, too.”The raspy voice chuckled again. “That is some very astute insight there on your charge, sir. Does he often poke his nose into places most demons would fear to tread?”“There has been a time or two ~” Yoh allowed blandly as the prince emphatically rolled his eyes, not liking being discussed as if he wasn’t there, as it brought up memories of his home life with it. This invasion was supposed to be an expansion of new opportunities, after all.“Hm, so it would seem… Well, the young prince came to the cave entrance as I was having a sneezing fit and asked if I was well, or did I need some water, perhaps? A fire breathing dragon, in need of a cup of water… It was so ridiculous, yet so sincere sounding, that when I caught my breath, I warned him away as I didn’t want any horse hairs that blew into the cave to irritate my allergies and making me flame him to a crisp by accident should I start another attack.”“At which point,” the prince added, joining the conversation, “I mentioned that the breeze was actually blowing down the cliff side, across the opening, and against the side of my face, and the ponies had been downwind; thus, it couldn’t be the horses causing the reaction, and whatever was causing the allergy, it seemed to be, in fact, inside the cave already.”“So, that stupid sneaky overgrown barn cat had not only trapped me in here with that magic sleeping mist of his, but it had lived in here with me as I slept, no doubt planning to snap me up in my sleep and eat me to gain my powers, leaving its fur and dander all over to wreak havoc with my sinuses if I should awake to warn it.”The General frowned slightly. “So how is it that your allergies are not bothering you now, Regal One?”The voice full out chortled, entertained. “’Regal One’? Oh, things haven’t changed a bit in Baishe since I’ve been gone, have they? I don’t know about the native dragons here, but I assure you, the dragons back home are just as much a bunch of self-serving, entitled, full of shit cockwobbles as any human you can think of. ‘Regal One’, indeed. I wonder which one of us conned what Emperor of yours into addressing any of us as that.”General and prince side-eyed at each other, somewhat bemused; that was long before their time and was ‘way above their pay grade to sort out now. Besides, this was hardly the type of discourse either of them thought they’d ever have with a legendary creature. “So, how should we address you then, if not by Noble One?” Fei Long queried; as consciously courtly courteous to higher ranks as ever.“Well, you can both call me “Emira” (a feminine grand title of nobility or office), if you’re ones for fancy names and titles and such. Short, sweet and gets the point across.” Some muffled rattling was heard, followed by a muttered “Regal One!” with a snort and a mild rosy flickering glow from a good sized crack in the ceiling.“Very well, Emira, how is it you are not bothered by your allergies now?” asked Yoh, still politic, but as he was getting weary and somewhat cranky, his politeness was beginning to wear out somewhat. It had been a long, busy day, and there was still more to do with creatures to skin, ponies to round up and a fire to build and a meal to prepare for the evening, and he was getting tired of just standing around while shit needed to get done, chatting with something that claimed to be a dragon from home, but wasn’t showing itself or acting how he’d heard they’d behave. He wanted to get this wrapped up and go if this Emira wasn’t going to try and eat them where they stood any time soon.“Ah, well, after this nice young princeling pointed that out, it was an easy solution: I had the young Titled Nne stand well aside from the cave opening while I burned out all the cat hair and bedding in here to fine, gritty ashes.”“Ah,” the general said, not really having anything to add after that. Fei Long continued: “Then, Emira was kind enough to ask me down here for introductions while you were busy, and we’ve been chatting ever since.” Yoh nodded, really not having anything he wanted to add to the matter any more.Taking a hint for once, the prince decided to wrap up his chance encounter with an honest-to-the-gods dragon and get back to their preparations for heading back to the main camp and to try to bluff their way back into his brother’s “good graces” once more. But, being raised opportunistic to enhance his own standing and Face, at least in camp if not back at home, he decided to press his luck with his new acquaintance. “My kindest Emira, this has been an extraordinary cap to an exciting day, but if you are recovered from your earlier bout, then I fear we must be on our way soon to prepare for our evening meal in camp. If I may be so bold, may I ask a boon? Would you happen to have a cast-off scale, maybe a tooth or 2 of yours for us to keep as mementos of this visit? Such a thing would be would be a cause of wonder for all we showed it to when we tell this tale to our kin once we return home.” There was silence for a moment, then: “Really; leaving so soon? But we were just getting to know each other... And a shed scale or 2 seems hardly enough of a thank-you for your thoughtful concern for me earlier… Just a moment; I’ll be right out.” And with that, as Yoh and Fei Long looked on in startled amazement, a long sinewy shadow poured itself out of the crevice in the ceiling, caught hold of the smooth exterior and began to glide its way across the roof towards them, slowing only a few metres away from their heads to gracefully peel itself away from the overhead by arching its head and neck back and away, slowly twisting its body free as it spread its side wings and tail, then twisted its body once more to freewheel about in the air, doing a long loop of the cave to stretch out its wings after its long enforced rest, no doubt, before looping over its own body to come in for a long glide towards the enchanted prince. Fei Long, having hunted with falcons before, held out his arm without thought for the dragon to alight there. As the dragon neared, it drew back its head and neck, spreading and cupping its wings wide to break its speed to a stall, then settled gently on the prince’s arm, winding some of its tail about his wrist as it folded its wings back along its body with only a claw or 2 hanging on lightly to the shirt sleeve as it had no legs or feet with which to clutch with. At only a metre (approx. 3 feet) long tip to tail, Emira was certainly the largest flying dragon either man had ever seen, if not the only one, too.“I’m afraid I don’t have any loose scales or cast-off teeth at the moment, Prince, but I’m sure that in a pinch, I’d do just as well to show off to others, no? So, shall we go, then?”
~~~~~~~~~
“’Why am I so small, and what became of my legs?’ (huff!) Just rude!" the dragon sniffed. "Hmm... I suppose I’d like to think that this proves that greatness knows no bounds, but it probably has more to do with a long and checkered host of poor breeding partner choices among my ancestors’ pasts.” Fei Long blinked, confused, as Emira elaborated during their after dinner chat. “Let’s just say, introducing lung dragons to mini wyverns, lindwurms, fae dragons, amphitheres, dragonettes, dwarf dragonals and lesser coatyls was likely not the best choices to make when it came to producing huge, fierce dragons that could stump around on feet. But, at least I have these sweet fangs and horns and spines as well as a sharp wit!” As Yoh opened his mouth to question their scaly companion further, the dragon chuckled, whicker tendrils waggling, and waved him off with a front wing flip. “Never mind, that’s a different tale for another time.” The two Baishe men glanced at each other and shrugged, getting back to the point at hand while Emira draped herself in lazy loops over a nearby low hanging branch, tail lolling. The afternoon had worn on as the men had scrabbled out of the cave after Emira had flown out ahead, spotting the ponies grazing along the creek near their campsite as they got clear of the cave mouth.
As thanks for its rescue, Emir had snagged a few plump partridges for the evening meal while on a flight, helping to pluck them by clutching mouthfuls of feathers and enthusiastically spluttering and spiting them out into a loose pile to be used for kindling the tinder of the camp fire. To see so many sparks breathed out of one small body was disquieting, to say the least. To see 3 fat birds disappear down the same way the fire had come out was even more so. Yoh and the prince had dined on 1 bird apiece, along with some early ripe fruit retrieved by their winged benefactor from high up on a tree, resulting in a scolding from some nearby pissy squirrels; at least until Emira had flared its whiskers, reared up and hissed menacingly at them, fangs and erect spikes on display. A skein of wine was later shared amongst them, and a pleasant evening after a bustling day was enjoyed by all.The following day was used up by the crofter’s wife, daughter and youngest sons scraping down the hides of the mythical beasts that Yoh had brought them, while the old farmer directed Emira in which directions to fly next then breathe fire on the young fields, giving the farm an early start on some ash to fertilize the fields with and firebreaks around the outer buildings of the farm for when dry wildfire weather set in. The elder boys used wet sacks to beat out any stray flames before they got out of hand while the prince and general took turns hauling buckets of water out to them on their newly bestowed pack pony. By end of day, the skins were drying on their stretchers, the 2nd and 4th arms had been reattached on the bear hide without a stitch to be found, the meat had all been butchered and filleted, and was drying on racks in the breezy sunshine as the bones were left out to be bleached and dried.The dragon, after the initial fear and shock it caused, was quite the hit with the children, entertaining them with its aerial acrobatics, doing flips and dives and barrel rolls, the sunlight dancing off the greens and frosted blue marbling of the scales, like the dragon had just rolled around in a dewy patch of leafy hosta plants and the damp hues had clung to its scales when it flew off. The whiskers trailed from beneath the nostrils down in chartreuse tendrils; while the eyes were a burgundy tone like the finest of imported wines, matching the rounded diamond shapes that surrounded the spikes down its back. The protruding fangs, teeth and horns had a thorny look to them, but no one offered to be bitten or gored to see just how sharp they actually were.But what was the most striking to Fei Long at least, were the wings: like a long broad monstera plant leaf split lengthwise, they stuck on each side of its body, the widest part from behind the neck to the tip just where the body and tail met, jade green with variegated borders along its outside perforated edges on the wing, with a smaller, whole “leaf” as the tip of the tail. Small, flexible garnet-tipped claws on the end of each wing serration that seemed to be able to flex and hook independently of the others was how Emira was able to scale and grip onto things without hands or legs. A remarkable creature, this Emira, even as dragon went, and if nothing else came of this venture, Fei Longs would count himself highly favoured by Fortune indeed to spend such time with both it and the General, alone, for the rest of his days, however many those may be. Emira and the prince were waiting for the General to wind up the farewells, as they’d be leaving early on the morrow. The Prince was already mounted in his saddle, Emira spread over the mare’s rump behind him, admiring the darker spots showing through the already dark coat on her hindquarters in the bright sunshine of late afternoon. Fei Long turned to look behind him as the horse shifted beneath him: “I would like to give you my thanks, now, for all the aid you’ve given the General and myself, as well as these farm folk, since yesterday. You have gone out of your way to be gracious, and I would be remiss if I didn’t extend my gratitude to you.”Emira yawned mightily, not being used to all the exercise and fresh air afforded since the Mist Lynx’s demise. “Think nothing of it, my dear prince. What kind of owner would I be if I let you both do all the work and have all the fun yourselves, hmm?”
Fei Long frowned, suddenly suspicious. “’Owner?’ Do you think of us as your chattel, Emira?”
The dragon scoffed. “Gracious, no, my fair prince: a pair of fine specimens such as you yourselves, mere servitors? My lovely Fei Long, though it has been some time, and I admit, I may be a bit rusty at first, rest assured, I am more than pleased and capable to take on the responsibilities for the keep and care of both you and General Yoh, as my newest, highly prized and soon-to-be most pampered of pets. And the gods forefend any who would seek to displease me by seeking to bring my pets any ill. That would be a most foolish mistake to make.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Like a sack of crab apples ready for the cider press, the soon-to-be apprenticed student magician was dumped out from the sack he’d been popped into and constrained within, from the height of the Ice Warlock’s shoulder to the chamber’s hard-as-fuck freezing floor. Pain shot through his unsuspecting tailbone and ribcage at the sudden stop; in fact, the poor lad couldn't even draw breath to swear for a moment or so. (And all that echoing silence, good folk, was horribly unnatural indeed.) Then, a shallow test breath in… good; all signs pointed to full breathing capacity, and: "Do you wanna damn well kill me?! Ass suckin’ balls!” He groaned, cheeks now dusky with utter embarrassment upon reflecting on just how many times he’d been carted off over some guy's broad shoulder in the past few days alone. Is this what his life would be like now in the Keep? Some protection afforded to him, being the Prince’s own knave and all! Shinji sniffed. "Of course not, I am of a cooler mind than that. And if you could die just from such a simple tumble, I am pretty sure Yui would have locked you up in the Kingdom's highest, most remote tower, absolutely filled to the rafter with cattail heads, lamb’s wool and milkweed fluff, with the most vicious of gargoyles flapping around it as guardians to keep you tucked safely within.” “Oi!” Akihito hissed as he shook himself off and glanced worriedly about, lest the Prince Almighty should somehow overhear that last bit and start growing some funny ideas in his one track mind. "Don't even joke about that!" The Dominus grinned a rather evil little grin at that, (and for a marvel, his face didn’t crack!) as if he might just totally accidently mention it on purpose, of course. Aki rolled his eyes so hard at this; he thought he heard something go “clunk!” in the back of his head. "…Anyways… to what precisely do I owe the pleasure of this kidnapping?" "I’ve decided on what sort of entrance exam is required for my private course of magic will be, and I am now ready to test you." "Oh, you mean ‘test my skeletal mettle’, perhaps? You have heard, before, that ‘6 falls makes a rider ~ 7 rides makes a horseman’"? "Well, maybe test the thickness of your skull, at least. I’d always thought one should learn to stick in a saddle long before that point was reached, to have any worth at riding at all…” Aki scowled, suddenly very not liking where this ‘entrance exam’ was going. "~Seriously~" The Dominus stepped back, his relaxed posture not fooling Aki and his ambush-sharpened instincts one bit. It just took one eyelash flicked at him the wrong way to get the archer scrambling. The floor got arctic cold to the touch beneath his hands so suddenly the blonde’s side flip into the air almost launched him too late; but the blunt icicle growing upward from the floor still made its point. He leapt and skidded his way across the work table surface, scattering scrolls and piles of arcane Things in all directions. And that was just the beginning: as soon as his chilly hands or leather boots touched either the floor or a wall to push off of, an ice stalagmite would shoot up from below or a slippery icy patch would form; and when it became obvious the boy was anticipating the quickening attacks, the warlock made it so that ice spikes shot down from the ceiling and out of the walls at odd angles as well. At one point, the blonde darted back under the big work table, slid on some ice underneath it, and used that momentum to his advantage and hooked an arm around a nearby heavy wooden leg and sling-shot him out into the room in a totally random direction that the Dominus didn’t guess at. The boy kept flipping and throwing himself around, working his way across the length of the room, and getting obnoxiously fast at guessing the location of the next impending ice attack on the fly, too. And when he thought Aki was going to keep avoiding his stabbing glacial formations forever, a thick leather-bound tome came flying across the room at him, and honestly, it was mostly by luck the mage managed to catch the large book in his glove by reflex instead of taking it square to his face. Soon a volley of various and sundry items began barraging the warlock as Aki tried using the distraction to not only cut down on the chances of the Dominus creating deadly polar winter conditions within the chamber that he might not make it out of, but also to mask his attempt to make it to the only window in there and leap out of it to freedom, wherever that landed him. But Shinji summoned a chunk of ice to form from the centre of the casement outward, floating within the wooden frame without his even having to concentrate hard, blocking the now obvious escape route. "Do you know how old and valuable that book is, to be handled and possible damaged like that, boy?!" the mage growled as he put his prized possession down, displeased that one of the oldest pieces of his collection should be treated so crassly."Do YOU know how young and of interest I am to some people in this Capital, just to have my hide dinged by the likes of YOU, dude?!" One of Shinji’s black eyebrows twitched as he glared at the young man crouched across the room, the balls of his feet still planted on the base of the windowsill, heels pressed against the floating block of ice, fearless despite the violence attempted on his person. Yui’s boy hadn’t hesitated or misguessed a step once. Hmmm~ "What were you thinking of, just now?" "W-what?" the boy frowned, still wary and on edge, the itty bitty ball of light energy he’d managed to conjure for gods knew what reason remaining hidden in his cupped hand behind his thigh. “While I was testing you, forcing you to react quickly, by instinct, what were you thinking?”Aki glared hard. “I was thinking, here you are, kidnapping me, then trying to kill, maim or mutilate me, so I tried to jump the fuck out of here to any balcony that might be below!" He frowned harder. "I’m no coward, it's just… I can't kill you; that would make my Asami upset... Not that I c-care about his feelings much, but... I mean, he's the Prince and my patron, fer fuck’s sakes, right? A-anyways, stop gawking at me like I’ve got a spare head." Shinji tilted his own to one side as he studied the lad, contemplating. "You do have sharp reflexes and excellent intuition," Shinji allowed as he extended a hand and twisted his wrist about as his spread fingers closed together; in a trice, all the ice shattered outwards into billows of tiny shaved splinters that floated and glittered in the air, much to Akihito's awed delight. The particles reflected petite rainbows under the sunbeams that made the mistake of wandering into that room, making the floating “diamond dust” the prettiest thing the blonde had seen so far; he almost didn't noticed his kidnapper and possible attempted murderer walking in his direction. Shinji would never have guessed before this, but now the reason why his prince was so smitten with this mouthy blonde was pretty obvious. The boy had a spine of steel and a fire in him, deep and true. "Be still", he commanded. The Keep’s other warlock removed a thick glove and placed his cool, pale bare hand on the boy’s barely heaving chest. After a prolonged, awkward silence, during which Akihito most definitely didn't really stay still, Shinji stepped back, eyes staring down at him, opened wide. "…I can sense it inside you; it's... " "Yeah... um, I’m kinda a freak of nature, or maybe Nature, in more ways than one, so…" The young man replied, suddenly made more awkward. He couldn't decide if the warlock’s face denoted awe or shock, but if he was honest with himself, it seemed this learned mage was a teensy bit scared of him, too, which wouldn’t be a bad thing. He had to remind himself, over and over again, that this man really was an ally, one of the Asami Family's closest friends. "No. Whatever you are, it isn’t bad. Natural Magic is a thing of wonder, even though, at times, it can seem cruel or downright creepy. But~ I can feel it within you; it’s a warm, pulsing, benevolent mana, within its own right. And none may dare gainsay it, nor you." Aki gave his recent opponent a blank stare. “Really? After all that, did you just suggest that I was creepy?”“Pay attention, boy. You’ve a rare, wild gift that can be used to create and destroy, at your whim, more than all other Magic. It and you as well, are dangerous until you can control it; after that, you will be even more so. Many would kill you if they couldn’t control you, in their causes for ill or good. And you don’t seem to be of a spirit that would be inclined to be controlled by anyone.” Unwavering hazel eyes stared into the unblinking grey eyes of one of the most deadly magic users in this kingdom and beyond, and the blonde honestly didn’t seem to give a shit. Apparently, being around so many formidable men, much less defeating armies and bringing about the downfall of his enemy, the Boar, made him immune to awe and healthy fear for his own safety. Jiji smirked inwardly: ‘Oh Yui, you’ve got your hands full with this one.’ Speaking of which, seeing as how “the Devil makes work for idle hands” and all… “Now, as the princess has returned safely from her travels, I’m inclined to not start training you today; however, somebody needs to put this room to rights before the feasting and merrymaking begins tonight, and as you’ve passed my entrance examination, I accept you as my apprentice and designate you~”Without twitching a muscle in warning, Aki spun and lobbed his tiny hidden ball of energy into the centre of the icy dust swirling about in the air, and a silent explosion of light became searingly blinding from every angle possible. Even after having thrown up his hands to protect his face out of instinct, the Ice Warlock was still seeing dark reddish-black starbursts wherever he looked. When he could finally see clearly again, the boy was long gone. Shinji sighed; it would seem that while Yui was the one that had always fucked around, now he would be the one finding out. ~~~~~~~~~ Aki stopped three floors down and far, far away, feeling a bit ashamed. Not that he’d used his talent to save his hide, (‘that was awesome!!!’, he cheered in his head), but for running out on a task he could’ve helped with, and possibly started to mend a fence or two with his new teacher. But dammit, he didn’t start the ruckus, so not his problem. By tomorrow, he’d see which way the wind blew and go from there with his tutor. Meanwhile… where the hell was he? Kirishima had told him that the whole Keep was actually a quiet volcano. It had been sleeping when the Sionese first washed up on the island’s shores generations ago, and when the bold explorers had found the The Sleeping Dragon range, they had found several standing stones and the temple cavern where he’d met the King. All had long been abandoned by the people that had been here before them, and the island had been left to the Other Folk that was still here from long before them, even. The topmost levels of the Keep had been a natural labyrinth by the lava tubes of the volcano when it had been active and people had lived in the heights for safety from raiders, having had enough of them from where they’d fled from, and now that they’d found the island, they weren’t running. any. more. As the Sionese had explored the lava tubes, they’d come down further into the mountain, finding a honeycomb of chambers and corridors that they had then took over, enlarged or carved out of the living stone. Plus, it didn’t hurt to be living in a rather inhospitable, easily defended region as the “dragon” at the heart of this mountain kept the local thermal springs steaming year round and thus afforded hot water and heat for the thermal vents to warm the Keep and city around the caldera. And if there was a dragon deep beneath the mountain, then it was having a hell of a snooze, as almost 20 generations had passed since this mixed bag of refugee races all fleeing from the same man-made disaster made this island their own, and each generation had modified and carved out more of the mountain as needed and desired, until it was one of the most magnificent Keeps, castles or royal palaces anywhere. All of which still didn’t help the wayward archer one bit. He thought maybe he’d gone past the turn to the Grand Staircase that led up to the upper floors and the chambers and apartments therein (?), so, all he needed to do was find a tunnel going up and he’d get to the Prince’s level at some point, and figure his way from there, if he couldn’t find someone more familiar with this rabbit warren by then to ask... At that, he heard a sound down the way and turned, expecting to see a servant or steward bustling about that could point out his path. Instead, he beheld someone standing in an open doorway surrounded by shadows, facing inwards, and apparently speaking to someone still within. A soft “I just wanted you to know I was safe and sound, so you needn’t worry about me. Take care, and I will be back soon, I promise” was overheard. Any reply wasn’t audible, and the person in the doorway adjusted their wrap around the back of their neck as they turned and exited the doorway, pulling the door shut behind them. As they stepped out of the gloom of the far corridor, Aki was startled to see this person was well but plainly dressed for the Keep with a broad silk wrap over a long surcote with handing sleeves that almost trailed down to the floor like the gown’s hem pooled behind her (Aki never understood the “idle rich” and their way of flaunting their wealth and uselessness by wearing clothes that made it absolutely impractical for them to be of any use whatsoever to anybody), and who seemed to just so happen to have misplaced her head somewhere. Stepping away from the dark shadow that somehow swallowed the person’s face, hair and neck, the archer realized that instead of a headless Phantom Lady of old, this noble person was wearing one of those black Visard masks that were in vogue for fair skinned ladies of means and leisure. Aki had seen some women of higher status in bigger towns wear them to keep the sun off their flaunted pale skin. Made of black velvet, they were an oval that covered a lady’s face and tied behind the head, under a coif or cap and veil, with only eye holes and an opening slit for the mouth. And creepy as hell to look at, in his own personal opinion, to see this flat expanse of darkness where there should be a face. He slipped back into an opening behind him before this lady turned around and saw him, being pretty sure that why ever else she wore it indoors, she definitely didn’t want to be known, which could prove bad for his continued good health. Peering around the concealing wall of the chamber his was in with the corner of his eye, he watched a sliver of the doorway until a shape moved quietly past. Waiting 3 or 4 heartbeats before going to the door to see if the coast was clear, he took note that the mystery lady was moving at a good clip down the hallway, probably not wanting to be caught in this corridor. He decided to shadow this Lady of the Shades, because (a) he was nosey, and (b) she looked like she knew where she was going. Figuring he could tail her until she arrived at her destination, or until they came to some place he recognized and could find his own way from, he settled in to use his stalking skills on a different type of game.After taking several branching halls and a few hidden passages from alcoves that looked like they dead-ended, our fearless hunter had a sinking feeling that he recognized a cracked marble lintel they passed, then an arched way to a vestibule that led to a spiral staircase through both the ceiling and the floor. Hearing the soft footsteps of the lady disappearing above him, his sinking feeling struck bottom when he felt the temperature drop as he set foot on the stairs. Crap. He was heading back the way he’d started from: the Ice Warlock’s lair. Cursing his luck AND his incurable curiosity, he crept up the stairs until he was just below the landing she had departed from. Only one wary eyeball and a few stray hairs poked around the central column of the stairway to see what there was to see: the lady, standing alone in the hallway, waiting. …Waiting… …Still waiting……Waiting for… what? A great wooden door opened inwards as a billow of cold air created an ice mist in the hall, preceding the dark figure that emerged from within the frigid Icy Tower. The lady stood fast, presumably looking up under her face covering as the Ice Warlock loomed over her, well within the restricted distance insisted on by propriety. They held their gaze for several heartbeats before the dark haired mage asked “What is it that you seek to find here, m’lady?” “There’s nothing that I seek, Dominus, but to let you know that I’m at Court once more.” “Surely, then, you’ve finally found a husband, or at least a suitor, that would be deemed appropriate for your station.” “No Dominus, in that quest I have failed.” “And why would that be, my lady?” “Because, m’lord,” the lady spoke as she sashayed closer to the forbidding figure, “I was far too taken with the wish to see if I could still warm that lonely frozen “wand” of yours once I’d returned” came the impish reply before a small, delicate hand ventured forth and proceeded to part the heavy wool cloak before her and entered the region below the man’s belt. A soft groan greeted this “frontal assault” as his head tipped back and his eyes squeezed close in gratification of the moment before looking back down at the small figure before him, still weaving her own kind of spell. If the sudden grunt the warlock gave was any indication, she’d just given her handful a teasing squeeze. One of his big gloved hands came up and gently pushed back the silk covering from her head, then slid down her hair to untie the bow made of the mask’s strings over her flaxen wavy locks in back. Pulling the mask away from her by the string trapped between his fingers, he flipped it aside over his shoulder as his other hand came up to tenderly brush her cheek and cradle her chin as he murmured “Ai”, and covered her rosy lips with his own. Deciding that this was all he needed to know about what the Lady of Mystery was about, Aki quietly withdrew back down the stairs and retraced his steps back to the turn he was certain he needed when blackness descended over his head once more and he was stunned to find himself, yet again this day, to be grappled and hoisted over a big male shoulder once more. ~~~~~~~~~ The Prince, the lords and their councilors were all within the meeting room, waiting on but a few stragglers before the Northern War Council reconvened its discussion on the Rus development. Prince Ryuichi was all but certain that an expeditionary force would be needed to meet this threat and see what it was all about as one of his own brigadiers stayed behind at the Keep to contain the approaching Baishe invaders down here. As the last of the men entered through the doorway, Suoh walked into the room, at ease, carrying a large, rambunctious, and very audible sack easily on his shoulder. "Did someone request a sack of Aki?" he asked casually, casting about as if expecting someone to put up their hand and claim his prize.Asami sighed in mock consternation as he got up from his seat at the end of the large table, walked around the amazed leaders and approached the pair. "Now Suoh, I told you not to carry him like that. It might bruise something tender.” he said as if he where explaining this slowly and clearly YET. AGAIN. and took the Aki sack in hand to swing it onto his own shoulder. That is, until another hand laid claim to it over his own."Hell no," scolded Lord Kirishima in a firm tone. "Give that thing here. You and Lord Suoh are to work, if you both remember how to, and have an important meeting to attend to.” he snapped as he twisted the sack out of Ryuichi’s grasp and swung the squirmy, swearing bundle up over his own shoulder. As Kei headed towards the door amidst hoots of laughter and assorted boos, burden still kicking and squawking, he stopped and bowed as the King and his startled Chamberlain entered the room last."Oh, did I miss young Akihito? Too bad. I might have needed his sturdy back to help aid my thinking..." he murmured as he indicated his chalice with a suppressed grin as he winked at Kei and watched him/them leave the room, before making his way to his seat at the head of the table and waited for his cup to be filled.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Not too long after Lord Kei let the Aki out of the bag, a raven was first spotted as a black dot against the billowy white clouds overhead the capital city. It was soon joined by other, smaller dots, swarming about and harassing it. Fending off its attackers, it slowly circled lower in the air over the citadel, pinwheeling and barrel rolling as it flew. The crows, being bound and determined to see their much larger, (very) distant “cousin” off their home territory, redoubled their efforts, causing such a ruckus with their loud cawed curses and inky black feathers floating down like ash while being cursed back at just as fervently in the raven’s raspy voice, that the calls of the vendors in the market beyond the Keep were drowned out as the whole mob circled lower. Defying its protesting escorts to the end, it touched down on a perch near the murder of crows' hangout, shuffled its feathers, and nonchalantly took a crap as the settling flock continued to scold and protest even louder.One of the visiting lords' retainers at the market happened to spot the ribbons threaded through the leather anklet around one of the avian visitor’s legs as it flew in low for the landing, and took to her heels to alert the Keep’s staff to the arrival from the north. Servants, used to feathered messengers from around the kingdom dropping by, went to try and calm the home crowd of crows while a pair of pages were summoned, one to remain there on standby to run the raven’s missive while the other bonded messenger was sent ahead to carry word to the King’s Chamberlain, currently in council.A little later, a handler waited as the raven sized him up before allowing him to offer it some tidbits of meat and fat, seeing to the traveler’s needs. Approaching the stand to hook a ladle of water over it, he waited until the bird was finished slaking it’s thirst before fetching it another ladle overflowing with meat strips and offal. As the raven tucked in, the handler risked fingers and face by getting in close enough to run his hands over the large bird to ensure its health and soundness before retrieving the message from the leg holder. Not wasting time in glancing at the thin rolled strip of birch bark, he left the noisy hutch and handed over the scroll to the Chamberlain's waiting runner; with a nod she was off like the tip of her long braid of hair was on fire and her ass was catching.The Chamberlain was looking out the window at the mountain scenery around the Keep, counting down from memory the number of steps it used to take him to make the same run when he was of a much younger age for the previous king. The last lord had just finished their readiness report as he had just gone over his own average by five strides when one of his personal runners was allowed in the chamber door. Both the Prince and the King exchanged a look over the length of the table as the runner quietly approached the Chamberlain and handed over the scroll before sketching a quick bow to those at the table and retiring to the wall closest to the door with nary a huff out of breath.Slipping the powdery white slip of birch into his inner sleeve pocket, he turned and called his master's attention to the fact that all had been seated in council for a while now, and perhaps a break was needed. A voice called out in agreement, and the King assented his leave to break the meeting. Men in singles and pairs got up, stretching their back and shoulders, shuffling stiffly to the sideboard to get a goblet of wine and a morsel or two to snack on, or making their way out the door to head off to the jakes.King and prince waited patiently while the room cleared, unconsciously sipping their respective drinks in tandem, each lost in his own thoughts. Once the lords had cleared the room, the Chamberlain retrieved a drink of his own, withdrew the message and unrolled it, scanning its contents before deferentially approaching his King and offering it to him without comment. The king, for his part, picked up the message and unrolled it, studying its contents calmly. Finished, he let it roll up on itself with a lax snap before looking up at his son and heir.And, most importantly at this point, Sion's Warlord.Still a young man, like he was when disaster struck, then bearing responsibilities beyond his years. Hopefully, he'd have time to enjoy some ease and contentment with the eldest Takaba lad before further hardships and obligations befell him. Him and his other boys, that is. Quietly sighing to himself, he knew he was fully all of the worst attributes of a bastard for bending and molding his nephews the way he had, so that his son wouldn't have to bear the load alone, as he had. Maybe someday, someone could consider offering forgiveness to his memory for his actions on doing that crime, at least.And with an internal shrug at his lapse into self-pity, he twitched his eyebrow a certain way and entered into a silent conversation with his son.Being able to read each other's minute facial expressions and body language from years of facing each other as sire/disciplinarian and young shit/erring son, they carried on a private conversation simply with facial flickers and twitches of their eyes and ticks of their mouths. Controlled expressions came into play at some points before the quick flicks of hand signals that, while expressing broader ideas that other there could read, took over to iron out the final details. Finished, if not completely pleased with their joint decision, king and prince nodded to the other in agreement, then Ryuichi stood and excused himself to his sovereign and lord father as Suoh waited where he was for his fellow brigadier to answer his summons and be brought up to speed before reconvening the council meeting.The Prince's presence wasn't required in determining the next steps of this wrinkle, while the kingdom's Warlord would not be needed to be present until the council came to the decision it would be led to, and the King determined the "need" of summoning him. As of now, the Warlock was free to do as he pleased, elsewhere. And what pleased him right now was a thought to seek out the company of his knave, as their time of peace together may now be growing short. ~~~~~~~~~ The Takaba brothers were taking some time off together; playing hooky from classes, just hanging out in Dastard's paddock. Point in fact, they were hanging out ON Dastard, Kou laying back on the kelpie's withers and neck, legs splayed over his back while his big brother had draped himself on his back over the kelpie's rump. The "horse" himself was bundled down in the grass, enjoying dozing in the warm sunshine, ears at half mast, lazily flicking as bugs buzzed around them. Neither boy spoke much, enjoying the chill vibe, until Dastard decided he'd had enough of being a couch and began swishing his tail back and forth, swatting the boys with the long coarse hairs when they were slow to take the hint it was time to get off.The boys squawked and ducked the tail lashes as they slid off the kelpie's back giggling and backed away as Dastard untucked his legs and braced his front ones before he heaved himself up off the ground enough to get his hind legs under him to push himself up. Graceful, it was not. But, once he was up, he wandered over to a sandy area above the muddy bank of the pond, nose down like his was sniffing the ground. The brothers climbed the fence rails, swinging first one leg then the other over the top one, and perched comfortably, at ease from years of practice, watching while Dastard nosed about a bit before deciding to lower himself gingerly back down and stretching out on his side. After a moment or two, first the head and neck were raised, then the legs came up and he heaved himself a few times before successfully rolling over onto his back, then with a kick, and a butt wiggle or two, he rolled all the way over, then all the way back again, over and over until he was good and dusty, lying on the opposite side he'd started from, stretched out and snorting in contentment.While the boys looked on, chatting about their lives at Court and generally just shooting the breeze, they watched a flock of crows flying low overhead. Soon, a second one followed, then, after a bit, a third. Most of the crows were flying lower than treetop height, rather slowly, delighting Kou, who'd never seen some many of the wiley birds so up close before. After the fifth flock flew over, Kou started the rhyme the few kids left in their hamlet had always repeated whenever a murder of crows was spotted:"One is for sorrowTwo is for joyThree's to kiss a maidenFour's to kiss a boy..."A tingle skittered its way across the blond's scalp, raising the fine hairs on the back of his neck. Something about his brother's singsong reciting of the old chant stirred something in him."Five is for silverSix is for goldThe seventh bears a secret, never to be told."Kei, when instructing him, had once told him that that these rhymes sometimes contained tidbits of local history or even bites of elder knowledge. The odd time, Kei told him, some older ones even had snippets of ancient lore tied to forgotten deities in them, so he'd best beware any instincts such chant stirred up as he learned more about his magical nature."The eighth bestows blissThe ninth grants a wishBut the tenth is a bird that never should be missed..."Disquiet grew as more birds flew by, eerily bereft of their usual caws and calls. Some of them were flying so low that their shadows of the ground were larger than any of the birds themselves. Ominous, indeed."Cuz the eleventh brings healthAnd the twelfth one brings wealth..."Aki's instincts were buzzing now. Not from outright fear or any sense of danger, but feeling akin to the few times something more dangerous than he himself had tried stalking him. Glancing about, noting Dastard was still at ease, the fact that he couldn’t see anything awry didn't settle his mind even as Kou was winding up his chant...“But the thirteenth one~"Without warning, something strong wrapped around his waist and hauled him backwards off the fence, halting his startled shout as something else tightened in a band angled up his chest and over his mouth, squeezing him tight to both restrain him and silence him as a tongue slid slowly up the side of his neck until it withdrew just below his ear and a deep voice rumbled in his ear"~is the Devil Himself."The blonde, shocked into momentary paralysis, rolled his eyes up to the side to catch the devilish glint in the golden eyes looking down at him as he was pinned tight against his Asami's broad chest. Those eyes that could stir up so many, MANY emotions inside him, some at the same time, swung over to take in the younger brother pissing himself laughing as he clung to his perch on the top rail. In a dark voice that hinted at his own amusement, he advised the boy not to imitate all parts of his trick unless he wanted to find out if any of his friends ever wanted to be more than "just friends". More peals of laughter came as the strong arms of the prince released him and he scrambled away, swearing and shaking himself off like a wet dog as he gave his grinning unrepentant sadistic bastard of a patron a noxious glare and started scolding His Grace about setting bad examples for impressionable young minds as the prince yawned openly in boredom and Kou blew him a resoundingly wet raspberry for his trouble. ~~~~~~~~~ The trio were heading over to the hutches where the crows made their roosts, Kou between his brother and their patron as different work hands, helpers and assistants were going about their daily tasks. The hutches that the resident crows called home first appeared to be clouded in thick dark oily smoke, like barrels of grease had caught fire and the resulting smog shrouded the building and roof. Getting closer, Aki realized that in fact, any open space on the structure was covered in a mobile mob of crows. There was at least a hundred or more of them, and they were all deathly quiet, eyes intently on the doorway.As they approached the building everyone else was widely avoiding and sometimes throwing up the hand sign against the Evil Eye at, Asami began talking about bits of information related to the birds. Like how a group of crows was called a "murder", wherein, Aki, struck by the tense, oppressive atmosphere, muttered a query that if only two or three crows got together, was that then just considered an attempted murder. Several of the large dark birds within earshot turned their heads to regard the blond with their beady black eyes. Aki fought down a shiver of misgiving and lined up behind his Prince, his brother still tucked in between the pair of older males.Asami ducked slightly to fit in the doorway, took a few more strides in, then came to a halt while Aki put his hand on Kou's shoulder to steer him around the prince as they came to a stop, Aki in place by Asami's side. Glancing about the space they were in, he noted how clean and well kept the place seemed be despite the number of birds that probably were housed here. Then, his eyes travelled upwards and around, and he barely breathed a gasp as he realized how many crows there were up in the rafters, above the door and window frames and on wall perches all about. Likely as many inside the space as there were outside.And all were silently staring at them."Shadow", Asami spoke, addressing a particular weather-beaten crow that seemed to have an air of eldritch knowledge about it. In return, the crow swivelled and tilted it’s head to look at the warlock with each eye before it clattered it’s beak and rattled out "Ryuichi. Welcome."The archer stared as the boy clapped his hands and laughed out loud in surprise. "You can talk! Pa never said crows can talk!""Most humans don't know we can learn to speak their languages just as well as they can; sometimes much better, depending on the person. It makes overhearing plans and plots unimpeded that much easier." Blond eyelashes double blinked as mental gymnastics automatically adjusted his world view on the subject and made accommodations for new information to be absorbed. If his brain was getting educated from the source, why fight it."I came to pay my respects, old friend, and to introduce someone of significance to the Keep's flock."The aged crow had been studying the Takabas and mused aloud "It has been some time indeed. Is this you mate and first hatchling?" Aki squeaked as Kou burst out in laughter yet again. Some of the younger fledglings in an adjoining room joined in the merriment, only quieting after some scolding from the adults there with them. Asami himself grinned, amused at his boy turning several glowing shades of rose. That colour suited him. He'd have to make plans to see what all it took to bring that bloom of colour to his boy's cheeks again."No, he is not my mate. This is my personal companion and helper, Akihito, and his younger brother Kou. A pair of eggs from the same parents' nest, many hatching seasons apart" he clarified for those birds present that weren't as advanced in their study of Sionese as the others. He wanted all within the murder to know the importance of Kou to Aki, and thus both of their importance to him. All within with feathers turned to closely study the brothers once more. After a moment, Shadow gave a sharp call and those fledglings that were mobile came hopping and tumbling through the doorway as the adults with them came out at a halting, bobbing walk after them.A few moments of intense scrutiny all over followed, then the young were permitted their close up look-over, too. Stray cords and bindings were pulled on and tested, leggings were tugged, one or two among them took turns trying to fly up and land on the brothers' heads, cawing and exclaiming as they did so. Within a very short time, noisy jostling was happening to be one of the few daring ones perched on the boys' outstretched arms. Kou was soon babbling excitedly with several young crows as another was happily perched on Aki's shoulder, eyes half closed in enjoyment as the archer used the pad of his finger to rub circles on the top of the head of the youngster who was busy himself rubbing feathered cheeks with him.Once introductions were made, the young birds were rounded up and herded out once more, allowing for more serious conversation to follow. Shadow was still observing Akihito with one eye as he engaged the prince in a private conversation: "You know what this young one is, then" he rattled out, addressing Asami. The dark brunet nodded."Indeed."A slight ruffle of smooth neck and shoulder feathers happened before Shadow continued. "Does the Forest Lord know his son is here, with you."Another nod. "We've spoken."A feathered head nodded back, satisfied that this potential sticking point was out of the way early. Having to choose loyalties between the Green Man and the ruling human's only young would have caused difficulties for his own extended families. It might have become seriously contentious enough to invoke the Lady of Crows' own intervention..."Good. Did you come here to see the Visitor too, then?""Obviously, crow", a loud rasping voice made itself known from the other doorway in the room. "One of you scroungers may bring them in to see me." Indignant caws instantly filled the space and were echoed outside as the old crow remained unruffled at the insulting tone of his "guest"."As you can see, the visitor is young and strong. He is also quite swift. Manners, it would seem, and the wisdom to use them, have likely been in pursuit of him for some time, and yet, he has so far steadfastly managed to elude them." Chortles and outright mocking met their elder's comeback, with both the blond and brunet males grinning in appreciation of the clap back. A throaty croak like creaking wooden floorboards later, and the voice called out again, now making it sound more like a request. With amused glances at each other, Asami went in first, both Takabas bringing up the rear.And both lads gasped in awe when they beheld the raven for the first time. Aki, for one, had had a vague idea that ravens were big, but damn, the reality was quite something else. The crows outside were the size of large pigeons, just with a leaner build. But this raven... Wow. Easily the weight and size of a big robust hawk. Where the crows feathers were dark with a smooth sapphire polish, the raven had an elegant ruffle of long throat feathers and was a glossy black. The beaks differed as well: the crow had straight beaks, able to pick and pluck berries or soft nuts as easily as scraps of meat, whereas the raven had a strong curved beak, able to dig in and strip flesh from bone. When the raven stretched out and flapped its wings, noting the audience it had to show off for, its wingspan was easily as wide tip to tip as Kou was tall. All in all, it was a large sturdy bird, built to travel over distances in cooler, harsher conditions and thrive.Finally tiring of all the admiration, it focused on Asami and croaked out "I'm honoured you came to see me, oh prince. As a courier from the Northern Courts, it is nice to be acknowledged as more than just another bearer of local gossip." Awks and squawks of outrage sounded from behind them. This bird wasn't winning any popularity contests here, that was for sure. So much for behaving like a guest in someone else's home.The kingdom's heir apparently didn't appreciate the attitude shown under his friend's roof, either. With a flicker of an eye to his knave, he began pointing out to the youngest boy how to tell a raven from a crow while they were in flight. He called in assistance from his aged accomplice, and several young crows were sent in for demonstration purposes, and Asami waited for them to settle on perches before the lesson began."From below, both ravens and crows spread their tail in flight. Crows fly with flattened wings while raven wings are somewhat flexed. As well, ravens will do barrel rolls in mid flight to prevent targeting by eagles from above." Aki, having been in this situation himself, could appreciate the point."Plus," the guest croaked, "sometimes, it's just amusing to do so, if one is able to do it, that is...", giving the assembled crows a superior look. Feathers ruffled and low mutters could be heard from the assembled volunteers present."Now, ravens have a distinctly diamond-wedged tail, while crows are more of a open fan." The crows, all of a like mind, turned about on their perches, presented their spread tails, and waggled their rears at the rude freeloader staying with them temporarily. The raven creaked rustily, not at all amused. Seemed to Aki the big assed bird could dish it out, but didn't like having to take it. Tough shit."But, the biggest difference between the 2 types of birds are their flight feathers. The primary feathers, the long ones at the end of their wing, are called 'pinions'. One would need to be quite close to tell, but a raven has 17 pinions, while crows have 16." The raven started to preen, pleased that the important human agreed with its feelings of superiority over the entire murder hosting it. Which meant it didn't see what was heading it’s way."So, what His Grace is saying, Kou, is that from a distance, any differences between a raven and a crow, is only a matter of a pinion." Both lads flashed sunny smiles at the now distinctly soured appearance of the large corvid as the crows raucous laughter spread beyond the walls of the room and infected the silent mob of crows waiting outdoors.Victory for the home team.