Disclaimers: None of the Weib Kreuz characters belong to me even though I wish they would. Please do not sue me I am not gaining anything from this. I am only a poor college student writing some fiction about the cutest bishonens out there.
Author: Max Ikari
Pairings: Yohji/Aya, Ken/Omi.
Warnings: NC-17, Lemon, violence, adult language, adult situations. This story is totally AU. Genre: Angst, romance, some sap.
[ ] Inner thoughts
/ / Mind Talking
Spoilers: only names.
Blood Moon
Chapter 3
Ken woke up, groaning softly. Opening his eyes, he noticed how his room seemed to look like he was looking at it through a haze of fog.
"Oh…spirits save me…" The young sorcerer’s head hurt like a carriage had rolled over it. A slight knock at his door made him snap his head up, which was little too quick for his head to handle. He had to close his eyes and let the dizzy spell pass. A young girl peered from the now open door, brows drawn slightly as a sign of irritation.
"Ohayo, Ken-san. However, if I take into consideration your present appearance, I doubt it is a very good morning for you."
"Ohayo, Lady Mina."
Lady Mina was a brunette girl with light hazel eyes. Almost like an eagle, her friends said. She had the luxury of having a small body frame, as all the other members of her family were big boned people. She was always scrunching her nose when she encountered something that was not to her liking. Ken enjoyed her company since she was almost his age: both youths used to take walks with the Fujimiyas - their little group.
Mina looked very annoyed. It baffled Ken as to what was making her uncomfortable.
"Ken…did you go out and get drunk last night? You look like you were trampled by a horse."
" Huh?" Getting up from his bed, the brunette walked to see his appearance. Upon seeing it, he understood Mina’s consternation. He had his sleeping clothes on backwards, his hair was sticking out at impossible ends and he looked tired.
" Oh…" was all Ken could say.
"Did you get drunk at the Prince’s party? I hope you did not act the outright fool…" Mina uncrossed her arms from her chest as she walked toward the sorcerer. " Never mind that. If you did, I am bound to hear it. Besides, Master Ruztar is losing his mind. You promised to take over for him today so he could go and answer the King’s summons."
Ken’s eyes widened at the memory.
" Oh gods! I am so sorry…how could I forget…" all this was said while the brunette started to undress.
" Lord Hidaka! What are you doing?" Ken stopped in mid-motion as he was picking up a dress shirt and noticed he was half naked in front of Mina.
" Lady! Oh! I’m sorry. I am not going to survive this day."
A small smile escaped the girl as she moved to sit down on the bed where Ken had been sitting.
" You will do fine, as long as you remember not to undress in front of people."
A blush spread across Ken’s face before nodding.
" Well then, I am leaving. Hope you have a good day and do not force me to come down and wake you up again. Next time, I will just ask Lady Nadia to do it."
" No! I promise…it was a mistake."
Mina simply smiled before leaving the room. She could be very vague when plotting something. A sigh escaped Ken’s lips as he got up and changed into his normal clothes. This was going to be a long day…
At the same time, in another area of Libertas, Ran was helping his father go through the King’s records. It was that time of the year when the King needed his finances organized. As much as Ran loved to help his father, this year, he was frustrated. He did not want to be in here where the Prince could just waltz in and embarrass him in front of his father. Not that he believed the Prince would do that, but with how unpredictable people are, it is hard to ever be certain of a person’s actions.
A nagging sound was slowly seeping into his musings, making him narrow his eyes in irritation until he realized it was his father talking to him.
" Ran, are you okay?"
" I am sorry, Father. My mind drifted."
Lord Fujimiya gave his son a small smile before resuming his study of the papers before him. Ran watched his father with a heavy heart. Ever since Taeba had forced herself into their lives, his father had seemed to get older. Almost as everyday life was too much to bear. It hurt Ran too see how much his involvement with Taeba was affecting his family. His mother always became anxious when he was late arriving home. She feared Taeba had changed her mind and taken him.
It was days like this he wished he were dead. At least that way, his parents would know he was dead and move on. It was like living with a sword hanging over his head and just waiting for it to come down. As he watched his father, his frustration kept mounting before he made himself a silent vow, " By the end of the year, all this will be over. I swear it."
" Ran…please look at the figures on page 52."
" Okay. What am I looking for?"
" Inconsistencies. Pay attention to line 84 there. It is recorded that 54 horses were given to the army. How many does the scribe notes as received?" Lord Fujimiya knitted his brows in concentration and frustration. The King knew his officials were dirty but he still kept them; it baffled him.
" The scribe records that 38 horses were received, Father," answered Ran, blowing at the paper to get rid of the dust on the page.
" It is just as I thought. Someone keeps changing the palace’s records." Ran leaned forward to see what his father was talking about. Looking at his father’s expression, Ran could see the beginnings of something he didn’t like.
" Father, you are thinking about going to the King with this, are you?"
" No. I have spoken with him before and yet the problem is still here. No, I think I am going to the Council with this." Ran’s eyes widened at the revelation. Going over (?? Unclear: going over what?) the King was treason. His father could get executed for doing that.
" Father, you must not do such a thing. It may get you killed."
Lord Fujimiya regarded his son. He was still so young. Yet, he had to do this or his beliefs would not let him live with himself.
" Son, corruption is corruption. It makes no difference if it is the King or the most lowly of farmers, it must be dealt with."
" It is only money!" Ran saw how his father’s eyes widened and his lips thinned in an annoyed scowl.
" I am sorry. I just do not think it wise to pursue something that can bring about more problems than solutions."
Lord Fujimiya’s eyes narrowed in anger as he answered bitterly, "All this time, I believed I had raised you better than that."
Ran glared at the pages he was reading as he muttered, " You did."
Ken’s head hurt worse than it did when he woke up. After finally arriving at the sorcery academy, Master Ruztar had screamed at him for almost an hour before deciding it was best to leave before he angered the King. Still, it left Ken with the responsibility of cleaning the storeroom, which was a dangerous task if one was not careful. After cleaning two shelves he decided that having residual alcohol in his system was no help. So, at the moment, he was sitting on the floor, cradling his forehead in the palm of his hand while he cursed his luck.
" Had a rough night?" Ken knew he had heard that voice before but he really didn’t feel like lifting his head. It was just too painful.
" Let’s just say, it is not my day."
" Anything I can help with, sorcerer?" That made Ken snap his head up, only to meet the amused face of Duke Tsukiyono.
" Wha…umm…Duke? May I help you?" It was then that Ken remembered the way he had behaved with the Duke last night. He had been such a fool. Yet, he was glad that his alcohol-induced valor had allowed him to voice his thoughts.
" I did not think you were drunk last night," said Omi, walking to sit beside the sorcerer. Ken moved a little, uncomfortable with the proximity of the Duke’s body.
" I had some drinks. I did not think I drank that much." A chuckle escaped the Duke.
" Maybe you cannot hold your alcohol," said Omi with an amused smirk.
Ken realized he hated the Duke’s facial expressions. It made him feel like an animal, that the Duke was poking a stick at to see if he could make it squirm.
" I do not think it necessary to learn how to hold alcohol in my body. I have more important things to worry myself with." Omi momentarily lost his smirk, looking like an unsure young boy before composing himself. He was a Duke after all.
" Well then, sorcerer. Would you mind teaching me some of your tricks?" It annoyed Ken to no end that people referred to his craft as tricks. They were not tricks: a five-year old kid does tricks, but sorcery was another matter.
" I do not teach tricks. I teach sorcery, and if you will excuse me, I have work to do," responded Ken as he got up and started shuffling through the boxes and shelves, headache forgotten.
Omi lingered quietly, sitting on a chair to watch the sorcerer. He was satisfied to simply watch the brunette. It was as if the sorcerer was unaware of his sensuality in the way he moved and carried himself. Omi could not understand his sudden shyness with the young sorcerer. He was afraid to say or do the wrong thing. Maybe it was due to the fact that the sorcerer had been the first person to ever reject him. Usually, his status would be enough to entice a person to bed him, but this time, it had blown up in his face. Yet, he still wanted the sorcerer…he was beginning to like the challenge. He liked seeing the reactions he could get out from the brunette.
"I am no sorcerer as you can see. There is no reason why I should know the difference between tricks and sorcery."
Ken turned to look at the Duke, seeming to agree with his reasoning.
" I understand, my Lord. Please forgive my rudeness."
Omi smiled at this. He felt at ease spending time with the sorcerer. It was so different from the castle’s noisy existence.
The Duke waved a nonchalant hand at this and said, " I would really love staying here with you."
" Why?"
" Because I like your company," Omi blushed at the confession.
Upon hearing it, Ken followed suit.
Yohji was bored out of his mind. His father had summoned him to attend one of many meetings in which the security of the kingdom was being discussed. It again revolved around Salaks and Zawquir, a country that lied across the gulf of Salaks. Salaks and Libertas had always been at odds ever since the time of King Argos, but now it was over the land of Zawquir. Both the King of Libertas and the King of Salaks wanted that land because of the location, wealth, and more than likely, as something to brag to the other country about. It was beginning to escalate and many of the Lords in Libertas were starting to worry.
Yohji hated war; he hated how countries would sacrifice countless lives over the whims of Kings. The prince always thought that when he became King, he was going to have a peaceful reign. But now, as he sat with a room full of bloodthirsty lords, he was beginning to doubt it.
" Prince Yohji, what do you think about the situation? Will the army be strong enough to withstand an invasion?" asked the King’s advisor, Lord Mise.
Yohji had hated that man ever since he was old enough to understand hate. The man was an obnoxious, short man that thought he had the right to belittle, harass, and take advantage of people because he was the King’s advisor. Yohji had already spoken with his father about the man, but the King, as always, stubbornly refused to listen to him.
" The army is not fit to withstand an invasion," Yohji responded quietly. "Nobody joins the army anymore. People have lost faith in the army and are quite content to indulge in lives of luxury and self-indulgence. It is not the people’s fault since we, as rulers, have not encouraged the population to join."
" But my Prince…" Yohji lifted a hand to stop Lord Mise from asking a question.
" We have to enforce a draft if we want to have a strong enough force to withstand an attack from two countries. I say two for, as we all know, the Zawquirans are not very fond of us Libertians ever since we decided to raise the tax on their imports."
" My Prince, I doubt Zawquir will ally with Salaks over a tax." Yohji raised a brow at this comment: Lord Mise should know better.
" Lord, in politics, even the smallest thing will gain you an enemy. You should do well to remember that." Lord Mise looked like a reprimanded child and remained quiet throughout the rest of the meeting.
Yohji was walking back to his room quietly when he decided that he was going to take a walk in the gardens. It was the only place in the castle that relaxed him, it reminded him of his mother. His mother had been a foreign princess from the land of Cargheous, a country that was on the other side of the continent. It was from her, that Yohji had gotten his honey colored hair and green eyes. She had been a very beautiful woman but her health had always been frail, more so after Yohji was born. His nana used to tell him that his father had fallen in love with his mother almost at first sight. She had come to the country with her parents to celebrate the King’s birthday and his father had seen her.
Yohji sighed, a beautiful love story that had ended a little too soon. He missed his mother; he remembered her sitting on one of the benches in the gardens with a small book and urging him to sit on her lap. He never wanted to, being too busy exploring his surroundings. He had always expected her to be there forever…
Walking past some doors, Yohji slowed down when he heard whispered voices. They sounded angry, as if two people were fighting. But who would be in the library? Nobody but Omi entered there and usually, it was by himself.
Quietly, Yohji slowed and stood outside the door trying to make out what was being said.
" Father, this is madness."
" Ran, you may not understand. You are too young…"
" I do understand. You are willing to sacrifice your life and that of your family in order to go on a crusade…"
Ran?! What was he doing here? Then, Yohji remembered that Ran was the son of Lord Fujimiya, his father’s accountant.
"Don’t you dare talk to me that way. I am still your father!" Silence. " You think that this is madness. It is not. I will not sit idly by while someone in the kingdom brings us all to ruin. We should learn from our ancestors. I must do this."
" I am sorry, Father, but I cannot support your decision. You think I do not know what I speak of. I do. Ever since Taeba gave me this ‘curse’ of a life, I have become more perceptive to things. I only see disaster coming from this. Please listen to me, I am begging you." One of the men in the room sighed before some shuffling of papers was heard.
" Please, Father, this is treason!"
" I now see that you will not support me in this. I will do this alone."
Yohji started to back out and walked around the corner of the hall before walking back to the library so as to seem like he wasn’t listening. Lord Fujimiya nodded with a curt ‘Your Highness’ before walking past, carrying a stack of papers. Yohji slowed his pace when he started nearing the library. He had thought of Ran all night after the ball yesterday. He wanted to see the redhead again, but he doubted now was the best time.
The prince quietly entered the library without Ran noticing him. He stood there a few moments, watching Ran, as the redhead held his head in his hands and muttered under his breath. It immediately made Yohji feel ill at ease to watch Ran at such a vulnerable moment; thus, he decide to clear his throat so Ran would acknowledge him.
Ran’s head snapped up, wide-eyed. He seemed on the verge of tears before he composed himself and managed a small smile.
" Your Highness. To what do I owe this honor?" It made the prince smile to simply hear the redhead’s voice. He must have been staring because Ran’s brows knotted before he asked again.
" Your Highness? Is anything wrong?"
"Oh, do forgive me. I am still thinking about wars and politics from a meeting this morning. How are you? You seem a little sad."
Ran’s face became blank and his body became a little tense before the redhead gave him a small smile.
" It is nothing, my lord. I am just a bit tired." And Ran went ahead to demonstrate this by lightly pressing at his eyes. Yohji smiled.
" Do not worry yourself about it. I understand." Ran’s response was a quiet sigh.
Unknown to both occupants of the room, another pair of ears had heard the previous discussion between Ran and his father, and was planning on how to deal with the problem.
Lord Fujimiya was riding home after he had decided he was going to send a letter in which he would summon the Council and demand that they pay attention to what was happening in the kingdom. Ever since leaving Ran in the castle, he had the distinct feeling that he was being watched, but he brushed it off as tricks of his over paranoid mind. Ran had made him nervous by telling him that what he was doing and what he intended to do was treason.
It was.
If discovered, the King could kill him and very well remain within his right. Lord Fujimiya dearly regretted having to do this since he had always been very fond of the King.
"Goddess, help me," sighed Lord Fujimiya as he continued to ride and could faintly see the outline of his land. Closing his eyes, the Lord breathed the chilly evening air and felt at peace. Then, everything was a blur; he felt an intense pain at his back but upon turning, saw nothing. However, he quickly felt two other intense flashes of pain before he slumped over his horse, knowing and feeling how his life bled over the countryside.
Ran, forgive me.
Ran was riding slowly back to his home, feeling lighter after having a quiet conversation with the prince. It had helped but he would rather not dwell on it right now; he was more focused on how he was going to speak to his father. His father had been angry today. It hurt to defy his father but it needed to be done. He loved his father and family too much to lose them over something they could not win.
Lifting his eyes, he frowned when he saw an orange glow around his father’s land. He thought it was odd until he started smelling the smoke.
He kicked his horse into action feeling fear coil in the pit of his stomach.
No, nononononono….
He jumped off his horse in his haste to get into his house. When he was close enough, he stopped watching how the flames licked his home and caressed the air around it. It was then that Ran’s life fell apart around him; he vaguely heard his soft whimper and how his breath hitched every time he tried calling out for his mother or sister.
" Ran…"
Ran turned rapidly toward the source of the voice, tripping over a piece of wood, finally crawling toward the voice.
" Aya…Aya, are you okay?" He kept searching his sister’s body for injuries until his vision fell over her hands and noticed how they covered her abdomen.
" Oh Aya…" moaned the redhead while he tried to pry her hands apart to see. Aya refused to budge.
" Ran…please, leave it alone. I know I am dying. I can feel it."
" Shh…do not say such things…"
" Ran, our parents are dead. Cowards attacked from behind Father and Mother died trying to protect me. Yet, it was no good as it will be no use right now."
Ran simply stared at his sister, unwilling to believe that his parents were gone and the last of his family was dying. He hugged her then, burying his face in her hair, as he gently rocked her body. He felt a hand caressing his face and looked down to see his sister smiling faintly.
" My dear brother, promise me you will survive. You will not give up."
" Aya…"
" Swear it!"
" I-I swear. I swear it on my life. Who did this? Please tell me."
" They wore the Mise house colors. Please do not do anything foolish. I would hate to see you in the afterlife with me."
Ran only took Aya’s hand and kissed it until he felt Aya’s pressure stop. He looked down and saw his sister’s half lidded eyes starting up into nothing. She was gone and even now, when everything had been stripped from him, he could not find the tears to cry; he did not have the strength. He gently closed Aya’s eyes with his hand before getting up. His joints screamed in protest and refused to move from their spot. He could feel the hot air lightly burn his face and the smoke choking his breath, but it did not faze him. Nothing mattered, nothing except revenge. His fists clenched painfully until his nails dug into his skin and made him bleed.
" I swear it on my life, I will have Lord Mise’s head. You hear me?! I swear it!"
TBC