Royal Ties (NC-17)

Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

This is rated NC-17 not sure if I'm there with the editing yet, but if you see something wrong that annoys you, please PM me... posting this at 2 in the morning is difficult on the eyes ^^;;; hope you like^^

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Saddling his majesty's horse, the young stablehand watched the blond move to the animal and pet it gently. He only watched out of the corner of his eye, knowing he'd be punished for looking directly at the boy without permission. He was just so beautiful, how could one not want a glance?

Hisoka smiled softly at the pure white stallion and kissed it's nose. "I'll take you out today. You're my favorite."

The boy wished that he could be his majesty's horse. He'd be the best horse there could be for that boy. He fought to keep his mind on saddling the creature, checking and rechecking the synches so they wouldn't slip. No saddle he'd readied would come loose while riding. He pulled away, his eyes on the grouned, and bowed to the boy very low.

Hisoka smiled and held out a small pouch. "for your trouble."

The stablehand's eyes widened and he gasped. "I... I couldn't, your majesty," he said, "I mean...." his face was red.

Hisoka's smile never left his lips. "You dare say no to your prince? Should my father be in ourpresence surely you would be put to death for such treason."

the blush became deeper and he bowed again. "I--- I'm sorry.... th-thank you.... your majesty..." he wished his face wouldn't turn so red.

Hisoka continued to hold out the puch. "Be sure to tell no one of my kindness for it is only you on this day that has marit to recieve it."

The stablehand held out his hands. "I swear to you, your majesty, I'll hold my tongue... thank you... thank you.."

He let it drop, wishing he could see the face when the boy opened the pouch to find thirty gold pieces and a few diamonds. But alas his nerves were high and he needed to ride. Like the expert that he was, Hisoka mounted the horse. "Thank you again for your troubles. I'll be back after dark."

And with that, he was off.

He watched the prince ride away and tucked the pouch into his shirt. He knew better than to look into it here. Now he couldn't help but wish that he really really was the horse. He wouldn't have given a whicker if the prince rode him all day long. Then, there was a smack to the back of his head. "Get to work, boy!!" said the stableman. He hurried off to the stables to clean horses.
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The young castlehand was inside a few hours later, having cleaned up and changed. He was now carrying things to the guest room, not too far away from the prince's room.

Hisoka was tredging slowly back to the stables. It was darkening out. He gotten into a fight with his father and now he was deliberately being late for dinner to make his point that he wouldn't be missed if he was gone. His mind began to wander to other things though. Like the stable boy he'd been so generous to. He sighed deeply. He had a secret he couldn't tell anyone and no matter his dreams they'd never become reality for him. But there were always long nights alone in his room where he could dream as often as he liked.

The young servant was getting tired as well and had just finished placing everything away and planned to go back to the stables to spend some time with that beautiful stallion he'd watched his majesty ride away on. He moved quickly, not wanting to run into any of the late night squires.

Hisoka finally returned to the stables and dismounted. He glanced around to see if anyone was there to unsattle and put it up. He shrugged. He'd missed dinner entirely now so it didn't matter anymore how long he was here. He took up the brush near the gate and decided to do it himself. Carefully he unhooked it and hung it in it's place, folded the blanket and lay it over the gate and began to hum softly to the ghostly form as he brushed.

A rough hand wrapped around Hisoka's mouth, pulling him back against the rock hard body of a dark form. He held the boy tightly. "You're out kinda late, little princess."

His eyes widened as he lifted his hands to pull at the one over his mouth, screaming though it wasn't loud enough to hear. Where was that stable keeper when he was needed? Likely passed out drunk. And what of the boy who'd helped him earlier?

Speak of the devil, he walked into the stables right then, running a hand through his hair tiredly. He had no idea what was going on in the stable he was heading for. The man holding Hisoka pressed his hand so tightly over the prince's mouth that it began to hurt, pulling him into the shadows and turning his back, using his dark clothing to hide them. The young boy walked to the horse, who was shaking, knowing something was wrong. He petted its nose. "What's wrong?" he asked the creature, "you poor thing.... someone rode you and never cleaned you? His majesty would never do that.... I'll have to inform him later that someone was riding his ho---" then he stopped, spotting the brush on the floor.

Hisoka watched, heart pounding as Hijiri picked it up. He wasn't sure if it would do any good but being in close proximity he hoped it would. He screamed as loud as he could and kicked some of the hay under his feet in Hijiri's direction.

Hijiri turned just in time to be kicked to the floor. "Little worm," the man said, "stay quiet if you know what's good for you!" He was directing this at the stableboy. The boy hit the floor, but then looked up, jumping to his feet when he saw the prince. "Let him go!" he ordered, sounding very different from the shy boy he'd been earlier. The man kicked him again.

Hisoka attempted to block the leg and writhed, trying to get out of the mans grasp. His dizzy, pleading emerald eyes begged Hijiri to save him.

The young boy jumped to his feet, glaring directly at the man, who's hand was still clamped tightly over Hisoka's mouth. "Let him go!" He blocked the next attempted kick and held the man's leg, making him lose balance and let go of Hisoka.

He screamed, afraid he'd lose his own balance as he stumbled for a moment but then dashed behind Hijiri, pressing his back against the wall as he watched.

Hijiri stared at the man as he got to his feet again, looking ready to twist Hijiri's head off. Hijiri backed away slightly, knowing he couldn't take this guy down, but ready to protect the prince. "Please, your majesty, you have to run."

Hisoka was frozen to his place with fear, unable to do more than shiver. His legs wouldn't work, neither his voice.

"You're majesty... please!!" the stableboy said, then was grabbed around the next, the man pulling his fist back to strike. then, not to far off, there were yells. "Something's going on in the stables!!! Hurry!!! go see!!!" the man dropped his prey and disappeared, Hijiri clutching his throat for a moment before looking back at the prince. "Are you okay, your majesty?" he asked.

Frightened emerald eyes closed and with a soft moan he began to fall, knowing he would be safe now.

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When Hisoka awoke again, he was back in his own room, a servant gently dabbing his forehead with a cool, damp cloth.
Hisoka moaned softly, turning his face away from the cloth. "cold..." he murmered.

The woman paused for a moment, then placed the cloth to the side. "Your highness?" she said.

"How did I get here? what happened to that boy who saved me? Is he okay?" He slowly opened his eyes.

"Saved you?" the girl said confused, "what are you talking about? The only boy who was there was the one who attacked you and tried to steal your moneypouch."

He sprang up. "NO!" He cried, terrified. "They haven't killed him yet have they?! He saved me! It wasn't him, I gave him that pouch!"

The woman seemed surprised. "N-no.... his trial's overwith and his sentance is to be carried out at sunset..." she looked out the window, her eye still wide.

He jumped out of bed, running to his fathers thrown room. Throwing open the door he dropped to his knees. "Stop the exicution! He's innocent! I gave him that pouch! He saved my life!"

The man looked at him in surprise. "What are you going on about, my son?" he asked, "Stand and make yourself presentable."

He stood, breath coming in short heaves. "The stable boy that you're hanging saved my life. He must be rewarded, not punished. please set him free and bring him here."

The king stared at him for a secnd, then nodded at a knight, who hurried from the room. "Who was it who attacked you if not him?" he asked.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure. It was a very large man though. With the build of a knight. I think he was trying to kidnap me. And the boy, he's half the size or less of the man and he not only defended me but managed to safely get me away from him."

[color=darkgreen]The king raised an eyebrow. "How did he manage that?" he asked.

He was silent for a moment. "It was all a blurr if you'll forgive me. I... fainted." He looked away, feeling ashamed.

The king shook his head, but before he could say anything, the young stablehand was shoved into the room. He brought himself to his knees before them, head bowed deeply. He was too frightened to speak.

He swung around, glairing at the knight who'd tossed him before reaching a hand out to the boy. "Are you alright? Take my hand, I'll help you stand."

Bright green eyes looked at him in surprise, then slowly he raised to his feet with Hisoka's help. The king looked at him. "I'm told you saved my son's life," he said. The stable hand's head bowed again. Apparently, he'd never come face to face with the king.

Hisoka sighed to himself. So close to the object of his attentions, but still sorely unable to do anything about it. "It's okay... please speak in your defense so I'm not seen to be a liar."

"I... saw the man.... hurting him..." he said, his voice much less shy than his actions were, "I couldn't just stand there... I had to help him." The king nodded. "And did you see the man's face?" The boy shook his head. "Face was covered," he said.

He looked into his face for a moment. "What of my gift?"

The stableboy shook his head. "They took it away from me when they began to ready me for the gallows.... said I wouldn't need it where I was going." His face was slightly white at the thought."

He frowned. "It'll have been returned to the treasury." He looked up at the knight who'd brought Hijiri. "Make use of yourself and retrieve the pouch, plus sixty pieces of gold." He turned to Hijiri. "Anything you ask will be granted to you. I am indebted to you for my life. Name a reward and it shall be yours."

The boy's eyes widened as he knight hurried off. "What?" he asked in surprise. The king simply watched, almost seeming bored.

Hisoka smiled softly at him. "I gave it to you, it's yours to do as you choose. What else would you like? To give you only money would be wrong. Please, tell me anything at all and I promise it is yours."

"For me?" he hought about this, "well... there is one thing I've always wanted..... just... one thing.... a horse..."

In the time it took Hisoka to blink at the boy in surprise, he came up with an idea. " have a condition to that since it'll be staying in the stables."

His head tilted to the side. "Anything for you, highness," he said, "but.... what is it?"

He looked away. "I lost my personal knight a few months ago...he was my riding partner too...perhaps you recall him? I need a riding partner and you have your own horse. will you ride with me? it's more challenging than it sounds I assure you."

The stableboy's eyes widened. Ride with the prince? On his request? The king almost looked as though he was ready to argue, but he didn't. "I would be honored, your highness," the brunet bowed low.

He smiled. "Saddle up, we're leaving in a few moments. tomorrow we'll get you your own."

It was all the boy could do to keep himself from hugging the prince. "Yes, your highness!" he bowed deeply and hurried off. Once he was gone, the king looked at Hisoka. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

Dispite his convictions the prince couldn't hold back the triumphant smile. "What do you mean? I deserve a companion do I not? And it's obvious he can take care of himself.... and me." He took the pouch from the knight as he went to the door. He turned to his father for a moment. "I'll not be back for dinner again."

The king nodded and watched him walk away silently. "He reminds me more of his mother every day," he said to the knight over his shoulder.

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Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

The stableboy found himself staring around himself in amazement as they went. They'd begun riding in the area behind the castle where ll of the noblemen usually stayed and as they rode farther away, te scenery goe more and more beautiful. About an hour away from the castle there was a huge field of flowers where he and the prince left their horses and walked toward a cave with a waterfall. "What is this place?" he asked in wonder.

Hisoka smiled. "This is my secret. Now yours. You can't tell anyone okay?" He then stepped up to the river. "The water's really deep so be careful if you go on the rocks."

He nodded. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm a good swimmer.... and I don't tell secrets..." He smiled as he looked at the water. "It's so clean.... I just wanna dive in." Then he shook his head, "but I won't."

He frowned. "You can... I just like to sit up here on the rocks... I can't swim."

The prince was stared at for a moment. "You can't swim, highness?" He seemed in shock.

He looked away. "Father always said it was below me and refused to allow me to learn... I'm kinda scared of the water now because I almost drowned when I accidently fell in a lake last year."

There was a wince. "That's not good," he said, "but.. highness... avoiding the water won't help anything.... what if you fall in again? You could drown.. I mean.... why don't you let me teach you?"

Hisoka stared at him for a moment. "Not today... I need other clothes..." He looked away. "If you think you can get me over my fear..."

"I might even make it fun," he said with a confident nod, "as long as you trust me, your highness." His smile was kind and caring.

He smiled softly as well. "I think after last night i should be able to. But...in secret...when we're aone...call me Hisoka."

Again those green eyes widened in surprise. "And.... not that you ever really called me anything before.... but if you wish.... Hijiri..."

He blushed softly. "T-thank you. i didn't know your name before." He steped out onto a flat rock and took off his boots. "Sit with me. or...you can swim."

Hijiri smiled and kicked off his boots as well. "I think I'll stay here with you," he said. There was a rustling in the woods then and he turned just in time to see something black flying at them toward Hisoka.

He screamed and dodged it, however in doing so he lost his footing and fell into the water. "HIJIRI!" He called out just before his head sank. He struggled but the more he moved the farther he sank.

Without a thought, Hijiri dove into the water after him the cold of the water startled him still for a moment before he began to swim again. Of course it was cold! The day had been a rather chill one. But why was the prince sinking so fast? That was unusual. He swam harder.

He sank. alost to the bottom. He reached into his pocket and took out a heavy silver ball, dropping it to the bottom saddly. this lifted him ever slightly and he began to float back up but he was already in pain. as he looked up, he saw Hijiri swimming down to him. the sparkles of the sunlight in the water gave him an unearthly glow and he reached up to the glittering form.[/green]

Hijiri reached out and pulled the prince against himself by his wrist. Bubbles were beginning to leak from his lips. He had to get him back to the surface as fast as possible. wrapping his arm tightly around the boy's weist, he began to fight for the surface.

Hisoka became still and he stared at Hijiri for a moment before he lost it, the breath he'd been holding comeing out in a huge bubble and rising far more quickly than them.

Hijiri would have paniced, but knew that doing so would slow him down. He continued his steady pace to the surface, his mind crying for the prince to hold on just a little bit longer.

He had stopped breathing but his heart was still raceing. He was barely alive, could Hijiri save him?

Hijiri broke hrough the surface of the water and dragged the prince ashore as fast as he could. He lay him on the ground, tapping his face for a moment, then he listened for the boy's breath. Nothing. But there was a strong heartbeat, so Hijiri leaned down, pinching the prince's nose and pressing air into his lungs through his mouth. Then he paused for a moment, and did it again.

After several more, Hisoka started caughing. he rolled to his side, throwing up the water and caughing it out of his lungs. He dug his fingers into the wet sand as he began to cry and his body shook from both the scare and the cold.

Hijiri wrapped an arm around the prince tightly. "You're okay," he murmured, "everything's okay now.... I swear....." He was shaking too, but more from the sudden rush of adrenaline through his veins.

The blond couldn't stop crying. "What...was that?" He sat up a little. "So...cold."

"I... think it was an arrow..." Hijiri said, looking into the woods around them.

Hisoka threw himself into Hijiri's arms. "an arrow?!"

Hijiri held him, a it surprised at being so close to the prince. "Don't worry," he said, "I won't let them hurt you.... whoever they are."

He held close. "I'm scared! It almost hit me! we have to find it!" He stood slowly, trying to get his balance.

Hijiri stood with him. "The arrow?" he said, "I think it went off that way." He pointed.

He moaned softly, resting his hand to his head. "We have to take back and have the knights look at it...this is the second attempt on my life in two days."

Hijiri nodded and led Hisoka in the direction he'd pointed, searching over the forest floor for the black arrow. Then he spotted it. "Look, Hisoka," he said, "here it is."

He stopped and watched Hijiri pick it up. His eyes widened as he recognized it. "Hijiri!" He stepped back. "That's...one of Muraki's!" And with these words came a soft moan and suddenly he fell to the forest floor.

Hijiri rushed to the prince's side. "Hisoka!!! Hisoka!!!!!" He nearly paniced again. If he brought Hisoka back like this, would they assume he'd attacked? He shook his head. Hisoka's wellbeing mattered more than his own, so he lifted the boy and carried him back to he horses, tying Hisoka's to the one he'd been lent and holdng the prince whilst on the back of the beast, riding as fast as they could toward the castle.

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Hijiri reached the castle, both of the boys sopping wet, the prince clutched in one arm, the reins and the arrow in his other hand. A knight was nearly run over by his horse as he reentered castle grounds. "Help!" he cried, "he's passed out!!!" The knight rushed forward and took the sopping boy from his arms, wondering for a brief moment why the boy was so soggy. He brought the boy into the castle, closely followed by Hijiri, who was dripping as well.

Hisoka was beginning to come around slowly, his whispers barely understandable. "Muraki....attacked me...it was...his knights!"

The knight brought him before the king. "Majesty!!" he cried, "the prince has come under attack!!!" The king's head lifted in alarm only to become more alarmed when he saw that his son and the boy who was suppost wo guard him were both sopping wet. "What happened here!?!" he demanded of the stableboy.

Hisoka finally opened his eyes and rested his head on the knight's shoulder. "Muraki has sent his knights to kill me. We were standing by the river. Hijiri pushed me out of the way of the arrow but I lost my balance and fell in."

The king drew back angrily. "Give me proof!" he commanded. Hijiri stepped forward and placed the arrow on the table. The king snatched it up and stared at it. "It's certainly one of Muraki's," he said, "I've seen many of these before. Call Watari!!" There was a voice from behind the door. "No need for that, Majesty," Watari said, "I'm already here." He walked up and examined the arrow. The king waved at Hijiri, who moved to exit the room.

Hisoka wormed out of the mans arms and grabbed his hand, staring into his eyes. "Don't go!"

Hijiri stared at him, then nodded. The king didn't like this at all, but he didn't argue. Watari was looking at the tipo the arrow. "It's been poisoned," he said.

Hisoka spun around to face him. "poisoned?! His heart began to race again as wide emerald eyes stared at the arrow. "It barely missed me! If Hijiri hadn't pushed me out of the way..." With a soft moan he suddenly fell as his eyes slid closed."

Hijiri caught him. "Highness?" he looked at the king. "He needs to rest," he said, "he's bee through quite a bit in the past 2 hours." The king nodded and the knight lifted Hisoka, ready to take him away.

In his sleep he reached out to the brunet but didn't wake.

Hijiri wanted so badly to follow, but th look he got from the king told him to run off back to he stables where he belonged, which was what he did.

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Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

Hisoka lay in his own bed the next morning, the sun shining brightly in through the curtains around is bed.

He moaned softly and rubbed at his eyes. Sitting up he looked around in confusuion...and disappointed that Hijiri wasn't there, though he knew he couldn't be. he had to remind himself that though he felt he was in love with the boy, he was a prince and betrothed to Lady Kazusa. He sighed deeply. how he wished he was comon.

A maid walked into the room. "Good morning, highness," she said, "beautiful day today.... I imagine you'll wish to go riding again?"

His heart leapt and he nodded.
"Right away. As soon as I eat."

The woman smiled. "You're so good with animals, highness," she said, "but since you're going riding so early, I'll bring your clothes.... shall I ready your breakfast in the kitchen or bring it to you here as I usually do?"

He smiled. "I'd like to take breakfast in the kitchen from now on. And yes, please set out my clothes."

The woman raised an eyebrow, thinking that this was odd, but didn't argue. "Who is that young man you went riding with yesterday?" she asked as she fluffed the curtains lightly to clear them of dust and opened the windows, "I've heard he is to be your new riding partner?"

He nodded, blushing slightly. "Twice he's saved my life. I think he's worthy of keeping around."

The woman smiled, acting as though she didn't see the blush. "Too bad though," she said, "I think he's adorable as they come, but I hear he's taken..." she paused, "... not that you're interested in such girlish gossip," she waved her hand, slightly embarassed.

His blush deepened and his heart broke. "By who?"

The woman thought for a moment. "Lady Saya of the court from the Northern Snows, though I honestly thought she was Fay. She's never seen without that other one..... Lady Yuma..."

Hisoka snickered and shook his head. "Tis a rumer. Saya and Yuma are in love with each other. I caught them kissing secretly in the cherry orchard at the ball last year." His hopes rose again.

"You did, Highness? That must've been a sight..." she smiled, "that means he's still free for the taking...." she pused, then bowed, "I"ll go ready your things, highness." And with that, she hurried away.

Hisoka sat there for a moment, blushing like mad. Then he sighed and stood. Part of the reason he was blushing was because he was hoping she didn't look at the covers. He'd been dreaming some interesting dreams and was standing like a flag pole. Quietly he slinked into the bathroom to rid himself of it before she came back.

Down in the stables Hijiri had been hard at work for the past few hours, cleaning horses and stalls. He was dreaming about riding with the prince again, but he knew the king didn't like him and he had the feeling that the prince would be assigned another riding partner becasue of his incompitence. He was already mourning the broken heart he would face when he was told, being oddly silent and distant that morning.

Hisoka finished and cleaned up, heading down for breakfast and watching the boy out the window. When he was done he dashed to the brunet. "We'll be riding early today, get ready." and he dashed off back to his room to ready himself.

Hijiri paused and watched the boy run away, surprised to see that he was as excited as ever to go riding. He grinned and handed his rake to a fellow stallcleaner, heading off to clean up for the prince.

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They were back at the cave again very soon. "Hisoka?" Hijiri began, thinking.

The blond's heart flew at the sound of his name but he squelched any excitement in his voice. "Yes? You seem to be thinking. Is everything okay?"

Hijiri nodded. "I"ve been wondering," he said, "why did you pick me?"

He blushed deeply and shook his head. "I guess I don't really know. Why do you ask? Do you not wish to be my partner anymore?"

Hijiri shook his head until it seemed ready to fall off. "Not at all," he said, "I enjoy myself greatly, but.... it just seems you've singled me out and I've never done anything to deserve it. I'm nothing special." He blushed slightly as well.

He wanted to tell the brunet the truth. That he had a bad crush on him, and that was why. Instead he was silent and looked away.

Hijiri brushed his hair fro his face as he moved to assist Hisoka over some particularly rough ground. "Not that I'm really entitled to be questioning you. I'm just cur-" he slipped, falling against Hisoka, the prince caught between him and the rock face. His eyes were wide as he realized that their mouths were pressed together.

Hisoka's eyes widened as well. he was frozen, unsure what to do. He realized this wasn't a real kiss, but it was pretty close. Suddenly he had an idea. He closed his eyes and went limp, pretending to have fainted. Would Hijiri kiss him again for real this time in his 'sleep'?

Hijiri held him up by his weist, leaning the prince's head genty on his shoulder. "Dammit.... oh gods.... what did I do now...? So much for that horse....." He knelt down, leaning the prince against his knee and genty tapping his face. "Oh, please wake up... please...." He sighed, looking over the prince. His own lips against Hisoka's had felt good, but he couldn't just take advantage of the boy... the prince!! His lips quivered slightly with his indecision, continuing to quiver even as they touched Hisoka's, eyes closing as though he thought he was about to be struck down by lightning.

He sighed softly. That felt good. He didn't want Hijiri to stop. He opened his eyes slowly but didn't say anything.

Hijiri pulled away from the prince, opening his eyes as well. He gasped. "I... I'm sorry.... I... I mean.. I couldn't... well..." He sat the prince back against the rock, moving away and bowing, his forehead touching the dirt. "I'm so so sorry!"

Hisoka's eyes gleamed. "So the rumers are true?" There was a smile on his lips as he pulled the boy up. "Do you like me Hijiri?"

Hijiri was startled at the smile and nodded slightly, face quite red. "Very much, highness," he said. He didn't know what to make of that smile.

Hisoka sighed contentedly. "Then kiss me again if you mean it that way."

Hijiri's eyes widened. He was getting permission to do what he'd never thought he'd be able to do!! He quivered slightly with the thought of the prince liking him bak, then leaned forward a bit to touch his lips to the blond's again. His eyes closed easily this time, enjoying the feel.

Hisoka leaned back, pulling him closer. he wanted to feel his body pressed tightly between the rock and Hijiri's warm body. His arms reached around Hijiri's waist and he moaned softly.

Hijiri did as was wished of him, one hand on Hisoka's face and the other on his hip, his muscular body pressing against that of the prince. The blond's moan made him tingle and he deepened the kiss a bit, sucking on that soft as silk bottom lip.

Hisoka enjoyed this, reveling in it. He held close to Hijiri, never wanting this to stop but alas he had to break away for air. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest in a way he hadn't in so many years. After his last boyfriend he wasn't sure he could feel that way again but Hijiri seemed to be very trustworthy. "You're...good at that." He smiled softly. "

The brunet's face was flushed. He gave a slight laugh. "Funny," he said, "I was never good at it before.... maybe you just bring it out of me.... um.... what were we doing?"

Hisoka chuckled softly. "Getting away from my stuffy room and always moody father. And to tell you the truth... I singled you out because I've had a crush on you for a long time now and you saving me just gave me a reason to talk to you finally. Let's continue shall we? I brought lanterns. I want to check out that cave behind the waterfall."

Hijiri blushed. "You have a crush on me!?!?!?!?!?" he said in surprise, heading for the waterfall.

Hisoka blushed even harder at this. "Well...um...since I saw you...um...I don't know. The way you were taking such good care of my favorite horse and... the sunlight in your hair. It was like a painting."

Hijiri looked at his hair as it fell in front of his eyes. It didn't seem very special to him. He shook it out of his face and decided to drop the subect. "Have you ever ben in this cave before?" he asked.

Hisoka shook his head. "I wanted to wait until I could find someone I trusted to go with. I'd get scared by myself."

"I'm glad you know you can trust me, Hisoka," he said, smiling at the prince as they got nearer.

Hisoka frowned. "You don't seem like the others...you have a knights soul and a kings heart."

Hijiri blushed greatly at this. "I... um... thank you... but... others?"

Hisoka looked into his eyes. "I'm trusting you on blind faith. You don't feel like them so I'm praying you're not like them... I've been in a few...situations before with my first two boyfriends..."

Hijiri winced at the tone. He wanted to ask, but he had the feeling that he didn't want to know. "I can guarentee you that your trust is not in vain," he said.

He smiled sadly. "I'm glad to hear that." He turned to look at the cave. "Let's get started. I also brought about fifty feet of buthers twine so we don't get totally lost."

Hijiri nodded. "Okay," he said, "we should tie it to something... a branch or rock so it'll stay in place."

Hisoka nodded and found the closest tree, tying it around that and heading into the darkness. He turned on his lantern and waited for Hijiri.

Hijiri followed, curious to see what was in this cave. He decided to stay close to the prince, seeing as he seemed to get spooked pretty easily.

Hisoka shined the light around for a moment before heading forward again. Just ahead they began to see crystals growing from the walls. As they walked they got bigger and bigger until finally the small path opened up into a huge room full of gigantic crystals jutting from the cieling as well as the walls but the floor was clean and smooth. "I think I found my new home."

Hijiri stared around in awe. "WOOOOOWWW!!!" he said in surprise, "look at all of these rocks!!! They're so.... shiney!!! I mean... they make the light go.... woosh!!" He motioned wih his arms. Apparently he'd never seen these kinds of rocks before.

Hisoka began to chuckle but that soon turned into a laughing fit. "They're called crystals."

Hijiri repeated the word. "Crystals," he said, "wow... they're... beautiful."

Hisoka nodded. "Watch this." He took Hijiri's lantern and set it beneath one of the long shafts. The entire thing lit up like a candle. He then rested his own beneath a different one. "If we had enough we could light this entire room."

Hijiri's eyes wideed impossibly. "How'd you do that?" he asked.

Hisoka smiled sadly. "My mother...gave me a small trinket with crystals inside. She used it as a night light for me when I was small."

Hijiri was surprised at this. "Can I see it sometime?" he asked, delighted.

Hisoka frowned. "I lost it in the water when I fell in. I had to drop it..."

Hijiri looked toward the mouth of the cave, then took off his riding cloak, tossing it to the side. "What does it look like?" he asked, reaching to take off his boots.

He looked confused. "A large silver ball. Why? it's too deep, you'll drown!"

Hijiri shook his head. "I won't drown," he said, "I'm good at swimming." His shirt hit the floor of the cave.

Hisoka frowned. He wanted it back, but he didn't want his new found love to die trying to get it and he wasn't at all sure he would be able to dive so deep. "be careful. if you lose your breath come back up."

Hijiri nodded. "I promise," he said, and hurried to the mouth of the cave.

Hisoka followed him, watching closely, hoping he'd return with his trinket...and alive.

Hijiri leaped off of the rocks and hit the water with barely a splash, going underquickly. He swam for the bottom of the lake as hard as he could.

Hisoka subconsciously held his breath as he watched the figure grow smaller under the shining waters.

Hijiri searched the bottom for a minute or so before he found it, grabbing it and flipping over to press himself toward the surface.

Hisoka was getting dizzy, still unaware he was holding his breath, waiting for the boy to surface. He'd lost sight of him behind some rocks and was growing ever worried.

Hijiri hurried to the surface, having expended all of his air and now lettin it out slowly in smal bubbles. He clutched the trinket, reaching the surface ith a gasp as he splashed about, rather surprised at that air had been so close.

Hisoka gasped as well, reaching a hand out to help him up. "You were gone so long! You scared me! Are you okay?!"

Instead of holding out his hand to the boy, he held out the trinket. "I've got it!!" he cried, "I got it for you!"

Hisoka's eyes lit up and he took it from him. "Thank you so much! I thought I'd lost it forever!" He pressed something on the side and it opened, water gushing from it. "I hope it still works."

Hijiri climbed from the water, shaking himself off like a shaggy dog, water drizzling the surrounding area.

Hisoka chuckled softly and stepped back so he wouldn't get hit. "We'll head back just after dark if that's okay. I want to show you why i usually stay out so late."

Hijiri smiled. "Okay," he said, "what do you do with it?"

Hisoka smiled. "Just the way the lanterns work in there, but more precicely. At dusk the last rays of light catch around in the bottom and light the crystals from the inside." He showed Hijiri that the inside was very mirror like.

Hijiri stared. "I feel like such commoner," he said, "you act lik it's nothing.... but it seems like magic to me."

Hisoka bllinked for a moment. "I guess it's because I grew up with an alchemist. He's my doctor too. He teaches me a lots of stuff."

Hijiri nodded. "I guess so..." he said, "I wish I wasn't like this...." he looked away.

Hisoka tilted his head, confused. "Like what?"

Hijiri shook his head and looked away. "I wish I wasn't so.... commoner," he said, "I'm hardly the perfect match for you.... since I'm from a completely different class and have absolutely no noble blood, I'm nowhere near worthy of you. I have practically no education and am not as clean as you are..... and you're betrothed.... to Lady Kazusa...." his final words had a sorrowful tone to them, his head turned to the cave wall farthest from Hisoka.

Hisoka's eyes filled with tears. "Does everyone have to remind me? We won't be married for another six years at least and she's only twelve right now. I'll have found a way out of it by then." He turned and left the cave, sitting beneath a tree and hiding his face in his knees.

Hijiri followed, not dressed due to the fact that his pants were still very wet and he didn't want them to get the rest of his clothes wet. He sat next to the prince. "I'm sorry," he said, "I....." he didn't know what to say. Then, "thre's a way out?"

Hisoka looked away. "It's difficult...but yes there is. If a knight proves him or herself worthy they may have my hand and the arrangment is forgotten. There's currently only one knight who's in love with me, and he's far from worthy on so many levels..." He shivered thinking about what he'd walked in on one night. He looked over at Hijiri with a start as he realized Hijiri's lower half wasn't covered. "Please find something to cover yourself with..." There was an urgancy in his voice as if he was afraid something was going to happen to him with Hijiri naked.

Hijiri didn't seem at all purturbed, but did as Hisoka asked heading backin the cave for his shirt and cloak. He put on the large tunic and kept the cloak around himself to keep himself hidden, then he went back to Hisoka's side. The way he acted suggested that t was normal for him to be without clothing in front of others, or at least in front of other men. "Who is this knight?" he asked, as though Hisoka's last words about covering up had never hppened.

Hisoka was silent for a moment. "His name is Masaki. The only other blond in the palace. He has desturbing habits..."

The brunet was surprised. "I've cleaned his horse before," he said, "he is quite strange.... caught him in the hayloft once....." he trailed off, looking at the water to the side.

Hisoka looked surprised. "What was he doing?"

Hijiri winced slightly at the memory. "Enjoying himself," his only words.

Hisoka sighed. "That's what I thought..." He looked into the water. "When I caught him...he was whispering my name..." He seemed distraught by this. "I guess that's one of the reasons I have a problem with men being naked around me..."

Hijiri's head snapped up at this. "I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't even think about it... It's never been a problem before because around the commoners... the men, I mean, I'm just another guy and I've been swimming with others so many times.... I'm so sorry."

Hisoka shivered. "At least you're not...well...that's a totally different story I shouldn't get into right now. Under normal circumstances I probably would understand that but things have happened..."

"Hisoka," Hijiri said, "I wish I could help you, but whatever it is that has you under wrps is making me uneasy..... I'm so sorry....."

He looked up into Hijiri's eyes. "Do you know what it's like to have sex with someone who you neither like, nor want to? And please don't tell me it's my fault because it really wasn't..."

Hijiri's eyes widened for a moment. "You mean---" he paused, then shook his head. "No!" he said, "something like that is never your fault, Highness!! Who did it!? Was it Masaki!? I don't care if he's a knight!! This time I'll tear him a new bellybutton!!! Nobody will ever hurt you again!!! I'll make sure of it!!"

Hisoka blinked for a moment but shook his head. "They were put to death for different reasons...They're dead now. But i'm very nervouse around Masaki because of that."

Hijiri still looked angry. "THEY!?!?!?!?!?" he cried, "this happened more tan once!? AND THEY WEREN'T PUT TO DEATH FOR IT!?!?!?!?"

Hisoka was becoming a little scared at Hijiri's raised voice but he answered anyway. "If I told my father that they'd done that, I'd also then have to tell him how I got into the situation to begin with and that is that I was dating them. I was thirteen the first time and a year later the second. They were both several years older than me, and knights themselves." He looked away. "So you see... I like you the way you are. There's not an immediate lust coming off you like they had... I trust you."

Hijiri sighed and visually relaxed, though most of his muscles were still tense. "I'm glad you trust me," he said, "I wish I was a knight... I'd get you out of that situation with Lady Kazusa.... of you wanted me to."

Hisoka was silent for a moment. "You can...if you really want it. With a horse you qualify to train. With hard work and lots of practice in a few months you could become a knight. But to win my hand you must first prove yourself and that's not as easy as it sounds. Even for one like yourself who's heart is pure."

Hijiri grinned at him. "Aparently you don't know me very well," he said, "life is never easy, but it is what you mak of it, and I always planned on something big. Now that I know what that something is, it's that much easier to reach, but that much harder to endure. If it is what ou wish, I will gladly fight for your hand and heart. You have already won mine, should you ask for it"

Hisoka sighed deeply. "We'll see if I can get over my past. And if you can stand me. I'm very needy sometimes."

Hijiri blushed slightly. "I hope you can stand me," he said, "I tend tobe a hopeless romantic when it comes to relationships."

Hisoka smiled. "I can't be romantic but I love affectionate attentions. I think it was misinterperated with the last two. I guess before I decide that we are dating... I have to tell you that I probably won't sleep with you for a while. I've never done it willingly and I need to make sure you're not going to take off."

Hijiri nodded. "I understand," he said, "just like there are things about you I don't know, there are things about me you don't know.... I know how you feel and wnt you to know that I'll never force you into anything. I just want you to be happy. And about the affectionate attentions....." he lifted Hisoka's hands to his lips gently, "I can give you all the attention you'd ever need without sex." He brushed his lips ever so lightly over those soft fingers, then let Hisoka place his hnd back on his lap. "I shall return once I've reclothed myself, perhapse my pants are a bit dryer now." He stood and hurried off, still holding his cloak around himself.

Hisoka smiled to himself as he watched Hijiri walk off. He felt lucky now. Hijiri seemed to be the perfect gentleman. He closed his eyes with a contented sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

The next day, at the castle, Hijiri was cleaning Hisoka's horse and dreaming of the boy. Maybe they would be able to go riding later that day? He had too many ideas for his own good. At the moment he was planning a small surprise, but it would take some work to get it accomplished... and lots of begging to Lady Rika...

Hisoka decided to ride closer to sunset that day as he had an important meeting with his father that afternoon. He decided to head down to see Hijiri and tell him what his plans were for the day so Hijiri would know when to be ready.

Hijiri grinned as he spotted the prince, but immedietly his face went back to passive as he saw Masaki enter the stables as well. In fact, he was dead serious. He bowed to the prince, very formally. "Good morning, Your Highness," he said as he bowed low.

Hisoka bit his lip and nodded slightly. "I just came to tell you we'll be riding around four this afternoon. I have a meeting around lunch time." He simply gave Masaki a glance then turned to go back in.

Hijiri stood at ready, watching as the prince almost got to the stable doors, but was stopped by the knight. "Your Highness," he said, drpping to one knee and taking the boy's hand to kiss his fingers as a humble knight might, "it has been so long since I've been able to stop and talk to you..." he had knelt so close that his fact was barely a foot from Hisoka's groin. Hijiri felt his skin bristle in anger.

Hisoka stepped back, pulling his hand away. "I've been very busy. My birthday is in three weeks and I've been prepareing for several months. And with this new threat on my life by Muraki's knights I doubt I'll have much free time. I'm sorry... I really must go." And again he began to walk out.

And once again he was stopped. "Can't I at least invite you to tea, Highness?" he asked, once again moving too close for comfort. It was the hardest thing to do for Hijiri to keep his mouth shut. The man placed himself squarely between the prince and the door, his wide and muscular body blocking he way efficiently. "There's so much I wish to speak to you about, Highness..."

Hisoka stepped back again. "If you'd care to explain to my father why I'm going to be late by all means." His tone was sharp but fear was beginning to show.

The man grinned slightly, as though he saw the fear clear as day. "Prince...I know there's something you want.... something that I can offer you. You want it badly, more than anything else."

Hisoka stepped further back. "I don't know what you're talking about. you're just a knight...how could you offer me anything?" His voice was beginning to tremble. There was that feeling of lust again.

Hijiri was grinding his teeth together. Surely the man knew that if he touched Hisoka he'd be hanged, right? The knight leaned in close to Hisoka's ear, cornering him against the wall. "I can make it so you don't have to marry Lady Kazusa.... you don't hate her, but it's obvious that you're not elated about the arraged wedding. I can put a stop to that for you.... all you have to do is agree to take my hand as my spouse."

Hisoka stared blankly for a moment. "I don't love you either. A loveless marage is still a loveless marrage, to a princess or a knight."

The knight grinned. "True," he said, "but I know things..... things you don't want told...." There was a threat in his voice.

His eyes widened for a moment but then he shook his head. "I don't know what you think you know but if another knight were to walk in right now they'd haul you off and I wouldn't stop them. Besides... I know things about you I'm sure you don't want told." He was trying to keep a strong voice but his body was shaking.

The knight. "Oh?" he said, "and what could be as bad as my knowledge of your infatution with a stableboy? You two, riding off together, alone... and gone for so long.... then he comes back with wet pants? Why'd he have to clean them? Were they dirty?" He stared at the prince. "I don't see how they miss these things... they're obvious as day..."

Hisoka smacked him. "He went into the water to retrieve something I'd dropped. And the place ride to is quite far away! How dare you accuse me of letting myself be used like that! You don't know anything! Now get out of my face before I tell my father about how you pleasure yourself to thoughts of me!"

Hijiri froze for a second, watching to see what would happen. The knight glared at the prince for a moment before hurrying out of the stables, slamming the door shut behind him. Since there was nobody else there, Hijiri made his way quickly to the blond's side. "Hisoka?" he said, "are you alright?" He offored strong arms to help Hisoka hold himself up.

Suddenly the adrenalin was gone and he couldn't stop shaking. He leaned into Hijiri. "I feel so dizzy. For a moment I thought he meant he knew about them and what they did to me. He knows he has no proof about us. He underestimates me." He closed his eyes. "Why won't... everything stop spinning?"

Hijiri's arms were stretched out to hold him up. "Calm down," he murmured, "breath slowly.... it'll be okay... he knows too much for his own good.... not just about you.... but about myself as well.... we'll have to be ready for him.... Oh Hisoka.... you're burning up!!"

He sighed softly. "I don't feel very good suddenly. Maybe I caught something when I fell in." He took in a slow deep breath but that didn't seem to help.

Hijiri's eyes were greatly conerned. "Hisoka.... you should lie down.... you're white as a sheet."

He shivered. "Yes..." his voice was a whisper, "rest..." suddenly he fell limp against Hijiri, breathing and heart finally setteling.

Hijiri clutched the boy. "I didn't mean right here.... oh gods.... what now? I've got to get help!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later, Hisoka lay in his bed, a maid humming by his side once again.

He moaned softly and pushed the blanket away. "So...hot..."

The woman looked at him, revealing herself to be Lady Rika. "Ah, you're awake... but... you shouldn't do that, young master, you'll make yourself sicker..... oh dear... " she moved closer and felt his forehead again.

His breath was weezy and he shook his head. "Please leave them off. I'm so hot." He couldn't open his eyes. "What's wrong with me?"

She shook her head. "Not sure, Majesty," she said, "Master Watari is still doing tests. You've been out for three days...."

He was startled by this. "Three days?!" He whimpered. "I don't even have the strength to move."

The woman nodded. "We've been orcefeeding you, but all you've kept down is water.... that's porbably why... try this..." she lifted him a bit and held a bowl to his lips.

Hisoka drank it slowly but started to feel sick and pushed it away. "Water." His voice sounded scared.

Lady rika pulled the bowl away and brought to is lips instead a goblet of clear water.

That made him feel better and he managed to open his eyes a bit. "Vision's blurry..." He looked over at her. "The last thing I remember is fainting in the stables. How did I get here?"

The woman looked out the window. "That young stableboy ran into the castle. He was carrying you and saying that something was wrong. When they took you away from his, he nearly followed. I think he forgot in his worry for you that he wasn't allowed inside the castle. He was thrown out again, but he's come to me in the kitchen every day, asking how you were and begging for updates on your condition..." she paused, then turned to him, holding something from the breakfast tray. "He asked me to give you this," she held out a rose.

Hisoka smiled softly. "That was very generous of him. When you talk to him tell him I thank him and that we'll go riding again soon. But is there any chance I could have you sneak him up to see me? I do so like him and he's saved my life twice." His eyes were pleading.

Lady Rika smiled knowingly and nodded. "I'll see what I can do," she said, "now close your eyes. It won't do to have you straining them." She touched his forehead gently, then placed a damp cloth on it.

He sighed happily and closed his eyes, clutching the rose. "You're good to me."

She smiled. "Hush," she said, "I'll be right back." And there was the sound of the door opening and closing. Within moments she was back, another pair of footsteps with her. There was a paise, and one set hurried to Hisoka's side. "Highness?" he asked.

Hisoka opened his eyes and sat up. "Hijiri?!" He smiled softly. "Thank you so much for the rose! It's beautiful and smells so sweet!." Automatically he felt better and without thinking about Rika and he dragged the boy down to sit on the bed and hugged him.

Hijiri hugged him back. "I've been so worried about you," he said, "are you sure you feel well enough to be sitting up? After three days.... I mean.... you've cooled down a bit, but you still look really pale.... I mean..... and when Watari came up to do the check up I was so scared for you... I could barely breath..."

Hisoka's brows creased in confusion. "But Lady Rika said you were thrown out. You were with me?"

Hijiri looked at the woman, who curtsied with a smile. "I'll go make some tea," she said, then left the room. When the door was closed, Hijiri chuckled. "I was thrown out," he said, "but she snuck me up here. I think it's because I was driving her crazy." He scratched the backk od his head sheepishly.

He looked into the large matching eyes with a smile. "Kiss me while we're alone?"

Hijiri hesitated. "Are you sure you're well enough? I mean.... you're still quite warm.... though I'm pretty sure Sir What's-His-Face had something to do with that." His face was one of anger and distaste.

Hisoka smiled softly. "I'm fine enough for a kiss. I've missed you. I'm glad your here. I just wish you could lay here and hold me all day."

"That," Hijiri said, giving Hisoka a small kiss on the chin, "would be heavenly. But I can't... not yet. For now, you'll have to settle with sitting together." His fingers traced along Hisoka's cheek and he leaned forward, tilting his head to the side as his lips grazed over Hisoka's.

Hisoka sighed, enjoying the tender moment while he could. "I know..." he whispered. "When I'm better we'll go to Terazuma to train you."

"Wow," Hijiri said, "me.... a knight... why doesn't it seem possible right now?"

Hisoka clung to him. "It has to be! You can't let him win my hand! You can't! Please try! I have no say in the matter, it's up to my father." There was dispair in his voice.

Hijiri held him close. "I didn't mean it that way it all," he said, "I just mean that I can't imagine myself as a knight at this point... I'll fight for your hand, with everything I have. I just can't see it yet." He blushed slightly.

Hisoka sighed and laid back. "I'm scared. That's the first time he's ever attacked me like that... I felt that same lust from him... like the others."

"I'm so sorry," Hijiri said, "I would have done something, but I'm not allowed to confront nobles about anything... he would have had permission to kill me..... and I can't do anything for you if I'm dead...." He looked away rather depressedly.

He shook his head. "I understand that. I know there was nothing you could do. I was just so scared. I was glad you were still there... he might have taken me right there had you not been."

Hijiri nodded, very displeased by this. "That dirtbag..." he grumbled, "a right spoiled noble.... one who doesn't care when others suffer. Not like you, Hisoka. You actually think about the emotions of the people around you."

Hisoka smiled softly and took Hijiri's hand. "It's because my mother spent all her free time with me. She taught me that it was most important to consider how others felt because I was going to be a king one day and my kingdom would fall into ruin if I didn't know what they wanted."

Hijiri smiled back at him. "I've never met yout mother," he said, "but I wish I could... she sounds so nice..."

He sighed deeply. "She died when I was ten." He closed his eyes. "It's been so hard without her. Especially since everyone tells me I look more and more like her everyday."

Hijiri tilted his head to the side. "She must have been very beautiful then..." he curled a strand of hair behind Hisoka's ear, staring into his eyes.

Hisoka smiled brightly at this. "There's a painting of her in the hall. It doesn't do her justice."

Hijiri chuckled and shook his head. "I don't think there's any artist that could do you justice." Again, his fingers traced lovingly through the blond's hair.

Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

He smiled softly, never letting go of Hijiri's hand, nor opening his eyes. "You're making me feel better. Please don't leave me anytime soon. If someone comes in I'll tell them that I sent for you."

Hijiri nodded. "I don't want to leave..." he murmured, "I want to spend all of my time with you.... perhapse give it to you in a colorful bottle with a ribbon bow."

Hisoka sighed. "When I'm better I want to go riding again. I can't wait to get there. We can stretch out together under the trees and take a nap, or just lay there and watch the clouds. Spring is finally here and it's warming up. The water will be nice and you can teach me to swim." He seemed about ready to fall asleep again but his temperature was slowly coming back to normal. Hijiri was like a miracle cure.

Hijiri smiled. "That all sounds wonderful," he said, "but I want to make sure that you're okay."

Hisoka nodded and yawned. "Is it okay if go back to sleep now? I'm very tired. If someone comes in, wake me so I can tell them to leave."

Hijiri nodded. "I will," he said, "you rest. You need it." He stood, stretching.

He clutched at Hijiri's cloak. "Hou said you wouldn't leave." He knew Hijiri couldn't hold him but he at least wanted to feel him somewhat. Even if he just sat beside the bed and held his hand.

Hijiri motioned to the chair to the side. "I figured I'd sit there," he said, then grabbed it, dragging it to the side of the bed.

Hisoka relaxed. "Hold my hand." He turned his head to the brunet but didn't open his eyes. "I feel like I'm getting cooler."

One of his hands took Hisoka's and the other touched his forehead. "I do believe you are," he said, looking over the blond. "You're not as pale anymore either."

Hisoka sighed happily and pulled Hijiri's fingers to his cheek. As they sat there silently for a few moments, Hisoka fell asleep again, holding Hijiri's hand to his cheek.

Hijiri smiled and watched him for a while until he nodded off himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gentle hands took Hisoka's shoulders. "Wake up, Highness," said the gentle voice of Lady Rika.

Hisoka woke with a start, feeling fully better again. "Where's Hijiri?"

The woman put her fingers to her lips, then pointed to the bed beside the prince where Hijiri was resting peacefully, his hand still clutching Hisoka's own.

He sat up slowly and looked down at him with a warm smile. "Has he been here all night? I feel a lot better today...and i'm hungry. was there something you woke me for?"

The woman nodded. "He's stayed there all night and asked me not to make him leave. He said that you were the first thing he wanted to see this morning. And yes... your father wishes to speak to you before you do any riding today."

Hisoka frowned. "What could he want? I'm glad he stayed. I asked him to wake me if anyone came in so I could tell them I sent for him. I started feeling better the second he entered the room."

The woman shook her head. "That's not what he wants to see you about," she said, "I made sure that nobody came in the room, so nobody knows that he spent the night here. But it's best if you get to your father's chambers as quickly as possible."

Hisoka looked confused. "His chambers? Not the meeting room?" He squeezed Hijiri's hand to wake him. "Hijiri..."

Hijiri's head lifted slowly. "Hisoka...?" he murmured, then winced at a crick in his neck.

He frowned. "I have to see my father now. Return to the stables and we'll go riding as soon as I'm done with my father. Is that okay?"

Hijiri stretched slowly, a series of cracks emitting from his spine. "You're the prince," he said, then leaned forward without a thought and kissed the boy's cheek, seeming to not care that Rika was there and then turned and headed for the door. "I'll be waiting, highness," he said.

Hisoka's eyes widened and he blushed horribly, not at all wanting to look at Rika. "That was...strange... " He spoke to Rika, Hijiri haveing left already. "I wonder why he did that..."

The woman made a face at him, seeing right through his act. "Oh gee," she said, "I wonder...." she patted him on the head, "get dressed, young master." And she headed out of the room.

Hisoka blushed even redder and locked his door behind her to change. He dressed quickly and headed for his fathers chambers. His blush faded just before he got there as he started to wonder what this could be about. The door was closed so he knocked.

"Enter," came his father's voice from the other side, speaking in a low tone. The man was sitting at a table near his own window, overlooking the mountains.

Hisoka stepped in. "You wished to see me Father? I'm feeling better today. Did Watari find out what was wrong?"

The man shook his head. "He's still looking into it," the man said, then motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit with me, my son."

Hisoka stepped lightly across the room and sat down. "Did I do something wrong? Am I in trouble?"

The king shook his head, then looked at his son for a moment. "Do you know why I wear this mask?" he asked.

Hisoka looked down. "Because you grieved for my mother and that made you a weak person and so you hid your face so that no one would know you're still greiving? You told me that once before."

The man nodded. "I'm glad you remember," he said, "do you ever want to wear a mask like this? Or would you rather stay as you are now?"

Hisoka shook his head. "I would never want to wear that. I want my people to see my emotions. Good or bad. You should know this."

Again, there was a nod. "Have you found it then?" he asked, "the one thing that might make you wish to wear a mask if you ever lost it?"

He wasn't sure how to answer this. "I don't believe there is anything."

"There is nothing you would mourn?" the king asked, "there is nothing that you could lose that would make you wish to end your life...?" The king was speaking very slowly, challenging Hisoka to think hard about this.

"To take mylife? perhaps...but not to hide myself. I'm just not that kind of person." He was growing angry with this, why could his father not understand that he looked weaker hiding behind magic than he did weeping for a woman dead more than six years?

The man stared for a moment. "You are truly stronger than me, my son," he said, reaching up and taking the mask into his hand. "But the point is... you have something you care about more than life itself, do you not?"

Hisoka nodded. "Only rescently have I made that deciosion. Why do you ask all of this?"

"I am quite aware of your displeasure of an arranged marriage to Lady Kazusa," the king said, "and that many are working hard in hopes of capturing your hand and taking it away from her."

Hisoka wasn't liking the sound of this already. "I know of only one and surely he is not worthy."

The king raised an eyebrow at his son. "Oh?" he said, "I am told you accepted."

His eyes widened and he stood. "NEVER! Not only is he not worthy of even looking at me, he's perverted!"

The king seemed extremely surprised at this. "I see," he said, "so you fainted yesterday in the stables... though not due to the fact that he proposed to you?"

He shook his head. "He didn't propose to me he threatened me! He concocted some story about how I'm whoreing myself to the stableboy and tried to say he'd tell people if I refused!"

The king's eyes widened suddenly and he stood, hands slamming onto the table just before hr crippled to the floor, out cold. A hand wrapped around Hisoka's mouth tightly, bruisingly even. "You dare to defy me?" came the voice of Masaki in his ear.

Hisoka screamed and pulled at the hand, struggling against the grip. His heart was racing.

"Bad enough your father didn't believe me about our loveaffair... then the stableboy was there so I couldn't take you there either.... you will give me your body and kingdom!!" He ordered.

His eyes widened shaking his head as much as he could. He was growing dizzy fast, screaming for help though it wasn't much use. He clawed at the hand, nails digging painfully into his skin.

With an angry cry, the man threw the boy against the wall roughly, then turned and threw him back onto the bed, holding him down by his throat. "You. Will. Be. Mine."

He gave one last scream for Terazuma which wasn't very loud, and spoke in a raspy voice. "I will...be no ones!" But even has he spoke these words his vision began to fade and soon he went completely limp.

The man tore the front of Hisoka's shirt, but wasn't able to get very far as the door burst in, Hijiri charging at the man with a cry. He grabbed the back of the man's neck, pulling him away from the prince. Masaki let out a yell and turned around, grabbing the boy by the arm and throwing him against the wall. He hit and the man was on him, holding him back by his throat. "Little commoner!! Hoe dare you come between a noble and his prize!!!!" He struck the boy, who barely reacted. He thrust his palm forward against the man's chest and forced him back by thumping hard against the center of his ribcage. The man backhanded him now. He backed closer to Hisoka. Hijiri grimaced at him.

"Get away from him!!" he ordered. The man grinned. "The prince is all you care about, huh?" He reached over and lifted the blond by his torn shirt, kicking the window open. Glass fell down the castle walls to hit the deep water of a castle oasis and splashed only slightly. Hijiri's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare!!" he said. There was another smirk. "Wouldn't I?" He said, then tossed the prince out the window like a rag doll.

Hijiri tried to run for the prince, but the knight was in the way. He wouldn't let the boy pass. He grabbed the boy by the throat and squeezed. "You will die and meet him in the afterlife!!! Hijiri couldn't see for a moment, his heart racing too fast ans the hand around his throat cutting off his air. He began to panic. He couldn't let anything happen to Hisoka. Without thought, just as a knight entered the room, Hijiri grabbed Masaki's sword and embeded it deep into the man's torsoe. He stared for only a moment as he was dropped, but then ran for the window, jumping into the water below to safe Hisoka.

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Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

There was a lot of noise around the boy and Rika's voice was distinctivly being heard. "Please! He must rest!!! Don't take him away... please.... he needs im to be here!!!" And Hijiri's voice. "Hisoka!!! Please!!! He's so cold!! Do something!!! Hisoka!!!"

Hisoka was startled awake by the noise and sat up, staring at the two knights. "Let him go! I command you to leave!"

Hijiri stared at him for a moment, then broke free from the knight who was pulling him out the door, moving immedietly to Hisoka's side. "Are you okay, Highness?" he asked, "please tell me you're okay." He was kneeling at the blond's bedside, elbows on the sheets.

Hisoka touched his throat, the skin around it very sore. He then looked at the knights. "Did you catch him? Is my father alright? Make use of yourselves!"

One knight stepped forward and bowed. This wasn't one of the knighs who'd been trying to remove Hijiri from the room. "Your Highness," he said, "your father is resting peacefully at the time and I can guarentee that Masaki won't bother you anymore."[color]

[color=green]Hisoka breathed deeply, closing his eyes. "I won't be settled until he's hung." He looked at Hijiri for a moment. "Further more I want him to have a room in this hall. The one next to mine will do. He wishes to become a knight and surely after saving my life three times he now has favor in your eyes. Go and have the maids ready the room."

The other knights hurried away and Rika rushed off to go find maids whom she trusted to work with the room beside Hisoka's. When the door closed, Terazuma was still bowing before the prince. "Highness," he said, "there is something you don't understand."

Hisoka looked up at him. "What's that? I trust Hijiri. Surely you can see his value. He has no formal training and yet he's fended off two of Muraki's knights and one of our own and saved me from drowning. You'll train him won't you?"

The man blinked at the prince for a moment. "Of course," he said, "I see it and will certainly train him if you will it so. But that's not what I was talking about."

Hisoka was confused. "What is it about than?"

Terazuma looked him in the eye. "Masaki is dead, highness," he said.

Hisoka's eyes widened for a moment. "Did he put up that much of a fight? I don't understand, I thought he would have cooperated. He knew fully his punishment before he did this." He looked down. " Not that I can say I'm unhappy with this result..."

"Hijiri killed him...." Terazuma said, "with the man's own sword. A commoner killed a knight with his own sword.... surely you know the punishment for this."

Hisoka shook his head. "Oh gods! Surely my father will make an exception to this. I have to talk to him immediately!" He stood but the room began to spin and he fell back onto the bed, panting. He looked up at Tera. "If you exicute him I'll kill myself because I cannot live with myself knowing I could do nothing to save the man who saved my life without want of reward." There was a despair in his eyes. "Send for my father immediately."

Terazuma shook his head. "He doesn't know," he said.

Hisoka stared at him. "What then is the point of you saying this? If he doesn't know there should be no problem. He was defending me. He has merit and I'm sure he was defending himself as well." He was beginning to shake and pulled the covers over him. "Why am I wet?"

"I told the king that it was me," Terazuma said, "I remember what happened the last time you lost a riding partner...." He looked away from the prince.

Hisoka felt tears come to his eyes. "He was good to me. I miss him still." He looked up at Tera. "Thank you."

Hijiri looked between the two of them and then went and grabbed the clothes that Rika had laid out for the prince. "You should get dressed," he said, not sure what else to do, "you don't want to get sick again." The knight bowed again. "The king will wish to speak with me, so I must be off." He saluted.

Hisoka nodded and watched him leave, locking the door behind him. He took the clothes from Hijiri and walked into the bathroom. "I'll be out in a moment...please don't come in." He then disappeared, closing but not locking the door. He pulled off his wet clothes and examined himself in the mirror. Bruises were starting to form around his neck. He sighed and pulled on his pants then shirt and headed back out, leaning against the door frame. "Hijiri...what happened?"

Hijiri was still wearing the clothes he'd had before, his neck covered by the twisted fabric, which still seemed to be ruffled from fighting. "I'm not sure what happened beforehand, but something told me that I shouldn't ready the horses yet. I followed you and then I heard you screaming. I haven't the slightest Idea where the guards had gone. I think that guy had told them to leave. I ran in and found him on top of you. We struggled for a bit, the he threw you out the window."

His eyes widened. "Out...the window?" He moaned softly a slid to his knees, head beginning to spin. "Oh gods! If we weren't in my fathers room he would have killed me!"

Hijiri shook his head. "I think he only did it because I appeared," he said, "it's my fault he did that.... and that's why I had to kill him. He wouldn't let me pass to go help you.... if I didn't move fast we would have lost you... I'm sorry." He bowed his head.

Hisoka looked up at him, eyes terrified. "Don't appoligize... I just... I can't believe I almost died again..." He couldn't seem to move his legs and his body still trembled. "I'm glad you killed him."

Hijiri moved closer, pulling Hisoka close. "You're shaking like a leaf," he said, rubbing the boy's arms.

He leaned his head against Hijiri's shoulder. "I've locked my door. No one will come in. Please just lay with me for a little while. I feel so dizzy and I'm scared and cold." His voice was pleading.

"I will," Hijiri said, but winced slightly as Hisoka's head brushed his neck. "Ow.."

Hisoka looked up. "What did I do? I'm so sorry! Do you need to see Watari too?"

Hijiri chuckled slightly and shook his head. "You didn't do it," he said, "don't worry. Just some bruises." He sat Hisoka on the bed, sitting beside him. He tugged his collar up more and kissed the prince's cheek.

Hisoka frowned and revealed his own. "Watari has a cream that he makes which gets rid of them. If you have them too you should come with me to see Watari." He laid down. "But if you're okay at the moment I'd rather do it when I'm not so weak."

Hijiri smiled at him. "I've had worse," he said, laying down next to the boy, "you wouldn't have wanted to see me after I was kicked by a horse when I was younger...... that hurt."

Hisoka cringed. "Do you mind if I turn away from you? I feel safer with my back to something solid."

Hijiri kissed him. "I don't mind," he said, removing his hands from the boy so he could move.

Hisoka sighed contentedly as he pressed his back against Hijiri's strong, well built chest and pulled the brunet's arm around his waist, lacing his fingers with that of Hijiri's. He yawned softly. "I really need this. Thank you so much. I really feel like I can trust you."

"That's because you can," he said, "sleep now. You need it."

Hisoka lifted the fingers to his lips for a moment and began to drift off to sleep, his body finally stopping its shaking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Hijiri arose with the sun as he usually did, stretching at the side of the bed. That had to have been the most restful sleep he'd ever had. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the window for a long while.

Hisoka stirred feeling Hijiri leave from behind him. He sat up a little, blurry eyes opening to see Hijiri. "I thought you left. Is everything okay? What time is it?"

Hijiri turned, facing the boy and caressing his cheek. "Very early," he said, "you should go back to sleep. I have chores to do before we go riding later.... if you still want to that is."

He nodded. "I just want to get away from here. Wake me when we go."

Hijiri nodded. "I'll return when I'm finished," he said. Then he leaned down and kissed the prince gently. "I'll see you in a bit," he murmured, keeping his lips on Hisoka's.

Hisoka sighed happily and nodded, laying back down. "I think i'll go back to sleep." He closed his eyes again and quickly drifted back to sleep.

Hijiri went out of the room, making sure it was still locked, and headed outside. His first order of business was to feed and water the horses. But he was surprised to find that it was already done. He walked around the stables for a few moments before he met up with someone who surprised him.

"Sir Terazuma?" he said in surprise, just remembering to bow. The man waved his hand through the air.

"Just Terazuma," he said, "and don't bother bowing to me. Soon, we'll be on the same level anyways." Hijiri looked at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Terazuma fixed him with a critical eye, "The young prince tells me he wishes for you to be a knight. I am assuming you have accepted?" Hijiri nodded, speechless. "Well," the man said, "today is your first lesson."

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Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

Later, Hijiri was sweating greatly after his first lesson. Terazuma told him to go clean up and went to the prince, knowing he would want to go out riding with Hijiri as soon as possible. He didn't know if he'd be awake yet, but he nocked gently. "Highness?" he called through the door.

Hisoka was just finishing breakfast at the small table and his face lit up imediately. "Come in."

Terazuma entered the room. "Hello, young master," he said with a bow. "I hope you slept well."

He nodded. "Very well, thank you. I just finished breakfast. Is Hijiri ready to go riding?"

"Almost," the man said, "he's off cleaning up at the moment. And just so you know, I think he has the ability and drive to become a knight faster than any other student I've ever had."

Hisoka looked surprised at this and without thinking he spoke. "Do you think he'll be good enough to win my hand?"

Terazuma raised an eyebrow. "So that's your plan, huh?" he said.

He blushed madly but he couldn't think of an argument. "You won't tell will you? I really like him."

Terazuma shook his head. "I won't tell," he said, "your father's still having a fit about being lied to and if he's told about it, he may go into fits." It was hard to tell if he were joking or not. "For now, just be more careful about what you say and handle him with caution. He's a good boy, but we still don't know anything about him, such as his past or relatives."

Hisoka looked away. "I don't know why...but he has a noble soul. It matches yours. I don't know why...but I trust him implicitly."

Terazuma nodded. "He always does seem familiar whenever I meet him and he remindes me of someone I've met befre, though I don't know who." The man shook his head. "I shall lead you to the stables and you shall be in his charge from then on."

He nodded. "Thank you."

The man bowed his head and then turned and lead Hisoka from the room. When they got to the stables, they found Hijiri standing there in the dress of a castle squire. He looked at Terazuma. "I don't feel like I can accept these," he said to the man, "they're so.... clean... and new...."

Hisoka couldn't stop the smile. "You look so nice. You really deserve them." His heart was pounding in a way he'd never felt before. "Are you ready?"

Hijiri blushed, then bowed. "Thank you, and yes, I'm ready." Terazuma nodded at the boy, then saluted Hisoka, walking off to do whatever it was he did when he wasn't training future knights.

Hisoka waited until he was out of eye shot before he jumped forward, wrapping his arms around Hijiri. "I'm so happy today."

Hijiri chuckled and wrapped his arms around the boy's weist. "I"m glad," he said, "any new adventures planned for us today? Or do you want more swimming lessons?"

Hisoka shivered. "I think I'd like to stay out of the water for a while. I think I just want to snuggle."

Hijiri nodded. "That works," he said, "to the place then!" He pointed in the direction they would be going, trying to seem dramatic, but 'to the place' didn't seem to do much in the way of drama.

Hisoka chuckled softly. "Let's take one horse...it's safer I think. My white one."

Hijiri nodded and brought him inside to the horse, who was surprisingly already saddled. He doublechecked all the belts and sinches, tightening a few, then offered Hisoka a hand up.

Hisoka smiled and mounted the horse with the help of Hijiri. "I can't wait to have some really alone time."

Hijiri climbed onto the horse behind the prince. "Stressed out, huh?" he said, rubbing the prince's back for a moment before grabbing the reins from their place wrapped around the saddle horn.

He sighed. "you just don't know..."

The boy touched his shoulder one more time before the horse was bought to a gallop, the prince's body pressing back against the squire's with the force.

Hisoka didn't mind. He enjoyed the feel of Hijiri's arms holding him, though loosely. His eyes scanned the area as they went. He'd never ridden quickly like this before.

The horse jumped a fence and sped through a field. Then, Hijiri spotted something off to the side. "Hey," he said, slowing the horse, "do you see that?"

Hisoka was looking around but didn't see anything. "No."

Hijiri rode closer, unable to tell what it was at first. He stopped when they were only a few feet away, eyes widening. "Oh gods...." he murmured.

Hisoka's heart began to pound as he noticed what it was. His hand gripped Hijiri's. "Who...could it be?" He crossed himself."

Hijiri looked closer. "She's definitly noble," he said, "but I can't---" he stopped, a sharp intake of breath nearly choking him.[/quote]

Hisoka couldn't tell, too afraid to look at it directly. "Hijiri stop looking directly... the soul can become attatched. Who is it? can you tell? I'm scared!"

"L-Lady Kazusa," he murmured, almost out of breath.[/quote]

Hisoka's eyes widened. "Can...you tell how she died?" He made the mistake of looking more close to see blood soaking the grass around her body and the front of her dress. He screamed before falling limply back against Hijiri.

Hijiri gritted his teeth and thundered off back to the castle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hijiri had fallen asleep a Hisoka's bedside, grippin the blond's hand tightly. The sun ws high in the noontime sky, so none shone into the windows at all.

Hisoka took a strange breath as he began to wake and whimpered. "Blood...so much...blood."

Hijiri's head lifted slowlyand he brought the prince's hand to his lips. "It's okay," he whispered, "I'm here.... I won't let anything happen to you."

Tears came to his eyes. "She was...only twelve. Oh gods...who could do that to a child?!"

Hijiri clutched the boy's hand. "I know..." he said, "I know..." he kissed the prince's cheek. What else was there to say?

Hisoka sat up, clutching Hijiri around the waist as he burried his face in the boys shirt. He was sobbing incohearent words in complete hysterics.

Hijiri's arms wrapped lovingly and comfortingly around the prince. He had no idea what to say, so he simply held on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, the king called Hisoka back to his chambers, this time with knights at the door. Hijiri was sent out training with Terazuma and he barely had a chance to kiss Hisoka on the cheek before hurrying away.

Hisoka was nervous. "Did we have to do this in here? What's wrong with the meeting room?"

The king removed his mask once again, deep fron lines on his face. "The meeting room is being used at the moment," he said, "but I wish to talk to you about the future of this kingdom."

Hisoka sat across from him. "What do you mean? He was surprised to see his father. "There is only one knights hand I will accept... and he is currently in training."

The king raised an eyebrow. "Why have I heard nothing of this?" he asked.

Hisoka looked away. "It was more important for you not to know. But because of this I forsee trouble with more of our knights on top of the situation with Muraki. I trust this boy with my life and he's going to need to be around me. I can't constantly get into fights about him not being allowed near me. He's training hard with Tera and he's already well capable of protecting me."

The king frowned. "Does Terazuma approve of him?" he asked, "I have yet to see him fight, and his instincts don't seem that keen. That day Terazuma saved us both he had no idea what was going on. And he was there with you in the stables when Masaki claimed to confront you about marriage."

Hisoka looked away. "Tera... lied on my behalf. It was Hijiri who saved us. Tera didn't want Hijiri to be exicuted because at the time he hadn't started training. He killed Masaki... not Tera. As for the stables, he couldn't have done anything without being executed, your law that comoners may not touch coutiers would have put him to death had he done anything and Masaki never touched me. I assure you had he Hijiri would have acted." He cringed, knowing his father would not be happy.

The king stared at the prince for a moment. "Surely you jest," he said, "you truly believe that unblooded boy could kill a knight who has survived many battles?"

Hisoka's voice was becoming upset. "Tera told me and he doesn't lie. When Tera came in Hijiri had grabbed Masaki's sword and he watched Hijiri run him through. Dare you say that my mothers loyal protector lied? He would only lie under certain situations in which to save a life...which he did."

The king stared for a moment and then shook his head. "The boy killed a full blooded knight," he murmured.[/quote]

Hisoka sighed. "He has noble blood. I sense it." He looked down. "Please do not accept nor believe any proposals you get from anyone other than him."

The king looked at him. "That's rediculous," he said, "if I remember correctly, he was brought here from a farm of one of your mother's good friends. Maybe a son or something. But he had a gift with animals and so he's worked here since. He's no noble."

He shook his head. "I'm telling you. There's noble blood in his veins. We'll see in due time. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about? Hijiri and I are going riding again."

The king looked at him with a critical eye. "Do you really think I'll let you go riding with a boy whom you wish to be your king?" he demanded, "I have no idea what you two do out there and who knows what he'll do to you!?"

Hisoka growled. "Don't you dare start accuseing me! If you must know the truth we are dating but by no means are we having sex. He's agreed to wait until I'm ready! I've been with bad men who lust after me. I know the difference!"

The king's form seemed to grow in his fury. "Do not take that tone with me!!" he said, his voice getting deep with his anger, "I could forbid you from from going anywhere with anyone!!!!"

Tears came to his eyes. "I spent five years taking perfectly fine care of myself because you were too drunk to take care of me. What gives you the right to dictate my life? I know what can happen and I know that Hijiri isn't like that because it's happened twice before. How will I ever be able to rule this country if my own father treats me like a child! By your law I am a man. And yet you refuse to treat me so."

The kings eyes widened even more. "IT'S HAPPENED TO YOU BEFORE AND YOU STILL TRUST!?" The king threw his hands into the air with an aggrieved cry as he turned his back on the boy. "You are lost from my words. Go. Just go and do sa you wish."

Hisoka stood and spoke slowly. "I do not trust just anyone. And the fact that I do trust him should tell you something. I did not trust those men to begin with. They tricked me and then they raped me. They wanted my body. Hijiri loves me. He caters to my every wish. If i asked him to kill himself he would if it would make me happy. Does that not sound like what you thought of my mother?" Without giving him chance to answer he left.

The king sat heavily in his chair and reached for a bottle to the side as he felt another headache coming on.

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Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

Hijiri had their horse saddled and ready. He was already seated on it, staring out over the fields and toward the trees and turned when Hisoka exited the doorway.

Hisoka was in silent tears. His father obviously didn't care that he'd been traumatized and that hurt. The only reason it had happened was because he'd driven Hisoka into finding comfort from someone. He'd only found pain. He mounted the horse without even asking for Hijiri's help and took the reigns himself, pushing her into an immediate gallope. He spoke not a word. He just had to get away. As fast as he could.

Hijiri's arms wrapped around Hisoka's weist tightly in fear of falling off of the horse, but he didn't question the boy. If he wanted to get away from the palace this fast, something must have happened. He would ask the rince about it when they stopped. If he spoke now he'd likely bite his tongue.

They made it to the river in record time and he jumped off the horse running up the path without a second thought to Hijiri. When at last he reached the bank of the the spring and waterfal he fell to his knees, sobbing so hard that his body shook and his breath was painful. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" This is all he repeated again and again, slaming his fist against the rock until it was bloodied.

Hijiri rushed after him. "Hisoka!!!" he cried in surprise, "Hisoka, stop!!!" He grabbed the boy's hands and pulled them to himself, making the prince face him, "Hisoka.... tell me what happened..."

He looked into Hijiri's eyes. "I told him and he doesn't care! All he can come up with it questioning why I still trust you! He doesn't care!"

"Wait... what? You told him about the two knights?" Hijiri was rather dumfounded.

He burried his face in Hijiri's chest. "I told him everything! I was hoping to have his support! But instead he threatened to forbid me to going anywhere with you. He accused me of sleeping with you and then accused you of having the intent to rape me! I couldn't do anything else!"

Hijiri cradled the boy close. "Oh gods....." he kissed the top of Hisoka's head.

And the he pulled away as the doubt set in. "You wouldn't do that. You promised me you'd wait. I'm not wrong about you! I can't be! You love me!" But all the same he lay on the ground at Hijiri's knees, gasping painfully for breath as he clawed at the dirt beneath his fingers.

Hijiri began to panic and dropped the saddlebag he'd flung over his shoulder. "Hisoka," he said, "I do love you. I really do. I swear I'd do anything for you. Anything! Please calm down... you're scaring me.... Hisoka...." He clung to the boy, eyes wide with fear.

His eyes were dark as he began to calm his sobbing. "Tell me I'm right Hijiri. Tell me you wouldn't hurt me. Please. I just need to hear it." He didn't look at him and his body was as limp as if he'd fainted.

Hijiri shook his head. "I would never ever hurt you," he said, "I'd kill myself before I hurt you. I swear to you.... my life...."

He clung to the boy, tears soaking his shirt. "I should know my own life! I trust you! I have no reason not to!"

"Hisoka," Hijiri pleaded, "let me bandage you... you're bleeding badly."

Hisoka looked at him in confusion for a moment. "I hadn't noticed..." He held out the hand. "If you wish..."

Hijiri pulled Hisoka over to the water and gently dipped the boy's hand into it. Then he pulled bandaging out of the bag and began to gingerly wrap it around the boy's hand.

Hisoka watched detachedly, not feeling a thing. He was in a state of shocked despair. "It was my fault." He whispered softly, not really to Hijiri.

Hijiri paused for a moment. "What do you mean?" he asked, not sure if he really wanted to ask.

"What they did to me... I lead them on. I wanted comfort. I wanted to be held and kissed. I wanted them to love me... and they did... just in a different way. If I hadn't allowed myself to be alone with them it never would have happened. I'm a screw up..."

Hijiri's grip tightened slightly on Hisoka's hand. "That's not true, Hisoka. None of it's true...." He traced his fingers over Hisoka's cheek. "They had no right to do that to you, no matter what you think you did. And you're not a screw up. I've made similar mistakes. Don't think it's only you."

Hisoka closed his eyes. "It is. I'm...beautiful. Everyone wants to sleep with me. My own knights, half of them can't be trusted to be alone with me. And now that Kazusa is dead it'll be worse. So much worse. I don't want you to leave me."

"I'll never leave you, Hisoka," he said, "you can trust me to protect you to the best of my abilities forever and ever. I don't need a wedding to vow my eternal love for you and I swear that I am yours for as long as you want and neede me. I swear it to you......" he tied off the bandaging and then cupped Hisoka's face in his hands, rubbing his cheek against that of the prince.

Hisoka seemed numb. "I feel...so dirty. My own father didn't care. I don't understand. If it's not my fault than why did he not care? All he was concerned with was why I still trust. But I don't trust. Only you. You're special."

"He didn't care because he's an idiot drunkard of a king," Hijiri sounded angry, "he's too selfish to see what he's done to you... oh Hisoka..." he kissed the prince's forehead.

Hisoka was in tears again. "But he's my father. He's supposed to protect me. And love me. He doesn't." He burried his face into Hijiri's shirt again. "He hates me!"

Hijiri patted his back. "My father never bothered to even know me," he said, "it's all going to be okay, I promise.... just ask it of me and I'll give you all the love you could ever wish for. I have it in plenty.... I swear to you."

Hisoka looked up into his eyes. "Love me clean. Take away this feeling that i'm so wrong. Love me without making love to me. Touch me without touching places I don't even want you to see. I love you so much. Please make me feel right even if i'm not."

Hijiri pulled the bag over his shoulder, then lifted Hisoka from the ground, carrying him into the cave, a lamp swinging from his hand already. He set Hisoka on a rock once they reached the back of the cave and kissed him gently.

In the back of his mind Hisoka decided this was a test. if Hijiri hurt him he'd kill himself afterward. His father had put boubts into his head that he hated. He didn't want to believe them but he also feard that he was fooling himself. Slowly his arms came around Hijiri's waist, eyes shutting tight, praying Hijiri would be good to him. His body trembled in fear, fear of the man he loved. Could Hijiri take that away again? or would he end his life tonight?

Hijiri's kiss continued, his hands on the boy's shoulders. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, but the squire was doing nothing to go any further than a close kiss. "I love you," he murmured, "more than anything or anyone I've ever known."

He liked the way things were going. He still felt on edge but was beginning to feel comfortable with him again. "I...I love you too."

Hijiri's lips trailed to Hisoka's chin, kissing his throat and neck. His hands still hadn;t moved and he didn't go any farther.

Hisoka was enjoying this. His body began to calm. His nerves slowly melted away and he let a soft moan slip from his soft lips.

Hijiri's kisses stayed soft and sweet, his fingers running through Hisoka's hair. "I love you..... I want to spend forever with you.... give you my life... body and soul....."

Hisoka breathed in deeply. "Will you lay me down and kiss me, hold me? That's what I want. I want you to kiss me while I'm laying in your arms..." there was such a sadness behind the voice. Like he'd asked this before.

Hijiri nodded and grabbed the saddlepack, spreading a blanket over the floor. He was glad it was so dark. The sadness in Hisoka's voice was making his eyes water with heartbreak. He lay the boy down and lay beside him, holding him close and kissing him gently, tears leaking over his own cheeks.

Hisoka was confused at this. He reached up and gently brushed away the tears. "I'm sorry. I'm just really out of it and so upset. He gave me doubts."

Hijiri shook his head. "I don't like that sound in your voice...." he said, "I want you to be happy. I'd give everything I had to make you happy. I just..." he didn't finish as he let out a sigh and pulled Hisoka tightly against himself.

Hisoka turned his face to Hijiri. "Put me out. I don't care what you do to me, just put me out. I won't be okay until I've calmed and I just can't seem to do it myself."

Hijiri shook his head. "But I just swore to you that I'd never hurt you. How will you continue to trust me if I start hurting you?"

Hisoka sighed. "It'll do more damage if I don't get these thoughts out of my head. I'm not concerned with physical pain. When I say I don't want you to hurt me I mean I don't want you to rape me." He closed his eyes. "A swift knock to the back of the head or scaring me to the point of fainting won't hurt me nearly as much as the ideas running through my head right now."

Hijiri watched Hisoka's closed eyes for a moment, then reached into the hidden shieth at the small of his back, pulling out a daggar and holding the blunt side of the blade to his throat, just barely touching it to that beautiful pale skin.

There was a gasp and his eyes shot open. He didn't know Hijiri had a dagger. In the dark he couldn't see Hijiri's face. He lay there frozen for a moment, breath coming quickly with his fear.

Hijiripressed the daggar a bit more firmly against his throat, hand in the boy's hair tightening slightly. He didn't want to speak. He hated doing this, but he would do anything the prince asked of him.

The shock finally lifted and suddenly his eyes closed with a soft sigh and he fell limp.

Hijiri closed his eyes and dropped the daggar to the side, pulling Hisoka close to his chest. The tears really came now. He could say exactily why he was crying, but something in his chest was tight and it hurt quite a bit. He stayed like that for hours, just holding the prince as close as he could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hijiri's tears had stopped hours ago, but he was still clinging to the prince, holding him close and tight.

Hisoka took in a deep breath suddenly as he began to wake. His hand was sore but he didn't know why. He sat up, looking around for a moment. He didn't remember being here. He leaned over and shook Hijiri's shoulder gently. "Hijiri?"

The boy wrapped his arms around the prince tightly. "I'm sorry," he said, "I know you told me to, but I'm still sorry." He buried his face in Hisoka's shirt.

Hisoka stared down at him. "I don't understand...what did you do? How did we get here? The last thing I remember was that Tera said my father wanted to talk to me..."

Hijiri looked up at him in surprise, though he continued to cling to the boy's shirt. "You.... don't remember?" he said. Then he pulled away, rolling onto his side with his hands over his head. "Noooooo!!! I knew this would happen!! I knew I'd do something wrong!! I always do, I'm so sorryyyy." He whimpered, wrapping his arms around his head and curling into a ball.

Hisoka blinked. "Well if the last thing I remember is Tera talking to me the fault must lay in me. Unless that is to say you somehow knocked me out and brought me here?"

Hijiri stayed in his ball on the floor. "You brought us here..... but I still knocked you out....." he whimpered slightly, "I knew I'd do something wrong.. I just knew it."

Hisoka was completely calm. "Oh...well you said I asked you to?" He began to have flash backs of a time not too long ago in which Tera had told him the exact same thing. "It's not you. You didn't do anything wrong." He gently touched his shoulder and noticed the bandage on his hand. "What happened to my hand? I'm assuming you didn't do that"

Hijiri rolled over and gently kissed those bandaged knuckles. "I didn't," he said, "you were angry and punched a rock." He rubbed the soft hand against his cheek.

Hisoka closed his eyes. "Oh gods, not this again... damn it!"

Hijiri looked at him. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"My father has only been sober about six months. And I don't remember what happened but it's apparently why he stopped drinking. Tera said he found me against the door of his room one night in hysterics. My father had done something... I'm not sure what. I couldn't be calmed. Nothing he did calmed me and finally I begged him to knock me out. To this day all I can remember is asking him to knock me out... and a dagger stabbing into the pillow next to my head."

Hijiri stared at him. "There are no clues to what caused it?" he asked.

Hisoka shook his head. "Tera said I was covered in blood but no one would tell me where from. I don't remember a thing and Watari says that's a good thing. I don't try to push the memory because I believe him."

Hijiri's hands pressed over his mouth. "Oh gods..." he murmured, "oh gods...." he ran for the entrance of the cave, feeling bile forcing its way out.

Hisoka looked worried and followed after him. "Hijiri...what's wrong?" He winced as he watched the boy throw up a yellowish liquid that he recognized all too well. He'd done the same for nearly a week after the incident. "Did I say something wrong?"

Hijiri shook his head, not wanting to answer. He knew... and he knew the king remembered. How could the man look at his son as though nothing had happened? He pressed his hands over his face. "Oh Hisoka..." he whispered.

Hisoka stared at him. "What happened? What did I say? I'm sorry. But you see it's not your fault now right? Whatever it was before traumatized me to the point where I didn't remember. It's just a way for me to heal. Tera told me that if I ever remembered he'd kill my father because he was convinced I'd kill myself."

Hijiri shook his head, grabbing Hisoka's hand. "D-don't..." he murmured, "never... never remember....." He grabbed his flask from his hip, opening the top and dumping it into his mouth, swilling it around, then spitting it out.

Hisoka sat beside him. "I don't ever plan to. But even if I do, I have you now. The only way I'd ever kill myself is if you were taken away from me."

Hijiri took the boy's face in his hands. "Promise me," he said, eyes wide and pleading.

Hisoka nodded, placing his forehead against Hijiri's. "I promise you. I will only kill myself if you die."

"Then I will live forever," Hijiri whispered, holding Hisoka close.

Hisoka sighed deeply and smiled softly. "Only if I can live forever with you."

Hijiri clung to him once again. "Together....." he leaned hishead against Hisoka's chest. "Forever....." He paused, a thought suddenly striking him. "You never asked me about why I understand how you feel."

Hisoka sighed deeply. "I'm sure I know. But since I told you... tell me..."

Hijiri shrugged. "Let's go back inside," he said, "it's a bit of a long story... I've never told anyone before, but I think that it's important to tell you."

He nodded and helped Hijiri back in, laying them both on the blanket. "Okay... tell me." He wrapped his arms around Hijiri's waist, snuggling his nose into Hijiri's shirt. "I'm listening."

"First I should tell you about my mother.... she was.... not your run of the mill type woman...." he paused, thinking on words.

Hisoka shrugged. "I figured you had to be of unusual origins so this comes as no surprise. Was she a pirate?"

Hijiri shook his head. "She worked in a brothel close to the kingdom's borders," he said, "that's where I was born.... though... I think it was torn down by now..."

Hisoka nodded. "I see. So she had to give you up? I don't understand the importance of that."

Hijiri shook his head. "She didn't give me up," he said, "she took very good care of me. It was the brothel owner that threatened my very existance. You see, when I was little, I was..... cute..... very cute... girlishly so....." he grimaced.

Hisoka grimaced. "And he used you? that way...?"

"Not for himself," he said, "and not at first. One man inquired in private about me and asked to buy me for a night. There was a small arguement about price, but I was bought....... I was seven." He was still staring at the ceiling, not looking anywhere else, as though he were back in the brothel, watching from the hallway where he'd been hiding, reliving it all over again.

Hisoka held tighter. "I'm so sorry. That's terrible."

Hijiri closed his eyes and rolled his head back and forth slowly on the blanket they'd been laying on before. "It doesn't matter anymore. I've had lovers since then. Though... they were all interested only in the fact that I was attractive and trained in the 'art' of pleasuring." He grimaced, "I hate being called handsome. When I was a kid I uced to cut myself and burn my face in hopes the men wouldn't want me anymore...." he lifted his arm and tugged up his sleeve to reveal light scars in his skin that were obviously very old. "That's why I know a bit of how you feel..."

Hisoka took his hand, lifting the fingers to his lips and kissing them softly. "Promise me something okay?"

"Anything for you," Hijiri said, rolling to his side to face Hisoka.

"Never..." He took a deep breath. "Never never ever cut yourself again. Never hurt yourself. If you have to hurt someone in anger than hurt me... never yourself."

Hijiri grimaced. "These are from ages ago, Hisoka," he said, "I haven't done anything of the such in years."

He sighed. "I know. But I just want to make sure you won't do it again."

"I promise..." Hijiri said, tugging his sleeve back over his scars and intertwining his fingers with Hisoka's, "but I'd never hurt you... not for anything."

He breathed in deeply. "As long as you don't do that again i'm happy. But also..." He turned in Hijiri's arms. "I want you to start sleeping in my bed at least once a week. I'm scared he'll get drunk and come after me."

Hijiri's brows furrowed. "If that's the case, I'll sleep against your door at night so he can't get in." He rubbed the tip of his nose against Hisoka's own.

Hisoka shook his head. "I need to feel you around me. To sleep. I'm sorry I scared you. Whatever he said or did today must have really hurt me."

Hijiri grimaced. "I'm never leaving you alone with that man again," he said, "hey can try to hold me back, but they will fail." He clung to the prince.

Hisoka smiled softly. "Oh gods, where were you all my life? He should meet you and then perhaps he'll understand."

"I don't think he'd like me," Hijiri said, "sure, I'm nice to you, but he's only seen me cowering and bowing.... which is all I know how to do with kings. I don't trust them... well... with an exeption of you.."

Hisoka sat up. "It has to be done Hijiri. as much as i hate to admit it have to listen to him and if he accepts someone else just because he doesn't know you i'll have no choice."

Hijiri nodded. "Yeah," he said, "but now that I'm a squire, I can at least show some dignity, right?"

Hisoka nodded. "A simple bow once will do fine. You're shorter than him anyway so you don't have to grovel. Let's go shall we? I'm hungry and it's getting late."

Hijiri nodded and more or less rolled to his feet. He had a feeling that he wan't going to like this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soon they were back at the castle. Hijiri had taken his time going back, wishing to delay the meeting of himself and Hisoka's father. He took his time bringing the horse into the stall too.

Hisoka wasn't in much of a hurry either, not looking forward to it himself. He waited until they were out of sight of anyone else. "Kiss me."

Hijiri pulled him close and gently kissed his lips. "I love you," he murmured, "no matter what your father says."

Hisoka deepened the kiss and nodded. "Same. Let's go." He pulled Hijiri by the hand, leading him into the palace.

Hijiri tried not to drag as he walked into the thrown room with the prince. The king was sitting on his thrown, talking to the knight Tsuzuki. He slowed down considerably, as though he'd struck an invisible wall.

Hisoka was getting scared for some reason. "Father. I'd like to introduce you to my future husband. This is Hijiri." His voice was defiant but his eyes showed his fear.

'Husband'... Hijiri's heart would have swelled at the word had the king's invisible face not sharply turned to him. He bowed politely, but this was ignored. "I don't remember agreeing to that," the man said, "what worth does this boy have to the kingdom? How will he grant you more power to care for your people?" Tsuzuki wasn't moving. He'd been on one knee when they entered, and hadn't left due to the fact that he hadn't been sent away yet.

Hisoka didn't waver. "He's a strong man. He will bring dicipline and strong rule while I will bring love and wealth. He knows the people better than I do because he lives among them. He knows their needs."

The king's unseen face stared for a moment, then turned to the side. "Speaking of that," he said, "I did some research on your dearest beloved. I understand that before he came here he was a farm hand?" he paused and looked at them, Hijiri was surprised, but nodded.

Hisoka also nodded though he had no idea of Hijiri's past. He figured he'd fake it and ask later.[/quote]

[color=darkgreen]"And he was brought there by a man who was the owner of a brothel that burned down a few years back....." the king looked over the papers in his hands as Hijiri winced. "And you say he has noble blood, are you daft?"

Hisoka glared. "I'm telling you father somewhere in his bloodline is a prince or a knight. I can't tell you how I know this but in time it will be revealed."

"Upon being sold to the farmer as a pleasure slave," the king said, "it was revealed that there was no knowledge of his father and his mother died of syphilis. You're fighting a losing battle, my son."

Hisoka cringed. More at the pain the woman had endourd than the implications of it. "What does Hijiri's past have to do with how well he can rule? Grandfather was a commoner before he came here to mary grandmother. Need I remind you it was your own father who was comon before he turned this country into a thriving land full of happy and well fed people?" He looked down. "Furthermore you just said yourself his father is unknown. Therefore it cannot be ruled out until we find out who he was."

The king frowned. "There's good reason to believe that his father was from Muraki's land.... what do you say to that?" The king's invisible glare held as much threat as a visible one.

Hisoka visibly shivered but he stood his ground. "i don't care where he's from or who his parents were. i love him. the way mother loved you. why can't you understand that? why do you care? he's good to me, he'll be good for our people."

Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

The king tossed the papers to the side, and before he could speak, an arrow lodged into his shoulder. The knight Tsuzuki jumped up, looking around for their attacker, but he was knocked to the floor before he could see the person. Hijiri launched into action, grabbing a decorative sword from the wall and swinging it at the man;s head, narrowly missing. He placed himself between the two royals and the knight in light fabric the color of stone. This person looked familiar, but Hijiri was concentrating too hard on defending the two to pay attention to that.

Hisoka ran to his father. "Father! Are you okay?!" He only took his eyes off Hijiri for a moment, on his knees by the king. "Hijiri please be careful!" The concern and fear in his eyes was clearly visible.

Hijiri didn't need to be told twice. He was trying to fight with a decorative blade, while his opponent had a real one. The rather rich decoration was blunt and would certainly hurt, but it most likely wouldn't stand up to a full on clash with that huge blade. The knight charged at him and he spun out of the way, kicking out to trip the man. The knight spun to regain his balance as Hijiri circled, once again placing himself between him and the throne. There was a loud growl and the man raised his sword in the air, chopping down onto Hijiri, shattering the decorative blade and striking into Hijiri's shoulder. The brunet cried out, falling to one knee with the force, but was able to stave off being cut deeper by throwing a well aimed punch to the groin.

Hisoka cried out, standing as if to go to him but he dared not move. "Hijiri! are you okay?!"

Hijiri wanted to tell Hisoka he was okay, but he wasn't so sure. The blade hadn't been as sharp as he'd thought. It had done less cutting and more tearing and breaking. The pain in his collarbone made him want to puke, but he focused on the knight, who was getting to his feet, cupping his groin slightly with a curse. Using this moment, Hijiri rushed forward, bringing the handle of the blade against the man's head and knocking him to the floor where he fell with a smack. Hijiri looked back at Hisoka. "Are you okay?" he asked, then saw the blood trailing down the king's arm and shoulder. He rushed to the man's side, pulling out the arrow with his working arm. "We need the doctor," he said, wrapping the king's cape over the wound and pressing tightly.

Hisoka ran to get Watari, praying it wasn't too late.

Hijiri continued to press the cape against the wound. "I know it hurts, Majesty," he said, "but you have to stay awake. If you go unconscious with this kind of blood loss, you might not wake up again." The king tried to force his eyes open and his head lolled. "What... are you... doing....?" he asked breathily, "that's..... crushed... velvet...." Hijiri sniffed slightly, fighting not to comment on the king's choice of worries. He prayed that Watari would get there soon.

Hisoka burst through Watari's chamber doors out of breath. "Watari! please get up! It's father! He's been shot! And Tsuzuki was knocked out! In the throne room!"

Watari sat up slowly. "Wah?" he started, too tired to realize that this was a time for urgency.

Hisoka fell into tears. "My father has been shot! He's losing too much blood! Hijiri's been cut with a sword! He's bleeding too and Tsuzuki's been knocked out! Please Watari!"

Watari jumped out of bed now, the information finally striking his brain and he grabbed his glasses and bag and rushing out of the room. "Throne room, you said?"

Hisoka nodded running back down the hall. He was out of breath as he hit the room again. "Hijiri! Is he okay?! Please tell me he's alive!"

Hijiri was pressing on the king's shoulder still, perhapse harder than he should have. "He's alive," he said, moving out of the way as Watari moved to the king's side. The man was still whining. "It's velvet... you ruined it... my velvet...." Watari turned to him. "I can take care of your wounds as soon as I stop the bleeding.... Highness!" he called to Hisoka.

Hisoka jumped but nodded, ready for anything. "Yes?"

"Please bring Hijiri to the infirmary," he said, "I'll have some knights come help the king and Tsuzuki. And make sure he stays awake." Hijiri was slumped against the throne, holding his shoulder with his head bowed in exhaustion.

Hisoka couldn't believe he hadn't noticed this. He ran to him, grabbing him around the waist on the good side, careful not to hurt him further. "Stay awake okay? Come on, walk with me. Remember. You promised you'd never die because you know what's going to happen if you do that." He was walking as he spoke, half dragging Hijiri with him.

Hijiri nodded slowly. "I'll live," he said, "just hurts.... feel sick....." he was stumbling slightly, leaning much of his weight on the prince, though he tried not to.

Hisoka's heart was pounding. "I'll bring you something to retch in as soon as I get you in there okay? Just keep walking. Keep looking at me. We'll get there soon I promise. Don't stop." He was so worried.

"I was... thinking," Hijiri said slowly, "while you were.... unconscious... earlier...." His head drooped, but was brought up again.

Hisoka was confused but decided talking was probably a good thing. "Oh? What about? I'm sure I scared you. I'm really sorry." They reached the room and he led Hijiri to the nearest bed. "Don't lay down though, just sit."

Hijiri sat, nearly slumping over. "I..... wondered...." the bed was so soft.....

Hisoka nearly panicked. "Don't you dare! I'll make you stand! Talk to me! Look in my eyes!"

Hijiri's head lifted again and he stared into Hisoka's face. "I wondered.... if you could really be in love with me.... it seemed.... too good to be true.... but now..... I don't doubt... I just.... can't figure out why..." his hand lifted slowly and weakly, reaching for Hisoka's.

Hisoka gave a nervous chuckle. "I guess I'm not sure myself. I just remember I've had a crush on you for a long time. And then... well you're the first one to be so kind to me. I can feel that you're a good person. And I've only known three other people who are so caring that it just shines from them. My mother, Lady Riki, and Tera."

Hijiri nodded rather dopily. "I like Terazuma," he said, "he re-....." there was a wince and Hijiri pressed the hand of his good arm over his mouth with a slight moan.

Hisoka let go of him, dashing across the room for a clean bedpan, dashing back and holding it out in front of Hijiri. "Here."

For the second time that day, whatever was in Hijiri's stomach revealed itself in painful fasion. When the boy's gut was excruciatingly empty, he set the pan to the side and curled in on himself, though still sitting up. "So.... tired..." he murmured.

Hisoka sighed and gently wrapped his arms around him. "I know. And as soon as Watari bandages you, we'll both rest. You just have to hang in there a little longer."

Hijiri leaned his head against Hisoka's torso, enjoying the sound of the soft heartbeat. "I've made you... so many... promises," he said, "may I... request... one... from you?"

Hisoka kissed the top of his head, running gentle fingers over the dusty hair. "Of course."

"Promise me.... that.... while my heartbeat belongs to you.... keep yours right here.... let me listen... now and again... it's so calming.... almost makes the... pain go away."

Hisoka smiled softly, tears coming to his eyes. "Any time you like."

Hijiri's eyes closed and he was out like a candle tossed into a lake. Right then, Watari rushed into the room. "Is he okay? How bad are his injuries?"

Hisoka hadn't realized he'd passed out. "I don't know, but please hurry. Hijiri do you hurt anywhere other than you..." He stopped as he looked down. "Oh gods! Hijiri! wake up!" He shook the boy. "Hijiri!"

Hijiri simply slumped, no longer anywhere near consciousness. In his mind, he was still listening to Hisoka's wonderful and musical heartbeat. Watari rushed to Hijiri's side. "What was he struck with?" he asked, using a pair of scissors to cut off the shirt.

He stepped back, more tears falling from his eyes. "A dull broad sword."

The wound certainly wasn't pretty and Watari had servants and a nurse running about, fetching things and he reached for Hijiri's wound. "You'll want to look away, Highness," the man said to Hisoka.

Hisoka stepped out of the way of a nurse. "I'll be in the hall way. Please get me as soon as I can see him." And without another word he was out the door again. He slid down the wall just outside the door, sobbing into his hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A while later, Watari walked out of the room, finding the prince still sitting on the floor.

He was still sobbing all alone. His head jerked up as he heard the footsteps. His voice was cracked and broken. "Is he okay?!" His eyes were puffy and red and sore.

The man bent down and ofered the prince a handkercheif. "He's resting peacefully," he said, "he'll be just fine with some time."

He ignored the offer and dove onto the man, sobbing into his soft blond curles. "Thank you! So much! I was so scared!"

The man was surprised, but patted the boy's back. "No thanks needed," he said, "I was just saving a good king." Another pat.

After a moment he sat back. "Have you seen Tera today? I really need to talk to him."

Watari shook his head. "With all of this excitement, I haven't had the change to look around. He's usually in the stables at this time... though I can't guarentee it at with everything that's gone on."

Hisoka nodded as he stood. "I'll check his room first." With that he went off down to the knights quarters in hopes of finding his long time friend.

Terazuma was in his room. He was sitting on his bed and carving a small horse figure out of wood.

Hisoka knocked softly. "Tera... it's Hisoka. Are you there? May I come in?"

The man answered the door, rather surprised. "Highness," he said, "I thought you'd be with Hijiri."

Hisoka shook his head. "He'll be out for a few days and I don't feel safe alone." He wrapped his arms around Tera's waist. "Can I stay with you for a few days?"

The man patted him on the head like a father would a son. "Of course you can," he said, "without training Hijiri until his arm heals, I'll be rather lacking in the work area. It'll be a good change of pace to spend some time with you. We haven't been able to sit and talk since you were small."

Hisoka sighed deeply. "Oh gods, are there a lot of things I need to talk to you about." He closed the door behind him as he stepped in. "I'm so scared. I hate to ask you, because I know it's wrong but I just need you. I know I'm too old for you to hold me without there being rumers but if no one knows..." His eyes were pleading.

Terazuma shrugged. "You haven't asked since you were a tot," he said, "you know I don't mind." He patted the prince on the head.

Hisoka walked over to his bed and sat down. "I want to talk about my father first..."

"What about him?" Terazuma asked, nervous.

Hisoka closed his eyes. "That night... I need to know what happened. Watari tells me it's good that I don't remember and you say I'll kill myself..." He turned his head away. "But I need to know."

Terazuma looked at the boy, blinking in surprise. "Why?" he asked.

Hisoka sighed. "I've been having... dreams lately. And I can't make them out. They're like flash backs or something."

Terazuma shook his head. "If you can't make them out then how do you know they're from a time you can't remember?" he asked.

He sighed. "I'm scared to death and there are silk sheets wrapped around my wrists. And there are flashes of my father without his mask."

Terazuma grimaced. "Don't remember," he said, "fight it with everything you have... just don't remember."

Hisoka looked up at him. "But why? What was so bad? When I explained it this afternoon to Hijiri he knew what happened. He refused to tell me too. And it made him sick. I'm afraid of my own father and I don't know why. I have to know or I'll go crazy."

Again, Terazuma shook his head. "Either way then.... just forget about it..." he sat on the bed next to the prince.

Hisoka wrapped his arms around Tera, resting his head on the mans strong chest. "Was it so horrible? I don't understand. Why won't you tell me? Why do you tell me to forget?"

"Why do you think you forgot in the first place?" the man asked, patting the prince's head.

He sighed. "Because it was traumatizing. But apparently what happened this afternoon also was enough to have a repeat of that nights actions, only with Hijiri."

Terazuma growled. "Which is why I can't wait for your 21st birthday," the man said.

Hisoka sat back. "What difference will my being king make?" The growl had starled him. "There's just so much I don't understand. Is what he did to me repeatable? I mean could he do it again?"

Terazuma gripped the boy's shoulders. "Stop asking," he said, "I'm not going to tell you."

Hisoka's eyes grew wide. Tears came to his eyes. "You used to like him. I don't understand. I promise I won't kill myself. I love Hijiri and he's all that's important for me. But I obviously had a laps today. And I hurt myself. What if I have more lapses like this?"

Terazuma shook his head at the prince and pushed him so he'd lay back on the bed. "Sleep," he said, "it'll do you some good."

His eyes were wide still. "I'm not tired. It seems like every night I have those dreams. It was only when Hijiri knocked me out this afternoon that I didn't."

Terazuma growled slightly. "You. Need. Sleep." he said.

Hisoka shook his head. "I don't want those dreams. If I keep dreaming them I'll remember eventually."

Terazuma looked at him and then drew his sword, swinging it toward Hisoka's head and stopping with a thud about a centemeter from the boy's face as it hit the headboard.

He screamed, covering his face, body begining to shake. When he heard the thud he looked up to be staring at the long blade. It was so close. He took in a few sharp breaths and suddenly his eyes slid closed and he fell limp with a soft moan.

Terazuma watched him hit the bed and began to tug his sword, trying to get it out of the headboard. It stuck slightly and he pulled harder, trying not to wake the prince. When he finally got it out, he placed it to the side, moving the boy so he could lay beside him, holding him like a parent comforting a child after a bad dream. There, he fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jani_chan · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 2685 Location: Enma's bed

"NO! Father stop!" Hisoka woke with a start around dawn to find Tera curled around him. His heart was racing from the same nightmare. He remembered a little this time but still had no idea what was going on.

Terazuma's head lifted at the surprised and terrified cry. "Highness?" he said leaning over the boy to check on him, "are you okay?"

He lay there breathless for a moment, eyes wide. "Don't touch me! Stop!" In the dark he could see his father still even though he was awake. "Tera stop him!" He scrunched himself into a ball in the corner between the headboard and the wall, beginning to sob as he batted at the hands only he could see.

Terazuma moved to the boy, reaching out. "It's okay, Hisoka," he said, "nobody's going to hurt you.... you're safe...."

The voice shook his vision and suddenly it was gone. "That... dream. We were... argueing. He was drunk and he hit me. Oh gods! He called me by my mothers name!" he began to sob. "And then... everything went black and I woke up but he was right here Tera!"

Terazuma's arms wrapped tightlyaround the boy. "You're safe," he said, "I won't let him hurt you. I swear to you."

Hisoka curled into Tera's arms, sobbing. "My stomach... hurts. I'm scared." He didn't know why he was scared, he just was.

"I'm here, Hisoka. I won't let anyone hurt you," The man said, then gently felt his forehead. "You're very warm," he murmured, then reached for the buttons to the boy's shirt. "I'll just open a couple of these so you can cool off. If this keeps up, you'll get another fever."[color=darkgreen]

[color=green]Hisoka began to ease under Tera's loving touch. "Do you have any water?" he had no objection to Tera unbuttoning his shirt. He trusted the man.

Terazuma reached to the side and grabbed a pitcher of water, pouring the water into a glass and then handing it to the prince. Suddenly, the door burst open and in rushed the king, his shoulder wrapped and arm in a sling. "Terazuma! The knight tha----- WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?!?!?"

Hisoka screamed, the water falling from his hand and all over him. He couldn't find a reason why he'd be here like this. He went straight back into his ball against the headborad. "I was scared!"

Terazuma stared at the man. "What are doing?" he asked, trying not to seem angry enough to be beheaded for yelling at the king. "I could ask you the same thing!!!" The king demanded of the knight. "What is he doing here!?!? I was sitting upstairs bleeding while you're down here with him in your bed!?!?!?!?" Neither of them noticed the young maid passing by the doorway.

Hisoka whimpered. "Tera's like my brother! He was comforting me!"

The king opened his mouth to yell again but Terazuma stopped him. "Come with me please, Majesty," he said, leading him out the door.

Hisoka stood and began to follow him. "Please father. Please understand!"

Terazuma stopped him. "You stay here," he said, "I have to talkto the king alone." He patted the boy on the head in a fatherly fasion once again.

Hisoka didn't look happy about this but nodded all the same and stayed behind. His eyes pleaded with his father.

Terazuma led the king out the door and shut it tightly,then looked at the king. "Explain yourself!" the king ordered.

Hisoka was afraid he'd have to step in if his father got any ideas about hanging Tera so he decided to listen. He took the empty cup and held it up to the door to hear better."

There was a sigh from the knight. "He came to me for comort because of what you did. He's starting to remember." The king was silent. the knight growled. "What are you going to do if he remembers and looses his mind? We'll be left without an heir.... why won't you do something?" There was a thud against the door. "You have no right to be telling me what to do," the king said angrily. Terazuma's voice was slightly strangled. "I know that, Majesty," he said, "but, for the sake of your son... please don't tempt fate.... too many more outbursts and he'll remember completely. With all due respect, I don't want him to have to live with that memory."

Hisoka held his breath, waiting for a reply from his father.

"If the boy would just listen to me, then I wouldn't get so angry with him," he said, "this past time, I did nothing but tell him to leave my sight. The child is beyond me. And I'm not as bad as you say. you act as though the whole castle hates me." Terazuma was silent. "Speak up, knight," the man said, "disprove my suspicions!" Still, Terazuma was silent. The king hit him. "You're lucky I don't hang you for this," he said, and there were footsteps beginning to walk off, but they stopped, "and if I'm so hated, then why would my son's 'fiancee' have saved my life the way he did?" And he left, without waiting for an answer.

Hisoka put the cup on the desk and laid back down, beginning to sob into the pillow. Part of him hoped Tera would come back in and part of him wished he'd be left alone.

Terazuma was leaning against the door, eyes closed. The king had drawn his sword against him and had been ready to kill him. He was very lucky to be alive... He walked back into the room, head lowered like a beaten dog as he closed and locked the door. He looked at Hisoka and saw his shaking and heard his sobbing. He walked over to the bed. "You heard," he said, touching the prince;s shoulder.

Hisoka sat up, bright green eyes over flowing with tears. "I was afraid he'd comand that you be hanged. I was ready to step in if he did. I'm sorry. please don't be angry with me."

The man shook his head. "You're an inquisitive lad," he said, "I expected it of you. Does it hurt badly?" He didn't seem to know what else to say.

He looked down. "I guess at least it resolves why I'm afraid of him... but answer me this please. If what he did was so horrible that it made Hijiri sick... why didn't anyone stop him?"

"Hisoka," Terazuma said, "he's the king. Those who knew were too afraid to do anything for the fact that they might be hanged. And those who were willing to hang for you didn't know....." The man's head bowed once again with shame, face turning away from the prince.

Hisoka was silent for a moment. "He knows he's wrong right? That whatever he did... why doesn't he seem to feel bad about it? Is my father really that evil of a man? Has he always been like that and I've just been blinded to it?"

Terazum bit his tongue for a moment in thought. "He hasn't always been like that," he said, "there was a time when I'd trust him with my life.... and with the life of the one I held most dear. But a while ago, something started changing. I'm notr sure why. But he slowly began to get worse and worse. And when your mother passed away, whatever it was multiplied indefinatly. It makes me wonder if it had something to do with that mask of his. But he used to be a good man... a very good man."

Hisoka sighed deeply and laid back down. "I'm too tired to think about this anymore. I just need to sleep some more. If you leave, please lock me in." He closed his eyes tightly, brushing away tears. He had so much on his mind and it was making him tired.

Terazuma moved to his side and gently patted him on the head. "I'm sorry," he murmured, "that I am unable to protect you... but I believe Hijiri can do what I can't... so I'll place my faith in him."

Hisoka smiled softly. "You can trust him. He's one who would hang for me if it meant my safety." He tried to talk more, but he was too tired. "I'm sorry Tera... I'm so tired..." and with that, he drifted to sleep.

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Hijiri opened his eyes in the infirmary to a familiar voice. He found himself staring at the king. "Your Majesty," he said, "forgive me if I do not bow.... um... is it alright for you to be up and about?" The king waved his hand through the air.

"I'm fine," he said, "and I don't care if you bow to me or not. As my future son-in-law, you shouldn't have to anyways." He didn't pause, giving Hijiri no time to react, "but I didn't come here for small talk. I came here to ask you what you know of your past. Did your mother ever tell you anything of your father? Do you know anything about him?" Hijiri was surprised at this.

"Not much, really," the boy said, "she said he was a great man, but that's about all." The king rubbed his chin.

"I see," he said, "no family heirlooms?" Hijiri shook his head.

"I don't even know what he did for a living," he said. The king looked displeased, but let the subject rest.

"Another question.... what do you have in mind for this country once you rule beside my son as his king?" Again, Hijiri was surprised. And he couldn't help but become a bit defensive.

"I don't plan on anything yet," he said, "not until I've finished my training. All I can say is that I want what's best for this kingdom and your son." Why he had to add the part about Hisoka, he didn't know, but he felt that he should. The king nodded.

"I see," he said, "so you plan on treating him properly?" Hijiri bit his lip. It was taking everything he had to keep from saying 'I won't be like you'.

"I will treat him with the respect and love he deserves," Hijiri said, "I will give him every piece of my heart and deny him nothing of myself for any reason." He stared at the king, trying not to glare, but he knew that his face was hardening to a look of blocky anger. The king noticed this and felt he'd stepped a boundry that he could only step because he was king, and thus stopped. He stood.

"Thank you," he said, "that is all I have to ask, but thank you for saving me. I must reward you." Hijiri shook his head.

"Don't bother, Majesty," he said, "I did it for Hisoka, not you." The king paused at this, surprised. That tone of voice was never used on him. The man turned away.

"Suit yourself," he said, "I could have given you anything you could wish for." Hijiri sniffed slightly.

"All I could wish for is for Hisoka to be happy," he said. And you can't do that, apparently. The king nodded at the boy.

"Good day," he said, and was off. Hijiri sighed and leaned into his pillows. Where was Hisoka? Was he okay? Why did he feel so tired? He soon fell back to sleep again.

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Hisoka woke late that morning. It was almost noon and he was hungry again. He fortunatly hadn't had any dreams and was better rested. He was slightly disappointed to find Tera sound asleep on the couch across the room. He sat up and stared at the man. "Tera..."

The man's head lifted quickl with a sharp intake of air. "Hi-Hisoka.." he said, blinking away sleep, "how do you feel?"

Hisoka looked away. "Fine... I guess. Why are you over there? You don't look comfortable. I'm really sorry about what happened."

Terazuma shook his head. "It's okay," he said, "you didn't do anything wrong. I guess I fell asleep while I was whittling." He held up a small wooden horse that was still halfway from being a block of wood.

Hisoka smiled and moved to his side. "I feel childish. I shouldn't have asked you. I'm too old for that and now it caused a problem. I'm selfish..."

Terazuma shook his head. "I'd give my life for you, Highness," he said, "letting you spend the night is hardly something to fuss about."

Hisoka took his hand and looked into his eyes. "Let's have breakfast together? We haven't done that in so long. I'm tired of eating by myself anyway."

"You haven't eated with Hijiri?" Terazuma asked, "I thought you spent every moment with him that you could. I mean... It seems that way..."

Hisoka nodded. "He gets up a lot earlier than I do and until yesterday we had to hide it. Please tera!" He was giving the knight puppy eyes.

The man looked away, blushing slightly. "Don't give me that look," he said, "of course I'll have breakfast with you."

Hisoka hugged him tightly. "Thank you! You're still my best friend Tera."

Terazuma wrapped an arm around him in a fatherly fasion. "I'm glad," he said, "now, shall we be off?"

Hisoka nodded with a smile, beginning to be in a better mood.

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When Hijiri woke again, he found himself listening to two maids talking. There wasn't any way he'd be able to get up and move with the strong anti-pain drugs that Watari had given him, so he lay there, half asleep, half paying attention to what was going on around him.

"Did you hear?" asked one of the maids, "about the prince?" The other maid nodded.

"I did," she said, "the knight attacked and got free after the squire saved the king and his Highness." Hijiri mentally cursed, hoping Hisoka was with Terazuma or someone who would protect him. But the other maid shook her head.

"That's old news," she said, "I mean about his Highness and Sir Terazuma." Hijiri grimaced at the thought of his fight being old news already, but it couldn't be helped with the gossiping women of the castle. What about Tera and Hisoka though? The second maid voiced his thoughts.

"What about them?" she asked.

"The king went to tell Sir Terazuma about the knight getting free and found them together, on his bed." Hijiri's eyes opened wide now. What? The woman stared in surprise.

"You're not serious," she said, "His Highness is crazy over his squire... why would he be with Sir Terazuma?" the other one shook her head again.

"He didn't just lay in his bed..." she said, "he stayed the whole night.... they were spotted going to breakfast together a few minutes ago... you wouldn't even know from the prince's face that he was attacked. Whatever Sir Terazuma does, he must do it well." Hijiri felt like the bottom of his stomach had dropped out and yet everything that had been there wsa forcing itself up again. He rolled from the bed, hitting the floor with a pained cry as he struggled not to retch on the floor. Soon, he was unconscious from the pain, his heart tearing itself to pieces.

Hisoka decided to visit and see if Hijiri was awake yet after breakfast with Tera. He hoped he was. He loved spending time with Tera, but he was worried about Hijiri. He started down the hall towards the infermery with a bright smile on his lips. Tera always made him feel better.

As he got closer, Hijiri's cries of pain became quite audible. Maids were hurrying up and down the corridor, one with bloody bandages, one with clean ones, a few others with different items for assisting with restless patients.

Hisoka was imediatly worried and ran. "Hijiri! what's wrong?! Are you okay? What can I do to help?!" He took Hijiri's hand, concerned eyes stared at him.

The brunet wasn't looking at him, eyes jammed shut as Watari tried to hold him down. "Back up, Highness," he said, "he's been flailing. He might accidentally hit you..." A nurse ran up with a small glass vial in her hand.

Hisoka stepped back, beginning to cry. "What happened?!"

The blond haired man and several maids and nurses held the fighting squire down while one grabbed his nose and forcefed him what was in the vial. He thrashed and sputtered, but soon the thing was empty. Within moments, his movements grew sluggish and he fell back against the bed. Tears were spilling down his cheeks like huge rain drops from emerald clouds. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, chest heaving in pain. The alchemist doctor looked at Hisoka. "We're no sure what happened," he said, "he fell out of bed and hit his shoulder, popping it out of place, and then he wouldn't stop fighting us... it's a mystery."

Hisoka stepped back further. "I'll come back later..." and with that he slinked off, in search of Tera.

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