To Morwen Eleriel, From Enki ♥ (Part 2)
Title: The Rune-caster (Part 2)
Author: Enki (ldydragon7)
Recipient: Miro (morwen_eleriel)
Series: Tsubasa RC (MKR cameos)
Characters/Pairing: Fai/Kurogane, some Sakura/Syaoran (very slight Hikaru/Lantis)
Rating: PG/PG-13ish
Warnings: Slight spoilers for Fai’s past.
Author’s Notes: This AU is set during the Heian age of Japan and the Viking age of Scandinavia, about the 900s. While I tried to keep this as historically accurate as I could, I am shamelessly playing around with geography. For purposes of plot I moved Scandinavia to the east of Russia, thus putting it almost directly north of Japan.
Breakfast was a subdued affair. Most everyone seemed to be nursing hangovers from the feast the night before. Fai and the king were in deep conversation, while Princess Tomoyo and Princess Hikaru spoke together. Syaoran was the last of their party to arrive. He was surrounded by the same group from the bathhouse but now the kid was almost smiling, wavering between looking sheepish and pleased. The man seemed to treat him with more respect.
Fai, his conversation with the king apparently finished, slid onto the bench next to him. “It seems Syaoran has made some new friends.”
Kurogane grunted and shoveled more fish into his mouth. So much for a quiet breakfast.
They were given a tour of the complex after breakfast, though to Kurogane’s mind there wasn’t much to see. Storage houses and homes, barns, animal pens and some small fields. There were larger fields outside the earthen walls, their guide explained. Servants carried torches to light their way. Despite that, most of the details of the building and grounds were cloaked in shadow.
Lunch was a far more rowdy affair, as everyone had fully recovered from the previous evening. Once again, the shaman sat next to him and chatted away the entire meal. It was no wonder the guy was so skinny if he spent all his time talking instead of eating.
After lunch, they got down to business and the negotiations began. A smaller building had been set up as a meeting room. King Thorvald, Fai, Princess Tomoyo, and Syaoran sat at a table near the fireplace, conversing intently in both languages. Kurogane and Souma sat on piles of thick furs, guarding the entrance. Outside the door, King Thorvald’s own warriors also guarded the door. Halfway through the afternoon, Princess Hikaru entered with refreshments and asked if there was anything else they needed. Apparently the servants were being kept from overhearing the discussion.
Her duty done, Princess Hikaru greeted them formally and sat down on the furs next to the bodyguards.
“Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”
He and Souma exchanged looks, then Souma answered. “Of course, Princess. However I can’t guarantee we can answer all of them.”
She nodded. “Of course. I was just wondering, could you tell me anything about Lord Lantis, the Empress’s cousin?”
Souma’s eyes softened in realization. “Of course we could. While I wouldn’t say either of us are particularly close to him, Kurogane and I both spar with him often. Well, Kurogane, what would you say about the Princess’s husband-to-be?”
Kurogane shrugged. “He is a gifted swordsman and very adaptable in battle.”
Souma huffed. “Men! You’d think they could think of something else besides fighting.”
Kurogane snorted. “You asked.”
Princess Hikaru’s tentative smile broadened. “Well I’ve been trained to use a broadsword, so even if we have nothing else in common we can always talk about that.”
“You’re taking this very well. Not many would have the courage to travel to a new land and marry someone they had never even met.”
Hikaru leaned back on her hands. “I love my country and I want to do everything I can to keep my people safe. I will be sad to leave, but I know this alliance will help my people. That is why I agreed. Lord Lantis feels the some way too, doesn’t he? I mean he agreed to the marriage too, so he must love his country very much. That is one more thing we have in common.”
Souma smiled at the girl. “I think you may be right. Lantis is very quiet and does not express his emotions easily, but just because he doesn’t say something does not mean he doesn’t feel it. And while not everyone sees it, he is a kind man.” Souma gave the girl an appraising look. “In fact, I think you might be very good for him.”
Hikaru beamed up at her. “Thank you! Thank you very much. At least, when I get to Nihon I will already know you and Kurogane and Envoy Tomoyo and Syaoran, so I won’t be completely alone.” She bit he lip, looking uncertain for a moment. “Do you think that maybe you and I could become friends?”
Souma nodded. “I think I would like that very much.”
The door bust open and a man ran inside. Souma and Kurogane leapt to their feet, swords out. The man was unarmed and simply raised his hands, barely sparing them a glance as he gasped out, “Your Majesty, the Freygerd has been attacked! The raiders set up an ambush.”
Kurogane didn’t understand what had been said, until Hikaru, seeing his and Souma’s confused glances, quickly translated.
King Thorvald stood, grim-faced. “Damage?”
“The ship was completely destroyed, everything of value taken.”
The king’s frown deepened. “Sit and drink. Then I want a full report.”
The messenger collapsed into a chair gratefully. Syaoran poured him a glass of juice and he gulped it down.
Fai stood as well. “Perhaps it is best if I escort our guests to their lodgings?”
King Thorvald nodded. Fai led them outside. No one spoke until they reached the guest lodgings.
Once they were settled inside and Kurogane and Souma had completed a thorough sweep of the house, Fai turned to them. Gone were the constant smiles and joking manner. “For your own protection, it would be best if you remained here for the time being.”
Tomoyo stepped forward. “Of course. We understand this is a difficult time for you. Please let us know if there is any way we can be of assistance.”
Fai gave her a small, strained smile. “Thank you, I will relay your words to the king.”
After he was gone Kurogane took up a position by the door. Souma turned to Tomoyo. “How bad is it?”
Tomoyo settled herself on a fur next to the fire. She paused for a long moment, staring into the flames. “For them it is very bad. This was to be one of their last shipments before ice closes off the harbor. It will be a race against time and the elements to send out another ship to replace the supplies that were lost. More worrisome is that only a very few people knew the route the ship was to take.”
“Who knew?” Kurogane shot a look at Souma. If the Norse king decided they might be to blame, they would be lucky to get Tomoyo home safely.
“Only King Thorvald’s counsel and the minister of trade back home. I didn’t even know the route the ship would take.”
Kurogane nodded.
They waited for news. Kurogane and Souma checked and sharpened all of their weapons. Syaoran worked on his notes, both of the treaty and his observations of the culture. Tomoyo embroidered. With his weapons taken care of, Kurogane, remembering what Fai had said earlier about boredom, looked though the supplies left in the main room and found several pieces of wood. Using one of his knives, he began to carve the wood.
A servant brought them dinner. He and Souma checked it over carefully. Once satisfied it was safe, they ate.
After dinner Tomoyo took out her koto and played. Souma juggled her knives. Syaoran sat next to Kurogane and watched his carving awhile before asking if there was any other wood. Kurogane found him a block of wood and handed over one of his knives. Souma put all but one of her knives away and found a third piece of wood.
Just when Kurogane’s carving was starting to look like something (he wasn’t quite sure what) a knock came at the door. Sword out, Kurogane answered it.
Fai looked up at him, a wan smile on his lips. “I’m tempted to make a really bad joke.”
Kurogane snorted. “All your jokes are bad. Now come in and tell us what is happening.”
Fai entered and crossed to the fire. They all gathered, kneeling or sitting on the fur rugs. Fai rested his hands on his knees. “By now I assume you have realized that someone has sold information to the raiders.”
Tomoyo nodded.
Fai continued. “The problem is only a few knew where the Freygerd would be and when. All of whom are very influential advisors to the king. We can not accuse any of them with solid proof.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “We are sending out a decoy ship. The advisors have been told that this ship is to trade for supplies and return before the harbor closes. They are the only ones who know the route this ship will take. King Thorvald has his most trusted guards assigned to discreetly watch all of the counselors.”
“The decoy ship isn’t the only one being sent out, is it?” Tomoyo’s voice was soft.
Fai gave her a measured look then nodded. “You are right. Two ships are being sent out. The best lie always holds truth. Only the king and the people in this room know that there are two ships and that one is a decoy. Only the king and I know what routes each will be taking.”
“Aren’t you afraid that one of us might sell the information?” Kurogane flipped his knife in his hand, then sheathed it.
Fai shook his head. “None of you had the information on the Freygerd and there won’t be time for this information to get back to anyone in Nihon. If any of you are working with the raiders all you could tell them is about the decoy; none of you know the routes either ship is taking. Still it would be best if you didn’t talk to any dubious characters. You don’t need to stay confined, but please do remember once the alliance is complete, our warships will be working together to protect the shipping lanes and we have a powerful enemy who will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening.”
Tomoyo nodded. “Please, thank His Majesty for his trust in us.”
“I will. To be honest, it helped to know that the Empress sent her own sister to negotiate, however unofficially. Nihon stands to lose as much as we do if this alliance fails.”
Tomoyo placed her hand over Fai’s. “It will not fail. We made great progress today and now we have even more reason to reach an agreement quickly. All of us are aware that it just as easily could have been one of our own ships that was attacked.”
Fai smiled. “Thank you. I will tell His Majesty. He wanted me to tell you that the negotiations will resume tomorrow.”
~~**~~
The same eerie stillness pervaded the air the next morning, made worse by the increased tension that filled the fortress even though most of her inhabitants were still asleep. The guards on the wall were quieter this morning, their attention heightened. Kurogane was restless. He chafed at having to wait when he knew the enemy was out there, within the same walls as his princess. He had awoken early. Unable to go back to sleep he had instead started slipping through the outer limits of the fortress, keeping his own watch.
He was close to the steep, rocky side of the fjord that created the back wall of the fortress when he saw Fai walking toward the rocks. He ducked out of sight. Fai’s light grey-blue cloak blended into the shadowed snow. The shaman reached the wall and disappeared between two large rocks that jutted out from the cliff face.
When he hadn’t reappeared after a few minutes, Kurogane silently followed. The angle of the rocks hid a tall, narrow cave. In the pitch black Kurogane couldn’t tell how far back it went. Slowly and silently he entered, letting his eyes adjust to the dark. One hand on the wall of the cave, he followed the faint echo of footsteps ahead of him.
How long they traveled through the dark cave was hard to say. Keeping up with Fai without giving himself away required all of his ninja training. Eventually a slight lightening of the darkness up ahead showed the cave’s exit. Cautious exploration showed they were now on the side of the mountain overlooking both fjord and fort. The great pine trees covering the steep slopes were interrupted periodically by rocky outcroppings overlooking steep drops of hundreds of feet. To Kurogane’s surprise Fai was heading farther up the mountain rather then down towards the port. Waiting until Fai disappeared into the trees, Kurogane followed.
It was cold, the trail steep and the wind stronger the higher they went. Fai stopped when he reached one of the rock outcroppings. It gave a magnificent view of the fjord. The wind was so strong here that all the snow had been swept away, leaving only bare rock. Fai spread out his cloak and sat. Kurogane waited, masked by the trees. The wind howled around them, sounding almost human.
Kurogane begin to feel stiff from the cold. He expected Fai’s contact to show up any moment, certain the shaman would not want to wait long in this place, but so far there was no sign there was any other human on the mountain but them.
Fai leaned back, bracing himself with his hands and tilted his head back until he was looking, upside down, behind him. “You can come out now, Kuro the Stalker, it’s just us.”
With a mental curse Kurogane stepped out of hiding. “It occurred to me that the king’s best guards are watching his counsel, but who is watching you?”
Fai smiled up at him. “Why, you are, Kuro the Suspicious. Enjoying the view?”
Unsure if Fai was talking about the fjord or about watching him, Kurogane just snorted and sat down next to the blonde. “So how do I know you didn’t come up here to met one of the raiders?”
Fai raised a gloved hand and extended one finger. “Even if your presence scared him away, you would have at least noticed someone close enough to watch us.” He extended a second finger. “We are rather exposed up here. Anyone who cares to look up will see us, and even if we can’t be identified at this distance all they have to do is wait until we come down.” Fai lowered his hand. “The reason none of the guards are raising a fuss is because I already told the head watchman I was coming up here.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you are here.”
Fai smiled a strange, stretched smile that wasn’t really a smile at all. It sent a shiver down Kurogane’s spine. “I come up here to ...remember.”
“Remember what?” Kurogane pulled the cloak tighter around himself.
Fai hesitated, his gloved fingers picked at his cloak and his eyes unfocused. After a long moment he looked up, bright false smile on his face. “It’s not really a secret. Anyone old enough to remember knows the story. I had a brother. This is a harsh climate we live in. If babies aren’t strong when they are born, there isn’t a good chance of them surviving for very long. When food is scarce it is considered a waste to give it to a child that will die anyway. Since we were twins, we weren’t as strong. But the shaman saw something in us. He told my father that if we survived he would take us as his apprentices. We survived and he taught us. There are trials an apprentice must go through before he is recognized as a full shaman.” Fai’s hand resting on the rock curled, gripping the sharp surface hard. “In the last trial, the apprentice is taken far out into the snow fields until he is utterly lost. He is left there with only a knife and the clothes on his back and must find his way home.” Fai paused, swallowed. His voice was curiously detached. “I made it back. My brother didn’t.”
Kurogane swallowed not sure what to say. Silence fell over them, the crying wind the only sound. It was eerie, a sound he had never heard wind make before, almost like a child screaming. That thought made everything click into place and Kurogane turned and grabbed Fai’s arm, unaccountably angry. “You don’t come up here to remember your brother. You come up here to wallow in the fact that he’s dead.”
Fai gasped when he was grabbed and the color drained from his face. By the time Kurogane was done he looked like he’d been slapped. He tore his arm from Kurogane grip and stood. “What the hell do you know?!”
Kurogane stood as well. “I know that people die! They die and there is nothing you can do to stop it!” He took a deep breath of the frigid air. “If you want to honor your brother, remember his life. Do you really think torturing yourself makes him happy?”
Fai gulped in a deep breath, staring wide-eyed. He was shaking.
Kurogane forced his body to relax and let the tension between them drain away. He sat back down on the rocks and stared out over the fjord.
After a long moment Fai sat down next to him. “You’re strange, you know that?”
Kurogane grunted. To his mind, this guy was the last person who should be calling anyone strange.
Fai drew his knees up and rested his head on them. “I don’t think anyone has taken me to task like that, ever. Not even Ashura.” At Kurogane’s confused glance he clarified. “The previous shaman, my master. Ashura.”
Knowing he was walking on thin ice Kurogane charged ahead anyway. “What happened to him?”
“About a year or so later a ship was caught in the ice. He was leading the rescue team. When the ship broke free, the ice shifted. Cracks opened up and closed in seconds. Ashura fell in and was trapped under the ice. By the time we broke through to him, it was too late.”
Kurogane cleared his throat awkwardly. “I’m sorry.”
Fai shook his head. “It was a long time ago. I became shaman and several years latter I found Sakura.” Fai’s smile was real. “She has been a truly wonderful student.”
“Has been?” Kurogane raised an eyebrow.
Fai nodded. “The week before you arrived, I administered the final trial. I admit I cheated a bit. I stayed out of sight and watched over her. If she had truly needed help I would have stopped the trial and continued her training for several more years, then let her try again. But she didn’t need it. She is ready now to become a shaman in her own right.” Fai abruptly stood. “We should be getting back.”
Kurogane nodded.
The trip down was passed in comfortable silence and the journey through the cave was easier with a guide. They had almost reached the mouth of the cave when Kurogane heard something. He grabbed Fai and ducked into a shadowy crevice, wrapping his dark cloak around Fai’s lighter one. The sound of footsteps grew closer and light from a lantern flickered up ahead. A figure passed them, wrapped head to toe in a grey cloak. Neither dared breathe. Once the figure was gone Kurogane followed the twist of the cave, Fai close behind him. Hidden just inside the mouth of the cave was a guardsman.
Fai leaned close and touched his neck. “Drugged.”
Kurogane nodded. They turned and headed deeper into the cave, following the cloaked figure. Kurogane was impressed with how silently Fai could move when he wanted to. Through the twisting turns of the cave they skulked, always keeping that flicking light just barely in sight. At the exit a fresh set of tracks led down the mountain. Their quarry had doused his lantern once outside, despite the lingering darkness. Alert for any sound of his progress, they tracked him.
A bend in the trail led into a thick grove of pines. Kurogane place his back to one giant tree, Fai directly in front of him. He drew his sword and angled it so the polished blade reflected the center of the grove. Inside the grove stood three men. Two wore mismatched armor and carried weapons. Raiders, and low-level ones to boot, who had to rely on what gear they could scavenge from the dead. These must be lackeys sent to carry messages, he thought. The third figure drew back his grey hood revealing a slender man with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail.
Kurogane could feel Fai’s muscles tense in recognition. He lightly touched the man’s shoulder and the shaman forcibly relaxed. While he couldn’t understand what the men were saying, this situation was obvious enough, even without Fai’s reaction.
A heavy purse changed hands and Fai turned to Kurogane and gestured. He nodded, understanding. They needed to bring back proof.
As one they moved, Kurogane bursting into the clearing while Fai disappeared up the tree. The two raiders drew their weapons and closed on him. Kurogane grinned. Behind him he heard the counselor running, followed by a crash, as Fai dropped out of the tree, tackling him into the snow. The first raider attacked. Kurogane deflected the blow, using his momentum to turn into the second raider’s blow. The sound of metal on metal rang in the clear air. Kurogane ducked low, coming in under the guard of the first raider. He checked his attack, waiting until he was just past the man to change the angle of his sword and bring the heavy hilt back into the man’s skull. He dropped. The second raider faltered at the loss of his companion. That hesitation was just enough for Kurogane to knock him down and deliver the same treatment. The sounds of a struggle behind him ceased.
Fai spoke. “I believe you have some explaining to do, Counselor Kyle.”
Getting two unconscious raiders and a sullen counselor back to the fortress was difficult. Kyle tried twice to run away. He tried threats and bribes, sometimes both in the same breath. Whenever Kyle got too annoying Fai would give a sharp tug on his bonds. They didn’t even try to go through the cave, instead taking the longer but easier route to the front gates; which also, not incidentally, provided the maximum humiliation for Kyle.
~~**~~
There was a feast that night that put their welcoming feast to shame. The traitor had been discovered and was sitting in a cell awaiting judgment. The alliance had officially been signed and Kurogane’s aid in capturing Kyle was being proclaimed as only the beginning of the benefits the alliance would provide. And then Fai had announced that Sakura was ready to take on the mantel of a full shaman. The people were in a mood to celebrate.
The final stage of Sakura’s initiation rite would be performed at the feast in front of everyone. Fai explained to him that each shaman bore a mark, a sign of their bravery and willingness to endure the troubles of their people.
“Your tattoo?” he’d asked.
Fai had nodded. “That is the mark Ashura gave me.”
“It must have taken hours.”
“It did.”
Kurogane had left it at that. He didn’t know how Fai intended to mark his apprentice, but he suspected that an almost full-body tattoo was considered excessive even by the harshest of standards.
As honored guests, they had a front row seat for the proceedings. When Fai led Sakura out and sat her in a chair in front of the great hearth, Syaoran tensed next to him. Kurogane looked down and saw the kid was pale and unhappy. He put a hand on his arm. “Hey, calm down, kid.”
“But he is going to hurt her,” Syaoran whispered, his words choked. Kurogane looked at him again, surprised. He’d noticed the kid and Fai’s apprentice talking a lot, but hadn’t realized the boy had gotten that attached to her.
He tightened his grip on the boy’s arm. “I don’t know what he is going to do, but I know it will be ok. He’s not going to hurt her any more then he has to.”
A servant brought a bowl with small chunks of ice and another brought a small brazier. Once both were settled to Fai’s satisfaction he took a piece of ice and held it against Sakura’s ear. He then withdrew a long needle that had been heating in the brazier. He wiped it quickly with a soft cloth, positioned himself carefully and drove it through her earlobe. Sakura’s mouth tightened but other then that she gave no sign that she had been affected.
Fai removed the needle, placing it back in the brazier, and took a set of earrings from a small pouch. They were gold, with runes worked into the metal. A small green gem hung from each one. Fai hung the earring from the hole. Starting with ice, he repeated the process with the other ear. After it was done he leaned close and whispered something to Sakura. Syaoran relaxed when she gave her audience a wobbly smile. When she stood up the hall erupted into cheers.
~~**~~
The feasting and entertainment lasted long into the night. Couples began breaking off and slipping away to enjoy a more private type of entertainment, but the party was still going strong when he and Fai slipped outside.
Though it was cold, it was nice to be out of the smoky air of the great hall and away from the din of music and dancers and hundreds of conversations.
Spreading their cloaks on the snow, they sat and looked up at the stars.
Kurogane leaned back on gloved hands. “Why me? You could be inside with your people and your friends. Instead you’ve spent most of your time not spent dealing with emergencies with me. Why?”
Fai shrugged. “Maybe I don’t want to be inside.”
Kurogane raised an eyebrow and Fai sighed. “Except for the king and princess, the only one I’m close to is Sakura. You have to understand, most people respect me and my abilities, but they are also frightened of me as well. Touch is important to us; handshakes, a hug, even a slap on the back. But no one wants to get close to me, let alone touch me.” Fai tilted his head so he was looking up at Kurogane. “But you, you’re not afraid of me. You yell at me and you touch me and you let me tease you.”
Kurogane snorted. “You’re the only one except the princess and Souma who tries to get close to me. Everyone else is afraid. The people back home say I’m a demon because of my red eyes.” He didn’t care about things like that, but he knew how isolating it could be.
Fai smiled and shifted closer to him, their arms brushing against each other. “I like your red eyes. They remind me of the midnight sun.”
Kurogane let one arm wrap around Fai's shoulder. Fai leaned into him and tilted his face up just as Kurogane was turning to look down at him. Their lips met in a soft brush, then met again as Fai came to his knees and wrapped his arms around Kurogane’s neck.
Kurogane used the arm he had around the shaman’s shoulder to pull him closer as their lips met a third time. It was awkward with the thick layers of clothing between them but he didn’t really mind. With a little push from Fai, they toppled backwards, Fai landing sprawled on top of him. He was about to complain when Fai's mouth found his again. When he slid his tongue along Fai’s lower lip Fai gave a delicious moan and allowed him access.
When they broke for air, Kurogane cursed. The snow had melted through the cloak, soaking his clothes.
Fai smiled. “Oh dear, Kuro the Cranky is all wet.” He tilted his head to the side, considering. “Since it is partly my fault, it’s my duty as your host to see you taken care of.” His tone of voice changed and an invitation flashed in his eyes. “If you’d like you could come back to my lodge to warm up?”
Kurogane gave him a long searching look. He nodded. When he stood up, Fai followed. Just as Fai turned to lead the way, Kurogane reached out and grabbed his arm. Fai turned back, a question in his eyes.
“If you’re not happy here, you can always leave.”
Fai’s eyes were shuttered. “But where would I go?”
“Wherever you wanted to. You could,” he paused and the next words were barely whispered. “You could come to Nihon with us.” With me.
Blue eyes raised and locked with red.
~~**~~
When their ship left for Nihon several days later, passing the supply ship on its way back, Fai was onboard and Syaoran wasn’t. It had taken quite a bit of negotiation to convince the king to accept the scholar and sometime astronomer in place of his shaman, despite several arguments in its favor. Now that Sakura was ready to take on the position of shaman, it would only limit her growth to remain in her teacher’s shadow, and it would be good for Princess Hikaru to have one of her people with her as she settled into a new culture. Syaoran’s knowledge of science would be useful to the king and supplement Sakura’s abilities nicely. In the end Sakura had cast the runes and informed King Thorvald that Fai’s destiny lay elsewhere.
Kurogane leaned back against the rail of the ship, watching Fai, who had climbed up onto the rail, waving as the harbor disappeared among the craggy rocks of the shore.
Once there was nothing more to see, Fai turned around and slid until his feet hit the deck. He looked up at Kurogane. “Do you know what the runes told me the very first night you arrived?”
Kurogane shook his head.
Fai smiled. “That meeting you would bring great change and good fortune to my life.”
Kurogane snorted, but obligingly leaned down when Fai tugged on his cloak until their lips met.
MOD Notes: Because this fic is so long, it's been broken down into two sections. Part one can be found here.
Author: Enki (ldydragon7)
Recipient: Miro (morwen_eleriel)
Series: Tsubasa RC (MKR cameos)
Characters/Pairing: Fai/Kurogane, some Sakura/Syaoran (very slight Hikaru/Lantis)
Rating: PG/PG-13ish
Warnings: Slight spoilers for Fai’s past.
Author’s Notes: This AU is set during the Heian age of Japan and the Viking age of Scandinavia, about the 900s. While I tried to keep this as historically accurate as I could, I am shamelessly playing around with geography. For purposes of plot I moved Scandinavia to the east of Russia, thus putting it almost directly north of Japan.
Breakfast was a subdued affair. Most everyone seemed to be nursing hangovers from the feast the night before. Fai and the king were in deep conversation, while Princess Tomoyo and Princess Hikaru spoke together. Syaoran was the last of their party to arrive. He was surrounded by the same group from the bathhouse but now the kid was almost smiling, wavering between looking sheepish and pleased. The man seemed to treat him with more respect.
Fai, his conversation with the king apparently finished, slid onto the bench next to him. “It seems Syaoran has made some new friends.”
Kurogane grunted and shoveled more fish into his mouth. So much for a quiet breakfast.
They were given a tour of the complex after breakfast, though to Kurogane’s mind there wasn’t much to see. Storage houses and homes, barns, animal pens and some small fields. There were larger fields outside the earthen walls, their guide explained. Servants carried torches to light their way. Despite that, most of the details of the building and grounds were cloaked in shadow.
Lunch was a far more rowdy affair, as everyone had fully recovered from the previous evening. Once again, the shaman sat next to him and chatted away the entire meal. It was no wonder the guy was so skinny if he spent all his time talking instead of eating.
After lunch, they got down to business and the negotiations began. A smaller building had been set up as a meeting room. King Thorvald, Fai, Princess Tomoyo, and Syaoran sat at a table near the fireplace, conversing intently in both languages. Kurogane and Souma sat on piles of thick furs, guarding the entrance. Outside the door, King Thorvald’s own warriors also guarded the door. Halfway through the afternoon, Princess Hikaru entered with refreshments and asked if there was anything else they needed. Apparently the servants were being kept from overhearing the discussion.
Her duty done, Princess Hikaru greeted them formally and sat down on the furs next to the bodyguards.
“Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”
He and Souma exchanged looks, then Souma answered. “Of course, Princess. However I can’t guarantee we can answer all of them.”
She nodded. “Of course. I was just wondering, could you tell me anything about Lord Lantis, the Empress’s cousin?”
Souma’s eyes softened in realization. “Of course we could. While I wouldn’t say either of us are particularly close to him, Kurogane and I both spar with him often. Well, Kurogane, what would you say about the Princess’s husband-to-be?”
Kurogane shrugged. “He is a gifted swordsman and very adaptable in battle.”
Souma huffed. “Men! You’d think they could think of something else besides fighting.”
Kurogane snorted. “You asked.”
Princess Hikaru’s tentative smile broadened. “Well I’ve been trained to use a broadsword, so even if we have nothing else in common we can always talk about that.”
“You’re taking this very well. Not many would have the courage to travel to a new land and marry someone they had never even met.”
Hikaru leaned back on her hands. “I love my country and I want to do everything I can to keep my people safe. I will be sad to leave, but I know this alliance will help my people. That is why I agreed. Lord Lantis feels the some way too, doesn’t he? I mean he agreed to the marriage too, so he must love his country very much. That is one more thing we have in common.”
Souma smiled at the girl. “I think you may be right. Lantis is very quiet and does not express his emotions easily, but just because he doesn’t say something does not mean he doesn’t feel it. And while not everyone sees it, he is a kind man.” Souma gave the girl an appraising look. “In fact, I think you might be very good for him.”
Hikaru beamed up at her. “Thank you! Thank you very much. At least, when I get to Nihon I will already know you and Kurogane and Envoy Tomoyo and Syaoran, so I won’t be completely alone.” She bit he lip, looking uncertain for a moment. “Do you think that maybe you and I could become friends?”
Souma nodded. “I think I would like that very much.”
The door bust open and a man ran inside. Souma and Kurogane leapt to their feet, swords out. The man was unarmed and simply raised his hands, barely sparing them a glance as he gasped out, “Your Majesty, the Freygerd has been attacked! The raiders set up an ambush.”
Kurogane didn’t understand what had been said, until Hikaru, seeing his and Souma’s confused glances, quickly translated.
King Thorvald stood, grim-faced. “Damage?”
“The ship was completely destroyed, everything of value taken.”
The king’s frown deepened. “Sit and drink. Then I want a full report.”
The messenger collapsed into a chair gratefully. Syaoran poured him a glass of juice and he gulped it down.
Fai stood as well. “Perhaps it is best if I escort our guests to their lodgings?”
King Thorvald nodded. Fai led them outside. No one spoke until they reached the guest lodgings.
Once they were settled inside and Kurogane and Souma had completed a thorough sweep of the house, Fai turned to them. Gone were the constant smiles and joking manner. “For your own protection, it would be best if you remained here for the time being.”
Tomoyo stepped forward. “Of course. We understand this is a difficult time for you. Please let us know if there is any way we can be of assistance.”
Fai gave her a small, strained smile. “Thank you, I will relay your words to the king.”
After he was gone Kurogane took up a position by the door. Souma turned to Tomoyo. “How bad is it?”
Tomoyo settled herself on a fur next to the fire. She paused for a long moment, staring into the flames. “For them it is very bad. This was to be one of their last shipments before ice closes off the harbor. It will be a race against time and the elements to send out another ship to replace the supplies that were lost. More worrisome is that only a very few people knew the route the ship was to take.”
“Who knew?” Kurogane shot a look at Souma. If the Norse king decided they might be to blame, they would be lucky to get Tomoyo home safely.
“Only King Thorvald’s counsel and the minister of trade back home. I didn’t even know the route the ship would take.”
Kurogane nodded.
They waited for news. Kurogane and Souma checked and sharpened all of their weapons. Syaoran worked on his notes, both of the treaty and his observations of the culture. Tomoyo embroidered. With his weapons taken care of, Kurogane, remembering what Fai had said earlier about boredom, looked though the supplies left in the main room and found several pieces of wood. Using one of his knives, he began to carve the wood.
A servant brought them dinner. He and Souma checked it over carefully. Once satisfied it was safe, they ate.
After dinner Tomoyo took out her koto and played. Souma juggled her knives. Syaoran sat next to Kurogane and watched his carving awhile before asking if there was any other wood. Kurogane found him a block of wood and handed over one of his knives. Souma put all but one of her knives away and found a third piece of wood.
Just when Kurogane’s carving was starting to look like something (he wasn’t quite sure what) a knock came at the door. Sword out, Kurogane answered it.
Fai looked up at him, a wan smile on his lips. “I’m tempted to make a really bad joke.”
Kurogane snorted. “All your jokes are bad. Now come in and tell us what is happening.”
Fai entered and crossed to the fire. They all gathered, kneeling or sitting on the fur rugs. Fai rested his hands on his knees. “By now I assume you have realized that someone has sold information to the raiders.”
Tomoyo nodded.
Fai continued. “The problem is only a few knew where the Freygerd would be and when. All of whom are very influential advisors to the king. We can not accuse any of them with solid proof.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “We are sending out a decoy ship. The advisors have been told that this ship is to trade for supplies and return before the harbor closes. They are the only ones who know the route this ship will take. King Thorvald has his most trusted guards assigned to discreetly watch all of the counselors.”
“The decoy ship isn’t the only one being sent out, is it?” Tomoyo’s voice was soft.
Fai gave her a measured look then nodded. “You are right. Two ships are being sent out. The best lie always holds truth. Only the king and the people in this room know that there are two ships and that one is a decoy. Only the king and I know what routes each will be taking.”
“Aren’t you afraid that one of us might sell the information?” Kurogane flipped his knife in his hand, then sheathed it.
Fai shook his head. “None of you had the information on the Freygerd and there won’t be time for this information to get back to anyone in Nihon. If any of you are working with the raiders all you could tell them is about the decoy; none of you know the routes either ship is taking. Still it would be best if you didn’t talk to any dubious characters. You don’t need to stay confined, but please do remember once the alliance is complete, our warships will be working together to protect the shipping lanes and we have a powerful enemy who will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening.”
Tomoyo nodded. “Please, thank His Majesty for his trust in us.”
“I will. To be honest, it helped to know that the Empress sent her own sister to negotiate, however unofficially. Nihon stands to lose as much as we do if this alliance fails.”
Tomoyo placed her hand over Fai’s. “It will not fail. We made great progress today and now we have even more reason to reach an agreement quickly. All of us are aware that it just as easily could have been one of our own ships that was attacked.”
Fai smiled. “Thank you. I will tell His Majesty. He wanted me to tell you that the negotiations will resume tomorrow.”
~~**~~
The same eerie stillness pervaded the air the next morning, made worse by the increased tension that filled the fortress even though most of her inhabitants were still asleep. The guards on the wall were quieter this morning, their attention heightened. Kurogane was restless. He chafed at having to wait when he knew the enemy was out there, within the same walls as his princess. He had awoken early. Unable to go back to sleep he had instead started slipping through the outer limits of the fortress, keeping his own watch.
He was close to the steep, rocky side of the fjord that created the back wall of the fortress when he saw Fai walking toward the rocks. He ducked out of sight. Fai’s light grey-blue cloak blended into the shadowed snow. The shaman reached the wall and disappeared between two large rocks that jutted out from the cliff face.
When he hadn’t reappeared after a few minutes, Kurogane silently followed. The angle of the rocks hid a tall, narrow cave. In the pitch black Kurogane couldn’t tell how far back it went. Slowly and silently he entered, letting his eyes adjust to the dark. One hand on the wall of the cave, he followed the faint echo of footsteps ahead of him.
How long they traveled through the dark cave was hard to say. Keeping up with Fai without giving himself away required all of his ninja training. Eventually a slight lightening of the darkness up ahead showed the cave’s exit. Cautious exploration showed they were now on the side of the mountain overlooking both fjord and fort. The great pine trees covering the steep slopes were interrupted periodically by rocky outcroppings overlooking steep drops of hundreds of feet. To Kurogane’s surprise Fai was heading farther up the mountain rather then down towards the port. Waiting until Fai disappeared into the trees, Kurogane followed.
It was cold, the trail steep and the wind stronger the higher they went. Fai stopped when he reached one of the rock outcroppings. It gave a magnificent view of the fjord. The wind was so strong here that all the snow had been swept away, leaving only bare rock. Fai spread out his cloak and sat. Kurogane waited, masked by the trees. The wind howled around them, sounding almost human.
Kurogane begin to feel stiff from the cold. He expected Fai’s contact to show up any moment, certain the shaman would not want to wait long in this place, but so far there was no sign there was any other human on the mountain but them.
Fai leaned back, bracing himself with his hands and tilted his head back until he was looking, upside down, behind him. “You can come out now, Kuro the Stalker, it’s just us.”
With a mental curse Kurogane stepped out of hiding. “It occurred to me that the king’s best guards are watching his counsel, but who is watching you?”
Fai smiled up at him. “Why, you are, Kuro the Suspicious. Enjoying the view?”
Unsure if Fai was talking about the fjord or about watching him, Kurogane just snorted and sat down next to the blonde. “So how do I know you didn’t come up here to met one of the raiders?”
Fai raised a gloved hand and extended one finger. “Even if your presence scared him away, you would have at least noticed someone close enough to watch us.” He extended a second finger. “We are rather exposed up here. Anyone who cares to look up will see us, and even if we can’t be identified at this distance all they have to do is wait until we come down.” Fai lowered his hand. “The reason none of the guards are raising a fuss is because I already told the head watchman I was coming up here.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you are here.”
Fai smiled a strange, stretched smile that wasn’t really a smile at all. It sent a shiver down Kurogane’s spine. “I come up here to ...remember.”
“Remember what?” Kurogane pulled the cloak tighter around himself.
Fai hesitated, his gloved fingers picked at his cloak and his eyes unfocused. After a long moment he looked up, bright false smile on his face. “It’s not really a secret. Anyone old enough to remember knows the story. I had a brother. This is a harsh climate we live in. If babies aren’t strong when they are born, there isn’t a good chance of them surviving for very long. When food is scarce it is considered a waste to give it to a child that will die anyway. Since we were twins, we weren’t as strong. But the shaman saw something in us. He told my father that if we survived he would take us as his apprentices. We survived and he taught us. There are trials an apprentice must go through before he is recognized as a full shaman.” Fai’s hand resting on the rock curled, gripping the sharp surface hard. “In the last trial, the apprentice is taken far out into the snow fields until he is utterly lost. He is left there with only a knife and the clothes on his back and must find his way home.” Fai paused, swallowed. His voice was curiously detached. “I made it back. My brother didn’t.”
Kurogane swallowed not sure what to say. Silence fell over them, the crying wind the only sound. It was eerie, a sound he had never heard wind make before, almost like a child screaming. That thought made everything click into place and Kurogane turned and grabbed Fai’s arm, unaccountably angry. “You don’t come up here to remember your brother. You come up here to wallow in the fact that he’s dead.”
Fai gasped when he was grabbed and the color drained from his face. By the time Kurogane was done he looked like he’d been slapped. He tore his arm from Kurogane grip and stood. “What the hell do you know?!”
Kurogane stood as well. “I know that people die! They die and there is nothing you can do to stop it!” He took a deep breath of the frigid air. “If you want to honor your brother, remember his life. Do you really think torturing yourself makes him happy?”
Fai gulped in a deep breath, staring wide-eyed. He was shaking.
Kurogane forced his body to relax and let the tension between them drain away. He sat back down on the rocks and stared out over the fjord.
After a long moment Fai sat down next to him. “You’re strange, you know that?”
Kurogane grunted. To his mind, this guy was the last person who should be calling anyone strange.
Fai drew his knees up and rested his head on them. “I don’t think anyone has taken me to task like that, ever. Not even Ashura.” At Kurogane’s confused glance he clarified. “The previous shaman, my master. Ashura.”
Knowing he was walking on thin ice Kurogane charged ahead anyway. “What happened to him?”
“About a year or so later a ship was caught in the ice. He was leading the rescue team. When the ship broke free, the ice shifted. Cracks opened up and closed in seconds. Ashura fell in and was trapped under the ice. By the time we broke through to him, it was too late.”
Kurogane cleared his throat awkwardly. “I’m sorry.”
Fai shook his head. “It was a long time ago. I became shaman and several years latter I found Sakura.” Fai’s smile was real. “She has been a truly wonderful student.”
“Has been?” Kurogane raised an eyebrow.
Fai nodded. “The week before you arrived, I administered the final trial. I admit I cheated a bit. I stayed out of sight and watched over her. If she had truly needed help I would have stopped the trial and continued her training for several more years, then let her try again. But she didn’t need it. She is ready now to become a shaman in her own right.” Fai abruptly stood. “We should be getting back.”
Kurogane nodded.
The trip down was passed in comfortable silence and the journey through the cave was easier with a guide. They had almost reached the mouth of the cave when Kurogane heard something. He grabbed Fai and ducked into a shadowy crevice, wrapping his dark cloak around Fai’s lighter one. The sound of footsteps grew closer and light from a lantern flickered up ahead. A figure passed them, wrapped head to toe in a grey cloak. Neither dared breathe. Once the figure was gone Kurogane followed the twist of the cave, Fai close behind him. Hidden just inside the mouth of the cave was a guardsman.
Fai leaned close and touched his neck. “Drugged.”
Kurogane nodded. They turned and headed deeper into the cave, following the cloaked figure. Kurogane was impressed with how silently Fai could move when he wanted to. Through the twisting turns of the cave they skulked, always keeping that flicking light just barely in sight. At the exit a fresh set of tracks led down the mountain. Their quarry had doused his lantern once outside, despite the lingering darkness. Alert for any sound of his progress, they tracked him.
A bend in the trail led into a thick grove of pines. Kurogane place his back to one giant tree, Fai directly in front of him. He drew his sword and angled it so the polished blade reflected the center of the grove. Inside the grove stood three men. Two wore mismatched armor and carried weapons. Raiders, and low-level ones to boot, who had to rely on what gear they could scavenge from the dead. These must be lackeys sent to carry messages, he thought. The third figure drew back his grey hood revealing a slender man with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail.
Kurogane could feel Fai’s muscles tense in recognition. He lightly touched the man’s shoulder and the shaman forcibly relaxed. While he couldn’t understand what the men were saying, this situation was obvious enough, even without Fai’s reaction.
A heavy purse changed hands and Fai turned to Kurogane and gestured. He nodded, understanding. They needed to bring back proof.
As one they moved, Kurogane bursting into the clearing while Fai disappeared up the tree. The two raiders drew their weapons and closed on him. Kurogane grinned. Behind him he heard the counselor running, followed by a crash, as Fai dropped out of the tree, tackling him into the snow. The first raider attacked. Kurogane deflected the blow, using his momentum to turn into the second raider’s blow. The sound of metal on metal rang in the clear air. Kurogane ducked low, coming in under the guard of the first raider. He checked his attack, waiting until he was just past the man to change the angle of his sword and bring the heavy hilt back into the man’s skull. He dropped. The second raider faltered at the loss of his companion. That hesitation was just enough for Kurogane to knock him down and deliver the same treatment. The sounds of a struggle behind him ceased.
Fai spoke. “I believe you have some explaining to do, Counselor Kyle.”
Getting two unconscious raiders and a sullen counselor back to the fortress was difficult. Kyle tried twice to run away. He tried threats and bribes, sometimes both in the same breath. Whenever Kyle got too annoying Fai would give a sharp tug on his bonds. They didn’t even try to go through the cave, instead taking the longer but easier route to the front gates; which also, not incidentally, provided the maximum humiliation for Kyle.
~~**~~
There was a feast that night that put their welcoming feast to shame. The traitor had been discovered and was sitting in a cell awaiting judgment. The alliance had officially been signed and Kurogane’s aid in capturing Kyle was being proclaimed as only the beginning of the benefits the alliance would provide. And then Fai had announced that Sakura was ready to take on the mantel of a full shaman. The people were in a mood to celebrate.
The final stage of Sakura’s initiation rite would be performed at the feast in front of everyone. Fai explained to him that each shaman bore a mark, a sign of their bravery and willingness to endure the troubles of their people.
“Your tattoo?” he’d asked.
Fai had nodded. “That is the mark Ashura gave me.”
“It must have taken hours.”
“It did.”
Kurogane had left it at that. He didn’t know how Fai intended to mark his apprentice, but he suspected that an almost full-body tattoo was considered excessive even by the harshest of standards.
As honored guests, they had a front row seat for the proceedings. When Fai led Sakura out and sat her in a chair in front of the great hearth, Syaoran tensed next to him. Kurogane looked down and saw the kid was pale and unhappy. He put a hand on his arm. “Hey, calm down, kid.”
“But he is going to hurt her,” Syaoran whispered, his words choked. Kurogane looked at him again, surprised. He’d noticed the kid and Fai’s apprentice talking a lot, but hadn’t realized the boy had gotten that attached to her.
He tightened his grip on the boy’s arm. “I don’t know what he is going to do, but I know it will be ok. He’s not going to hurt her any more then he has to.”
A servant brought a bowl with small chunks of ice and another brought a small brazier. Once both were settled to Fai’s satisfaction he took a piece of ice and held it against Sakura’s ear. He then withdrew a long needle that had been heating in the brazier. He wiped it quickly with a soft cloth, positioned himself carefully and drove it through her earlobe. Sakura’s mouth tightened but other then that she gave no sign that she had been affected.
Fai removed the needle, placing it back in the brazier, and took a set of earrings from a small pouch. They were gold, with runes worked into the metal. A small green gem hung from each one. Fai hung the earring from the hole. Starting with ice, he repeated the process with the other ear. After it was done he leaned close and whispered something to Sakura. Syaoran relaxed when she gave her audience a wobbly smile. When she stood up the hall erupted into cheers.
~~**~~
The feasting and entertainment lasted long into the night. Couples began breaking off and slipping away to enjoy a more private type of entertainment, but the party was still going strong when he and Fai slipped outside.
Though it was cold, it was nice to be out of the smoky air of the great hall and away from the din of music and dancers and hundreds of conversations.
Spreading their cloaks on the snow, they sat and looked up at the stars.
Kurogane leaned back on gloved hands. “Why me? You could be inside with your people and your friends. Instead you’ve spent most of your time not spent dealing with emergencies with me. Why?”
Fai shrugged. “Maybe I don’t want to be inside.”
Kurogane raised an eyebrow and Fai sighed. “Except for the king and princess, the only one I’m close to is Sakura. You have to understand, most people respect me and my abilities, but they are also frightened of me as well. Touch is important to us; handshakes, a hug, even a slap on the back. But no one wants to get close to me, let alone touch me.” Fai tilted his head so he was looking up at Kurogane. “But you, you’re not afraid of me. You yell at me and you touch me and you let me tease you.”
Kurogane snorted. “You’re the only one except the princess and Souma who tries to get close to me. Everyone else is afraid. The people back home say I’m a demon because of my red eyes.” He didn’t care about things like that, but he knew how isolating it could be.
Fai smiled and shifted closer to him, their arms brushing against each other. “I like your red eyes. They remind me of the midnight sun.”
Kurogane let one arm wrap around Fai's shoulder. Fai leaned into him and tilted his face up just as Kurogane was turning to look down at him. Their lips met in a soft brush, then met again as Fai came to his knees and wrapped his arms around Kurogane’s neck.
Kurogane used the arm he had around the shaman’s shoulder to pull him closer as their lips met a third time. It was awkward with the thick layers of clothing between them but he didn’t really mind. With a little push from Fai, they toppled backwards, Fai landing sprawled on top of him. He was about to complain when Fai's mouth found his again. When he slid his tongue along Fai’s lower lip Fai gave a delicious moan and allowed him access.
When they broke for air, Kurogane cursed. The snow had melted through the cloak, soaking his clothes.
Fai smiled. “Oh dear, Kuro the Cranky is all wet.” He tilted his head to the side, considering. “Since it is partly my fault, it’s my duty as your host to see you taken care of.” His tone of voice changed and an invitation flashed in his eyes. “If you’d like you could come back to my lodge to warm up?”
Kurogane gave him a long searching look. He nodded. When he stood up, Fai followed. Just as Fai turned to lead the way, Kurogane reached out and grabbed his arm. Fai turned back, a question in his eyes.
“If you’re not happy here, you can always leave.”
Fai’s eyes were shuttered. “But where would I go?”
“Wherever you wanted to. You could,” he paused and the next words were barely whispered. “You could come to Nihon with us.” With me.
Blue eyes raised and locked with red.
~~**~~
When their ship left for Nihon several days later, passing the supply ship on its way back, Fai was onboard and Syaoran wasn’t. It had taken quite a bit of negotiation to convince the king to accept the scholar and sometime astronomer in place of his shaman, despite several arguments in its favor. Now that Sakura was ready to take on the position of shaman, it would only limit her growth to remain in her teacher’s shadow, and it would be good for Princess Hikaru to have one of her people with her as she settled into a new culture. Syaoran’s knowledge of science would be useful to the king and supplement Sakura’s abilities nicely. In the end Sakura had cast the runes and informed King Thorvald that Fai’s destiny lay elsewhere.
Kurogane leaned back against the rail of the ship, watching Fai, who had climbed up onto the rail, waving as the harbor disappeared among the craggy rocks of the shore.
Once there was nothing more to see, Fai turned around and slid until his feet hit the deck. He looked up at Kurogane. “Do you know what the runes told me the very first night you arrived?”
Kurogane shook his head.
Fai smiled. “That meeting you would bring great change and good fortune to my life.”
Kurogane snorted, but obligingly leaned down when Fai tugged on his cloak until their lips met.
MOD Notes: Because this fic is so long, it's been broken down into two sections. Part one can be found here.