Sasra 3 written by Unit Vanilla and illustrated by Enjin Yamimaru
Sasra 3 is, frankly, my least favorite of the series (read about 1 and 2). The first story bored me so much I skimmed it rather than read it. The second story was quite good, but was so sad I don't want to read it again for a while. But in order to get to book 4 (possibly my favorite) I had to get past this...^^;
The setting: Inca Empire as it is slowly conquered by the Spaniards
The lovers: Conquistador translator Ricardo and Inca prince Kiriya
What I remember about the story: Kiriya is not only a prince, but the "moon" to his brother the Emperor's "sun" per a prophecy at birth. He starts off as a captive (the Spaniards try to get him to tell him where more of their gold is, etc.). He and Ricardo meet because Ricardo is a translator. He ends up being more of a hostage to keep the masses in line (along with the other nobles). He lives with Ricardo, who is assigned as his keeper, for several years. He learns Spanish, lives peaceably. But in the end he runs away to join his brother in an effort to fight back against the Spanish. He knows that they are doomed to failure, but it is his duty. Ricardo had let Kiriya go. After the two are separated to they realize their feelings for each other. Ricardo is injured in battle and is rescued by Kiriya. They confess their feelings for each other. Kiriya draws a line between the two of them (I'm Incan and your Spanish, and we are from different worlds), but Ricardo passionately tells Kiriya that he doesn't need anything else but him. They have sex. Ricardo wakes up the next morning to find Kiriya gone. He sets out to pursue Kiriya.
This kiss isn't the start of a hot love affair--this is only a one-off accident. They live together for years before they realize that they love each other.
Ricardo realizing in the midst of battle that he loves Kiriya.
Set-up: Think "Man in the Iron Mask."
Suzumura Kounosuke is a poor, low-ranking samurai who needs a job. Asano Takahisa, an old acquaintance of his dead father's, comes to pay respects. He sees how tough Kounosuke's family has it, and offers him a job. Kounosuke finds out he'll be taking care of a boy of high birth locked up and with a mask over his head. He's threatened with death if he turns down the job. Kounosuke is told that the boy is deformed and/or retarded and to not speak to him. But when the boy immediately tries to engage him in conversation, he ends up talking to him. The boy had been named "Ichi" by the previous caretaker, who had felt that it was cruel not to give a person a name. Ichi is neither deformed or retarded, but is in fact the twin to the heir of the shogun. He should've been killed to prevent strife in the family over succession, but had instead been kept "just in case" by Asano. Neither he nor Kounosuke knows this, of course.
Ichi's innocence is breathtaking. He'd never seen anything beyond his prison. He thinks that there's one frog that keeps changing sizes. When Kounosuke tells Ichi that he'd seen many different frogs, Ichi can't fathom it. He then asks Kounosuke if there are many Kounosukes out in the world, just like the frog. Kounosuke is moved to provide some small bit of the world to Ichi, by bringing him things from the outside and teaching him to read. They manage to keep their interactions secret from Asano, who only comes to visit Ichi twice a month.
Ichi starts having the physical manifestations of puberty. Kounosuke has to teach him about masturbation, which Ichi takes to so enthusiastically he makes his own dick swollen. Kounosuke advices Ichi that he needs to not touch his dick until it returns to normal, but Ichi desperately wants to come. So...Kounosuke shows him that fiddling with the inside of his ass is another way to make him come...Of course this eventually leads to full-on anal sex. ^^;
Kounosuke starts thinking about how he could get Ichi out of his prison. He explores some options, and finds out that the previous caretaker and his family had been killed for accidentally seeing Ichi's face (the mask had broken). He decides that he will run away with Ichi and his family--he knows that Asano will kill everyone if he catches any of them. Unfortunately, Ichi is taken away to perform a "duty."
Kounosuke tries to find where Ichi is. His efforts are rewarded when he's given Ichi's headless body (Kounosuke is told that Ichi had served some purpose with his death, which is better than being locked up forever). He is grief-stricken. He regrets not having run away earlier.
One day, he is visited by the very people who had taken Ichi away from him. He is told that if he wants his wish granted, he should come with them. Kounosuke senses that if he goes he will be killed, but he decides to go. He is taken to Edo Castle and meets a beautiful boy he's never seen before. But when he hears the boy speak he recognizes the voice as Ichi's. Ichi cries in happiness that he's finally been able to see Kounosuke. Kounosuke can't believe Ichi is actually alive. They have sex. Afterwards, Kounosuke finds out that Ichi's twin brother had died. Ichi, who has the same face as his brother, was brought in to be his replacement. Ichi had gone on a hunger strike until Kounosuke was brought to him. Ichi does not want to be separated from Kounosuke again. He's even willing to wear the mask and be chained up in that little shack that had been his prison again.
Kounosuke realizes that there's no way that would happen. He also knows they have no chance of escaping. He tells Ichi that they can't be together like they used to, and that he has to do as he's told. If he does, Kounosuke will come to see him. Ichi is unhappy, but accepts Kounosuke's words. He demands Kounosuke fuck him again to tide him over until the next time.
After Kounosuke leaves Ichi he is cut down. He can't be allowed to live now that he knows the secret. Kounosuke isn't afraid of death because he's been able to see (and make love to) Ichi one last time, but he doesn't want Ichi to experience the gut-wrenching grief he did. With his last words he asks that Ichi be told he's gone on a trip. He'd rather Ichi be mad at him for not coming to see him rather than grieve for his death.
Ichi wakes up to find Kounosuke gone. When he asks when Kounosuke will come again, he is told that Kounosuke has gone on a trip.
