Akatsuki - Chapter Twenty-Five
Title: Akatsuki
Genre: AU/Fantasy
Rating : PG-13
Disclaimer: I made the poster from images I got from flickr, heavily influenced by an original, final fantasy/kingdom hearts/legend of Mana but the plot and characterization are my own hard work. The Idols are Johhnys but because they've engraved an irreplaceable position in my heart so I based my characters on them and yeah used their names...the end.
Summary: Two nations on the brink of war. A young King on a mission. Two brothers on a quest to preserve their ties. The bonds of friendship are pitted against the greed for power but the hidden strength lying dormant within the confines of a fragile heart has the ability to throw all asunder.
Chapter Twenty-Five - Unfolding
“Keep me updated now,” Yuri said with a pout, trying to ignore Kei, Yuya, Hikaru and Kouta squabbling unintelligibly behind the lanky King with Keito eyeing them nervously.
“I’m banking on your support Yuri,” Yuto replied and grinned as he got a firm nod from the shorter boy.
“Oii! What are you guys going on about?” Aoi bellowed, freezing the quarrelling group.
“You’re making Keito-sama anxious!” she exclaimed, her glare murderous.
“It…it’s okay Aoi…really!” Keito stuttered frankly as taken aback at her outburst as everyone else.
“Is everything…um…okay?” Keito asked, rounding upon the cowering group and looking apologetic.
“No, everything is not okay! We had to risk our necks and plough through the Forbidden Planes and these guys here are telling us there is a shorter, SAFER route to Akatsuki from here!”
Yuto blinked at the fuming Hikaru and then at Kei who stood thoroughly impassive.
“Oh, well…it is a highway that bypasses the Planes, it was built by my ancestors and the only reason we haven’t told you about it up till now is because the passage is only open to those who have braved the planes, simple really,” Yuri replied calmly.
“Oh, so it will be ok if we use it now?” Aoi asked to which Kazuya nodded.
“Yes of course, it is the most convenient option,” he added.
“Along the road we have set up various facilities for travellers and our soldiers are stationed at specific check posts, it will be fairly comfortable. And if you must know, the facilities were my idea,” Yuri boasted, eyes twinkling.
Yuto stared at the young King in wonder. The boy had ascended the throne at the young age of 7 and despite doubts from his own people; he had managed to maintain such prosperity within his nation that it was almost unbelievable. He was born for the job, that’s for sure.
He on the other hand, was nothing close.
“You’ll be fine ‘King’ Yuto,” spoke the elf with a soft smile, surprising Yuto greatly. He shook his head at the scary ability of the elf to read him so well before returning the gesture.
“I hope… you’re right.”
~*~
“This is as far as we can go,” gasped Koki as he cowered under a large bush. He brushed off a large spider from his shoulder, eyes on the forest trail they had just abandoned.
“This area is remote, I don’t think they’ll follow us here,” Yuriko gushed, arms around a frightened Kaede.
“We need to cross the borders, somehow…and warn the King before he comes back,” she added, hushing the whimpering girl next to her.
“We better hurry before Miura’s assassins get to the border gates, that traitor…we will never let him have our King!” Koki hissed.
Yuriko bit her lip, eyes upon the ascending cloud of thick smoke over the castle.
Things were not looking good at all.
~*~
He held himself close, eyes blinking rapidly at the darkness surrounding his being. He liked this place…the realm of never ending solitude. He did not dare to form any more bond as he did not want to bear the pain of losing them. He wondered if Daiki still thought about him, or if Yuto wondered about his whereabouts. He wondered if it even mattered if they did.
So his mother did not want him, and the two people who had cared for him had been murdered before his eyes…because of him. Aunt Hana held a strong grudge against him and would revel in his demise, a gang of mercenaries wanted to hunt him down to support the belief that he was a threat to their country and his blood father, whom he’d never met was currently keeping him prisoner.
He chuckled.
He should be used to it all by now. There was no need to expect anything from anyone. He was probably never destined to have a decent relationship with another human being.
He stared at his hands, at the way they had paled so much that his veins showed.
What was his destiny anyway?
A servant girl looked up from the vase she was dusting to bow as Queen Amaya walked passed her like she did every morning. It had been a while since this tower had been of any use and now it was taking a dozen of her comrades to plough through the dust gathering in its corners.
She peeked through her bangs though as Lady Amaya pulled the chain around her neck to use the key dangling from it. The identity of the prisoner within the room piqued the young girl’s curiosity greatly. She had never seen the youngest princess of the family - now the lady of the castle, so enthusiastic about anything before these daily visits.
“Good morning Ryosuke,”
The sound of a scream startled the poor girl so much that she went on knocking the vase off its pedestal. Knowing she was done for she didn’t even bother picking up the pieces as she joined the rest of the servants rushing to their Queen’s aid.
They flow of people was frozen by the doorway though and as she managed to squeeze all the way to the front, she felt her knees give way at the sight.
~*~