[fic] By Fire - 1/2
Title: By Fire
Pairing: Akanishi x Kamenashi
Rating: NC-17. Barely, I think.
Genre: AU, tragedy
Disclaimer: I don't own KAT-TUN, any of its members, any other JE people. I write this for fun and for other fans of these fine folks. But don't steal my plots, mmkay? I put a great deal of time into them except for when I'm randomly spastically spitting words onto a page. But I value those too...
Summary: Kazuya meets a wandering swordsman and their fates become quickly linked.
By Fire
The young man leaned again an ancient tree, his breathing ragged. He had managed to tear off most of the outer layers of clothing that restricted his movement as he ran and he had put as much distance between himself and his pursuers as he could in one burst. He knew they would come for him soon but for now, he needed to stop crying and regain his breath. He sank down to his knees as the world spun around him. I just need to think. I need to figure out which way to go…
To the people, he was Kazuko, high shamaness. He was never supposed to be a boy. Stars told of “her” coming and, upon finding out “she” was actually a boy, many plans had been made to pass him off as a girl. So, since “her” birth, shamans and tribal leaders had brought their respective buzoku to the island of Honshu, pledging their lives to protect “her”. Both tenyuu and tenken were “hers” to decide, for “her” word was divine law.
Not that he got to say much.
Kazuko’s word was given and interpreted by a rather severe woman named Shinju and enforced by an elite group of souhei - priest soldiers. All Kazuko did was sit very still and look very solumn while the souhei and emissaries from all surrounding regions came to worship and receive new laws. Shinju kept Kazuko isolated the rest of the time, with the souhei to guard him and attendants to bathe and dress him.
It had been that way for as long as he could remember.
At a very young age, he learned to not question Shinju’s decisions. Why must he sit very still and not speak while people prayed to him? “You must think not of yourself,” he was told absentmindedly, “but of your duty to the people. You were sent to guide them.” Why could he not run and play? “You cannot take such foolish risks as other children do. You have a duty to your people.”
Everything was for the people.
Kazuko had little to show for it other than a handful of unsettling dreams and a very lonely life.
He was almost twenty now, beautiful beyond comparison. His long black hair, swept up and held by jeweled combs, accentuated the contrast of his pale skin and the light brown of his eyes. His attendants dressed him in the finest of clothes, gifts from different tribes who sought his wisdom.
His attendants, of course, were forbidden to speak to him. While Kazuko was a small child, he would talk with a motherly woman who used to brush his hair. When Shinju found out, the woman disappeared. Kazuko had asked about her. All Shinju said was, “The gods have punished her.”
Kazuko stopped trying to talk to his attendants.
When he was old enough, his instructors would teach him what Shinju felt was necessary but they wouldn’t speak casually to him. Highly-ranked souhei were allowed to speak to him, but most wouldn’t. Nor would they even in private refer to him as a boy. His life was one of “yes, my lady” and “no, my lady.”
There was one man, an older priest who frequently stood watch and protected him named Sango. He was the closest thing to a friend he had; he would talk with him about the lands beyond the shrine and gardens and would let him have his privacy as long as he was safe and it did not defy Shinju. Sango showed him the different flowers of the garden and taught him their names and he showed him how to tie the pretty ribbons to the tree limbs.
Kazuko sincerely hoped the gods would not punish Sango for losing him. It wasn’t his fault, honestly. He had tricked him, pretending to be scared of something one way in the bushes and once Sango was distracted, he’d run the other way. By the time Sango knew he was gone, he’d managed to shed enough clothing for a full-force run. He felt like he had run forever. Most of his hair had fallen, almost all of his beautiful combs lost in the woods.
Convinced that the souhei were still looking for him and would reach his location any minute, Kazuko took one last deep breath and started running again. He was nearly out of breath again when he heard a noise behind him. Convinced it was his pursuers, he turned and did not see the root until he had tripped over it and was sliding down a hill and over the edge - right down to a small road and into a man.
“Shit!” the man shouted in surprise as the two of them tumbled to the ground. His companions helped untangle them and get them to their feet. Kazuko saw where his last comb had fallen and quickly snatched it up. He would need that to trade for food later.
Suddenly four pairs of curious eyes were on Kazuko, all alone, practically naked and carrying an expensive piece of jewelry. “Well, now… it’s not every day that such a pretty boy in women’s underclothes falls from the sky,” the man exclaimed as he brushed himself off. He nodded to two of his friends, who grabbed Kazuko by the arms so he could not run.
“Please, what are you doing?” he pleaded and struggled to get away as the man in front of him relieved him of the comb. “I need that! It’s all I have!”
“And now I have it,” he stated simply. “Isn’t life funny that way?” And with that, he slipped the comb into a pouch tied at his waist. “Where’d you steal this little treasure from? From your state of dress,” and at this point, his eyes wandered the length of him, “I’d say you seduced one of the souhei from the shrine and made off with it last night, ne? Guess even the souhei have… needs!” He laughed heartily. “Are you a good lay, then?”
He was talking about sex! With him! Kazuko finally realized the position he was in. The comb was the least of his worries. He struggled harder.
“The gods will punish you,” he warned him, his voice quivering.
The man smiled. “I doubt the gods are worried about a thieving whore.”
Kazuko started screaming.
+++
Jin had just crested the ridge when he heard the screaming. Without a thought, he dropped his pack and drew his sword as he broke into a run. What he saw when he got there turned his stomach.
Two men held a struggling woman… no, that was a man, not a woman… with a third approaching eagerly and a fourth watching. The struggling man kicked out as hard as he could and caught the advancing man in the groin; he went down, clutching himself in pain. The fourth man slugged the captive and he sagged. By this time, however, Jin had closed the distance.
With a swift downward strike, Jin’s bronze sword dug into the shoulder and neck of the man that threw the punch. He died quickly, dropping to the ground as Jin yanked the blade free. Another quick stroke left a line of crimson across the throat of the man on the ground. The other two men, seeing their friends’ fates, let go and broke out in a full run the other way. Jin let them go in favor of taking hold of the falling man and guiding him down gently to sit.
His hands and voice shaking, the strangely-dressed (or, rather, underdressed) man begged him, “Help me, please. Help me. I have to get away from here. I have to go…” And with that, he passed out.
Jin wiped the blood off his blade and re-sheathed his sword. He grabbed the small traveling pouches from the dead mens’ waists and, carefully lifting the unconscious man, returned to fetch his pack. Getting off the road and away from any prying eyes seemed to be a good idea, at least until he had a better grasp of the situation. He went downhill and away from the road until he hit the trees, then continued on until he felt sufficiently sheltered.
Ever so gently, he sat the young man down on some moss, leaning him against the trunk of a tree. He cleared out a small space and built a temporary fire pit where he set half of his remaining sika deer meat cooking as a very basic stew. Then he turned to check on the young man.
His long black hair was matted, with small twigs sticking out. He had fresh scrapes on his hands and face. He must have fallen and slid some distance, he reasoned, remembering the small cliff above the road on which he was attacked. Bruises were appearing around his eye where he was slugged. Jin growled deep in his throat. Only the worst sort of person would strike someone so obviously helpless!
Even through the dirt and scrapes, Jin could see the delicateness of his frame and the general smoothness of his skin. His hands were soft and un-calloused. The scent of jasmine came from him whenever the slightest breeze whispered by. This man, whoever he was, did not come from any of the wandering buzoku or the new farms.
He could have been a prostitute, one of the aishou that roamed from tribe to tribe but Jin did not think so. Most likely, he worked for the souhei and the High Shamaness. It was a very respectable calling, particularly since very few men were chosen to attend the Shamaness.
He must have done something serious if he was fleeing almost naked with no provisions.
Jin silently cursed. It was one thing to be exiled from your buzoku; defying the Shamaness was another. The gods would strike him down, if the souhei didn’t get to him first. He would have to approach the situation very carefully.
There was nothing he could do until the other man was awake, so Jin started rummaging through the pouches he took from his attackers. Mostly, it was dried fruits, which was always appreciated; also the smaller bag contained a handful of colored beads. Then there was the comb.
Jin had never seen craftsmanship of that caliber; he could not tell how it was made, either. Nothing like it existed in the land that he’d seen - not on the aishou, not on the daughters of the chieftans. It was made of jade, with many smaller gems on either side of a larger red stone. The carvings around the stones were very smooth and the comb was polished to a shine except where several streaks of mud marred the surface.
Glancing back at the stranger, Jin realized with a start he was probably holding one of the High Shamaness’s combs. He nearly dropped it in surprise. Quickly, he shoved it back into the pouch. It was probably stolen and he did not want to be caught with it.
He had just finished eating when the young man started whimpering. Thinking he was awake, Jin went to his side; however, it seemed he was merely suffering from a bad dream. He briefly considered trying to wake him; then, the stranger started speaking in his sleep.
“Once by fire to escape ice,” he muttered fearfully. “Fire from the great dragon. Shinju-onna, I’ll be good, I promise! Please, Shinju, just not that. The ice will kill. Must run, must run…” Jin had reached to take him by the shoulders, but paused at the mention of Shinju. Even an exile warrior like himself recognized that name. This confirmed his suspicion that the man was from the shrine. He decided to keep listening. He might find more truthful information this way that he would otherwise tell him, particularly if he was fleeing tenken for some crime.
“Into the fire. Once by fire to escape ice. I can’t… Shinju, but it’s so hot! It burns… It hurts… I’m so sorry, Shinju; just make it stop burning. Make it stop! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” and he trailed off, whimpering.
Jin was hit suddenly with a very strong desire to take him in his arms and hold him until the fear and hurt left him. He was so raw, so… childlike. Even speaking so softly, his fear was evident. Jin settled back, confused at the rather mixed signs he was getting. It was time for him to admit it - he had no clue what was going on.
The young man stirred again, snapping Jin’s attention back to him.
+++
The world that had gone black swirled slowly back into focus. There was Shinju and the daisaishi, leader of the souhei. They wanted to turn him into a statue of ice, forever cold, one they could shape as needed. Kazuko was afraid and tried to run, only to find all escape routes cut off - Shinju-onna had conjured the dragonfire. Desperately, Kazuko glanced around, looking for anything to help him flee or fight, but there was nothing but the fire, the daisaishi, and a laughing Shinju.
“Shinju-onna, I’ll be good. I promise. Please, Shinju-onna, just not that. The ice will kill.”
“Now, hold still,” Shinju chided him, “and think of your people. It won’t hurt, I promise. The fire most certainly will. Let the daisaishi turn you to ice, child.”
With the priest advancing, Kazuko shot one last desperate pleading glance at Shinju before diving into the flames towards the exit. The feel of the heat hit him all at once as his clothes caught on fire. His skin started to blacken and bubble. The pain was worse than anything he’d ever felt and it hit hardest just as he realized there wasn’t an escape after all. There never had been. He’d been wrong and now he was burning for it.
“It burns… It hurts… I’m so sorry, Shinju-onna; just make it stop burning. Make it stop! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” he screamed. The world went black once more and the pain faded to a dull headache.
Then he opened his eyes.
Kazuko found himself once again surrounded by trees, but it wasn’t the familiar setting of the shrine. He was reclined against a tree with soft moss down the trunk and along the ground. His left eye and cheek ached, as did his head. He put his hand up and felt where he had been punched. Memories of his flight and his encounter on the road came back to him. He looked around.
He was not alone.
“Are you hungry?” The man offered him a bowl of lukewarm stew. Kazuko accepted it eagerly.
“Thank you.”
The man gave Kazuko a gentle smile. “It’s just deer stew.”
He set down the bowl and took hold of the man’s hand, looking him directly in the eyes. “No, I mean… thank you. For the road. Surely the gods will bless your kind heart.” Letting his hand fall, Kazuko snatched back up the rice bowl and began to stuff himself. He hadn’t realized how hungry he really was.
+++
Jin was struck by the utter honesty in the young man’s eyes. He had done something serious enough that he’d fled with no provisions, but what could it possibly have been? Curious, he asked the first question on his mind. “Where are your clothes?”
The young man looked up from his bowl. “I couldn’t run in them. I hate to take them off so they wouldn’t catch me and so I could breathe.” He resumed eating.
Jin would have to find him something more to wear. He had attempted to ignore the other’s state of dress when he was passed out, but he was beautiful. Incredibly beautiful. Jin wouldn’t harm him and he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt him, but the young man absolutely couldn’t travel like that. The aishou didn’t even travel like that and they’d bed any who could pay.
+++
“Please don’t stare,” Kazuko whispered as he set down the now-empty bowl. “I didn’t have a choice.” He was suddenly very self-conscious of his state of dress. The only people who ever saw him this naked were his attendants and Shinju.
“I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized I was. Here, let me see if I have something you can use for now,” Kazuko’s rescuer said. The man opened his pack and began rummaging through it. “Ah, here it is.” He handed Kazuko a very plain, lightweight robe, along with something to tie back his long hair. Kazuko fumbled with the robe, trying to think of how his attendants dressed him and how he’d managed to undress himself earlier. It proved very frustrating.
His rescuer’s eyes went wide watching him. The man shook his head and started laughing. Kazuko stuck his tongue out at him. “It’s not funny!” But he finally managed to figure out which way it faced and tried again, muttering to himself. “It’s just, I’ve never done it before.”
The man paused at this. “You’ve never done it before? You mean you’ve never dressed yourself?”
“Never.” Kazuko got the robe on and tied it in place. “This has one layer? Because I don’t think I can do it again.” He looked back up questioningly at his rescuer.
+++
Jin found himself more and more intrigued by this man. “Um… oh, yes. There’s only one.” He watched at the young man pulled his hair back away from his face and tied it back. He seemed to have no trouble with the ties at least. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me your name?” he asked. When the young man didn’t answer, he sighed. “No, I suppose not. Well, I have to call you something, don’t I?”
The young man became lost in thought for a moment, but finally responded, “You can call me Kazuya.”
“My name is Jin. I have no buzoku name to give you.” To his surprise, Kazuya didn’t immediately press the issue. He didn’t have time to, really, for just then the sound of shouts came from the distant road. The sound meant the bandits’ friend had returned with reinforcements or that someone else had discovered the bodies. Jin wasn’t overly worried. He could easily defend himself against the bandits’ comrades.
He turned back to Kazuya. His brown eyes had gone wild and he was scrambling to his feet. “It’s the souhei! They’ve found me!”
Jin’s hand shot out and caught Kazuya by the wrist, pulling him back down to him. “Kazuya, I don’t know what you’ve done,” he growled. “By all rights, I should turn you back in to face your tenken. The law of the Shamaness is the will of the gods and I’d be a fool to set myself against the souhei.” His voice and eyes soften. “But seeing as how I killed two people aiding your escape, I’m pretty sure I’d get hell for my effort.”
Kazuya bit him. Hard. Cursing, Jin let go and Kazuya scrambled to his feet once again. He didn’t get far. “You have no food and nothing to trade. What will you do?” Jin called after him. Kazuya sank to his knees.
Biting his lip, Kazuya confessed, “I had a comb but the men on the road took it.”
Jin had already figured the comb came from the shrine, but he said nothing about it. Instead, he walked over to Kazuya and put a hand on his shoulder. “Since I can’t take you in, I may as well help you. But you have got to fill me in on some things. Come, you can tell me while we travel.” He smiled down at Kazuya.
+++
Kazuya turned and looked up at Jin. He studied him for a moment, sizing him up. His dark brown hair was not too long but fell around his face as he leaned over him. His eyes were a lovely brown. He was unkempt but, Kazuya realized with a start, he was handsome. There was something to him, some gentleness to his eyes and the lines of his face; he felt an odd pull towards him. It was unlike anything he was used to. Something told him he could trust this Jin.
“All right.”
They agreed to stay away from the road until they were further from the shrine, so they began to pick their way through the trees and deeper into the forest. The plan was to go through the woods and back out onto the road. It would save them half a day’s travel as well as put them far enough away from the shrine so that Kazuya wouldn’t be immediately recognized. Of course, the souhei could still prove problematic; horse-riders would be sent in all directions seeking him. Jin had told him not to worry, but still…
As they started off, Jin asked him, “Where do you plan on going?”
“I was born at the shrine. It’s all I know,” Kazuya admitted. “Sango told me stories of other places, but…”
“Sango?”
“One of the souhei. My friend.” Kazuya smiled, his usual brightness returning with each step they took. “I don’t care where we go, as long as I won’t be found.”
His eyes fell on a burst of color some distance ahead. “Ooh, flowers!” he exclaimed, running towards them.
+++
Jin smiled as he watched Kazuya. He was proving to be unlike anyone he ever met. His mannerisms were all definitely feminine and he did them so naturally that Jin had to wonder if all the male attendants at the shrine were raised like women. He seemed energetic, almost playful, but at the same time possessing a gracefulness that could not be denied. And, by the gods, he was gorgeous. Jin felt the first stirrings of lust... and something a bit more he couldn’t quite describe.
He scowled inwardly. Now was not the time for such thoughts.
“Now, Kazuya, there’s a few things you’re gonna have to tell me.”
Jin looked down at him just as he looked up. He had woven several flowers into his hair. “Ask your questions,” Kazuya said softly, smiling. Jin held his hand out to him and he took it. Once he was on his feet, the two of them started walking again.
Jin weighed carefully the immediacy of each of his questions before asking, “What will happen to you if the souhei do find you?”
Kazuya visibly shuddered. “They’ll take me back.”
“Not kill you?” Jin stopped, surprised.
“No, they won’t kill me.”
“Why not?”
“The gods would punish them,” he said, as if it should have been obvious. Kazuya continued on.
Jin shook his head to dispel his surprise and quickly followed. All along, he had been trying to determine what Kazuya had done. All the facts of his flight suggested something serious, so serious that he feared for his life. Jin was already having trouble reconciling that with the person he seemed to be. Now he told him he didn’t fear for his life, but it was very obvious he was utterly terrified at the thought of going back.
The time for guessing was over. “What have you done?” he asked bluntly, keeping his voice flat.
Very softly, Kazuya said, “It’s not what I’ve done. It’s what they want me to do. What they’re going to do…”
“Kazuya…?” Jin was unsure how to respond. He could make no sense out of it, but everything in his heart told him Kazuya wasn’t lying. “What do they want you to do? What will they do?”
“I can’t tell you. Please, ask something else. Anything else.” Kazuya looked up at him and the intensity his brown eyes held was almost painful to see.
Still, he needed to know. There had to be a way to find out. Better keep his eyes open and look for an opportunity to press the subject further.
+++
Kazuya, satisfied Jin wouldn’t press the issue, turned his gaze to the way ahead. They walked side by side in silence for several minutes. He push Shinju and the souhei out of his mind. This was his first time out in the wide world and as long as he wasn’t in direct danger, he was going to enjoy himself.
As the tension left him, he opened back up a bit. By the time they neared the edge of the woods many hours later, they were chatting like old friends. Kazuya was curious about everything Jin had seen, all the places he’d been. He hung onto Jin’s every word as he regaled him with tales of his childhood. In return, Kazuya told him stories he remembered from his tutors. History, they had told him, of how the land came to be. Shinju-onna had made him memorize them.
He barely even noticed when they broke through the tree line.
+++
Jin noticed. He also noticed the sound of hooves in the distance. Quickly, he silenced Kazuya, cutting him off mid-sentence. “Back to the trees, now! Hide and don’t come back until I call for you.”
Kazuya did as he asked.
Best case scenario, he could question the man and confirm his direction. Worst case, it was a souhei rider. Still, he might learn a few things. Even a souhei rider wouldn’t have a reason to not trust him. Jin glanced back to the trees behind him, looking for any sign of Kazuya but he’d hidden well. Good.
As the gods would have it, it was a souhei rider. Even across the distance, Jin could make out the brightly-colored robes and distinctive hairstyle that were the mark of a low-ranked souhei. Taking a deep breath, Jin prepared to flag down the rider.
“What news do you bear from the sacred Shrine?” Jin asked as amiably as he could.
The look on the souhei rider’s face was enough to convince Jin he’d done the right thing when he flagged down the rider. The man was very obviously distraught and he slumped over a bit as he answered. “Riders have been sent in every direction to carry a message. High Shamaness Kazuko has been abducted from the Shrine. There’s a demon loose, by all accounts summoned by a very powerful sorcerer. Her guardian Sango tried to save her but as he went after the demon, the sorcerer grabbed her.” The rider was getting more and more agitated as he spoke. “They were gone so quickly… and Sango feels responsible. He’s always had a father’s love for the girl. He’s buried himself and his sadness in the holy drink. But the rest of us, we’re being sent to find her or anyone who’s seen her...”
Jin took a moment to let the information sink in. The High Shamaness… missing! A demon, a sorcerer. The souhei rider continued to speak but Jin was no longer listening.
He was absolutely convinced Kazuya was connected to the disappearance of the Shamaness. If Kazuya was a woman, he might even be the Shamaness. But… no, even if Kazuya was a woman, what reason would the maker of all law, the very incarnation of the gods’ will, have for running away?
Still, if the Shamaness was abducted, it would have taken extraordinary power and cunning. Magic of that caliber would imply a pact with forces of such might… perhaps the spark of a war in the heavens? Where did Kazuya fit? Surely not the sorcerer. Not the demon. Where, then?
Jin brought his attention back to the souhei rider, who had finished speaking. Playing the (quite accurately) concerned citizen, Jin shared a few more words with the rider, all the while praying that Kazuya did not become bored and wander out.
After a while the souhei rider moved on. The sun was by then dropping in the sky and Jin was interested in finding Kazuya. Very interested. He had brand-new questions and by all that was holy, he would get some answers.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The rest of the story is found here:
Page 1 - Page 2
Pairing: Akanishi x Kamenashi
Rating: NC-17. Barely, I think.
Genre: AU, tragedy
Disclaimer: I don't own KAT-TUN, any of its members, any other JE people. I write this for fun and for other fans of these fine folks. But don't steal my plots, mmkay? I put a great deal of time into them except for when I'm randomly spastically spitting words onto a page. But I value those too...
Summary: Kazuya meets a wandering swordsman and their fates become quickly linked.
By Fire
The young man leaned again an ancient tree, his breathing ragged. He had managed to tear off most of the outer layers of clothing that restricted his movement as he ran and he had put as much distance between himself and his pursuers as he could in one burst. He knew they would come for him soon but for now, he needed to stop crying and regain his breath. He sank down to his knees as the world spun around him. I just need to think. I need to figure out which way to go…
To the people, he was Kazuko, high shamaness. He was never supposed to be a boy. Stars told of “her” coming and, upon finding out “she” was actually a boy, many plans had been made to pass him off as a girl. So, since “her” birth, shamans and tribal leaders had brought their respective buzoku to the island of Honshu, pledging their lives to protect “her”. Both tenyuu and tenken were “hers” to decide, for “her” word was divine law.
Not that he got to say much.
Kazuko’s word was given and interpreted by a rather severe woman named Shinju and enforced by an elite group of souhei - priest soldiers. All Kazuko did was sit very still and look very solumn while the souhei and emissaries from all surrounding regions came to worship and receive new laws. Shinju kept Kazuko isolated the rest of the time, with the souhei to guard him and attendants to bathe and dress him.
It had been that way for as long as he could remember.
At a very young age, he learned to not question Shinju’s decisions. Why must he sit very still and not speak while people prayed to him? “You must think not of yourself,” he was told absentmindedly, “but of your duty to the people. You were sent to guide them.” Why could he not run and play? “You cannot take such foolish risks as other children do. You have a duty to your people.”
Everything was for the people.
Kazuko had little to show for it other than a handful of unsettling dreams and a very lonely life.
He was almost twenty now, beautiful beyond comparison. His long black hair, swept up and held by jeweled combs, accentuated the contrast of his pale skin and the light brown of his eyes. His attendants dressed him in the finest of clothes, gifts from different tribes who sought his wisdom.
His attendants, of course, were forbidden to speak to him. While Kazuko was a small child, he would talk with a motherly woman who used to brush his hair. When Shinju found out, the woman disappeared. Kazuko had asked about her. All Shinju said was, “The gods have punished her.”
Kazuko stopped trying to talk to his attendants.
When he was old enough, his instructors would teach him what Shinju felt was necessary but they wouldn’t speak casually to him. Highly-ranked souhei were allowed to speak to him, but most wouldn’t. Nor would they even in private refer to him as a boy. His life was one of “yes, my lady” and “no, my lady.”
There was one man, an older priest who frequently stood watch and protected him named Sango. He was the closest thing to a friend he had; he would talk with him about the lands beyond the shrine and gardens and would let him have his privacy as long as he was safe and it did not defy Shinju. Sango showed him the different flowers of the garden and taught him their names and he showed him how to tie the pretty ribbons to the tree limbs.
Kazuko sincerely hoped the gods would not punish Sango for losing him. It wasn’t his fault, honestly. He had tricked him, pretending to be scared of something one way in the bushes and once Sango was distracted, he’d run the other way. By the time Sango knew he was gone, he’d managed to shed enough clothing for a full-force run. He felt like he had run forever. Most of his hair had fallen, almost all of his beautiful combs lost in the woods.
Convinced that the souhei were still looking for him and would reach his location any minute, Kazuko took one last deep breath and started running again. He was nearly out of breath again when he heard a noise behind him. Convinced it was his pursuers, he turned and did not see the root until he had tripped over it and was sliding down a hill and over the edge - right down to a small road and into a man.
“Shit!” the man shouted in surprise as the two of them tumbled to the ground. His companions helped untangle them and get them to their feet. Kazuko saw where his last comb had fallen and quickly snatched it up. He would need that to trade for food later.
Suddenly four pairs of curious eyes were on Kazuko, all alone, practically naked and carrying an expensive piece of jewelry. “Well, now… it’s not every day that such a pretty boy in women’s underclothes falls from the sky,” the man exclaimed as he brushed himself off. He nodded to two of his friends, who grabbed Kazuko by the arms so he could not run.
“Please, what are you doing?” he pleaded and struggled to get away as the man in front of him relieved him of the comb. “I need that! It’s all I have!”
“And now I have it,” he stated simply. “Isn’t life funny that way?” And with that, he slipped the comb into a pouch tied at his waist. “Where’d you steal this little treasure from? From your state of dress,” and at this point, his eyes wandered the length of him, “I’d say you seduced one of the souhei from the shrine and made off with it last night, ne? Guess even the souhei have… needs!” He laughed heartily. “Are you a good lay, then?”
He was talking about sex! With him! Kazuko finally realized the position he was in. The comb was the least of his worries. He struggled harder.
“The gods will punish you,” he warned him, his voice quivering.
The man smiled. “I doubt the gods are worried about a thieving whore.”
Kazuko started screaming.
+++
Jin had just crested the ridge when he heard the screaming. Without a thought, he dropped his pack and drew his sword as he broke into a run. What he saw when he got there turned his stomach.
Two men held a struggling woman… no, that was a man, not a woman… with a third approaching eagerly and a fourth watching. The struggling man kicked out as hard as he could and caught the advancing man in the groin; he went down, clutching himself in pain. The fourth man slugged the captive and he sagged. By this time, however, Jin had closed the distance.
With a swift downward strike, Jin’s bronze sword dug into the shoulder and neck of the man that threw the punch. He died quickly, dropping to the ground as Jin yanked the blade free. Another quick stroke left a line of crimson across the throat of the man on the ground. The other two men, seeing their friends’ fates, let go and broke out in a full run the other way. Jin let them go in favor of taking hold of the falling man and guiding him down gently to sit.
His hands and voice shaking, the strangely-dressed (or, rather, underdressed) man begged him, “Help me, please. Help me. I have to get away from here. I have to go…” And with that, he passed out.
Jin wiped the blood off his blade and re-sheathed his sword. He grabbed the small traveling pouches from the dead mens’ waists and, carefully lifting the unconscious man, returned to fetch his pack. Getting off the road and away from any prying eyes seemed to be a good idea, at least until he had a better grasp of the situation. He went downhill and away from the road until he hit the trees, then continued on until he felt sufficiently sheltered.
Ever so gently, he sat the young man down on some moss, leaning him against the trunk of a tree. He cleared out a small space and built a temporary fire pit where he set half of his remaining sika deer meat cooking as a very basic stew. Then he turned to check on the young man.
His long black hair was matted, with small twigs sticking out. He had fresh scrapes on his hands and face. He must have fallen and slid some distance, he reasoned, remembering the small cliff above the road on which he was attacked. Bruises were appearing around his eye where he was slugged. Jin growled deep in his throat. Only the worst sort of person would strike someone so obviously helpless!
Even through the dirt and scrapes, Jin could see the delicateness of his frame and the general smoothness of his skin. His hands were soft and un-calloused. The scent of jasmine came from him whenever the slightest breeze whispered by. This man, whoever he was, did not come from any of the wandering buzoku or the new farms.
He could have been a prostitute, one of the aishou that roamed from tribe to tribe but Jin did not think so. Most likely, he worked for the souhei and the High Shamaness. It was a very respectable calling, particularly since very few men were chosen to attend the Shamaness.
He must have done something serious if he was fleeing almost naked with no provisions.
Jin silently cursed. It was one thing to be exiled from your buzoku; defying the Shamaness was another. The gods would strike him down, if the souhei didn’t get to him first. He would have to approach the situation very carefully.
There was nothing he could do until the other man was awake, so Jin started rummaging through the pouches he took from his attackers. Mostly, it was dried fruits, which was always appreciated; also the smaller bag contained a handful of colored beads. Then there was the comb.
Jin had never seen craftsmanship of that caliber; he could not tell how it was made, either. Nothing like it existed in the land that he’d seen - not on the aishou, not on the daughters of the chieftans. It was made of jade, with many smaller gems on either side of a larger red stone. The carvings around the stones were very smooth and the comb was polished to a shine except where several streaks of mud marred the surface.
Glancing back at the stranger, Jin realized with a start he was probably holding one of the High Shamaness’s combs. He nearly dropped it in surprise. Quickly, he shoved it back into the pouch. It was probably stolen and he did not want to be caught with it.
He had just finished eating when the young man started whimpering. Thinking he was awake, Jin went to his side; however, it seemed he was merely suffering from a bad dream. He briefly considered trying to wake him; then, the stranger started speaking in his sleep.
“Once by fire to escape ice,” he muttered fearfully. “Fire from the great dragon. Shinju-onna, I’ll be good, I promise! Please, Shinju, just not that. The ice will kill. Must run, must run…” Jin had reached to take him by the shoulders, but paused at the mention of Shinju. Even an exile warrior like himself recognized that name. This confirmed his suspicion that the man was from the shrine. He decided to keep listening. He might find more truthful information this way that he would otherwise tell him, particularly if he was fleeing tenken for some crime.
“Into the fire. Once by fire to escape ice. I can’t… Shinju, but it’s so hot! It burns… It hurts… I’m so sorry, Shinju; just make it stop burning. Make it stop! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” and he trailed off, whimpering.
Jin was hit suddenly with a very strong desire to take him in his arms and hold him until the fear and hurt left him. He was so raw, so… childlike. Even speaking so softly, his fear was evident. Jin settled back, confused at the rather mixed signs he was getting. It was time for him to admit it - he had no clue what was going on.
The young man stirred again, snapping Jin’s attention back to him.
+++
The world that had gone black swirled slowly back into focus. There was Shinju and the daisaishi, leader of the souhei. They wanted to turn him into a statue of ice, forever cold, one they could shape as needed. Kazuko was afraid and tried to run, only to find all escape routes cut off - Shinju-onna had conjured the dragonfire. Desperately, Kazuko glanced around, looking for anything to help him flee or fight, but there was nothing but the fire, the daisaishi, and a laughing Shinju.
“Shinju-onna, I’ll be good. I promise. Please, Shinju-onna, just not that. The ice will kill.”
“Now, hold still,” Shinju chided him, “and think of your people. It won’t hurt, I promise. The fire most certainly will. Let the daisaishi turn you to ice, child.”
With the priest advancing, Kazuko shot one last desperate pleading glance at Shinju before diving into the flames towards the exit. The feel of the heat hit him all at once as his clothes caught on fire. His skin started to blacken and bubble. The pain was worse than anything he’d ever felt and it hit hardest just as he realized there wasn’t an escape after all. There never had been. He’d been wrong and now he was burning for it.
“It burns… It hurts… I’m so sorry, Shinju-onna; just make it stop burning. Make it stop! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” he screamed. The world went black once more and the pain faded to a dull headache.
Then he opened his eyes.
Kazuko found himself once again surrounded by trees, but it wasn’t the familiar setting of the shrine. He was reclined against a tree with soft moss down the trunk and along the ground. His left eye and cheek ached, as did his head. He put his hand up and felt where he had been punched. Memories of his flight and his encounter on the road came back to him. He looked around.
He was not alone.
“Are you hungry?” The man offered him a bowl of lukewarm stew. Kazuko accepted it eagerly.
“Thank you.”
The man gave Kazuko a gentle smile. “It’s just deer stew.”
He set down the bowl and took hold of the man’s hand, looking him directly in the eyes. “No, I mean… thank you. For the road. Surely the gods will bless your kind heart.” Letting his hand fall, Kazuko snatched back up the rice bowl and began to stuff himself. He hadn’t realized how hungry he really was.
+++
Jin was struck by the utter honesty in the young man’s eyes. He had done something serious enough that he’d fled with no provisions, but what could it possibly have been? Curious, he asked the first question on his mind. “Where are your clothes?”
The young man looked up from his bowl. “I couldn’t run in them. I hate to take them off so they wouldn’t catch me and so I could breathe.” He resumed eating.
Jin would have to find him something more to wear. He had attempted to ignore the other’s state of dress when he was passed out, but he was beautiful. Incredibly beautiful. Jin wouldn’t harm him and he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt him, but the young man absolutely couldn’t travel like that. The aishou didn’t even travel like that and they’d bed any who could pay.
+++
“Please don’t stare,” Kazuko whispered as he set down the now-empty bowl. “I didn’t have a choice.” He was suddenly very self-conscious of his state of dress. The only people who ever saw him this naked were his attendants and Shinju.
“I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized I was. Here, let me see if I have something you can use for now,” Kazuko’s rescuer said. The man opened his pack and began rummaging through it. “Ah, here it is.” He handed Kazuko a very plain, lightweight robe, along with something to tie back his long hair. Kazuko fumbled with the robe, trying to think of how his attendants dressed him and how he’d managed to undress himself earlier. It proved very frustrating.
His rescuer’s eyes went wide watching him. The man shook his head and started laughing. Kazuko stuck his tongue out at him. “It’s not funny!” But he finally managed to figure out which way it faced and tried again, muttering to himself. “It’s just, I’ve never done it before.”
The man paused at this. “You’ve never done it before? You mean you’ve never dressed yourself?”
“Never.” Kazuko got the robe on and tied it in place. “This has one layer? Because I don’t think I can do it again.” He looked back up questioningly at his rescuer.
+++
Jin found himself more and more intrigued by this man. “Um… oh, yes. There’s only one.” He watched at the young man pulled his hair back away from his face and tied it back. He seemed to have no trouble with the ties at least. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me your name?” he asked. When the young man didn’t answer, he sighed. “No, I suppose not. Well, I have to call you something, don’t I?”
The young man became lost in thought for a moment, but finally responded, “You can call me Kazuya.”
“My name is Jin. I have no buzoku name to give you.” To his surprise, Kazuya didn’t immediately press the issue. He didn’t have time to, really, for just then the sound of shouts came from the distant road. The sound meant the bandits’ friend had returned with reinforcements or that someone else had discovered the bodies. Jin wasn’t overly worried. He could easily defend himself against the bandits’ comrades.
He turned back to Kazuya. His brown eyes had gone wild and he was scrambling to his feet. “It’s the souhei! They’ve found me!”
Jin’s hand shot out and caught Kazuya by the wrist, pulling him back down to him. “Kazuya, I don’t know what you’ve done,” he growled. “By all rights, I should turn you back in to face your tenken. The law of the Shamaness is the will of the gods and I’d be a fool to set myself against the souhei.” His voice and eyes soften. “But seeing as how I killed two people aiding your escape, I’m pretty sure I’d get hell for my effort.”
Kazuya bit him. Hard. Cursing, Jin let go and Kazuya scrambled to his feet once again. He didn’t get far. “You have no food and nothing to trade. What will you do?” Jin called after him. Kazuya sank to his knees.
Biting his lip, Kazuya confessed, “I had a comb but the men on the road took it.”
Jin had already figured the comb came from the shrine, but he said nothing about it. Instead, he walked over to Kazuya and put a hand on his shoulder. “Since I can’t take you in, I may as well help you. But you have got to fill me in on some things. Come, you can tell me while we travel.” He smiled down at Kazuya.
+++
Kazuya turned and looked up at Jin. He studied him for a moment, sizing him up. His dark brown hair was not too long but fell around his face as he leaned over him. His eyes were a lovely brown. He was unkempt but, Kazuya realized with a start, he was handsome. There was something to him, some gentleness to his eyes and the lines of his face; he felt an odd pull towards him. It was unlike anything he was used to. Something told him he could trust this Jin.
“All right.”
They agreed to stay away from the road until they were further from the shrine, so they began to pick their way through the trees and deeper into the forest. The plan was to go through the woods and back out onto the road. It would save them half a day’s travel as well as put them far enough away from the shrine so that Kazuya wouldn’t be immediately recognized. Of course, the souhei could still prove problematic; horse-riders would be sent in all directions seeking him. Jin had told him not to worry, but still…
As they started off, Jin asked him, “Where do you plan on going?”
“I was born at the shrine. It’s all I know,” Kazuya admitted. “Sango told me stories of other places, but…”
“Sango?”
“One of the souhei. My friend.” Kazuya smiled, his usual brightness returning with each step they took. “I don’t care where we go, as long as I won’t be found.”
His eyes fell on a burst of color some distance ahead. “Ooh, flowers!” he exclaimed, running towards them.
+++
Jin smiled as he watched Kazuya. He was proving to be unlike anyone he ever met. His mannerisms were all definitely feminine and he did them so naturally that Jin had to wonder if all the male attendants at the shrine were raised like women. He seemed energetic, almost playful, but at the same time possessing a gracefulness that could not be denied. And, by the gods, he was gorgeous. Jin felt the first stirrings of lust... and something a bit more he couldn’t quite describe.
He scowled inwardly. Now was not the time for such thoughts.
“Now, Kazuya, there’s a few things you’re gonna have to tell me.”
Jin looked down at him just as he looked up. He had woven several flowers into his hair. “Ask your questions,” Kazuya said softly, smiling. Jin held his hand out to him and he took it. Once he was on his feet, the two of them started walking again.
Jin weighed carefully the immediacy of each of his questions before asking, “What will happen to you if the souhei do find you?”
Kazuya visibly shuddered. “They’ll take me back.”
“Not kill you?” Jin stopped, surprised.
“No, they won’t kill me.”
“Why not?”
“The gods would punish them,” he said, as if it should have been obvious. Kazuya continued on.
Jin shook his head to dispel his surprise and quickly followed. All along, he had been trying to determine what Kazuya had done. All the facts of his flight suggested something serious, so serious that he feared for his life. Jin was already having trouble reconciling that with the person he seemed to be. Now he told him he didn’t fear for his life, but it was very obvious he was utterly terrified at the thought of going back.
The time for guessing was over. “What have you done?” he asked bluntly, keeping his voice flat.
Very softly, Kazuya said, “It’s not what I’ve done. It’s what they want me to do. What they’re going to do…”
“Kazuya…?” Jin was unsure how to respond. He could make no sense out of it, but everything in his heart told him Kazuya wasn’t lying. “What do they want you to do? What will they do?”
“I can’t tell you. Please, ask something else. Anything else.” Kazuya looked up at him and the intensity his brown eyes held was almost painful to see.
Still, he needed to know. There had to be a way to find out. Better keep his eyes open and look for an opportunity to press the subject further.
+++
Kazuya, satisfied Jin wouldn’t press the issue, turned his gaze to the way ahead. They walked side by side in silence for several minutes. He push Shinju and the souhei out of his mind. This was his first time out in the wide world and as long as he wasn’t in direct danger, he was going to enjoy himself.
As the tension left him, he opened back up a bit. By the time they neared the edge of the woods many hours later, they were chatting like old friends. Kazuya was curious about everything Jin had seen, all the places he’d been. He hung onto Jin’s every word as he regaled him with tales of his childhood. In return, Kazuya told him stories he remembered from his tutors. History, they had told him, of how the land came to be. Shinju-onna had made him memorize them.
He barely even noticed when they broke through the tree line.
+++
Jin noticed. He also noticed the sound of hooves in the distance. Quickly, he silenced Kazuya, cutting him off mid-sentence. “Back to the trees, now! Hide and don’t come back until I call for you.”
Kazuya did as he asked.
Best case scenario, he could question the man and confirm his direction. Worst case, it was a souhei rider. Still, he might learn a few things. Even a souhei rider wouldn’t have a reason to not trust him. Jin glanced back to the trees behind him, looking for any sign of Kazuya but he’d hidden well. Good.
As the gods would have it, it was a souhei rider. Even across the distance, Jin could make out the brightly-colored robes and distinctive hairstyle that were the mark of a low-ranked souhei. Taking a deep breath, Jin prepared to flag down the rider.
“What news do you bear from the sacred Shrine?” Jin asked as amiably as he could.
The look on the souhei rider’s face was enough to convince Jin he’d done the right thing when he flagged down the rider. The man was very obviously distraught and he slumped over a bit as he answered. “Riders have been sent in every direction to carry a message. High Shamaness Kazuko has been abducted from the Shrine. There’s a demon loose, by all accounts summoned by a very powerful sorcerer. Her guardian Sango tried to save her but as he went after the demon, the sorcerer grabbed her.” The rider was getting more and more agitated as he spoke. “They were gone so quickly… and Sango feels responsible. He’s always had a father’s love for the girl. He’s buried himself and his sadness in the holy drink. But the rest of us, we’re being sent to find her or anyone who’s seen her...”
Jin took a moment to let the information sink in. The High Shamaness… missing! A demon, a sorcerer. The souhei rider continued to speak but Jin was no longer listening.
He was absolutely convinced Kazuya was connected to the disappearance of the Shamaness. If Kazuya was a woman, he might even be the Shamaness. But… no, even if Kazuya was a woman, what reason would the maker of all law, the very incarnation of the gods’ will, have for running away?
Still, if the Shamaness was abducted, it would have taken extraordinary power and cunning. Magic of that caliber would imply a pact with forces of such might… perhaps the spark of a war in the heavens? Where did Kazuya fit? Surely not the sorcerer. Not the demon. Where, then?
Jin brought his attention back to the souhei rider, who had finished speaking. Playing the (quite accurately) concerned citizen, Jin shared a few more words with the rider, all the while praying that Kazuya did not become bored and wander out.
After a while the souhei rider moved on. The sun was by then dropping in the sky and Jin was interested in finding Kazuya. Very interested. He had brand-new questions and by all that was holy, he would get some answers.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The rest of the story is found here:
Page 1 - Page 2