Handle with care [Chapter 1]
Title: Handle with care
Author: Axraxshi
Pairing: Matsumiya, Sakumiya (supposed to be, but it’s hardly mentioned)
Summary: When Jun conquered the Neen Kingdom, the castle and its lands weren’t the only prize that he received
Disclaimer: Don’t own the boys, just the retarded-ly named kingdoms
[Prologue]
Chapter 1:
A yellow flag with a shining sun emblem stitched in gold could be seen hanging out the windows of every house in the city. Music filled the street as the town folk danced around the town square under the glistening sun. Vendors were handing out candy to merry children and adults alike as the Neen kingdom celebrated the birth of an heir.
The arrival of the crown prince was an affair to be celebrated. After years and years of trying, the queen finally gave birth to a little baby boy, much to everybody’s delight. Now that the kingdom finally had a crown prince, the kingdom could relax knowing that there would be somebody to succeed the throne.
The little crown prince, which the king and queen fondly named ‘Kazunari’, grew up in the safety of the castle. Everywhere he went, nannies would be there to make sure he didn’t get hurt. Every meal he ate, the most trusted royal chefs would be there to make sure he had all the nutrients he needed. Little Kazunari was so well protected that everybody was sure he would grow up to be a fine young prince who would be more than capable of ruling the kingdom.
Little did they expect that Kazunari to be hurt from the inside out.
“I don’t understand,” wept Lady Ninomiya, holding her son tightly, “Why is this happening to Kazunari?”
The royal physician bit his lips, unsure of how to break the news to the kingdom’s rulers, “His highness has a muscular dystrophy,” he said at last, unable to look at the rulers in the eyes, “It’s a genetic disorder. I’m afraid that there’s no treatment for it,”
The cries of the queen were probably the most pitiful thing anybody present had ever heard, not even the soothing touches and reassuring voice of her husband could calm her down. How would one comfort a mother who had been told that her son would never be like the other kids?
“It’ll be fine,” whispered Lord Ninomiya, gently embracing his wife and son while signaling for everybody else to leave the room. The lie was so obvious that nobody dare point it out. The prosperity of their kingdom rests in Kazunari’s little shoulders. Should the other kingdom get wind of the crown prince being frail, they would surely see it as a good reason to attack.
All their prayers seem to have been answered as the queen soon discovered that she was expecting another child. When Kazunari turned two, the kingdom welcomed another heir, a healthy boy who was named Kazuya, a play on the writing of the two princes’ name. However, nobody celebrated the arrival of the second prince for nobody knew there was even one. As far as everybody was concerned, there was only one prince - 和也
Kazuya, who apparently was fortunate enough not to have inherited the disorder, grew up strong and healthy. Under the guidance of the Neen Kingdom’s bravest knights, Kazuya became the much feared prince that the kingdom needed to ward off attacks. As for Kazunari, the rightful crown prince was kept in a tall tower under the care of an aspiring physician as well as tutor, Sakurai Sho.
The Neen kingdom continued to prosper under the rulers, and nobody knew that the ‘face’ and the ‘brain’ of the kingdom were two different people.
*
*
*
Making sure that nobody saw him, Kazuya quickly darted up the tower, taking the steps two at a time in his haste to make it to the top.
“Kazu-nii!” greeted Kazuya as flung the wooden door open, “You were right, what we feared most had happened,”
The older prince glanced up from his book and gave his little brother a small smile. Closing the novel he was reading, Kazunari patted the space beside him, indicating for his brother to take a seat, which Kazuya complied.
“The winds have changed direction,” blurted the younger prince, “It is blowing the fire towards our kingdom,”
Kazunari tapped his chin, deep in thought. He had always been born a skilled strategist, and being kept in a tower with nothing but books to read and maps to pondering over made him the best strategist the kingdom has ever had. And if he wasn’t able to come up with a solution, nobody would.
“I don’t know…” muttered Kazunari, eyes casted onto the ground, “The Pine-tree kingdom must have thought everything out. They’ve blocked every option I can think of,”
Kazuya let out a deep sigh. He knew this was going to happen. Ever since their parents passed away, the second prince knew that the mighty Pine-tree kingdom was going to attack. He had consulted his brother and all of his ministers on the problem, but nobody was able to come up with a solution, not ever the witty crown prince.
“Kazu-nii, listen to me,” said Kazuya, grabbing the older prince by the shoulders, “There is no way that this war will end in our victory, there is just no way we can overpower them, but nobody knows you’re here,”
“Sakurai,” he continued, addressing his brother’s tutor who had just entered the room, “After we’ve lost, wait for the hype to die down, and bring my brother away from here. Get as far away as possible from here, and keep him safe, do you understand?”
“Yes, your highness,”
“But, Kazuya!” the older prince tried to protest.
“No buts, Kazu-nii,” the younger brother insisted, “You’ll be the only part of our family that will be left after this war,”
Hugging his brother for what will probably be the last time, Kazuya gently stroke the back of his older brother’s head.
“If not for our family, then do it as the crown prince of our kingdom,” whispered the younger prince before he left for battle, “Be strong,”
----------------
AN: I do realise the time-line of the prologue and first chapter is reversed, but whatever....
Author: Axraxshi
Pairing: Matsumiya, Sakumiya (supposed to be, but it’s hardly mentioned)
Summary: When Jun conquered the Neen Kingdom, the castle and its lands weren’t the only prize that he received
Disclaimer: Don’t own the boys, just the retarded-ly named kingdoms
[Prologue]
Chapter 1:
A yellow flag with a shining sun emblem stitched in gold could be seen hanging out the windows of every house in the city. Music filled the street as the town folk danced around the town square under the glistening sun. Vendors were handing out candy to merry children and adults alike as the Neen kingdom celebrated the birth of an heir.
The arrival of the crown prince was an affair to be celebrated. After years and years of trying, the queen finally gave birth to a little baby boy, much to everybody’s delight. Now that the kingdom finally had a crown prince, the kingdom could relax knowing that there would be somebody to succeed the throne.
The little crown prince, which the king and queen fondly named ‘Kazunari’, grew up in the safety of the castle. Everywhere he went, nannies would be there to make sure he didn’t get hurt. Every meal he ate, the most trusted royal chefs would be there to make sure he had all the nutrients he needed. Little Kazunari was so well protected that everybody was sure he would grow up to be a fine young prince who would be more than capable of ruling the kingdom.
Little did they expect that Kazunari to be hurt from the inside out.
“I don’t understand,” wept Lady Ninomiya, holding her son tightly, “Why is this happening to Kazunari?”
The royal physician bit his lips, unsure of how to break the news to the kingdom’s rulers, “His highness has a muscular dystrophy,” he said at last, unable to look at the rulers in the eyes, “It’s a genetic disorder. I’m afraid that there’s no treatment for it,”
The cries of the queen were probably the most pitiful thing anybody present had ever heard, not even the soothing touches and reassuring voice of her husband could calm her down. How would one comfort a mother who had been told that her son would never be like the other kids?
“It’ll be fine,” whispered Lord Ninomiya, gently embracing his wife and son while signaling for everybody else to leave the room. The lie was so obvious that nobody dare point it out. The prosperity of their kingdom rests in Kazunari’s little shoulders. Should the other kingdom get wind of the crown prince being frail, they would surely see it as a good reason to attack.
All their prayers seem to have been answered as the queen soon discovered that she was expecting another child. When Kazunari turned two, the kingdom welcomed another heir, a healthy boy who was named Kazuya, a play on the writing of the two princes’ name. However, nobody celebrated the arrival of the second prince for nobody knew there was even one. As far as everybody was concerned, there was only one prince - 和也
Kazuya, who apparently was fortunate enough not to have inherited the disorder, grew up strong and healthy. Under the guidance of the Neen Kingdom’s bravest knights, Kazuya became the much feared prince that the kingdom needed to ward off attacks. As for Kazunari, the rightful crown prince was kept in a tall tower under the care of an aspiring physician as well as tutor, Sakurai Sho.
The Neen kingdom continued to prosper under the rulers, and nobody knew that the ‘face’ and the ‘brain’ of the kingdom were two different people.
*
*
*
Making sure that nobody saw him, Kazuya quickly darted up the tower, taking the steps two at a time in his haste to make it to the top.
“Kazu-nii!” greeted Kazuya as flung the wooden door open, “You were right, what we feared most had happened,”
The older prince glanced up from his book and gave his little brother a small smile. Closing the novel he was reading, Kazunari patted the space beside him, indicating for his brother to take a seat, which Kazuya complied.
“The winds have changed direction,” blurted the younger prince, “It is blowing the fire towards our kingdom,”
Kazunari tapped his chin, deep in thought. He had always been born a skilled strategist, and being kept in a tower with nothing but books to read and maps to pondering over made him the best strategist the kingdom has ever had. And if he wasn’t able to come up with a solution, nobody would.
“I don’t know…” muttered Kazunari, eyes casted onto the ground, “The Pine-tree kingdom must have thought everything out. They’ve blocked every option I can think of,”
Kazuya let out a deep sigh. He knew this was going to happen. Ever since their parents passed away, the second prince knew that the mighty Pine-tree kingdom was going to attack. He had consulted his brother and all of his ministers on the problem, but nobody was able to come up with a solution, not ever the witty crown prince.
“Kazu-nii, listen to me,” said Kazuya, grabbing the older prince by the shoulders, “There is no way that this war will end in our victory, there is just no way we can overpower them, but nobody knows you’re here,”
“Sakurai,” he continued, addressing his brother’s tutor who had just entered the room, “After we’ve lost, wait for the hype to die down, and bring my brother away from here. Get as far away as possible from here, and keep him safe, do you understand?”
“Yes, your highness,”
“But, Kazuya!” the older prince tried to protest.
“No buts, Kazu-nii,” the younger brother insisted, “You’ll be the only part of our family that will be left after this war,”
Hugging his brother for what will probably be the last time, Kazuya gently stroke the back of his older brother’s head.
“If not for our family, then do it as the crown prince of our kingdom,” whispered the younger prince before he left for battle, “Be strong,”
----------------
AN: I do realise the time-line of the prologue and first chapter is reversed, but whatever....