Fated (PURE-MADNESS)

[tuti]

"I beg you, please stop this madness while you still have a chance." A beautiful man of long golden hair said, his sky blue eyes shining with unshed tears. How many times had he begged the king to change his ways of ruling the kingdom? Unfortunately, his words were always ignored. He was a Kirin and it was his duty to follow the Heaven's Mandate and choose a king to rule the kingdom below the Heavens. He was proud of who he was and the important task he had, but that was before realizing the man he had chosen as the king was a tyrant who rejoiced from the pain and suffering of those who looked up on him. Why did the Heavens let him choose such a horrible man?

 

As usual the king paid no attention to his Kirin’s words and focused on enjoying the young girl, naked, and busy pleasuring him. She was so young and beautiful as the rest of the girls in the king's harem. "You worry too much, Gin." He said looking at the girl serving him. The Kirin, Gin, frowned and turned away. "Do you think the Heavens will let you continue on your path of destroying the kingdom? You won't be king forever, in fact, the Heavens have chosen a new king and he has already been born." He said looking at the beautiful garden surrounding the palace through an open window. The news made the king finally look at Gin, giving him his full attention. He shoved, very harshly, the young girl off of him as he moved towards his Kirin. "What are you talking about?" He demanded.

 

Gin turned around to face his king sparing a glance at the young girl rubbing her pained head. She probably hurt herself as she was pushed away. "Don’t tell me you really thought you would be ruling forever? Yes, being king makes you immortal, but I've told you, if deviate from the Heavens Mandate, soon the Heavens will choose a new King and a Kirin.” He said turning away again. "Our days are counted." He said softly.

 

"Not if I have something to do about it." The king grinned as he started to put his clothes back on. Gin turned to face him once more. "Tell me where is this new king you are telling me about." Gin's sky blue eyes widened. "What in Heaven's name are you thinking." The king finished putting his clothes back on and walked back towards his Kirin placing a hand on the man's left shoulder. "Gin, you are my Kirin, and I order you to tell me where this man is." He ordered.

 

Gin knew what the king was planning to do without him having to tell him the details, sadly, no matter how much he didn't want to tell him the information of the new king's whereabouts it was in his nature to obey the king's demands...every single one of them. "The small fishing village in the south." He said finally letting the tears in his eyes fall. "Perfect!" The king said indifferent to his Kirin's tears. Grabbing his sword he moved out of the room leaving both the girl and the Kirin in tears.

 

---

 

"Sir, if I may ask, why the reason to destroy this village?" Aoi, the kingdom's army general asked as he bowed in front of the king. The king frowned and stood up from his throne. "This is none of your concern Aoi, since when do you question my orders? Do as I've told you." Aoi excused himself with a deep bow before being dismissed. His orders were clear, gather his best men and destroy the little fishing village at the south coast of the land. They were to leave no survivors behind...

 

---

 

They reached the village in five days which was very fast. But being the kingdom's army they had faster and stronger horses than a normal person. "I still don't like this." A young man with long black hair held in a high pony tail said to Aoi as they reached the village. He was Aoi's right hand and even though he was very young he was Aoi's best man and probably would soon take his place as general. "Yet it's the King's order, you made a vow to always follow them didn't you, Yu?" Aoi asked glancing at Yu, the man's frown only deepened as his dark black eyes looked at the village they've come to destroy like savages. "Yes I did, I did vow to follow and protect a king...not a monster. And this is a monstrosity, what we are about to do." Aoi sighed and shook his head. "Yu, be careful of what you say, these words can get you disowned, arrested or worst, killed. Now lets go and get this over with."

 

Yu stood were he was watching as his superior and the other men marched forward. He didn't want to do this, it was wrong. They were going to slaughter a whole village for no reason. This was not what he signed up for.

 

---

 

A once peaceful village was now in ruins, dead bodies scattered everywhere, fire eating what was left. It was a horrible sight. Yu felt disgusted with himself, the man he followed and the king...but mostly disgusted at himself for following such orders.

 

"Please! I beg of you spare him! Spare him!" He heard the sound of a woman's cries from a nearby small house. He didn't know the reason why but he moved towards said house and stepped inside the destroyed little home to see a soldier holding a bloody sword aimed at a women holding a baby close to her naked chest, probably sexually abused. A man lay motionlessly close to the woman. "Please don't kill him!" She begged, tears falling down her bruised face.

 

He wanted to do something...to stop the soldier but instead he walked back outside the little house away from the creaming woman...away from the sobbing pleas that will haunt him forever.

 

---

 

The baby cried as his mother fell dead killed by the soldiers sword, the same sword that killed his father. The ruthless soldier stepped closer to the bundle of clothes ready to strike his sword one more time but out of the corner of his eyes he saw a bright light appear from beneath the ground. "What the hell?" He asked to no one in particular as the white light changed in the form of a big dog...more like a big wolf.

 

"You will not harm this child." The creature embraced with light said, or better said, sounded in the soldiers head, who's suddenly couldn't breath and fell to the ground gasping for air before laying dead as well. The white beast moved towards the now silent child and grabbed the bundle of clothes with the baby secured in them before running out of the house. It ran fast and away, away from the solders, away from the fire, away from the destruction. It ran till it reached the next town and placed the now sleeping baby by the door of a relatively poor but nice family that owned a sake selling establishment.

 

The beast changed its form to the one of a human man with long silver hair. He knocked on the wooden door and disappeared. A woman of short brown hair and dark brown eyes opened the door. She gasped at the sight of the baby lying in front of her door and picked him up with so much care, as if afraid it would break. Suddenly she bursted into tears happy for this miracle. She and her husband have tried to have kids with no success...this was their gift from the Heavens! "Honey! Look at this!" She said as she closed the door behind her.

[PURE-MADNESS]

 

 

Name: Hakuen

 

Age: 18

 

Orientation: Bisexual

 

Position: Seke

 

Personality: Hakuen is a troublemaker with a kind heart. He is very carefree having grown in a loving environment, full of energy, and very hyper. He is calm under every situation and have a great sense of justice. He dislike people that abuse their position and power, and he dislike violence. He is not a good fighter, but he likes to pick fights and have a very sharp tongue. He is fearless and very brave, confronting everything head on despite not having enough strength to get out of it alive, rather foolish.

 

Bio: His real parents were killed so far in the story, and he was adopted by poor farmers. He has been selected to become the next king.

 

 

Some time has passed since the small village of the south had been attacked. Women and children had been massacred till not a single living being had been left alive. Everything had been burned down to ashes, blood had been spilled on the sacred soil, life after life have been taken till there was nothing left but an empty black area with no remembrance of ever having been habituated before. No plant was able to grow in the damaged soil ever again, and the animals trembled in fear just by the dark smell of burned flesh that still lingered in the air even after these many years. And yet, although the destruction caused had been massive, there was no memory of it from the surrounding villages. One night it was there, the next it was gone as if by magic with no reasonable explanation behind it. Only the bright flames had remained for more than a day, only to be put off by the constant raining on the season.

 

_____

 

The sun greeted a small south village located a few miles away from the previous location. Hard-working villagers were already awake, smiling, cooking, and preparing for another day of hard labor in the dried soils of the farms. Rain had punished them this season by not falling, and many crops had been lost. The small amount of money they gained for the crops had also been lost and the farmers were devastated. In these poor villages, even one coin of gold was precious, it could pay for at least 2 weeks worth of food. Despite their circumstances, the men and women of this village smiled every morning cheerfully.

 

One particular house at the very edge of the village was full of energy. An old man with white hair laughed loudly at his wife as she tried to wake up their naughty teenage boy. The teen turned on his sleep, mumbling incoherent thoughts. His mother would called him over and over again, but said teen refused to listen, his ears deft at the moment to any inconvenience that might disturb his deep dreams.

 

"This boy, what should I do with him dear?" The mother said with soft amused laughter that fill the thin walls of the weak constructed house.

 

"Haha, let him sleep some more sweetheart, he is still very young!" The man exclaimed disregarding the matter.

 

"But he promised to accompany you to the city today." She insisted and they both sighed.

 

A few minutes later, a loud sound was heard from the room. The woman rushed inside and laughed whole-heartedly at the sight. A young boy of silver hair and delicate features laid on the floor in a very awkward position.

 

"Ow" he had moaned in pain while massaging the visible bump on his forehead. He stood up carefully and a bit wobbly, his vision still lacking, and walked toward his mother. You could see how tall he was now that he was standing. The handsome boy leaned forward and rested his head on his mother's shoulder smiling.

 

"How about some breakfast ma?" He asked sleepily, and the woman smiled at him.

 

"I'll prepare you some. How about you take a shower meanwhile?" She proposed and the teen nodded already heading to the bathroom.

_____

 

A few minutes passed by, and soon the three family members were happily eating on the table. The father mentioned the small trip to the city, and the teenage boy was more than eager to serve him as company. It was a rare chance for him to be allowed to get out of the village. The city was a huge place, full of merchants and traders, beautiful and eccentric things that a village boy like him couldn't begin to imagine possess.

 

That afternoon they parted, leaving his mother behind. They rode on horses, one of the few luxuries they could afford, and made it to the city in time for lunch. They stopped at the gates and walked down the streets dragging the horses with them.

 

"We might have to sell one of them," his father informed the boy sadly.

 

"But father! We can't!" The teen protested.

 

"We have no choice, let's look for a buyer," the old man replied reluctantly.

[tuti]

 

I realized I didn't make a character profile xD

 

Bio: His father was a high commander of the royal army before the current king. He left his sword to Yu knowing that his son would follow his step as protector of the kingdom. But Yu has a strong sense of justice which is what caused him from being stripped from his status as commander and thus becoming mortal.

 

Age: 21 (but he's actually way older than that)

Orientation: Bisexual

 

 

The bright sunlight coming through the small window hit Yu directly on his face, disrupting the man's sleep. He groaned at the annoyance but seeing that he was already awake pushed himself up from his futon. "Yu are you already awake? Hurry up! You have to take the sake to the tavern before it opens." An old man with no hair at all except for his long white beard said to the ex- royal soldier. Yes, Yu was no longer a member of the kingdoms army and thus no longer an immortal. It's been three since the day he was stripped from his status but he could still remember it as if were just yesterday.

 

-flashback-

 

15 years have past since the day they brought the small southern village to the ground just because the king wanted to for no reason. Yet, Yu could never forget the sound of the screaming mother begging for mercy for her baby. And it seemed as if story was about to repeat itself. The king had ordered them to attack a small town in the north because they were behind with their taxes payment! Yu knew he made a vow to serve and protect the king, but if the Heavens weren't going to something to stop the ruthless king before he ruined everything, he would. And so with his mind made up and no fear at all he marched into the main hall where the king sat on his throne; fat from eating delicious food while the people starved themselves to death.

 

"Your majesty." He bowed in front of the tyrant and stood up. "I request you stop with your plan of invasion of the north town. They haven't paid their taxes because they didn't have much harvest. You know very well this year we had a long and harsh winter." Yu said no hint of fear or doubt in his voice.

 

Aoi, who was talking with the king about the attack, sighed and massaged his forehead as if trying to prevent a headache. "How dare you question my orders you lowly soldier!" The king stood up, his huge belly making him look like a pregnant woman. "Sir, I'm no lowly soldier, I am second in command and as such I request you to reconsider your decisions. You taking away from the people more than they can give. And now you want to destroy the little they have left."

 

The king's face turned an ugly shade of red, furious at Yu's audacity. "Aoi take this man out of my sight! I want his head on a spear!" He yelled and sat back down on his luxurious throne. Unlike Yu, Aoi did fear for Yu's life. "Sir, it's not my intentions to be disrespectful but Yu is the best fighter we have...he's not feeling like himself today. Please spare him." Aoi practically begged for Yu's life.

 

Yu was like the son Aoi never had and it would pain him to be the one ending his life. "Very well. To show you insolent ignorant how much of a mercifully king I am. I'll let you keep your head, boy, but you will no longer be part of the royal army nor will you rejoice from the status of immortality. Leave my sight!" Yu snorted and left. He really couldn't care less if the king took his head or stripped him from his status. He rather die from starvation than follow another order from such a man. There was no honor in that.

 

-End of flashback-

 

Now three years after, he didn't regret a single day of what he did. Yes, he missed the thrill of combat and the ability to use his sword as he wished. But at least now he was his own ruler. He was eighteen when he vowed his loyalty to the thrown and thus he never aged despite being part of the palace for so many years. Now that he was a normal man his body began to age and he looked like the twenty-one years old man he no longer was.

 

He finished putting his clothes on and tied his hair up in a ponytail and moved towards the sliding door. From the corner of his eyes he saw his sword lying near his futon. It was forbidden for common men to use swords or any kind of weapon, thus he missed being able to use it as he wished. That sword was part of him.

 

Now he worked for an old sake maker but the man was so old he could no longer carry them towards the taverns to sell them. Thus, yu did that for him and protected his products; in return the man provided for a room and food for him. As he made his way towards the local tavern he was greeted by several merchants and town people. He only lived here for three years yet some people treated him with kindness because he was always willing to help them and protect them from attacks from bandits or wild creatures from the forest.

 

As he reached the local tavern he walked in looking for Mia, the tavern host and informed her that he had brought the sake they wanted. She offered him some food which he politely accepted since he hadn't had breakfast that day.

[PURE-MADNESS]

(XD)

 

The town was like a different place compared to the small village of the south. The streets were bright with colors and decorations despite the lack of festivities. The voices of loud merchants and traders filled the space between the narrow buildings as they worked hard to make a living. The streets were full of different kinds of shops, from clothes to food to jewelry that were sold at very high prices, more than a normal family of farmers could hope to afford. There was one shop with sparkly swords, weapons and equipments for the soldiers and the high class nobles that mastered the arts. Hakuen stopped at some of the shops, his eyes landing on everything unknown in a curious manner. There was the rarest of silks, the most golden necklaces, and the most expensive supplies that he had ever seen, but what caught his attention the most was the beautiful dyes at the art shop. They were rare colors imported from China that could make any painting come to life in vivid images.

 

"I see you got a good eye young man. We got this new dyes today in the morning, would we care to buy one?" The merchant -an old bold man with a wicked smirk- asked. Hakuen stared at the dyes for a long time, imagining himself with a brush painting the beautiful landscapes of the kingdom. His eyes sparkled with illusion, but he knew he couldn't afford such a valuable item.

 

"As much as I would like to, it would have to be some other time," Haken replied to the man and left the shop as quickly as he could, turning his back on the fine dyes to avoid temptation.

 

His father waited for him outside the shop. He asked the boy if the merchant had been interested in buying the beautiful, brown, and healthy horse, but the teen shook his head in denial. The tired old man sighed, and the two continued walking in search of a buyer. The silver-haired spotted the tavern, and stopped right in front of the place. Many men rejoiced themselves in the place, drinking to their satisfaction, and losing all control of his actions. From Hakuen's perspective it was an excellent place to find a buyer. People were already inside, sitting on the tables with battles of alcohol on their dirty hands. The smell of the strong liquors made the young teen covered his nose in disapproval and cough slightly. As he made his way inside the noisy place, a drunk giant bumped into him and knocked him down. His fragile body fell on top of his old man, who weakly fell on the ground with the teen on top.

 

"Watch it!" The drunk man groaned. He must had been at least 6 feet tall, with strong arms and a ripped body that showed immense strength. His black grayish hair looked messy, and his breath smelled horrible.

 

Hakuen glared at the huge man in front of him and stood up. He helped his father stand as well, his violet eyes full of concern. People began to gather around them forming a huge crowd and giving them unnecessary attention. Their curious eyes landed on the old man and his son.

 

"Is that a way to apologize?! Have you no sense of guilt nor respect for the elderly?! Or have your mind been so clouded by the infectious alcohol that you have forgotten basic manner?!" The teenage boy snapped at him clearly upset, his delicate face turning into an expression of anger, and a small frown was visible on his forehead. His clothes were now full of dust, and his father condition wasn't any better.

 

The man growled at the silver-haired in annoyance and gripped his shirt exerting strength. Hakuen's feet left the ground as his body was elevated by the man's strong hand. "What were you saying again brat?" The man asked in a threatening way. The teenage's eyes widen, and he struggled to break free, which cause the giant to laugh at him in a mocking manner. Hakuen glared at the man defiantly. "I dont like you brat," the man said and clenched his teeth as he got ready to hit the teenager.

 

Hakuen closed his eyes ready to take the hit, but it never came. He waited a few moment, and heard nothing, and felt nothing, so he opened in eyes curiously only to see another man holding the giant's hand preventing the devastating blow from making contact with his face. His eyes widen in confusion, and he stared at the man just like everyone else present at the scene.

[tuti]

This was one of the many reasons why Yu didn't like eating in the tavern that much. Every time he accepted Mai's offer of food, most of the clients were already drunk or looking for trouble even before he could finish his food. He never understood why men let themselves fall so low under the influence of alcohol and so foolishly. He wasn't a drinker. Yu enjoyed a good cup of sake once in a while but unlike for other men, it wasn't a necessity. Suddenly, he had a flashback of the many times he shared a cup of good wine with Aoi and the rest of the high ranked officers.

 

He'd decided to mind his own business and finish his food but the young man's fierceness caught his attention. The boy was clearly on the losing side; he was shorter and obviously weaker than the drunk beast. He was obviously out matched by the huge drunkard yet he stood his ground fearlessly. It was something Yu admired even though he didn't know whether the kid was just too brave or too stupid. He couldn't help it and decided it was better for him to intervene before the situation could get any uglier.

 

He moved silently but fast and without being noticed by the rest of the spectators; he stood next to the drunk man right on time to hold his arm in mid air, preventing it from hitting the boy's (quite beautiful) face. The man was tall but Yu was taller than him, probably by two inches and stronger.

 

"What the fuck?!" The man said furiously, his mind clouded by the alcohol. He let go of the white haired boy as he tried to free his arm from Yu's strong grip. "You are making too much noise." Yu said calmly making the man burst with anger. He tried to launch a punch at Yu with his free hand but Yu was faster and hit him right on the left side of his face sending the man butt first to the floor.

 

Yu glared at the man as he pushed himself back up clumsily with the help of his friends. "You'll pay for this, both you!" He threatened as they left the tavern. Yu turned to glance at the curious watchers and they all turned away resuming their drinking.

 

With a sigh Yu turned around to face the white haired kid and the old man. "Are you two okay?" He asked and then looked at the boy. "What were you thinking? That man was obviously stronger than you." He asked folding his arms over his strong chest.

[PURE-MADNESS]

Hakuen watched the whole fight in surprised, just like all the other spectators. The events occurred so fast that he had been afraid to blink and miss an important part. He watched the stranger knocked out the giant -not quiet so next to the other man- and then watched said man run away with his tail between his legs like a coward. He was all big talk and no fist, although Hakuen didn't thought him weak, the other man was just too strong. The teen shook off the dust from his robe and fixed his shirt, his heart still pounding heart from the sudden rush of adrenaline. His ears perked at the unfamiliar voice directed at him. His head turned slowly to face the man who had just saved him from a beating.

 

"Are you two okay?"He heard the man said while looking at him. What were you thinking? That man was obviously stronger than you." Hakuen watched him with curiosity as the man folded his arms across his chest. The man seemed a bit annoyed by the turn of events, and all of a sudden Hakuen felt slightly guilty for having caused the commotion. 'Perhaps I was indeed foolish..'He thought for a moment, not speaking out his private thoughts.

 

"I am very sorry for the disturbance my boy have caused, I'll take responsibility for his actions," his father said and bowed politely. The old man's voice snapped the teen out of his thoughts and back to reality. He quickly interrupted the elder man, an upset expression displaying on his delicate features.

 

"Father, you have no reason to apologize! It was that man's fault! He rudely bumped into us and didn't even apologized! The rude bastard! In any case, I am the one at fault for provoking him!" The silver-haired exclaimed agitated, he wasn't about to let his dear father take responsibility for his indiscreet and ruthless actions. "I should have known better and ignored him, but I was a fool, if anyone would pay for anything, it would be me father," the teenage boy insisted and turned to the stranger. The crowd had quickly dissipated, although curious eyes still watched them from afar but dare not interfere with the discussion.

 

"As you heard, I am the one to blame for everything. I did not use common sense and kept my mouth shut to his arrogance. I do not apologize for having told him off, that I am not ashamed of doing," Hakuen clarified, "but I'll apologize for having taken matters to far in an inadequate place," the youngster bowed politely.

 

He dared take a better look at the man in front of him. He was obviously tall, with a young handsome face, red hair and a fit body. He could have easily fit in the military and carried himself with the grace of a high noble. His strength was terrifying and alluring at the same time. Hakuen's stared at him from under his long eyelashes for any kind of change in expression, for any kind of aggressive or expected reaction. The silence lingering in the air was becoming quiet uncomfortable, making the young teen's body tensed.

[tuti]

Hearing the boy speak confirmed Yu's initial feelings of admiration towards him. He was no fighter but that didn't stop him from standing his ground. On top of that, he was willing to be responsible for his own actions, the boy possessed a spirit of bravery Yu would never fail to praise. Furthermore, he could tell the young boy had a good sense of justice which was almost lost in today's generation. A thin eyebrow raised as the boy referred to the old man as his father. Yu was no expert on the field but the man looked quite old to be his father...more like his grandfather. But of course he wasn't going to bring that up since it wasn't his place.

 

"Well, it seems like you two aren't from the city." He said unfolding his arms as he checked them out. "Are you new in town?" He asked ready to offer them any kind of help, if needed, and decided to introduce himself. "My name is Yu." He said and offered a hand to the white haired kid, a gesture that his ex-fellow warriors would have sees as a motion of acknowledgement towards the other man.

 

---

 

"I thought a Kirin could never catch any kind of sickness, so stop this act now Gin." The King's harsh voice said to the blonde man laying on a large bed. Gin's once fair white skin looked flushed, his once, bright, sky blue eyes looked pale and lifeless. No matter what the King said; his Kirin was sick.

 

"Indeed. A Kirin is immune to any kind of terrestrial illness. But you've deviated yourself from the Heaven's Mandate." Gin explained. His voice sounded tired. "This illness has been bestowed on me directly from the Heavens; it's my celestial punishment. I'll die and you'll soon lose the status as King." He had to stop to catch his breath for a moment. "Once I die, the people in the palace and royal army will know you are no longer their rightful king." He closed his eyes too tired to even keep them open.

 

"Nonsense! I'll bring the best physician in the kingdom here to treat you and even if you do die is not like I'll let them know." The King concluded satisfied with himself. "You think they'll never notice my absence?" The Kirin inquired wondering when or how did everything go wrong.

 

"I'm the King, whoever dares to question me will be punished. Besides, I killed the new King years ago and thus killing his Kirin as well. It'll take years and years before a new Kirin is born. I have nothing to worry about." He chuckled. A Kirin was a magnificent creature, unfortunately, they were very dependent to their king. If the king died, the Kirin would immediately die as well. If the king deviated from the Heaven's Mandate, the Kirin would die from an illness. Gin sighed and looked away, his eyes completely vacant. "So you say, so you say."

 

(Sorry if I didn't give you much but I'm tired so I can't much. >_

[PURE-MADNESS]

(Stupid king is so evil makes me wanna throw him out a window! poor kirin! *excited* and that's ok, I understand~ *smiles* don't worry, you wrote enough, dont push yourself~)

 

Hakuen had failed to notice the extended hand at first, his father had been occupying his mind and full concern. He eventually acknowledge the man speaking to him, and for a moment stood there dumbfounded staring at his slightly bigger hand. He noticed the soft cuts on the skin that showed his work in swordsmanship and wondered just who the man was. Swordsmanship and other type of martial arts and sports were reserved usually for the nobility, or for men that were part of the kingdom's army. This man looked like anything but a soldier, his clothes were slightly better looking than the usual commoner, and he was handsome, but other than that he held no evidence of ever having been working for the king. Yet on closer inspection, his way of talking, fit physical appearance, and the air surrounding him spoke power by itself. He was a strange man.

 

The young teenage snapped out of his intrusive thoughts and shook the man hand gently. A genuine, pleasant smiled took over his facial expression as he greeted the man and prepared to respond to his questions. He pushed away the bothering suspicions about the man for the time being and proceeded to resolve the matter at hands. He let go of the stranger's hand and slightly bowed in a polite manner.

 

"Thank you for your help," The teenager said and straightened up. "My name is Hakuen, and.." he gestured to his father, "my father Shung." The old man smiled at the taller city man with curious eyes and waved shyly. "We come from the farms at the east, our home is a small village there. Crops this year have been extremely hard to harvest and we have been forced to put our horse in sale. We were about to look in the tavern for an owner when the incident with that rude bastard happened," Hakuen explained trying to control the sudden wave of anger that threatened to slip out of his control. The old man placed a hand on his son's arm feeling the inquietude on the young man and smiled reassuring him. "We meant no trouble, I assure you. We are simply trying to make a living as best as we can."

 

"Would you perhaps be interested in buying the horse young man?" The old man asked, and Hakuen's eyes went wide with surprise.

 

"Fath-" The old man interrupted the silver-haired before he could say something.

 

"Bad luck come to those who let chances slip by. This young man seems like one who would need a good healthy horse," The old man chuckled and smiled kindly at both youngsters.

 

_____

 

Back at the small southern village, Hakuen's mother awaited his arrival full of worry. The sun was setting down already, and it had been hours since they had left. But his concern came from deeper within and more grave reasons; she had heard villagers gossiping very disturbing news concerning the king's new orders. Soldiers were roaming around the nearby villages collecting taxes, and they were bound to stop by their village soon. She didn't wanted to confront them alone. They barely had money to eat, and she knew they wouldn't take any kind of "excuse". Those men tend to get violent when they couldn't get what they demanded. The old lady kept pacing back and forth inside the house and then stopped on her feet when she heard voices coming from outside.

 

Through the village's entrance came a group of imperial soldiers on their horses looking strong, powerful, and very dangerous. The villages kept away from them like the plague, whispering between themselves as they passed by one after the other orderly. They stopped house by house asking for the tax money, while one man read the king's demands from an old looking paper.

 

"His highness, the emperor of this kingdom, has issued an order for taxes to be collected once again for the good of the future of this nation. All citizens, and households must contribute. A fail to complete your duties will end in harsh punishments," the man read calmly.

 

Two men forced their way inside Hakuen's house. The door was easily knocked down by the two strong soldiers and the woman looked at him in horror. She shook her head scared and kept saying "No" softly, but the men ignored her pleads and carried her roughly out of the house.

 

"This one tried to hide," one of them said and the man who had previously been reading the paper glared at her.

 

"Have her pay the money and then punish her for her insolence," he ordered cruelly not caring one bit that she was a weak, defenseless old woman.

 

"No please! We have no money! Harvest this year have been very bad! Please sir! Spare us!" She cried out in a pleading voice, but the man pinned her farther on the ground with his cold, icy eyes.

 

"Take her away," he ordered and the men did so.

[tuti]

Hakkuen? That was a really nice name. "Hmm." Yu mused on the offer as he scratched his chin. Well he'd been planning on moving to another town for several days now. Getting a hold of a horse would save him plenty of money since he wouldn't have to use it in order to pay for transportation. "I could definitely make used of a good horse at the moment. But I would like to take a look at it first." He said with a small smile, he wanted to help them, but there was no use in paying for an old or sick horse.

 

It was painful to see farmers resorting to sell their assets in order to survive. True to be told the harvest season hasn't been kind to anyone. But the fact that the little they had, had to be used to pay ridiculous high taxes, was forcing them to the extreme. It made him feel glad, once more, that he left the palace and the royal army. Yet he didn't know who to blame for the way everything were heading down to ruins. A heartless king? Or the Heavens for choosing such a king?

 

Yu kept his guard up as he followed the two men out of the city and towards their village. He didn't think the men from the tavern would keep their words of revenge but it costed him nothing to keep his senses alert. He walked a few steps behind the old man and his son, his black eyes noticing the younger man's handsome features. Yu couldn't help noting that Hakkuen was his type; short, soft hair and bright eyes. Not to mention very brave. Thankfully the village wasn't that far from the city so it only took them half a day to reach the village's gates.

 

Yu furrowed his eyebrows as he noticed the state the village was in. There were several people standing outside their houses, some hugging each others, crying, others trying to fix the mess. It looked like a group of bandits had raid the village. "Something happened here." He said to his other two companions his frown deepening.

[PURE-MADNESS]

Hakuen's eyes widen at the sight of the village half burned down and destroyed. The old man beside him had the same look of disbelief on his face as his son, and the only thing he was able to say was "Mary", his wife's name. The teenage stared at the man in shock, and his eyes landed once again on the little that was left of his village. His eyes met what used to be his house, now burned down to ashes, the roof hanging from a thread of wood, and there was no longer a door to enter through. The village looked at them horrified, some of them had their head down and wouldn't dare make eye contact. Hakuen's heart was pounding heart with an ominous feeling.

 

"Mother..." The silver-haired whispered softly. As if the words had finally sunk in, the boy ran toward the burned-down house, pushing pass everyone in his way with a look of desperation on his face. "MOTHER!" He shouted, tears streaming down his now dirty cheeks. He walked inside the house, his body refusing to cooperate. He coughed a few times and looked around, the greyish gas lingering in the air making it hard for his vision. He noticed no one was inside and for a moment relief took over him.

 

"Hakuen! Come back boy!" The old man shouted from outside. Hakuen snapped out of his thoughts and headed back as quickly as he could. "My boy, are you alright?" The old man asked worried, his eyes full of tears.

 

"I am alright pa', where is mother?" The silver-haired asked anxiously, and his father looked away. "What's wrong pa? Where is mother?" Hakuen asked once more, this time more demanding. He gripped the man shoulders a bit harshly and shook him softly. "Pa? What happened to mother?!" Hakuen cried out.

 

"Your mother..." The old man tried to control his shaky voice in vain. "Your mother was...taken away by the imperial army.." The man finally said, and anger filled the teenage boy in a moment.

 

"What?..that couldn't..." His anguish came back. "Why?..why those bastards..why?" He was shaking.

 

"They came to collect taxes! But we couldn't pay! Your mother confronted them and..and...they..." One woman tried to explain but ended up crying while hugging her small boy tightly to her chest.

 

"Dammit!" Hakuen fell on his knees and hit the ground hard in frustration. He was full of guiltiness. His fist were full of scratches, and bleeding by this point, his teeth clenched and his eyes full of tears, a pathetic sight. "Dammit Dammit Dammit!" He kept shouting and no one dared come closer to stop him.

 

"Stop Hakuen...stop.." His father begged him and hugged him.

 

"How could they?! An old woman...a defenseless...old woman...ugh...if only I had been here pa...if only I.." He buried his face in the old man's chest and cried his heart out.

 

"It's not your fault...it's them..it's the kingdom.." The old man whispered just as angry and sad.

 

"We must go look for her father! I must go! I must bring her back!" Hakuen shouted like a mad man. He quickly stood up and went to look for a horse, but his father hand gripping his stopped him. Hakuen stared at the man in disbelief and anger overwhelmed him. "Coward! Do you expect me to sit here and let them take her!? I'll kill those bastards!" The teenage shouted at him, but the old man refused to let go of his hand. "Father, let go!" The silver-haired pulled hard knocking his father accidentally, and the old man fell on his butt. Hakuen's eyes widen and his hands trembled. "I-I am..I didn't... I must go...I am sorry father.."

 

Hakuen grabbed a horse and got on, then ran after the imperial soldiers hoping they were still near by.

 

"HAKUEN!" He heard someone scream but he didn't stopped.

[tuti]

Yu stood in the background watching the boy reaction of outrage. He was very angry as well; but what could he do or say to make things better? He didn't know why but seeing Hakuen in so much distress caused a great pain in his chest. He quickly wondered if Aoi was still first in command of the soldiers, if yes, how could he still be okay with something like this? Taking away elderly, weak, farmers as counter payment for taxes? The situation was more and more getting out of control.

 

Everything happened so fast but luckily Yu managed to react slightly on time and rushed towards another horse, apparently the soldiers were kind enough to leave them with a few. "Do not worry, sir, I'll look for him." Yu said to Hakuen's father after gracefully mounting the black horse and with a yell commanded it to race after the white haired boy. These horses were no match for the imperial ones, but he at least hoped he could catch Hakuen before he did something really stupid. What could he do against a troop of imperial soldiers other than lose his life?

 

He urged his horse to rush forward, faster, as he finally caught a glimpse of Hakuen. Yu pushed the animal to its limits as he pushed it in front of Hakuen making Hakuen's horse to freak out and come to a sudden stop. A dangerous act that could have caused Hakuen to be thrown off the horse and break his spine.

 

"Hakuen stop right now! What do you think you alone can do against a whole imperial troop?" He asked as his horse came to a stop in front of him. He didn't know why he was so angry at Hakuen for willing to throw his life away. "I know you are in pain right now but think about your father, he needs you right now." He said a bit more softly hoping that his words would get to the younger man and him calm down. In his years as a warrior he'd seen his share of men acting out of control only on emotions...they never ended well. Without really thinking about it, he lifted his right arm, his knuckles reaching Hakuen's cheek in an attempt to comfort him.

 

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? If isn't general second in command Yu. Sorry, I mean, ex-general." A voice stopped his moving hand and he turned his horse around to face three men, all of them wearing the imperial armor. "Now you are simply a filthy peasant." Yu recognized the man as Keito, who was foot soldier of the left wing imperial troop. Seeing him on a horse only meant he had moved up of status. Apparently these three men had trailed behind the rest of the troop. "Keito." He said glaring at the man he eyes then noticed the young girl they had held captive. She had her had tied together while Keito held the other end of the rope. Her red eyes (from crying) begged Yu to save her; he really wished he had his sword with him.

 

"Let the girl go." He commanded. He was no longer in charge but it was in his nature to lead...he was born a warrior. Keito laughed and shook his head. "No, I don't think so. She's our reward and we are going to enjoy it. You on the other hand have no right to tell us what to do. Ex- commander." Keito then for the first time noticed Hakuen an evil shined on his dull brown eyes. "What's your name little boy? You are really pretty, would you like to join the party and keep us company?" He asked, his eyes taking in Hakuen's features in a sickening way. It was disgusting.

 

Yu almost growled and moved his horse to stand between Hakuen and the three men. "I wont repeat myself, let go of the girl and leave." No hint of fear in Yu words. He was no longer immortal or a soldier but he was a man you wouldn't like to mess with and Keito knew that. "Ha! We'll see how well you can handle yourself without a sword! Get him!" He ordered the other two soldiers and grinned at Yu. Oh yes, he's going to love watching Yu die before his eyes.

 

Yu knew he was in a bad spot. He was unarmed and he had to protect Hakuen. But he wasn't second in command just because he could swing a sword, he was one hell of good fist fighter as well.

 

As the two men charged towards him, he urged his horse to move forward, he was glad it was such a brave horse. Coming closer he let go of the rein and punched both soldiers on their chest. The blow was so strong it pushed the air out of their lungs making them lose their grip and fall off their horses in pain.

 

He held his horse to a stop and glared at Keito challenging him.

 

(You can use Keito btw)

[PURE-MADNESS]

(I'll try my best then,with your permission~ *smiles* btw~ I love Yu~ *huggles him*)

 

Surprise wasn't the exact word to describe Hakuen's feelings when Yu appeared before him. He had been expecting one or two of the villagers to follow after him, but he was faster than most of them at riding a horse, so he hadn't been expecting them to catch up. But then, the black haired man had not only done so, but he had also shouted at him and trying to snap some sense into him. Hakuen was speechless. He didn't noticed the hand moving to his cheek till it had been already there comforting him, and as if moving on its own, his hands had let go of the reigns. The moment was quickly interrupted by the imperial soldiers. Hakuen had been glaring at them the entire time, but his attention was directed in a rude manner to the stranger who seems to keep interfering with his actions that day.

 

Keito had commented on the man's background, and the teenage boy had felt a bit betrayed, despite the fact he knew the stranger had no reason to have told him. A bit of mistrust overwhelmed him, and he wanted to separate from Yu, but there was no where to go. The more Keito kept on talking, the more Hakuen realized he was at a lost. His eyes spotted the young girl that was on her knees, she was around his same age, her fair skin now full of scratches and even a bruise on her face, while her clothes were slightly torn revealing part of her chest. She had a beautiful face, and her dark hair previously in two buns was now half down. Her face was dirty covering her delicate features and she was crying, her eyes begging for mercy. The sight was heartbreaking and infuriating all the same.

 

The silver-haired had plans to attack Keito, but before he knew it, Yu was already fighting with the imperial soldiers. He watched the man cast two strong blows on the soldiers and his mouth opened slightly in surprised. He had never seen such a strong man before, and there were strong men at the village. He watched the two fall on the ground gasping for air, and then his eyes landed on the mysterious man in front of him. He wanted to know more about this man, but now wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. His heart pounded hard against his chest, and he was afraid to blink and miss a moment of the scene developing in front of him.

 

Keito was enraged with the ex-general, jealousy clouding his already darkened mind. Two of his men had been quickly taken out by a mere human. Yu wasn't suppose to be so strong! He was suppose to be weakened, and begging for mercy, and yet he was showing that arrogance of his, those eyes challenging him determined to win! 'Yu! You bastard!' Keito thought, he clenched his teeth as he watched the two bodies fall from the horses. His grip on the reigns tighten and he ran forward at all galloping while drawing his sword.

 

"YU!" Keito shouted from the bottom of his lungs, his voice full of venomous hatred toward the other man. He pointed his sword at the raven man aiming for his neck, and determined to finish him this time.

 

Flashback

 

Keito watched the general from the side lines when he was no more than a mere foot soldier. He watched the raven gracefully walked in front of them and his eyes were full of admiration, he wanted no more than to be like him. Sickening desire filled his heart, and everyday that desire grew more and more, and became possessive. He did his best to catch up to the immortal, but nothing he did was enough and he was growing agitated. One day, the general was to pick a partner for one of the missions. Keito was one of the best fighters between the soldiers, and he was sure the general would pick him, but the man chose someone else. What anger him the most was that the man he had picked was such a weakling, kind hearted, little bastard! Keito had been enraged, and that same night, he had sneaked into the weakling room and ended his pitiful life. And still, even after the man was dead, Yu refused to choose him!

 

End of Flashback

 

Hakuen eyes widen in horror as the sharp blade got closer to Yu's face. Before he knew it, his horse was running forward and time seemed to stop as he intervene, his body acting as a shield between the two men. The sword made contact with his chest, and he glared at Keito, but it was too late, red liquid was already pouring out in great amounts. 'Hurts...pa....ma...i am sorry...'

[tuti]

(Well I love the way you write, you are so good with details...unlike me. xD)

 

Yu couldn't believe what was happening. He was ready to take Keito full on; sword in hand or not. But he'd never anticipated that Hakuen would use his own body as a shield to protect him. He felt scared, a feeling he hadn't felt in many years, scared that Hakuen was so stupid to give up his precious life for him. But that feeling soon changed to rage, wild anger directed to Keito. He was so mad he couldn't think straight as he grabbed Keito's sword barehanded, the action making Keito to pause for a second, but it was to late for him.

 

In a flash Yu pulled Keito's sword out of his grasp and in a blink of an eye stabbed it in Keito's throat. The man's brown eyes widened in horror as if he couldn't believe this was the way his life would end. "Y-Y-u." He gasped blood spilling out of his mouth before he dropped off of his horse lifelessly.

 

Yu dropped Keito's sword and gathered Hakuen's limp body between his arms, getting the two of them off the horse. "Hakuen? Hakuen!" He called for the younger man but there was no reply. Hakuen had lost so much blood, his lips pale and dry. Yu's heart felt as if it were going jump out of his chest, he couldn't lose Hakuen. He couldn't!

 

"I-I'll go look for help." The girl, now free from the ropes that were keeping her captive, said. Tears were running down her face and she was evidently still very scared. But she was grateful that they'd rescued her, thus she was more than willing to help. He nodded at her as she ran as fast as she could back towards the village. Yu was in such a daze that he forgot to tell her to take a horse, she'd would make it faster to the village like that.

 

Leaning the younger man against his chest, he caressed Hakuen's cheek, smearing it with the blood from his bleeding hand. "Please, Hakuen. Don't die on me." He prayed resting his forehead against Hakuen's. He'd lost his faith in the Heavens, years ago, but right now he was praying to the Heavens to spare Hakuen's life.

 

As Yu held the almost lifeless Hakuen in his arms a bright light appeared. The light re-shaped itself in the form of a tall young man wearing a long white and blue robe with golden sakura trees patterns. His eyes were the color of a blue, cloudless sky and his hair that reached the low end of his back was white as snow. "Move, let me help him." The man said moving closer to Hakuen pushing Yu away.

 

Yu glared at the strange man ready to hit him. "Who are you?!" He questioned but the stranger didn't care to answer him, instead he placed his white slender hands on top of Hakuen's bleeding chest. Yu was about to question the man once again but the light coming from the stranger's hand stopped him. What was he doing? After a few seconds the light disappeared and when the stranger removed his hands, Yu could see the wound was completely closed. In fact there was not even a scar as proof of Hakuen been hurt.

 

"What are you?" He asked again and watched the stranger as he smiled at Hakuen tenderly. "I'm his Kirin."

[PURE-MADNESS]

(Thanks *smiles* I like your style as well, our styles match very well and that makes reading this exciting~)

 

A soft light appeared in the deepest conscious of Hakuen's mind. His eyes were still closed, and although uncomfortable, his body wasn't hurting like it should have been. He found himself in a dark place, lacking of all sounds, and very lonesome. He reached for the wound, but it was no longer there, instead a piece of his own skin replaced it, if nothing, only the hole on his robes was left. Hakuen tried to sit, but his body felt heavy, and refused to cooperate with him. He laid there for a moment, looking at nothing, his eyes narrowing as he tried to think about what had happened to him. He remembered intervening in the fight, and the exact moment the blade had cut through him, and then...he had fallen unconscious. 'What happened after that?' The teen tried to find an explanation but none came to him, and then he finally gave in. His eyes were slowly closing, and he felt his strength leaving him. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him and his eyes opened again. 'Who is it? Who is calling me?' He wondered. 'Stop...I want to sleep..' He protested and closed his eyes again.

 

That voice called his name once more with such desperation that it made it impossible for the silver-haired to ignored him. Warm light wrapped around his body and Hakuen wondered what was going on. The whole room suddenly went too bright to keep staring anywhere, and he was forced to closed his eyes once more, for a long time. The next time he opened them, he was staring at a unfamiliar stranger. His eyes fluttered open with effort, his vision taking its time to accommodate to the new coming brightness. He was finally able to make out the slim figure of a young man with silver hair and blue eyes. Hakuen was sure he had never met the man before, but for some reason he felt like a close friend. He blinked for a moment, and then the man was no longer there, he had disappeared in thin air. Hakuen tried to reason out what was going on, but he felt too tired again and fell asleep.

 

____

 

The teenager boy opened his eyes slowly. He felt comfortable, his head laying on a soft pillow, and under him a soft mattress. He looked around curiously and noticed he was in a room that was not his. The wood ceiling and glass windows were more than his family could ever afford to have in their house. He sat up, his head feeling a bit light, and licked his own lips in thirstiness. His face was still a bit pale, and his soft lips were dry. He stood up, eager to get out of the place, the face of the man about to strike Yu still vivid on his face. He needed to find out what had happened to the other man, and also where was he now? Hakuen walked to the door with difficulty, stumbling on his feet slightly and using various objects for support. He opened the door slowly and walked out.

 

He heard voices coming from the waiting room and he followed them down the hallways while leaning against the walls for support. A group of people finally came to sight, and Hakuen recognized two of them. One was the young girl from before, despite being well-dressed and clean now, Hakuen still recognized her. The second one was Yu, he was alive. A soft smile reached the silver-haired face and he sighed in relieve.

 

"Hakuen!" The girl shouted all of a sudden and everyone turned to him. The teen stared at them with wide eyes and before he knew it, the strangers were all over him asking him too many questions at once. "Oh my gosh, you ok now!" The girl asked and they seemed quiet concerned about him. Hakuen nodded and his eyes met Yu's as he begged him for help. All of a sudden he felt a bit dizzy from the blood loss and he fell forward about to pass out. "Hakuen!" he heard someone call out.

[tuti]

Yu was leaning against a wall with eyes closed, his arms folded in front of his chest, as the people in the room discussed the situation. Shoko, the girl that was being captive by Keito and his men, came to them as promised with help. And they'd brought Hakuen to this house (which was the one left in best condition than the others). The village physician had questioned him about Hakuen's wound. Shoko had explained to him that Hakuen was gravely wounded on his chest but when the doctor examined him, there was nothing. Yu lied and told him he didn't know.

 

What could have he said? That a strange man came out of nowhere, healed Hakuen's wound with some magical light and then disappeared again? It was crazy...yet that was what happened. The man had said he was Hakuen's Kirin which made Yu's confusion grow even more. If the stranger was indeed a Kirin, wouldn't that make Hakuen the rightful king? And if so, why hadn't he appeared earlier or why did he disappear again? It was hard to believe, nonetheless, it only meant that Yu had to protect Hakuen at all cost. He wouldn't not forgive himself if something like today happened to Hakuen again.

 

Hell broke lose, pulling him out of his thoughts and he opened his eyes to see the villagers now bombarding poor Hakuen with tons of questions. Yu could see Hakuen losing the little energy he had recover and pushed himself of the wall. Hakuen's father called for the boy as he lost the strength of his legs; but Yu was there to catch him before he hit the floor. He steadied the younger boy before turning to glare at the villagers.

 

"Could you please wait till he is fully recovered before you start your inquisitions?" He said and softened his features as he turned to Hakuen and helped him back to the room.

 

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he helped him sit down.

[PURE-MADNESS]

Hakuen body fell onto the strong arms in front of him, and he sighed in relieve that his face hadn't landed on the floor. He didn't protested as Yu told the villagers off, and helped him back, no having the strength nor the capability to say anything at the moment. He understood the villagers' concern, but for once he was glad that the black haired had taken the hint. Silence lingered between them for a bit, and then the other man broke it by asking how he felt, although the answer to the question was quiet obvious already. The silver-haired waited for a bit before replying, gathering a bit of strength from out of no where, his lips barely moving, and his voice was like a soft whisper filling the walls of the hall.

 

"Not so good..." The boy finally said and gripped the shirt of the taller man so that he wouldn't fall. "But i am surprisingly alive.." he joked, although it was true. His eyed the other man chest looking for any kind of wound and was relieve to find none. They soon reached the room and Hakuen was helped onto the bed once more. No matter how much he hated his weakness at the moment, he was going to have to deal with it somehow. There was so many questions he wanted to ask, but he didn't knew where to start. He decided to leave the matter about the blue-eyed stranger aside, considering it one of his illusions.

 

Finally he spoke. "My wound...i am sure I was wounded.." The teen commented while touching the place said wound should have been on. There was no trace of blood there, not even a small scratch, nothing at all, but the fact he had been unconscious proved that he had been indeed in critical condition. "That guy..Keito was it? He was going to strike you and then I got in between..." Just remembering was making his head feel funny, so he laid down, his head landing on the soft pillow, and his eyes never leaving the elder man's face. "How did you came out of that alive? you had no weapons...are you even injured?..I wanna know what happened..and my mother...I..she is still with those men...I couldn't safe her.." Tears filled Hakuen's eyes as he tried to talk, just remembering his mother's situation saddened him.

 

He grabbed Yu's hand tightly and smiled slightly at him. "Thanks for coming after me...I was being stupid I know...I know but I couldn't let those bastards take her away...but in the end I was useless, and they did...just the thought of it enraged me, makes me want to go after them even if I die in the process," Hakuen confessed to the semi-stranger in the room and smiled again. "Sorry, I must sound like an immature child with a idealistic mind pretending to be a hero," He mused and laughed softly, his mood a bit lighter just by having the other man around, and he was starting to feel better. Color was slowly returning to his face, but his lips were still dry.

 

Unconsciously, Hakuen licked his own lips wet, a gesture that could have been quiet alluring, in his need for water. During all the commotion he had forgotten to ask for a glass. He kept staring at the raven waiting for an answer. He also had many questions about Yu that he wanted to ask, but he figured those would have to wait till a better time. For now, he would keep an eye on him, but in his heart he knew Yu was a good man.

[tuti]

Yu wasn't stupid and he noticed that Hakuen was thirsty. Even though the way the young man licked his lips made him feel an urge to lean forward and wet his slightly dry lips with his own. Instead, he moved away shaking his head as if shaking his lust away. What was he thinking? Hakuen was probably underage, hurt and here he was thinking about kissing him? He moved to the table were an empty cup and a clay pitcher of water sat on a small old wooden-table. He filled the cup with water and handed it to Hakuen before sitting down next to him.

 

"You were stupid." Yu said but his tone was light. "But also very brave. Any man willing to give up everything for those he loved was someone worthy of highest honor and admiration." He said meaning every word.

 

Unlike Hakuen, he ended almost unscratched from the battle with Keito. Only his left palm had a cut from when he grabbed Keito's sword barehanded. But the doctor had stopped the bleeding and poured something on it to prevent it from catching an infection. It was now tightly warped around a piece of rope, since the doctor didn't want the wound to re-open.

 

Yu sighed and mashed as he thought of a possible explanation about Hakuen's wound. He definitely wasn't going to mention the stranger since he wasn't sure if he should trust him. Even though he did save Hakuen's life.

 

"You were hurt trying to protect me." Yu began. "Which I want you to promise me that you'll never, ever, do it again." He said staring right into's Hakuen's eyes. "But by the time the villagers came to help, you already healed." He said leaving the fact that he was magically healed by long a white haired stranger claiming to be a Kirin out.

 

After a moment the ex warrior added. "I think there's a way you can rescue your mother." He said not sure if he should do this since he might be risking Hakuen's life yet again. "But first we must go to the Sacred Mountain." The Sacred Mountain was a place forbidden for mortals and immortals as well. Only high status priests, mikos and the king were allowed to enter the sacred garden. It is believed that there's were Kirins are born.

[PURE-MADNESS]

Hakuen took the glass of water from the other man, and gave him a small smile in return. He drank all of it in one sip, his throat welcoming the coolness of it, and a bit of energy flying back into his system. He placed the glass aside once he was done, and licked his lips once more noting how soft they felt this time. He listened attentively to the elder man very interested in the events. His eyes widen at Yu's explanations and they narrowed not a bit satisfied by the lack of details, but he suspected said man didn't knew them either so he let it sly for now. Despite that, Hakuen wasn't happy to know he might be a freak with healing abilities or something of that sort. His mind kept going back to the stranger he had "imagined", but he refused to accept the vision as a real one for whatever stubborn reason of his.

 

The silver-haired's attention was quickly back on Yu when he heard the man mentioned his mother.He had heard of the mountain before from his own mother. When he was a child she used to tell him all kind of stories about the mystical place but with time he dismissed them as fantasy, he never once thought the mountain even existed. His mother use to narrate to him stories about the wild beasts and gods that reign over the mountains, and the dangerous wicked creatures that inhabited them as well. She use to say that any mortal or immortal that forced their way inside without permission would meet a terrible end. Not matter how you looked at it, just the idea was a suicidal mission, and yet, it was the only option he had left.

 

Hakuen was aware that he had no idea how to get there to begin with. His only option was relying on this stranger he had met a few hours ago and that he almost got killed protecting. He didn't sounded very reliable and the idea itself was not reasonable in any way. The boy remembered how Yu had taken out those two men in one hand motion, and he couldn't hepl but find that treat of him attractive. He mentally slapped himself for having such thoughts and a sudden blush crept to his cheeks. He peeked at Yu from the corner of his eyes, noticing each and every feature of the handsome face. He had the feeling Yu was a good guy, capable of protecting him, and trustworthy, he just didn't had enough proof to back it off.

 

His eyes narrowed slowly as he remembered how the man almost got killed because of him, and somehow this gave way to trust. "I dont promise anything...i am reckless that way, and I doubt my personality will change just because, but I promise to be careful, i dont want to die so soon either," Hakuen said while smiling playfully and then his face turned serious. "I've heard of the Sacred Mountains, I thought it was impossible to even get there, but in case we do get there..."His voice trailed off and he stared anxiously at Yu. "It's a risky one...we might die," Hakuen concluded. "In any case, you dont need to go, this have hardly anything to do with you and I dont want to trouble you more than I have already.." Hakuen quickly added, his eyes on the bandages covered hand. He touched the raven's hand gently and looked at him. "You've done enough for us as it is.."

 

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. The old man voice was heard from the other side and Hakuen quickly pulled his hand away. His father entered carrying a tray of food with him and a big smile on his face despite the circumstances. "I see you are feeling better," the elder said and smiled at Yu as well as in recognizing his presence in the room. "I brought you some food, you need to recover quickly," he continued not able to feel the tension in the atmosphere. Hakuen sighed and smiled back at the old man as he took his food and started to eat, but his eyes never left Yu's, the conversation still lingering in the air waiting for a final conclusion.

[tuti]

A heavy sigh escaped Yu's lips and stood up from where he was sitting and stared at the young boy in front of him. He'd come to the conclusion that he was not only stupidly brave but also VERY stubborn. It seemed he'll have his hands full with him, not that Yu wasn't looking forward to that. It was strange. He barely knew the kid yet he could feel a strong attraction towards him. "First of all, I came up with the proposition with no intentions of letting you go alone." He said knowing very well that Hakuen's father was still in the room but if they went through with their plan the man had the right to know.

 

"The Sacred Mountain is a beautiful yet very dangerous place. I wouldn't suggest us go there if I didn't think it was our only solution to rescue your matter." He paused, he wanted Hakuen to listen to him careful since he was being very serious (not Yu was never serious).

 

"I'll be your guide through it all and I will not accept a no for an answer." He finished. He already made up his mind to stay with Hakuen a little longer. If it was true that the stranger that helped them was indeed a Kirin, Hakuen's Kirin, that made Hakuen king. He had to protect him and take him to the Ancient Tree to make his bow as king. Yet he couldn't tell this to Hakuen; what if he was wrong? He couldn't make Hakuen believe he was king without any valid proof.

 

The only way to find out, is to go to the Sacred Mountains, request a hearing with the Wise Ones and confirm the presence of a new Kirin.

 

"If you do decide to go through with this plan and reach the Sacred Mountains, I'll promise you, I'll give my all to keep you safe." He said which sounded more like an oath he wasn't planning on breaking.

[PURE-MADNESS]

Hakuen stared at the elder man as he spoke. He watched the man expression interchange between soft and stern, and a heavy sigh left his own lips in resignation. He was at a loss of words and he was smart enough to figure out that no matter what sort of excuse he came up with, Yu had no desire to pay them any mind. A soft smile crept to his lips and he found himself nodding in response. His eyes then landed on his old father, who stared back at him in shock and confusion. The man sighed understanding the situation and placed a hand on his boy's shoulder.

 

"You are really leaving?.." He asked but it was more of a statement he sadly pronounced.

 

"I promise I'll come back alive father, and with mother," Hakuen replied as in confirmation and half bowed politely to the man from his position. The elder smiled and held back his tears of pride and concern.

 

"May the both of you have a good journey"

 

_____

 

The morning light of the sun slipped through the small opening of the window, only to brighten the dark room and empty bed at the corner of it. The bed had already been made carefully and its temporary owner was already dressed up and finishing his bag. He had barely slept through the night, anxiety and excitement filling his young body. He had never stayed away from home for so long, and he had never gone farther than the city, even less with a complete stranger as a companion. Worry filled his mind, but Hakuen pushed the thoughts aside, it was in his best interest to accompany Yu. He tighten the small knob of the bag, which contained only basic things he was going to need and headed out of the room and into the waiting room.

 

The room was clearer now that the sun was hitting it directly. The silver-haired could see broken wood and windows of what used to be a beautiful structure. There were black spots on the wall because of the previous fire, and the door was in no good condition either. he hadn't noticed before because his vision had been blurry, but now he realized that there were traces of the destruction caused by the imperial army in this house as well. 'They really spared none' Hakuen thought to himself upset and made his way outside. His father had taken it upon himself to bring breakfast to him earlier, and he had no other reason to postpone the departure, as much as he would have liked to.

 

Hakuen blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light. He heard his father voice, and saw him talking with a group of villages while he prepared the horse the boy was to use. A soft smile spread across the teen's lips and he stood there for a moment longer taking what could be the last image of his father he would have. Finally, taking a deep breath and filling himself with determination, he approached the group and hugged his father with no warning. The man smiled and patted his back for a moment, then the two broke apart.

 

"Take care my boy, dont do anything reckless," the old man told him and the two share a brief moment together, then Hakuen got on the horse.

[tuti]

After leaving the village the previous night, Yu returned to the city to inform the old rice-wine maker that he would be leaving. The man said nothing but Yu could tell he was disappointed. For the last three years the man had gotten used of Yu's presence and valuable help. Yu himself was very grateful for the man's hospitality and before leaving the man's house the next morning he left him with two coins of gold. That were enough for him to buy a wheeled vehicle to help him transport his sake's barrels.

 

After concealing his father's sword between a piece of clothe, resembling a blanket, and securing it behind his back, he made his way back to Hakuen's village. Since this time he was traveling by horse he reached said village in no time. He accepted Hakuen's father's offer of breakfast and waited for the white haired kid to wake up.

 

While waiting, he wondered about what he, no, what they were about to do. It was so risky, he wondered whether or not it was worth it. Not because he was scared, Yu has never been a coward and he wasn't going to start today. But the fact that it placed Hakuen in a dangerous spot made him re-think the whole situation.

 

Unfortunately, this was the only way in order to rescue Hakuen's mother and hopefully bring a change to the kingdom. He brought both their horses as the boy said his goodbyes and got on his horse. Yu nodded at the old man (well technically, Yu was older than Hakuen's father). Silently assuring him that he'll protect his son.

 

They left the village behind them in silence. Yu wasn't a very talkative man but as the day passed he couldn't take it anymore. "What's your mother's name?" He asked. Since when was silence something uncomfortable for Yu?

 

(I'm thinking that we should create extra side characters later on the story, to help them on their quest. What do you think?)

[PURE-MADNESS]

Yu's voice had brought the silver-haired out of his thoughts. He blinked a few times and stared blankly at the older man, and then replied.

 

"My mother name is Mary," He said simply, the image of the woman bringing sadness to his eyes.

 

They kept riding in silent for about another hour. The path they had taken was completely empty with the occasional sounds of animals moving through the grass. There were a few trees here and there, but the area was covered mostly by dry grass, dead trees, dry soil, and one or two small ponds. The lack of rain during the year had turned many parts of the kingdom into a dry terrain with barely any sign of live in it. Hakuen felt depressed just looking at it. In his memories he could still picture a very green part of the kingdom, with all kinds of plants and animals around, but that had been many years ago.

 

They finally reached a small town, just in time for the sun to start setting down. The small town had barely any stores around, and the one it had were mostly empty. There were very few people around, most of them staring at the strangers in a threatening manner. They were all very shady looking, with dirty robes and long hair and bears. Some of them were drinking, other were smoking, and there were no merchants around. Truthfully, Hakuen would have wish he could have run out of there, he didn't liked the stares they were getting from these men. He looked around for any sign of women or children but saw none. Finally they reached a almost broken down inn, the main door had a small crack on it , and it had been left open. The inside wasn't any better, it had dirty floors, broken windows, and a very unstable ceiling that looked about to fall down at any minute. Hakuen sighed and although he refused to walk in any farther, his feet lead him inside the place.

 

The horses had been left outside, hopefully in a safe place. Hakuen eyed the inn curiously, jumping now and then when he saw an insect or two. The place didn't looked welcoming at all.

 

"May I help you gentlemen?" Asked a middle aged blonde man that look just as shady and as much of a criminal as all the others he had seen so far. Hakuen stepped back a bit, the blonde breath stink, and politely looked away as he spoke.

 

"We...need a room.." The silver-haired's voice was barely audible, the thought of staying in this kind of place made the hairs on his skin stand up. The blonde smirked and walked to his desk, then pull out a pair of golden keys.

 

"Room 150" He said grinning at the boy's obvious reaction. "Would you like me to bring you anything to eat?" He asked, and Hakuen looked desperately at Yu, then at the man, he was afraid to eat anything in this place! "I promise the plates are clean and the food is not poisonous," the blonde reassured them reading the boy's mind. Hakuen nodded softly and took the keys from the owner, then stared at Yu. He hadn't brought any money with him, since his father needed it more, so economically as well, he was dependent on the other male.

 

"That will be 1 silver coin the night," The owner said smirking, the cost was a bit high for a broken down old place like this one, but he knew there was no other place to stay in the town, and night had already fallen upon them.

[tuti]

Yu unfolded his arms to retrieve a small leather coin pouch from somewhere inside his haori. After pulling the drawstrings he took one silver coin and placed on top of the battered counter. It wasn't like Yu was really rich but he didn't had the need to use the money his father had had left him after joining the royal army. There was no need for it since they all could enjoy the luxury the palace provided. A place to sleep, to train, food and even sometimes; alcohol. So even though he never was one to care much about money, now that he was no longer part of that world he could make good use of the small “fortune” his father had left him.

 

The man took the silver coin in looked at it before eyeing Yu's pouch as the ex-warrior placed it away. Caught staring, the man quickly looked up with a smile and lead to their room. "I'll be brining your dinner in a bit." The man said bowing at Yu. It was obvious the man's initial opinion about them had changed after seeing that they had money.

 

Once the man left them alone, Yu took his time to look at their room for the night, it wasn't as small as he had expected, the size was of a four tatami room (even though it looked dirty and worn by the years). There were two futon right in the middle of the room and a small table to the far right side. The walls, they that have surely seen better days. Yet, Yu couldn't really complain. No matter how decayed the place looked, this was better than spend the night without a roof on their heads.

 

Taking his sword from his back, still concealed underneath the bundle of clothes, he placed it by the wall and sat down with his legs crossed next to it and glanced at his young companion. "We should rest right after dinner. I'm not sure how long it'll take us to reach the next village. We might not make it before night fall." He said with a pause. "That's why I think it would be best if leave first thing in the morning."

[PURE-MADNESS]

Hakuen nodded softly in agreement with the other man's plans, while his eyes wandered around the old room. He agreed with Yu that although a bit dusty and not very livable in, it was better than staying the night out without a roof over their heads. He didn't made much of a complain about it, besides the occasional faces of displeasure. It was the first time staying the night with a stranger, so Hakuen was a bit alarmed and jumpy, but he was starting to relax around the older man. He asked to use the bathroom first. He was dying to take a shower and get the sweat off. He grabbed a towel and headed to the connected room, the bathroom was in no better condition than the rest of the inn but it was going to have to do for now. He didn't dazed off during his shower, instead he tried his best to hurry and get out of there.

 

Soon later, he heard a knock on the door. He had just gotten out of the shower, and although completely dressed up with the same clothes he had before, the tips of his hair were dripping wet. He opened the door and found the owner of the inn standing there with a tray of fine looking food. Hakuen took it from him and told him that they would pay later. The man tried to peek inside the room but the silver haired teen blocked his way. The blonde looked at him amused and then left after wishing them a "good night". Hakuen sighed and closed the door quickly, he couldn't stand the weird man and was glad he had left. He stared at the food on the trey hesitantly for a moment. He didn't trusted the owner, and for what he knew the man could have put something in the food to take advantage of them, however, his grumbling stomach seemed to want to differ.

 

The boy gave one of the plates to Yu and sat down on the empty bed. He stared at the food for a while longer, but another bothersome sound from his stomach made the decision for him. He decided that the food didn't looked strange and started to eat. The taste was delicious to say the least, or perhaps it just seemed that way because he hadn't ate anything during the whole day. He stared at Yu and made some conversation.

 

"Just how far are we traveling?" Hakuen asked curiously, he felt more comfortable if he knew where they were heading to. He needed a location. "Have you been there before?" The boy pressed a bit for an answer. He didn't knew anything about Yu other than his name, and he was very curious as to how the ex-general even knew how to get there.

 

Roy laid on bed staring at the half-broken ceiling on top of him. He was also staying at the inn, but had barely gone out of the room since he arrived. The owner wondered what the stranger had been doing that whole time, and was quiet suspicious but could never managed to go far enough into the room to make up his mind about the man. Roy's hand touched his patched eye softly and his lips pressed into a thin line. He kept staring at the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing on earth, surrounded by the silence of the room, and the occasional sound of the wind slipping through the open windows. He heard a few sounds on the hallway and it peeked his curiosity for a minute, but he didn't moved from bed.

 

(Roy would be the tough guy we talked about, this is how he looks, and he is in his late 20s. He is really strong for a mortal, and he is not quiet human, he have many secrets that I'll tell later on XD He is seme btw~

 

)

[tuti]

Yu thanked the younger man for the food with a nod. "If we don't run into any inconvenience, such as weather. We'll reach the south in five days." He informed his companion before taking the first bite of his dinner. He was surprised that the meal didn't taste as bad as he had expected, yet his face stayed expressionless, showing no emotion of this.

 

"Then it'll be three more days before we reach the borders of the mountains." That was the time space they'll need to reach the Saint Mountain. But how long it'll take them to reach the Holy Temple where the Ancient Tree was situated depended on how lucky they were against the dangers on the way there. The Sacred Mountain was a wide fast forest, with wild beasts and other more powerful creatures that occupied it.

 

Hakkuen's next question made Yu pause and place his chopsticks back on his plates. He closed his dark eyes as if reminiscing a long, almost lost, memory. "I have, but it was a very, very, long time ago. And we weren't able to enter temple at that time." He admitted, suddenly feeling a bit nostalgic as he remembered how he and his father battled beasts and fierce bandits on their way to the Holy Temple.

 

He was only fifteen. His father took him with him in a journey to demand the high priest for a new king since the land was heading into a its destruction since the assassination of the famous King of Peace. A king that had reigned for four-hundred years until a radical politician ended the beloved king's life. Because of the abrupt end of the King of Peace life, there was no Kirirn to choose a new ruler. Thus, Yu's father and the rest of the warriors had to leave the palace and live life any other normal man in the wait for a new Kirin to be born. That's when Yu's father met his mother. Unfortunately, his father didn't live to see the coronation of a new king but it was Yu's dreams to follow in his father's step serving and protecting the king.

 

Blinking he realized he hadn't said anything for a while. "Do you know how to use a sword?" Yu asked after clearing his throat and resumed eating, no point in living in the past. He wondered if Hakuen had any experienced whatsoever with a sword or any other kind of weapon.

 

(I still need to hunt for a proper picture for Eiki that resembles the image I have in my head T.T )