Disclaimers: usual stuff
Shounen-ai, a little angst…
Part 3 of the story started in “Assassination” and continued in “Seduction”.
Five months have passed in the Kingdom of Pulsar since the mysterious foreigner, Seishiro Sakurazuka was hired to deal with possible assassination attempts on members of the royal household. Unfortunately Seishiro’s arrival and subsequent interest in Narsus lead to problems between the Imperial Artist and the King’s Champion. Now Daryoon faces the possibility that their relationship may be irreclaimable…
Arslan sat silently in the empty throne-room. A fine line appeared between his brows as he considered the current state of affairs. Only a month ago Daryoon had simply been a little jealous of the fact that Narsus was spending time with Seishiro, then suddenly things had escalated and now… Now the King’s Champion clung desperately to his duty because when he didn’t, he just sat staring into nothingness, like a man who’s world had fallen apart. Seishiro had emerged slightly better from the tangle of emotions, his current state of mind only visible through sudden, infrequent mood swings. Finally Narsus seemed to have survived the matter better than any of the others, he was generally back to his normal self, save for being a little more defensive that usual and a sudden interest in constant sword-bouts. Arslan didn’t know what to do, he’d hoped that Daryoon and Narsus would resolve their misunderstanding but now it didn’t seem likely. Adding to that was the imminent return of Pharangase from an annual pilgrimage, Gieve from following Pharangase on said annual pilgrimage, Alfreedo from accompanying Pharangase and Elam from being along for the ride. They should be back by the end of the month. Arslan wondered how they’d all take the news. Of course Elam would side with Narsus, just as Pharangase would side with Daryoon, which would leave Gieve to make wisecracks from the sidelines and Alfreedo to do what ever it was Alfreedo did. Hopefully he could help Daryoon and Narsus resolve their differences before the entire court starting taking sides… that said already the palace guard sided with Daryoon, while every lady at court supported Narsus. Arslan shook his head and decided to go look for Narsus.
Narsus watched his opponent carefully. The man as at least a head taller than him and considerably heaver. They’d lost their swords a short time ago a little way off in the grass. Narsus shifted his balance from one leg to the other and let his gaze drift towards the fallen swords. His opponent, thinking him distracted, rushed him. A sharp elbow to the bent back, followed by a blow to the jaw and the man staggered backwards, and finally, Narsus launched into a spin-kick that sent his opponent flying backwards, out of the fighting area, defeated.
Narsus grinned and went to help his opponent up. The soldier stood slowly, testing his aching muscles “If every nobleman fought like you, lordship, we wouldn’t need an army.”
Narsus smiled and glanced around the courtyard, “Who’s next?”
There were looks at the ground and the shuffling of feet.
“Alright, maybe you all should go wash now, I’d never realised how much you soldiers stink!”
There was good-natured laughter as the soldiers shuffled out. Narsus watched them leave then lay down on the grass, on his back and closed his eyes. Unsurprisingly, he found himself thinking of the one night he’d spent with Seishiro. It had only proven something he’d long suspected, that no matter what, he still loved Daryoon. Incidentally it had also proven that he wasn’t the one that the King should be worrying about. Sakurazukamori, sorcerer assassin, ever professional, killed swiftly and without mercy. He wouldn’t still be alive if he’d been the intended target. Which left the question of Seishiro’s real intentions still unanswered, as well as why he’d been allowed to live. Surely now that Seishiro knew that Narsus was aware of his true identity wasn’t that a danger to him? Unless it was a case of double bluff, Seishiro anticipating that he’d try to figure out the answers on his own rather than tell the King just yet, in which case…
“Narsus!”
He sat up “Your Majesty.”
“I need to talk to you about Daryoon.”
“Again, Majesty?” Narsus gave a long-suffering sigh.
“Narsus, please. He’s really sorry for what happened. Won’t you at least listen to him?”
“Not out of my own free will.”
“What if I make it an order then?”
“Then your Majesty, I must humbly resign my post as Imperial Artist.”
Arslan sat down on the grass and looked dejected.
“Things pass in time, Majesty. This is perhaps one such situation.”
“Please, Narsus. Please talk to him.”
“It won’t make any difference.”
“At least try…”
“Have you looked at Daryoon lately, Majesty? Every time I look at him he doesn’t even see me.”
Arslan looked at Narsus, puzzled.
“To him I don’t even exist anymore…”
“That isn’t true.” They were interrupted by the voice of the aforementioned General.
Arslan got up, ready to make a quick exit to allow Daryoon and Narsus to finally resolve the matter.
Narsus looked suspiciously at Daryoon, “You don’t know the half of it.” He said lying back down on the grass and closing his eyes.
Arslan left the courtyard swiftly but as he did, he noticed Seishiro hidden by the shadow of a pillar, watching with an amused expression on his face. Daryoon’s original words came back to him “Are you sure he can be trusted?” and Arslan shuddered at a sudden chill.
Back in the courtyard…
Daryoon sat down on the grass, within arms reach of Narsus and waited.
“You know, I’ve slept with him.” Narsus said, eyes still closed.
“Then are you… is he…” Daryoon shifted uncomfortably.
“My lover?”
Silence.
“No.”
“Oh.”
“In fact I don’t trust him in the slightest.”
Daryoon frowned, confused. Narsus remained silent.
“I guess I deserved that. I’m sorry, Narsus.”
“Aren’t you angry?” Narsus sat up.
“Not any more.”
“Why the hell not?! Daryoon, I cheated on you! You should hate me!”
“I thought I did but not now.”
“Why?!” Narsus grabbed Daryoon by the front of his uniform and shook him. As expected Daryoon’s warrior instincts took over. He grabbed Narsus wrists and slammed him down again the ground, glaring fiercely. “Is this what you wanted? Do you like the pain?!” Daryoon yelled. Narsus didn’t reply, struggling to free himself but Daryoon’s grip was unbreakable. Narsus craned his neck trying to bite Daryoon, it was the only thing he could do. Daryoon jerked back, realising that Narsus was aiming for his jugular and raised a fist, prepared to smash it into Narsus’ face.
Daryoon gasped, suddenly aware of what he had almost done. Narsus was staring up at him, struggles suddenly ceased, eyes strangely calm. Daryoon quickly let go of Narsus, moving off him. “I’m sorry.” Was the only thing he could say, again.
“No, Daryoon. I’m the one who must apologise. I had to know…” Narsus held his arms out to Daryoon and Daryoon wrapped his arms around Narsus leaning his head against Narsus’ shoulder. “I’d never hurt you.”
“I know. Now I know.” Came the soft reply as Narsus soothingly stroked his hair.
Seishiro sneered and turned to leave. A slight breeze suddenly stirred an errant trail of cherry blossom in his path. Seishiro turned back to regard the scene in the courtyard only to find Narsus staring back at him. The strategist was smiling, still cradling Daryoon in his arms so the General didn’t see the strange smile playing about his lips. Seishiro left abruptly, that strange smile hovering in his memory, disconcertingly. Unsurprisingly, he couldn’t place it though any number of his victims could have, it was the same smile they saw on the face of Sakurazukamori, the last thing they ever saw…
Arslan smiled as he watched Pharangase dismount, ignoring Gieve’s offer of help. Elam was already running up the steps into the palace, followed by Alfreedo, who was already demanding to know where Narsus was. Arslan turned to Daryoon, who as ever was stood at his side, “I’m glad everything worked out.”
His Champion nodded, glancing sideways at Seishiro, who as usual clung to the shadows. Arslan noticed him and, surprisingly a bandage wrapped around his left hand.
“Seishiro, what happened to your hand?” he asked innocently.
“Merely an accident, your Majesty.”
“You really ought to be more careful.” Narsus said sweetly, approaching from behind.
“Indeed, I shall.” Seishiro replied, taking the opportunity to catch Narsus’ hand in his own and as before, place a gentle kiss there.
There was a backlash of sorcery, invisible to all but practitioners. Seishiro covered his shock and took his leave.
Seishiro sat on the floor of his room, surrounded by many sorcererous marks that he’d inscribed upon the floor. Stretching his limbs, cramped from many hours of meditation, his eyes narrowed. Still no answers only the obvious suggestion that could hardly be true. For surely it wasn’t possible that there was another Sakurazukamori? Yet the marks, why hadn’t he noticed them before? Had he been so occupied with seducing Narsus that he’d let that cloud his judgment? Why were the marks there? Well, there was only one possible answer to that, the marks meant only one thing, that the prey was irreversibly bound to the hunter, to Sakurazukamori. Yet he hadn’t put those marks there, so who had?
It was a question that had plagued his days and nights endlessly and would continue to do so.
Narsus shifted in his sleep, pulling himself closer to Daryoon. A hand sliding over his lover’s broad chest and on the back of that hand defined by the faint flare of blue light, an inverted pentagram etched into the flesh. Forever marking him as irreclaimable to the light.
Woo! Back to the shounen-ai! And I even wrote this the morning after I wrote “Seduction”.
Daryoon and Narsus back together the way it should be and Sei-chan being his usual sinister self. I think there’ll be just one more fic in this series, then I’ll get back to my happy background fic.
Notably Sei-chan marks Subaru with the inverted pentagrams to show that Subaru is his prey in “Tokyo Babylon”, though at the end of the day he doesn’t feed Subaru to the Sakura…
Ah, well…
Narsus (27/3/01)