Standard disclaimer applies.
I'm not exactly sure how this story came about since I had every intention of writing a Rimudo and Soruen story. But because I had such lovely feedback for Fake Smiles Lie, this plot bunny took on a life of its own.
I have to say that I am really very happy with the way it turned out too, and I hope you all enjoy it.
Dedicated to: MikoGalatea, anonymous, I am Alice Cullen, beppin14, Shigi X Hien, Jeanuxu and last but absolutely not least, Discord1. You inspired me, hun.
Mistrust
By Reiven
The heat of the high noon sun dried out the lands; hooves of the steed mounted by the Kutou soldiers sent dust billowing into the dry air. It was dry desert landscape as far as the eye could see, sand mounds littered the land and cactus plants provided shelter to what few cold blooded reptiles and serpents roamed about in the sweltering heat.
Tensions ran high and tempers flared. The men drank to quench their thirsts until only the wine was left, and then fights broke out between ranks; the generals showing their power and the soldiers taking out their frustrations on each other. They'd lost men, both in battle with the army of Hokkan and to the elements. It was one of the hottest days and one of the lowest points of the Kutou army, but that wasn't what got Hien's blood boiling.
When Prince Hakei walked in through the flaps of Hien's tent, his mantle billowing and what looked like an underage, rejected concubine of the royal court trailing behind him, Hien knew that his shitty day was just about to get shittier.
They'd lost the general just days before; the drunken bastard taking an ugly fall off his horse and falling neck first onto the rock hard ground below. It was no love lost in Hien's part. He fantasized every night of taking a knife and slowly dragging it across the man's throat as he slept. It was only his unquestionable loyalty to the prince that kept the knife safely in its sheath. It was that same loyalty that kept him kneeling and his head bowed as the prince took three step forward, the sight of his boots moving into Hien's line of sight. His pleasant expression never waning as the newcomer stood at attention behind him to his right.
"From now on, you two will be working together."
He said, and Hien's teeth almost drew blood from where it was currently biting into his lip.
"Get acquainted," he added, and as abruptly as he appeared, left; leaving his newly appointed general in Hien's company.
The atmosphere of the tent turned stale before the outline of Prince Hakei's back could even disappear from sight. Hien got to his feet and did a quick glance over this person he was supposed to take orders from. The first thing that came to mind was that he hated him and he was sure that the disgust felt was not one sided.
But then something completely unexpected happened; the boy smiled. He said, "My name is Shigi," and Hien's dislike for him increased several folds.
It was hate at first sight.
Hien growled out his name in reply and once again only his unyielding loyalty to the prince kept his feet firmly rooted to the ground and an unsuspecting soldier out of danger.
He didn't trust the boy. His demeanor was much too false, his face much too pretty and his hair much too long. An enemy would be able to make a grab for it while in battle. And yet, it was the underlying sense of danger that surrounded him like an aura that made Hien's insides prickle with want to test the boundaries.
So he smirked, no trace of the earlier anger in his voice or his expression. "So what, was the royal courts' harem too full to accept new admission?"
He continued to smile, his eyes barely visible as he stared back at Hien. "No," he said calmly, "They said I was beautiful, so I killed them all and burned the harem to the ground."
The silence the gripped was unnerving; Hien stared back at the still smiling Shigi with eyes narrowed. The smirk was wiped clear off his face and he was trying to find any sign in the boys' expression that he was joking.
He wasn't.
When all was said and the confrontation done with, Hien still hated Shigi, but he decided that perhaps it could work out.
- - - - -
Soldiers wisely moved out of the way and averted their eyes when the duo passed.
Hien was already dangerous while working under their last general. There was still something akin to control then, even if it was just the general showing using his authority to order him around just because he was young. Shigi let him do as he pleased. Hien killed who he wanted, when he wanted and how many of them he wanted and more often than not, Shigi joined in the fun.
They were a force to be reckoned with, leaving trails of dead bodies, soldiers, children and animals with their blood coating the ground.
When the prince visited, his remanding was just for show and to please the listening ears. The approval in his eyes clearly visible and that only thrilled his two most loyal subjects.
Hien worked well with Shigi, but he did not trust him.
When Shigi brought a cup of tea into his tent that night, Hien spared him a quick thank and fed it to a mouse he'd grabbed as it skittered away first, just incase it was poisoned.
He sleeps at night with a knife under his pillow and Shigi knows this. In response, the boy places his weapon right beside his pillow in plain sight as he sleeps still on his back for the whole night.
The two share a unique relationship. They trust each other enough to have the others' back when facing the enemy hoard charging straight at them, but less not to kill each other while they sleep.
But then again, Hien only trusts Prince Hakei, more so than he trusts himself.
The last time he felt comfortable enough to trust anyone, his entire village was destroyed and he watched his mother being raped and murdered right in front of his eyes. He watched as the babies of his neighbors had their heads stomped in by the attackers as their helpless parents watched on in horror. He watched everything from the crack in the wooden floor as tears streamed down his face and he tried to hold back his cries.
He was the sole survivor that day and as he bit down on raw flesh, salty tears washing down the revolting taste of dead meat, he swore that never again will he be helpless. Never again will he be attacked or watch as people get killed. He'll be the one doing the killing. He'll kill them all with his bare hands if he had to. So he gave a war cry as he lunged forward, ready to bury the sharp femur bone into the smiling man's heart.
He missed and shut his eyes, preparing himself for the inevitable counter blow.
But it never came. Instead he felt a warm hand atop his head, patting it gently and almost lovingly as a kind voice said; "Come now, young man. Let us get you cleaned up and fed. You will be of much use to me," and he couldn't hold in the sob that escaped his lips.
- - - - -
The first time Hien ever saw the painful truth of Shigi's mysterious background, he'd gone out looking for his missing general; swearing him to hell and back and taking a swipe at all and any creatures that crossed his path as he ventured through bushes and shrubs in the forest. The dense canopy of the trees allowing only a shimmer of light through, acting like a beacon lighting up his path.
He'd found him standing naked in a stream, eyes gazing thoughtfully at a spot in the distance.
Only the scars and healing wounds on his body separated him from just a common pretty face in the crowd.
That and the deadness in his eyes.
"Oi!" he called out, "There'll be enough time to exchange beauty tips with the other ladies once you find a husband!"
Shigi didn't acknowledge his presence, and Hien resisted the urge to toss his sword, blade first right through the back of the pretty boys' head. After a few seconds passed, he began to turn and waded back the direction where Hien was standing.
"I'm sure you look lovely enough for the Prince…" started Hien but he trailed off awkwardly when Shigi stepped out of the water and stood up in full view.
Neither one spoke a word as Shigi gathered up his gear and began dressing. The silence continued all the way back to camp. They didn't speak of the situation for a long time.
Out of battle, Hien still didn't trust Shigi, but he trusted that the boys' loyalty to Prince Hakei was as steadfast as his own and that's all that really mattered.
- - - - -
The order came suddenly and out of the blue.
Find the Priestess of Genbu and her celestial warriors and kill them.
That's what Prince Hakei had said, and that was what Shigi and Hien had every intention of doing.
It was a humid day when the prince stepped into their tent. Hien was polishing his sword and Shigi was braiding thin strands of his once long hair and wrapped it in strips of purple cloth. The rest had been cut by Hien at Shigi's request. He liked it better that way, and though he denied it in a huff, so did Hien.
Both got to their knees in a bow of respect.
Prince Hakei was silent, but then took three steps forward until his boots came into Shigi and Hien's line of sight. Hien experienced a feeling of déjà vu and knew that his moderately fine day was just about to go to shits.
"You will have a new subordinate starting from today. His name is Taki," he said. "He is resting in the next tent. I trust you will all get acquainted."
"Yes, sir," they replied simultaneously, though Hien almost drew blood from where he was biting his lip. With a glance to his side, he saw Shigi smile, though his cheery expression was betrayed by the crescent shaped fingernail wounds in his palm.
Hien didn't trust Taki and neither did Shigi. They found camaraderie for the first time since their introduction in the feelings of mistrust for the stranger. There was something about him that didn't sit right with either of them, but because Prince Hakei ordered them to, they treated him no differently than any other ally.
Somewhere along the road, Hien and Shigi stopped mistrusting each other. Hien drank the tea Shigi brought him, and both slept with the weapons on their side table. Hien watched the area as Shigi bathed, and Shigi let him, even though it meant being completely defenseless while another person was in the vicinity.
After the doomed battle took place, it was only Shigi that Hien trusted to watch over him as he had the gaping wound on the stump where his hand had once been tended to by the physicians. He accepted the pain with sheer will, not trusting the people enough to take the herbs they offered to numb the pain. But when the agony became too overwhelming and spots began dancing across Hien's vision, Shigi grabbed the offered herbs and took half of it himself.
Hien watched it happen though watery eyes.
When Shigi, the smile spreading across his bloodied face tore though the mending cut on his cheek, turned and offered him the remaining herb, he took it without question.
- - - - -
It was a day that almost repeated itself once Shigi stepped out of the stream that day. But for once, Hien tried not to look away. Instead he said; "Why don't you…"
With a smile still on his face, Shigi said; "Because I am a eunuch."
Hien said nothing, turning his attention instead to the metal contraption he now had attached to his arm. "Bandits came and annihilated my village," he said, staring out at the greenery. "Lord Hakei came upon me and my village when he was passing by. Before he came, I ate the bones of stray animals to stay alive," he said finally.
Then there was silence. When Hien looked up at his companion, he saw a look on Shigi's face not unlike any he had ever seen before. It was not sadness or pity, nor anger or grief. It was just an expression of complete understanding and he said; "A horrific experience," in a voice that didn't not belong to him.
At that moment, everything just felt right between them.
Until one of the guards came running with the news that the Priestess had escaped.
"What!" shouted Hien in anger.
So it began once again, their hunt for the Priestess and her seven celestial warriors. But it was okay, everything would eventually work out, because Hien trusted Shigi like he trusted Prince Hakei; completely.
The end.
The final conversation between Shigi and Hien were taken roughly from the scanlation.