Note: So, I've been working on this for several months and FINALLY got it finished. Now all I have to do is type and upload it. I hope you enjoy my latest piece of angsty drama.
King Kamijo was a fair man; and when his loyal subjects claimed this, they were only referring to his looks. With hair the color of pale wheat and eyes the shade of the mid-morning sky, a lingering gaze and brief smile made women swoon and men trip over themselves to obey his every command. No one fared go against him anyway; Kamijo could be ruthless, cruel and if he saw something he wanted, he stopped at nothing to get it. It was how he got the throne and his queen, after all...though no one knew the truth. The previous king died in battle and the queen withheld the throne from her son, claiming he was far from ready to rule a kingdom. She was displeased with his sadistic nature. The queen "suddenly" grew very ill and died a few months later. Kamijo became king and married within the year to a beautiful young Princess from a faraway kingdom. And by "princess", what is really meant is "prince in drag." For Kamijo wanted the wealthy Prince Hizaki. Hizaki agreed to pose as a woman for the most handsome king in all the lands.
The king and his queen seemed happy together for the first few years, though Kamijo soon grew bored with the sex Hizaki had to offer. He was too gentle, as if he'd only ever experienced making love to a woman. Kamijo began collecting a harem of lovers, each one more beautiful in the throes of passion than the last. Hizaki was left to sleep alone and often invited the guards and servants to sleep with him behind the king's back. He knew if Kamijo ever found out, the younger blonde male would be physically branded a whore and cast out of the kingdom.
And so, when Kamijo first laid eyes on a young raven-haired commoner, he set out to claim the young male in every possible way. He sent a few of his most trusted guards to learn everything about him that they could. His name was Kai, a young bartender in the kingdom. He lived with his lover, a man named Miyavi, who owned the tavern Kai worked in. Kamijo wanted Kai; that much was certain. However, this meant Miyavi had to be out of the picture. So, on one particularly dark and stormy night, he sent his guards to their home to imprison Miyavi. Kai watched in horror as his lover was shackled and practically dragged away. Kai was distraught; for days, he wouldn't eat or even leave his home. He would alternate between crying childishly on his too-empty bed and sitting in a chair by the window, staring out at the castle where the dungeons were. Several times, the young raven-haired male thought to go to the castle and beg the king for his beloved's freedom. He was always stopped by the stories of king Kamijo's unforgiving nature. Such things caused him to pace passed the window, biting his nails- chewing them down to the nub even- and mentally arguing about the situation at hand. Finally, two weeks after Miyavi's imprisonment, Kai's love for the other man won the argument and he settled for with making a plea for Miyavi's release. Who knew, maybe he'd manage to appeal to Kamijo's kind and loving side...
"...Your Majesty, we have a commoner here to speak with you." A stoic-looking guard said as he bowed before his blonde king.
A wicked smile curved on Kamijo's lips and a mischievous gleam twinkled in his eyes as he dipped his head in a brief nod and spoke. "By all means, let him in~"
And so, in came a man, no longer the beauty of Kamijo's dreams. Black hair that had lost its luster framed a gaunt and fairly sleep-deprived face. Dark brown eyes that once seemed to be the very source of light in this kingdom now were dull and seemed to welcome the dark. Plush pink lips that Kamijo had visualized gracing every inch of his body even seemed less than their usual perfection. Not to mention in the past two weeks, Kamijo's little raven had lost a considerable amount of weight. He looked unhealthy, to say the least. He stepped forward, eyes downcast and lips almost trembling. Then, in a move that seemed too fast for someone in such poor condition, he dropped to his hands and knees, hair falling into his face. It was as if he was afraid to look his king in the eyes. Kamijo frowned; that was the last thing he wanted from his little black bird.
"My lord..." Kai's voice was soft; nearly a whisper.
"I have ruled this kingdom well. I have defended against invaders, have kept it free from famine and disease. I do everything a good king can for his people. And yet here you are, looking half starved. Something ails you and I want to know what. I need to know what I can do to help you." Kamijo's tone softened as he spoke; something that caused both Kai and Hizaki to stare at him with surprise.
"Kind and understanding king, two weeks ago your guards came to my home and arrested a man who has done no wrong. He is very important in my life and his imprisonment has devastated me. I can't eat, I can barely sleep. All I can do is worry myself into sickness." Kai paused and looked up, eyes filled with tears threatening to fall. "I...I'm begging you to reconsider this decision against him. Whatever crime you think he committed can be overlooked. I...I cannot bear the though of living without him!"
Kai let out a soft gasp and his eyes widened as he realized that, by the end of his plea, he was nearly shouting. Slowly, he sat back on his heels and covered his mouth with one hand, mostly to stifle a sob. Hizaki, who sat near Kamijo and was observing the entire scenario, hand a hand to his heart and a pained expression on his face. He, too, knew how it felt to have someone important taken away by others. At this thought, he slid a longing glance in Kamijo's direction. He had a feeling Kamijo wouldn't oblige and so tried to speak up on Kai's behalf.
"Kamijo, my king, I'm sure you can have this fine young man take up a job in the castle to work off his love's crime." Hizaki suggested, surprising Kai by how simply he'd concluded they were lovers.
"I'm not so sure..." Kamijo replied hesitantly, playing the role he'd assigned himself.
To him, this was a game of cat-and0mouse. He needed to bait said mouse, draw it out and not seem too eager to oblige; lure it into a false sense of security. His prize couldn't know something was up; that his intention had always been to come to an agreement with him.
"This man's crime was conspiring against me. A few sources came to me with word of his plans." Kamijo glanced at Kai, who shook his head with disbelief.
"No! Miyavi wouldn't...he couldn't do anything like that. I would know...He hasn't a violent bone in his body!" Kai spoke calmly and with certainty, making his blonde king look thoughtful.
"So it's only rumor? Well, I'm not sure how trustworthy you are to your king. You do understand that lying to or withholding information from me is punishable by death?" Kamijo paused and Kai nodded. "Would you be willing to work as my personal servant for a few month to prove your loyalty before I consider releasing your...friend?"
Kai milled it over for a few minutes. He could almost hear the time for the offer slipping away. Finally, he stood up and took another step forward. He bit his lip and looked his king in the eyes. He fidgeted a bit as the last doubts left his mind.
"What kind of work am I to do?"
Note: And so ends chapter 1! Soooo, What kind of deal do YOU think Kamijo has in mind? And how do you think poor Miyavi is doing in his prison? Who knows, he might be enjoying it~ Review it for Shirtless Miyavi scenes~