Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters. I also do not own the motion picture Kingdom of Heaven, though this story is based off of it to a great degree(the title itself is taken from the film).
A/N: Yes. I stole the title and the little intro below from the movie. But I gave credit, man! No worries, this is not one of those lame fics where you just sub in the characters and give them the lines from the movie. While this is HEAVILY inspired and influenced by the movie Kingdom of Heaven, it is still MY story which WILL DIFFER FROM THE FILM, especially later on.
Also, a quick side note. My stories haven't been showing up on the "Just In" page. Do I have to have a setting turned on or something?
Here's ze tale. Enjoy:
It is almost 100 years since Christian armies from Europe seized Jerusalem. Europe suffers in the grip of repression and poverty. Peasant and Lord alike flee to the Holy Land in search of fortune or salvation.
One Knight returns home in search of his son…
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Chapter 1: "The Bandit Prince"
The pitter-patter of hooves echoed throughout the dense and tranquil forest. Small blotches of white fell from the heavens above and danced upon the wind merrily before finally setting down to rest upon the damp and snow covered earth. The occasional cry of a bird would break the silence, but aside from that and the trotting of the riders through the woodland the only sound that could be heard was the soft whistling of the wind and the rustling of leaves.
Riding at the head of the party was a man of both impressive height and appearance. He was garbed in a foreign looking chainmail, which was bronze in color and covered over at his midsection by a silver breast plate which bore several bizarre markings around its edges and a cross in the center. His boot clad feet hung over the sides of his mount, along with the edge of his flowing violet cloak which hung from around his neck. Upon his head he wore an iron helm which bore the symbol of the cross upon the forehead. The base of the cross went down over the edge of the helm to provide armor for his nose. From beneath the helmet tumbled forth long, unruly, and tangled locks of blonde hair.
He clutched loosely with gloved hands at the reigns of his mount, watching as his breath turned to fog as he exhaled slowly. Furrowing his brows, he raised his gaze to the overcast sky which hovered over the small band and watched as the clouds lazily rolled by.
"My lord," spoke one of the men, his steed galloping quickly for a moment before he came up alongside the Knight to whom he spoke. This man was not clad in the same raiment as the other, though he too bore the mark of the Holy Cross upon his chest. His mail was silver, and his chest plate, cloak, and tabard black with the white cross embedded upon them. His hair too was long, but seemed much more neatly kept. It's fiery red hue fiercely contrasted their grayish surroundings, and his brilliant emerald gaze could pierce a man.
"It grows late. I suggest that we retire and resume the search tomorrow." He voiced, his voice collected and smooth as silk. He watched his master as they continued to move along the muddied dirt road, gaining no immediate reaction.
"Don't you feel it?" The Lord responded after a moment. His speech as deeper and more hoarse than that of the Knight Hospitaller. He turned his horse slightly to look at the man.
"Tonight's the night, Kurama. My bones are screaming it." He finished, giving a smirk that showed his fangs as he turned his back on the redhead, continuing onward slowly. Kurama sighed, allowing his eyes to drift shut for a brief second before opening wide as a foreign noise tickled his ears.
"Raizen!" He exclaimed, looking to the Knight only to find that his sword was already drawn as ear splitting wails and cries suddenly erupted all about the group. Kurama and the seven other soldiers drew their weapons as arrows whizzed by their heads, one hitting its mark in the neck of one of the men.
Men in rags leapt from the bushes along the roadside, sprinting forward with malice in their eyes. They were armed with tools mostly, hatchets and pitchforks, though several bore blades forged of steel.
Raizen pulled back on the reigns of his horse, forcing it up onto its hind legs to deliver a firm kick square to the chest of one of the thieves, sending him hurling back into another. He scooped down low over the right side of his stallion once it regained its balance and waved his sword, creating a gash in another bandit's shoulder as blood spat up from the wound and into the air.
Kurama had already dismounted from his steed, holding his sword extended forward as he approached several charging men. Stepping left, he parried the swing of the first one's hatchet and stuck his sword into the rib cage of another. Slipping it free as the first swung again at his head, he ducked down and fell into a split as he thrust the blade upwards into where his attacker's jaw met his throat.
Two more of their Knights had fallen, both to the archers that seemed to have formed a tight perimeter around their victims. However, the ring was currently being shattered bit by bit as Raizen galloped swiftly about, slaying one yeoman at a time from his sprinting mount. Within minutes it was over as quick as it had started, only two bandits appearing to be left.
"Shit! Kuwabara, get the hell out of here!" one of them roared, grabbing another thief whose hair was short, curly, and orange and hurling him off of the road and into a bush as he held out his sword. Kurama regarded him critically, walking forward slowly as their remaining men followed his lead. Raizen emerged from behind the marauder, his white stallion neighing wildly and bucking its head about as he stepped down from the horse, sword held loosely in his right hand.
"Urameshi, come on!" the carrot top shouted, picking himself out of the shrubbery he had landed in when he was thrown. The other frowned, his grip tightening on his blade as he held it out, pointed straight at the Lord who now raised his sword above his head, holding it in both hands.
"Screw that!" He shouted as he threw himself forward, swinging at the Knight's mid section. Raizen brought his blade down swiftly, easily glancing off the attack and forcing his opponent to stagger by him a tad. Regaining his footing, the bandit spun about, trying to take off the Lord's head with one clean sweep, but was blocked again and knocked back, his sword flying from his hands as Raizen delivered a firm kick to his shins, forcing him down onto his knees.
"Urameshi!" The other roared with fury, sprinting at the Knight with his hatchet pulled back and ready to swing. Kurama stepped forward however, sticking out one of his legs and forcing the man to trip and slam down on his stomach, his weapon skidding out of his reach.
Raizen stalked over to his attacker and lazily raised his sword and placed the tip of it against the man's neck. Frowning, he examined his captive and studied him from head to toe. He was garbed only in dirtied rags, much like his orange haired friend, and was actually barefoot. His fingers and toes were pink and looked as though they were frozen. His black hair was slicked back, though several strands managed to pop out at random here and there. But that was not what interested Raizen. What caught the Lord's attention was the hazel brown eyes.
The Lord's expression was blank for a moment as those orbs took him back years. He remembered every detail about that day, every cloud in the sky and every single blade of grass. The sun had shone brilliantly down upon the French farmlands, but that damned star truly failed in comparison to the creature he beheld. It was like she cast a spell as she twirled about before him, her dark brown hair flipping about as she moved in his arms, her smile melting away all of his troubles and worries as her hazel brown eyes looked straight into his soul and warmed him in a way that he had once thought impossible. His chest felt as though it were being inflated as he exhaled heavily.
"….My Lord?" Kurama spoke, leaning forward a tad, his expression one of curiosity as he studied the Knight's reaction to seeing the young man up close. Raizen shook his head about quickly, his eyes losing their glaze as he poked at his prisoner with his weapon, forcing him to move his head sideways.
"You're name." He stated, his tone emotionless and dry. The boy frowned and gritted his teeth together, never looking away from his captor's fierce and icy gaze.
"Yusuke Urameshi." He answered, taking a glance at his comrade, who had now raised himself up onto his knees as well and was wiping some blood from his nose. Raizen smirked, signaling towards him with his helm.
"And the oaf?"
"You son of a…" the carrot top started, blue eyes practically turning red with fury as he made to stand. However, Kurama grabbed his shoulder and forced him back down, holding him there.
"Kazuma Kuwabara." Yusuke answered, giving the man in question a fierce look that said to stay put. He then looked back to the Knight, his frown growing deeper.
"How's about you just kill us and get it over with?" He growled, his hands balling up into fists that shook against the cold air that surrounded them. Raizen smirked, pressing the sword against him more firmly.
"No, boy." He laughed darkly, removing his helmet and holding it under his armpit with his free hand, revealing several bizarre looking tattoos printed upon his flesh, "I have something better in store for you." He finished, pulling back the blade and nodding to Kurama to allow the other to stand. Yusuke's face went blank as he looked back and forth from the Knight to the redhead, his gaze narrowing. Raizen laughed then, sheathing his blade at his waist.
"Get up, boy. Don't you want to give your old man a hug?"
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"Explain this to me again. Now." Yusuke said darkly, his shaking hands clutching tightly at the blanket that was now sprawled over his back. He stood next to Kuwabara, who also was given a sheet to warm himself with and a seat by the nearby campfire. Raizen frowned, looking to Kurama who nodded in response to his master's look.
"As I said, it was many years ago." The Lord explained again, sounding irritable. Not far off on the other side of the small camp the bodies of the dead were being buried.
"I was the youngest of two sons. Our father was the Lord of the town just over that ridge." He said, pointing with a gloved hand off to the East, " When our father passed, my brother took control of the village, and I was left to nothing. I grew jealous and made to start a coup against him, like a coward. However I was found out and wounded very badly."
"Right, you were pissed because daddy didn't leave you anything. I remember this part." Yusuke said impatiently, earning a death look from Raizen, who placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and stepped closer to his captive, eyes on fire.
"I would mind that tongue, boy, before I cut it out." He threatened quietly. Kurama furrowed his brows and made to step forward, but Raizen continued.
"I fled to a nearby farm and took refuge in the house. It was there that a young woman discovered me bleeding upon her floor. She helped me to a bed and nursed me back to health."
"And this has to do with me… how?" Yusuke asked, interrupting again. Kuwabara continued to sit quietly and listen. He didn't feel like talking. Or doing anything really. He had never seen that much carnage first hand before.
"It wasn't just some random farm girl, you idiot." Raizen growled, meeting Yusuke's gaze. Meeting his son's gaze.
"She was your mother." He said, swallowing hard and pausing for a moment as Yusuke's eyes went wide.
"And I… grew to be friendly with her until we…." He paused again, trying to carefully select which words to use next. This had never truly been his forte. Normally he would say what he wanted and if someone didn't like it, they could go to hell.
"…grew to know each other very well." He finished, waiting for the boy's response. Time seemed to slow as the silence stood unyielding. It seemed as if even the snow and wind had reduced their speed.
"You're… really…"
"You're father." Raizen finished for him, feeling more out of place than he ever had before in his life. He closed his eyes, waiting for anything. Yusuke's mouth opened but no words came out as he stood there, staring in shock at the man before him.
"And after all this time you just come back." Yusuke said slowly, regaining composure, "Why?"
"I have come here from Jerusalem." Raizen answered, his hands coming to rest upon his belt, "The Holy Land. There, I am a Baron with a large expanse land and one hundred men-at-arms. I would have you return there with me. In exchange, I offer you a living … and my thanks." He finished, struggling at the end as he looked about uncomfortably.
"But why now? Why not sooner?" Kuwabara finally spoke up from where he sat, looking up at the Knight. Raizen inhaled deeply and closed his eyes before looking to Kurama.
"Your father has contracted a strange form of plague that I have never before seen. It seems to be non-contagious, yet is eating away at his tissues at an alarming rate." The redhead explained, giving Raizen a hesitant look before continuing, "I suspect that he will not survive to see the end of the month."
"So I'm supposed to take your place." Yusuke laughed, looking to Kuwabara with a smirk, "In case you haven't noticed, we're robbers. Bandits. We haven't got a penny to our names." He said, looking back to Kurama and Raizen.
"In Jerusalem, at the edge of the world, you are not what you were born," Raizen answered, watching his son carefully, ",but what you have it inside of yourself to be. There, he, who here lives in the streets, is the master of a city. And he who rules a kingdom here is there the master of none." He continued, stepping forward.
"I offer you all that I have to give." Raizen said, looking Yusuke in the eye, "And a chance for you to find meaning." He finished, waiting for his son's answer. Kuwabara and Kurama glanced at one another and then back to Yusuke, both holding their breaths in fear of shattering the moment.
"When do we leave?"
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The desert winds kicked the sand about viciously, hurling it one way at one moment and then in a second changing its mind and tossing it back. The red hot fury of the sun bore down upon the rolling plains of nothingness, heating the earth to the point where it would scald a man's feet were he to trek barefoot through this hell.
"Brother, when will I see Jerusalem?" questioned a young woman mounted upon a white horse. She wore the traditional robes of a Muslim woman and a headpiece to block out the vicious rays of the sun. Her crimson eyes remained fixated upon the man mounted upon a steed of his own beside her, though his stallion contrasted her white one perfectly with its brilliant jet black shade.
"Hn." Was all that he offered in response, his mount stepping about as he straightened himself. He, like his sister, possessed eyes the color of blood and flame. But whereas hers were soft and gentle, his were callous and dark. His face bore no emotion and held the expression of a stone. His white scarf and black cloak billowed about him suddenly in a gust of desert wind, his spiky black hair dancing a bit as the white starburst in the center ruffled.
"You go so often. I would very much like to see Lord Raizen again. Or perhaps Botan!" She mused excitedly. Her innocence could be detected immediately upon hearing her speak. She gave off an aura of sheer ignorance to the evils of the world.
"Raizen is occupied and the princess is in Kanae." He answered, glancing at his twin before looking back ahead to the small Saracen village in which his unit was encamped.
"When she gets back then, Hiei?" She asked hopefully, her gaze remaining fixed upon her brother. It was clear that she admired him greatly from the way that she asked for his permission. The love she felt for him was evident just by looking at her eyes. Sighing, Hiei nodded.
"Yes, Yukina. I will bring you along the next time my business takes me there." He said, giving a small smile upon seeing the look of joy on his sister's face.
"Come." He said, giving a soft kick to the sides of his steed to begin galloping. Once his sister had caught up with him, he increased his speed. He had to be careful as not to leave her too far behind. These were troubled times, and it seemed one's home was not even safe.
The Saracen hordes were united and calling out for the return of Jerusalem and the death of every Christian inside its walls. His master Mukuro, though she had been able to maintain the peace with King Koenma IV for a long time now, was gradually being forced to take action against the Kingdom. Being a woman in command of a military force, she already was disliked by many of the Muslim generals. Were she to ignore the cries for a Jihad by the Imams, she put herself and the stability of her kingdom at great risk. Hiei knew that in order for her to have peace, she would first have to make war.
Unconsciously, his right hand came to rest upon the hilt of the blade that rested at his side.
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A/N: Alright. That's Chapter 1. I hope you all enjoy it. I've got ridiculously high hopes for this fic. No worries, the rest of the cast will be introduced soon enough and I have everything planned out already for the YusukeKeiko and HieiBotan fans(who I think will be particularly pleased with what I have up my sleeves).
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