Summary: He was the new King of Seishun. He was a hardened bar worker. They were worlds apart, bound by the honor of an agreement. He would need to fight of his insecurities and doubts. He would need to overcome his scars and apprehensions. With Tezuka so unsure of himself and Ryoma so untrusting about the world beyond can these two finally work out their differences and realize a greater happiness?
Rating: T for adult contents, but nothing really that explicit yet. It might go up in the future if I decide to write lemons
Pairings: Echizen Ryoma x Tezuka Kunimitsu ; Echizen Ryoma x Yukimura Seiichi
Disclaimer: I DOn't own Prince of Tennis or any of its character. If I did it would officially become a yaoi anime and well… use your perverted imaginations! I also don't own the book in which I loosely based this story.
Warning: This is a yaoi story. It has boy x boy love here so for those who can't appreciate such thing you are warned. This chapter is fairly safe. No real adult contents to be worried about.
AN: This is my second Prince of Tennis story in . It's my first attempt at a Pillar Pair and I hope you guys would like it. This is an AU, there is little to nothing related to the anime or the manga.
BEYOND
Chapter One: The Pact
The Kingdom of Seishun
Clacking sounds echoed throughout the corridor as boots met the marble surface. Long strides slowly ate the distance from the foyer to the royal wing. If one were to look around the area one would be amazed about the vast wealth and elegance the area simply oozed. But he was already immune to it, as he was immune to the other such areas littered throughout the palace and other estates they owned.
Guards stood in their places, not even batting an eyelash at the presence of the young man. They did, however, felt a twinge of empathy to him for they knew why he was being called. They always knew, because they always talked to the maids and the maids always know. There was a saying in the palace that if you want to know something going on with the royal family even before the government was made aware of, talk to the maids. Fortunately for the royals those who were privy of their inner sanctum and the guards stationed in the vicinity of the royal members were the finest and most loyal of their subjects; they would die first before using what they knew against them. At least that was what Lord Fuji had said.
That was true. But Lord Fuji's motivated speech to them once was enough for them to think twice of ratting the secrets of the family.
Before the young man entered the royal wing he paused for a moment, seemingly battling with some inner struggles. He frowned at the heavy oak doors that led to the private wing of His Majesty. He had an inkling of the reason he was being summoned. He was surprised that it was actually going to happen.
Before he stepped in a man suddenly appeared from one of the rooms of the wings. The man looked up from the papers he was going through and smiled at the young man.
"Your Majesty." He bowed before the young man, missing the sudden rush of emotion in his visage.
"My god, he died?!" the young man exclaimed.
The other quickly straightened up from his bow and flushed for making the young royal arrive at that conclusion. "No! His Majesty is resting in his chambers. I'm sorry for making you think of the worse. It was tactless of me."
The colors rushed back at the young man and he frowned again. "But why… he didn't! He couldn't have. Banji, tell me he didn't do it."
Banji smiled at the outburst. "Yes, your father did. Kuniharu abdicated the throne. Just a few hours ago, in the presence of Prince Tachibana of Fudomine, Count Hiyoshi from Hyotei, Lord Sengoku of Yamabuki, Prince Kajimoto of Jyousei Shounan, Lord Saeki of Rokkaku and Count Fuji Yuuta of St. Rudolph. The realm was well represented. You are now the new King of Seishun, only the coronation ceremony lacked for formality's sake."
"Why was I not informed of this? Why was I left in the dark?"
"Because your father knew how you would react to his decision. He was not up for another battle of wits with you, no offense intended. Tezuka-kun, what's done is done and your father felt you are ready to take your place as the ruler of this land. He wants to rest now."
Tezuka scowled at that point. He knew the reason behind the sudden actions but he didn't like to think of its implications. His father was not young anymore, having married his mother at a later age. He had sired his only son when he was almost fifty years old, and now that Tezuka was twenty five the younger man knew his father's time was almost at its end.
"Tezuka-kun…"
Banji, as Seishun's Prime Minister Banda Mikiya was fondly called, mildly frowned at the visage of the young royal. He had known the royal family since forever, having grown up with the recently abdicated king as well as the late king. The three had grown up together in the main palace of Seishun, shared tutors and instigated one mischief after another. It was no surprise that the older man had always been amongst the few who regarded royal family with such familiarity that had other people addressed them so they would be thrown in jail without questions.
"He… he could still have stayed as king. I could have taken some of his works but he could still stay the way he is. Why did he have to abdicate? He should have the title until the day it is naturally taken from him."
The older man patted Tezuka's shoulders encouragingly. "Your father has his reasons, as I am sure he will enlighten you of in a few minutes. I would like to also argue the fact that your father would like to be able to rest, and having the title of king, even if he does not have to do the required duties that comes part and parcel with it, would still greatly stress his health."
"There is more to this than you are letting on, Banji," Tezuka declared.
A smile creased at the corner of the older man's lips. "Sharp as ever. I expect His Majesty would tell you about it himself. Hurry along. He has been waiting for you for the past hour."
Tezuka sighed and followed the familiar path towards the king's, now former king, bed chamber. He nodded to the guard stationed before the grand doors and the guard opened them, bowing before the direction of the bed and announcing the presence of the young royal.
"His Majesty, King Kunimitsu!"
Kuniharu Tezuka let a smile grace his lips and he waved his hand towards the guard in dismissal, wanting to have some time alone with his son. He beckoned him to the bed and the young man did not hesitate to climb on the soft mattress and sat beside his father.
"I have heard from Banji what has been done in my absence."
The older man chuckled at the hint of sulk in his son's voice. "I thought you would oppose my decision so it is better you did not witness the ceremony. And yes, it is binding and legal even if you look up our laws. You are now the new King of Seishun. Or you will be after your coronation in a week's time."
Tezuka sighed in defeat. "I wish you have me informed of this. Yes, I would have opposed but if you convinced me of its necessity I would not have made any protest. You are the mighty king of our land. I… I'm too young to lead this nation."
"Nonsense my son," Kuniharu scoffed. "You are more than ready to lead you people, even in such a tender age. There is no one more responsible of a man that can lead this country into prosperity and peace."
Tezuka frowned at that. "There are still things I need to learn, many things. You ascended the throne when you were fifty five. Yet you still needed to learn a lot of things about the country then. How could I be ready now?"
"There is a difference between our situations. You knew from the beginning you will be the next in line and thus have been prepped for this momentous occasion since you were a child, since you were six to be exact. I, on the other hand, had the title given to me by default all of the sudden. God, when I think of it this position should never have been mine. I was just a distant relative, and to think that twelve Echizens had to die before I ascended the throne. But I did, and now it is your time."
The younger man patted his father's hand soothingly. "You did a great job leading our people and they appreciate your leadership. You came by the title through no fault of yours but you became a king because you chose to take responsibility of this land."
"Ah, such pretty words from my son," Kuniharu teased. "And now it is your turn to become a king yourself."
Tezuka remained silent for a few minutes, listen to the soft breathes of his father. It was really no use arguing. As Banji had said what has been done was done, and nothing could change it. He sighed, an indication of resignment to the fact. "Is that all you have to say to me father?"
It was Kuniharu's turn to become contemplative. "There is another thing…"
The younger man stiffened from his position and tried to brace himself once again. He focused his intense gaze back to his father's face as the older one struggled for the right words to say.
"There is another thing to be discussed. There is the matter of the last Echizen heir."
A frown appeared again in the younger man's face, this time more fierce than ever. "Whoever he or she is, he or she has no more right to the throne. The title has passed to you legally. Our blood is as royal as the Echizens."
"Be that as it may be your, our, blood is a direct descendant to the throne but whoever the last heir is has a more direct lineage. I hope you have remembered what has been arranged before the Queen was forced into hiding."
"Yes, how could I not remember that?" Tezuka said a bit bitterly. "Not when it has been told to me over and over again. But it has been made when I was still a child, when the heir was yet to be born."
"We will honor the promise made before the council and the royal family. We should count ourselves honored for King Nanjiroh could have chosen any other of royal blood but he chose you, my son."
"We don't even know if the baby had survived or not. We don't even know if the Queen had given birth, nor what the gender was."
Kuniharu smiled at that. "You know as well as I do that this country and its people accept the marriage of both the opposite sex as well as of the same sex. Circumstances made you king instead of a consort. Through the child's blood you both could continue the royal lineage. As for the Queen giving birth, it was confirmed before all communication was needed to be stopped. She was shipped to the Americas with a fortune to set them on and a distant relative to take care of them. Communication was only to be done in extreme emergency as the threat was still there."
"What changed now? Why all of the sudden?"
"Because the last living descendant of the Imamura has at last been declared dead to the world. Has been into hiding for the past years but it has been confirmed that he was one of the people on board the ship that capsized on the way to the Americas. No one survived the tragedy. It is fortunate that he was unable to reach his destination for we have feared he had found the hiding place of the last members of the royal family."
Tezuka looked away from his father. He understood the implications the course of the conversation was taking. That did not mean he liked it one bit. "Is there..? Could I not…?"
Kuniharu sighed. He did not like seeing his son distraught but he had made a promise, one that is binding not only by their law but also by sheer principle and pride. So he did not have any qualms when he dropped his biggest bomb. "Please uphold the honor of our family. As my last request to you before we part ways."
Tezuka closed his eyes, trying to drive away the unwanted image of his father in his demise. He could feel the heaviness that was settling in his heart and he took a deep breath to compose himself before he turned back to his father.
"And so it shall be done."
***************************
Tezuka strode off from the King's wing and wandered around the corridors aimlessly, not really paying attention to where he was going. He didn't even notice that he had reached his own wing, on the other side of the palace before he was brought out of reverie by a voice calling him.
"Tezuka!"
He snapped out of his reverie when a hand clamped its way to his shoulder. He lifted his dazed eyes from looking unseeingly at the floor to the compassionate green eyes of one of his best friend and personal bodyguard.
"Are you okay? You seemed a bit distracted."
Tezuka shook his head. "I'm okay Oishi. I just had a talk with my father."
Oishi thought the answer was enough to fuss about as he ushered the soon-to-be-king in the sitting room. Tezuka found his other best friend sitting at one of the sofa, his hand draped at the elegantly over the arm rests and his seemingly innocent smile present.
"Saa, Oishi had been calling for quite some time Tezuka. Are you sure you are really fine?"
Tezuka wanted to reiterate his earlier statement but a look at his friend's smiling visage and he knew the brown haired man would easily see through his lie. "Not really."
Oishi sat across the sofa Fuji was occupying and Tezuka followed suit. "What's bothering you? Is it because of your father's abdication? You will be a great king Tezuka; there is no doubt about it."
The soon-to-be king frowned at that statement. "How come you know the abdication while I had to be appraised after the deed was done?"
Fuji chuckled. "Saa… If you want to be the first to be updated, talk to the maids. They know everything."
"Momo overheard one of the private maids of the king talking about the ceremony. I guess you father chose the time well, as you were still on your way here from a conference in Hyotei."
"Hmn… he did, didn't he," was Tezuka's solemn reply. Silence descended in the group as the two waited for the continuation of the tale from the royal. Tezuka felt unnerved by the intense gaze that was directed in his direction but he ignored it, trying to process all that has happened to him that day. But when he felt the cerulean eyes trying to ignite him he sighed and gave up.
"He wants me to honor the betrothal to the last Echizen heir."
"What!" Oishi exclaimed.
Fuji, as usual, just gave him a serene smile. Tezuka took off his glasses and rubbed his head as he felt a migraine creeping its way. He tried to blink the annoying feeling away and placed his glasses back on before redirecting his attention back to his friends.
"I am to marry the last Echizen."
"This is interesting development Tezuka," Fuji said in his sing-song voice. "We've been pushing you to make you make your moves from time to time and here you are, preceding us in the marrying stage."
"Fuji," Oishi said admonishingly. "This is no time to joke about. Marriage is a serious step that should never be taken lightly. It is a permanent union, and in royals' case, it can never be reversed. Ever."
"Saa, you worry too much Oishi," Fuji replied. "Betrothals are as binding as marriage. In a sense they are already married, it lacks only the protocol it needs."
"What are you going to do now Tezuka?"
Tezuka sighed and tilted his head to look in the carved ceiling. "To honor what has been agreed upon in the name of my father."
TBC…
Wah!!! Finally my very own Pillar Pair story! I hope you guys would like it. I'm deviating from my usual timeline, which is contemporary, and writing a medieval type story. It's really hard because it really entail researches. But I'm having so much fun writing this that it compensates for the extra work I had to do.
Updates of this story would be scarcer than my first Prince of Tennis story. Double Standards is my baby and I'm focusing more of my attention and time in that one. Expect updates of about once a month, depending on the progress.
Thank you for reading and please review!
nicki-gurl