Title: What Was Hidden Chapt 2
Genre: Romance/Angst
Rating: Fiction Rated: T
Summary: A story of what might have happen during that journey between
Sakujun and Shuurei. This is my 1st fanfict ever and 1st of Yura
Kairi's Saiunkoku Monogatari.
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Chapter 2
"Now then, where shall we begin?" Sakujun idly pressed his sword against the leg of the merchant cowering in front of him. "I'm sure the merchant's guild would be more than pleased to know how Lin Senya came to be part of their esteemed group for the price of your daughter's marriage to a noble."
Sakujun smiled as the man squeaked and cringed. You're too afraid to move, to go to your companions for help, and to say anything that might anger me. What a pitiful man.
"All you are required to do is to make sure that Shuurei is assigned to my retinue. No more, no less. I will consider your debt to me repaid in full." Sakujun pulled the sword away, letting the man feel some relief of the pressure he'd been placing on him.
"I…in full?" The merchant drew his legs under him and sat up a little, sweat still beading on his bald head.
"Completely repaid. The next thing we have to consider is the position she would hold as a traveler in the caravan. What would a woman of her status deem despicable?" Something that won't make the Kou clan kill me, Sakujun added silently as he waited for the merchant's answer. Although, outwitting Kou assassins might make life less boring.
"Some kind of domestic position like a maid or a cook would be disgraceful for a woman of station, sir."
"Hmm. Not disgraceful enough. We want her to choose to marry me, even if she needs persuasion."
"If I may be so bold," the merchant scooted forward on his knees and poured some hot water into a cup holding a ball of tea. "Why don't you do as your grandfather wishes and just make her your bride? It wouldn't matter if she was unwilling or not."
"Because that would be boring. Anything I do must be entertaining, at the very least, or it isn't worth my time." Sakujun smiled and toyed with a silver fruit pick as the man turned to pour himself a cup of tea. "For instance, this conversation is going far longer than is entertaining. I am considering what to do to make it interesting until you can think of a position she can hold in my caravan, without causing suspicion from the officials."
When the man scurried away, scalding himself with the hot water in the teapot, Sakujun laughed.
"Other than a leman, there's a personal attendant, but many view the position as being the same thing, which is why men are usually assigned to it."
The merchant squealed when the fruit pick landed in the floor between his legs.
"I…If you make it clear that you are sleeping in separate rooms and show appropriate behavior in public, maybe you can gain the leverage you want at the implied impropriety."
"Well then, we shall have her be my personal attendant." Sakujun sipped the tea but threw the cup against the wall when the vile flavor assaulted his tongue. "Is there no one who knows how to brew a decent cup of tea in this town?"
After the merchant left, a soldier slipped into the room.
"Follow him and make sure he goes through with our plans. Once we're far enough away, silence him."
The soldier bowed and slipped away.
Sakujun glanced out the window. Barely afternoon. It was still too early to go after his princess again. He sprawled on the bed and rested his chin on his hand.
The door slid open and a vision in red silk and black hair slipped entered. Sighing lightly, Sakujun waited for his visitor to start talking. However, he had to wait when the sharp tap of a fan brought several women into his room to clean up the shards of pottery and spilled tea.
As the girls quietly left, languid black eyes watched him over the rim of the fan. Sakujun lifted a brow and returned the look before rolling onto his back.
"I hear you dislike the tea in our delightful city. This distresses me, especially since you broke a cup from my favorite set, Sakujun."
"I'll buy you a new set tomorrow. One that's better than the trash I broke."
He heard the slide of silk and felt the mattress dip. Silken strands of hair slid along the side of Sakujun's face and the cold kiss of steel touched his neck.
"What you don't understand, Sakujun, is that that trash is my treasure."
Sakujun was startled to see tears glittering in the normally seductive eyes of the man above him. Knocking the knife away from his throat, Sakujun threw Tomio away from him.
"You're right, I don't understand. Why would I even care?"
Tomio gasped, clutching his kimono close to his heart.
I can feel it. You're bleeding from the wound I just gave you, aren't you? Sakujun studied the man as he sat trembling in front of him. The pain of rejected loved radiated from the man. It was too bad. Tomio's beauty rivaled that of most women. However, love is boring and now I have a new toy.
Sakujun left the room, tired of watching Tomio's tormented expression. It was time to find his kitten and see if dangling a risky position in a caravan would be tempting enough to pounce on.
Far from bored, he anticipated his next meeting with Shuurei. The little minx was cloaked in purity and innocence but carried the cunning of a fox. He looked forward to matching wits with her again.
"Well, we meet again." Sakujun smiled when Shuurei startled and blushed at his voice.
"Ah… I didn't think we'd be running into each other so soon again."
In other words, you didn't want to meet me again, right? My kitten's got sharp claws, I see. "I just finished meeting with some friends.
"Mmmm," Shuurei hesitated then turned back to the tea merchant and paid for the packet of tea that she'd stuffed into her pouch.
Waiting until Shuurei looked up, Sakujun acted embarrassed to be caught staring at her. Blushing, he looked down the lane and pointed to the merchant guild's compound. "Neither had I. I am on my way to report." He almost smiled when he saw Shuurei's eyes widen in excitement. Too easy, kitten.
"So you're a merchant?"
"You could say."
"Oh, we didn't introduce ourselves last time."
"You can call me Lin Senya and you?"
"Uh… my name's Kourin."
Shuurei glanced away as she lied to him. My, my, kitten, you're going to have a very hard time keeping secrets if you can't lie, he thought as he studied her expression. "It's nice to meet you again, Kourin."
They started walking and he watched Shuurei browse the stalls exclaiming over small things or remarking about high prices. Surprisingly, her antics weren't boring him. Instead, she seemed to be drawing him into her enthusiastic mood until he joined her at a stall where the merchant sold hairpins.
Out of the beautifully carved and jeweled sticks, she picked a pair of polished silver ones with a single cherry blossom carved on their tips. With longing fingers, she caressed the pins. Turning from the ornate pins, Shurrei chose a pair of ribbons and paid for them.
Puzzled, Sakujun followed Shuurei as they continued down the lane. Quiet now, she had the same sad smile on her face and a distant look in her eyes.
What could hold her so that she longed for it even when she walked with him, one of the most sought after men in the land? Sakujun thought irritably as she continued to ignore his presence beside her.
He was so lost in his thoughts that it wasn't until he heard her exclamation that he noticed Shuurei sitting on the ground rather than walking at his side. Grumbling under her breath and red in the face, Shuurei rolled to a sitting position. Stunned, Sakujun stared for a moment until Shuurei glared up at him and held up her hand.
"A little help, please."
Nudged into action, Sakujun pulled Shuurei to her feet. Then picked her up when she almost collapsed again.
"That hurts! Put me down." She slapped at his chest.
"Sorry, not happening. Let me see." He carried her to a nearby rock and set her down. Lifting the edge of her skirt he ignored the slaps of her hands and discreetly checked her ankle. A neat line cut around her ankle, through her sock as if cut by a wire. "You cut your ankle on something, but I don't see what it could have been. Wait here a moment while I go and check on it."
Scanning the square, Sakujun looked for a clue as to who dared disobey his orders. He spotted several of his men and noted that they had also noticed the anomaly. Nodding slightly to them, he indicated that they should search for the attacker. A shadow detached itself from a building and fled into the deeper shadows of the market as Sakujun turned to return to Shurrei's side.