Accressere
Chapter 1
by MiaVortice
*All Standard Disclaimers Apply: This is a work of fiction.
Hold a sword like a little bird: not so tightly you crush it, but not so loosely that it escapes your hand.
"...and for my big brother, Rin," she prayed quietly as she knelt atop a soft, blue pillow and pressed her forehead against the marble rim of a wide, shallow fountain before her. "Keep him safe and bless him for victory."
"Kou!" she could hear her mother's voice calling for her from the entrance of the citadel's shrine. "Kou, come! Your brother and the other knights are leaving!"
Her head flew up and the little girl bowed once more to the fountain that represented the kingdom's patron god, before scrambling to her feet and running across the tiled floor. She didn't bother hiding her heavy footsteps in her rush to get to the courtyard.
"I'm coming!" she huffed as she burst from the doorway and jumped from the top of the steps. "Brother!"
A bright shock of dark pink hair turned around and a wide grin appeared across a boy's face as he saw the little temple attendant leap from one set of stairs to another in order to reach him before he left. His usual dirt-covered training clothes were replaced with clean pants, new boots, and a new gambeson. His sword hung at his side as his gloves were draped over his belt.
He was much more rough looking than his small little sister in her billowing, pale clothes, embossed sandals, and clinking jewelry that he thought was too much for a little girl who had a habit of losing them to wear. Still, he was happy to see her.
It wasn't every day that a knight had his very own priestess-in-training praying for his victory...even if it was just a junior sword tournament two regions away.
"Gou!" Giggling she rammed into her brother, throwing her arms around him and beaming.
"You need to call me Priestess Kou now!" she insisted. "I'm going to be a priestess, you know!"
"You're not a priestess, yet," he smirked. He gave her a quick hug before gently prying her off him. "Did you pray for us?"
"Uh-huh!" Gou nodded earnestly. "I prayed for you and Mako and Haru and Nagisa, but mostly for you!" She drew her arms behind her, pleased. "Even if you won't need it because you're the best."
"Rin!" another voice called from ahead of them. A boy with gentle eyes was seated atop a horse carrying multiple supplies. His sword was at his side. "We're going to leave soon, get on your horse!"
Gou clapped her hands together and jumped up and down in place excitedly. "Good luck, Mako!" He smiled warmly at her and gave her a nod.
"Be good, Gou," he told her.
She turned to a boy seated on another horse beside him. "You, too, Haru!" She received a lazy nod in return. "Good luck, Nagisa!"
The youngest of the group was still sitting behind their captain. He gave her a little salute as he beamed. "See you when we get back, Gou!"
She nodded and stepped back as her brother was handed the reins of his horse and easily climbed on to the saddle. "Be good for Mother and behave at the temple," the older sibling bid her. Gou nodded.
"Of course!"
"Good," Rin smiled. "We'll be back in a few weeks!" He gently nudged the side of his horse and began to to follow the others.
"Just don't miss my ceremony!" Gou called as she walked along side the beast. She quickened her step as the horse picked up his. "You have to be there!"
"I know, I know!" Rin gave her wave. "I'll see you at your priestess induction!"
"Promise!" Gou demanded as the horse out paced her.
Rin smirked and gave her a nod as he looked over his shoulder. "Promise!"
She energetically waved her arms in the air, refusing to leave the courtyard until she could no longer see her brother. She would always miss them when they were gone. Not just her brother, but calm Makoto, patient Haruka, and always-fun-to-play-with Nagisa. She couldn't wait until they returned.
"Miss them already, Kou?" her mother asked, amused behind her.
Gou turned around and nodded. "Yes, but don't worry," she seemed to assure her mother. "They'll be back soon!"
In one step, in one fluid movement, he could both defend himself from an attack and counterattack. First, one learned to defend in one step, then counterattack in the next. Then, do defend in one step and attack before the opponent completed theirs in a step and a half. Finally, it would all come together in one step.
As the sword moved, he took a step forward and from the doorway, a pair of green eyes watched the blade come down, following an unseen trajectory perfectly just as his foot finished the step, balancing himself firmly on the hard dirt ground.
An exasperated sigh escaped the tall man's lips as he smiled softly and shook his head. A small, blond head peered over his shoulder. "Ah!" Bright eyes lit up. "That's where he was!" Ungloved hands were throw in the air. "Haru-"
"Shhh," a pair of larger hands gently closed over his mouth. The green eyes smiled intently. "Let him finish his form, Nagisa."
The younger knight blinked and then nodded earnestly as the older one released him. Both watched the smooth movements of attacks that transitioned from one to the other, each within a step, before finally landing the final descending cut.
Nagisa took it has cue to burst forward, somehow wiggling himself between the older knight and the doorway where they were standing. His boots kicked up dust in his hasty movement and the slight rattle of his sword against his sheath and side was lost under his cheerful greeting.
"Haru!" he called happily, beaming an energetic smile as the dark-haired knight sheathed his sword and turned towards the approaching blond. "Haru! That was amazing! Have you been practicing all day?"
"Yes," a low, lazy response escaped the brunette's lips. Sweat glistened across his brow as he rested a hand over the sword's pommel. He kept his black training gauntlets on as he gave the blonde a vaguely inquizzitive look. "What are you doing here?"
"We've come to get you!" Nagisa smiled. "Today's the day, remember?"
"What day?" Haruka asked as he walked towards the remaining knight still lingering by the wood framed door.
Nagisa's face fell as he followed behind him. "Did you already forget, Haru? We reminded you yesterday."
"The new recruits are coming to the castle grounds from the citadel outside of town today," the green-eyed man said as he stepped aside to let the shorter brunette through. "They're going to receive their blessings from the Water God's priestess and then be assigned posts based on their assessments."
"But, Mako, I heard that most of them wanted to be assigned to the royal guard," Nagisa pointed out. He lifted his hand and rubbed his chin. "Ah!" His eyes widened. "What if no one wants to become a knight!?"
"There are always a few who wish to become one of us," Haru assured him calmly.
"I'm sure Captain Sasabe will look through their qualifications...," Makoto trailed off and looked off to the side. "Thoroughly...," he concluded weakly.
Becoming a knight was thought to be a noble pursuit, but considering the amount of physical training, the lectures, and various other activities that made a knight well-rounded, most recruits opted for the more straight forward and less time intensive positions around the castle, such as that of royal guards.
It didn't help that of the few who had shown interest in the position were often scared off, if not completely rejected, by their aging captain, Sir Sasabe Goro. As a result, there were a grand total of four knights, including the middle-aged captain who was semi-retired. If it continued, by the time Nagisa retired, there would be no knights at all.
"Maybe we'll get a recruit this year," Nagisa piped hopefully. "You never know! We may be lucky this year!"
The door closed behind them and they proceeded through the near vacant knights quarters to get to the main courtyard. Even through the stone lined halls, they could hear the noise coming from the courtyard. It was a beehive of activity that day with rows of recruits gathered over hard packed dirt, still in their worn, dusty brown training pants and loose, sweat-strained tunics.
Numerous commanding officers from various regiments were pacing the crowds while grasping pieces of parchment filled with notes. Occasionally, they would stop in front of a recruit and size him up.
Nagisa's dark pink eyes scanned the courtyard and lit up. "Ah! There he is!" He tugged at Makoto's neatly pressed sleeve and pointed to a golden-haired man dressed in metal plated armor with a sword at his side. His helmet was not to be seen, revealing an intense, concentrated face almost glaring at his stack of papers.
Makoto inwardly winced. That didn't look like a good sign.
"There are a lot of them this year," Haruka spoke up from his right. "The royal guard must be pleased."
"Let's not focus on the royal guard right now," Makoto suggested. "Let's see if Captain Sasabe has received any prospects." Haruka nodded his head solemnly and followed behind the tallest knight. Nagisa bounded ahead of them, easily maneuvering his way through the crowds.
It was still quite impressive that the smallest member of the knighthood could move in such a way, even when he was wearing full armor. The sword wasn't Nagisa's best weapon; but he was perfect with daggers.
In contrast, Makoto had a firm, rooted grace and agility, as well as strength that made him a challenging opponent in grappling. He'd bested their captain numerous times already and Captain Sasabe had insisted it was because he was just old and 'couldn't move like he used to'.
For Haruka, however, it was the sword. The smooth, fluid, and calculated movements gave him a sense of freedom and flexibility that he didn't get from grappling or daggers, where he'd have to be closer than he'd like to an opponent.
"Captain!" Nagisa called out as they reached the older man standing by himself in a corner. "Captain, did we get anyone this year!?"
A scowl was pasted across the captain's face. "Look at this," he said as he handed the stack of papers to them. "For all these recruits, not a single one is interested in becoming a knight!"
Nagisa's face fell as Makoto extended his bare hand and took the papers. He went through them quietly, his brows furrowing slowly with each paper he reviewed. "Everyone wants to be a royal guard."
"It's a good position," Haruka pointed out. The hours were good. There was no heavy travel involved. If one got sick, there was always another one who could cover for him.
"They said that knights in Iwatobi are no longer necessary, can you believe that!?" Captain Sasabe fumed.
"Well, with Samezuka as an ally and their knights, we haven't really been in need of our own...," Makoto trailed off. The Captain sent him a glare.
He pointed to send floor hall that opened into the courtyard above them. "The royal guard divisions are about to do their exhibitions for the recruits. It'll be a while until it's our turn; just go wait up there."
Nagisa giggled and happily bounded towards the stairs. Makoto continued after him as Haruka followed. "It would be nice if we could get some more members!" the youngest of the trio piped. "I could use someone to spar with."
"You spar with us," Makoto chuckled.
"Yes, but usually one person has to wait," Nagisa sighed. They finished climbing a narrow set of stone steps and reached the next floor. Nagisa stopped in his tracks, making Makoto bump into him and Haruka into him. "Eh?"
Makoto looked over the blonde's head and saw a figure in pale white and blue robes crouched just beside the balcony wall, with her fabric covered hands gripping the stone, as a pair of clear, burgundy eyes earnestly peeked over.
Haruka craned his head around Makoto's body and saw the escort-less Water God priestess.
"Oh," he said. "It's Gou."
Her dark maroonish-red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail decorated with gold pins and shining blue stones beneath an opaque white veil that she had brushed back in order to get a better look. Her eyes were glazed over and Makoto could've sworn there was a bit of drool coming from the corner of her mouth.
"Err...Priestess," he called carefully.
"I love the way they roll up their sleeves...their defined brachioradialis move and flexing beneath their skin...," the young priestess muttered to herself. She let out a squeak as she squeezed the stone. "Ah...a man on the verge of battle is truly breath-taking!"
"Priestess Kou," Makoto called out once more. When it was clear that she was completely distracted, he called out the name they were used to calling her "Gou!"
"Yes!" She shot up straight and immediately clasped her hands together in front of her, assuming the humble priestess position. As soon as she realized who was in front of her, her shoulders relaxed. "Oh, it's you guys."
"Gou, what are you doing here?" Nagisa asked as he bounded towards the edge of the balcony.
"Isn't the blessing supposed to happen in the inner courtyard?" Haruka asked.
"And where are your escorts?" Makoto asked. Red eyes looked to the side. "Gou," he began disapprovingly. "Where are your escorts?"
"I told them I had to fix my hair and they let me return to the preparation room by myself," she explained. She looked away once more. "Then I climbed out of the window."
"Gou..." Makoto sighed heavily as he lifted his hand to his forehead and rubbed it. "You can't keep sneaking out like that."
"I'll go back as soon as the demonstrations are finished!" she insisted. "I promise! I just can't miss this! It only happens once a year!"
"Your escorts will notice that you're missing and come looking for you," Haruka pointed out as he reached her side and stood between her and Nagisa. "So I'd stay low."
Her face lit up as she nodded. "I will!" She crouched back down and Makoto stood to her other side in an effort to help keep her hidden.
"I wonder why they accepted so many recruits this year," Nagisa said as he leaned forward.
"Are there any that signed up to be knights?" Gou asked hopefully. "You need teams of four to join tournaments and Lady Amakata is still willing to sponsor you if you can get another member."
"She's just willing to sponsor us because her ex-fiancee is an avid tournament fan and sponsors his own team," Haruka said calmly.
"But she's still a willing sponsor," Gou insisted. "And if I say that I'm going to escort her and perform prayers for the knights, I can get out of the temple."
"You can get out of the temple whenever you want," Makoto reminded her.
She pouted and rested her chin on the wall. "Only with escorts...and not out of the city."
"Well, why don't you ask Princess Hana?" Nagisa asked. The priestess and Iwatobi's princess had been good friends since childhood, as Gou's family were wealthy nobles and she had grown up in the court. However, when Gou's brother joined the knighthood, she started going to the Water God's temple. One way or another, she found herself as one of the temple priestesses. "Maybe you can join her when she goes on those trips to neighboring kingdoms."
Gou's eyes softened. "But she never goes to Samezuka," a quiet voice reached their ears just as the guards below began their march.
The three knights with the young priestess went quiet. Makoto's large hand gently rested on her head, as if to give her comfort.
Gou had been with them since they were children because of her close relationship with her older brother. They had watched the curious little red-head peering around stone columns as they trained with her sibling. They had also watched her stare blankly at the courtyard after her brother left.
Everyone of them had been affected by Matsuoka Rin's departure. He had taken interest in knightly tournaments at a young age and strived to one day head his own troupe. He was energetic, diligent, and an excellent swordsman.
Then, one tournament season for the young knights, Rin didn't come home. Nagisa wondered if it was because the Iwatobi knights were so small in number. Makoto silently blamed it on lack of opportunity for Rin to improve and raise through non-existent ranks. Haruka never voiced his opinion, but lost interest in tournaments. Still, none of that mattered to Gou.
She had lost her brother to the Duchy of Samezuka, a military power that had long been allied with Iwatobi that would give Rin the opportunities he wanted. Unfortunately, that also not only meant denouncing his citizenship to Iwatobi, but leaving it completely.
He hadn't even been there when Gou had been bestowed the title of priestess, even though he was the very reason she had joined the temple in the first place.
That was probably why she wanted to get out of the city and go to tournaments.
"It would be good to see him, too," Makoto agreed softly. "Isn't that right, Haru? Nagisa?"
The blond nodded enthusiastically while beside him, Haruka nodded his head. To cross blades with Rin again...
"We only need one more person." His voice was quiet and over the sound of the royal guard sounding off below, Gou almost didn't hear him. She tilted her head up towards him and smiled. Of the three, Rin seemed to enjoy training with Haruka the most. That hadn't been lost on the young woman.
"Then," she promised both him and herself. "We'll find one."
He lifted his head, his lips pulled into a tight line as his amber eyes narrowed. All around him several men and women were murmuring amongst themselves at what the young, new head of the Samezuka noble house had just said. It couldn't have been true.
"Where have you heard that?" His graying grandfather rose from his seat to address the Samezuka head. "Who has given you such information?"
"Rumors have reached us through the trade route that Iwatobi has gotten closer to neighboring kingdoms," the Samezuka head informed them. "We fear that with their increased trade with other countries, they will no longer need us."
"That's ridiculous," the head of the Nitori family dismissed easily as all eyes in the room turned to him. "Iwatobi has not had a strong military force in generations! The royal family is protected by the royal guard and their knights are almost non-existent! Of course they need us!"
"But for how much longer?" Samezuka asked critically. "Iwatobi is wealthy because of its trade and they share that wealth and trade with us in exchange for protecting their eastern border. As a result, our desert city has flourished, but at what cost?" he demanded. "A dependency on a small seaside kingdom? Since the last great war, there has been no need for the Duchy to fight battles for Iwatobi and our merchants have noticed a slow in trade with them in recent years. In contrast, Iwatobi has spread it's trade routes further than ever before."
"And you think this is reason to suspect them of turning against us?" Seijuurou's grandfather snorted with distaste. "That's absurd! It makes perfect sense that with Iwatobi spreading their trade further, it is stretched thinner and so as they search for new prospects, existing trade may not be as lucrative."
The orange-haired, male still in his training gambeson from that day's drills nodded to himself in agreement. It wasn't as if trade was terrible, either. The desert duchy headed by the three noble families was a bustling economic center. They were a day's travel from Iwatobi and as a result, were a major spot for travelers to rest and merchants to do some additional trading.
"And how long are we going to allow it to remain that way? Are we going to allow Iwatobi to simply push us aside now that we are no longer useful? This could be a threat to our entire economy!" someone shouted.
Immediately, the chamber room of the Samezuka castle sounded with yells of agreement and counter yells of disbelief. Seijuurou frowned as he remained seated behind his grandfather, the current head of the Mikoshiba family.
The concern of the Samezuka head was causing waves amongst the nobles; many of whom had ties to the Duchy's trade and hospitality industries. However, for him, it was another problem entirely.
If he was reading the head noble's thoughts, there was animosity towards Iwatobi. Iwatobi was protected, at best, by its royal guards, but they could do nothing against a full on attack from Samezuka's knights. Seijuurou knew this - he was captain of the largest section of knights under Mikoshiba.
The Mikoshiba knights easily doubled both Samezuka's and Nitori's knights. They were dominant on the tournament circuit as well, with their last season netting them numerous competition championships. He was proud of his knights; they were some of the best, if not the best, swordsmen around.
"If we do not take matters into our own hands and become a trading power in our own right, Iwatobi will eventually cut us off and leave us to crumble in the desert," Samezuka insisted. "Just this year, their number of recruits have doubled what they were the year before. It is not farfetched to believe that they are reinstating their knightly tradition and will eventually phase us out. Once they do, there is nothing that will stop them from circumventing us completely from trade!"
"That is ridiculous-"
"It is a valid concern-"
The yelling of old nobles began once more and Seijuurou grit his teeth. Ever since the old head of the Duchy's lead family died, his overly eager grandson took his place and since then, he had implemented change after change. Additional taxes had been raised on imports, including a new tax on Iwatobi, which historically wasn't taxed nor taxed any imports from Samezuka.
He had heard that the merchants were angry about the tax, but they said it was temporary - just enough to work on an aqua duct from a kingdom that was further away than Iwatobi that still wasn't done. From what his father had told him, it was costing more than they initially thought as well, but Samezuka didn't want to argue with the other kingdom as they needed a source of water.
However, the entire city was based on a series of natural oasis. They practically littered the city, which allowed for it to be established in the first place. Therefore, why was an aqueduct, from a kingdom that wasn't historically their ally to begin with, even needed?
"This is pointless," he muttered under his breath. In the midst of the standing, arguing nobles, the Captain of the Mikoshiba Knights rose from his seat and easily slipped out.
The heavy wooden door closed behind him, effectively blocking out the sound of grown men and women bickering about whether or not their ally was still their ally. His bare hand subconsciously rested on the pommel of his sword and tightened his grip.
He refused to believe that Iwatobi would be an enemy. All three noble families of the Duchy had descended from Iwatobi. They had been allies for as long as he could remember. Numerous citizens from each country lived in the other.
He could think of one right off the top of his head.
"Captain Mikoshiba," one of Samezuka knights greeted him as the two that flanked the main entrance of the castle bowed their heads respectfully to the higher ranking male.
Seijuurou gave them a small nod of his head, but continued out in silence. One of the squires saw him emerge at the top of elaborate stairs and quickly rushed off to fetch his horse.
As the knight waited, he lifted his head and looked up at the sky. His lips pursed into a frown once more. Orange fading into an inky indigo-purple meant that his day was pretty much over. He'd missed afternoon training...and for what? A pointless discussion that sounded more like a reason to turn against neighboring Iwatobi than it was to discuss recent merchant concerns, as he had been initially led to believe.
"Captain, your horse," a young man greeted as he extended the reins to the older man.
Seijuurou gave him a nod before taking the leather reins in his hand. "Thank you," he said curtly. He mounted the black and white horse and headed towards the castle gates. His leisurely pace began to quicken and before he even realized it, he was galloping towards the citadel at the edge of the city.
Silently, he hoped that the tension and the rumors hadn't spread through the ranks yet. He was sure there was one particular knight that wouldn't be pleased with them.
The captain tightened his hold on the reins as he slowed the gallop to a trot upon reaching the citadel gates. Various knights still in training clothes and some still in armor were loitering the main courtyard, but it was obvious that the afternoon training had concluded.
"Captain Mikoshiba, I can take your horse!" a voice piped from his left.
He turned his head and saw a young man in dirt matted clothes march towards him. His light gray hair was still damp and partially stuck to his head from wearing a helmet and his sword was hanging at his left side.
"Nitori," he greeted with a small nod. "Where is Matsuoka?"
"Rin?" Nitori's eyes lit up and Seijuurou silently congratulated himself for picking the correct person to ask. Nitori shared a room with Rin, but also seemed to always know where the foreign born knight always was. This was probably due to his adoration of the taller, highly skilled man. "He said he was going to take a short ride."
The captain narrowed his eyes. "Did he say when he was returning?"
"No, Captain."
Of course Rin wouldn't. "I won't need you take my horse, Nitori. Continue as you were," he ordered before turning away and tugging the horse's reins. He easily headed out of the citadel, once more hoping that the rumors of Iwatobi turning against them - or vice versa, as he felt from that meeting, hadn't reached the younger knight.
He galloped down the road that lead further out, towards the western dunes. No one could say that he didn't know his knights.
It didn't take him long to find the lone male sitting atop one of the many sand dunes with a horse lazily standing beside him. His loose training clothes were billowing in the wind and the end of the cloth of his turban had come out from where it had been tucked.
Seijuurou shook his head. The wind would pick up soon and the sand would start to fly. Still, Rin didn't look like he was ready to move as he watched the sun set in the horizon...in same direction as his home kingdom was.
Rather than disturb the sharp-toothed knight, the captain waited one dune over until Rin finally rose to his feet beneath a blanket of stars. As he mounted his horse he made out his superior.
"You are allowed to take time off and visit, you know," Seijuurou told him as Rin slowly approached. "You haven't gone back since you arrived with us all those years ago."
"I was only watching the sunset," Rin replied gruffly. "That's all, Captain."
"I didn't see you as the romantic type," Seijuurou raised a brow. "You are not a prisoner here, Matsuoka," he told him firmly before riding ahead. "You are free to visit your home kingdom once in a while!"
Rin stayed quiet. It wasn't that simple. The captain simply didn't understand.
"I don't understand why the royal guard couldn't do this," Haruka's lackadaisical voice said as his horse clopped beside Makoto's. They were on the right side of a small carriage while Nagisa sat on the driver's bench, steering the horses pulling them.
"Because it is an order from Captain Sasabe. These are knights' weapons and spare parts, and we need to take them directly to the smith's for repairs," Makoto reminded him. "We also have to go in order to get our measurements taken for our new armor."
Haruka perked up for just a moment. "New armor...," he muttered softly.
Suddenly, the pace of his horse picked up and Makoto chuckled. Every few years, they'd take worn weapons that needed more than just a sharpening to a particular smith in Samezuka. Captain Sasabe boasted that it was a sign of trust they had in the Duchy.
"Ah, I can see the western gate!" Nagisa piped as he squinted. "Mako, do you have the paperwork?"
"I have it ready," the older male assured him as his horse caught up with the front of the carriage. He gently patted the area where some papers were slipped between his inner tunic and over robes.
"We didn't need to have them before," Haru said.
"Yes, but Samezuka's new head wanted to document all those who entered. Even Iwatobi citizens," Makoto sighed. He didn't really understand either, but the rules were rules.
"They'll want to check the carriage, too," Nagisa piped as they finally reached the brick lined road that lead into the city. Numerous attendants were running around, checking all the new arrivals.
"That's fine. Just pull over there," Makoto instructed. "One of the attendants and guards will come to us. Once we get our papers stamped, we'll go through."
"Okay!" Nagisa agreed. He skillfully led the them to the side of the road and waved his arm in the air in order to get the attention of one of the attendants. He saw one nod back to him and lower his arm. "They'll be here soon."
"Great," Makoto said as he dismounted. He handed Haruka the reins of his horse as he went in the small, old carriage and unlocked the door. "Let me make sure nothing fell and everything is in order."
He flipped up a metal latch and pulled the door open.
"Eeeh! Finally!" A small burst of warm air came from the door as someone gasped, welcoming the fresh air into the small cabin.
Haruka's eyes widened as Nagisa jumped from the driver's seat and darted around. A sharp gasp escaped the youngest knight as peered into the carriage and saw two, wide burgundy eyes looking back at him.
Makoto's mouth nearly dropped.
"Gou!?" two voices choked out as a slender young woman seemed to hop out of the small carriage and look around. She was covered in a worn looking brown robe that covered her head and would shield her pale skin from the harsh desert sun...not that it needed to, as she had been hidden inside the entire time.
From the strips of cloth they could seek peeking from beneath her robe and her fine sandals, she was still wearing her priestess clothes underneath. Makoto stared at her in disbelief.
"Are we there yet?" she asked, her eyes darting around excitedly. She expected dusty streets filled with people, a busy market place, the scent of saffron over the shouts of merchants calling people into their shops. Her face fell as she found herself still on the desert road, in front of a large entry gate that led into the city.
"Gou!" Makoto nearly wailed. "What are you doing here!? What were you doing in there!?"
"I didn't know you were coming, too!" Nagisa piped from the driver's seat.
"She wasn't supposed to come," Haruka told him calmly, not taking his eyes off the priestess. "She snuck inside."
The young priestess gave them a hopeful smile. "You wouldn't have taken me if I asked, so when I heard that you were coming here, I snuck inside."
"When did you do that?" Makoto asked. They had left before the dawn broke.
"Early this morning...maybe late last night," she admitted sheepishly.
"I'm impressed. We didn't know you were inside at all!" Nagisa told her.
"Don't praise her for that," Haruka said. "Gou, does anyone at the temple know you're here?"
Her eyes darted guiltily to the side once more. "You know if they did, they wouldn't let me come."
"Well, there isn't anything we can do now," Nagisa acknowledged. He glanced at Makoto. "Gou can just stay with us and then when we go home tomorrow, she'll come back."
"Tomorrow?" Gou looked utterly disappointed. "You're leaving tomorrow?"
"We just came to drop off some equipment and get measurements done," Makoto told her. "It won't take more than a an hour or two. We'll spend the night and then head back in the morning."
Her head dropped as her shoulders slumped. That didn't give her much time, then.
"Good afternoon, sirs!" a voice greeted.
"Ah," Makoto whirled around, immediately slipping between the approaching men and Gou as he reached into his pocket. "Good afternoon."
"Your paperwork?"
"Here you go." The smiling knight handed them the documents. The attendant reviewed it as he circled the carriage and peered inside.
"Everything seems in order, but...it says there are three of you," he trailed off as he lifted his head. He narrowed his eyes. "There are four."
Gou inwardly grimaced. She looked up, unsure how to explain how she had run away from the temple and crossed part of a desert to get there, then, Haruka unexpectedly spoke up.
"I was asked to join just before we left and was told that I could get an entry pass at the gate," he told the attendant calmly. "As we'll be here for less than a day - we'll be leaving tomorrow morning - a temporary entry pass will be enough."
Gou stared at him wondrously and silently thanked him before turning back to the attendant, wondering if he'd buy the explanation.
"Of course," he nodded. "We have one for one to three days and then one for a week." She was almost surprised it was so easy. "I'll get you the one to three days stamp and be right back."
Haruka gave him a nod of his head. "Thank you." The two walked away with their documents to get the approval stamps and Gou bowed her head.
"Thank you, Haru!"
"Only this once," he told her. She nodded her head as she continued to bow.
"You can get back into the carriage now, Gou," Nagisa said. "We'll be going through soon." Excited, the young priestess nodded her head and climbed back into the small carriage. She somehow managed to find a seat amongst the chipped weapons and rusted, abused armor.
Makoto pinned the curtains back to let in some air before closing the door. Once they received their papers, they headed inside and Gou craned her neck out the window to try to take everything in.
The bustle of the crowds were exactly as she expected. Everything seemed much more chaotic than it did back in Iwatobi, but she loved it! She could smell delicious food in the air and somewhere, there was music. Her small hands gripped the window frame as she tried to engrain the streets into her head.
As they turned the corner, she noticed a large fortified castle-like building that jutted outside the city walls. Her eyes widened as she saw the several men in light armor and turbans lined by the entrance.
"Mako! Haru! What's that!?" she asked eagerly as she squeezed her arm out the window and pointed.
"The Samezuka Duchy's knight's citadel," Makoto said.
"The citadel...," Gou bit her lower lip as her eyes lingered on it's gate. That was where her brother was. She drew her head back and began to formulate a plan. First, however, she needed to slip away from the knights.
It didn't take long for them to reach the smith and as Nagisa and Haruka tied up the horses, Makoto opened the door for her and ushered her out.
"Alright, this won't take long," Makoto told her as he stood by the door and began reaching in to gather some weapons that needed some mending. "We'll take our measurements, drop these off, and then head to the inn for the night."
"Which inn?" Gou asked. She stood beside him, clutching the front of her dull brown, hooded robe closed as she took a small step back.
"It's down the street," he replied distractedly. "Nagisa will go confirm the rooms for us while Haruka and I take care of these," Makoto said as he lifted up an arm load of weapons.
"Gou, stay here and don't wander off," Haruka told her as he reached inside the carriage to gather a few more things. "Samezuka is a busy city and you can get lost easily."
She obediently nodded as Haruka disappeared into the shop. As Makoto returned outside, he stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed on the spot where Gou had been.
"Gou?" he called weakly, already knowing he wouldn't receive an answer.
"What's wrong?" Haruka asked. He followed Makoto's horrified gaze. "Oh."
The young Water God's priestess had vanished.
Making her way through the desert city was a bigger task than she thought. She could feel her sweat collecting against her skin beneath her robe as she finally reached the gates of the citadel. Beyond its gates, she heard shouting - strict orders just above the sound of metal hitting metal.
She almost couldn't contain herself. Just beyond those gates was her older brother. Her footsteps quickened as she approached gate. Of the men standing, guarding the entrance, one stepped forward.
"I'm sorry, miss, but this is the citadel," he told her. "I'm afraid civilians cannot enter."
Undeterred, Gou stood her ground. "I'm looking for my brother," she told him confidently. "His name is Matsuoka Rin."
The knight guarding the entrance narrowed his eyes. "I'm afraid that they are in the middle of training right now, miss. You'll have to return on visitation days. You can visit your brother then."
Her eyes widened. "Visitation days!?" she stressed. No, that was impossible. She didn't have time to wait - she was leaving in the morning! As large as Samezuka was, she was sure that Makoto and the others would find her and drag her back before the sun rose, whether she found her brother or not.
"It's in two days."
The color drained from her face. She most definitely did not have two days. "No," Gou shook her head. "You have to let me in today! I traveled all the way from Iwatobi-"
He gave her a deadpan look. "That's hardly a long ways from here."
"But I'm only here for today! We're leaving tomorrow!" Gou pleaded. "I may never have another chance to come back! Please, I just want to see my brother!"
"I'm sorry-"
"Please!"
"Miss, if you do not leave of your own will, I will have to have someone escort you out," she was told firmly.
Gou's hands clenched her robes. Behind the guarding knight, the other men who were at their posts began to move forward. She grit her teeth. What did they think she was going to do? Rush in? She was a priestess! She didn't stand a chance against four highly trained men. As reluctant as she was, she knew she wouldn't get in.
She lowered her head and nodded. "Can you at least give him a message for me?" she asked.
As if knowing that would placate her, the guard nodded. "Yes, miss."
"Tell him to visit," she said in a soft voice. Her eyes crinkled up and the man in front of her started to feel guilty. "I miss him. We all do..."
She trailed off and turned around, tightening her hold on her outer robes as she seemed to drag herself away, defeated. The knight raised his hand to call her back, but let out a heavy sigh as he shook his head. Now he felt really guilty.
In silence, Gou seemed to drift back up the street, blindingly heading up the path from where she had came to get to the smith's forge. She had made sure to remember the name of the forge in case she got lost, but even if she knew where she was going, the disappointment that lingered in the pit of her stomach was still tugging at her.
She was not going to cry. She was not going to cry. Who cares if she had disobeyed the temple rules and sneaked out? What does it matter that she suffered through the heat in silence inside the carriage for hours just to be turned away when she finally reached her destination?
Gou held back a small sob. Who cares if she didn't see her brother again? It had been several years already. He never even made an effort to come visit them after he left for that tournament and never returned.
She leaned against a brick building and lifted her shaking hands to her eyes. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands roughly as she tried her best to keep a cry in. She didn't want to get to the inn and have Makoto and the others see her as she was.
"Stupid Rin!" she choked out. If only he had visited. If only he had sent letters! Maybe then she wouldn't be so worried about him.
"Excuse me," a voice said above her. "Are you alright?"
With her eyes still moist and sniffling, Gou's head shot up and saw a man standing a few paces from her with a concerned expression on his face. His unruly orange hair was pushed back and his clothes were neat. She could make out his nicely tanned skin, meaning he spent a lot of the time outdoors.
Her eyes then landed on the sword at his side. Civilians didn't carry such swords...only those in the military. "Only knights..."
He cocked his head to the side and extended his hand. A small white and black embroidered piece of cloth was offered to her. "Miss?" he asked once more, taking a small step forward. "Are you alright?" he repeated.
He was offering her a handkerchief, she realized. Flushing, she remembered her state and quickly straightened up. One hand continued to wipe at her face as the other graciously accepted the cloth.
"Yes, I'm fine," she assured him, though she acknowledged the tears on her face and her red eyes probably said otherwise. "I'm just...the heat," she offered lamely. "I'm not used to it."
"Ah," he let out a small chuckle. "So you're a visitor. Are you lost?"
"No," Gou replied automatically. She looked around as she finished wiping her eyes. It was almost dark now, but she was sure she knew where she was. "I'm just returning to the inn." She tensed. "Where my friends are waiting and expecting me," she added.
On a darkening street in a foreign place, alone and crying was not the best place for a young priestess who hardly went anywhere without an escort.
"Which inn?" the tall man asked. "I will escort you."
Were Makoto, Haruka, and Nagisa really waiting for her or did they perhaps leave to scour the city? If she reached the inn without them, what if this strange man tried something. All she had was a ceremonial dagger and she wasn't exactly the most proficient at it. In retrospect, as the priestess who blessed the guards and knights of Iwatobi, she really should've practiced it more.
With the hesitation on her face, the man jerked his head back and immediately stepped away. He raised his hands in the air, as if to show he meant her no harm.
"I didn't mean to imply anything lewd, of course! I would never!" he stammered as his face turned a slight rust color. "Not to say that I'm not attracted to you, because I am!" Her eyes went wide and he wanted to slam his head against the wall. "I mean, you're cute! Beautiful, even!" Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that the hole he was digging was getting bigger and deeper every time he opened his mouth. "I mean...ugh...!" He let out a groan and turned to the side of the building.
He rested his arm on it and buried his face against it, mortified.
Quietly, Gou took a step back, her eyes darting around suspiciously. Perhaps she shouldn't talk to the awkward man any more. "Uh...thank you for this," she said as she pinched the handkerchief between two fingers and seemed to offer it back to him. "I'll be going now."
He paled. "Wait!" he said. "I'm sorry, if I offended you," he said, not bothering to take back what he had given her. "I thought you needed help," he explained. "My name is Mikoshiba Seijuurou," he offered as Gou turned around and began to walk away. "If you're lost, I can help! I'm the captain of the Mikoshiba knights of Samezuka!"
She immediate stopped in mid step. Her head snapped back as her eyes narrowed. "Knights of Samezuka?" she asked warily.
His face lit up and he nodded. "Yes, I'm the -
"Captain Mikoshiba, good evening!" a voice cut between them. The man beside her immediately stood up straight, his shoulders back and his chin up, as he turned and curtly greeted two men in light armor and with swords at their hips.
"Sir Nitori, Sir Tanaka," he greeted in return, his voice somewhat deeper and more serious than it had been just a few moments earlier with her. "Continue with your patrol."
"Yes, Captain!" they saluted him before continuing to pass.
Gou eyed them. They seemed legitimate, having been dressed similar to the guard who had turned her away at the citadel. Her eyes turned back to the man in front of her. He, however, looked far too well dressed for a knight.
"My apologies if I scared you," he told her, somewhat embarrassed. "You seemed troubled. If you wish, I'll be on my way, as long as you assure me that you are indeed alright."
She was, but now she was curious. "Do you know a Matsuoka Rin?" she asked suddenly.
His eyes widened and he jerked his head, taken aback by her sudden question. "Matsuoka Rin?" he repeated. "Tall, unruly hair...good with a sword?" With each word Gou seemed more and more interested. "And from Iwatobi?"
"Yes!" she clasped her hands together and seemed to jump forward. "You do know him!"
She looked so excited, Seijuurou felt part of him die a little inside. So, this lovely young woman was there for Rin. Of course, she was. Rin was oddly popular for someone who had sharp teeth and an even sharper tongue.
"He is a knight in my squad and very capable," he told her. Oh well, the least he could do was make Rin look good to this admirer.
"Is he alright?" the young woman asked. "Is he eating well? He hasn't been injured, has he?"
Seijuurou raised a brow. "He's one of the best swordsmen we have. He does eat well and no, I don't believe he's ever been seriously injured." A pale hand rose and rested against her chest. He could now see the gold rings and blue stones adorning her fingers and wrists.
"Oh, thank the gods," she sighed, relieved. "I tried to see him today, but I wasn't allowed in the citadel."
"Visitation days are in two days-"
"But I'm leaving tomorrow," she told him quickly. Her eyes lowered. "I just wanted to see him...he never writes me back."
"Writes you...?" Rin had a lover in back in Iwatobi? Why in the world didn't that arrogant little fool travel back then? The young woman nodded once more. Seijuurou shook his head. "I'm sorry, but even if you had been allowed in, you wouldn't have seen him."
Her brows furrowed and looked at him, shocked. "What?"
"Matsuoka is currently stationed and on duty today. He wasn't at training in the citadel," he informed her.
Another defeated blow hit her. "I see...," she muttered numbly. Her effort would've been useless to begin with.
"How do you know him?" the captain asked carefully. He steeled himself for the answer.
"Rin is my older brother," came a quiet, unexpected response. Seijuurou's head snapped up. "I came all this way to see him. I haven't seen him since he left Iwatobi..."
"And he never visits," Seijuurou concluded. Gou nodded. So, she was his little sister.
"I don't know how else to see him. I can't stay here. I'm leaving tomorrow at first light," she said. She looked at the man earnestly. "Isn't there something you can do? You're the captain, aren't you?"
She was looking at him with large, expectant, glistening eyes...
Before he could stop himself, he spoke. "What do you suggest?"
Gods help him, he was so weak.
"I can't believe this!" Makoto groaned as he rushed out into the street. Haruka crossed paths with him and shook his head, as if to confirm that they couldn't find their stowaway priestess. "Gou! Where is she!?"
"I checked the plaza and couldn't find her. No one has seen her, either!" Nagisa reported breathlessly as he reached them from another direction.
"I think we should return to the inn," Haruka suggested. "She may have come back."
"Nagisa, you go back," Makoto ordered. "Haruka and I will keep looking. You go and wait to see if Gou returns to the inn."
"Okay!" Nagisa said as he saluted the higher ranked knight and prepared to dart back.
"Wait," Haruka said suddenly, stopping the youngest knight in his tracks. His eyes were fixed up the street from where he had come. His blue eyes slowly narrowed. "Perhaps he's seen her."
Makoto turned around and Nagisa squinted into the night. A horse was heard coming down the stone lined street and they could make out a tall figure seated atop it.
"Oi," a gruff voice said as shocks of burgundy hair fell over narrowed eyes. "What are you three doing here?"
"Rin," Haruka said in a low voice. His hand moved across his body and hovered over the pommel of his sword.
The estranged knight's eyes followed his movement and his lips pulled into a smirk. He slid off his horse and reached to his side. The sound of a sword being pulled from its sheath sounded and Makoto frowned.
"You two," he began as he moved forward to get between them.
The blades were drawn and Nagisa looked nervous. "Let's go," Rin grinned. "Haru."
A Note From the Author:
Hello! I'm just posting this fanfic here, as I've posted it on AO3, but had yet to put it here. I will continue to update AO3 and FF accounts with the story, though AO3 will probably get this first. My other fanfic gets updated here first, so I thought it fair.
Here are some notes that I had on the original -
Accressere is a term from Middle Ages Italian and is a movement used in sword fighting; it is a small step forward taken to close distance between yourself and your opponent. Recently, I've been chatting with someone about swords and thought it would be interesting to retell the Free! story, but in a time of knights and with a focus on SeiGou, though the other pairings will be mentioned. Thus, this was born. I do write very long chapters and the development is always rather slow, so I am very thankful for your patience. Thank you to damagectrl for your help and thank you for your time reading this!
Thank you for your time and for reading!