Title: The Knowledge of Kings
Author: purpledragon42
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: PG (with a possible alt. R version available on request) ^_^;
Pairing(s): Kakashi x Iruka
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Warning(s): AU, possible OOCness
Prompt(s): I had an image from deviantart as my prompt...but FanFiction won't let me post it. :(
Disclaimer: If I owned these guys, I would have MUCH BETTER THINGS TO DO than write fan fiction about them. *evil grin* Oh, yeah...and all hail the god that is Kishimoto! ^_^;
Summary: Deception is an art - one which Kakashi Hatake knows all too well. His life is so tangled and twisted with lies even he can't sort them all out anymore. Enter Iruka Umino, heir to the throne of Konoha. Could it be that this inconspicuous young man has what it takes to teach Kakashi that truth just might hold rewards of its own?
A/N: Hmmm...although I'm a far too late for the contest, I was inspired by this wonderful bit of artwork created by Nsou on deviantART. So, I figured, what the heck, I'm gonna write something. *grins* This is my first KakaIru, so please be gentle. And yet, constructive criticism is always welcome! How else am I going to get any better, right? ^_^ And yeah, if it's not obvious, this is entirely AU - think 1800's England...only...not. ^_^;
"To know how to disguise is the knowledge of kings." ~ Cardinal De Richelieu
The large reception hall was awash in nothing but moonlight and shadows as the silent man knelt, statue-like, before his queen.
"So the rumors are true, then?" Her voice was hushed, but betrayed no real emotion.
"I'm afraid so, Your Majesty. What would you have me do?"
"Iruka Umino is my dearest cousin and next in line to rule this nation. I will have no other - this plot against him must be stopped at any cost."
"I understand. Preparations for his safe return from the colonies are already under way."
The queen allowed herself a small smile. "Thank you, my friend. I leave his life in your hands, Please...protect him."
The man nodded and rose, taking her words as the dismissal they were. As he walked away, he allowed a small grimace to creep slowly across his shadowed features. This plot ran deep - more so than he'd originally anticipated. Making sure that the queen's cousin remained safe while he ferreted out the conspirators would prove difficult. However, as the man melded with the shadows his mind was already racing ahead, mentally placing his pieces on an imaginary board, and preparing for the battle to come.
TWO MONTHS LATER
Iruka had never really cared for sea voyages - and now, as he glared daggers at the man waving a sword lazily under his chin, he realized, perhaps for the first time, how much he truly despised them - the roiling of the waves, the stench of the salt air, and most importantly at this particular point in time...the pirates.
He stared at the one-eyed man warily; surprised to see that, despite the shock of somewhat shaggy white hair, his captor didn't seem that much older than himself. However, it was difficult to tell - the pirate's lower face, from the nose down, was covered in a black, skin-tight mask. Needing something to fill the silence…and cover the sounds of battle outside…Iruka briefly considered telling his captor that he'd never get away with this...but the truth was...he might. After all, no one who knew Iruka's true identity was aboard the ship now being mercilessly attacked mere feet away, which meant no one would know to come looking for him...at least not right away.
Looking back now, he realized his desire to travel incognito had been somewhat childish…but he'd wanted to get home early and surprise his cousin, Queen Tsunade, at her annual birthday celebration. So, he'd secretly booked passage on The Laughing Dolphin in the hopes of arriving unannounced on Konoha's shores. Considering the fact that he was now bound securely to a post in the pirate captain's cabin, the royal highly doubted he'd be going to any celebrations any time soon. In fact, if he couldn't talk some sense into the man in front of him, it was highly likely he'd never being going anywhere ever again.
Staring into a single ebony eye, he implored, "The ship you're attacking has nothing of value; it's a passenger vessel. Please..." he voice faltered as the pirate's sword tipped forward just a notch, pressing almost gently into his flesh, where the chin met the neck.
"I am perfectly aware of what that vessel is and isn't. As for nothing of value...we both know that's not true."
Iruka imagined a smug smile gracing the man's lips, but the mask hid any real expression. "You...know who I am." It wasn't really phrased as a question, but the pirate nodded anyway. "So...you attacked the ship...and all of its people...just to get to me?" The pirate gave a callous shrug as Iruka's anger began to bubble up through the fear. Straining against his bonds, not caring that the sword pierced his flesh in the process, the royal spat out, "How can you do this? They're innocent...!"
"No one in this world is innocent!" the pirate countered, his single eye narrowing dangerously. "And you...Captain, sir...you're in no place to talk! Who's choice was it to board that particular ship? Who chose to fore-go his given name...hiding amongst the merchant class like the coward he was?"
"That's not...!" Iruka began to argue, but then stopped, confused. Could it be this man had the wrong person? "Why...why did you just call me Captain?"
The silver-haired man lowered his sword and strode with languid indifference toward his captive, leaning in right next to his ear, the rough cloth of his mask brushing Iruka's cheek, and replied, "Because...by the time my men are finished, you'll be the only one left to assume the title."
Growling with frustration and rage, Iruka lashed out in the only way he could, bringing one knee swiftly up, pushing his captor away and immediately kicking out at him. However, the man moved back with lightning speed, grabbing the royal's booted foot before it could make serious contact.
Shaking his head in mock disappointment, the pirate 'tsked' at him and shoved the offending appendage away. "Now, now, don't you think it's a little late to be playing hero?" Pausing, he allowed Iruka a minute to listen to the waning sounds of battle from outside. "In fact...I'd say in another minute or two there won't be anyone left to even thank you for trying."
"Murdering bastard!" Iruka shouted as tears of helplessness stung the corners of his eyes. He struggled against the cords that bound him, feeling the harsh fibers dig into his skin, but the knots held firm. Those people...they shouldn't have to die because of him...they shouldn't...
Suddenly the one-eyed man was beside him again, although well out of kicking range this time, and with a mocking whisper, responded, "You can call me all the names you like, sir, but it doesn't change the fact that their blood is on your hands as well as mine. Now...I think it's time for you to take a little nap."
Before Iruka could argue, or shout, or say anything more, a sharp, aching pain split through his temple as the hilt of the pirate's sword struck his head with a resounding THWACK...and everything went dark.
When his eyes opened again, the room was shadowed and silent, save for the soft sound of steady breath coming from the captain's bed. Iruka's head pounded, but his grief was even more powerful. Not for the first time, he found himself cursing his cousin's decision. It wasn't that he hated her, quite the contrary, but her choice to make him her heir had caused the young royal nothing but trouble. And now...now it was beginning to hurt others, as well. Blinking away the tears of mourning that threatened to consume him, Iruka chose, instead, to focus on a plan of escape. Granted...it really wasn't so much a plan as it was an act of desperation. After all, even if he did manage to leave the cabin, it was highly unlikely he'd ever be able to escape the ship alive...but he had to try. Earlier, during his struggles, the royal had felt his fingers ghost across what might have been a crystalline glass...if he could just reach it now...
Straining back as far as he could, Iruka's hand eventually closed over the sought-after prize. With a soft sigh of relief, he slid himself carefully down the pole and into a somewhat more comfortable sitting position. With each sound made, he paused, listening closely to the breathing patterns of whoever else was in the room. Of course, it had to be the pirate from earlier - he was obviously the captain of this ship and didn't seem like the type to trust others with the important task of guarding a royal captive. Not that it mattered – one pirate was the same as any other as far as Iruka was concerned.
With dexterous hands, the royal quietly snapped the glass in two, placing the goblet's body aside and praying that the sea stayed steady, to keep it from skittering noisily away into the shadows. Then, hands trembling with adrenaline, the man began to saw at his ropes with the jagged stem. More than once he slipped, slicing into his wrists and palms, but the pain became irrelevant - escape was all that mattered. As blood slickened his make-shift tool, the work went slower, but Iruka continued to cut through his bonds bit by bit until finally he felt the ropes fall away. He wanted to crow with delight, but settled instead for silently stretching his aching arms.
Once satisfied that his limbs were back in almost-working order, the freed captive crept silently over to the bed, confirming his earlier suspicions. Moonlight fell gently through the widows, illuminating the pirate's hair with an almost ethereal glow, but his face remained a mystery, still hidden beneath a dusky mask. Under other circumstances Iruka might have found himself fascinated by the way the light and shadows shifted across the man's bare skin, but anger and desperation kept him focused on the plan.
Cautiously, the royal stepped closer as the pirate's words from earlier tore through him again. While he knew he was partially to blame for what had happened to the Dolphin, he also knew that the sleeping man could've easily spared the other passengers. There was no need for them to die! Gripping the goblet's stem tighter, ignoring the blood that still coursed freely from his lacerated hands and arms, Iruka raised the weapon high, preparing to exact his revenge.
Then, suddenly, the moonlight shifted - highlighting the man's shirtless torso...and the strange swirling tattoo on his left shoulder. The royal gasped audibly, backing up several steps to stare in confusion. Although he didn't know the purpose behind the strange markings, he had seen them once before...on the arm of his father. But how could this murderous man - this pirate - have ANY connection to the Uminos - to his own father, dead all these years? Briefly, Iruka considered waking his captor and demanding an answer, but he knew he'd been lucky so far...and didn't really feel like testing the Fates' good will any further. So, having lost his desire to kill, he cautiously edged back towards the cabin door.
Iruka had almost clicked the lock open when arms suddenly appeared on either side of his head, and a lean, lithe body pressed itself into his back, pinning him to the door. "You don't really want to go out there," his captor chuckled into one ear.
Trying to calm his pounding heart, the smaller man opened his mouth to respond, but all of a sudden his vision began to swim...then his legs buckled, so that the only thing holding him up was the other man's body still pressing him into the door. Woozily, Iruka realized that his self-inflicted injuries must have been just slightly more severe than he'd first thought. He tried again to speak, desperately wanting to share his witty comeback with the man now holding him up...but all that came out was something that sounded like a startled whimper. The pirate, sensing the change in his captive, stepped back slightly, which gave Iruka just enough room to collapse awkwardly onto the floor. He felt the man nudge him with his foot and then heard him curse under his breath.
"Damned fool! What were you planning to do? Bleed out in one of the life boats? If you're not healthy by the time we reach port that pompous ass will have my head!"
There were quick footsteps and then an oil lamp flared to life as the silver-haired captain knelt over him. Was that a flicker of concern? No - Iruka must have imagined it...without a word the pirate gathered him up and hauled him to the bed, dropping the smaller man not-so-gracefully into it. With bleary eyes, Iruka watched his captor digging in the cabin's drawers for first aid supplies. He tried to stay awake...wanted to stay awake...but blood loss (and the fact that he was now in a relatively comfortable feather bed) kept dragging his eyelids closed, and eventually Iruka was simply too exhausted to continue fighting.
When Iruka awoke again, sunlight was streaming through the large-paned windows; the ocean rocked the boat gently, and he could hear seagulls calling playfully to each other in the skies outside. It was almost possible to believe, if only for a moment, that nothing was wrong. But this bed wasn't his...and his arms throbbed with a dull, aching pain that refused to fade. He sat up slowly, somewhat surprised to discover he hadn't been tied up again. Did the other man really see him as so little of a threat? The royal's pride stung at that thought, but he hoped he could also use it to his advantage.
Looking around, he found the room empty...although someone had been there recently because a jug of water, a loaf of bread and a very crisp-looking apple were sitting (almost expectantly) on the nightstand next to him. The sight of the food brought his stomach roaring to life...but he hesitated. While it was unlikely anything had been poisoned...was it really such a good idea to just give in and eat? He had no desire to make his kidnapping easy, after all...
An unexpected sigh from the doorway startled Iruka out of his contemplation. He'd been so lost in thought that he hadn't even noticed the other man entering. "If you don't want to be tied down and force fed, you'll just eat it," his captor said, running a hand tiredly through his silvered hair.
Iruka blinked at him, hardly noticing the basket of medical supplies in the man's hand, as the pirate pulled a stool over to his bedside and sat down. "How did you..."
The older man had the nerve to roll his eye before replying, "Do you honestly think you're the first person I've kidnapped for ransom?"
"Well, I..." Iruka began...before realizing he was too tired and too hungry to come up with a snappy retort. "I guess not..." he finished lamely, trying to look anywhere but at the man sitting next to him...and failing.
The pirate looked surprised for a minute, as if even he'd expected a snarky remark, then he covered it by lowering his eye to fish around in the basket on his lap. Iruka's stomach grumbled. His captor glared up at him. "I wasn't joking about tying you down..."
"Fine!" Iruka snapped jerking his hand out to snatch the apple...and immediately wishing he hadn't. Pain lanced through his arm, his fingers spasmed, and the fruit dropped from his hand with a solid 'thunk' and went rolling across the floor to rest at the other man's feet.
Staring at him, obviously annoyed by being forced into the role of 'nurse', the pirate said, "What you're feeling would be the stitches I had to use to keep you from bleeding to death two nights ago. You might want to treat your arms a bit more gently until they've had time to properly heal." Then he reached down with one hand, picked up the apple, replaced it on the nightstand and went back to rooting around in the basket.
Iruka reached for the apple again, carefully this time, trying to get a better feel for exactly how badly he'd managed to damage himself in that pathetic escape attempt...but he wasn't a doctor, and without undoing the bindings all he could really tell was that both arms felt like shredded meat. He knew it couldn't really be that bad...but that didn't stop him from imagining it. So, he sat there - silently munching on the apple and watching with mild interest as the pirate began placing a series of carefully selected supplies on the nightstand.
Then the man suddenly looked up at him, his one ebony eye focused on Iruka with some unreadable emotion, and asked with a serious stare, "Why didn't you kill me the other night?"
Completely unprepared, Iruka once again dropped the now almost-eaten apple, but it didn't roll...and neither one of them made any move to pick it up. When the royal stayed quiet, his captor continued, "I ordered the murders of everyone aboard your ship - even if you hadn't escaped, you could've had your revenge."
So...the other man had been awake the whole time? Unhappy at being so thoroughly tricked, Iruka briefly considered lying, but couldn't really see the point in it. "The tattoo on your shoulder," he replied carefully, trying to gauge the other man's reaction. "It...my father...he had the same one..."
The pirate's eyebrow raised ever so slightly at Iruka's admission, but he said nothing more than, "I see." Then, as if the question had never been asked, he continued with, "Give me your arms."
Instinctively, Iruka drew his injured appendages closer to his chest. He wasn't trying to be difficult...he just wasn't too keen on getting a first-hand look at the damage he'd wrought.
But his captor didn't see it that way. "Look - conscious or unconscious - I can do this either way."
Sighing inwardly, Iruka unfolded his arms and grudgingly held them out for the other man to inspect. With nimble-fingered ease the pirate went to work - unwrapping, examining, medicating, and re-wrapping the scattered wounds in what Iruka assumed must be record time.
"You're...really good at that..."
He didn't realize he'd spoken aloud until the other man said grimly, "It comes with the job." Then, before Iruka could respond, he swept everything back into he basket and headed for the door. But before leaving, he suddenly turned back, his eye crinkling in an obviously false smile. "By the way - if that food's not gone by the time I return - I promise to take the utmost pleasure in tying you up and shoving it down your throat." Then he left...and Iruka immediately began chomping down on the bread as fast as he could. What remained of the apple was, of course, ruined, but he picked it up and set it on the now empty bread tray, desperately hoping his captor wouldn't hold it against him.
After finishing off the water, Iruka amused himself by roaming around the cabin. However, there really wasn't much to see...apparently the captain wasn't into "personalizing" his living space. However, Iruka did find several books resting on a shelf underneath the nightstand. Curious…and more than a little bored, he picked up the first one and randomly flipped through its pages. Skimming the words, a blush immediately formed across the royal's cheeks and the book was practically thrown back into its original spot.
"That…that's just…disgusting!" he whispered to himself, eyes still wide with shock. "I don't even think that position is possible!"
"Oh, you'd be surprised what you can do when you're limber...and you've got the right partner."
Iruka whirled to find that, once again, the pirate had entered without him hearing a thing. The other man leered at him...at least, the royal suspected it was a leer. His still fading blush flared back to life, full-force. "That's...I..." Iruka stammered, tyring to decide how best to respond. At least his captor didn't seem angry at him for snooping...still, it might be best to apologize - having this man angry at him definitely wouldn't make things easier. So the royal finally settled for, "I'm sorry for prying; it wasn't my place."
The pirate's visible eyebrow arched slightly in surprise, then his eye narrowed, as if realizing something. "Being polite to me isn't going to get you anywhere. I have a job to do, and I've been well-paid to make sure it gets done."
"A job..?" That was the second time the pirate had eluded to someone else pulling the strings in Iruka's kidnapping. Ignoring the other man's accusation, the royal asked, "So...were you ordered to kill the other passengers?"
An unreadable emotion flickered briefly across the other man's features; he finally replied, "My orders are none of your business." Then, before Iruka could press the matter, he continued, "We'll be docking in a few hours; change into these." A tied bundle of clothes was tossed carelessly at the royal's mid-section. Catching them, Iruka opened his mouth to protest, but the pirate, once again, seemed to anticipate his actions. "I need you to NOT look like you just stepped out of a royal carriage...but if you insist on arguing I'd be more than happy to...assist with your wardrobe change." His captor's eye twinkled mischievously, but his voice suggested tired frustration.
Iruka immediately closed his mouth...although the mental image of the other man stripping him of his clothes hovered in his mind...sending a shiver down the royal's spine. "I don't need your help!" he spat, angry at himself for such derelict thoughts. This man would never be anything more than his enemy!
The pirate's playful stare didn't falter as he replied, "Then I suggest you start changing."
A knock at the cabin door prevented Iruka's protest - the last thing he wanted to do was undress while this man watched! His captor went to answer it and the royal decided it would be better to change now, while the other man was distracted, rather than being ogled the entire time. Besides...there was something he wanted to do...and it would be easier now that the pirate's attention was directed elsewhere. Quickly, Iruka yanked several gold buttons from his jacket - he couldn't take them all...they'd be impossible to hide...and someone might notice...but just a few might be enough to buy his freedom from some greedy minion later on.
Once he was sure his sleight of hand had gone unnoticed, the royal, with his back facing the now-open door, began to dress himself as virtuously as possible. At first he tried to listen in on the intense, doorway discussion, but the men spoke too low, and his attempts at eavesdropping would've been too obvious if he turned and tried to read their lips. So, Iruka tuned them out instead. He focused on the clothes he'd been given to wear. They were worn, but not tattered - probably common fair for a sailor or dock worker. Apparently, whatever this man had planned, it involved Iruka blending in with the crowd.
He'd switched into the trousers and was about to pull the new shirt on over his head, when the royal suddenly felt cool, dry fingers tracing one of the scars on his lower back. Startled by the unexpected touch, Iruka whirled and, with the shirt halfway over his head, began to stumble. Throwing the garment aside, his aching arms immediately shot out to brace himself, grabbing the first thing they came into contact with...his captor.
The man gave him that odd eye crinkle, and said lightly, "You're one of the jumpiest men I've ever met."
Flustered, all Iruka could manage was a statement of the obvious. "You...you...touched me!"
"And I'm still touching you...in fact," the pirate continued, leaning in so that they were almost nose to nose, "I'd be more inclined to say that you're touching me."
Heat rushing to his cheeks, the royal pushed violently away from the other man. He felt the stitches in his arms stretch painfully, but ignored them, backing up several more paces before finally replying. "You had no right to...why would...?"
The one-eyed man shrugged, not letting Iruka finish his question. "It's an interesting set of scars...I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like them - are they claw marks?" When his captive remained silent, eying him warily, he continued, "Where did you get them?"
Iruka scooped up the shirt from where it had fallen, pulling it almost defiantly down over his chest. "That's...none of your business!"
His captor shrugged again, as if the answer didn't really matter anyway. Then he looked the royal over carefully, before pulling out a green kerchief and handing it to him. "Tie it over your face - that scar across your nose is too noticeable." Iruka did as he was told and then his captor said, "That'll do. Now - listen to me carefully. Once we reach port and disembark you will become a member of my crew. Any attempt to seek help from the people around you will result in their immediate deaths. Is that understood?"
Iruka nodded solemnly, perfectly aware of what this man was capable of. Receiving affirmation, the captain's instructions continued. "Be aware, you will have no chains or bonds of any kind. But my men's eyes will be on you constantly - if you attempt to escape into the crowd, they WILL find you and, orders or not, you WILL regret running. I'll make sure of that." The pirate placed a hand lightly on the hilt of the cutlass resting against his thigh.
The gesture seemed unconscious, but Iruka recognized it for the threat that it was. He nodded again, and said only, "I understand." His captor gave a short, succinct nod and then turned to exit, but Iruka spontaneously called after him, "Wait!"
The silver-haired man turned back, eyebrow cocked in either annoyance or curiosity...the royal couldn't tell which. "Umm...that is," Iruka stammered, unsure how his question would be taken. "If I'm to be playing a member of your crew...shouldn't I at least know your name?" The question came out less like the demand the younger man had intended, and more like a meek inquiry. Silently he berated himself, and was surprised when the man actually answered - his eye now crinkled in what Iruka hoped was a smile...although most likely a mocking one.
"You're probably right. And since I already know your name, perhaps it's only fair." The pirate suddenly bowed with a melodramatic flourish and said, "My name is Kakashi Hatake, captain of The White Fang."