Title: Dragon Heart

Author: sllebswap

Characters/Pairing: Kobayashi Rindou and Tsukasa Eishi

Type: Continuous (InComplete)

Genre: Romance/General/Humor

Word Count: 3778

Rating: T (Contains content not suitable for children)

Disclaimer: Shokugeki no Souma belongs to Tsukuda-san.

Summary: It is believed that the heart of a dragon, if consumed whole, would grant the one who ate it incredible powers and immortality. So, by order of King Azami, Sir Knight Tsukasa Eishi had been sent to find that dragon and acquire its heart, by any means necessary.

Verse: Fantasy Medieval AU

Chapter Last Revised on: 28/05/17


Chapter 1


Truth to be told, Tsukasa Eishi had never actually aspired to become a knight. It just sort of happened.

That duty had been thrust upon him regardless of his opinion on the matter, from the moment he was born the sole heir to his family's vast, rich holdings. Knight training took up an entire decade and most of his youth. He was apprenticed to a family friend at the tender age of eight, when most noble born sons of the peerage were weaned from the apron strings of their doting mothers and set upon the path of harsh, rapid growth in order to become great men and lords.

Page. Squire. Knight. It was a rite of passage.

His journey was fraught with perils and challenges, but he had somehow not only managed to get by, but had also demonstrated considerable talents and capabilities as he grew from lad, to teen, and finally, a young man. For someone who admittedly did not possess the raging need to see war and conquest, his name and aptitude for tactics and strategical maneuverings preceded him in war rooms and battlefields alike. He was amongst some of the best and brightest of the young bloods, and his fair, beautiful appearance and quiet, detached demeanor did nothing to detract from his meteoric rise in popularity throughout the royal court. The ladies in waiting tittered and made eyes at him whenever he had to enter the palace to pay court to the King. One day, he would have to take one of these noblewomen to be his bride and have an heir with, and the whole cycle would renew again. It was his duty. His obligation.

…But late at nights, the twenty year old would oft be found pacing the castle parapets. Silently staring out at the endless expanse of the velvet skies spread out over his head. Gazing intently at the twinkling stars, entire galaxies infinities away. Wondering with dispassionate, restless discontent.

Is this it?


One day, he was presented a unique mission. A quest unlike any other.

"Sir Knight," a hooded member of a clandestine Order in court quietly beckoned, appearing before him rather mysteriously, identity concealed behind a blank, eerie mien.

"Have you ever slain a dragon before?"


Once upon a time, back in the days of yore, it was said that dragons roamed the lands in great abundance. They were a devastating pestilence to the masses; vicious, foul, fire breathing beasts that rampaged and destroyed everything within their paths. For centuries, the common folk lived in fear of these wicked, sibilant creatures; their livelihoods, even their very existences themselves at the clawed and winged whims of the bestial, monstrous beings. Entire villages would be burned down, innumerous lives lost, in the span of a single attack launched by their terrible dragonic foes.

The people were at their wits' ends. Humanity was at stake. Desperation eventually gave rise to determination, the grim resolve and singlemindedness to do whatever it took to survive. So the humans started to rally together, to fight back, to wrench back control of their lives and their destinies in any way and form that they could.

If there was one thing that could be said about humans, it would be that they were an incredibly hardy, resilient species.

Over time and multiple generations, amongst this group evolved a select, specialized breed of people who were trained uniquely in the art of dragon slaying. They possessed immeasurable courage, wit, and strength of will, enabling them to overcome anything in their paths, to do the undoable. To defeat the undefeatable.

The brave. The chivalrous. The noble knights.

But these days, the tales of valiant knights vanquishing unconquerable dragons were only lingering stories told in roadside inns and taverns, half-forgotten epic poems sung by travelling troubadours in exchange for an eve's board and a warm meal. The last dragon was thought to be hunted to extinction hundreds of years ago, a decapitated head stuck unceremoniously on a spike, paraded through towns and past masses of cheering, relieved humans. These days, with no massive, magical, flame spouting lizards threatening their lives and properties, people simply reverted to what they had always been doing – they turned upon themselves, raising hell and ravaging distant lands in ways that were not dissimilar to what had once been done to them.

Only this time, they were both the oppressor, and the oppressed.

And the fearless knights paved the way down the bloody path of eternal glory and conquest.


It was out of a sense of curiosity and perhaps a desire to combat his rising cynicism and apathy that had prompted Eishi to accept this assignment.

He had probably been sent on a fool's errand for all he knew, but the White Knight had been getting incredibly restless and on edge cooped up in the castle and this had been a convenient excuse to get out of court duties for a while. He did not enjoy the social obligation that came with his family title and rank. The unnecessary attention and expectations that people heaped on him was a burden he had no choice but to carry – if he could, he would have preferred to retreat from it all, even if it meant that he would have to 'slay a dragon' to get that rare moment of respite.

Dragons no longer existed. Nobody had seen one alive in centuries, or if they had, nobody was saying a thing. Privately, Eishi thought that the insular, secretive sects and Orders of the Kingdom were filled with ranks of raving lunatics and so called 'soothsayers' who typically tried to fill the King's ears with superstitions and irrational beliefs. Usually, His Majesty was wise enough to ignore their ramblings, but this time, even he was taken by the mysterious allure and possible existence of the mythical beast.

It was believed that the heart of a dragon, if consumed whole, would grant the one who ate it incredible powers and immortality.

So, at the behest of the King, Tsukasa Eishi had been sent to find that dragon and acquire its heart, by any means necessary.


Eishi did not know what he was expecting to find at the end of the directions that had been imparted to him by the Order, but the lush, tranquil forest in the middle of nowhere was not exactly it. Entirely untouched by the devastation of war and invasion, it was a world that seemed to be stuck in a precious bead of amber, perfectly preserved and untainted.

He felt very much like an intruder as he stepped into this strangely peaceful, enveloping realm. There was a distinctly off feeling like he was not welcome here, that he did not belong here, but he stubbornly persisted his course, following the map that had been presented to him for this quest that he had accepted. Unlike the usual ones where he had been tasked to take up command of an army and sent off to conquer large swathes of land in the name of the Kingdom, this time around, there was only him, and he did not mind the refreshing change at all.

Hence his current situation. In a land so remote, so distant in the far East, that he had not seen any signs of human life for the last couple of weeks. He had never ventured this far before in all of his travels, so this was something new, at least. The knight had been obliged to abandon his mount a few days ago when the terrain grew too rocky and perilous for the animal to traverse safely, so now he was on foot. Most of his armor had also been shed and left behind. It was treacherous enough scaling the mountainous, unexplored region even without wearing the cumbersome chainmail, which while invaluable and vital to his survival in the heat of battle, were more of a liability and a threat in these surroundings. So Eishi only took the bare necessities and moved on, living off the fat of the land as he continued his journey. He wondered for how long he would have to search this seemingly endless expanse of forest before reporting back.

Three days later, he stumbled upon the small cottage literally in the middle of nowhere.

It was not a decrepit, abandoned building. On the contrary, it was well maintained, cozy, and it exuded a pleasant, homey aura. It was practically luxurious accommodation for someone who had been camping out in the wilderness. There were obvious signs of human occupation here, but yet it was empty when he chanced upon the property. Perhaps the owner was out at the moment. Eishi hoped that they would return soon. He would like to make his enquiries to them, to see if they knew anything about the subject which he had come this far to find. Perhaps he would even be able to avail of the kindness of the homeowner, for an evening's room and board before continuing with his quest.

The white haired knight mentally committed the location of this place to memory, and while waiting, he went on to explore the surrounding areas. Green, towering coniferous trees filled his vision everywhere he turned, and he wandered around for a while, intending to hunt for a meal. There were hare and deer aplenty, as well as pheasants and other waterfowls that lived on this land - wild game that could easily be brought down by the crossbow he had brought with him. Broadswords and lances, while extremely effective in largescale warfare, were not so much as useful when it came to trapping prey, and so Eishi adapted. Tracing the tracks of what appeared to be a small herd of grazing deer that he had chanced upon earlier, he eventually came to a large clearing, and to the sight of a massive lake. The view was breathtakingly spectacular; the waters were clear and so still that it perfectly reflected the magnificent backdrop of the craggy, snowcapped mountain range far off in the distance.

There was a woman there, in the lake as well.

Waist deep in the water, turned away from him, the wild, burning fire of her hair tumbling down her slender back stood in stark contrast with the cream of her skin.

She was also entirely naked, he realized belatedly.

He stared, too surprised by the unexpected sight to avert his gaze immediately, as was the proper thing to do. He must have started too, because the snap of the twigs beneath his feet alerted the maiden to his presence, and she turned.

Their eyes met, slit pupiled gold clashing with startled pale lavender.

Eishi sucked in a deep breath. He had never seen eyes like that before.

And the woman. She was heart-stoppingly, searingly beautiful. Something stirred deep within him at the sight of her, like an ember bursting to life, like something wrenching sharply back into place. His mouth parted, as if about to speak. Distracted, he took a step forward. Before he could say a word, her eyes widened, and she called out in sharp warning.

"Look out!"

The trap triggered.

The ground gave way beneath him, there was a piercing, excruciating moment of pain…and then he knew no more.


When he came to, he found himself back in that cottage again, and that girl…woman was there as well. She had not noticed that he had silently woken, and had been tending to something at the hearth, where a pot was hanging over a robust fire. Judging by the savory smell permeating through the air, it seemed like she was cooking some sort of soup or stew. He took advantage of the situation to take stock of himself, wincing in blatant discomfort when he so much as tried to lift his head. He felt like he had been hit by a battering ram. His upper torso had been laid bare but his middle was swathed in bandages, and he could see that some parts of the dressing were lightly tinged pink with blood. His ribs did not feel broken however, but seemed quite sore. His arms appeared fine as well if only covered in some scratches, but when he tried to move his legs, the right one immediately sent a sharp, spike of agony racing through his overwhelmed senses, and he hissed in response, automatically reaching down to clutch at the broken limb.

The sound he made alerted the other occupant in the room to his revived condition, and she turned to look at him. Meeting her glowing gaze for the second time still sent that same dizzying, wheezing jolt shooting straight through his chest…but perhaps his reaction was due to his injuries, he attempted to reason logically to himself. She was also dressed this time, in a plain, simple woolen frock that did not quite touch the floor – the hem flirted rather scandalously with the pale curves of her unstocking-ed calves...and she was also barefoot. He stared.

She wandered over to where he was resting on a bed, then. As she moved, her hair rippled down her back in glossy wine red waves that turned blood crimson against the flickering backlight of the hearth fire, but that only served to accentuate that strangely wild, exotic appeal that she seemed to possess. He felt strangely restless beneath her catlike stare, as if she could see right through him…but of course that was impossible. And ridiculous.

He tried to sit up all the same, only to flinch when that same throbbing pain forced him to stop. She finally spoke, her words blunt and matter of fact.

"Stop moving around. It took me forever to splint your leg. If you ruin it I'm kicking you right out and you may take your chances in the wild." She stood with her arms akimbo, her head tilted as she considered him some more, this time with a bemused curiosity visible on her face. "What kind of moron decides to walk straight into a boar pit, anyway? You're lucky to be alive. You missed most of the spikes and the only one that got you just grazed your side."

Right. He was starting to remember now. Discovering that lake. Discovering her naked in that lake. Stepping right into that hidden trap because he had been too distracted gawking at her in astonishment.

No wonder she thought him a blithering idiot.

Eishi could feel a rare hint of chagrin encroaching upon him, turning his ivory complexion a faint tinge of red. She looked amused by his embarrassment, and then much to his surprise, she took a seat at his bedside and placed her arm behind his neck, helping him to lift his head up a little. The faint scent of wild strawberries emanated from her hair. He stiffened.

"What are you-"

"You're in pain, aren't you?" she asked. Her other hand reached over to the side table where there sat a cup of what looked like some sort of herbal brew. She picked it up and offered it to him. "Willow bark tea will help, so drink up."

He wasn't exactly weak enough that he needed to be nursed like that, so he took the tea from her with his own hands and stoically choked down the bitter concoction. She set his head back on the pillow and retrieved the empty container from him when he was done. Once more, amusement ghosted across her eyes at the look on his face as his body rebelled against the medicinal draught. "Yes, it tastes terrible, but bear with it. I'll get you some freshly baked bread and stew in a bit. Let me look at your side first."

She left briefly to gather the items that she needed, before returning to retake her seat on the bed. She proceeded to push aside the covers and started to remove his dressing, with such minimal fuss and fluster that he could not help but marvel over her level of calmness even when completely alone with a male stranger.

"Are you a healer?" he asked, watching as she unraveled his soiled bandages and dropped them in a basin. That deep gash at his side looked significant enough to be concerning, but at the same time, the raw, sluggishly bleeding wound also seemed to be knitting together already. He wondered what she had used to make him heal at such an incredible rate.

"Perhaps," she replied ambiguously, not even looking at him as she started to clean the edges of the injury with a warm and damp washcloth. Despite her not-very-demure demeanor, her touch was careful not to cause him undue physical distress. "Are you healing? If so, I suppose I am one, after all."

"…" He was faintly nonplussed by her nonchalance. The sum total of his interactions with this mysterious woman so far all left him feeling somewhat disoriented and bewildered. For someone who was used to having the upper hand and having everything planned out meticulously, this was not a good position to be in.

She met his gaze and commented.

"You know, you weren't really at that state of 'certainly' dying that I could reasonably ignore you and leave you to it in that pit. You were only significantly injured and so it grated on my conscience not to do a thing. It was really troublesome," she informed him honestly as she applied what looked like some herbal poultice on his jagged laceration. He wondered how he was supposed to respond to her evidently reluctant rescue of him. More importantly…

"…You saved me…on your own?" he sounded rather surprised by the realization.

She lifted her brow at his question.

"Do you see anyone else here? You were really heavy, too. It took a long time getting you out of that hole." she retorted, starting to redress him with fresh strips of bandages once her cleaning was completed. "So, please refrain from falling into any pits in the future, will ya? Or if you really cannot help yourself, maybe you should do it somewhere far away from here, or do it properly at least."

His ears were turning a faint pink again at her dry remarks. He was usually a lot more composed than this but this woman was riling him effortlessly. A faint flicker of irritation thrummed across his usually impassive senses. His lavender gaze was visibly aggravated as he met hers.

"I apologize for causing you inconvenience. Next time, should I ever feel the inclination to drop into a boar pit, I shall endeavor to fall on all the spikes so as not to cause any trouble to anyone around me."

His clipped, somewhat acerbic reply elicited the strangest reaction out of her.

Her cat-slit eyes lit up and she laughed. It was a husky, full throated laugh, and that alluring sound immediately sent sharp frissons of awareness running through him. His gaze focused on her, the pink of her lips, the flash of her white teeth, the sharp glint of her incisors almost animalistic in their nature. He simultaneously wanted to hear her laugh again just to experience that thrilling, disconcerting, feeling once more, even as at the same time, an entirely alarming suspicion was starting to occur to him. Of all the most ludicrous, inappropriate responses to have-!

"You're a funny one, aren't you?" Was all she said while he was off having an internal crisis. Funny? He was a knight commander and the heir to the House of Tsukasa. He was noble and gallant and he was extremely good at directing people to kill each other on a battlefield. He wasn't funny. He wanted to object to her commentary but she finished up securing his bandages and simply walked off to deal with the soiled bindings. She returned shortly with a bowl of stew and bread for him, as promised. With some careful maneuvering, she managed to get him seated on the bed without jostling his splinted leg too much before she handed him his meal.

It was very good, he realized after an initial taste. Thick chunks of braised venison and garden vegetables covered in savory gravy, only lightly spiced in order to bring out the sweetness and flavors of the meaty and wholesome dish.

"I usually don't see any humans around these parts. What are you doing all the way up these mountains?" she asked as she enjoyed her share of dinner.

Eishi paused carefully to ponder a reply. 'I'm here to find and kill a dragon' did not sound like the words of someone with a sane mind. The woman obviously already did not have a very high opinion of him already – did he really want her to think that he was a raving lunatic as well?

"…I'm exploring this mountain range," he replied at last, slowly. "I…travel around a lot."

He mainly 'travelled around a lot' to wage wars and invade foreign lands by the order of his King, but she did not have to know that. Most importantly, he was realizing that he did not want the friendly way she was looking at him right now to change to fear…and wariness, as most people whom he met inevitably did once they realized who he was…and on whose mandates he moved for. This woman, exasperating as she was, had just saved his life, treated his injuries, and let him into the sanctuary of her home. He owed this much to her, at the very least.

Never mind his own growing intrigue towards her.

She looked at him with a flicker of interest.

"Oh? Why do you travel around a lot?" Her inquisitive tone shifted imperceptibly to a humorous one. "Surely it's not to peek at unsuspecting maidens taking their baths, good sir?"

She remembered!

He nearly choked on his bite of stew, sputtering and turning really, really red.

"I wasn't peeking at you!"


A while later, after Eishi had hurriedly explained his side of the story and (his) honor had (reasonably) been satisfied, he realized that he still had no idea who this vivacious, spirited redhead was. Come to think of it, she had no idea who he was either.

"…I'm Eishi. What's your name?"

She looked at him in a silently inscrutable manner.

"I'm…Rindou."

"Rindou…as in the gentian? The bellflower?"

He had seen the trumpet shaped, azure flowers carpeting entire meadows when he had been exploring area, obviously indigenous to this alpine region. If she was native to this mountainous land, then it would not be too out of the ordinary for her to have been named after the bold, striking blooms.

She was quiet for the longest moment.

"Yes."


::tsuzuku::


Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:

This AU was actually supposed to be part of a one-shot thingy for 'Peerless,' but as with everything I touch, it ballooned into something a lot bigger (despite my best efforts to contain it). In the end, I thought that it would be better if I just turned it into a fic all on its own, so here we are.

You will also notice that the writing style for this chapter is somewhat disjointed at parts, and the pacing is quite fast. Again, this was supposed to be a one shot so I was experimenting with my writing with that expectation in mind. The flow should become smoother in subsequent chapters. Well, I hope.

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The actual inspiration for this fic came from a curious conclusion that I drew from Tsukuda-sensei's conception of Eishi and Rindou's characters in the manga.

As we know, Rindou's name (竜胆), uses the kanji for 'dragon' (竜) and 'gall' (胆). Put together, it is also the Japanese word for 'gentian', a type of intense blue, trumpet-shaped flower from the genus gentiana. However, the name '竜胆' can also be translated to mean '(to have the) spirit and/or courage of a dragon.' I find that very fascinating, because if we interpret her name that way, suddenly Rindou's physical appearance (and personality) is making A LOT of sense. Those fangs of hers, those golden slit-pupils – they're not catlike, guys. They're dragon-like!

And guess whom do we have on the other end who carries the title of 'White Knight of the Table?'

Tsukuda-sensei, you're very sly!

Erm. So yes. Long story short, dragons and knights pretty much come hand in hand in myths and legends so this was how I ended up hatching this fantasy/medieval AU, for those of you who were curious to know.

Last thing to address is medieval AUs and the usage of Old English. For this fic, I will not be using Old English colloquial for the characters' speech, mainly because I feel that it's unnecessarily distracting. Feel free to assume that in this medieval AU setting, the people speak in modern English for the most parts.

As always, concrit and feedback are very much welcome! Thanks for reading!

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Your reviews make me update faster; so please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-sllebswap