Chapter 1: The Patrol
Pale skies hung over a grey landscape, the hint of a stale breeze blew through the sagging reeds of a dying field. The smell of rot hung heavy in the air.
Ryoma stared out at the fading landscape, his brow creased. It had been eight months since the first reports had come in from the border, cries of famine and a strange disease that crawled over the land killing as it went. Now it had reached the core of the country. A strong burst of wind tussled Ryoma's black hair, his golden eyes watered as dust and small bits of dead plants danced through the air.
His horse neighed nervously and pranced its front legs in with a skittish gate. He leaned down to stroke the beast's neck and looked up, tapping into the horse's suspicion.
"What is it, you smell something in the wind that's making you nervous?"
The horse snorted and tossed its black mane. Ryoma straightened himself and adjusted the short sword at his side, looking back toward the field. A sudden movement caught his eye, he quickly spotted a large black shape moving towards them at an alarming rate. Swiftly pulling the sword from its hilt in a single arch, he alerted his two guards with a quick shout.
They were both a good ways off idly letting their horses graze. Lazing bastards, slacking off on the job. A month's worth of shoveling horse dung in the stables would hopefully remind them to be more diligent when on patrol… with their crowned prince no less, Ryoma thought indignantly, tugging on his horse's reigns as he turned to face their new foe.
A low menacing mixture between a growl and a hiss erupted from the approaching animal. It lifted its large black head to reveal a monstrous sight. The animal resembled a large dog, almost as large as his own horse, covered in shining black and green scales from head to toe, excluding the strip of sleek black hair running along its back from the tip of its snout to the end of its long, whip like tail. The animal's gruesome fangs revealed themselves as it drew its lips back into another snarl, an overpowering stench rose in the air like that of rotting flesh.
Ryoma recognized the creature at once.
But a wolfsnake pup? It should be impossible, they were supposed to only inhabit the southern forests of Seigaku. What was it doing here?
Ryoma reared his horse hopping to frighten the beast off, but the wolfsnake only hissed louder and began to stalk around him.
If only he hadn't worn light armor today.
Ryoma took a closer look at his opponent. On second glance he recognized the manginess of the animal's fur, the missing scales, the half-crazed look in its blood shot eyes. The signs of starvation clung to the animal like a disease, its ribs sticking out sharply in contract to the pup's depressed stomach.
Had the plague drawn this monster here, so far from its home, in search of food?
The monster tensed and lowered itself into a crouch. Like a tightly wound spring the starving animal pounced, jaws bared toward Ryoma and his steed. Ryoma raised his sword and braced himself for impact. An impact that never came. The wolfsnake yowled and crumpled on the ground, as a red arrow flew forward and ledged itself in its side.
"It's about time," yelled Ryoma without turning around, his main attention still focused on the animal, which had now retreated several feet and was nursing its wound.
"Sorry, I wasn't aware that the princess needed saving," a smug voice called back.
Ryoma's cheeks flushed with anger, "Shut up Momoshiro! I do not need saving! But that doesn't mean you can slack off either. For God's sake you're captain of the guard, take your job more seriously!"
"Yes… Princess," Momo replied hulling the large black bow back over his head and drawing his broadsword.
"And just because we grew up and trained together does not give you the right to mock me so openly," Ryoma snapped back.
"Yes, your Highness. I will make sure to mock you only in private from now on," Momo said flippantly as he made a large bowing motion.
Before Ryoma could retort another guard rode up, he wasn't as large as Momo but held an even more domineering air about him, "If you two are finished now, we don't have time for idle discussion. The beast is still alive, focus."
"Yes, thank you General Tezuka, you always were the most capable man in our armed forces," Ryoma replied in a formal tone, although shooting a provoking glance at Momoshiro, who grimaced.
"Enough," Tezuka commanded.
Just then, a loud hiss from the wolfsnake, quickly regained the attentions of all three party members.
"Flank me, Captain take my left, General my right, we'll surround it," ordered Ryoma angling his sword toward animal, which was beginning to stalk them once more. His men quickly moved into formation and the three soldiers began heard the beast toward the wall of a nearby cliff and close in. Ryoma could see the animal hesitate glancing between them, letting out a low menacing growl.
"Careful," Ryoma half commanded his men and half himself, he knew there was nothing more dangerous than an animal pinned against a wall with no other escape. It would try to tear its way out with only desperate self-preservation driving its assault. He felt a phantom sting where his right forearm held the long pale scar that still remained from his childhood.
He had made the mistake of harboring a wild dog in an abandoned shed. He had believed he could tame it with pure good will and affection, but its instincts and mistrust of humans had run too deep. One day he had gotten too close, the dog had been cornered against the back of the shed and attacked him. It was a miracle that he wasn't more seriously injured. One of the knight trainees had followed him to the shed and shot the thing before it could go for Ryoma's neck. Momo was always handy with bow despite his stocky build, Echizen owed his friend's skill his skill his life. He had still lost a lot of blood. Queen Rinko, his mother had nearly fainted when Momo had carried him in Ryoma, his bloody torn up arm slung over his chest. However, Ryoma was young then and his arm had healed nearly flawlessly, albeit for the scar and a lesson never to be forgotten.
Momo must have picked up on to his apprehension because he shot him a cocky smile and winked. Ryoma smirked back. This would not be like that time. He had only been eight then and now, ten years later, he was a fully grown, fully trained warrior. Ryoma retrained his focus onto the snarling beast and gave the signal to make the move. Just at that moment the animal leaped lashing out viciously and lightning fast towards Tezuka's horse, locking its jaws on the horse's throat and tearing viciously. The animal dropped to the ground gurgling on its own blood, shivering, then lay still.
"I'm pinned under!" called Tezuka, struggling to free himself. The wolfsnake pup climbed up on top of the horse's carcass and leaned down barring its teeth and weight down on the general.
"Not on my watch!" Momo called rearing his horse up over the pup. It was a direct hit, the horses steel clad hooves smashed into the beasts head with a sickening crunch. The animal crumpled into a broken heap on the ground.
"And Captain Momo saves the day again!" yelled Momo grinning widely, "Momo the great! Momo the great beast slayer!"
"Don't be so cocky yet! We still need to check if the thing is dead, and Tezuka! Check if he's wounded!" Ryoma cut his captain short, he didn't like the idea of being saved again.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist your highness, the thing is dead! There's no way it could have survived a blow like that! Good old Lucy's hooves cracked that things skull in too alright, didn't ya' girl," Momo said patting the Andalusian's side. The horse snorted back proudly and pranced its front two feet. Momo quickly dismounted and sheathed his sword, sauntering over to Tezuka's side.
"You alright general?" Momo said as he began to help push the dead horse off of his general.
"Of Course," replied Tezuka shortly, "I only seem to have sprained my wrist, it should heal quickly enough."
Ryoma, still pouting tied up his horse next to Momo's and turned toward his two guards, Tezuka winced for a second, barely letting a brief look of pain flash across his stony features as Momo inspected his wrist.
It must really hurt, maybe broken, Ryoma thought concerned, Tezuka never shows pain unless it is bad, he earned his nicknamed the Stone Faced Pillar of Seigaku's Infantry for a reason after all… or maybe Momo's just a terrible nurse.
Ryoma snickered to himself and began to stride over, when a second Wolfsnake pup burst through its cover in the tall grass, launching itself at Momoshiro and Tezuka to avenge its fallen comrade. Ryoma wasted no time to react, a new burst of adrenaline rushed through his veins, he sprinted forward drawing his sword. He wouldn't make it at this rate. Ryoma threw himself forward, landing on his back, he slid forward stopping between Momo's back and the beast just in time. Ryoma thrust his blade upward, it suck up between the Wolfsnake's ribcage into its chest. With a gurgle and a shudder the animal fell limp on the young prince's sword.
Momo barely had time to react to the large animal's advance. One advantage the Prince had over his large friend was speed. He had worked for it too, practicing the split step technique for hours, using his smaller, leaner build to his advantage.
"Wolfsnakes often travel in packs when they are young, it must be its mate or brother," Ryoma said hoisting the carcass off him and shrugging out his long sword, "Now we're even."
"Hey, I killed two!" Momo retorted with a shaken laugh.
"No bickering, make sure there aren't more," snapped Tezuka pulling his injured hand away from Momoshiro, looking for an excuse to escape Momo's attempt at treating his wound.
"You're right. There were three," chimed in a smooth sardonic voice. Ryoma and his gaurds snapped to attention toward the source of the sound. A tall willowy boy dragging a third beast behind him emerged from the grass, its carcass burned severely.
The stranger was pale and slender, his light brown hair floated lightly in the breeze. He was dressed in heavy dark blue robes lined with gray fox fur. Immaculately clean black suede gloves and boots covered the man's hands and feet. He was dressed like anyone of the ornamented nobles Ryoma had seen at court and not someone who had just done battle with a ravenous monster. However, despite the finery of his clothes there was a feral look about him. Especially his eyes, at first glance they appeared relaxed and his eyelids resting softly closed, yet somehow the boy gave the impression that he saw more than the just natural world around him.
Ryoma found himself immediately absorbed by the older boy and his electrifying demeanor. He had appeared as if out of thin air and Ryoma hadn't heard, hadn't sensed his presence at all. Yet it seemed now that he had seen him, he could not tear his eyes away from the mysterious figure before him. The air around him seemed to crack with energy like lighting. It made the hairs on the back of Ryoma's neck raise in fear and excitement. There was something about this boy that drew every ounce of the young prince toward him. When the young prince finally managed to look away from the newcomer he found that Momo looked as stunned and if not infinitely more uneasy than Ryoma felt. Of course Tezuka was the unremittent exception and had reverted to his cold evaluating glare. The willowy boy turned and smiled beguilingly at the party before him and began to introduce himself.
"Ah, my apologies. I have been hunting these beasts for quite some time now. They stole something very precious of mine, and I would like to thank you for your assistance in getting it back," the whimsical boy said, striding gracefully over.
Ryoma was the first to speak, or attempt to at least, "N… No, thank you for getting that… that last one, we would have been goners, or I mean… it wouldn't have been good." Great, that was about as eloquent as his uncle Gareth after copious amounts of cider at the harvest feast, Ryoma chided himself.
"No need, it looked like you could all handle yourself quite well," replied Fuji, bending over and extending his open palm toward Ryoma, who realized he was still laying on the ground alongside his companions, covered in dirt, blood, and god knows from their earlier battle, "Would you like a hand?"
Ryoma reached forward tentatively, grabbing hold of the older boy's outreached hand, who hoisted him up with a little too much ease and a casual strength that should have been concerning. Just as Ryoma would have normally been more concerned with his disheveled and frankly very unprince-like manner at the time, he could not seem help himself. He gawked.
The figure before him was even more mesmerizing up close, his sharp elegant features made him look like one of the beautiful unearthly fae from the picturesque mosaics back at the castle. His flushed lips and full long eyelashes made Ryoma think of the exotic princesses that visited in the summer from the Warm lands, the Kingdom of Sumire. Maybe he was not human after all.
"What are you? And what are you doing here?" Momo bluntly began interrogating, the sudden words that registered slowly in Ryoma's dazed mind, however the captain's rude tone eventually brought him out of his reverie.
"Momo!" Ryoma reproached mildly mortified both at Momo's and his own behavior, "I mean Captain! Have some tact, this man just saved our lives or at least kept us from having to deal with another one of those animals, which we were wholly unprepared for. We at least owe him some gratitude and respect."
"We don't know that," Momo grumbled indignantly, "And he is clearly not from around here. This, Fuji was it… may be worse than those Wolfsnake pups. He's definitely not a normal human, and from those daggers he carting around his waist, I'd say he's obviously familiar with close range combat… and he smells of magic. This guy is dangerous, and you might have noticed if you'd stop clinging to his hand and ogling like a love struck poets daughter, your Highness."
Ryoma quickly wrenched his hand out of the other boys grasp and blushing a fiery red, quickly covering up his embarrassment with the aloof demeanor he generally reserved for court sessions, "I was not ogling… Simply showing the proper courtesy."
He trailed off glancing at the silver laced handles of a series of six daggers varying in size hanging at Fuji's waist. Amidst the blades were several herbs, leather pouches, and bundled pack of tarot cards.
"I promise you, I mean no harm," Fuji said stepping back, raising his hands and an eyebrow as his gazed returned to the young prince, "Your Highness?"
Ryoma straightened up a little, tucking in his chin, composing himself and attempted to introduce himself in the most regal manner he could manage, looking like he'd just been run over by the entire kingdoms infantry, and pulling off a pretty good job of it too if he would say so himself, "Ryoma Echizen crown prince and heir to the throne of Seigaku, son of King Nanjirou Echizen 'Samurai of the West' and Queen Rinko 'The Crimson Flower' of Sumire."
It may have been his imagination but for a second he thought he saw Fuji's eyes open a sliver revealing an icy silver blue beneath.
"Well now, that's quite a title, I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty," replied Fuji smiling like a fox who was playing with its pray, with guild and condescension. Echizen had to fight not to fidget a little under his scornful gaze, but managed to refuse looking down. No one made him feel ashamed of his heritage or family. He had met people before who had not been the greatest friends of the royal house, but Ryoma continued to believe in good conscious that his father and ancestors had been great and fair kings with very little exception. He would not back down and he met the stranger's eyes with determination, returning the older boy's stare unblinking. Fuji's smile faltered for a split second and then changed into something else, a kind of reflection seemed to take place, turning his look into a fleeting something Echizen couldn't quite put his finger on. Admiration? No not quite that, perhaps a bit of respect and… sadness? Before he could analyze the willowy wizard any further Momo 'loudly' interjected.
"AHEM! You still haven't answered my question," Momo snapped angrily rising to his feet, so he could tower over Fuji. A feat only Momo could effectively pull off, seeing as Fuji was by no means petite.
"Yes… I apologize. I have been rather rude, haven't I? Introductions yes? My name is Fuji Shusuke, I am here chasing these animals because they were sent to steal something from me. They obviously succeeded, and yes I am a warlock. Again you deductive abilities strike gold captain, I have traveled a long way, from the northern ice plains," the wizard made a small sarcastic bow, hesitating before directing his last comment more toward the Ryoma than Momo, "If it would make amends, I would be more than willing to escort you back to your home and offer you my services for roof over my head for the night. After I retrieve my stolen property of course."
"I don't think that's necessary," Momo replied harshly.
"Oh come on Momo! You are usually all too quick to trust strangers, like that man you brought into the barracks last month. The one from the bar. Fuji seems to have good intentions, or at least no malicious intent, and he'll be interesting company for the road home," Ryoma nudged the knight with his elbow, "Not scared are we?"
Ryoma was unsure as to the reason he himself was so inclined to trust this new stranger so easily. The prince usually was quite reserved by nature, and rarely gave out his trust and companionship so freely. Fuji was a stranger, a warlock of unknown origins and strength at that. Normally he would have immediately taken his friend's side, but for some reason he could not explain, Ryoma felt an intense drive to unravel Fuji's secrets. The older boy had a charisma about him that excited and intrigued the prince to his very core. He seemed like a challenge and Ryoma wanted to learn more about this warlock from the north.
"What do you say Tezuka?" Momo said suddenly turning toward the wounded General, who had managed to stand and create a makeshift sling for his injured arm.
"I agree we must be cautious, yes… but I agree with the young Prince's judgment. I have no cause to believe the warlock means us any harm," Tezuka replied, eyes cold as steal, his eyes boring into the willowy boy's skull as he mounted Momo's dapple grey Lucy, "and I agree, you are being unusually hostile Momoshiro. Remember, jealousy is unbecoming."
"Wha… What are you taking about! I am not! You're taking their side?" Momo replied flustered a slight flush coming to the knight's cheeks.
"You will remember to address me as general while we are on duty, captain," Tezuka replied coolly as pulled on Lucy's reins with his good arm and turned away from the blustering knight, glancing over to the oblivious prince now not so much stealing glances but unabashedly staring at a smirking warlock and sighed.
There had been far too much excitement for a simple patrol day, Tezuka thought to himself, he would enjoy getting a warm meal into his stomach after a quick trip to the infirmary to get his wrist in order.
Meanwhile, Ryoma turned back toward his other companions briefly, still drowning out the flurry of excuses and curses Momo was singing under his breath – toward Tezuka, himself, and the whole damn world – and then once more peeked over at Fuji, who currently was wearing a bemused expression which seemed at home across his sharp features. The young prince paused, had he just made a mistake, was Momo right, had he just invited a lion into his den. He groaned inwardly, grimacing as the adrenaline finally wore off and his own bruises became more apparent. Somehow, Ryoma could not bring himself to care much more and it concerned him a bit his easy trust in this stranger he had just met. I'm in deep shit. Ryoma begrudgingly conceded, with a mix of dread and excitement in the pit of his stomach.
