The same disclaimer still applies : yada, yada,… not mine…, yada, yada…
The same warnings still apply : yaoi only rumored, English still isn't my language, yada, yada…
Criticism welcome… Even flames (I've caught a cold last week… I'll make them useful !)…
Reviewer's corner :
Huge huge HUGE thanks to Sanada (First chapter sounds better now, doesn't it ?) !
Part 2 "Tending wounds and waiting."
The general took care of the wound. First, getting rid of the shirt. Then cleaning all the blood. And bandaging. Maybe the marshal should see a doctor, he had thought. Then he remembered that Heaven's inhabitants weren't supposed to need doctors. Well, the toushin taishi certainly had one… But certainly discretion was more than necessary right now.
Once done with the bandaging, Kenren taishou stood by the side of his marshal who was still sitting on his own desk. For the first time, the general met the dragon king's eyes.
« What do we do now? »
But instead of Goujun, the wounded kami replied with this steel edge of his in his voice :
« YOU do nothing. I may act like your adjutant, but I'm still outranking you. So, you go back to your quarters, make sure nobody saw you coming here and stay over there. »
Only silence welcomed the tirade.
« And right now. », he added after a while, because of the lack of reaction from the general. And turning towards the dragon's silent silhouette :
« He has nothing to do with the present matter. I don't need him here when authorities will come and question me. »
« Don't you dare Tenpou gensui ! A gripe against me is a gripe against you, right? I've already told you that... The contrary is true, too-»
The only thing which could interrupt the taishou's outburst was the slight smile which graced Tenpou's lips at this moment... The marshal spoke again :
« Do you know what I've thought that time you mention ? That you had appeared to make things worse... »
His face turned from wistful to solemn again in a split second.
« ...And I don't want it to happen again.»
That was low, and the marshal knew it. He just wanted Kenren out of here. And the dragon king seemed not willing to interfere with. As for the general, he wasn't even trying to hide his fury.
« I won't leave and that's final! »
Tenpou closed his eyes. He was so tired, had so much matters to deal with right now... He's an individualist- does exactly as he pleases: it's what he had said about Kenren in Konzen's office, a long time ago. He sighed, feeling more defeated he had for ages.
« Suit yourself. I give up. »
It had as only effect to make the general even more worried. Tenpou gensui was the most stubborn person he had ever met... However, he wasn't in the state to fend for himself right now.
######
Kenren######
That's why I'm going to stay here, he said inwardly. I'm here for you, because you were here for me. Because you protect people you care about, it's my turn to protect you. I remember the cell. I had done what I thought I had to do. I thought of you as a friend already, even though I never thought that you would involve yourself in the matter. And then...
I raised up my eyes and saw... Goujun. I don't like him. He doesn't like me. He had already told me that when I came under your command, the first time we met. It was the last person I thought I would see here. He was the last person I thought would free me. He was the last person I thought would ask me for my motives. For all I know, he never told me his ones. He threw the keys, had a nice chat, and bye-bye, he was gone... You were the only reason why he could have been here.
I hadn't the slightest idea how much time I had spent in this fucking cell, being whipped and hearing the sound of Litouten's laughter...
I made my way towards the part of the palace where was quartered the Western army. I could have reached my own place, but anyhow, I found myself in front of the library's door.
I knocked, « Oy, Tenpou ! », and without waiting for an answer, I came into the room, still awfully bloody. And you were here, the two of you waiting for me. The little gaki, Goku, bouncing here and there, telling something about a message he had had from his friend Nataku, and how worried he had been about me... And Tenpou gensui in his usual lab coat, staring at me up and down in silence. Icecold outside, all fury inside (I hoped then it wasn't against me). And the first aid kit ready on the desk. And strangely enough, I felt relieved to be « at home » at last. Well, before tripping over one of the books scaterred on the floor...
…And before you came back hurt from Litouten's office. Where you had been to have me back as a general. Today, I don't care wether it was for me or against Litouten. Today, I'll pay my debt. And I'm going do what need to be done.
######
Goujun######
I've looked at the taishou tending his officer's wound. It was just before he had asked me what we should do. I've heard them argue about the fact that the taishou is still here. I've seen it when even the marshal gave up the idea to keep him out of what happened tonight.
Devotion. It's the word which has come to my mind at that moment, whatever be the twisted rumors I heard about their relationship in Tenten's palace.
Kenren taishou is insubordinated, obnoxious to me, childish… But devoted to his marshal. I would have kicked him myself out of my army, if not for the marshal's insistence. But maybe he would be able to make himself useful, this time.
Tenpou gensui. I remember him, when he came in my office that afternoon, after the Kenren taishou's last idiocy right under the emperor's very eyes. He claimed he was looking for his general who was missing for report. He wasn't wearing his casual clothes such as lab coat, slippers, loosy tie... He was all leather-clad in his battle uniform. And deadly serious, too.
The man was needed for military matter, he had said. But nowhere to be found. Maybe had I seen him at Tenten's council with the toushin taishi's army, earlier that day?
Maybe I knew where he was now?
I know the man. Tenpou gensui. I know what he is able to do. Never asking a question without knowing the answer. I know how much he is valuable for my army, indeed.
That time, I couldn't help wonder sarcastically whether he really expected he would find Kenren taishou in my office. Of course not, he replied.
He had an understanding smile and turned around. Departing without looking back at me first, he said :
« I don't care about what you think of the man. But don't underestimate his use as a soldier. »
And he went on, opening the door with a smooth gesture :
« Do you remember that mission on Earth, a few months ago? I let one of my men die this day. » And slightly louder, angrier… « This means the Western army lost one of its men that day. » Quieter again. « Without this general, two persons would have been reported missing. This dead man and one of your marshals. It's all in my report, I think. »
At this moment, he turned to stare at me straight in the eyes, never flinching:
« I'm waiting for him in my quarters as soon as possible. » And he went out silently, closing the door quietly behind him.
Was that a command? You've got nerves, Tenpou gensui. I almost smiled. I, dragon king of the Western sea and commander of the Western army. A rarity, really.
I am not doing this for you, marshal. I'm not doing this for this idiot of a general. I'm doing this because it's my role to lead my men. Their penance should be my penance. And nobody else than me should decide when their punishment should end.
That's how a few hours later I found myself walking between the wet cells in the underground of Tenten's palace. Cells in Heaven? Yes, there are a few ones. Some secrets to hide maybe... I came myself to free the taishou from his jail, where he had been thrown by Litouten.
Litouten. The rising great minister in Heaven.
« Do you know anybody who could want to set you up? » I had just asked.
Why have I needed all this time to understand? It was Tenpou gensui who made abort Litouten's order to get rid of the straightforward general. Because naturally I wouldn't have had a hand in that matter myself...
##############
For a few minutes more, the room remained silent. The three of them were looking at the corpse again. As you would, if some kind of impossibility had become suddenly true under your very eyes. Death was an abstraction in Heaven, after all.
« Who knows about that ? », asked the Western sea dragon king, pointing towards the dead soldier. The marshal tried to focus on the question.
« Me. The two of you. That's all. I don't think I've seen anybody else in my office before you came in... »
But the general interrupted him :
« But you weren't in the best state to be sure of that .»
« And the door was open all the time. », pointed the dragon.
The marshal stoop up. Kenren was ready to support him at any weakness' sign, but the other one managed to look steady.
« I think I'm going to make myself presentable before I got arrested. »
But instead of walking towards his bedroom, he skirted the blood pond, and bowed to pick up a book which was laying on the floor before the incident. It was stained with the liquid. And shaking it a bit, vain gesture as if to make disappear the redness, they heard him whisper :
« What a pity... How are you supposed to wash the blood off...? ».
None of the two of them knew exactly wether Tenpou was speaking about the book or the corpse. He came back towards Kenren only to put the book on the desk, then walked into his room, closing the door quietly behind him.
The dragon was the first moving. Kenren was still looking at the bedroom's door as if he could make out Tenpou's moves through the walls... It was the slight change in the light which made him aware that somebody was standing right beside him.
He and the Western sea king weren't on good terms. But the dragon was the only one available for further informations at the moment. The general knew by the way the marshal had tried to make him go away, that Tenpou didn't want any of his acquaintances (or friends) to be involved. It meant he couldn't knock at Konzen's office in the middle of the night (which wouldn't have been a pleasure because of the said blond's temper, but would have been done nonetheless if necessary). But he had to ask somebody who was more than him aware of Heaven's hierarchy :
« Are they really going to arrest him? He was only trying to protect his own life... ».
Goujun was now a few inches close to him, exactly where Tenpou had been a few minutes ago. He stared at Kenren taishou straight in the eyes, which had an unnerving effect on the later. The general tried no to flinch, focusing only on that aim. That's why he was utterly taken aback as Goujun spoke again to answer his question :
« Prove it. »
« Nani? But it's obvious : he has been wounded. Why would he have wanted to kill one of his own men? That's a nonsense ! You've said it yourself : he has been set up! »
He had grabbed his officer's white clothes, looking angry and menacing... And found himself on the floor not knowing how.
« So you were listening to a private conversation between me and my subordinate? »
The king was dusting himself off, his hand brushing where the general had touched the fabric.
« But that's not the matter right now. » The tone was level, even though the dragon's nasty look let Kenren know that the bit of information wasn't forgotten anyway. But Goujun kept on speaking...
« This wasn't what I meant. Do you really think that an outstanding officer like Tenpou gensui would be so easy to kill? Plus, it would have looked like what it would have been : a murder. And the culprit would have been looked for. But right now, whatever be the reason, it is the marshal who looks like a murderer... And you can be sure that the people who hired this man to kill Tenpou gensui - and I don't want to think of how they corrupted a man from my own army - even though they knew he wouldn't succeed in it, are aware of the fact that it is the right moment to strike. With the Heaven law with them. And to make the marshal get out of their way. »
Goujun stopped and gave the general a pointed look. It was the longest speech Kenren had ever heard from his army commander. He tried to process all the informations, while standing up again. Then he crossed the draconic eyes a second time and said : « That's why Tenpou is so sure that they're are going to arrest him right now... ».
Tenpou gensui. The outstanding officer, as Goujun himself used to say. One of the greatest strategist in Heaven : of course the man had himself figured that out. Kenren fell in a morose silence. He was already waiting for the unavoidable.
Suddenly...
« Kenren taishou. » The dragon's voice again. The first time since a long while.
« You get rid of the corpse. I'll make sure nobody knows about the... incident », pronounced distinctly Goujun.
Who knows whatever runs in a dragon's mind ?
#### à suivre ###