Revised: 28th August, 2009
Chapter 2
His eyelids felt so heavy as he struggled to open it with the less energy left. Too tired still to wake up. But the only sixth sense that always worked even he was still like this, in such a weak state, already told that he was in an interesting place. Where he laid sprawled like just fainted was too hard to be as mattress like previous night on what he remembered. The smells were also quite different.
Where am I?
Yuuri was laying on the hard ground. His vision still blurred from time to time like the world was spinning around. Colors even mixed each other. Damn frail eyes.
But after regaining enough strength, he stood with sometimes just wanted to give up and fall on knees again. Weak. His head spun still and there was still a violent pain reaping through his body. Still. It felt like every breath of oxygen passed the wall of his throat, every heartbeat went on, were aching him more. It...hurt. Each part in his body slowly drained its energy for just kept his consciousness up.
When his vision cleared a little by several blinks and force on himself, the youth scanned his surroundings. Rolling his eyes a half while went to a tree for then supporting his limp body, he saw himself in the middle of a forest. There were cool breezes, waving his messy hair but the effect was just calming him a way too nice to pass.
Leafy trees were around. Luckily the gaps of any plants didn't really that narrow, as golden glows were trough the canopy above and lighten around. No road, as long as he could see with blur that didn't ever go away.
He guessed that it was already noon.
When he in turn looked at himself, he found that he wore a white shirt underneath a long, blue tribe jacket. His legs were covered with matching pants, and his brown boots were calf high. He had a brown cloak on, too. It surprised him, too, to find a sword hanging from his waist.
What are these clothes...?
He couldn't remember anything.
Nothing that would make him believe how he got here in this attire came into mind. It surprised him to find out that he could not even remember his own name.
Who am I?
.
Why am I here?
.
What are me?
.
For once, Yuuri's expression turned into a really tired as he tumbled down on the harsh texture of wood behind, eyes lidded a half while it slightly glinted with bewildered. Fear. All of it mixed into a fully one.
Do I even have name?
.
Where is this?
.
--GASH--
Suddenly, he unsheathed his sword and positioned himself to defend. His head snapped sharply adding more pain to his aching head. But he didn't care. It was all because of just reflect, after all. With the only sixth sense he had, Yuuri silently wished that it was enough to just...just... made him later know of his name.
His sword was ready before him. It surprised him to find out that he could wield such a weapon. There was still much to learn about himself.
A blurred figure lurked close to him. The moving shadow with brown cloak covered the eyes more than alerted Yuuri. That person wore similar clothing to his. Even with the same golden trim on the clothes. Maybe...
--Still gasping to fight off the pain, Yuuri quietly asked, "Who... are you?"
The cloaked figure let out an audible sigh as kneeled in front of Yuuri. Though, a sec after that the sharpest point of that soukoku's sword already almost touched the hidden face behind the shadow of hood. Time seemingly warp around them as Yuuri saw a glint went on the eyes.
Glasses.
"Get closer and I'll...kill you," Yuuri warned, but inside he was panicking. His emotions were unsteady with a part of his head screamed to just put down of his sword and ask if this person knew about himself, still with the other side pushed him to just kill this threat, yes, threat, away so he won't die in this foreign place.
But, there was still that nagging pain in his head and his breath was getting heavier. His vision blurred and his grasp on the sword's hilt weakened.
"Calm down..., Yuuri." The person broke the silence as Yuuri just wanted to faint right away. "Calm down."
That voice. It was a sound that was very familiar to him.
Is this person know about me? Can he tell me?
The voice in behind of his head screamed, ordering him to kill louder and louder with the raging desire forced to fill up his emotion. It made the headache worsened, heartbeats rapidly grew faster.
Kill. Kill. Kill.
Yuuri couldn't take it anymore.
With almost closed eyes, he finally gave up by just closing it as tight as he can to preventing the pain that later must be felt, remembering the hard ground he previously had been laying on. Meanwhile he let the hilt of sword slipped off from his clammy grip. The sound of its thud rang for the last time before his ears seemingly gone deaf.
Maybe I'm already dead?
But the pain he thought would felt didn't come. Instead a pair of arms--not really strong, though--still held him before fell.
Who is this person? Is he knowing me? Can he help me?
Can I know my name from this person?
Yuuri remembered nothing.
Murata sighed heavily. Seating at the edge of the bed, he looked over the young king who slept on it. He turned his head and watched the open window let the bright sunshine through. It was a beautiful morning and the birds were singing joyfully from the trees nearby. The sky was clear and a light blue. Brushes of clouds made a rather artistic view. It was simply...peaceful.
Outside.
Another sigh.
When he looked back at the youth, Yuuri's breaths were still labored like before. Even after having infused healing maryoku trough the silver glows from the Sage's hand itself, he could still say that Yuuri's face was still pale. He even whimpered in pain from time to time. The voice was...hoarse.
.
Murata felt that Yuuri was already coming to, so he kept on looking over the sleeping figure. Meanwhile, his hand slipped off from its previous place on the teen's clammy one - the glow was off. Prepared himself by putting on of his casual face, Murata blinked slowly.
His prediction was right.
Yuuri's fingers moved a little. The dark eyelashes fluttered softly before then the closed lids came too to open itself and showed pair of onyx orbs. Hazy. Eyes half open, the dazed boy realized another presence sitting beside him.
His head turned weakly to the figure who was just a little beside of his vision's reach, and stared at the familiar, face. Yuuri's eyes blinked as he tried to focus his vision.
Blink.
Blink.
Murata smiled gently, feeling very relieved as he didn't really need to waist such an amount of energy in order to just keep his King's soul steady.
"Good morning..., Yuuri."
He picked the words well. The tone was soft. His hand ran to comb back some hair that covered the other boy's face. He didn't jerked away once being touched. Yuuri relaxed with that caress. He slowly rose from the lying position. But his arms were still weak. Murata bent to help him.
Finally sitting, Yuuri's gaze met with Murata's clearly for the first time.
"I...Yuuri..." The soukoku King spoke subconsciously before as Murata wanted to say things further, he continued. "You were...that person, right?" Yuuri's half closed eyes showed a childishness, much relieve to Murata as trail of Yuuri's usual behavior still there.
Fixing his glasses and added a glint, which brought a flinch to the other soukoku with the aura, Murata replied, "Right. I'm sorry for surprising you, Yuuri. But that time, I had to take you away from...troublesome, people." Murata cheerfully explained, a boyish smirk curving at his lips.
My, what a perfect mask I've done today.
Yuuri's expression softened.
Seeing no negative reaction, still with the previous mood he had, Murata spoke further. "I had to change your clothes. You had some cuts and bruises on you, and your clothes were dirty. I didn't want to risk an infection."
"It's okay. Thanks for saving me. Back then I thought you were an enemy." This time, Yuuri's voice a bit stronger than before,
"May I know...your name?"
For a second, Murata's smirk almost left. His black pupils already went wide, the shock bolted his entire thoughts and scattered it. For a sec, yes, the Sage completely lost the iron control over his mask and behavior that planned before to be showed perfectly, like usual he did, in front in his King. This was all too great for a surprise. None of this scene, this happening had ever predicted by him before. What happened?
Meanwhile, Yuuri himself felt a sudden concern; afraid that he had just messed everything, "I-I'm sorry! D-did I...do something wrong?" He gripped on the blankets over him tight, until even his knuckles turned white. Murata shot back into the reality right away as first he realized how uncomposed he was. Stupid me.
"Of course, not." The glassed boy smiled reassuringly. "Well, I am Murata. Ken Murata. For you, your name is Yuuri. Shibuya Yuuri." Murata added as he begun to create on his hypothesis, and few points that he got less in a second of full-speed of thinking - the most important thing is to say everything slowly.
But sure.
Yuuri looked away, "...Yu--Yuuri..." He tried the name on his lips, still groggy from previous thing happened. Murata read of Yuuri's thought again as he saw of the grip on the fabric below. Interesting.
The young Sage tried to comfort his pal. "I understand you couldn't remember anything." Murata spoke gently. In reply, Yuuri looked back at him in an equal surprise like how he was before.
"I...don't. H-how?" The curiousness was clear heard in his tone.
Murata kept quite still for a few seconds, before he chose his decision to not telling all things detailed for now.
'There're still much times...left.'
"Like I've said, Your name is Yuuri. You are the king of this country, which named Shin Makoku." He started without bothering to answer the previous question that still echoed in a corner of his mind. Yuuri cannot interrupth him though -- if he wanted to, really, when then Murata continued. "I am Murata Ken, and I am your Sage." He used a loyal tone this time, the casuality from before had gone.
"King...?" That was the reply, Murata noted mentally, as he settled his whole senses in ready to see, hear, or anything of the reaction. All important behaviors he got from Yuuri until now weren't enough yet to make any clear, absolut result- the red string of this situation. He needed to know more.
But Yuuri's expression was unexpectedly hidden behind the silky black bangs, fell on the pale face in comparison as he bowed his head. For another few seconds the silence drowned them both. Murata waited in patient like the usual he had in facing of...war. Too hyperbolyzed, okay. But something important must be coming out just then after that. The key.
"Really?"
Murata froze inside, while the mask still worn up on his face. His mouth automatically replied.
"Yes."
o
o
Without daring to see his new friend's face, Yuuri curled a little in his laying position and clutched the blanket tighter again. He was quite used to that method somehow for few times, and always did it once questions popped out in his head to be asked. He had asked, asked and asked. Still Murata looked really patient in answering him. But Yuuri just not really comfortable...maybe he already bothered his 'friend'?
But he really, really had to ask this only question that had lingered still in his mind. The point of all.
"Yes, Yuuri?"
Closed his both eyes a half, a slight glint appeared, crossing upon those onyx orbs.
"Do you know why I...forgot my memories?"
Such a fool you are. Asking that question?
There was that voice again. Yuuri gripped the fabric tighter even more as the pain, the pounding headache that was almost like familiar for him now--felt again. Please, please, not now. He pleaded quietly while closed his eyes. The sight was getting blur; much for his own increased confusion for seeing all things spinning around him.
Murata's glasses glinted as his eyes carefully watching over Yuuri's small movement, where he could always read of his mind from. Slightly the soukoku raised an eyebrow as he saw a ghast expression of pain went across the King's face. Is he hurt?
Maybe...
He arranged the words that were then spoken with calm tone, all like usual when he was only in a casual style. Like there was nothing. Like the question was nothing at all...so easy to answer. Seemingly. Likely.
"I'm not so sure still about it, Shibuya..."
Something in Yuuri's deepest thought reacted to Murata's last word. Though he can't think about it further as he gripped tighter. The pain increased. More. More. Like his head hit mercilessly by someone. Who is it? Why it feels so hurt? What have I done wrong?
"You have to know the reason by yourself." Murata's hand slipped onto Yuuri's, and glowed with soft silver light.
Yuuri felt something warm, something warm but foreign to his senses reaped up into his body. The warmth he felt soon just like made him to close his eyes, and relaxed into the embrace of the darkness.
And his unconscious figure landed securily on Murata's ready lap.
.
A purple glow appeared by the winder. Another human form appeared there. Blond locks shimmered under the touches of the midday sun light. Shinou's bluish-oceanic eyes were penetrating into the depth of the other onyxes from his, his Sage. Though then the glint from his 'partner's glasses broke their contact.
"Hey," Shinou spoke with a palm rested on his waist, eyes shifted to land on Yuuri's peacefully sleeping figure on his-HIS Sage's lap. There was a hint of jealousy there, before then the blond pushed it aside and got to the more important of this conversation would lead.
"Is this the best way?"
Murata sighed deeply. "I don't think it's helping his unsteady emotions right now. Especially when...the others are coming." Lazily, the teen rolled his eyes to the door's sight and waited until--
"Hmm?" The blonde's eyebrow lifted. Somehow as he still trapped with few thoughts on why should his successor laid his head on HIS Sage's lap like that--especially as he cannot often had the same privilege, so hey!--
The small chamber's door slammed open, revealing the Maou's advisors. Gunter, Wolfram, Yozak and Conrad were there with tensed expression. Shouts of 'Wait!'s and 'Don't get in there!!'s heard from behind; Murata then knew so-well on how exactly those nobles came in there.
"Yuuri!" -- "Heika!" -- "Bocchan!" -- "Yuuri!!"
Four shouts echoed in the room. The Sage sighed in annoyed as then his eyes pierced. Aimed. Glared, to be exact, towards the troublemaker BOY as himself, Murata sadly admit it, was acted as the babysitter.
Ignoring the four set of eyes landed, on their both figure (since the *sleeping* third one was quite hidden behind the blankets and by Murata's torso) while freezing with the unusual scenes they saw, Murata asked. Straightly.
"When . did . you . tell . them . , . Shinou?" His tone was dark.
"I thought you will...allow, ME to do that." Shinou crossed his arms and mocked the Sage. His Sage. "--You're really strange sometimes."
Sighing, Murata just could accept that answer half-heartedly and reminded himself mentally to NOT letting any...tease (?) got by the King in their private times further.
The young Sage then turned his face to the newcomers, with the cheerful mask already put on, drastically; quite surprised the nobles with the changes. In sudden.
Meanwhile, in the fourth of them, Conrad already felt of Murata's eyes on him. For once their gazes met each other, glinted in ghast stimultaneously before each of them perfectly hided it behind of the smiles. The fakeness of face, though for the brown-headed knight himself still was in his concern state.
"Well, then. Wouldn't you guys mind to bring him back to the castle?" A smile appeared at the sage's lips, while he moved his body a little to show the collapsed king on his lap.
Wolfram's the one who walked closer, followed by Conrad and the others. "Sure."
The brown haired knight was the one who gently carried the king in a princess style, before standing again between his friends.
"Geika..., where did you find Heika?"
Every pair of eyes now landed onto Murata, "It doesn't matter right now. I promise I'll tell about it soon. Now just bring him back. I'm not sure he could hold it any longer in that kindof situation." Pointed with his sharp gaze, Murata stood and leaned against the wall beside the window.
Peoples' attentions were fully focused on their king, who was breathing heavily. His face was pale.
"Okay. We'll bring him." Gunter chose not to argue further, though he was really worried about his king's condition. Conrad nodded before leaving.
When the door closed behind the last of them, Murata's eyes revealed concern. His gaze drifted outside, "What do you think?" He asked to the original king, who now leaned against the wall, too.
"It's quite enough for now. He has to fight for his own happiness soon." With closed eyes, Shinou fell again into a deep thought.
"But I'm still really concerned about Shibuya." Murata's eyes reflected the blue sky. When he turned his head, he tried to calm himself by gazing outside.
.
.
"We just have to wait until he realizes that."
.
.