~~~ Chapter 3 ~~~
Learn the Ropes
Kasamatsu's face distorted from gratitude to anger. "Whoa whoa whoa, Moriyama! Who said you could make that decision?!" the noble yelled to his squire.
The black haired prince marched over to his staff member and was about to give him an earful when another one piped up, "How soon can you start Sir Kise?"
Like some sort of mutt, the blond's ears perked up. "Right away!"
"Oi, Kobori!" the prince scolded as he tried to control his staff. Why was no one listening to him?!
"Perfect. I'm sorry gentlemen, but it seems we have filled the position," the clerk informed. The other knights looked disappointed with the news but bowed respectfully to the noble and left with their heads down.
"Who said you could –" Kasamatsu tried to interject, again, but was once more ignored by his own staff members.
"WHOA! That was some impressive sword swingin' ya did there Kise! It didn't take all that long to kill that assassin, hu?" Hayakawa said with his endless enthusiasm. He somehow walked past Kasamatsu, without his notice, and to the blond knight. The two were conversing as if they were in their own little world.
"Heh, yup. It was easy!" Kise bragged as he flashed the brown haired man a dazzling smile.
"You and I gotta duel sometime then! I'm no super powerful knight or anythin' like that but I ain't too shabby with a sword!"
"Yeah! That would be really fun!"
"Would you idiots all shut up?!" Kasamatsu yelled as his patience level broke. Steam practically rolled off the raven haired male as he ground his teeth. Kise flinched at the prince's outburst and shrank away from him; however, the other three were unfazed by Kasamatsu's behavior. To the noble's dismay, his staff acted out of his orders from time to time. Because of this, the group was use to Kasamatsu's outbursts. They justified their actions by stating that it was for the good of their kingdom and for the prince, which is the only reason why they weren't fired the moment they stepped out of line – that and they were all exceptional at their jobs, not to mention Kasamatsu became fond of the trio.
But that didn't mean they didn't annoy the crap out of Yukio, which they did – like right now for instance. That fact alone made the noble rub his eyes in irritation.
Moriyama – the brave soul – simply sighed at the noble's antics and patted the shorter male on the head and said with a laugh, "Calm down Kasamatsu. You really don't have anything to be angry about."
The prince swatted the hand away from his head with a huff. "Knock it off," he ordered. With a calming breath, Kasamatsu continued with a more sensible tone, "And who said I was hiring him?"
With a roll of his eyes, Kobori walked up to the noble and stated, "It would be foolish to pass up the opportunity to work with a knight of his strength and status. If he's as famous as he claims to be –"
"And I am!" the blond interjected from a distance.
"– then that sort of rumor would also be a great asset. When word gets around that you have a Knight of Miracles as your personal guard, maybe the threats on your life will dwindle."
Kasamatsu wanted to rebuttal, but couldn't think of any arguing points. Simply having the knight around would be beneficial; he didn't even have to do anything to be useful. But if he were to really be his guard, he was certainly skilled enough. However, Kasamatsu still couldn't get a specific read on Kise; he couldn't tell if Kise was doing this for himself or for the good of others. If this was to boost his status, he would be picking a poor job to do so. Sure being a personal guard to nobility had long term perks, but it was a waist of talent for such a skilled swordsman. It was a lot to ponder for the young prince; so many decisions to make.
With Kise, upon hearing that the threats on Kasamatsu were not rumors (which should've been obvious to the blond by now, now that he witness and stopped an attempted murder), he couldn't help but feel shock, anger, and a sense of protection towards the shorter man. It was an odd feeling. He wanted nothing more than to hide the black haired male away from all the bad in the world, he wanted to keep him safe. Yet, the two meet not ten minutes ago, and in those seconds the noble seemed to show a clear distain for the blond. But for some reason, that little detail seemed to pass over the knight's head – he had a bad habit of not noticing people's disliking toward him. Kise has never felt so protective over someone he's just met before; it was so strange.
"Please," the blond spoke up. The four heads turned towards the knight. For some reason, Kise suddenly felt sheepish at what he was going to say next, but swallowed it down and continued, "Please let me take the job. I promise to protect you Kasamatsucchi. I'll even lower my usual asking price!" Kise paused. He looked at the other's faces to find confusion and fascination with his words. Kise wasn't one for philosophical dialogues like Midorima or can rouse a legion of men like Akashi, but the Yellow Knight had his moments in the sun – even if they were clouded by his usual selfish banter.
Kasamatsu blinked. He hated to admit it, but with those few words his mind was swayed. He didn't dare entertain the thought of him being able to change Kise into a more proper knight, but he was now fascinated with the blond and he knew he couldn't refuse him if he tried.
"This is where your room will be, Kise," Moriyama instructed as he opened a large, oak door.
Ryouta popped his head in the room and noted that it was a standard single person's chambers, complete with a bed, dresser, and a few lavish chairs littered about. The blond didn't voice how this room was smaller than his last one at the Shadow Kingdom. Instead he opted to say, "Hm, nice!"
"Know that Yukio's room is right next door, for security reasons of course," the squire continued. He closed the door and dusted off his hands and placed them on his hips, "As soon as Yukio is done with his 'princely duties' he'll show you to your plot of land."
"This is fantastic Moriyama, but who's Yukio?" Kise asked with a tilt of his head.
"Oh, sorry. That's Prince Kasamatsu's first name," the raven haired male elaborated.
"Ah." Ryouta had a feeling that the squire was referring to the black haired male, but he had to ask just to make sure. "So, Yukio is Kasamatsucchi's first name," the blond mused under his breath, "You two must be close considering you call him by his first name."
Moriyama scoffed, "Heh, I suppose. Yukio is close to all his staff, but he actually doesn't like us calling him that; it's 'too unprofessional'. We call him whatever we want behind his back, but nothing bad of course." As the squire explained their relationship, he led the knight down the halls, presumably towards the noble himself. He then chuckled, "I think you actually lucked out, Kise."
With a tilt of his head, the blond asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well," Moriyama started as he rounded a corner with Kise right on his heels, "Yukio isn't like those other stuck up princes out there that think themselves higher than others. He even treats us – his staff – as equals. I remember when one noble from a neighboring country came to visit; he was the most spoiled human being I've ever met. He even surrounded himself with beautiful women – of which I tried to introduce myself to, but was threatened with a knife to my throat. He talked so little of them.
"Yukio isn't like that at all, and I can only be thankful. I would quit in a heartbeat if someone treated me that way. But I will warn you, Kise; if you hadn't noticed already, Yukio can be a bit violent. He's got quite the temper on him. It's disorienting at first, but you'll get use to it, I'm sure. If you get past that, Yukio is a really nice guy."
Kise chuckled. The knight realized that he himself was quite the motor-mouth, but it seemed that Moriyama could compete with the blond's never ending conversations. However, Ryouta could talk about nothing all day long, whereas the squire had a meaning behind every word whether it is to teach or enlighten something to the younger knight or if it was so state something about himself. He realized quickly that he liked the raven haired male. He was fun to listen to.
"Thank you for the heads up, Moriyama," Kise said with a smile.
"You're welcome, Kise," the squire replied as he pushed open a heavy, oak door.
On the other side was none other than Kasamatsu Yukio. The room seemed to be a sort of study for the prince that was decorated with lavish furniture. Sculptures and paintings of different people and scenes littered the room making it feel like an artist's private gallery. The high ceiling and chandelier added to the effect. Ryouta couldn't help but gawk at the room. Granted, this seemed about the average sized room back in the Shadow Kingdom, but Kise wasn't about to compare the two. Kurokocchi didn't have nearly as much art in his manor as Kasamatsu, which was odd because the Shadow Prince seemed so much wealthier than his new employer. Why didn't Kurokocchi have more artwork in his castle? It was a thought for later.
When Kise's brown eyes returned to eye level, he noticed the stacks upon stacks of parchment on the noble's table. Kobori stood next to Kasamatsu, reading over his shoulder and advising the prince. The two talked in hushed tones to each other, and the blond noticed how irritated the black haired noble looked. It was almost amusing. His eyes would squint at the paper and his frown would deepen. He would comment on a matter on the paper and the clerk would respond in a more calm manner, but Kasamatsu would rebuttal as his tone would rise.
Kise felt so out of place in these situations. Kise wasn't dumb – and the bond would support that fact to his grave – but his reading and writing skills were mediocre at best. He wasn't as gifted in reading as Midorima or Akashi, but he could still manage to decipher the prince's flyer for a personal guard. However, if you hand him the bible, the blond will be completely and utterly lost in the multitude of words.
The blond shifted from foot to foot as he waited to be noticed by the noble – or maybe Kasamatsu already knew they were there but wasn't paying attention to them right now, it was difficult to say. After a few moments of the two debating over the contents of the parchment and the noble handing over his signature, Kasamatsu got up from his seat and made his way over to the blond. Kise offered a kind smile to the prince, but what he got in return was a stern, "Let's go."
Kise blinked in surprise. That was awfully rude, the knight thought, but followed the shorter male regardless.
Kasamatsu led the two outside where their horses were waiting for them. Kise hoped on top of Kering's brown haired back onto the saddle. She wasn't wearing all her armor – neither was Kise – which seemed to delight the horse as she whinnied under the knight. Her light blond locks swayed in the wind as Ryouta pet her mane. She's been her loyal companion for years; she was one of the finest horses in all the lands.
The blond looked over to Kasamatsu to see the noble also mount his steed. His horse was a slightly taller than Kise's – which was expected from someone of such status – with black hairs coving its strong body with hints of white spots under the saddle. It looked to be a strong horse indeed, and Ryouta couldn't help but feel a bit jealous (but then dismissed the thoughts because Kering was the best!).
Yukio lead the way off the estate and into the town. Kise was about to question why the prince didn't have an escort with him to lead him around his lands when he realized that he was the escort and will be for the remainder of his stay with Yukio. It was an interesting and daunting thought – to think you will be serving one person for the rest of your natural life – but that image was put to the side when the two entered a busy section of the town.
People parted for the prince like the Red Sea. Applause and cheers of gratitude could be heard from the people, and Kasamatsu handled it like quite the politician. He waved to the crowd and held a charming smile to his face. Kise was tempted to do the same – and maybe show the noble up with his glamorous looks that would sure make a few women swoon – but he had to focus. This was one of his first tests as a personal guard and knight for the prince. What if something happened, something always happens, so he had to stay sharp – but that doesn't mean he didn't wink at a few cute townspeople.
Now out of the town, the two rode into the country side. It was less crowded and there were far less buildings, and the road was dirt instead of stone. After the environment change, it didn't take long for the noble and his guard to arrive at the knight's new plot of land. It was actually the best land Kasamatsu could offer. The soil was rich and always yielded a fruitful harvest, also the serfs here were loyal. With the decline of the workers over the past few years, it was rare to find such faithful servants such as those.
Kasamatsu dismounted and Kise followed suit. Ryouta tried not to grimace as his boots sank into the muddied ground as he landed. The noble didn't even notice as he walked towards the small shack. The knight tried not to trip over the grubby terrain as he followed the prince. As the two approached the hovel, an elderly man stepped out and made his way to meet the two half way. The man was just as dirty as the mud Kise walked on. Many wrinkles adorned the other's face and he paraded around in cloths that looked just as old as he. Yet, what was surprising and confusing to the knight was that, the man still held a cheerful demeanor as he went up to greet the two.
With a kind smile, Prince Kasamatsu stretched out his hands towards the elder and the man grasped them and greeted, bowing his head, "My prince! What a pleasure to see you again. It's an honor."
"Hideyoshi," the black haired male greeted by name, "It's great to see you as well. I came to introduce you to the new owner of these lands, Sir Knight Kise Ryouta. Kise, this is Hideyoshi. He's been tending these lands for years now and there's no one better at it." The prince then emphasized his point by patting the elder on the back.
The other laughed at the noble's antics and replied with a chuckle, "I'm simply doing my job. If there's anything you need Sir, don't hesitate to ask."
"Well," the blond started as a sour look appeared on his face, "for starters, you can fetch me a rag. I'm soiling my boots on this disgusting mud." The elder hesitated. He looked to the noble then back to the knight. The blond's patience was running thin. What was this old man waiting for? With narrowed eyes, Kise repeated, "Did you hear me, peasant? I said get me a rag! You do have that much, don't you? Even such a poor man such as you can afford a simple piece of cloth, right?"
Kise couldn't manage another word out of his mouth other than a whine of pain. Kasamatsu was more than infuriated. How dare this guy?! Right when the prince was warming up to the Yellow Knight, he goes and opens his mouth and the noble would remember why he distained the blond. Kasamatsu didn't care if he was out in the open where anyone could pass by and see the noble; he couldn't resist the urge to kick Kise to the ground.
The graceful Yellow Knight landed on his butt in the mud after a particularly hard kick to the chest from the prince. When Ryouta hit the grime, he let out both a whine of pain and disgust. Now his cloths were just as dirty as that commoner! Why did Kasamatsu do that? What did the knight do wrong? All he asked for was a rag to wipe the dirt off his shoes, why did that request deserve a kick to his unarmored chest? Looking up at the noble to unasked questions, he saw the raven haired male enraged. His jaw was clenched painfully and his fists were shaking. Kasamatsu's eyes seemed to be on fire; if looks could kill, Kise would be dead with a single stare from the noble.
"How dare you, Kise?!" Kasamatsu yelled down to the blond, "Don't you ever, ever, talk to Hideyoshi like that again! You hear me?! You don't talk like that to your underlings! I don't care how glorified you think you are; as long as you work for me and live within these boarders, you will treat every citizen with respect of an equal! Understand?!"
Kise shrank back from the fuming noble. Kasamatsu was mad at him when he first arrived, but that anger was nothing compared to this fury. Knowing that this would've been the outcome of his actions toward the elder, Kise would've kept his mouth shut. He didn't realize how he treated peasants mattered in this kingdom. It didn't exactly matter back in the Shadow Kingdom; all the members of the Knights of Miracles talked like that to the commoners of that kingdom and Kurokocchi didn't seem to have a problem with it – or if he did, he didn't voice his distaste unlike Kasamatsu's foot.
Not wanting to infuriate the noble further, Kise rapidly nodded his head in understanding. With a huff, Kasamatsu's anger seemed to subside. He still glared daggers at the blond, but at least it didn't look like the noble wanted to rip his head off.
When Kasamatsu out stretched his hand, Kise thought he was going to get punched. The knight flinched at the motion, but soon realized that the black haired male was offering to help the other out of the mud. With reluctance, the blond male grabbed for the prince's hand.
Kasamatsu lifted Kise out of the dirt with ease. The whole way up off the ground, the blond male never broke eye contact with the black haired man. It was odd to say, but Kise found those intense, blue eyes alluring and couldn't bring himself to tear away from them. Their joined hands lingered a bit too long on each other's skin, but neither was complaining. With reluctance, Kasamatsu pried his hand away from the blond knight but their eye contact didn't break until a second later.
After that incident, Kasamatsu explained the expectations of the personal guard to the knight – how he was to supervise the lands and how he would have full jurisdiction of what crops and livestock that was allowed on the plot. Kise was only half paying attention, however. The Yellow Knight just couldn't seem to concentrate. He could hear the noble's words, but he didn't process what they meant. All he did was just listen to that surprisingly soothing yet gruff voice.
Kasamatsucchi was really something else, was the only thing on Ryouta's mind for the rest of their time on the knight's new grounds.
Sorry for taking so long with this update, so you guys get an extra long chapter! :D Although, I feel the need to explain a few things about this story:
1) I don't know how Kise's mind works, especially with names. Although, I'm sticking to the idea that Kise only gives the -cchi nickname to people of high status like Kasamatsu and the knights. People like Moriyama he wouldn't give the nickname to, or even an honorific because I feel like Kise just doesn't do any other honorific :P
2) The name of Kise's horse is actually a French fashion company XD
3) I don't think I've actually explained what a bastard sword is. Oops. Well, if you haven't looked it up already, a bastard sword is just like a normal sword but it has a longer hilt and blade. And I believe the thickness is also bigger.
Also if you want to take a guess at what time period this takes place you get brownie points and my upmost respect ^^
Please leave a review to tell me what you think of it so far! and sorry for the extra load of info :P
Stay awesome! ^^
