On High Guard
Aspirator
FOUR
"Your Highness," the Commander addressed their Queen a few weeks later. His hair was sticking up in places when before, it looked immaculate. He had a frown set on his lips, and his clothes had slight wrinkles in it. He looked ruffled, for sure. Koko smiled at the thought that if anyone could coerce some sort of emotion out of the emotionless man, it would be the persistent Mikan. "Please restrain your handmaiden."
They both ignored Mikan's gasp of, "Stop calling me the handmaiden!" and "I have a name!"
"I have no control over her actions," The Queen responded evenly, "or personal activities for that matter."
The Commander let out a slow breath that could be interpreted as a sigh, "she is a danger to herself and those around her."
"I believe she is only acting like such in the face of a particular request." Hotaru's eyes glinted, "if one would respond to that request - "
"That request is denied due to reasons previously stated."
"Let me guess," Hotaru droned, "because she is a danger to herself and those around her."
"Correct."
"Perhaps you should teach her not to be, then."
Natsume clicked his jaw, his only other show of emotion it seems. "Impossible."
"And why is that?"
"She has her duty, I have mine."
"And what is her duty?" Hotaru asked, knowing full well they never revealed to him what Mikan's real role is. They barely have a name for it themselves.
Natsume knew he could not answer. "Not getting in the way of a fight."
"She would not get in the way if you would teach her how."
They both ignored Mikan's gloating smile at the Queen's support.
"You are on her side, Your Highness?" No one missed the stiffness of his clenched jaw.
"I am merely advising you on how to stop her from pestering you."
Natsume's gaze shifted from the unreadable face of their queen and the gleeful face of the handmaiden.
Koko grinned when he saw defeat in the Commander's stance.
"What are you doing?"
Koko didn't bother to spare Yuu a glance before shushing him, then shoving his head down among the bushes as well.
"Are you spying on them?" Yuu whispered not so conspicuously.
Koko shushed him again, finally turning to bestow some wisdom. All of the sudden, Natsume appeared before them, towering over their huddled forms.
Yuu gulped. Koko grinned.
The advisor stood up swiftly, not at all bothered by the Commander's annoyed gaze. Yuu, on the other hand, fled back to where he came from.
"Well, I guess I'll watch out here in the open then." The advisor stated cheerfully, pointing to a nearby tree.
Though the Commander was not welcome to his audience, Mikan was completely enthusiastic about it. "Guess what?!" The sorceress ran to him, "I've been holding the dagger wrong this whole time!"
Cheerfully, Koko congratulated her on her progress. "And it took Natsume, what, only three days to teach you that? Good job!"
"Commander Hyuuga." The Commander corrected under his breath, moving to pick up his things and stalk away.
Seeing her chances of learning more techniques walk away, Mikan immediately ran after him, "but I thought you were going to show me how to stab next! Stabbing!" She gestured wildly at what she thought the motion entailed, as if her theatrics were going to persuade him.
The High Guard barely spared her a glance, curtly stating, "tomorrow."
Mikan was beside him now, fluttering about him like small puppy. "Tomorrow? Really? But we're moving camps tomorrow!" Koko watched with a bit of comedic apprehension, following Mikan's arms as they flailed wildly when she talked. She gestured with her hands, dagger still pointed outwards unnoticed by its wielder.
"It has been delayed." Natsume bent over grab his coat from the grass, swinging it over his shoulder. Koko admired how easily he responded to Mikan's pestering questions. Perhaps he had resigned himself to it after all this time. The Commander turned abruptly, attempting to go back in the direction of his tent -
Mikan had, unfortunately, been caught off guard by his sudden turn of direction and unceremoniously tripped over his feet.
Koko started, rushing forward to warn her of the dagger she still had in her hand.
With his fast reflexes, Natsume had caught her already, both of them tumbling to the grass. Mikan's head knocked clumsily into the Commander's chest as her limbs were tangled at awkward angles. She found her hands were pressed against the ground. She looked up to find his gaze. But it was not on her. He was looking at his own hand. He was frowning.
"Um," Mikan flushed in embarrassment, scrambling off of the man. It was then that she realized why he was gazing at his hand. He had snatched the dagger out of her hand in the tumble, moving it out of danger. Due to the way it was pointed outward, he had to grab it by the blade, engraving a deep scar onto his palm.
Throwing her a dark look, Natsume picked himself up. He dropped the dagger on the grass, not even bothering to give it back to her. In one smooth motion, he ripped a strip of cloth from the bottom of his shirt to wrap around his hand. "I revise my previous claim," the Commander stated lowly, "you have a knack of injuring me, and no one else."
"Sorry - um - I - you can heal that with magic, you know!" Mikan blurted, somehow finding the courage to still pester him when he glared at her that coldly. "I'm sorry - I didn't mean - It was just - you're really tall and lean - I mean, that's not what I was trying to say - Your scar. Magic can fix it. I have magic. You have magic."
He gazed at her evenly, not at all bothered by her rant. Rather, he seemed to be used to it. "It can heal by itself." Natsume responded finally, moving away from her quickly. As if to escape before she can find a way to injure him more.
"But I can…" Mikan started, but he was already across the clearing and striding into the camp. She looked helplessly at Koko, who stood behind her, holding in his laughter.
"You blabber when you're nervous," was the only statement Koko offered her in response to her gaze.
"I know." Mikan sighed, biting her lip. "You think he'll keep training me?"
"He has to." Koko chuckled, "or he'll keep getting injured."
The next day, when the Queen asked their Commander why he was delaying their move a day, their answer came in the cry of another High Guard.
The High Guard rushed into the tent, announcing the arrival of the four Guards they had left behind at the monastery.
The Commander turned back to the Queen and stated shortly, "they caught up. We can move forward now."
"I see." Hotaru responded in understanding, her subtle sign of approval.
Two Guards burst in, one holding onto the other. The one that was weakened breathed heavily as he limped forward with the support of the other High Guard. He suffered a large gash across his chest, his shirt hanging limply on his shoulders. Natsume turned to face him, but did not show surprise, shock, or horror like the other members of the Court.
"I'm sorry-" The injured Guard burst out when he stood in front of his Commander, "Commander, it's not a big deal."
"It is, Youichi," the second Guard insisted, addressing the injured Guard. He faced his Commander too, "we don't have a Healer, what do we do?"
The Commander blandly raised a hand over the wound, his magic glowing blue over it. The injured Guard gasped, both from the healing and from the act itself. "Commander - please - you don't have to - I'll heal in time -"
"We don't have that kind of time." The Commander responded curtly.
Mikan gasped at the sight, and blurted out loudly, "you can heal!"
The High Guard named Youichi glanced at her warily while the Commander steadfastly ignored her. The blue light faded, leaving a partially healed wound, and the blood scabbing over. "The rest will heal quickly." Natsume stated factually, then waved to dismiss him.
The Guards bowed in gratitude to his Commander, bowed to the Queen, then marched out of the tent.
The Commander moved to bow to the Queen, also announcing his leave, when the Queen interrupted him.
"Why don't you heal yourself?"
"I don't waste my magic." Natsume responded easily, completely evading her real question. He completed his swift bow and marched quickly out of the tent.
At that, the small council, too, dissipated. Koko moved to stand by Natsume's tent, hoping to catch him alone.
But he was not alone.
Koko hid by the side as he caught snippets of the Commander's and their sorceress' conversation.
Mikan was pelting him with questions like no tomorrow. "Are you avoiding it because of your side effects? Are they bad? Do they affect you physically? Do they take effect when you use lots of magic or even a little?"
"Stop with your questions." He barked at her, marching away with his long legs.
"I'll stop if you answer them!"
"That, again," The Commander uttered tonelessly. He then whirled around to face her, causing Mikan to stumble into his chest. Quickly, she jumped backwards with a strangled apology.
He gazed down at her. Then stated monotonously, "unless you plan on sleeping inside my tent, I suggest you turn around."
Mikan opened her mouth, noticed that they were indeed in front of his tent, blinked, then closed it. "Right, that's what I - I'm - uh -" The even, emotionless gaze of the Commander was not helping her situation. "Okay, see you tomorrow!" She uttered quickly before she turned around and darted away.
The Commander, however, did not immediately walk inside his tent. He exhaled a long breath, which Koko knew know was his aggravated sigh. "Yes?" Natsume called out to him.
Koko revealed himself, pulling out by the side of Natsume's tent. "I had questions for you, but it looks like someone beat me to it."
"Great, then you've heard the answers." He made a motion to go inside his tent.
"Commander -" Koko stopped him, his tone serious. "I respect you."
At that, Natsume looked at him, but it was hard to see what he was thinking.
"I understand that you have your reasons for your secrets. And I'm sure you're not used to this, but we ask because we are concerned about you." Koko felt that he had to say this, because he knew that Natsume came from a world where every trait he revealed was to be exploited or destroyed. Koko knew that from observing him and understanding why he was so naturally unemotional. "Mikan is concerned. I am concerned. The Queen may be curious but also wants to know so that we can deal with it when it reveals itself." Koko nodded solemnly, "in time, those ominous side effects will reveal itself, and-"
"I can deal with it." He interrupted shortly, dismissing him.
"What happens when you can't?" Koko questioned him, "what do we do?"
The Commander did not respond to him, but Koko did linger around long enough to hear a hacking cough from inside the tent.