Give or take three hours of sleep passed by, and when I awoke, simultaneously I felt the intense warmth of affection and the intense urging of my bladder.
Granted, I'd downed a few bottles of wine and/or alcohol, so this was to be expected. I made to move, but heavy presences against my back and atop my waist prevented me from getting very far. I turned my head, and my eyes viewed a peacefully sleeping Morinaga. He looked like a child in the face, all innocent and shit. His hold was firm, but it wasn't excessively tight or smothering. It actually felt...nice, I guess.
But fuck, I had to piss!
As carefully as I could, I untangled myself from Morinaga's hold. As he slept, he attempted to reach for me. Luckily, though, he just grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly.
Just like a child, I thought.
Quietly, I slipped on underwear and a cloak. I planned on returning immediately after pissing, but I didn't want to freeze my balls off. I needed those.
With quick steps, I walked down the stairs and out into the destroyed courtyard. We had a moderately complex system of pipes and drains in the fortress, but considering the damage, my piss would probably just stay in a hole for twelve years. Outside was the best option. After all, everything was already dead, anyway.
The night was cool, but not nearly warm enough for me to go without outerwear. Clouds drifted about in the night sky, and stars peered down at me. I released the beast in my boxers and rained golden liquid upon the grass. A relieved sigh drifted from my mouth. This was the greatest feeling I'd experienced since the sex earlier!
I blinked.
I'd...enjoyed the sex from earlier?
No, no, that wasn't true! I was drunk! Everything felt good when I was drunk! That was the whole point of drinking in the first place!
Three shakes of my dick later, I composed myself and kicked some dirt over the wet spot. The flow had been intense enough to put a hole in the ground. I turned my head, and instantly my body followed in a jump.
Before me stood the bastard in a mask that I'd met earlier in the woods.
I took a few steps back. Fuck, I hadn't thought about a weapon! My fists were pretty strong on their own, but he had about eight knives and ten crossbow bolts to accompany the weapon. Running was out of the question—he could paralyze me with an arrow to the knee.
We stood before each other in stillness. My eyes drifted to the scar on his face. It looked horrendous, but it also looked recent. Perhaps he hadn't received it days ago, but he hadn't had it for years. Weeks, probably, and it was only from a regular knife. Bar fight, probably, or maybe gambling.
"You gonna do anything or just stand there?" I asked. Part of me didn't want him to do anything, though, since that would undoubtedly lead to violence directed at me.
He continued to stare, and the longer he stared, the longer I remembered. He was a few feet away, but the glint in his eyes was powerful, dominant, and shakingly familiar. A rotting feeling entered my stomach, one of fear and alarm.
"What do you want?" I asked.
He continued to stare.
"Answer me!" I shouted. My eyes shot to the only tower intact. Morinaga was my only chance of assistance! "I have men watching you! State your business or be killed here!"
"Do you?" he asked.
My body stiffened, and my eyes widened. That voice…his features...those eyes…!
"Last I checked, your men are in Reinorok. This place was completely razed in order to prevent the arrest of your men following your arrest by the royal guard. Ah, but I suppose that arrest was rather short-lived, wasn't it? Your little ally managed to call the age-old catch-all called Captive's Choice. Who was that ally again? Ah, yes, Prince Tetsuhiro Morinaga. He made slavery the alternative to your execution. Oh, but that was also rather short-lived! You both escaped from the palace by faking your deaths in the catacombs. Ever since, you've been moving closer to your old home. After discovering the reality, though, you realized that you still had quite the journey left. And here we stand, together at last after nearly three years of separation. You look well, Silver."
I wanted to run, but my legs remained fixated in place.
"You recognize me! I can't say I'm surprised, really. I was going to remove my mask, but it looks like I don't need to."
"You...what...what is this?! How did you find me?!"
"The same way I find everyone: through an extensive network of spies and an extremely intense desire." Ikasma took measured, intimidating steps forward. He smiled softly, almost lovingly down at me. "I have to admit, you've been quite the thorn in my side for years. You're the only person to ever escape me, Tatsumi. Few have done that, let alone for so long. Usually I kill them after about a month."
He pulled out one of his various knives, the most savage-looking of them all. He didn't utilize it, though, just held it in place. Around me he stepped, twirling the blade between his fingers.
"You know, I could do it right now. You have no weapon, nor do you have any protection, whether on or around you." Lightly, gently, he trailed the tip of the blade down the back of my head. "But...I quite like seeing you this way, Tatsumi. You look so cute when you're terrified." He pulled the knife away from me. "I'll keep up this little game for a tad longer. Your and your lover stand no chance against me, Tatsumi. You may have been able to fool me once, but by no means will you do it twice." He sheathed his knife and stepped in front of me once more. "Ah, and one last thing. Being a poor host is a rather terrible offense. I believe death enjoys blood to drink. Do be sure you prepare."
He chuckled darkly, then strode off.
My eyes remained fixated on him, but very quickly they looked to the tower. Morinaga...had my screaming not awoken him? I guess it didn't matter. It'd wake him if it was right in his ear.
I turned my head to where Ikasma had been walking, but he'd disappeared into the air. Floating about the ground was a piece of paper. With trepidation, I picked up the scrap.
Neither of you are safe, it read.