Grow On You

Chapter 21

~ Unravel Me ~

Author's Note: After a lengthy hiatus I return with the continuation of this. My apologies for the lack of updates, but honestly I had a huge problem writing Himekawa, unable to make him into the kind of person Aoi would detest. And so I abandoned it. Until I finally saw The Avengers (yes I'm so behind, I know) and knew exactly how I wanted Himekawa to be. The kind of arrogance and 'I-hold-you-in-the-palm-of-my-hand' persona, and like Loki, he has a backstory.

So onwards, and I wish you well!

Zenjyuurou was afraid of very few things. Very few. He could count them on one hand - His ex-wife being one. Another was King Belze the Third in a bad mood. He was also afraid of thunder, but will only admit it under pain of death. In short, it takes a lot to make his heart pound and his palms sweat and his teeth chatter at the promise of unthinkable pain.

This...

He stood in the destroyed encampment, unable to comprehend the scale of destruction before his eyes. Tents - or what were once tents - littered the muddied ground. A faint mist tinged with the acrid smell of burning tinted everything in a mournful, sinister gloom. Zenjyuurou stared closely at the earth and twitched. Mud. And blood. And unless his senses were lying, there was more blood than mud.

It hadn't been long since the last messenger from the North campaign. The journey there by dragon only took one day. Knowing the strength of the North, Zenjyuurou found it hard to believe that in one day their army was overwhelmed, overpowered and crushed. No, this was something else. He picked his way through the wreckage, cautiously weaving towards what would have been the king's tent. That too, was just a tattered mess surrounded by lifeless, motionless bodies.

Years on the battlefield had made him numb to the scene of carnage. But this time it was different – this time he was looking at the possibility of the one man he never dreamed would be hurt, could be hurt. "Your majesty!" He called loudly. When his voice reached naught, he tried a little harder. "Oi, brat!"

No answer. It was death-silence echoing in the space and Zenjyuurou's heart clenched. Surely the enemy was not this strong. He knew General Jabberwock was leading the army, and the man was no nicknamed 'Mad Dragon' for nothing. Surely, surely…

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on sweeping the area. Folcass had always commented on his lack of finesse in wavelength sensing – how Zenjyurou would fail against Hilda when it comes to accuracy. He could not detect the king's soul signature, but there was a faint...

Following the wavelength, he found himself at a wrecked tent not too far from the King's. In a flash he got next to a body lying facedown in the mud. With not much effort he rolled the body over and checked the vitals. Alive. Injured, if his bruises and cuts and burns had any say in it. Merely unconscious. There was relief at that - finding a survivor but angry that there WAS a survivor. "Oi," He shook the man, not caring if it would do more damage than good.

"Get up, Jabberwock!"

Silence hung in the air like a wet blanket. Tension dripped, down the wrinkled brown of the grandmaster, sticking to his robes, making his fingers slip.

"Check."

If the elderly man was nervous earlier, he was completely paralyzed now. Cold sweat gathered on his wrinkled brow as he numbly stared at the playing board, its expertly arranged pieces now spelling his doom.

Across the board the young golden-haired youth waited patiently. His solemn eyes gave nothing away even as he silently confirmed his victory. But then again, one cannot be called victorious if the other side does not admit defeat.

There was a very lengthy silence as the grandmaster vainly tried to find an escape from the trap his opponent had so cunningly cornered him into. He had only been coaching the young lord for a month and lo!

"... I concede defeat, milord," He finally choked out. The audience of one wondered just how much of his pride was now in tatters, having to admit loss to a boy not even half his age.

But even as a child Kugayama had never been ordinary. From an early age he had shown exceptional intelligence and is gifted in military strategy - so much so that from the day he took reign of their lands their borders had never been breached. Not once.

When Kugayama did not deign the grandmaster with a response, his attendant quietly ushered the man out of the room. Outside, Kugayama's female aid quietly led the shaking grandmaster to the front doors and paused, one elegant hand barring the old man's path. "You may tell others that the match Lord Kugayama ended in a draw," She said quietly. "That is his lordship's reward to you."

Almost instantly color returned to his palid face and the old man nearly grovelled at her feet. "Thank you! thank you! Lord Kugayama is truly generous!"

The attendant watched the relieved grandmaster leave through the main gates before returning to her lord's side. The rest of the court had dispersed - perhaps in search of entertainment - leaving only Lord Kugayama and his faithful pet; a large, bronze monster of a dog that only Lord Kugayama could control. Upon her entry Lord Kugayama signalled to her. "Has there been any news from the Other Side, Runa?"

Runa, as her name was, paused and shook her head. "Our spies have yet to return any news, milor - " Her words were promptly cut short by the arrival of a slightly-out-of-breath, more-than-pale border patrol captain. He knelt behind the door, awaiting orders to be admitted.

Runa faced the border patrol captain with arms on her hips. "Do you have something to report?"

"Ma'am," The captain bowed his head; "We encountered tresspassers near the central border. One of them has requested an audience with Lord Kugayama."

Runa incredulously raised an eyebrow. "And you... what? Escorted him here?"

There was a trembling in his limbs that could be visibly seen. "Yes, Ma'am. The tresspasser..." He gulped; "Is Lord Toujou of Tiger State."

Runa dropped her arms in surprise.

Kugayama however, was completely calm. "Runa, please ensure our visitors are treated properly."

The attendant could not find the words to reply, instead she bowed and hastily took her leave.

For someone who is angry, Tatsumi was unnervingly calm, Hidetora reflected. While it wasn't surprising, it certainly is a paradox. The man loses his head at childish provocations but can maintain his cool under extreme pressure. Currently Tatsumi sat on one of the plush cushions in the receiving chamber, his expression unreadable. He had been silent throughout the journey, but it was the kind of silence that literally screamed of 'deep thought'.

In all his years of knowing Tatsumi, Hidetora could safely say that this was a side of the man rarely seen. Tatsumi did not like to think - let alone deeply. But events in the past few weeks had not given him the luxury of being flippant. He had been coerced into coming along on this bizzare adventure, his life in the balance. The prospect of a painful death would sober even the worst drunk.

The door opened and an elegantly-dressed woman came in. Like their surroundings, she was the very image of opulence and class. Hidetora couldn't help but compare her to Aoi - the princess was not particularly classy or extravagant, but she was without a doubt, royalty.

The woman took one moment to size them both up before asking; "To whom do I address Lord Toujou?"

Ah, Toujou blinked. Kugayama was not the real ruler of River Country, hence he had never met Toujou. With that in mind the man stood up. "I am Toujou."

"An honor," The woman respectfully bowed low. "I am Runa, attendant of Lord Kugayama. Please come this way." She cast a sidelong glance at Oga, who had stood up as well. "Your companion is also welcome." She indicated.

The walk to Kugayama's chamber was, had Oga been in a relaxed frame of mind - breathtaking to say the least. Lush foliage overshadowed dancing streams and creeks, the murmur of running water a soothing background to their walk. Servants bowed as they passed, each movement elegant and perfectly executed. In comparison Toujou felt like an ambling bear. He almost knocked into several hanging wind chimes and silently cursed, ducking. All this registered in Tatsumi's mind but had no effect on his emotions. There was a coiled spring in him that tightened with every passing moment. Though but a mere memory now, the pain when Baby Belze was separated from him earlier was fresh in his mind. It was not something he wanted to experience again, hence he must find the baby. And there really was no better way to find the baby than to find Hilda. A baby is not really that easy to track, but a volatile, blonde woman with swordsmanship and magic would stand out like a tree in the desert.

Runa showed them into a large stately chamber, where Kugayama sat on a raised platform. If he was surprised to see Toujou, he wasn't showing it.

Toujou stood facing the platform and studied the young man. Sharp elegant features, almost feminine in build but statuesque in nature stared back at him. He had expected someone large - perhaps along the lines of Himekawa - but this is almost a child. "Kugayama," He acknowledged with a curt bow. Kugayama on his part did the same. "Lord Toujou. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"Eh, wait," Oga suddenly burst out with a frown. "You're Lord Kugayama?" He stared at the youth, who arched an eyebrow. "I am Kugayama, current head of the family."

"But..."

"Have respect for the lord, you ingrate," Runa snapped. "You should not interrupt the lord!"

"That is alright, Runa," Kugayama raised a hand to still his servant. "He is Lord Toujou's companion," An amused glint appeared in his eyes; "As uncouth as he seems."

"We need help," Hidetora said bluntly. "Some of our companions were taken by Himekawa earlier. I want to find them."

"... You're getting ahead of yourself, Lord Toujou," Kugayama produced a fan and with a flick of his wrist snapped it open. "Coming into my domain and so brashly demanding things - I'd say you're being extremely rude."

"Your people attacked me," Hidetora pointed out. "You owe me an apology."

"You tresspassed on my territory." Kugayama's stare was sharp behind the elegant fan. "I think you owe me an apology."

"Alright stop!" Tatsumi suddenly growled, chopping the air between the two bristling leaders. "I don't care who owes what to whom but time's tickin' here. All we want is help locating Himekawa's hidey-hole."

"Fool. Do you think he would still be leader of River Country if I knew how to find him?" Kugayama snarled. "He hides himself with magic, the glamor strong enough to confuse my strongest magicians. I commend you on your effort to enlist my aid, but I'm afraid I cannot help you."

"Magic," Tatsumi could feel his patience thinning to a fine edge. Again it was magic that got in his way. Again magic making things so much harder than it should be. "I - "

"Perhapsh you have been going about it the wrong way," An adorable voice piped up and Kugayama stiffened in shock. "What in the name of - "

Folcass perked up from under Tatsumi's jacket. The man blinked - he had totally forgotten about the doctor. Almost instantly there was a girly shriek and both men turned to Kugayama - only he was no longer there. Surprised, Hidetora quickly searched and saw the man peeking out from behind a curtain, trembling in fear. "What is that?" He squealed in a shrill, strange voice. "Get it away from me!"

Runa immediately lunged for Folcass, who thanks to his slippery form merely evaded her attempts. Hidetora chose to step away from the madness, though Tatsumi, being Folcass' chosen carrier tried to keep Runa from getting at the Mu. "Quit it, will ya!" Tatsumi finally grabbed her arm and skilfully tossed her onto the floor, pinning her down. "It's a Mu!"

"I don't think anyone here has ever seen a Mu," Hidetora remarked and shook his head. "Lord Kugayama, it's fine. This creature is a healer from the kingdom of Makai. He travels with us."

"I don't care what it is, it's disgusting!" Kugayama wailed, still refusing to step out from behind the curtain. Hidetora blinked. "You're being kinda girly. It's creeping me out."

"That," Tatsumi struggled with a rebellious Runa; "Is 'cause she IS a girl."

Runa went still and Folcass, had he any expression would have looked very disapproving. Hidetora's gaze never left Kugayama, who was still trembling behind the curtain.

"… You're kidding me, right?" He breathed.

There was an extravagance to the decor that was borderline sickening.

That was the first thought that came to Aoi's mind as she emerged into the world of the waking. Garish carvings adorned the walls and ceiling, their golden and silver gilt clashing horribly with the deep purple of the drapes. Strength seeped into her arms and she faintly reached for her sword - only to find the space where it should be, empty.

That jolted out the last of the drug from her brain. Sitting up, she sharply surveyed her surroundings, swiftly retracing the events leading up to her present condition. River. A bath. Attackers, and finally...

"Hello, princess."

Two words that for all it's worth, shot her like an arrow and she immediately leapt off the bed and dropped into a defensive stance facing her enemy. Even after recognizing who it was, she continued to defend. For never once did she truly feel safe around this man, not even when she was flanked by her guards.

"... Himekawa," She hissed.

Himekawa Tatsuya, lord of River Country stood in front of a tapestry that no doubt concealed the exit to the room. He was just as she remembered, having met him only a fortnight before her trip to St. Ishiyama. Tall, silver hair styled in a ridiculous pompadour and garbed in robes that were as garish as they were expensive. Aoi did not like the man very much, and she never hid that fact. "What is the meaning of this, Himekawa?" She demanded quietly. He took a step into the room, gesturing grandly towards the decor that caught Aoi's attention earlier. "What do you think? The last time you were here the walls were decorated in Reddo fashion but you didn't seem to care for it. As you can see, I had it changed." He looked smug.

"You are aware that you are violating our treaty," She continued, ignoring his comment about the room. "Attacking me, keeping me prisoner - "

"Alright, that's quite enough." She didn't know when he moved, but suddenly the man was right in her face, shocking the words right out of her mind. "Do sit down princess, I don't want you to injure yourself. That would really be a violation of the treaty right there." With a firm hand, he made her sit on the edge of the bed while he sauntered over to a chair and made himself comfortable. There was silence for awhile, Aoi tensely gripping the edges of the bed and Tatsuya clearly enjoying his domination over the princess. "I apologize for the attack, but that is the only thing I will apologize for," He steepled his fingers in front of him, keeping his gaze on her even. "Unless you have suddenly gone blind - which you have nicely demonstrated you are not - you are a guest here. An honored guest," He emphasized as if she was a dimwitted wench. The subtle jab was not lost on Aoi and her jaw tightened, clearly thinking murderous thoughts.

"And as for the attack, I wish to assure you that it was not meant to be hostile against Reddo. My men did not recognize you in those awful clothes, you see," He smiled (with teeth) and Aoi twitched. Again he had cut her, and again she could not refute it. After countless battles her clothes had really taken a beating - literally. "I demand to know the reason for the attack then, if it was not hostile," She sneered out the last word as a little revenge on his snide remarks earlier.

Tatsuya grinned. "My men had orders to bring in any fair-haired maiden they chance upon. Unfortunately this particular fair-haired maiden is very feisty, hence the need for... ah - force."

Fair-haired. Feisty. Alarm shot through her. "What have you done with Hilda!?"

"Oh, is that her name?" Tatsuya chuckled. "Hilda. A lovely name, very fitting. Pity she is so ferocious."

"Where is she?"

"Safe," Tatsuya waved a hand dismissively. "I suppose you will not apologize on her behalf? She took out three of my men before we could sedate her."

The news gave Aoi some satisfaction, but not much. "Three is not enough to warrant an apology," She raised an eyebrow. "Hilda usually does more damage than that."

"Ohhh, exciting," Aoi almost gagged at the unbridled glee in his tone. His next words only elevated her worry however. "But she is safe, as is the other two, and the baby."

The baby! In a flash Aoi was at his throat, her hand dearly wishing to squeeze the arrogance out of him. "If you harm them, if you do anything to hurt them - "

"This is new, princess," Even with her grip around his neck Tatsuya continued to appear calm. Amused even. "You, losing your temper over something so trivial. May I venture that you are in no position to threaten me?" He placed a hand on her wrist and firmly but forcefully squeezed it, forcing Aoi to withdraw her grip. "The way I see it, you are travelling with a group of people, none of which are part of your usual entourage. What can I make of this then?"

She glared into his eyes, unable to stand against the malice she could see in them. "You are travelling without Reddo's knowledge then." He grinned in relish. "Because I know you would never pass through my lands without notifying me first if this was a normal crossing. So how about it, princess?"

"Let me go," She said flatly. "With the others that you have captured."

"Oh, you've always been a poor negotiator," Tatsuya chuckled, clearly delighting in twisting her emotions. "Here is my deal; I allow you and the happy family to pass, but Hilda stays."

"You cannot!" Her eyes flashed.

"Then you can remain here, with them," Tatsuya's eyes took on a darker glint; "Or I can kill you and nobody will know."

"You won't dare!" Aoi growled and caught herself. Seeing her waver, Tatsuya stood up and walked to the door. "I will give you some time to think. Should you try to leave or contact the others, I will no longer see you as a guest." He paused at the door and looked over his shoulder, on hand massaging his throat. "You really should be careful, princess. You were so close to breaking the treaty there..."

She stood alone, rage and despair her only companions.

Preview:

Hidetora and Tatsumi stared at her, unable to comprehend. It was Tatsumi who finally broke the silence.

"You're telling me that this whole shit, this whole 'nation-divided' fiasco is just that!?"