Not going to lie, I don't expect many readers for this story. If I get no commentors at the end of the week, I'll probably take it down because I'm a little bit obsessed about my work count average per story. Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised. FYI, this takes place during the Edo Period.
What did he do to deserve this?
Everything hurt. Just the mere twitch of his finger sent shockwaves of pain down his body, all he could do was look blankly ahead, feeling the trails of tears run down his dirtied and bloody face.
What had he done to earn such a life? Such betrayal? Had he done something in a previous life? Had he offended the gods so thoroughly that he was destined to live a life full of misfortune?
Just yesterday everything had been fine. His lord had given him so much praise for the clever idea he had offered to trap an opposing lord. He promised to reward him. Both of them.
Just in his peripheral, he could see the dried blood on his hands. Not his blood. The blood of his master. It hadn't seemed real, yet it was still so vivid. He could see the scene so clearly in his head, but it couldn't have been real. His kind master, crawling on the floor with a dagger in his back. His master had looked up at him with hurtful eyes, asking him why he did this. But he had done nothing. Only been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
In shock, he was slow at reacting. He could not utter a coherent sentence to defend himself when the guards rushed in, accusing him of the crime. The entire time they subdued and imprisoned him, he did not have the presence of mind to properly think his way out of the situation, filled with grief.
He had thought his sworn brother would speak for him. It was the only solace he had that night as he waited to be judged and sentenced. Seeing his brother's face, he thought it would be okay, and a calmness swept over him. If anyone could save him, it would be his brother.
He was wrong.
Not only was he charged for killing his master, the princess accused him of forcing himself on her. The entire notion was ridiculous. He had a formal relationship with the princess, nothing more. His brother knew this, yet he supported her claims. And when she cried, saying she could never be married now, his brother said he was willing to take responsibility for his brother's mistake, agreeing to marry her. He was sentenced to die at sundown by his own brother. And yet, even that fate was too good for him.
How pitiful was he? That this was how he was going to die in this life. He had done his best to be of use to those around him, yet all he was met with was misery.
"He stopped moving. Did he finally die?"
"Nah, he's still warm…Still twitching… Feels good."
"You and your damn curiosity. Still, his face is wasted on it being on a man's body. Maybe we could have made some extra copper selling him to a brothel."
"You heard him. We have to make sure he's dead."
"Don't know why he's so cautious. A piece of trash like this isn't worth considering seriously."
He tuned out his captors' chatter as his body was forced to move against his will. Even with this humiliation, he couldn't bring himself to feel anything.
Did you think I meant what I said? Trash should remember their place.
More tears fell from his unblinking eyes. How could he have been so blind back then? Such sweet words were never meant for a person like him. He shouldn't have been so naïve.
He was trapped inside his own head or maybe he had lost consciousness. He didn't even realize his captors had left until the sun had come up. He had been left for dead, not even given a proper burial and left to feed the animals with his corpse.
Why did I give birth to trash like you?
He tried to crawl. He dragged his knee up in the dirt, pain radiating from his hips to such a degree, he cried out weakly and collapsed. Should he fight his fate? He had no honor anymore. He had been humiliated, emasculated, left naked on the mountain side. He had no idea where he was and had no strength to pull himself out of the forest. Even if he could, where could he go? He was just trash.
And yet he tried again, struggling to get his legs underneath him, feeling the blood trail down his body. His legs failed him again. The pain in his lumbar region was too great, but he didn't give up, dragging his body with just his arms. His nailed dug into the dirt, grass, and roots, pulling himself over the forest floor.
He didn't want to die here. At the very least, he wanted to some to find his body and bury him well. All he wanted was a prayer for his soul. Couldn't he have that?
Trash will always remain trash, no matter how well you dress it.
He had no energy. His body was broken and abused. How could he get anywhere?
His vision swam, and his body gave out.
He didn't want to die. He did nothing wrong. Who would avenge his master if he did not do it?
He tried again, his fingernails breaking off as he tried to pull himself up a hill.
That bastard needed to pay. He would not die until that bastard lay sprawled before his feet, pleading for his life, and should he die before then, he would curse that bastard with his dying breath.
He tumbled back down the hill, hitting his head against a rock in the process.
Should he die, he thought as a silhouetted figure loomed over him, he hoped he would be reborn immediately.
I think…. I may be in love with you.
That way he could take his hatred into the next life and make sure he could exact his revenge and never be thought of as trash again.