Eternal love

Author: Silhouette

Genre: Fantasy; AU original; YAOI (like duh?)

Ratings: PG-13

Pairings: SenRu and others

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk doesn't belong to me, but Sir Takehiko Inoue (* Sulk *) This story was inspired by Celine Dion's song, "Immortality".

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Chapter 8

"Here you go, Sendoh Akira." The spirit smiled and showed him the way into the palace. No one but Sendoh could see her. The guards at the entrance of the palace frowned at his strange attire, but allowed him in, with two other guards following closely.

Sendoh looked around in fascination. Along the way he had seen endless lush green hills and beautiful flowers and houses. The land was a perfect Utopia. No wonder many sought the comforts of the place. Even the old people looked youthful, as they do not have any wrinkles showing, only their slow movements and sagging figures revealed their age. Here, the palace was magnificent…and of course, he could see Kaede very soon.

"You said you came to visit the Princess?" One of the guards asked.

"Yes. Princess…Kaede." Akira said the name slowly, savoring the feeling of saying his love's name out aloud for the first time in days.

"She doesn't see any random person, you know." The other guard frowned. "Like us, we came here for years and we only saw her on her birthdays and occasionally when she goes out."

"She will see me." Akira said confidently, "I know she will."

"The king's holding court in there, though, behave yourself." The guard smiled.

"Don't lose your head over the beautiful girl." The other sniggered slightly.

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Minami looked very upset,  "Princess Kaede. Princess Kaede. To think I had wanted to marry her...."

Kaede snorted derisively, "Too bad." He turned around and faced the king, "Father, I'm ready."

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From a distance Akira could already see the on-goings of the court session, and he sensed that something was going very wrong. His heart pounded furiously as a sudden urge within him made him run away from the guards, towards the hall. He pushed his way past the crowd of ministers who were all focusing on the coronation.

Minami, standing there, hand sneaking into his robes to take out…

It's a dagger.

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Kaede knelt, to receive the scepter.

An enrage cry shook the building as Minami leapt onto the steps, charging towards Kaede like a lunatic. The ministers started yelling frantically and soldiers started running in and all over the place. Kaede turned around to see Minami's enraged, blood-shot eyes. The dagger came down and stabbed into his…

A body went in the way.

Akira.

Kaede stilled and stared unbelievably at the bleeding form before him.

It couldn't be him. He couldn't be in Eternalia. He couldn't…

He turned him up and stared at the familiar, beloved handsome face of Akira.

"A…Akira…" The ache in his heart threatened to go out of place. His heart hurt so much, he thought he would die.

The smile.

"Kaede…I'd…die…die for you."

And then he went limp.

Kaede heard himself cry out in anguish. He felt tears flowing out of his eyes. He held the body close to him and rocked it gently, as though that would bring Akira back. No…he wouldn't have…

"Akira…why are you…why you…moron!" The ragged sobs that tore through Kaede's lips fell against Akira's face in the form of silvery tears.

Minami stared at the dagger. Stared at Akira. Stared at the tears that fell from Kaede's face.

"That was smart of you, Anzai, you fooled us all." He started laughing, "You knew that was coming, you knew I planned treason. You knew Sendoh Akira would save the Prince Kaede. With his life."

Still laughing bitterly, Minami was taken away by the guards.

Kaede turned to the king, his eyes shining with tears but burning with rage.

"Fa…Father." His voice was uncontrollably shaky from crying, "You knew it all along, didn't you?"

"Yes, my son. I…"
"You planned this, didn't you? You planned to tell me only when Akira fall in love with me and you told Eternalia to bring him here…didn't you? You knew he will willingly die for me…" Kaede's voice broke off.

"Son, I had to do this. For the sake of Eternalia. For the sake of Eternalia…For the sake of you." The king looked older than ever.

Kaede picked up the limp body of Akira and walked towards the exit of the hall, halting at the weight at each step. He looked up into the clouds that seemed to fly by.

"For the sake of Eternalia…indeed…" Tears rolled down his smooth cheeks again. "For the sake of Eternalia. For the sake of me…for the sake of…" He drew out his own blade of dagger.

"Akira."

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Maybe…just maybe…they can be together forever.

Ah, the eternal love.

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End of Story.

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