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sori if I took long time to update… I really took my time to think of the turn of events, and I am quite satisfied with the outcome… erm sori if the formatting is different, I'm using MS Office XP....
also, my heartfelt gratitude to those who sent their reviews, even after the lengthy hiatus I've been… I need not mention your names here, you know who you are! *bows head* Arigatou!
Warning: Major OOC, and yaoi.
A/N: SlamDunk disclaimer applies. During my 'vacation' I came upon the book that inspired me to write this fic, Forbidden by Elizabeth Lowell (So that brings me to add that to this fic's disclaimer). Yes, same title! I even patterned the prophecy thingy (though the orig sounds more convincing). But MY plot is different, that I am sure of. Lowell's works are definitely Romance with 'perfect' characters, but I like her stories' skeletons.
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Chapter 6: Past Revisited
"We're not supposed to be here!" A fine-looking lady whispered worriedly, fanning herself almost absent-mindedly.
Her companion looked fervently around, before hurriedly dragged her inside a room. "I am going to be the next king, Aya-chan. So there is no reason for me not to be here!"
"But Ryota, you're not yet the King! That makes a difference."
"Hai! I know that. But I am worried about my cousin and his group. After discreetly asking around without answers, I have to resort to the only hopeful thing. The Book may have the answers I was looking for!" Prince Ryota reasoned.
The journal where royal decrees, decisions, foresights and happenings are being logged is commonly called The Book. The main purpose of the said book is to guide royal leaders for a just sovereignty. Only the Kings, past and present, and the current Royal Adviser are allowed inside this room where The Book resides, much less open the forbidden book.
"I know. But the least we could do is ask permission from the King! Or maybe from Kogure-sempai," implored the still worried Lady Ayako.
The prince paused awhile to think it through. "Nah! What if they refuse? I can't take that chance… There might be something in The Book that will help Hanamichi… I have this feeling that I just need to search some more!"
They are finally in front of the front self where the journals are neatly arranged.
"So, where shall we begin searching? There are a lot of them here," Lady Ayako asked.
"We start from the latest archives, searching backwards… Just look for something out of ordinary… something strange!"
"Hai!"
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On the other side of the palace, a tall man is silhouetted against the open window. A sliver of moonlight speared his face that reflected all seriousness and intensity. The soft breeze managed to ruffle his already tousled hair endearingly.
"Hisashi?" A gentle voice called him forth from his deep thought.
"Hm?" He answered without looking back at the caller.
A rustle of sheets and a squeak of bedsprings is heard, then soft footfalls coming.
"You've been doing that lately. What is it?" A still sleepy man wrapped his hands around the tall man, and burrowed his face on his lover's back.
"Kimi-kun, it's been 3 months since Hana left. I am overly worried!" Came the passionate yet distress-filled response.
Kogure, as a reply only tightened his embrace, no proper words came to comfort his lover.
"He's my son, for goodness sake! My only son!" the Duke cried. "How can I even abandon him like this?"
Quiet sobbing emanate from the helpless father. In an effort to calm the upset Duke, Kogure rained fond kisses and ran gentle hands on his lover's skin, for no words can bring a son back to his father's embrace. Moments later, "Let's go to bed, koi, the air is getting chilly. We don't want Hana-kun to learn his father was sick in his absence, ne?"
In bed, the lovers still held each other, finding solace in their shared warmth.
"Hana is the very image of his mother, koi. I already lost Ayumi-chan." The Duke shivered from that memory. "God knows how I have atoned my sins, does He have to take my son, too?"
Kogure felt his lover's tremors of fear, tearing his heart the more. "We have no right to judge fate, Sashi-kun. If Hana-kun is the very image of Ayumi-chan, don't you think he will just die without fighting? Don't forget he's also your son, so I bet your stubbornness and resiliency also rubbed onto him. All we have to do is have faith in their group. They have been to a lot of skirmish before that they might be treating this exile thing as another adventure!"
Sensing the calming effect of his words, Kogure added, "If it will appease you more, we will try to search into The Book. There might be some information there that might help us, okay?"
"You have been most kind, Kimi-kun," the troubled father replied. "God might have taken Ayumi-chan from me, but He has given me an angel, nothing less." He tenderly said while stroking his lover's face. "Aishiteru."
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Last night, she had cried herself to sleep. Again. She has long stopped counting her teardrops. Though she tried to assuage her incessant fear on the whereabouts of the exiled group by accommodating suitors, the silence of the night always bring fresh tears in her eyes.
Today, she is in no mood to entertain beaus, and had pronounced herself ill. Surrounded in the embrace of the royal garden's magnificence somehow made her worry less. While humming a soft tune, she thoughtlessly ran a finger on a clear pond.
"A pretty flower for my little princess..." A strong voice interrupted her musing, as strong fingers holding a white rose came into her vision.
"Father!" Princess Haruko gasped in surprise.
"I heard you were ill. What is it this time?" asked the concerned king.
"Iie." Princess Haruko shook her head in denial. "I just don't feel like meeting another set of new faces… Can I postpone the choosing, father?"
"Princess, you are in a marriageable age, and I am an old man. I want my children to settle in the most comfortable way as I can possibly provide. I do not want to leave you vulnerable to opportunists and gold-diggers!"
"I know. But…" The princess trailed off.
"What is it?" The instinct of his being a father told him that there is more to the problem than choosing a suitable husband. "Is it about Hanamichi?"
"I…I can't help but worry about them! I do not even know if I'm going to see him again…" Princess Haruko finally gave in to her tears, which flowed down her cheeks continuously.
"There now, that cousin of yours is one heck of a guy. And the army he has with him is no weakling! I have strong faith in them getting through with this banishment…" The King replied, hoping too that his words are true.
"We do not know what beasts lurk in that enchanted forest! What if they can't make it? What if they are all suffering right now, while we are ensconced in this safety fortress?" Princess Haruko ranted almost madly. "I will never see my love again!"
The King let out a surprised gasp. "Haruko!"
"I know father. I have been avoiding any talks about my marriage, simply because I have already found someone I love!" A deep sigh escaped her lips. "But he is not of royal blood, that's why I did not tell you anything!"
"That's preposterous!" thundered the angered King. "You are a princess. You should marry our kind, to uphold your status, to enforce our empire!"
"Just because grandfather chose a mate for you, doesn't mean you will choose mine, too!" Tears are silently pouring down her cheeks. "I want to marry someone I love."
The princess's indignant reply stunned the king to silence. He was brought to believe that royalties' first obligation is to the kingdom. His father always drilled into his head: A person borne of the privilege has specific obligations (1). And he was sure that he has been honor-bound to this ideal. Why would he send his nephew to exile if not for political reason? Even the memory of his beloved sister Ayumi couldn't put off his decision!
And now, his princess whom he thought to be more fragile than his prized crystalline possessions is deliberately turning back from the principle their lineage has long been observing?
Princess Haruko continued her plea. "We know that between the Queen Mother and you there was no love. But I've seen the loving relationship Duke Mitsui and the late Marquise Ayumi-chan had. I want to have that kind of marriage, too!"
The king unconsciously evaluated his position, not just a leader but as a person, a friend, a husband, a father. And he was quite saddened to have realized, at this late age, that even in his personal dealings, he based his judgment on its relevance to Shohoku's. He let out a big sigh, surrendering to the wisdom of his little princess.
"Who is it?" He quietly asked, though a likely suspicion came to mind.
Princess Haruko hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell part of the truth, "He is a Hana-kun's friend. A very loyal friend."
"And you loved him? How do you know you love him?" asked the king, trying to ascertain if the princess's feelings are more than just simple adoration.
She had asked Lady Ayako about what HER 'feelings' towards HIM is about and the kind Lady just smiled knowingly telling her that SHE already knew the answer. "I know that my eyes constantly sought his presence; and my heart jumps with joy when I see him; and my spirit is restless when he is away." Haruko then faced his father with all honesty. "If that is not love, then I do not know myself anymore!"
"Very well, child, I will not give sermons on such things anymore." King Akagi started to explain. "But that doesn't mean you, young lady, are going to ditch your suitors. Not yet. I am going to ask Kogure-san to look into The Book for any helpful information about the Forrest Tierra. I might change my orders on the banished group!" Seeing the overjoyed expression on the princess's face, the king added, "The word young lady is MIGHT. I did not say I will."
"Arigatou, outosan!"
tbc
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okay, I really find it difficult to give the secondary characters their side of the story, as I tend to go off course, not to mention making the story longer! Arghhh, I still do not want to give my charas a touch of hell, though it's kinda necessary (?!)...Erm, the (1) may sound familiar to you, from the movie Ever After (Drew Barrymore)... so, did I make sense here? Please tell me what u think!