Disclaimer: Blah, blah, fish sticks.
A very belated Happy Mother's Day to mothers, soon-to-be mothers, and wannabe-mothers out there!
Warnings: Ok, my beloved beta said this chapter made her go "That sucks" and "That's sweet". Does that help? Oh. Another short chapter it is.
Oh, and I heard that DMP is offering a new line of yaoi bath soaps (the one in bottles) and I SO want a crate of them. I wonder what they'll do when left alone in the shower... Hmm... (nosebleeds)
I still haven't succeeded in one of my goals in life which is to watch the Full Metal Alchemist series. Aww…
Scarlet Moon
By Ninetails
Chapter 9
Slash, claw, bite, kill. Angry trees shouting above; ignore them, ignore them. Trees don't touch me, can't hurt me. The woman tasted sweeter than the man, but the man had more meat on him. Destroy, devour, the wolf will have his fill.
Blame the wolf, always the wolf. Never me, just the wolf. Watch him kill, blood will spill. Growling, snarling, clawing, biting.
All are dead.
All are dead.
"Wolf!" the cry went up through the streets. "Wolf! Wolf!"
Ken heard the shout and ran outside. He caught the arm of a boy running by and asked him,
"What's happened? Who is dead?"
"A man and a woman found just now, their throats torn open."
"And what of the wolf?" Ken cried. "Did anyone see the wolf?"
"No, but they're going to find him."
Ken released the boy's arms, and he continued running up the street, shouting all the way.
"Think!" he said to himself frantically. Was the full moon last night or the night before? His brain was racing so fast that he couldn't remember. He forced himself to take several deep breaths, trying to clear his mind. The night before – the full moon was the night before. That means there will be no wolf for them to find today.
He sagged in relief against the wall of the building and clutched the cross between his fingers. "Ran…" he whispered, "what have you done now?" Just then he caught sight of the grizzly cavalcade bringing the bodies into the middle of town. He didn't want to look, but he was drawn to the wagon against his will. As he stood above the bodies, a fresh wave of horror gripped him, for he recognized Ouka and Masafumi. He backed away with a strangled gasp and turned and ran toward the woods.
He fled into the forest, taking the path toward his grandmother's house. A light dusting of snow covered the ground – the first snowfall of winter. It was not enough to hinder his progress, but he chose his steps carefully.
Halfway down the path he turned sharply and plunged into the woods. Ran had told him that he kept his clothes near that spot. He hoped he was still there.
"Ran!" he cried as he ran. "Ran, where are you?" He stopped running at last and fell to his knees, too exhausted to cushion his descent. "Ran," he gasped, "are you here?"
"I am," a tired voice said behind him. Ken rose and ran straight into his waiting arms.
"What is it?" Ran asked as Ken frantically clutched at his shirt.
"Ouka and Masafumi are dead. They were my grandmother's students. They were found this morning with their throats torn out."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault," Ran said, looking stricken.
"Do you remember anything?" Ken asked, gazing up into his distraught face and gently caressing the tears that were not there.
"Nothing," he answered.
"Maybe it wasn't you."
"Who else could it have been?"
"The next full moon, I'll stay with you. I'll watch you. Maybe I can prove that you are not doing this."
"Ken, what if I hurt you?" he asked with ill-concealed terror in his voice.
"You won't; we'll find a way, I promise. I have to go and tell my grandmother what has happened. Meet me tomorrow."
"Be careful." Ran begged, his amethyst eyes imploring Ken to stay safe.
"I will," he promised. He turned and left while he still could. By the time he reached the path, he was exercising all his restraint to keep the tears at bay, sharp pain lancing at his heart. Whether his misery was for the dead or the living, he did not know. He managed to somewhat calm himself by the time he reached his grandmother's house.
His grandmother opened the door, and upon seeing Ken's face cried out, "What's wrong?"
"Ouka and Masafumi have been killed. They think a wolf did it."
Manx's beautiful face crumbled and she collapsed into Ken's arms. Ken held her as she cried, his own emotions hopelessly chaotic. Perhaps it was time to tell his grandmother the truth. Maybe, just maybe, she could help.
The storm passed at last, and Manx dried her tears. She looked at Ken. "Was there something else you wanted to tell me?"
"Yes." Ken admitted, not even asking her how she knew.
"Does it have something to do with Lord Ran?"
Ken nodded.
"You're still betrothed, aren't you child?"
"Yes."
"Then what is it?"
"Grandmother, you know how you've always taught me to question everything, to find the reasonable explanation for everything?"
Manx nodded, piercing eyes fixed on him.
"Well, there is no reasonable explanation for what I'm about to tell you… "
Manx raised a finely-arched eyebrow but said nothing.
"Ran's family was cursed during the first holy war in Jerusalem. Every male of the family has wolf blood running through his veins. The light of the full moon takes them over, and they run in the forest, a wolf in the eyes of beasts and men."
His grandmother blinked and seemed to accept the news in stride. She looked somber for a moment, then asked, "And you fear that it is he who has been killing of late?"
"He fears it, though I do not wish to. I do know that he was the wolf that attacked me when I was a child."
"Then he is the young man who roams the forest without clothes." Manx mused.
"Yes," answered Ken with a slight blush. "He used to be able to control his actions in wolf form, but as of late he isn't even able to remember what he has done."
"His passion for you has clouded his mind." Manx guessed.
Ken nodded, trying vainly not to blush again.
"Then the two of you have a very serious problem. I do not know if there is anything I can do to help."
"But you do believe me?"
"Of course I believe you." Manx pulled her grandson close. "Sometimes the fantastic is the logical explanation. Your love was cursed by a witch. We will accept that and move on."
"I am sorry," Ken said, anguish filling him once again.
"Do not be sorry, just promise me that you will be careful until we can figure out what to do."
"I will, Grandmother."
"Go now. I need some time to think. Come back next week and we shall talk some more. In the meanwhile, be happy, child. The days of happiness in one's life are fleeting and should be treasured. Hold tight to your Ran, for he will need you now in his hour of darkness."
Ken kissed his grandmother's cheek and took his leave. He hurried home, a shadow chasing his footsteps and sadness eating at his heart. The trees were silent, offering no words of wisdom or comfort or warning. He wished that they would. When the trees whispered, he never felt alone.
He remembered he had once told his grandmother that he thought the trees spoke to him, and that occasionally a tree he knew well would be in a different place. Like the root that seemed to spring up out of the ground to trip me the day the wolf tore my sleeve.
His grandmother had told him that trees were living things given to constant change and that the forest itself could be different from day to day. She had told him, though, that the trees did not move about and that they whispered only to themselves and not to him. Ken remembered being both relieved and a little disappointed.
"I wish you could tell me what happened last night," he addressed the trees. "Was it truly my Ran or something else?"
The trees kept their secrets. Maybe they're afraid to tell me, knowing that I do not want the truth they could share.
Ran wasn't ready to leave the woods, not just yet. It took him a little over an hour to find the place where the man and woman had been killed. Standing there, staring at the blood-soaked ground, he felt sick to the bottom of his soul.
The imprint of two bodies was visible in the snow. Around them were the tracks of an animal; prints of giant paws tipped with deadly claws jumbled together with the footprints of the man and woman.
He sank slowly to his knees and touched a hand to the scarlet-dyed snow "God forgive me, for I know not what I've done."
"Ran?" He heard Ken's voice soft behind him.
He turned and saw him standing a few feet away. He reached his hand out to him and he came and took it in his, gently caressing his roughened palm. Together they kept vigil, into the dark hours of the night. A light snow began to fall, coating them both with wet flakes.
They spoke not a word, Ken standing and he kneeling, both staring at the marks of violence. He realized Ken's strength was deep, far exceeding his own. Somewhere in the darkness he vowed that another would never die because of him.
"You'll help me?"
"Yes." Ken answered.
Ken crept into his house before the dawn could break, trying hard to be silent. He slipped into his nightclothes and lay down, gritting his teeth as the bed groaned slightly beneath his weight.
He rolled over and nearly screamed when he saw Kase staring at him in the darkness. He was lying still on his bed, silent, but his eyes spoke volumes.
He knows I was with Ran, Ken realized. He still does not trust him, and he certainly thinks that we were up to no good. I wish there were something I could say to change his mind.
There wasn't, though, and he knew it. Maybe it's because it was Ran's father that he and Youji followed off to war; maybe he resents the whole family because of what happened to them there.
Kase turned his head slowly and deliberately away from him, and he felt a cold emptiness inside. Somehow he knew that there, in the darkness, he had lost him. He has slipped away from me and I don't think he will ever return, he realized. His heart grew heavy with grief.
At last he turned away too, unable to help feeling bad as he literally and figuratively turned his back on his cousin. He is beyond my reach and beyond my help. He doesn't trust me anymore because of Ran.
He drifted to sleep, praying that there was still hope for Kase.
The days fled swiftly by, filled with work and preparations for their impending union. He barely saw Ran for a week. When he did see him, it was only to discuss living arrangements, and they were never alone.
Ironic that now our relationship is revealed we are so heavily chaperoned, he thought. I am not some woman to have my virtue protected. He gave up at last and came to grips with the fact that between his family and Ran's servants, they would not be alone again until after he moved into the palace, and rarely even then.
Except I must find a way to be alone with him on the nights of the next full moon, which will end just two days before we are to live together. He will need me then, and no force can keep me from helping him.
He mopped his brow and stepped outside the shop for a breath of fresh air. He was just in time to see Ran riding into the village. Think of the devil and he shall appear, he thought bemusedly. Though I pray he is not the devil we both fear he is.
"Ken!" his dulcet voice that was rarely raised shouted. When he was near enough, he gave Ken a smile that warmed him instantly, a smile that housed desire and promised passion. He blushed, still not used to the gawking stares of the passersby as they first looked at a surprisingly smiling Ran and back to his gaping face.
"Milord," he answered somewhat breathlessly.
"You know, you need to stop calling me that."
"I'll stop calling you that in public after we are formally bonded. In private I shall call you whatever I like," he replied tartly.
"Feisty this morning," Ran answered, chuckling as he slid from his horse. He took a step forward as though he meant to kiss him, when his father came out of the shop, clearing his throat.
Only Ken saw Ran roll his eyes in irritation, and he quickly bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.
"Good father," Ran greeted Reiji.
"Milord," Reiji answered.
"You can call me son," Ran suggested with a wry note to his voice.
"I'll call you that when you are properly bonded to Ken and not a moment before. Until then, you are milord."
Ran sighed in an exaggerated manner. "I see where Ken gets it from. Pray tell, neither of you harbor any illusions that I might try and back out of our agreement?"
"I don't believe you will, milord. You seem to be an honorable man, if nothing else. It just wouldn't be right."
Ken watched in fascination as Ran set his jaw. He knew that his father still did not wholly trust him in all things. He still believed that Ran was a dangerous man with a hot temper, but he did believe that Ran was honorable. It was a start, at least. Still, for a while there would be no more familiar embraces between the two men like the one they had shared upon sealing the engagement.
He was enjoying the fresh air, but he knew that if he tried to speak with Ran outside, his father would stay and less work would be done. Shoulders slumping, he turned and led the two older men back inside. At least there he and Ran could speak without the attention of the villagers, and his father could work, content that he was performing his chaperone duties.
"What have you come about?" Ken asked.
"Do I need a reason to visit my betrothed?"
Ken gave him a level stare and he smirked in reply.
"Your presence is requested at the castle for some other domestic arrangements."
"I'm going to be at my grandmother's tomorrow. Can we make it the day after?"
"We can do anything you wish," Ran said, looking for all the world like he was going to try kissing him again. He shot a glance at his father, whose back was turned toward them, and then he swooped down and gave Ken a swift peck on the cheek.
He stepped back hastily, but not before his father could say, "I heard that."
Ken couldn't stop himself from laughing.
"I'm sorry, Father," Ran said with humor lacing his voice, giving Ken a smug smile.
"I also had the cardinal send a message to my father, informing him of our … engagement. It will reach him after the affair is done, but he will be glad to hear that I already have someone I hold dear."
A lump formed in Ken's throat at the thought of the Holy Land and the crusade. "Do you think your father will return home soon?" he asked.
Ran shook his head, eyes hardening. "To be honest, I don't know. He has spent most of his adult life there. I don't know why, exactly."
He gave Ken a look, though, that told him he was pretty sure why and that it had something to do with the family's secret. He nodded to show that he understood.
"I look forward to meeting him whenever he does return," Ken said. If he does return, he thought to himself, knowing personally how easily he might not.
TBC
Author's Notes:
Whee! Another short chapter! I kill too much people in this fic, ne? I'm thinking of changing the rating to PG 16 but no one takes heed anyway. At least, I didn't when I was still a minor. Um, oops? Oh, and Olivia Yuy Maxwell gave me a RanKen fanart that is simply beautiful. She doesn't have somewhere to post it though so just bug her to give you a copy or just tell me and leave an e-mail add and I'll forward the picS to you. If you want to use her pics, PLEASE ASK HER FIRST at sirius(underscore)remus(underscore)007 (at) yahoo. Hey, you could mail her too and ask for more lovely pics from her! Whee! I LOVE YOU OLIVIA! (huggles)
I am now a proud owner of book four of the Artemis Fowl series: The Opal Deception. Whee! Haven't finished reading it yet, though.
Since my notes seem to be too short this time, allow me to relate a disturbing incident that took place in the seminar I attended about a week ago. At the last night of our stay (therefore a night of rest – it was after we had our spelunking adventure!), the hotel we stayed in hired an ethnic group to perform a few tribal dances. After the show, they offered free head, back, and foot massages. We, the participants of the seminar, lined up and sat on pillows strewn on the floor; the women were behind us, massaging our heads and backs, and the men were in front, massaging our feet. The guy (in a g-string or loincloth or whatever Igorot men wear) massaging my feet started asking me questions about our trip to the caves. Out of the blue, he asked me if I already have a husband. I was like "Oh my god, I'm only 18, darn it!" and he's like "We're all bachelors here (gesturing to the row of men who were massaging feet) so…" I kinda tuned him out after that. It's a scary thing: to have the guy massaging your feet suddenly kinda-propose (too strong a word?) to you. (shudders)
Replies to Reviews (Chapter 8, etc.): I baked tiramisu yesterday 'coz we had nothing to eat. So, tiramisu for everyone! (No, you won't get food poisoning or something. Other than that, I can't guarantee edibility)
HeatherR Hai, a Gravitation novel. Elana-chan said that the cover portrayed a more serious Shuichi and Eiri (how could Yuki be more serious?). Ehehehe, I seem to let my story flow from happiness to extreme gore and back to sweet fluffiness, ne? Or is it the other way around? Oooooh, a nice idea you have there. Let's see if that's the case in the next chapters, 'kay? (snickers and secretly holds up a "You are SO smart, HeatherR-sama!" banner) Eh, you study homosexuality in history? May I ask why? Is it for research for your fics? (I should do that too, apparently) You have a point; medieval times have a potential to house same sex relationships; what's good (?) about it is no one is the wiser. I mean, privacy is everywhere; couples could get it on in back alleys or something and people would just take it for granted. I think. Gah. 'Nyways, what you said was a real eye-opener for me. Wow. People actually did that in the past? I wonder what made people's views change (as if I don't know). Thanks SO much, it really helped to ease my confounded fears about being too inaccurate with this fic. Btw, thanks for the review! (huggles HeatherR to near-death)
olivia yuymaxwell Nyahaha! Thanks SO much for the beautiful fanarts! I wuffs you SO much! And still I ask: what sexual tension? There's nothing of the sort in this fic! It's a PG-13 so there's no sexual tension or kissing or blood or gore or… wait… Um, oh, look at that purple thing! (scurries away) Yeah, Midare almost made my nose bleed, but it's a beautiful manga. 'Nyways, I've said what I wanted to say to you on our terribly long e-mails so I just simply want to thank you (again) for the review and the lovely drawings! (huggles)
Sachiko V Yeah, I almost wish Reiji is my dad… or something. I mean, my dad finally allowed me to go to sleepovers when I was already 15! Talk about overprotective. Oh, and I'm still working on the right reaction Reiji should have to the circumstances. That kind of father is just too idealistic even for me. Oh well. Aww, I'm so sorry for the whole almost-breaking-up scene! It had to be done! I was typing away happily when Ran and Ken decided to fight! Blame it on them! I hope your heart doesn't fibrillate soon. Hehe, I think I'm getting sick of the flowery phrases (looks back at fic and shudders) but it fits the story and the era so it's sticking for good; at least, in this fic. Yeah, Ran and Ken FOREVER! Mwahahaha! (strikes a Gai sensei pose complete with sparkling teeth – and no, no bowl-cut hair) Thanks for the review! (huggles)
Brokn Innocence Ehehehe, Kase seems uberly suspicious, ne? Wonder why… Darn it, Omi and Youji are off in their own little world and I'll feel like a speck of dust if I dare impede in their "alone time." Um, yeah, I really am lazy. But it was a nice excuse, ne? Ne? yeah, all writers have a right to OOCness! Mwahahaha! (I should stop with the manic laughter) Eh? You go to the kitchen right after reading my fics? Wonder why. WAI! "Ring Finger" is the coolest, cutest boy love manga around! (Or the coolest, cutest boy love manga I own…) Thanks for the review! (huggles)
cat ehehehe, I sure hope your mail is yahoo. It didn't register in the review. Oh well. Aww, thanks for thinking this fic is cool. Hope you like the new installment and sorry for taking way too long. I was feeling a bit lazy to log-in at FF. Ehehehehe… 'Nyways, thanks for the review! (huggles)
Ru-chan Whee! You think it's a nice chapter? Really? Awww… (head in the – rain – clouds) Yeah, I portray Kase way too decently in my fics. Maybe it's because of the fact that I've never seen him yet. Ehehehe, gomen. I've started fixing that so I hope you like it. People here have such a grudge on Kase! I wonder why… Kidding! I was kidding! (hides under a blanket) Oh, Omi and Youji are off in their own world. It'd be a shame to intrude on their privacy now, ne? Err, yeah, lame excuse. I'll insert them somewhere sometime. I hope. (hides under convenient… towel) Thanks for the review! (huggles)
And now I'm off to eat a very late breakfast.
