A kiss in the dark
Prologue
Revenge: like a sweet wine
Iso Rashi smiled as the soft, familiar knock on the door made its way to his ears.
"Come in," he said, as he crossed his legs and leaned his head against his hand which was currently resting on the arm of the overstuffed chair he was sitting in. The door cracked open and a young man walked in, presumably in his 20's his long blonde hair was neatly brushed and hung loosely down his back. A silver band, to match his eyes, was across his forehead, holding back his bangs. The young man bowed.
"You called for me, my lord?" he said, straightening himself up.
The King smiled. "I did, and how many times must I tell you to call me Iso? Although, hearing you call me 'lord' in bed is very pleasing." He gave a small chuckle as the young man blushed. "Come on over here Gerald, there is much I wish to talk to you about," The King waved Gerald over to his chair and pointed to a similar chair across from him. Gerald slowly sat himself down in the chair and looked up at Iso.
He sighed deeply and sat up in his chair. "You and I know the time will come some day when I am no longer here, and the time for me to name an heir is nearing quickly."
Gerald blinked in confusion. "But…wouldn't that be Andrys, since he is the Minister of State?"
Iso laughed. "Andrys? He is too weak to be a King." Iso looked over at Gerald and gave him a sly grin. "But you, Gerald, you are strong. A strong mind and body, but also so beautiful. Everything that a King should be." He stood up and walked over to where Gerald sat and crouched down to look at him in the face. He reached up his hand and brushed his fingers through Gerald's hair.
"B-but, what about the rules?"
Iso snorted and leaned in closer to Gerald. "Forget the rules my beautiful magician, I am the King, I can change whatever rules I wish to change. I am willing to commit a small sin do a greater good." Iso leaned in and placed a kiss on Gerald's lips.
Andry's, a middle aged man with short, black hair, walked down the hall carrying a small stack of papers to his small office on the far side of the castle. He stumbled on a small crack on the ground and dropped all his papers. "Damn it." He bent down and started to pick up the papers scattered all over the floor. Andrys lifted his head at the sound of muffled voices coming from the room next to him. "The King's room?" He leaned his ear closer to the door.
"Andrys, he's too weak to be a King." Andrys' breath caught in his throat and he fell back on his hands looking in horror at the door. His horror quickly turned into anger and he clenched his fist, his finger nails digging into his palms. "I knew this was going to happen. I knew it from the start, every since he started taking that slut to his bed." He gritted his teeth and stood up crushing his papers in his hands. "Well, now is the time to bring my plan to action" He gave a bitter laugh and walked down the hall to find Amoril. Walking into the library and found his partner running a greasy finger along the spins of the books.
"Amoril." The albino turned to the man in the door.
"Yes sir, what is it you need?"
Andrys grinned and leaned against the door frame. "I need you to tell me where…our special serum is."
Amoril smiled, showing his pointed, yellow-stained teeth. "Ah, sir, it was about time we got around to doing this." He hobbled over to Andrys leaning in the door way. "I will lead you to it…my lord."
The younger man smiled and pushed himself away from the frame. "Please do."
Andrys followed the limping albino down the hall and into his quarters. "So," the albino started, clearing his throat of mucus. "What set you off?"
He crossed his arms and sneered. "The stupid bastard thinks I am weak and that I couldn't handle being King! So instead he is going to let his stupid whore be King! Probably only because he is good at squatting and spreading his legs."
The albino laughed as he dug around in the chest near the foot of his bed. "No doubt that is a factor. Sexual impulses are a very good thing for persuasion."
Andrys uncrossed his arms and began pacing around in a circle in the middle of the room. "Shit! What the hell is he good for! So what, he can use magic. Big deal. It's not like THAT alone will make a good king, I mean for fucks sake, the king himself can't even do it! This whole thing is a load of shit! I should be the one to get the crown, not him, ME." Andrys stopped at punched the cobblestone wall. "Stupid bastard!"
The albino continued to laugh as he presented the small vile of clear liquid. "Don't worry sir; this will take care of everything." He handed the glass to Andrys who took it and studied it in the light.
"It will indeed. But, how are we going to get rid of the whore?" Amoril looked over at Andrys with a disturbing look on his face.
"I am glad you asked. We don't do anything but present the empty vile to the court when the King dies." Andrys looked at the albino with a confused look plastered all over his face.
"How will that help us?"
"Easy, we blame the death on Gerald, and claim that he murdered him to get the throne faster. Using poison and magic to keep him and everyone else oblivious."
Andrys laughed. "Perfect! He will be hanged for treason! Then there will be no one to stand in my way!"
"That is the plan" Amoril shooed Andrys out of his room. "Go, slip him some now, in his wine. You need to do this over time, so start now."
Andrys nodded and hurried out of the room and down the winding stairs to the kitchens. While on his way down the stairs Andrys nearly plowed the kitchen maid over dropping the clear vile.
"Watch where you are going next time!" Andrys snapped at her as he bent down to retrieve the lost item. Narilka bowed over and over.
"I am so sorry sir! I didn't even hear you coming down the stairs! I was just going to bring this tray of wine to his majesty, and I was runnin-"
Anrdys waved his hand to stop her. "You were bringing this to his majesty?" The young girl nodded quickly. "Ah, well I was just going to head that way, so why don't I take it from here?"
"But I can't have such a high—"she was silenced again as Andrys took the tray from her hands.
"Don't worry my dear, I was going that way anyway, you will not get in trouble. Now hurry off" She nodded and turned running back down the stairs. Andrys laughed as he turned and walked back up the stairs. "It's almost like it is fate that this all just walked right into my hands. Almost like it was meant to happen!" Andrys set the tray down on one step and popped the top off the vile dripping some of the clear liquid into the large goblet. "Now we will see who is weak," grinning he put the cork back in and stuck it in his pocket and continued up the stairs. He carried the tray up to the king's chambers and knocked on the thick oak doors.
"Go away, I am busy." Came the muffled reply from inside.
"But your majesty, I have your wine you requested." Andrys replied trying not to sound over excited. There were sounds of items shuffling and some soft whispers before the king yanked open the doors and smiled at his Minister of State.
"Well, well what is my Minister of State doing, carrying out a maid's job hm?"
Andrys laughed like what the king had said was funny. "Well, I was just on my way to see you when I met up with the maid, and I just relieved her of this chore since I was coming here anyway."
The king smiled and lead Andrys over to the table where he set the tray down. Completely ignoring Gerald, Andrys handed the king his large goblet of wine. "I received a few letters from some townspeople complaining about the sanitation of the town. I took care of them for you though my lord." Andrys smiled as Iso drank down the contents of the goblet.
"Ah, great work Andrys. That is why you are my Minister of State." He coughed slightly before motioning to the wine. "Care for some wine Gerald?"
Gerald shook his head and remained silent. Iso finished off his wine and set the goblet down on the table. "That was some fine wine."
Andrys stood and grabbed the tray. "Well, I will fill you in later with the rest of the paperwork tomorrow. You look tired now your majesty, perhaps you should get some rest?"
Iso stood and stretched out his cramped limbs. "I think I will retire for the night." He undid the front of his tunic and set it on the back of his chair. "Tomorrow you will inform me about the paperwork correct Andrys?" He merely nodded and bowed, excusing himself from the room. With Andrys excused from the room Iso turned to Gerald who was still sitting in the same chair with his hands settled motionless in his lap. Smiling, Iso walked over to Gerald and lifted his hands pulling him out of the chair and leaning in close. "Come on to bed with me Gerald, you look very tired yourself." Grinning from ear to ear the king led his loyal sorcerer to the bed.
Weeks went by and Andrys continued to slip the clear liquid into the king's drinks, at all meals if he was able. Soon the king began to fall ill, and the residents of the house began to worry as his illness only seemed to get worse everyday.
Gerald opened the door to the ward slowly and quietly closed it. Iso looked up and gave him a small smile before waving him over with a pale hand. Walking over to the bed, Gerald pulled up a chair and sat next to him, his eyes downcast and lands linked in his lap. After a few moments he spoke.
"Sir…if, if you pass on…what is to become of me?"
A throaty laugh came from the bed and Gerald looked up at his lover's sunken in eyes.
"Well, I haven't gotten around to talking to the council, but if I pass you are to be King Gerald, remember?"
The sorcerer nodded slowly.
"Besides I-" before he could finish the king was interrupted by a series of harsh coughs followed by vomiting all his lunch over the side of the bed. "G-Gerald…please get the doctor…" Nodding quickly Gerald shoved the chair back and ran out looking for the doctor.
Another month went by and Iso's condition never got better but slowly worse, until he died after falling unconscious one night. Andrys smiled as he watched the ward staff moan and sob over the loss of their king.
"Now, to finish the game and fetch the pet from his home." Closing the door behind him Andrys walked through the corridors to announce to the council the terrible news.
((Clari-sama: well, that is the beginning folks. Now we just wait for Mazoku to write next. Enjoy))