KANAGAWA

Chapter Eight

Toru was walking across the green grass of the palace garden. He had always loved that garden for it contained several memories of Kenji that he wouldn't dare to forget.

It will remain in his mind and heart for eternity, even if heaven proclaims he had lost him.

Suddenly, under the thick branches and leaves of the maple tree, a manly body stood with a silver cape swaying with the cold wind.

Toru smiled for happiness enveloped his heart. He ran towards the man he was seeing and grabbed him with all his might. His arms were tightly embedded to the young body he dreamt to caress once more.

"I miss you..." Toru murmured.

But the man he was holding was stiff and immobile. Looking at his eyes, Toru was stunned to see the married Prince of Shohoku.

"Prince...?" Bewilderment occupied the great soldier.

Hanamichi's lips curved a little. "I understand." His copper brown eyes shone with mellowness. "I know how a man would feel when the love of his life is taken away from him..."

The Prince and the soldier's eyes froze with each other... sharing similar glow that faded with pain of losing the one they love.

"How's Kenji?" Toru mumbled. His strong facade was betrayed by his real emotion of hurt.

Hanamichi was reluctant to speak, but the look in Toru's eyes coerced him to... for Toru deserves to know. "He belongs to Maki now."

Toru's head went down on the ground. "Kenji has always been his."

"I know it's difficult but you must stop loving him. If Maki would know about this, he'll have you burnt at stake like what he did to my Kaede." A tear came rolling in the smooth cheek of the Prince.

Nodding with a heavy heart, Toru tried to accept the fact. He picked a yellow sunflower from the bushes and let Hanamichi's hand close around its stem.

"Please... dear Prince. Give this flower to my beloved and tell him that I love him very much."

Hanamichi agreed. "I hope Kaede had left something for me before he died." The prince was simultaneously pitying and envying them for the both of them were still alive and hope was still theirs.

When Hanamichi was a meter away from the soldier, Toru spoke. "He's not dead."

"What?" Hanamichi stopped on his track.

"Your love is not dead."

"What do you mean?"

"On the night before he was to be burnt at stake, a raid occured inside the prisoners' dungeon." Toru knew he shouldn't be saying that in the name of the Emperor's order, but he couldn't bare to see Hanamichi mourning for a lie. "He was about the only one who escaped."

The sun's ray flashed into Hanamichi's beautiful face. The buds bloomed and the water runs on the river with all natural energy.

"Ha!" Kaede hit a very sharpened dagger on a hard cut trunk of a tree. He was half-naked and sweating all over.

"I've never seen you very angry." A man with a vertical scar on the left side of his chin, stood a meter away from Kaede and looked at the poor trunk hit with 3 daggers.

Kaede's blue eyes were dark and his eyebrows were almost meeting with each other.

"Are you planning to take him away from the next Emperor?" The man asked.

Kaede's palms rested on his knees and he was panting after a continuous practice with his daggers.

"The rebellion is only after for equality. He's now married to Prince Akira, whether we meet our goals, you will never have him... so if I were you, forget about that prince."

Kaede was the only son of Minami, who founded the rebellion. When Minami died, the leadership was turned over to his son and Kaede being a little child then had to know more and practice more.

"It's time, Kaede. You shall lead us away from slavery. Stop thinking about your heart, think about us; your people."

"I'm not just thinking about my heart... I'm not just thinking about my people..." Kaede was speaking with a serious tone. "I'm thinking about both." Kaede's raven black hair was swayed by the wind from the oasis. "The rebellion is not after equality."

Kaede suddenly gazed at his companion with fox eyes. "I will overthrow the royalties and nobles. I will claim Hanamichi from him, from them."

"Be sure that this love you refuse to withdraw will never come against our way once more. You've wasted too much time for him."

"Hisashi, I swear... this time... it's my victory." Kaede's words engraved in Hisashi's mind.