Kaede sat on the back of his raven black horse. His metal armour twinkling against the morning sun.
He hovered until Hanamichi comfortably sits right in front of him. His left hand held the rope while constantly encircling Hanamichi's waist while his right was holding his samurai.
Hanamichi wore a plain silky white cloth that was tied in one of his shoulders. The hem of his garment flowed like a healthy river as Kaede rode his horse in an unbeatable speed.
Kaede saw the way a fiery Emperor Akira battled against his people.
Trained well in the palace by the best warriors... Akira held his samurai with robust hands and arms but in a lightweight that gave its swiftness.
Kaede and Hanamichi watched as Akira beheaded dozens of rebels in few strokes of his samurai. Kaede's hold on Hanamichi's waist tightened and he gritted his teeth with rage.
Kaede brought his horse in an inclined land where he seemed to proclaim his mastery in wars and his position in the rebellion camp.
"AKIRA!" He screamed.
Akira glanced to him. His face was still familiar... that face of a slave who almost steal Hanamichi from him.
Perhaps their own personal battle haven't ended yet. Because right on that moment... Hanamichi is sitting right in front of him.
"The king!" The royal soldiers yelled and were apparently shocked that their King was sitting calmly with the rebellion master. "Traitor! Traitor!"
"I'm not!" Hanamichi shouted back and Kaede held his hand in the instant. Kaede felt and shared with the pain Hanamichi was feeling.
The tension was getting intensified.
Everyone was oblivious in the Emperor's sticky stare at the rebellion master and his own King sitting together in the black horse back.
Apart from everyone's thinking... there was only ONE moment playing in the minds of the Emperor and the rebellion master.
In the Prisoners' Dungeon, 7 years ago.
Kaede was barenaked with only a cloth wrapped around his hips to keep him warm. There were tongues of fire hanging on the cold rock walls of the cave.
Kaede's arms were lifted up... his wrists and ankles were tied with metal cups locked in chains.
In front of him stood a crying Hanamichi and a smuggish Akira.
"Now look at each other for the very last time." Akira said in a tone like it's an order. He inched backwards and went outside to tell 7 guards to watch the prisoned slave very closely because he'll be beheaded by tomorrow.
"My love..." Hanamichi touched Kaede's face with his two hands. As much as Kaede wants to touch him too... he couldn't because he's tied.
Hanamichi slowly and desperately plunged his lips to the love of his life and they both fell to the paradise they might never visit again.
Hanamichi deepened their kiss. He lavished his tongue.
"I love you... never ever forget that, my love." Kaede muttered between kisses.
Hanamichi nodded silently and when Akira returned and found them kissing... Akira yelled.
"That's enough!"
But Hanamichi only intensified their kiss.
"I said..." Akira ran towards his future king ang seized him away from that slave. "enough!" And he slapped Kaede on the cheek which stunned Hanamichi.
"Go back to the palace!" He ordered him. "Now!"
Hanamichi retaliated but the grave eyes he saw on Akira told him that Akira might kill Kaede right in front of him and that's one thing he least wanted to witness. So he left that cell but stopped right outside the door to absorb his very last kiss with Kaede.
Inside the cell, Akira prepared himself with a whip used for horses... he rolled it around his hand and ONE! He struck Kaede across the chest. TWO! Another one that hit Kaede's arm.
Hanamichi heard the slash of the whip and the way Kaede exhaled in pain. He wanted to help his Kaede but he couldn't... every wisp of Akira's whip is a wisp on his heart.
Akira gritted his teeth. Envy surfaced in his mind... body and soul that his hand semmed to be lightweight. He rose his samurai and directed it towards Kaede's face.
"Master of the slaves..." Akira spoke eloquently but hard enough to elicit braveness. "I've killed half of your people... surrender now or all of the rebels here shall perish!"
"Have you forgotten?" Kaede answered without turning back. "I have your son."
"And my King to add." Akira said. "But I'm ready to kill for them and for the peace in my land. You won't get anything that's mine."
"You're the one who stole from me!" Kaede was enraged. "For this you shall pay."
"My army..." Akira shouted. "On your mark... kill them all!"
The royal army ran towards the rebels and the latter didn't surrender... they fought with them.
Kaede went away but not to escape Akira. He brought Hanamichi in the river and told him to wait for him in the cave. No matter what he'll be back for him.
Kaede kissed him and Hanamichi answered back. "I love you," he said.
Hanamichi touched his face and kissed him one more time.
Kaede returned to the battle ground where he confronted the Emperor of Kanagawa.
In the midst of the burning battle... Hanamichi betrayed Kaede.
He went out of the cave and looked for his son in the rebel's cottages which were almost evacuated.
Only one cottage was heavily guarded. Hanamichi assumed it's where they locked his son.
to/be/continued/