Chapter 3: The Castle

After witnessing Hiro's weird magic, Shuichi and Yuki had no other option but to believe him. But what was with this place and why did Hiro suddenly have the power to do this magic? All three wanted answers but being stuck somewhere in the middle of a forest wasn't going to help them.

Saved from having to build a fire, thanks to that strange power Hiro possessed, all three men ventured deeper into the forest. The only option was to randomly pick some direction and follow it. K had been quiet for the most part, since they'd emerged from the portal. Hiro wasn't sure why and only thought that maybe he was asleep or something. And as they walked he wondered how his manager ever got himself stuck in this situation and locked in a dungeon.

Hiro could feel chills again. The dungeon in his dreams was so very cold and damp. He recalled that K looked horrible, he shuddered. This was becoming scary; Hiro began to wonder if they should be more careful. If K got captured then maybe they would too and then this whole trip would be useless!

Everyone was quiet, there was little to say really because each man was lost in his own thoughts. Their normal world was turn upside down and shook like a glass snowball. The blizzard in their minds didn't match the calm looks on their faces. But the only thing they could do was move on.

The forest itself was peaceful and quiet. Yuki made a point of picking up a walking stick so he could remove the spider webs clinging between trees. Hiro and Shuichi made sure to do the same.

"Hiro?"

"K!" the brunette cried and Shuichi and Yuki stopped, looking around, expecting to see K. But soon they realized Hiro was once again talking to himself.

Yuki gave Shuichi a hug and the pink haired singer grabbed on tightly. Everything was just becoming so strange and they were beginning to feel alone and isolated.

"You guys really shouldn't have come here. It's dangerous, you could get caught. There are bad people here, keep away from them."

"Who K? What do they look like?" Hiro asked, swallowing down a seed of dread. Who were the scary people?

Sigh, "I'm so cold Hiro…I'm starting to feel like I'm losing it. Why is this happening to us?" came a very different sounding K.

Hiro felt the cold even more now because K felt cold. "I don't know K. I'm still trying to figure out why we were the ones that found those stones. I can do some pretty strange things now you know."

"Really? Like what?" K wondered, his voice sounding a little more intrigued.

Hiro was rubbing his hand when he said, "I seem to have some kind of fire power. Heat. Fuck I dried everyone off in seconds just by touching them!"

There was silence.

"K?"

"I smell everything like pheromones and earlier a small tornado filled my cell…and I knocked myself out…" a weak chuckle, "I thought I was going crazy but it's happening to you too eh?" Pause. "They're watching me Hiro."

So that's what happened to K after they'd come through the portal, that's why he was quiet. Hiro listened and shook his head. Who was watching? He had no idea what this was about but it seems that K's stone had a different power. "This is like some strange video game you know. So why not make another tornado and escape the dungeon?" Hiro questioned. It seemed like a very logical idea.

Another sigh came from K, "I don't know how to make things happen, it just does, sometimes."

Hiro knew the feeling. He looked at his hand and wondered what other powers he was capable of. But he couldn't make them happen at will. "I know, I think I even understand. Don't worry; I'm coming to get you. And K?" Hiro went, "Who are these bad people?"

There was no answer.

"K?"

Still no answer.

"They know, get out of here Hiro!"

There was silence after that and Hiro set his eyes on Shuichi and Yuki, who were looking at him in the most perplexed way.

"Hiro from the looks on your face, I'd say you've gone completely mad. But after that stunt back at the river I actually might just believe you. So what was K saying?" Shuichi wondered, digging out a stick of pocky from his pocket.

Watching Shuichi eat that candy was making Hiro realize he was hungry. Actually Yuki seemed to be thinking the same thing as they both watched Shuichi munching.

Groaning, Hiro told them what K said but he left out the stuff about how the man sounded. Worry swirled in Hiro's stomach, where ever K was, it was sucking the life out of him. He'd never heard him sound so lost and possibly frightened before. Suddenly he felt like he was standing on that toilet again, watching the blonde crying.

'I'll come get you K, that's a promise' Hiro told himself, paying no mind to K's last words. Nope Hiro was not going anywhere, no matter what K said.

As they continued to walk, the sun eventually came out. But it was going to be fleeting as it began to make it's decent towards the horizon. Soon night would come and that was a scary thought for the three of them.

But the dead quiet was suddenly filled with the sound of hooves, horse hooves. And the hope of a friendly welcome was over estimated.

Zing.

Thunk.

Two arrows landed in a tree next to Yuki's head. All three gaped and Hiro yelled, "Run!" Each of them tore off into a different direction and the arrows followed their wake.

"Get them men, do not let them escape!" went a very familiar voice.

Hiro ran his heart beating like a drum. He heard the clip clop of a horse nearing behind him and forced his legs to move faster. Branches scraped his cheek and he tripped on a root. Scrambling up, Hiro launched himself forward again. "Shuichi, Yuki!" He cried, but he heard no response.

Lungs searing like on fire, Hiro ran as fast as he could. But the horse and its rider only tailed him, so close was the beast that Hiro could see its shadow looming just ahead of him. The sheer feeling of desperation flooded through his veins, and the adrenaline that accompanied it told Hiro he wasn't ready to die! Turning around Hiro stopped and faced his pursuer.

All he saw was a blur of blonde hair as the evening sun found a path through the forest to blind Hiro's eyes. It reminded him of fire, so Hiro wished for fire. Come on. Come on! But nothing happened. "Oh come on help me!" cried Hiro as the horse neared, like an incoming train. Hiro closed his eyes and braced for some kind of impact. But the only thing he felt heat a wonderful heat, he opened his eyes and before him was a wall of fire.

HAHA! The horse reared and unseated the rider. Amazed Hiro watched the flames shielding him and inviting his touch. Reaching out Hiro's fingers danced over the flickering inferno. He sighed at the warmth it brought him momentarily and plunged in his whole hand. Expecting to feel extreme pain, the guitarist winced. But there was no pain and the fire didn't even do any damage. Hiro broke into a grin.

Whoosh! The fire was put out.

"Nice trick but it won't save your life," went a voice, that familiar voice.

Hiro looked up to the face that spoke, almost not believing his ears and or his eyes. He blinked like he was delusional. "K?" he offered shakily. "B…but I thought…" The brunette thought about K in his mind, but how does one call someone telepathically?! There was no manual for this stuff. K was here but how?

"Yes K, that's the name…or should I say my name, Hiro," K said and went, "Be still your mind, we don't need telepathy anymore," K went and arched his gauntlet covered hand past Hiro's face like he was casting a spell.

Astonished Hiro gaped at K all dressed up like some knight. He stood there holding his helmet in the nook of his arm, chest and shoulders covered in fine chain mail. Under which was a red doublet that went to mid thigh, over dark leggings with armour over his knees and feet. But as his eyes trailed back up he noticed his long blonde hair was not in a ponytail but loose and beautiful.

"Holy shit K, what are you doing dressed up like that?" Hiro asked bewildered and added, "I thought you were locked up…did you escape?"

K only smiled playfully and he took a step closer to Hiro. He pulled off a gauntlet and produced a hand that was perfectly manicured. A hand bearing a symbol also, delicately touched Hiro's face. His fingers brushed over Hiro's lips and then past his ear into soft burgundy hair.

Hiro gasped at K's touch. He stood their wide eyed and watched the blue eyes that inspected him. For so long he had dreamt of moments like this. Of having K touch him this way, that he relished the experience now; Hiro could almost forget about everything right now.

"I missed you Hiro, come return with me to the castle," K said very nobly.

"Castle? Come on you're free let's go home," Hiro ventured grabbing onto K's arm and tugging. The man did not budge.

"Don't you need to find your friends? Surly you can't leave them behind?" the blonde offered.

Shit! Of course he couldn't leave his friends but then Hiro thought. "But your men are chasing them right? Just let them go," Hiro paused, "Wait a minute, why are you chasing us in the first place?" Hiro let go of K and stood back hastily.

"Because I wanted to whisk you off your feet and take you back to my royal chambers. There is a very nice life to be had here Hiro. Come, I'll release your friends and you can accompany me to the Winchester castle," spoke K in old fashioned Japanese.

Say what?

"K what the hell, are you talking about? I didn't come here to stay. I came here to save your ass and go home," Hiro said like his manager was losing his mind.

A flash of impatience crossed over K's face but it was soon replaced with a smile. "Play along Hiro. The people here believe I'm their long lost king." K laughed heartily and whistled. Moments later his horse returned.

Hiro was shaking his head and looked up at a fearsome black steed, which snorted hot air at him. The guitarist cast a look at K and sighed. What was going on? Was everything just a dream really created by the magic stone he found? He had so many questions.

"K, why do you want to stay here? Don't you want to go home and see your son? People miss you, you know," Hiro enlightened the man, who wasn't acting himself at all. Maybe he was under a spell? And how were they supposed to get home anyways, Hiro pondered.

K replaced his helmet and in one fell swoop he re-mounted his horse and held a hand out, "I haven't found out how to get home yet," he claimed simply. "Stop worrying and climb up behind me."

Looking up at blue eyes, Hiro softened a little. This was K right here in front of him, he'd save them. He always did. Grabbing onto K's hand Hiro let himself to be pulled up behind the blonde. Hesitantly and with much blushing, Hiro wrapped his arms around K's torso. Hiro felt the man inhale sharply.

"Hmm, what fine company you make," K mused and spurred the horse. They followed a small trail in the forest. Obviously a path used often by travellers and riders. Still it wasn't big enough for a vehicle or a carriage. As they rode down the way, two riders, dressed similar to K came to them.

"My lord," went a young man, "We didn't catch the other two, they vanished sir, maybe the work of the woodsmen? You know how they are."

Hiro felt the knights eyes on him as he sat, arms wrapped around their king. K the king, he thought amused. Hiro couldn't hold back a giggle.

"Silence!" roared K.

Hiro was startled to silence.

"I want those two found. At all costs! They are a threat!" K ordered hostility. But then his demeanour softened and he added, "A threat that if they aren't found it will upset our new guest. And that would be a shame."

"Yes my lord," went both knights.

"Shall we continue our search?" The other knight on a dark brown horse questioned.

"No, tomorrow you can continue your hunt at daybreak," K told them and the lead knight held up a pennant, a red flag with a golden three headed dragon as the emblem.

Feeling as if he'd jumped through a time wrap, Hiro clung onto K's mailed back with uncertainty. Every second since he'd seen K pick up that stone, things have been crazy. Maybe this whole charade was a terrible nightmare. But pinching himself did not make Hiro wake up. Did a whole six days make K a king? With not only the skill to talk like a king but ride a horse and refuse his real world? But after all that's happened so far, why should he not believe anything is possible, right? He only hoped Shuichi and Yuki were ok.

By the time they got to the castle Hiro had been lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the horse ride. Besides breathing in the scent lavender from K's hair, Hiro found himself sleeping peacefully. Head resting against a broad back, it was the only real sleep he'd gotten for the last few days. He had been so weary that even the fact that he was on a horse with K, who was dressed up like someone from a fairytale, wasn't enough to stop Hiro from falling asleep.

"Winchester Castle!" announced a voice loudly.

Hiro woke up at the sound. He blinked when he realized he was snugly resting his head on K's back and he sat up quickly. Embarrassment flooded his cheeks with a rosy hue.

"Sleep well Hiroshi?" questioned K jovially. "I would let you rest on me like that for hours but there is something you should see."

Bewildered at K's suggestive words, Hiro couldn't believe he was hearing him talk that way. It was like all the fantasies he ever had of K, was coming true. It's as if after all this turmoil they could be themselves and express their desire for each other with no questions. No internal debate, for their souls have already been exposed from feeling each other's minds. All thanks to the stones that gave them telepathic powers.

But still K was being very direct and bold towards him. It was a little surprising.

Hiro looked around and stopped short when he looked up ahead. "Oh my god," the guitarist breathed, staring with big eyes at the castle ahead of him. The castle was styled in a renaissance way. With three flat squared turrets which belonged to a stone block building. The castle was in the middle of huge stone wall that went all around the building. And just like from the story books, a drawbridge was lowered and the horse clopped over the wooden bridge. Hiro looked above and saw a deadly portcullis as they entered the castle grounds.

"Everything is inside the castle walls. Stables, merchants, a blacksmith and training grounds but wait till you see inside the castle," K told Hiro and added provocatively, "I promise you won't feel cold in there."

Something about how K spoke was making Hiro very turned on. He hoped like mad that their ride would end, as it would become quite uncomfortable soon. Hiro couldn't help but feel a hard on grow in his pants, even if he tried to will it away. And it didn't help much that the extent on his hardness was pressed to the backside of his blonde manager.

A lofty chuckle escaped from K and Hiro knew he felt it. But he at least never said anything and Hiro was grateful. The last of the ride was actually painful and thankfully drove Hiro's lust aside quickly. By the time they dismounted near the stable, Hiro was normal again, yet a bit abashed.

"I bet you're hungry. Let my companion take you to your quarters and give you something more appropriate to wear as well as some hot water to wash with. Dinner will be served within the hour." K went looking disdainfully over Hiro's clothes.

Hiro only shook his head, "K, why are talking like this?" He wanted to laugh at how weird it sounded but he didn't want to piss off the man again.

Looking as though he was mentally berating himself, K said, "How silly of me, I'm all caught up in this role hmm? Just relax Hiro and enjoy what I have to offer."

With that K snapped his fingers and a tiny man dressed in a linen tunic, tied at the waist with a cloth belt appeared. Hiro wrinkled his nose at the leggings the man wore. Actually every man here was wearing something similar if not loose breeches and chausses, Hiro realized.

"How can you wear those things," the brunette muttered to K sketchily.

But K only looked at him perplexed and said nothing.

Hiro narrowed his eyes and thought if anyone had something to say about men wearing tights, it would come from K. Shrugging he let himself be directed inside the castle. Eyes soaking up the high walls, lined with tapestries and gilded crests, Hiro followed the servant. They walked through what looked like a main hall for audiences and then up some stairs to the second floor. Up here Hiro noticed how dark the hallways were even with a few torches alight on the walls. He noticed a few doors all with heavy iron handles shaped like rings. The servant stopped at the door furthest down the hall, but Hiro went past the door and looked at yet another new set of stairs leading up and down.

"Where does that go?" he asked the small man.

"Up the turret and down to the dungeons sir...if I were you I'd stay far away from the dungeons. Nothing but riff raff down there…besides his grace might be angered," said the servant with a cool tight voice.

Dungeons, Hiro wondered and thought about K again. But it wasn't true; he'd been here in this castle the entire time and not in a dungeon at all. Playing the part of king, where apparently everyone seemed to think he was. How strange.

"Come sir let's get you washed and clothed for supper," the servant man offered opening the door.

Following the man, Hiro set his eyes on a large room with a canopy bed in the middle of the wall at the far left. Already a fire burned hot in the fireplace at the right side of the room, as if it awaited a new guest. At the end of the bed was a chest and on the wall in front of him a table with a pitcher and a bowl.

"Where does one go to the washroom?" Hiro wondered out loud, seeing as he never noticed any bathroom on the way up here. The servant pointed to a pan that was situated near the bed. Hiro quirked an eyebrow, hell no, they expected him to use that?! But it got stranger when the servant went to remove Hiro's clothes. The guitarist pulled away and grabbed his jacket closed, pulling it tighter in response. "What are you doing?!" cried Hiro.

Sighing with annoyance the servant simply stated, "Getting you ready for dinner. It's my duty sir."

"I don't need anyone to dress or un-dress me, I can do that myself. That's all thank you, may I be alone now?" Hiro asked of the man and continued to hold his indignant stare.

Bowing the servant nodded and left the room. Sighing thankfully Hiro looked around the room again. Rather than continuing to drive himself mad with questions, Hiro decided to just deal with it. He wasn't being treated so bad, nor was he thrown into a dungeon, so why should he complain? K and he would find Shuichi and Yuki and then find that portal and return home. So for now he would just play K's game here and live with it.

After discovering that the pitcher had water in it, Hiro guessed it was for washing your face. But as he was about to do that a knock came to his door. Hesitantly Hiro approached the door and opened it. There stood the servant with a bucket of hot water.

"To clean up with sir," the tiny man went and entered the room; he placed the bucket near the fireplace. Bowing, the servant left quickly, throwing odd looks at Hiro before he shut the door.

Shrugging off the man and his rudeness, Hiro decided he'd like to feel clean again. Even though he'd dried himself before, he could still smell the river water. So peeling off his clothes, Hiro stood naked in front of the fireplace. One look in the direction of the window showed that evening had come and only a sliver of pink lined the horizon.

There was something unearthly to Hiro about washing with a fine silk cloth in front of a fireplace. It was so tribal, yet he wasn't feeing as cold right now as he has been lately. Maybe it was the fire that was warming him up, he wondered. The water splashed onto the hearth and dried away in moments. Actually the quiet and the warmth, along with the water that was scented with lavender was very soothing. Maybe being here wasn't so bad. It was just different.

He wished he could have washed his hair and wondered how he would be able to do that. There didn't seem to be enough water. He'd have to remember to ask K. Finding his cigarettes, Hiro lit one as he let the water dry off of him. He felt a lot better now and wondered what clothes he would wear. Walking over to the chest at the end of the bed, Hiro opened it to reveal a whole wardrobe of clothes. Hiro set forth the task of getting ready for dinner.