Romance of a Failed Knight
Author's Note: I said I would post a chapter on my birthday and here it is.
This is my present to myself and to y'all. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you chapter 3.. Hope y'all enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Chivalry of a Failed Knight; that includes characters, the plot, etc.
Chapter 3: Disownment of a Failed Knight
Ikki's father walked down an empty hallway, as most students and their parents had already left immediately after the ceremony. Eventually, Ikki's father came up to a door that led into a small choir room. As he opened it he stepped in and turned on the lights. It was a small room about 20x15 ft. There was a riser with two different levels, each filled with chairs, on the wall directly on the left as you walked into the room. In the back right corner there was a desk that faced the door, f covered in sheet music and miscellaneous music related utensils like drum sticks, a metronome, and a pitch pipe among others. In front of the risers and desk was a simple studio piano made from a light brown spruce.
Ikki's father pulled up three chairs. One he put facing the door and the other two facing the single chair. Ikki's father sat down in the single chair and gestured for the pair to sit in the two opposite of his. As they sat, Ikki was the first to break the silence, asking his father, "So sir, what is it you needed to talk to me about?" His voice wasn't bitter, but it was even and cold, like steel. Ikki's father answered his son, posing a question in an annoyed tone. "Son, do you know how much trouble you have caused me in the past three years?" Ikki, still keeping a level head answered honestly, "No I don't, and I don't really give a damn. Also, don't call me son. You show up to graduation for Shizuku and only address me in concern for your reputation. You are no father, not to me."
Ikki's father wasn't expecting his son to be so blunt, but nevertheless, he kept his composure, and replied, "Too much for me to turn a blind eye." Before his father could continue, Ikki interrupted him stating coldly, "That's not my concern. All I have done these past three years is attend school and participate in extra curricular activities. Any consequences that my actions have brought upon you are not directly my doing; if anything they're your fault." Ikki decided to elaborate with a comparison. "Sir, I was put in a box by two people. Despite me wanting to be free, they both tried to keep me in that box as much as they could." Stella looked at Ikki, knowing where he was going and just smiled at him.
He continued, "Despite those two people doing the same thing initially, their situations ended very differently. I eventually broke out of the boxes these people put me in. One of the two people realized that she was wrong in keeping me boxed up, and because of that there was a bond that began to form between us. We both learned from each other and grew closer then we thought possible." Ikki looked at Stella and gave her a smile so bright it could've shadowed the sun. He then turned back to his father and proceeded, "Now the second person wasn't so lucky. He kept trying to put me back in the box, but that wasn't going to happen. Because of that this man ended up making himself look like an ass and learned nothing from the situation, and to this day he is bitter about his mistake but still refuses to admit it."
Stella couldn't help but laugh out loud at this. She was enjoying every moment of Ikki letting his father have what was coming to him. Stella was brought out of her laughing fit when Ikki's father spoke angrily. "Are you saying that she is better than me!?" Ikki, still keeping an even tone responded, "What? Did I not make that obvious? Here, let me help you. Stella is better than you; you could never dream of being half as good a person as Stella is. There, you get it now?" Stella could only stand there, mouth to the floor. Ikki's words towards his father were entertaining, but what he said about her was heart filled and meaningful. She had never felt more special.
Ikki's father finally snapped, yelling, "You say this trash is better than me!? She is nothing when compared to me, she's just some bitch who had her pure talent and skill poisoned by your morals! Now she's nothing but a pest in this world, giving needless hope to people who shouldn't accomplish anything, just like you." The last part was spoken more calmly, but with a heavy dose of venom in it.
Stella began to protest, "Hey!" Before she could go any further she was interrupted as Ikki stood up, letting go of her hand, which he had held since the beginning of graduation. Ikki spoke to his father, but no longer had his calm, level headed demeanor. He was livid. "Itsuki, you do not speak about my fiancé like that! Say what you want about me, I personally don't give a shit what you think about me. She, however, is a different story. Up until now I have not done anything to directly affect you or your life. However, if you do or say anything to hurt Stella, I will target you myself, and destroy everything you have worked for to the point where it can't be recovered. Do I make myself clear?" Ikki had a dark aura around him. Stella was worried and even a bit scared, but she knew that the dark aura stemmed from his pure feelings for her, so she didn't stop him or say anything.
Ikki's father was not as fortunate as Stella. Itsuki knew his son was strong, hell, he acknowledged his strength, and he knew what it looked like. This was different. He had never seen this side of his son. He was terrified. If he weren't focused on the source of his terror, his son in a state of unadulterated rage, he would've noticed that his entire body was shaking, quite visibly at that.
It was at this point that Stella decided to step in. She feared that if she didn't that Ikki might actually kill his father. Not that she minded his father being out of the picture, but she knew that there would be dire consequences if it happened like that. She walked up to Ikki's right and grabbed his arm, pressing it against her bosom. She then told him, "It's okay Ikki; I think he gets it now. I think anyone would be after being scared beyond words at the hands of their own child." The aura around Ikki dissipated and he gave Stella a bright smile like nothing happened.
Regaining some composure after being frozen in place at the hands of his son, Itsuki angrily walked up towards Stella. He spoke to get the duo's attention. "You think this little shit scares me. I think you're mistaken, here let me demonstrate." He raised his hand, preparing to hit Stella. He knew this didn't mean what she said wasn't true, he was just tired or her pointing out those truths. As he brought his hand down, there was a soft thud. When Itsuki took a second to look, what he saw made him lose all color in his face. His arm was in Ikki's hand; the dark aura had appeared around him once again, this time even stronger then before.
Ikki addressed his father with the smirk he wore when fighting strong opponents. He knew his father wasn't strong, but he looked forward to hurting him both from his pent up aggression, but mostly for even thinking about hurting Stella. "So it seems I didn't make myself clear earlier. Here, allow me to reiterate." With that said Ikki didn't let his father say anything, not a bull shit excuse or a final prayer. In one motion he threw his father over his shoulder, dislocating Itsuki's shoulder in the process. He hit the hard tile floor with a cringe-inducing thud, knocking the wind out of him in the process. He would've yelled in pain from his no longer properly located shoulder, but he couldn't without any air in his lungs. Ikki then pinned him on the floor, stomach pressed to the ground with his uninjured arm behind his back.
It was at this time when Shizuku burst through a shadow with Alice right behind her. Ikki's father was the first to notice this and asked for her help. "Shizuku, help! Ikki's lost it; he just assaulted me. I think he may have dislocated my shoulder." Shizuku walked up to him and replied harshly," Don't give me that bull shit Itsuki! I heard and saw everything. Not only did you say horrible things about Ikki and Stella, but you were actually going to hit her. If you ask me, Ikki is being too merciful."
Itsuki didn't know what to say. He had never been addressed by his first name by his daughter. It was surprising to hear Ikki use it previously, but hearing it from Shizuku cut deep. Shizuku then walked up to Ikki, along with Stella, and they both put a hand on each of his shoulders. Ikki took a deep breath and the aura around him once again dissipated. He then stood up and gave both Shizuku and Stella a hug. After they ended their embrace, they noticed Itsuki had passed out due to the pain. Ikki asked Alice and Shizuku to take him to the nurse's office. He needed to be treated and Ikki wanted some alone time with Stella.
After Shizuku and Alice carried Itsuki through a shadow, carrying him on a stretcher, Ikki and Stella were finally alone since they first woke up that morning. Ikki didn't want to look at Stella. He was honestly embarrassed that he snapped in front of her. Seeing her fiancé's uneasiness, Stella wrapped him in a tight embrace. "It's okay Ikki. I know you kept a level head as long as you could. I honestly don't know how you did it for as long as you did. I'm proud that you tried to be the bigger man and keep the situation under control." She informed him. Before she could continue he interjected, "But I didn't. I couldn't keep a level head or maintain a stable situation." Stella did the one thing that she knew would shut him up long enough to let her speak. She kissed him on the cheek. Then, dumbfounded as she expected him to be, Ikki just looked at Stella.
She continued, "I'm also proud that you knew when the situation was beyond salvaging. Had you not, your dad might have hit me, and I know if he did he would be leaving in a hearse, not a stretcher." Stella's face became red as she confessed, "It also made me really happy to see you defend me; both verbally and physically. No one but you has ever done that for me. You don't need to be embarrassed. If anyone needs to be embarrassed, it would be your father. He just got his ass handed to him by his own son." Stella teased, trying to lighten the mood.
After Ikki had been cheered up he finally addressed Stella, "Would it be too much to ask to return to our room. I'm both mentally and physically exhausted from today?" Stella was a bit confused, so she asked him, "That's fine with me, but why are you physically exhausted? For you, flipping someone and pinning them is next to nothing in terms of effort." Ikki replied, "I know, but that's not why I'm physically exhausted. I'm physically exhausted from holding myself back for so long. Ever since he wanted to talk to me without you, I wanted to deck him. I never knew doing nothing could take that much energy."
Stella couldn't contain the laughter she had been holding in. When her laughing fit finally subsided, she told Ikki, "Okay, as long as you don't go to sleep when we get there. I want to show you how much I appreciate what you did for me today." Ikki smirked at this and opened the door for Stella, saying, "Of course my princess." Stella walked through the door and answered him. "Thank you my prince." With that they left the choir room and headed for their room.
When the duo walked through the door, Stella wasted no time in putting her plan into motion. She locked the door behind her and walked up to Ikki, who was in the midst of removing his gown. After Ikki had removed his gown, Stella reached up and grabbed him by his collar. She then pulled him down and caught his lips with hers. He felt a wave of pleasure throughout his body as a shiver was sent down his back. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer.
Her response to his embrace was instinctive as well as immediate; she draped her arms around his neck. Being encouraged by his fiancé's reciprocation of affection, he allowed his hands to slowly travel up her back, sending a wave of pleasure through her body. Had their eyes been open, Ikki would've seen Stella's eyes roll back in pure ecstasy. He continued his ministrations and slowly brought his hands back down, one on each of her sides, allowing them to come to rest on her firm posterior before giving it a gentle squeeze. This caused a moan to escape Stella, which reverberated inside of Ikki's mouth. This only pushed the newly graduated failed knight on.
He moved his hands down to her thighs, then in one seemingly effortless motion, picked her up, never breaking their kiss in the progress. She was surprised by this sudden action, but was too enveloped in their kiss to pay much mind to it. Ikki then walked Stella back to their bed and sat down on it. Stella, now sitting on his lap, was tired of following the leader, and decided it was her turn to lead. With a smirk gracing her lips, she broke their kiss; not only to take the lead, but she desperately needed air, not unlike Ikki who was panting heavily.
Ikki was about to protest the sudden cease of their kiss, but was never given the opportunity. Stella removed her hands from around his neck, and then placed them both on his chest. Ikki looked up at Stella; as their eyes met, Stella gave a forceful shove causing Ikki to fall back onto the bed, now looking up at her. Stella looked like a hungry tigress about to pounce on her prey, which she did. Ikki let out a barely audible yelp. Hearing this, Stella began to giggle in between kisses. She couldn't contain herself; she was back on cloud 9. She had graduated along with her fiancé; he had protected her, both verbally and physically, from his own father; and now they were alone, sharing this moment
She was brought out of her blissful thoughts when a violent pounding on the door interrupted both her and Ikki. Stella was annoyed by this, but decided to just ignore it and continue where she left off before she was rudely interrupted. Before she could resume, the door was pounded on more violently than before. Stella was now livid. Whatever asshole was on the other side of their door had interrupted her and Ikki's private time together. She reluctantly got off the bed; ready to incinerate whoever was on the other side of the door.
Before she could make her way towards the door, Ikki took her hand. She looked down at him and he shook his head, signaling her to let him handle this. Ikki got up and walked towards the door. Before he reached it there was a single impact on the door, which shook in its frame. Ikki stopped, knowing what was about to happen, at least to the door. Once again the door was struck, shaking more violently than before. Finally the third blow came, and the lock that had kept the door shut gave way as the door shot open. On the other end was Itsuki; anger could not only be seen on his face, but it could be felt emanating from him.
Not one second after the door gave way, Shizuku and Alice bolted into the room through a shadow provided by Alice. "Ikki! Itsuki's awake, and he's not in the nurse's office anymore! I think he might be coming he…" Shizuku started, but stopped when she saw that Ikki had his gaze locked in the direction of the door. When she looked at to what held her brother's attention, her heart sunk. Her fears were confirmed.
"You! Boy!" Itsuki yelled, addressing Ikki. "I don't give a damn if you don't see me as a father. The fact is that you are my son, so you will respect me!" Ikki, keeping his composure, answered with an even tone. "Itsuki, you have never showed me respect, hell, you never had any real feelings for me to begin with. You have tried to ruin everything I worked so hard to achieve, and worse you tried to ruin my relationship with Stella. She is the most important person in my life, and you tried to separate us. Today, you insulted her and would've hit her had I not intervened."
Ikki was becoming livid just remembering his father as he attempted to hit his one and only love. He continued with anger in his voice, it was still even, but at the same time cold and immovable. "Itsuki, you will never have my respect, you don't deserve it." At hearing this, Ikki's father became furious, shouting, "I don't need to deserve it! I'm your father; that is reason enough!"
Before Ikki could respond, Shizuku put herself between the two. She begged her father, on the verge of tears, "Father, please stop this. Can't you see you're in the wrong here? Ikki has left you alone until you provoked him earlier. I'm sure if you apologize for your actions that he will return to letting you be. If you keep trying to put him back in the box, you're only going to cause yourself more trouble."
Itsuki had reached his limit. Now his only daughter was defying him. "So, now even you are defying me, Shizuku?" He asked, with an eerily even tone. She replied, "Father, you know I have always loved and supported Ikki. The only reason why I am going against you now is because you are crossing the line. You need to back off before something bad happens." Itsuki spoke in a hiss, "That's enough out of you!" He then raised his hand across his chest and brought the back of his hand across Shizuku's cheek. She stumbled backwards; no one, not even Ikki, saw it coming. She fell back into Ikki's arms and noticed that the dark aura had returned.
He helped Shizuku back up without saying a word. He looked at her cheek and saw it beginning to bruise. He then looked at his Itsuki. If looks could kill, Itsuki could've died a thousand times over and that would only be a fraction of the intensity of Ikki's glare. However, this time Itsuki had a trick up his sleeve to keep Ikki at bay. He told him as Ikki took a threatening step towards him. "Hold it! If you do anything to me, I will not only disown you, but her as well." He gestured towards Shizuku as he said this.
Ikki stopped and responded, "This is between you and me, leave her out of this; you've already practically disowned me, but don't drag her into this." Itsuki stood his ground despite shaking in his skin as he replied, "I'm afraid I can't do that. She has defied me just as you have. You both face the same potential consequence." Itsuki wore a smirk, thinking he had bested his son. Ikki wouldn't take action because his actions would also affect Shizuku and not just him. He turned to Shizuku who had regained some composure. She gently rubbed her cheeks before speaking.
What Shizuku said left everyone in the room speechless, " If being part of the family means being associated with him, then fuck the family. Kick his ass, brother." Ikki wore a wicked smirk upon hearing his sister's words. Itsuki, on the other hand, lost all color in his face as his stomach knotted up after realizing the implications of what his daughter just said.
Ikki brought his father back to the situation at hand as he said, "Well, you heard the young lady. It would be rude of me not to oblige. Please, take this VERY personally." With that Ikki resumed in advancing towards his father. Itsuki decided that now would be a good time to panic. He rapidly backed up until he tripped over his own feet. He got up on his knees and saw he was in the doorframe. He pleaded with his son, "Wait! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. What I did was wrong! I overstepped my boundaries! I'm sorry okay! Please, just don't hurt me!" Ikki stopped in front of his father, seemingly towering over him. Itsuki was relieved, thinking he was safe. His relief was shattered when Ikki spoke, "You should've thought of that before you tried to hit Stella and before you actually hit Shizuku. The only reason you're sorry now is because you think you're going to get hurt. Allow me to ease your uncertainty; you ARE going to get hurt."
With that Ikki brought his right foot across his father's left cheek, breaking his jaw in the process. His father slammed into the doorframe with such force that it broke the other side of his jaw. Itsuki screamed through gritted teeth. With one hand he held his now fucked up jaw closed and with the other he helped himself to his feet. Once his father stood up, Ikki walked up to him, grabbing him by his collar and lifted him off his feet. He then walked his father outside and over the railing.
"Listen here you self absorbed, arrogant, sorry excuse for a man. If I EVER see or hear of you causing trouble to any of my friends, then you will wish I left you with a dislocated shoulder or a broken jaw. If you ever bring harm to Shizuku or god forbid Stella, then I will kill you. Just so we don't repeat what happened this morning, I'll say it again. If you ever bring harm on Shizuku or Stella I WILL KILL YOU. You make damn sure you understand me, and heed my warning. Got it!?"
Ikki's father was shaking violently, terrified to a point that he didn't think was possible. At his son's words he gave a slow nod, he wanted to be as far away from him as possible. He knew his son meant everything he said, and made the easy decision that heeding his warning would be best for his health. With that Ikki left his father with these parting words, "Good, don't let me catch you or any of your goons anywhere near me, my fiancé or my friends." With that Ikki tossed his father onto the bushes bellow.
Ikki walked back in to everyone in the room with jaws to the floor. "What?" was all he managed to say. Shizuku was the first to respond, saying, "Since when have you had a side like that?" Before Ikki could respond Stella ran up to him and gave him a deep passionate kiss before responding, "It doesn't matter. I like this side of Ikki like all the rest. It's manly and unwavering. It makes me feel safer knowing he has this side to him, as all of you should feel safer. This side of him stems from his protectiveness of the ones he loves, and that includes you two, not just me"
Ikki blushed at what Stella had said, but just nodded. What she said was true, and he wasn't about to deny it. After a few moments of awkward silence, Ikki finally spoke up, " Um, I'm sorry you all had to see that, but it had to be done. Shizuku, Alice; I appreciate you coming to warn me of father's whereabouts. As you can see it has been dealt with, so if you wouldn't mind, could you please let me and Stella have some alone time?"
The two just nodded and exited through a shadow, once again provided by Alice. When they had left, Ikki sat down on their bed, and Stella followed suit, sitting down beside him, wrapping her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. She broke the silence and asked Ikki, "So how are you feeling after this ordeal? I know that how your father feels about you is old news, but to be denounced from the family, that's different." Ikki responded with his usual level headed tone as Stella lifted her head from his shoulder and turned to meet his gaze, " Yeah, if anything it's given me an opportunity to ask you something that's been on my mind ever since I proposed to you. I was going to wait until we were planning the wedding, but due to unforeseen circumstances it seems like now is as good a time as any."
Her curiosity peaked, so Stella inquired, "Oh really, what is it you want to ask me?" Ikki continued, but this time his cheeks were bright red. Stella knew that whatever he was going to ask was quite embarrassing for him. She fought back a laugh that was building up inside her. She wanted to hear what her fiancé had to ask, and laughing at his embarrassment wouldn't help him open up at all. She just looked into Ikki's eyes and waited for him to speak.
Taking a deep breath Ikki asked, "I've never really cared for my family name. Even if it was respected, I knew a side of my family that others didn't. I never had a choice but to identify myself as a member of the Kurogane family, and because of that I felt like I could never escape my past. However, like so many times before, you, Stella, have freed me from the bindings of my family and past. What I wanted to ask you was, when we get married, may I take your last name?"
Stella was at a loss of words. She never wanted to take Kurogane as a last name and she knew that she wouldn't have to because Ikki wouldn't make her, and on top of the she also knew that Ikki didn't want her to. What she didn't know was how to bring it up, but now she didn't have to. All that was left was for her to ask him how he felt about taking her last name, but now she knew. She was overwhelmed with joy as tears began to flow down her cheeks.
"Yes, yes my love! I would be honored if you took on the Vermillion name. It is a name you deserve. Though the Kurogane name is respected, what it truly represents is something horrendous. A name like that does not deserve to have you represent it. I know that the Vermillion name is deserving of you, and that you will bring it the upmost honor and respect. Besides, the more I think about it, the more I like the sound of Prince Ikki Vermillion." She proclaimed.
Ikki was overjoyed himself. He wrapped Stella in a tight embrace and began to kiss her. "Thank you Stella, I'm honored to take on your family name, though I might have to get used to the prince part." Stella pulled back a little, causing Ikki to stop his ministrations. "What is it Stella, is everything okay?" He asked. "Yes dear" Stella replied, "Actually, since we're asking important questions, there's something I've been needing to ask you, since freshman year actually, but I never knew how to bring it up." Ikki reassured his fiancé, "Don't worry, you can ask me anything." He offered her a warm smile that helped her ease up before she began, " If that's the case then…"
Author's note: Yes, I know I'm terrible, leaving you folks with a cliffhanger. Anyways, that concludes chapter 3. I hope y'all enjoyed. Fun fact: The choir room where Itsuki took Ikki and Stella is my attempt to describe the choir room that I sang in my freshman through junior years of high school. I was/am a tenor, if anyone cared to know. Well then, until the next time. Until then, stay you my friends.