EMPEROR by GreatMarta

Charter 3 – One of a family

The baby let out a loud cry, as the nurse placed him in a small bathtub. The water has been delivered directly from a spring, so it was fresh and free from bacteria. It has also been boiled and then cooled, so the temperature of it would emplease the few hours old prince. Assuming from the cry, the boy didn't enjoy his bath at all. But, in what other way could he express his opinion, being so small?

The nurse picked the crying infant up and placed him on a towel. As delicate as possible, she whipped her future ruler. Having made sure he's dry, she took him in her arms and headed turned to the woman, who lied in a bed nearby and supervised the whole process. By her side stood two men: an older, who kept his eyes on the baby, and a younger, who couldn't keep a smile off his face.

"His Imperial Highness is clean" announced the nurse, placing the boy on his mother's chest. The crown princess held her baby tight. The proud father leaned to get a better view of his new son. This crying, little, wonderful being.

"He is healthy" the elder man spoke "He shall grow big and strong"

"I wish he didn't have to" sighed the woman, holding her son's tiny hand "I wish he could remain a child. Such a precious cutie."

"As beautiful as his mother" added Masahiro, placing a gentle kiss on his wife's cheek. He was amazed of how much his love for her could grow since the birth of their son. Truly, she has been getting more and more beautiful since she got pregnant, and now, that she became a mother, he felt no matter what words he'd describe her with, it would never be enough to match the truth. Everything about her was perfect. Her skin, whose both color, smell and taste reminded of the sweetest honey that could be produced within the borders of their great Empire of the Burning Moon. Her long, thick, hair, in the color of almond nuts, as soft as silk. Her smile, subtle and shy, yet deadly seductive. But most of all her eyes, two hazel brown lakes of youth and peace, as deep as an ocean. Yes. He wouldn't see any other woman by his side. And he thanked the God, that her father allowed him to marry her, over her elder sister.

Akeda Toshio, a nobleman and a good friend of the Emperor Akihiko, had two daughters: Sayuri and Sayako. Because of the friendship both men shared, and the support Toshio gave Akihiko during the war, the Emperor promised, that one of the sisters will get to marry his eldest son. For a long time, everybody thought that the honor of becoming Masahiro's Empress would go to Sayuri, the eldest daughter. In the end, however, the future Emperor would fell in love with the younger of the sisters, Sayako, and marry her instead. Sayuri didn't mind: she didn't love the prince and was happy for her sister. The only person who suffered because of such an outcome was Takasuke.

Takasuke loved Sayako. He loved her and was sure, that she feels the same. She has always been so kind towards him. She never compared him to his brother. She was the one to support him, when Akihiko ignored him. She would encourage him to keep on trying to impress his father and ensure, that to her, he will always be a friend of a great value. A friend of great value, yeah right. She threw him away. She pulled his heart of his chest and smashed it on the floor. And after that, she still had the nerve to ask, if they could remain friends. Oh no, no way, never again. He was alone. And the only woman he'll ever tolerate was his mother. The mother who lead him to the hospital wing, to face the people he hated: the father, who never appreciated him, the brother, whom everybody put before him, his sister-in-law, who broke his heart, and the newly born nephew, who took away his chances for becoming the Emperor and proving his value to everybody.

The Empress and her younger son entered the room. Takasuke held his breath. He knew, what to expect.

"Scar!" Masahiro ran to greet his brother. He hugged Takasuke tight and picked him up with joy. The younger prince felt sick. He hated being touched. But, who would care?

Meanwhile, the Emperor greeted his wife. In opposite to his son, he did it peacefully.

"Welcome, Urumi. I see you succeed with convincing Scar, that he should come" having said that, he gave his younger son a strict look. Of course.

"I didn't need to put much effort into it" replied Urumi "Takasuke is happy for his brother and eager to welcome his nephew. Right, Taka-chan?"

"Right" said Scar, trying not to sound too annoyed "I didn't want to interrupt my brother's first moments with his son, that's why I didn't come earlier"

"Your presence doesn't disturb our joy, Scar" laughed Masahiro "We're happy to share our it with the entire family. Now come, you have to see him!" he grabbed the sleeve of Takasuke's kimono and headed towards Sayako's bed. The younger prince did his best not to look at her. Don't look. She will always remind you, that you are worse than your brother. That he has everything you always wanted. And that there is nothing you can do to change it.

"Welcome, Scar" Sayako spoke and Takasuke shivered. That tenderness in her voice… it made even ,,Scar" sound like a name to be proud of… ugh "I'm glad to see you. I was worried, that you wouldn't come" those words. Such poison. How dare she. Don't look at her, be brave. Don't do it…

He did it. He looked at her. And his entire ignorance and annoyance froze. He couldn't help it, but admire her. She was so pretty. And with that baby… oh. Too much to handle.

"I didn't want to come, until you have rested enough to see visitors" he spoke "I have heard, that the delivery was hard"

"It indeed was" she admitted "The doctors say it's because his head was so big. But this means he's going to be very smart" she pet the baby's head. Scar moved his sight onto the newborn prince. Such a little thing. Yet, it earned an appalling huge amount of his uncle's hatred at the very first second. He couldn't help it. He hated that brat.

"You could've been my son" he thought, piercing his nephew with a sight, that could froze blood in veins "You should've been my son…"

,,Is that the way you look at your nephew, Scar?" Akihiko asked, noticing the look on his younger son's face "Your future Emperor?" he added, reminding Takasuke, that the baby had a higher position in the family hierarchy than he had. The Emperor sure knew exactly what words carry the greatest impact. Takasuke hated him. Everyday, he hated him more. For the lack of interest in him. For all the ignorance. For the broken promises. For he always favored Masahiro, and never let the second son forget, that he is the worse son. Sometimes Scar wondered, why did they bring him to life at all. To think, that he was only a heir in case, in case something happens to his brother… no. That would mean that now, since the birth of that brat, he has no purpose in his life. That he is useless.

Takasuke couldn't stand the thought of being useless. He had to have a goal, a point in life. He just have to. He had to prove, that he wasn't born just to serve as his brother's shadow…

"Forgive me" he closed his eyes tightly. He had to make an excuse, or else father could start a serious quarrel with him. And he didn't want that in his mother's presence "My eyes are sore" he said, rubbing the mentioned part of his body, to add reality into the excuse.

"Shall I bring the eye-drops for his highness?" offered the nurse, who still remained in the room.

"That will not be necessary" replied Scar "I can see my nephew well enough"

"Then tell me" Masahiro insisted "What do you think of him?" Geez, why do they have to torment him? Just a little more and he'll get sick.

"Oh, he… he is a precious little thing" muttered the younger of the brothers. It wasn't easy for him to think of anything nice he could say about something he hated, but fortunately, Masahiro liked his answer.

"Isn't he? Oh, I can't believe he's so beautiful. He looks so much like me!" Much to Scar's annoyance, the statement was true. Both his father and brother had sparkling, golden-brown eyes, which Masahiro's son clearly inherited. Their skin was not over tanned, but much less pale than his, and so was the skin of the baby. They had thick, healthy hair, dark brow as a tree bark (in Akihiko's case gray at sides) and he could imagine his nephew having exactly that type of hair when he grows a little older. And the perspective of having to interact with such a clone of the two men he despised so much was making him want to throw up.

Okay, pretend everything's okay, maybe a joke would do.

"Oh, Brother, don't worry about that" Takasuke put an arm around his shoulder "What matters, is that he's healthy"

The eldest prince laughed.

"You and that black sense of humor of yours! It won't break my good mood, not today!" in this moment, he turned to his son "Uncle Scar has a black sense of humor, doesn't he, Shin-kun?"

"Shin-kun?" Scar asked.

"Correct" admitted Sayako "We decided to name him Shinhiko. Our true Prince"

"A very good name" the Emperor was obviously pleased "Next week, it shall be official. I have already ordered Zenko to take care of the invitations for his Ceremony. I suppose I don't have to remind you, that you are expected to prepare a suitable gift for you nephew, do I, Scar?" once again, Akihiko directed strong words towards his second son. He didn't want to hear it any longer.

"My gift will be to die for, father" he muttered "And now, may I please have your permission to leave?"

"Permission granted" agreed the Emperor. Takasuke headed towards the exit. Outta here, outta here, outta here.

The Empress wanted to follow her son, but her husband stopped her.

"Scar's permission doesn't include you, Urumi" he insisted.

"I was going to talk to him" she explained "He must know, that the birth of Shinhiko doesn't reduce our love for him. Now that we're all so crazy about the baby, I'm sure he must feel miserable"

The Emperor sighed heavily.

"Urumi, for Crown's sake" he said in a tone, that suggested deep annoyance "He is 18 years old, no longer a child! If you keep on treating him like a baby, he will never maturate!"

"I am not treating him like a baby!" Urumi protested "I'm just showing him love. What's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing is wrong with that" her husband came to face her "You raised two fine boys. But those boys grew up already and need to understand their place in the circle of life. You can't stop them from becoming men, nor can you remove all the obstacles from the path of their lives. It would be the best if you realized it" he advised her, this time speaking peacefully and with a kind of a pity. She rose her eyes at him. His face no longer carried a strict expression. Although it was covered with many wrinkles, a result of dozens hard decisions he had to make for his empire, to her, it seemed gentle and full of understanding. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps she was just overreacting. But again, she couldn't help it. She always felt, that he wasn't showing much interest in their sons, and that she needed to show it for both of them. That she should always be there for the boys. That they should know, they can count on her. Did they know it? Was she doing everything right? She didn't know. But she could clearly see, that her younger son is hiding a great deal of sorrow, and she couldn't stand it. She wanted to go after him. To hug him. To tell him, how precious he is to her and his father, even though he doesn't show it. That Akihiko simply believes, that by being strict, he's helping his sons maturate and grow strong. That he himself had to grow up away from his homeland, with no parents, and just doesn't know any better ways to raise children. She's been trying to explain this to their sons. Masahiro understood. He always understood everything. But Takasuke never seemed be fully convinced. If she only could heal his broken heart…

But again, she knew her husband wouldn't let her follow him now. And, just as Takasuke said: without his permission, she can't leave the room.

The empress took her husband's hand and pressed it against her cheek. Masahiro was said to take after him, and Takasuke after her. But there was something the second prince and his father had in common: something was wrong with their blood circulation, that made their hands and feet seem cold.

"I just want them to be happy" she whispered. Having heard that, her eldest son rose and came to her.

"We are happy, mother" he said, holding her free hand "Right now, I am the happiest man in the universe. And I'm thankful, that you have always been there for me, to help me see the beauty of that universe. And that throughout my entire life, I could know, that I am not only the heir to the throne, but also a part of a loving family. I hope, that I could be half as good father for Shinhiko, as a mother you are for me and for Scar" with that, he smiled shyly "And I'm sure Scar feels the same. But you know… He takes after father. He simply believes, that a man must be though. That's why he doesn't show his feelings very much. But he loves you. He loves all of us. He is one of a family, despite everything"

Urumi looked up at her firstborn. In the end, he was also her son.

"Masahiro" she let herself fell into his embrace. His hands were warm. Like hers.

And she knew, that he said the truth. A truth that meant, that she has raised him well.

NOTES:

In this chapter, I wanted to show relations between all of the family members. Seems I just like Scar too much, and focused on him again. I'm trying to answer the question,,Why did he become the way he was?". I want it all to seem real. Even though I may just be pretending to know lots of things.

I'm said to take after my mother, and my brother after our father. True, we look like their clones, but in my opinion, I have my father's nature and my brother our mother's nature. That's why mother and brother don't get along too well . I guess it is often like this, isn't it?

I made Mufasa/Masahiro 4 years older than Scar. That's a reasonable age difference I think.

About names: Just to add the spirit.

Akihiko: Ahadi

Masahiro: Mufasa

Sayako: Sarabi

Takasuke: Scar

Urumi: Uru

Shinhiko: Simba

Zenko: Zazu

The others will be revealed later on . If I don't loose inspiration, which is far too often in my case.