Chapter 43: Sizzling meat
Shizuo had always been a fan of his campaigns. Not for the gruesome parts where they ended up taking lives that shouldn't need to be taken, but for the peace they brought.
As soon as he left the castle he felt as though he had been set free.
Free from all duties, and eyes that watched every single one of his moves.
It was one thing to have those very same eyes directed towards his skills as a swordsman or commander, but an entirely different matter when it came to his new position as the king.
Handling a sword came as second nature. Handling the crown not so much.
So he loved the fresh air breezing down the hills as the knights strode forward. He loved the sun as it kissed the hills with a short greeting of a lovely morning and he relished in the silence of chirping birds that accompanied their trip like music.
They were heading towards the Lurgon.
The adjacent kingdom was having trouble with its borders. Knights on both sides kept disappearing and the cause was suspected to either stem from thieves, murderers or a more animalistic nature.
Of course there were also those people that kept repeating that Lurgon's borders were simply cursed, but that was nothing but superstition.
In all his years on campaigns Shizuo had learned more often than not that any sights of magic usually bottled down to creative minds and foggy areas.
Nevertheless, because he was the new king and because of a sense of duty he had to take care of this matter.
The letter requesting for their service had already arrived a week ago.
But with Izaya being like this-
Glancing towards the carriage, Shizuo felt his throat constrict.
Half a day had passed most probably. The sun was starting to move into its crowned center to receive nothing but full blown attention.
Izaya had been asleep ever since they left. Except for a few occasional coughs there was not much else to be perceived from within the tiny vehicle.
Wind brushed through Shizuo's hair and his grip on his horse's reins tightened.
It wasn't the moments when Izaya coughed, that worried him.
It was the times he didn't, that froze his guts to a thick lump of ice.
It caused the trip to retain a tone of bitterness, and it reflected in the knights.
The ride was unusually quiet.
No knight was daring to speak.
Chester was awfully sullen too.
"What's wrong? You look awfully depressed even for me." Having pulled up his horse towards the fellow knight it was Craigh who had stated the obvious as he joined Chester in his stride.
They were the last of the group making up the tail of their small formation.
Eyes dipped into guilt avoided Craigh's stare as the knight spoke heavily.
"I can't imagine what the commander has to be going through. They only married a few days ago and now-" Chester faded out, not quite wanting to bring up the topic of death. They weren't stupid. The second their commander brought his queen in his arms they knew just how bad it was. And yet-
Groaning softly, Chester shook his head as if he were able to shake the memory of his slip up. "And I was stupid enough to inquire about her condition…"
If he could, Chester would have asked his commander to punish him for his insensitivity.
Sure. Their commander had never been one to take anything they said to heart. They joked around all the time. Given, some knights more than others, like Craigh. But still, his question had been one that must have hit harder than he could even imagine.
It felt as though he had struck a man without a weapon from behind.
A harsh pat to his back that almost caused him to fall off his horse followed as he redirected his gaze towards Craigh.
"Don't fret it, our king is none to hold it to you," he smiled, brightly, as if nothing in the world could perturb his mood.
And he was right.
Chester knew that and sighed, "I know. That doesn't make it any better."
Forests filled the area quicker than morning dew an empty leaf in early morning hours as the knights ascended the steep mountain side.
Living inside the valley nearly every trip needed the horses to surpass steep ledges and high ground. It was something they all had gotten used to and it served them extremely well.
Hours after hours passed as the knights advanced relentlessly. Paths had been tossed aside. The road had only been plastered for a short area surrounding the castle. The rest was nothing but cobblestone, sand and grass.
Usually that was no issue, at most it was even a welcomed change for the horses's tired hooves.
But today it was.
Because today they were accompanying a carriage.
"Ah, shit." Jumping off his horse in one swift move Craigh cursed under his lips as he approached the front of the knights.
They had stopped.
An oak tree, larger than Craigh liked it too, had been knocked over. Steep ledge sitting left and a high wall on the right, there was no path to take except the one that the crown of the tree so beautifully blocked.
Had the knights been alone there would have been no issue to be found in this minor complication. But with a carriage?
"What do we do?" Chester asked, now jumping off his horse as well as he joined Craigh up front.
But Craigh was quicker on the uptake than any of them.
"Roll up your sleeves, bastards!" he announced bold, whilst pulling his sword out of his belt. "This needs to be gone by today!"
Silver steel met the trunk of the tree with powerful force as the knight chopped away at its bark.
Confidence marked his expression and not a shred of intention to back down, but deep down Craigh really wished they had brought an ax onto their journey.
The sun was setting low too, serving a crappy sight overall and with a quickly spat curse the blade slipped off the tree's stem, hitting Craigh's own armory.
"Fuck-" He wasn't hurt. The armor they wore was not for show. As heavy as it was, it was made only of the best materials available.
But hacking away at one's own feet sure must have provided a pitiful sight.
Before he knew it there was a palm on Craigh's shoulder, bringing his frantic motions to a short halt.
"Tomorrow." Shizuo whispered, and Craigh stilled. Out of them all Shizuo must have the grandest motivation to press onwards no matter the route or time of day. Worry was carved into his eyes and despair written on his lips as he forced them into a blunt smile.
Craigh frowned with sympathy as he let his blade rest next to his body.
"Are you sure?" he asked low, and Shizuo turned.
"We are setting up a camp for the night. You know the drill!" the commander announced, and the knights stirred back to life.
Horses were gathered, brought to a nearby tree. Firewood was gathered and armor clacked against various plates as the knights prepared the area in both terms of safety as well as comfort.
The flying sparks of a fire being lit at the center of the path were the last that Shizuo's eyes saw as he steered towards the carriage.
He hadn't heard Izaya cough in a while. The knowledge drenched Shizuo's steps with dread and caused his body to tense as he made his way over.
Shinra had talked about the few days that Izaya had left. Days. Today was just the first. Shizuo knew about that, and Shizuo trusted Shinra's words and yet the amount of relief he felt upon opening the carriage's door to find Izaya's red eyes looking at him was unimaginably vast.
Izaya had noticed the carriage had stopped.
Of course he did- and he was really grateful for it.
As comfortable as the maids had tried to remodel the interior of the carriage, it was still a moving vehicle.
Rough roads, steep hills and the everlasting bumps they passed had not only shaken the carriage right and left but also back and forth.
In short. Izaya had already been feeling like shit, but now he was feeling like shit and nauseous on top.
Still waiting for the spinning sensation to stop tormenting his head, he felt the carriage shift as Shizuo stepped inside the vehicle.
He was aware he had slept for a while, but how long exactly, Izaya had no idea. He suspected it was dawning though from the way a quiet cold crept atop the upper layers of his blanket.
"Are you okay?" Shizuo asked in a soft, gentle whisper and Izaya smiled a tired smile.
What was he supposed to reply?
Say yes? He was fine?
There was no reason to bullshit them both. But simply stating the truth seemed awfully cruel as well and so he quickly changed the topic.
"Are we setting up a camp?"
"For the night, yes."
A soft smile grazed Izaya's lips at the idea.
He still remembered their last conversation at the fireplace. About Shizuo's campaigns. The warmth they provided. A short glance was cast towards the king and Shizuo blinked.
"What?"
Izaya sighed, "Too bad I can't join. They seem like a lively bunch."
Shizuo smiled.
"They are." The best kind. Shizuo knew that. Especially Craigh. Stopping him from chopping away at that tree for the coming night he had looked at Shizuo with both determination and absolute resolution to pull through with his idea.
"Especially Craigh. Is there a reason he is acting so informal with you?" Mentioning just the one knight on Shizuo's mind the king couldn't help but smile as he shook his head.
"We have known each other since I was six years old. He is like a brother to me. Nothing he says could ever truly offend me and I like to think it's the same the other way round."
Izaya smiled. The way Shizuo talked about his knight was soothing. It painted pictures inside his head about what Shizuo's life had looked like so far traveling with him. What kind of things had they seen? Experienced?
There surely had been lots of demise, but also laughter, trust and endless hours spent with the best company.
"Makes sense. He looked the worst when he saw you coming with me in your arms," Izaya whispered. It hadn't really been his goal to sullen the mood, but as soon as the words had left his lips he realized their bitterness.
Shizuo fell quiet too, and for a moment Izaya couldn't help but frown as he grasped the layers of his blankets.
He was unsettled. And it showed.
"What's wrong?" Shizuo asked, and Izaya took a deep breath before closing his eyes.
All this silk, the blankets, the fancy carriage- they were meant well, but…
A bitter smile drew upon Izaya's features as he glanced towards the king.
"Nothing really. It's just, confined in here I can't help feeling like I'm traveling in my very own fancy coffin." The thought was nauseating.
Back inside Shinra's chamber the mere sensation of not even being able to sit up straight or eat some soup had already crushed what had been left of Izaya's confidence. But now? Looking at what was most probably the last location he was going to see with his own eyes?
It held an extremely bitter taste.
Shizuo seemed to understand to some degree and he matched Izaya's mood with oppressive silence.
"... do you want to join us at the fireplace?"
Glinting like fire, a short spark of surprise lifted in Izaya's eyes at the suggestion. That and obvious counters. "I will carry you. With a thick blanket. Would be warmer too," Shizuo quickly continued, emphasizing that he was indeed serious with his suggestion.
A moment of silence followed as Izaya's eyes narrowed slightly. A tired smile played along his lips as he shook his head. He appreciated the idea. Really.
"I think my sight would disturb your knights."
He already brought enough worry to Shizuo as it was. Extending that to the other knights was not really Izaya's goal.
"I doubt you could," Shizuo argued. Persistency marked his voice as he continued, "On the contrary, they might be relieved to see you breathing. Guarding a corpse is an idea that would probably terrify them more." Especially Chester had been quite sullen so far because of his words. Shizuo had noticed even without having been told. "It will serve a good distraction," he whispered, and Izaya smiled shortly.
It was a tired smile, one that appreciated the idea- but as soon as he showed it a harsh cough interrupted the scene. It came as quick as it came unexpectedly- and followed by heaps of pain.
Like needles set on fire the imaginative metal pierces Izaya's chest and his brows furrowed in pain.
He knew Shizuo was next to him despite his eyes having shut in a tight scrunch of pain. He could feel his palm at his back as it tentatively tried helping Izaya into an upright position.
"Sorry, I'm stupid, you are in no condition to sit at a fire-" Shizuo cursed his ideas.
And yet-
Feeling the coughs subside Izaya caught his breath for a moment.
Was he really that wrong?
Between laying here and waiting for his death…
"... actually, listening to some stories about dragonslayers defeating all evil might be uplifting, don't you think?" Izaya whispered between shaking gasps of breath.
It was.
Izaya wanted to join them.
No matter any arguments or sense of reason, as soon as Shizuo saw that expression and heard Izaya's desire voiced, the decision had been made.
Backing off from the makeshift bed Shizuo quickly reached for the thickest blanket.
Putting his elbows up Izaya pushed at the mattress- but his efforts were really nothing but in vain.
Just sitting up after the onslaught of coughs had been exhausting. And moving with the intention to get up only set his body into a swaying chaos.
It was daunting- the way he seemed to lose more and more control over his own body. But Shizuo was quick to not make a long show of it.
Dropping the large blanket upon Izaya's shoulders he pulled the raven into his arms without breaking a sweat.
His hold was tight, secure, and despite the odd character of being carried around by a man Izaya somehow couldn't find anything wrong with it as his feet dangled freely midair.
As long as it was Shizuo it was alright.
The blanket was adjusted. Every spot on Izaya's body was covered- for both, pretense as well as warmth and with that they stepped out.
Their surroundings had changed quite a bit in the short amount of time they had spent talking.
The fire one of the knights had tried to make earlier had developed into a soothingly bright pillar of flames. Meat they had brought along had been pierced by wooden branches and aligned close in order to cook and catch some of the smoky aroma.
Stones and thicker branches had been pulled on site. One of a specifically large size served as a proper seating place for at least three people.
"Is it done?" Chester asked as the two of them approached, obviously talking about the meat sizzling next to the fire.
"I don't know, check." Craigh announced boldly.
It was when Chester leant forward to bring the branch of meat closer to his face, that he spotted the movement to the right.
"My queen-" the branch was dropped and the meat fell into the ash in a short moment of surprise and Craigh quickly cursed, fishing it back out of the flames.
"Care to make room for one more seat?" Shizuo asked, and a quick smile spread along Craigh's ginger beard as he licked the meat juices off his thumb.
"You mean two. Counting has never been your forte has it?" he asked, but already did as told as he moved off the tree stem they had pulled over.
"Is your goal to embarrass me in front of my wife?" Shizuo replied with a soft smile, but couldn't quite hide the bitterness that swayed in his voice.
Izaya saw it. They way the knights stiffened the second they saw him.
Of course. They were awkward. They hadn't even interacted with their queen once. And now in this state- they had no idea how to react. What was proper, what was not.
And yet, despite his illness and the way his body just didn't do as he wanted it to, Izaya suddenly felt a thrill of confidence. Talking was something he could still do, and he was good at it.
"You can easily embarrass yourself." Izaya announced with nonchalance and Craigh snorted at the rather unexpected reply.
"My queen, I didn't know you had a sharp tongue."
"Neither did he, despite various hints." Soft chuckles suppressed within the rows and suddenly the heavy awkwardness that had layered the fireplace seemed to vanish.
A soft snort followed on Shizuo's part as his grasp on Izaya tightened gently.
"I am hurt," he replied logically, but his eyes spoke none of those words.
He had understood Izaya had tried to lighten the mood, so the knights wouldn't stay tight lipped.
Moving away as well, Chester was the next to make room for the two and Shizuo moved.
Soft, as if dropping an injured bird back into its nest he lowered Izaya onto the stem.
Sitting up straight was a task that would fail before even trying to be achieved, so they didn't even try.
Slipping down himself, right next to Izaya, Shizuo put an arm around the weak raven in order to keep him steady as he pulled him close.
"Is this okay?" he whispered, and Izaya nodded softly as he leaned into his shoulder.
"Of course."
Eyes were all over them, and the knight called Chester urged to speak his mind, but seemed to hesitate to do so.
And so Izaya smiled.
"So, who was it that came up with the dragon?"
to be continued~
Now wasn't that a sweet chapter considering the circumstances? xD
This scene will continue a while longer so bear with me ahaha and see you next Saturday~! :3
On a side note my dear lovely readers-
I FINALLY MADE IT! xD
I finished the first book of my fantasy series YULTESRA
It's now available on amazon know I have been posting some of the chapters on AO3 and said I would do the entire thing- the problem is apparently I am not allowed to post everything because of the guidelines of publishing so I have to leave you hanging at a cliffhanger C': One of my favorite activities lmao nah joke xDD
but yeah sadly I can't give you everything on AO3 Anyway, if you are interested in the story or if you ever wanted to support me in any way this is actually a non gay piece of fiction xD So gift it to your parents, to your cat, to your neighbor, plaster the road with it hahahaha Nah for real tho every purchase would mean the world to me :3
I have put +12 years into the creation of this entire world :3
For those that are interested part 2 will be coming around September 2024, part 3 sometime spring 2025 and the last one I would say roughly end of 2025 :3
Yeah it's 4 parts now instead of three xD You know me, I ended up going too much into detail- like in all my stories xDDDD