Chapter 67: Horseshit

Absurd.

That's what it was. What everything was.

Not once in his life had he desired a single woman. Be it those that his father brought home and tortured in his own ways or those that he met on his journeys. Feeling sympathy was one kind of emotion, but desire? The desire to help them escape the castle before they could be summoned to his father's chamber. That one had been strong.

But knowing the guards were on his father's side and knew they would end up a head shorter, all attempts to spare them their fate had been useless.

Even his brother's wife wasn't safe from the bastard.

Eyes narrowing, Shizuo made his way up the stairs. His mood was souring by the second and he stopped in the middle of the hall to take a deep breath.

The bastard was dead.

Finally.

There was no one left to please just because of his status and fear of what was going to happen. Shizuo had become the only king of these lands, for better or worse. The maids, James and the knights were more than happy about the change.

And Izaya-

For the brink of a second Shizuo's mind trailed back to the past once more. Trailed back to the way his father claimed what was his without regard for anyone's feelings.

Had he seen Izaya he would surely have-

Anger of a kind Shizuo had yet to learn was suddenly bubbling forth from his chest.

Curses of kinds he wasn't even willing to spit aloud reverberated inside his mind as he wished for the late king to suffer in hell for all eternity.

It was when the door up ahead opened and Mika emerged from the chamber, that Shizuo snapped out of his wildest fantasies.

"My king, do you want to join lady Kururi?" she chuckled, and somehow Shizuo couldn't help but feel strange at Izaya's fake name.

Kururi.

He had heard it so often, used it himself for the most part- until he learned his real one. It almost slipped too. When the wolves attacked and Shizuo returned to their campside only to see his wife doused in blood-

His heart had stopped right then and there.

He thought Izaya had died. Or sustained an injury of the kind that was sure to make him meet his creator in the long run.

An invisible urge, unreasonable and silly overwhelmed Shizuo for a moment as his steps accelerated.

Mika was passed and the door to their chamber opened.

An array of dresses displayed on top of the bed and Clairence was holding one up with elegance and profession as she looked towards her king.

And Izaya- Izaya turned.

Unhurt, safe. Healthy.

Just as the last time Shizuo saw him and for some reason the heavy weight that had appeared out of nowhere lifted off Shizuo's shoulders at the sight.

A gentle smile quickly took over Izaya's expression and his lips moved, "Would you leave us alone?"

He was addressing Clairance, the only maid still present in the room, and with a quick nod she obeyed the order given and retreated.

Watching the maid bypass him Shizuo couldn't help but feel silly for his thoughts. For his ideas.

Be it his conversation with Shinra, or the way his mind drifted off halfway on the way up.

He was confusing something here. Definitely.

The talk with Shinra weirded him out if nothing else.

This was Izaya.

A man. Disguised as his queen, but a man nonetheless.

Just imagining, pouring oil over him and shoving his dick there-

And suddenly Izaya turned. With those beautiful eyes of his. He was looking at him, probably waited for an order of rest or words of caution as Shizuo usually appeared with both in his mind and Shizuo-

Shizuo found himself trapped.

Trapped in his mind.

Trapped in an idea.

Because suddenly an awfully vibrant image of a moaning Izaya burnt itself into his mind. And the worst? He enjoyed it-

Feeling his body react to something it shouldn't Shizuo rose his knuckles to his lips in a simple motion of disbelief and reproach. How could he? This was Izaya. Imagining him this way without his consent-

"What's wrong, are you okay?" that very same Izaya suddenly asked, having nothing how awfully quiet Shizuo had become and he was suddenly very glad for the armor covering his lower section.

Quickly clearing his throat Shizuo shook his head to drive away the thoughts he shouldn't hold.

"It's nothing, I was just in thoughts."

Indecent thoughts.

This was all Shinra's fault.

Relieved over something that shouldn't have worried Izaya in the first place his wife hummed and turned towards the array of dresses placed on top of his bed.

"I won't take long, just a moment to clean off the blood and then we should-"

A moment?

Eyes narrowing, all former thoughts were cast aside as he stopped Izaya halfway.

"You should rest."

Reluctance, paired with a hint of disbelief merged in Izaya's eyes as he turned.

"I'm not sick anymore," he reminded quickly- and he was right. He truly was and Shizuo couldn't have been happier for that fact.

But no matter Izaya's urges to act, his body still was only just beginning to heal. And ever since the wolves attack-

Bringing his palm forth he brushed Izaya's cheek, just lightly and with care.

"No, but pale. Ever since you healed Craigh," he pointed out, because it was the truth. That spell. He didn't know whether to be a fan of it or hate it. Izaya's condition had gotten better because of it, but knowing him he was going to abuse it in ways that were going to have a reversed effect if left unwatched. The idea of Izaya overdoing it and being tied to bed once more weighed heavily on Shizuo's mind and his eyes narrowed in fear of the upcoming sorrow. "Are you sure it didn't cause any ill side effects?"

Izaya blinked, unsure what to say for a moment.

He was used to the care displayed in Shizuo's eyes and yet- why did his tongue suddenly feel so tied whenever he faced him?

Back at the campside too.

When Shizuo returned- when he almost called his name and pulled him close-

The palm brushing his cheek somehow felt all too hot for some reason and Izaya quickly cleared his throat to answer.

"I'm sure." Expected relief immediately spread across Shizuo's expression and the hand was withdrawn as quickly as it had come.

he was worrying Shizuo. Of course.

After everything that happened- he couldn't blame the king at all. And using his spell so often…

Looking at the backside of his palm he traced the lines of his spell. They were barely visible anymore and Izaya had taken the time to retrace them and memorize all the little curves. He wanted to test them. Wanted to put it on someone else and see if the effect would be enhanced. But he also felt the fatigue draining his body from their long ride and the tedious weeks of suffering.

He was well, and yet he was not.

A glance was cast towards the bed and for the first time that day he was actually convinced by his own words. "I will rest."

The statement was undoubtedly exactly what Shizuo wanted to hear, and it showed.

A smile that couldn't have been brighter spread across the king's lips as he nodded.

"Good."

"My king-" it was Mika who suddenly returned to the chamber. Her black dress and white apron brushed the door due to the kind of speed she was traversing the castle at and a few garments rested in her arms.

She had left to fetch a larger variety as there had been an awfully little amount to choose from, in her opinion, and Izaya snorted upon her disheveled arrival.

She was giving her best. In so many delightful ways.

He expected her return. Expected her to dote over him like a sister that had long awaited her sibling's return.

What he didn't expect was Shizuo.

Because suddenly he moved.

A glance was cast towards the servant, then towards Izaya- and suddenly they were there.

His lips.

Pressed against his forehead in a soft kiss.

No thoughts, no emotions, no reaction was quick enough to come up with the vast blankess that suddenly defined Izaya's mind upon the touch.

What-

But the king's touch left as quickly as it had come and instead his voice replaced the sensation stringing Izaya's heart.

"You can leave, the queen wants to bathe alone," He suddenly announced and Izaya realized what the action's purpose had been.

"U-understood-" Mika replied with words chopped by stutter and a single glance to the side was enough to show Izaya the way she was blushing furiously.

Quicker than her arrival she left and the door to the chamber closed.

"That should keep them out." The king suddenly announced and Izaya snapped out of thoughts that were yet to form a straight line.

Right.

That's why Shizuo had done that.

So no one entered while he was bathing and revealed his true identity.

"I will check up on Craigh. That stubborn bastard wouldn't tell me he needed rest even if his life depended upon it," Shizuo suddenly announced, and Izaya finally found his voice again upon the topic of common worry.

Craigh.

Right.

He had been injured. Izaya had healed him, but he had no idea how much he had actually managed to help.

"Yeah, I can see that-" he chuckled, awkwardly, and oddly slow and for a second his mind froze in fear of Shizuo noticing anything odd in his speech-

But thank god, he didn't.

A quick smile was all he displayed and without wasting another moment he slipped out of that door.

And Izaya- Izaya was alone.

Completely.

Swallowing hard, his hand lifted towards his forehead and a kind of heat he wasn't used to spread through his body like a wildfire.

A simple kiss. It was just a kiss. Used as a pretense- and yet-

Forcing his eyes shut Izaya tried to ignore the way his throat constricted and the way his mind repeated Shizuo's action as though he wanted it to happen again.

What was that?

His reaction- it was absolutely uncalled for-

None of that was known to Shizuo of course.

Striding down the corridor and down the stairs that led to his castle he was quick to make his way towards the stalls.

Visiting Craigh in concern for his health had not been an excuse or pretense and his steps quickened once he spotted the ginger shoveling horseshit.

"Craigh," Shizuo called from afar and his long sworn brother turned with surprise.

Most of their horses were settled inside the stalls, sleeping or happily gnawing at a few treats for enduring the long ride. It was only Craigh's as unshakeable and strong as the ginger knight himself that refused to rest even when it was ordered to.

"My king, what do I owe this honor to?" Craigh asked upon putting the shovel aside and brushed his need in an attempt to get rid of the dirt and grain.

A snort was all that left Shizuo's lips at the way his friend acted.

He had taken his time to change into a clean set of clothes and there was no blood left on his face or body to tell the tale of their assault. But Shizuo was wiser than to simply assume everyone was fine just because Craigh decided to demonstrate it as such.

"Cut the sweet talk, how are you really?" he whispered and his eyes narrowed, albeit not in anger, but in honest concern. It unarmed Craigh of all joked he had been ready to tell and forced a defeated sigh out of him instead.

Eyes filled with purity and an honesty of his best kind reflected in them as he spoke.

"Better than before the trip honestly." And without bothering to ask or announce his deeds he started pulling down his armor plate. "Not only my face was healed. You remember the injury I sustained a year ago?" Shizuo did. It had been on a trip to Istal. A few bandits mistook them for easy prey and tried to relieve them of their goods. It was Craigh who cut down most of them, but it was also Craigh who ended up with an arrow stuck in his shoulder. It hadn't been a deadly injury, nor anything hard to treat. But the mobility he used to have?

According to Craigh, swinging a sword had never quite been the same ever since. Craigh's shirt was the last layer that came undone, and before Shizuo knew it he was looking at his shoulder.

Dirty from the shoveling as it may be it showed nothing but clear skin and a decent set of muscle groups. And the scar from the arrow-

"Gone." Craigh announced what Shizuo thought and he couldn't offer anything but honest surprise.

Gone.

It really was. An injury sustained that long ago- Amazement of a different kind seemed to add to Izaya's entire personality and somehow Shizuo found himself unable to tear his mind away from Izaya.

How?

How could a single man be this talented?

Sure his physical strength may be lacking due to his long fought illness. But he was smart. He was kind. He cared for his sisters and others so much more than for himself. His hunches were always right, his ideas the best and now paired with the healing spell-

Izaya was amazing. In so many ways.

"She really did a good job," Shizuo answered as he realized he had fallen quiet for a bit too long. Craigh was already looking at him with eyes he couldn't interpret right.

"She really did," the ginger knight agreed, and yet, despite their obvious consensus it seemed as though there was some kind of discrepancy lingering in the air.

In other words it was quiet. Too quiet for something that liked to hear his own voice all day long.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Shizuo asked, as Craigh appeared to have fallen into his own set of thoughts.

Startled, as if having been caught red handed stealing from a stall the ginger knight flinched. "Why do you think so?"

"Because you look like you want to ask me something."

He had hit the nail on the head.

It was obvious as daylight, yet the ginger refused to yield.

Picking the shovel back up from the side he resumed his earlier duty with not many words wasted. "Must be your imagination."

It was a clear action, speaking more words than words ever could. Whatever it was that was lingering on his friend's mind, he wasn't going to spill it over petty words.

"How rare. You? Hesitating?" Shizuo asked, and Craigh snorted.

Another shovel, not too far, was picked from the fence and tossed towards the king.

Catching it with ease Shizuo grasped the handle and joined Craigh in his work.

Clearing the stalls was usually Karazam's duty. Being nothing more than a squire and incapable of handling a sword properly yet it was all he could do and the knights wouldn't dare take his share of work away. But right now after that long trip and the assault he needed his fair share of rest.

The horses were going to shit again anyway so it wasn't like there would be no work to attain later on.

Flinging the horse shit into a bucket on the side Shizuo glanced towards his rarely silent friend.

"Come on, spit it out, it's not like you to hold back on your words," he argued and flung the last bit of dirty straw into the bin.

Hesitation marked Craigh's expression. Especially now that his hands remained idle with no duty to complete, and after a few seconds of harsh silence he smiled.

"She is a pretty queen isn't she?"

The words came as unexpected as their content.

A bit confused and caught off guard Shizuo blinked in mild stupor.

"Of course she is."

He had expected a lot. A scolding maybe. Or complaints about how he was acting as the new king. The wolves back then, a suggestion for more training seemed adequate. But his wife?

Eyes serious and void of the jokes he usually spoke, Craigh faced his king with the amount of direness a fight would request.

"Are you happy with her?"

The words sounded so easy. Cunning. And yet a kind of heaviness layered upon them that Shizuo couldn't quite place.

He couldn't really tell what it was that Craigh was trying to say, but answering as honestly as he could was the best he could do.

Happy.

Of course he was.

Truly even.

The days since he met Izaya despite the sinister touch of death were the best he had ever been allowed to live.

"Couldn't be happier even if I tried," he answered with the honesty of a child that had yet to learn the meaning of lies, and somehow his response seemed to have been a fitting one, as Craigh's expression relaxed.

A sigh, stemming god knows where from left the ginger's lips and he nodded in approval.

"Take good care of her," he advised, and suddenly he seemed fairly serious. "And if there is anything you need help with, be sure to come to me first."

The offer was appreciated as much as it was surprising and Shizuo found himself offering a snort.

"I will. But is there any reason you are offering?"

A pat on his shoulder was all that he was given and a smile brighter than his ginger hair. "Just giving my sworn brother a piece of advice," he laughed and somehow Shizuo understood Craigh's intentions.

Izaya had healed Craigh. Had ridden him of his injury that bothered him for longer than he liked to admit. It was obvious that his gratitude was endless and his care for his queen probably rivaled Shizuo's right now.

Whatever had happened back at the camp seemed to have garnered his favor for Izaya, and Shizuo didn't dislike that fact.

"I will make sure she isn't overdoing it with her spells," he assured and the smile Craigh wore only seemed to grow broader as he snorted.

"Good."

It was then that movement to the left forced their attention off each other.

A messenger, a bit distressed and awfully relieved upon casting his sight upon the king approached with quick strides.

"There you are-" he exclaimed much faster than he was able to contemplate his words and froze immediately upon speaking. "Sorry, I meant-"

But Shizuo had never been a fan of formality or proper ways to address nobility and so he edged the young man on.

"What is it?"

A letter was pulled from a leather bag dangling from his side and quickly offered to the king. Red wax sealed its contents and a few letters written below revealed their source.

"We received word from the duke."

to be continued~

C: C: C:

Aye, aye, we almost forgot about him, didn't we? xD C:

I don't wanna promise too much, but I surmise the next two updates will bring you great joy C: