krystalkatzficz | The Love of Lord Ohno Satoshi part 23

“You would best thank him by staying on him this time…” Satoshi snapped out irritably his eyes going to Ninomiya’s leg. He was pleased though that the younger man wanted to thank his horse. It was something that he would do. Knowing that that he didn’t have time to tarry he turned on his heel and swept out of the room and was immediately greeted with the sight of a new guard positioned by Ninomiya’s door. The man was older and wiser than the last and simply nodded his head in his direction and then fixed a stare at the wall. Ninomiya looked a little surprised at the guard but also relived and Satoshi was assured that whatever happened was only on the side of the guard and not Ninomiya.

Satoshi walked a little ahead of the younger man but slowed when they reached the stairs. Ninomiya looked a little confused but Satoshi held his arm helping the boy down the stairs. He didn’t want him to fall and hurt himself again. He let his arm fall away when they were on the bottom step and he immediately missed the warmth. Their feet clicked on the tiles and the doors were thrown open by the servants Ninomiya blinked cutely as the sunlight hit them and Satoshi couldn’t resist smirking a little as he saw Matsumoto holding the reigns of Wind’s Honour.

The boy smiled at them happily before shooting a glare at Ninomiya which seemed to only grow more intent as he helped him up onto the back of Wind’s Honour. Of course, he purposely allowed his fingers to linger on Ninomiya’s soft form. Ninomiya winced as he felt the hard back of the horse against his backside and Satoshi vowed that he would get Fuwa to treat it later. He shot Matsumoto a glare as he noticed that the boy was laughing silently and he gently bowed his head as Satoshi jumped up onto the back of the horse.

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and they were soon moving, trotting through the gates of the palace and out into the world beyond. As soon as the village came into view he turned the horse sharply to the right and then broke into a trot gathering more speed as the moved through open country heading to the large protective wall that ran around his land. The walls were the best in the land protecting the residents within from the many wars and battles for far longer than he had been alive and it was his job to make sure that they were safe. Most people would have had a man to do it for them but he trusted his own eyes more than any other.

At the first part of the wall he paused the horse and then jumped down. He walked to the wall and ran his hand along it pleased that there were no signs of even the faintest of cracks. He silently climbed back on the horse his arms wrapping around Ninomiya securely as they moved further up and he repeated the process. Time and time again he repeated his study marking down in his mind the areas that needed treating. Eventually their journey brought them to the waterfall and, as he had hoped, he heard the sharp intake of breath from Ninomiya.

The whore’s face was alight with passion and wonder as he looked at the beauty that he himself had sought solace in time and time again. He was delighted that Ninomiya shared his delight of the marvel of nature. Birds sang in the heavens and for all it mattered they were lost in a time set apart from the rest of the world.

“My lord, may I ask a question?” Ninomiya whispered breaking the silence and Satoshi doubted that he would ever be able to deny his whore anything after seeing the pure light of joy in his brown orbs. He pressed his cheek against Ninomiya’s and breathed just as softly;

“Yes, Ninomiya, you may” His arms tightened around the boy’s waist smiling at the private knowledge that Ninomiya had a slight roundness to him there. It was something that he had often imagined and thought about while in the garden and he was delighted to find that it was true. Ninomiya swallowed sucking in a deep breath to steel his nerves and then asked;

“May I ask how Matsumoto came to you…?”

“Little whore…I warned you…” Satoshi pulled away from the younger man as much as he could on the back of the horse his good mood soured by the direction that the conversation had taken. He had enjoyed Ninomiya growing jealous but he didn’t want to ruin the peaceful place that he loved to talk about something so distasteful. The story of how Matsumoto had joined him was not a happy one and he hated to recall it.

“Please my lord, I just want to understand so I do not upset you again…It is clear that he is important to you…” The whore whispered and against his better judgement Satoshi clicked his tongue and pulled on the reins to stop the horse.

Wordlessly he jumped off Wind’s Honour and then turned to help the young brat down. Ninomiya stumbled little but Satoshi was ready and waiting to hold him tightly. His arms wrapped around the slim form and their noses crashed together a little before he kissed him once gently before carrying him over to the boulder that he often sat at to talk to his horse.

“The boy is important to me and it is also the story of how I got this scar…” He muttered his fingers running over the scar on his neck for a moment. The horror of the caves under the earth rising up inside his mind quickly. The sight of the children, beaten, starved, and dead. If he thought of it too much he could vividly recall the stench that had permeated the caves. If he were to describe it all he would be able to say was that it smelt of death and decay. “I will tell you but you are not to mention anything to him, do you understand?”

“Yes, my lord…”

“Then…As I have your word, I will tell you the tale…” Satoshi sighed sitting himself down beside the whore his mind moving back over the years. “I warn though that I am no storyteller…The story starts a few years ago, I had been sent by the emperor to scout for raiding parties that had been attacking the surrounding villages…I had all but given up hope of finding those responsible and then waif came into view…”

“…When I opened my eyes, I was home…” Satoshi finished his tale with a gruff voice stroking at the scar on his throat. At some point in the telling Ninomiya had turned to look at him while he had walked away from the boulder to rest his hand on a rock, and now his mouth was wide and his eyes were shining with wonder as he breathed;

“You…Are a great man, my lord...” The younger man managed to get up to his feet and came over to him. For a second he hesitated and then he ran his fingers down the scar on his neck. The action caused Satoshi to sigh a little though he was confused when the teen said “A slave or an emperor…They…Are the same to you…”

“What are you talking about little whore?” Satoshi growled in response embarrassed by the open admiration that he could see in the narrow face and sharp eyes. “I acted on my order...That is all…”

“You saved Matsumoto and all of those children, the way that you saved our emperor and his son, you saved me too…In your story you said that kindness was foolish…Yet…You show it in more ways than I think you know…” He whispered kissing his lips lightly before pulling back and giving the startled lord a smile “I am honoured that I am your reward…”

TBC
A/N: I hope that this is okay