krystalkatzficz | Sacrifice

Pairing: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari

Genre: mythic, historical, Romance, angst (little bit)

Length: Chaptered

Rating: pg – nc17

Synopsis: Every fourteen years the lord of the Mountain requires a sacrifice from the village in the shadows. 16 year old Ninomiya Kazunari has volunteered for the sake of his family, little knowing that the lord had been watching the boy and has decided to change the rules….

Rain seemed to ooze in thick globs from the grey skies as Ninomiya Kazunari made his final journey to the market square. People wearing grey cloaks with their faces covered by heavy hoods lined the streets while spectators watched from behind. Many were chanting his name and repeating the words thank-you over and over. Nino turned to the crowd his heart skipping against his ribs as he searched for faces that he knew he wouldn’t find. His parents and younger siblings. They had said their goodbyes last night, his father standing tall and pride clear in his face, his mother shrunken her shoulders bent while her eyes were shiny with tears. His brother and sister were too young to understand what was happening and he was glad of it. As far as they knew he was going on a trip and wouldn’t be coming home.

The truth was he had volunteered as sacrifice for the lord of the mountain. A sacrifice was required once every fourteen years and was, surprisingly some might find, a highly sought-after position. Times were hard in the village and for Nino’s family most of all. His father had twisted his spine working in the fields and his mother was too sick after her last birthing to work as she used to. With his sacrifice it meant that his parents and younger siblings would be kept in a fine house, with good food, and respected in the village until the next sacrifice. That would-be time enough for his sister to marry well and his brother to find a position that he would never have been offered as an education with the priest of the mountain was also offered to his brother.

Nino had never believed that his life had much value. He was too slight for a man, his hands small and his features almost as fair as a woman. Nothing his father had tried had helped turned his slender shoulders into ones that could work for hours in the fields. He could bring no money home, but he would make their lives easier by giving up his worthless one.

The priest and the priestess at his sides lay their hands on his shoulder and he turned his attention from the crowds and the brothers and sisters of the mountain to look at the stage that had been erected. At only sixteen he had been only 2 when the last sacrifice had been made and he had never seen the like of it before. It was plain in construction, so plain that he was almost disappointed. Unfinished and unpolished wood made up the frame and box step. There was an altar on the top decorated in a purple sash and topped with three gold candle frames which held three large purple candles that were some how managing to stay alight despite the rain.

A man dressed all in black stood behind the altar and Nino swallowed a thick lump passed his Adam’s apple and down into his chest. Nino had no idea who his executioner would be, but he had been assured that hey were skilled in the task. Some believed that the killer was the lord of the mountain himself come down to secure his offering, Nino doubted the truth of that, but it didn’t stop him from feeling dread as he walked up the three box steps and was forced to kneel in front of the black clad figure.

“We bring the offering…” The priest and priestess said together bowing their heads at the executioner who motioned for them to come and stand beside him. Nino kept his head focused on a knot in the wood his heart hammering against his ribs as the chant of life, peace, and happiness began from the brothers and sisters of the mountain.

“Kazunari of the house Ninomiya you are here of your own free will to offer your life to the Lord of the mountain?” The voice of the black clad figure seemed to vibrate within his entire being and Nino shivered at hearing it. He chewed hard on his tongue for a moment remembering the lessons he had been taught. The sacrifice had to be willing, it had to come from the heart, if there was an ounce of doubt then it wouldn’t work.

“I…I do…” He choked out his voice almost catching in the back of his throat. A small part of him wanted to say no, to say that he had changed his mind but then he thought about his father who had tried so hard to take care of him, of his mother who struggled daily with the need to find food to eat and clothes to put on the backs of them all. It was such a small thing he could do for the happiness of his family. He took a calming breath and then spoke again knowing that this time his voice wouldn’t fault. “I do, I come willingly”

“Why? Why do you give your life?”

“So, the lives of my parents, my brother, my sister will be made better. So that they may never need do this…” He answered looking up and almost gasping at the sight which met him. From his position on the floor he could see directly under the hood of the man in black and he was beautiful. The man’s lips seemed to twitch into a smile as he asked;

“For your family you give yourself?”

“Yes”

“Then come to the altar and extinguish the flames” Nino frowned not sure what was going on. He had been told the way the service would go but nobody had told him about quenching flames. From the way the priest and priestess had moved they were also confused by this change in the service.

“Sir?”

“You heard me. Extinguish the flames” The man in black stepped away from the centre of the altar ignoring the priest at his right and the woman at his left. He reached out with a hand and helped Nino to his feet. The young man jolted at the icy touch of the hand, but it was gentle for all that it was cold, and he moved slowly to the altar and the purple flames. “You can see that they are not ordinary flames, can’t you?”

“Yes” Nino nodded watching with amazement when a fat droplet of rain landed on the wick but the flame barely flickered. It was as though they were ghost lights that were sometimes seen on the mountain. Nino had seen them closer than other people as he was the only one in his age range that had stepped foot on the mountain. It had been a stupid dare, but nothing had happened other than the path of lights that had formed when he walked.

“You’ve extinguished them once, before haven’t you? I’m sure you can do it again” The man told him, and Nino flinched his mouth dropping open.

“How…?”

“I see all that happens on my mountain little sacrifice…” The hood slipped from the man’s head revealing his face and shoulder length curled hair. There was a collective gasp from the assembled crowd and the priest and priestess fell to their knees pressing their faces into the wood.

“You…You’re the lord of the mountain?” Nino whispered in disbelief staring at the man in front of him. He had expected a giant of a man with huge muscles and thick eyebrows and a wild beard about his face. In his mind Nino had pictured him in silks wear gold and eating the flesh off bone with only his teeth. None of that were what he saw in front of him now. The eyebrows were thick, but his arms were almost as slim as Nino’s own. His body was trim and save from an amulet around his neck and a simple gold ring around his finger he was free of decoration or finery.

“I am”

“But…You’re…You’re so young…”

“I am what I am…I age little to not at all if the mood takes me…You truly seek to lay your life down here and now as sacrifice to me?”

“I do”

“Then put out the candles and I will take you…”

TBC

A/N: I’ve had this idea bouncing around in my head for a while >.< I hope that this is okay >.<