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krystalkatzficz2014-06-16 10:14 am
krystalkatz.livejournal.com) wrote in krystalkatzficz2014-06-16 10:14 am
Etherin at War part 2
Eighteen months earlier...
Nino swallowed down the lump of bile as he sat atop his horse staring out at the camp before him. As they had predicted Ryuu had advanced early into his country, a full month earlier, the villages closest to Airith had already been attacked the survivors making their way the capital.
"Are you okay cousin?" Sho asked softly coming to his side and Nino nodded unable to write anything on the back of the horse. As he had wanted when he had first found out that Sakurai was actually his cousin he and his cousin had become friends over the month, now that he wasn’t hiding who he was Nino found his cousin to be a charming man, still studious and meticulous in everything that he did but with a wicked sense of humour that he had never heard before. The army that had come from Auai had been surprisingly large though most of it was made up of men that had been only children when their land had been taken. Nether the less they had fitted seamlessly into the armies of Etherin and, as they had hoped, bolstered their defences but it was still not enough. The forces of Airith still outnumbered them five to one but it was much better odds than they had had before. “We will win this…”
Nino nodded again with a smile that he didn’t really feel he…They… were just about to make a speech which would lead all of the men here into a battle, to ask them to fall down and maybe die for them and he wasn’t sure that he could do that. The pressure of it was intense and he felt like a fool on the back of a horse. He had trained everyday but it wasn’t enough he still felt like a little boy wearing his father’s armour.
“My king…” Yori said riding over to him looking prouder than ever in his uniform. It was odd but war suited the old knight and it gave him confidence that they would win with him beside him. “The men are gathered…and Ohno is here…”
‘Why?’ Nino mouthed, once again hating his lack of speech, Ohno had grown more and more at home within the castle over the weeks that he was there spending his days working in the garden but Nino still hadn’t been allowed to see what he was working on. They hadn’t seen each other in three days though as the camp was too far from the castle to take short trips. Yori smiled reaching over and squeezing his arm saying softly;
“He knew that you would be nervous…He took a break from his work…I will take him back to the castle when I return…”
‘Thank-you…’ Nino mouthed again his stomach calming down a little when he knew that Ohno was there even if he hated the thought of Ohno being this close to the battlefield. Yori smiled his head bowing a little.
“Then we should do this cousin?” Sakurai asked and Nino nodded smiling the best that he could as his stomach made strange rolls again.
*~**~*~*~*~*
Ohno stood with Toma, Jun, and Aiba well aware that the soldiers was staring at him as if he was out of place and given that he was still dressed in the same work clothes that he wore almost every day while working on Nino’s garden he knew that he was but he was here for Nino and that was all that mattered.
“He will be glad to see you” Jun told him and Ohno smiled feeling foolish for ever being jealous of the knight and it did appear that he had Aiba had grown very close during their training and it wouldn’t surprise him if they had their own secrets going on but if they did it had nothing to do with him.
“I would have been happier to see Yamapi…” Toma grumbled sitting down on a stump his legs crossing as he glared up at the sky until he realised how that sounded and he gave a sheepish grin rubbing the back of his neck “Um…No offence…”
“None taken…” Ohno smiled understanding his frustration, he had only been apart from Nino for three days and he was longing to see him Yamapi and Toma had been apart for much longer and he had already had the same frustrated speech from the other half of the pair “He was going to come but the king became worse through the night…He wanted to see you…”
“I know…It’s not your fault…But the sooner that we get this over with the better that it will be…” The knight mumbled kicking a stone that had been beside his foot and shooting over to a group of young soldiers that appeared to be overly young and nervous. “Sorry about that…”
“You know for an elite knight and guard of the king himself…You’re still such a kid…” Jun said rolling his eyes looking away and straightening up instantly. Ohno knew that Nino was approaching without even turning around having to admire the way that even his friends treated Nino as the king. It was what he needed to be able to get through this. “Your majesty…Your highness…”
Ohno turned only when a hand reached up out and touched his back familiar fingers trailing down to the base of his spine and then back up towards his neck under his hair. It was a very brief touch but it told him all that he needed to know and he smiled brightly at his king and lover. Nino had changed yet again in the month that they had been at war, his eyes were older and filled with strength and confidence that he would never have dreamed about when they had first met. He had confidence in himself and the belief of his people. If anything good had come out of the war it was that even those set against the young silent king before had joined him lending him the strength of their private armies.
‘Hello’ Nino mouthed at him and Ohno smiled back unable to keep his delight from his face at seeing him again. If they were alone he would have pulled Nino to him and kissed him until neither of them had air left in their lungs. As it was he could do nothing more than hold out his palm and allow Nino to write >I’ve missed you<
“And I you my king…” Ohno replied his smile getting wider until Toma gave a grunt pulling them out of their own little world realising that they were still standing in the middle of army.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Nino smiled apologetically at his friend pulling his notebook out of his saddle bag and writing quickly, his hands moving without him even needing to look down aware that Yori had told him about his uncle taking a turn for the worse and Yamapi needing to stay back to tend for him. Nino had tried to urge Sho to go back but nothing would persuade him to be anywhere but here right now. He had said that his father would respect him more for that. Nino wasn’t sure how to feel about that but he was glad that he wasn’t here alone.
>I’m sorry for my display…< He held up and Toma shook his head from side to side giving a smile as he told him;
“Be as soppy as you like, but have pity on those of us that have been alone for much longer…”
>I thought that you might wish to return to the castle just for a few days to relax and refresh…< Nino held up now and he saw the delight shine in the older man’s eyes for a minute or two before he slowly shook his head.
“No, thank-you your majesty…Nino…I’ll be fine…There are people that have been away just as long…It wouldn’t be fair…” Toma said with a quick shaking of the head and Nino had already anticipated his answer and even if he thought it was unfair he knew that he couldn’t just force his friend to leave the camp “We’re at war and I, as your knight, will do my bit for Etherin…”
>Thank-you…< He wrote turning to his cousin nodding at him with a smile motioning for him to come with him. They walked over to the men and Yori called them all to attention. The soldiers filled into long lines in front of them and for a moment he wondered how they would be able to hear them and then Sakurai shouted loudly;
“Men of Auai…Our land was attacked, our people killed and my brother…Your rightful future king…Also killed…My father, your king has been left a broken man…But still you came here to fight with us. This gives me joy and gratitude that you still have the faith to stand with me…Our land will be taken back and we as Auai again will stand strong with that of my cousin…This I swear to you…”
Nino swallowed nervously as Sakurai came to close and he motioned for Yori to come and stand beside him wishing now more than ever he could have made this speech alone his people deserved that but he couldn’t.
>There is nothing that I could say…Or in my case write…That will make this any easier...From the bottom of my heart I wish that we didn’t have to be here, that we could live in peace but I will not allow my people…< Nino wrote and Yori read out loudly his voice deep and full of all the passion that Nino wished to be able to produce in his voice but it was impossible >…My friends and followers to die at the hands of Ryuu and his followers…They have come into our country and killed my people I will not allow that…My duty as your king is to protect you and your families…I have failed in that duty but from today…We will fight back and reclaim what it ours…<
It wasn’t the speech that history was made of but it was deep and from the heart and he hoped that it would go some in the way of giving his men confidence that they could win. He took a deep breath swallowing down a lump from his throat and dropping down into bow from the waist his face pointed at the ground. A ripple went around the men more so when his personal guard, Sakurai and Ohno dropped down into bows around him.
There was silence for a moment and then a rumble of cheers, starting at the back and sweeping forward, started swirling around the camp as swords were raised high into air the steel shining like a brilliant ocean in front of him. The noise was almost deafening but it filled him with confidence just as the roughened fingers of his lover reached out and lightly stroked his palm.
There was silence for a moment and then a rumble of cheers, starting at the back and sweeping forward, started swirling around the camp as swords were raised high into air the steel shining like a brilliant ocean in front of him. The noise was almost deafening but it filled him with confidence just as the roughened fingers of his lover reached out and lightly stroked his palm.
*~*~*~*~*
Ohno wasn’t sure if it was actually possible to have a heart explode with pride but he was sure that his was about to. The sight of almost the entire army shouting for his lover had that effect on him as well as Nino’s words. They were clumsier than Sakurai’s had been but they had included more of the words ‘Our’ and ‘We’. It made everybody there feel as if they were truly all in this together and it inspired pride to flare up inside him so fast that he hadn’t been able to help reach out and touch his lover wanting to tell him how proud he was.
The cheers lasted for an obscenely long time and they all joined in until they end they were horse their throats sore. When the rumble died down to a vibrating level they escaped Ohno pulling Nino behind him and leading him to the royal tent. It was almost no different to any of the other tents the only difference was that it was set apart from the others. They stepped inside and he wrapped his arms around him pulling him into a kiss their bodies pressed together their hearts beating in the same quick rhythm. Nino’s fingers moved up and down his back and Ohno held him tightly savouring the moment that would only last until tomorrow. In the far side of the tent was a low bunk and Ohno led Nino there determined to enjoy their moment.
TBC
A/N: I hope that this is okay ^_^
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so curious with Ohno
and the cheer shows determination for them to win the battle…
thank you for this and soooo waiting for the next chapter
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I'm a bit confused...
But, yeah, I'll bear with you to the end!
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Nino makes on hell of king though, theres something to be proud of.
Thanks for the update ^_^
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And we know that all will not okay, Oh'chan will be kidnaped ;__;
It's amazing their love ! :3
Thanks for this chap
XOXO
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thank you for update!!
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Thanks for sharing!