契約 

***

     “Otou-san!” Yuri ran to greet his father.  Yuya had been busy with affairs while his father had been away while his mother was busy all day worrying about not only Ryosuke in Hikoku but Daiki and Keito on their way to Hikoku; and of course for her husband heading off to battle as well. 

     His father acknowledged him and nodded, but nothing more.  King Ninomiya rode beside him through the castle’s gates.  Yuri knew something was wrong and ran swiftly back inside before his father came.  “Okaa-san,” he called out to her.  She was sitting down before the fire, sewing.  

     “Yes?” she she looked up, setting her things down.

     “Otou-san’s returned with King Ninomiya,” he said.

      She shot up, “Is he outside?  Has he said anything?” she looked relieved that he returned, “Is he well?”

      “He seems very upset.  When I called to him, he only nodded.”

     The doors opened once more and his father entered with Ninomiya beside him still.  “Ah, Kazunari,” Mao went over to the two, “It’s nice to see your face here.  Jun,” she helped him with his shoes and uniform.  “What’s wrong?” she asked softly so Yuri wouldn’t here.  He only held a hand to say now wasn’t the time to discuss it. 

      She could see the anger in Ninomiya as well—of all of the kings, these two surely had the shortest tempers.  However, for the both of them to return like this was no comforting sign.  She hurried to the kitchen to make some tea for everyone.  “Yuri,” she called him, “How about you come help me?”

     He looked at his father and Ninomiya who went straight up the stairs before going into the kitchen.  “What could have put Otou-san in such a bad mood?” he asked his mother.  She shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know Yuri.  Will you grab the china for me?  Be careful not to drop anything.”  

      His mother looked just as stressed as his father, just not as angry.  He remembered the event from the night before.  Yuri had been scared to sleep alone without Ryosuke.  His brother was always beside him if he got scared in the dark, but now there was no one.  So he quickly ran to his mother's room to see if he could sleep with her, but she was in her bed weeping.  Yuri didn't know what to do so he ran to Yuya's room before Yuya led him sleep with him.

     Remembering what his mother had just told him, he did as she said and got the china carefully.  Then they brought the tea upstairs together.  Sure enough his father and Ninomiya were in the study. 

      When Mao went to the door with Yuri, she heard Ninomiya yelling behind the closed doors.  “…just watched!  At least I did something!”

     “What did you want me to do!?  Of course I’m angry Kazu!  I’m as furious as you! This is my son.  I don’t know what’s going through his head,” her husband growled angrily. 

     “Yuri, go play outside,” she told him taking the tea from him.

     “But,” he tried but she cut him off and he was forced to leave as she walked through the doors. 

      But he wouldn’t be left out this time.  He wanted to know what was going on.  So the second his mother closed the doors he ran silently back over to the door and stood before a decorative table with flowers on it just outside the door.  He was lucky that he was still small; the table had an empty storage cabinet underneath it.  He opened the door and crawled it, closing it gently behind him.  He was stuffed now that he was older, but Yuri continued to use this.  No one had ever known about this hiding place of his—in fact he had more than one around the house.  Being the baby, no one ever wanted to tell him anything so he had to figure it out for himself.  He opened the flap in the back of the cabinet and he pressed his eye to the tiny hole.  His mother would kill him if she ever found it.  The hole was under another table in the other room so he could only see the waist down of the people in the room. 

     “Jun, just what is going on?” his mother asked his father. 

     “Mao,” he groaned as if annoyed at something, but he couldn’t spit it out.

     It was silent for a while before Ninomiya spoke up, “I’ll tell you what’s going on.  We go in there with a huge army, Hikoku turns out to have a dictator, the King and Queen are dead, and your son’s a traitor.”

     “Excuse me!?” Mao was immediately offended, “What are you saying about my son!?”

     “Kazu, calm down already,” Jun growled.

     “You both need to calm down,” Mao was frustrated now, “And properly tell me what in the world is going on!  Start from the beginning!”

     Jun didn't speak so the King of Kazekoku did instead.  “So we went in to battle confident that we could win—together Yukiguni and Kazekoku make a powerful, huge force.  But when we got there, Hikoku’s Army was just as big.  It’s as if every male in the country was in their army it was so massive.  Instead of seeing King Sakurai on the battle field, there was another man with your son beside him.”

     It was silent until Mao paced and stopped before speaking, “What happened then?”

     “The man’s name is Nishikido Ryo,” Ninomiya said, sighing, “Apparently King and Queen Sakurai were being manipulated twenty years ago when they declared war—the man went on about we couldn’t even tell when our friends were in trouble and being manipulated.  They’ve been killed.”

     “What?” Mao gasped.  Surely she was thinking of Keiko and her husband, who back then, she had been so close to. 

     “We weren’t expecting it either,” Jun said, “It was all happening so quickly.  I couldn’t think properly.”

     “And Ryosuke?” she said quickly, “Is he alright?  You said you saw him.”

     “Oh we saw him alright,” Ninomiya said angrily.

     “Please stop talking about my son in that tone,” Mao yelled in sadness. 

     “Mao, Ryosuke won’t be returning to Yukiguni.”

     “What in the world do you mean he’s not returning!?” she cried out, her tears overflowing immediately. 

     “Mao, he chose to stay with Hikoku.  He was right in front of me, telling me he was staying with Hikoku before ordering their army to attack us.”

     Yuri had his hand over his mouth to keep himself from crying out as his tears ran down his face.  His Onii-san?  He may always fight with Ryosuke, but he was closest to him of all his siblings.  They’d shared a room as far as he can remember, and Yuri was always with him until now.  Ryosuke-nii-san had to come home!  Without him, Yuri would be scared at night.  Without him, Yuri couldn't walk to school with his brother and would have to go all alone.  Without him, it would be far too lonely and sad!

     “He betrayed all of us,” Ninomiya said, “I can’t even understand what that kid is thinking!”

     Mao was sobbing, “Why didn’t you bring him home to me?”

     “Did you not hear?” Jun’s voice was strained, “He was with Hikoku in that battle.  Daiki and Keito should be back soon along with the others.  We need them here on the tenth.”

     “What is the tenth?” she asked through her tears.

     He didn’t speak at first, but she pressed him on, “What is it!?”

     “We’ll bring the facts before the highest court.  We’re going to figure out what we should do in this case—we need to figure out if we will disown him or not.”

     “Disown!?” his wife screamed at him, “You come here, the both of you, and tell me that King and Queen Sakurai were manipulated and then murdered.  And you didn’t think to consider the thought that the same thing could be happening to him currently!?  And then you tell me you consider disowning him!?  On the side of Hikoku or not, that is my son!  Why did you not bring him home to me!?  Why didn’t you force him to come back!?”

     She was screaming now and Yuri heard someone walking past the cabinet and then heard the door open.  He saw his older brother’s legs.  “What is going on?” he went to his mother and surely Yuya was trying to calm her down.  Her cries were hysterical though. 

     “Yuya,” she cried, “You convince your father!  He’s gone mad!”  Yuri saw the shuffling of his mother’s dress and she turned away from his father.

     “What?” Yuya must have turned to their father, “What’s going on?  Did something happen in Hikoku?”

     Jun was angry now though, “You’re blaming me for this?” he yelled back at her, “He’s the one who betrayed us!  How is this all my fault now!?”

     “You’ve always had a short temper,” she cried, “But I didn’t think you could possibly turn away from your own son and leave him there!” She screamed before Yuri saw her storm out of the room. 

     “Mao!” his father called after her, but she was long gone, already going down the stairs.  Yuri had heard enough.  And his mother might look for him now.  So quickly and quietly he tried to get out of the cabinet and he crawled out only to be seen by Yuya. 

     The two men were still in the study, their father fuming with anger as Ninomiya was trying to tell him that Mao was wrong and Ryosuke was the one at fault here.  Yuya looked down at Yuri without saying a word, but closed the doors to his father’s study.  “Yuri,” he said softly.

     “Yuya-nii-san,” he quickly closed the cabinet, “Please don’t say anything.”

     “I won’t, but you have to fill me in on everything you heard.”

***

     "I'm simply trying to stress your self-worth.  The stories about you do travel, you know.  Though all of the other nations see you as the weakest prince there is, I see the strongest in front of me."

     "The flattery is unnecessary."  He heard a slight hesitation in his own voice--that wasn't missed by Nishikido.

     "It isn't flattery.  I don't lie--there's no purpose.  Instead, I speak the truth that I see."  The man was still smiling.

     Unable to say anything, Ryosuke sat in silence.  He turned his attention back to his green fish and picked his chopsticks up once more.  Nishikido seemed to change the subject, “If you wish to go out, Erika or another can accompany you--I don't find it wise for you to go around Hikoku all alone.  I’m sure you’ll find Hikoku very different than Yukiguni.  You’re coming from the coldest country to the hottest.  I believe the temperature in your country today is around 23 degrees.  Here it’s 87 degrees currently at night.”

     “You've someone explained, however,” Ryosuke started, "You already called me useless.  I don't see how that makes me the strongest."

     "Being frank, you're uselessness is precisely why you're such a powerful piece in this war.  While you may be inferior and not worthy of much, you’re the piece we’re using to really start this war.  I'm sure your father in anger will attack at any moment.”

     "Then just let me return with my father when he comes.  You would have already started the fighting if he arrives, so I am no good to you afterwards."

     "You underestimate yourself; no, you're to stay here.  I have a position that only you can fill.  There's no other person in the world who can do what you can do now."

     "What are you talking about?" And Ryosuke once again sat his chopsticks down...

     “If you return home now, what do you possibly think you could do for your country?” he suddenly posed the question. 

     “What do you mean?” Ryosuke was angered that he kept flip-flopping opinions.  He called him useless, then told him he was the strongest of all the princes, and then went straight back to telling him he could do nothing for his country.

     “It’s as simple as I stated it—what can you do for your country?  You can’t bend an element; you can’t use your magic anymore.  What will you do for the people of your country?”

      He was quiet…What could he do?  Nothing really.  He was only sixteen and the only somewhat  important role he still held in society was his council seat which he’d just acquired this year on his birthday.  That wasn’t going to help him with anything. 

     “Exactly,” Nishikido said, “You can’t do anything for your country if you were to return.  But you can do something for your country here.”

     “And what is that?” he proceeded with caution.

      “Stay here and fight for it.”

      “What?”

     “I want you to do something only you can do—cause a ruckus.  You have to make all of the royal families believe that you’re on our side.  If you can do that, I can guarantee your safety and high hospitality here.  In Yukiguni, you won’t be able to obtain the power anymore; here I’m offering it up to you.”

     “I don’t want the power,” he said, “I don’t care what you say.  I don’t wish to betray my nation for you just for my own safety and power here.”

     “But returning home would be the betrayal.  If you don’t stay here and cause a peaceful ruckus, I’ll cause the ruckus myself.  And trust me, it won’t be peaceful then.”

     Ryosuke only stared at him so he elaborated himself, “Perhaps I could go and kidnap your younger brother if you return?  Maybe I could use him instead of you?”

     “Don’t you dare touch Yuri,” Ryosuke growled, “Just what are you at?”

     “It’s simple—I want power.  And I will have it, starting with Yukiguni.  So you either stay by my side and keep you and the rest of your family and people safe or I can do it the difficult way.  I’ll go in and I swear to you, I will slaughter your country’s people one by one until I get to the capital to claim the head of your short-tempered father for my own.”

     “Shut up you bastard!” Ryosuke stood up in anger, “You can’t do that.  No way could you even make it into Yukiguni let alone to my father.”

     “You shouldn’t doubt me as I don’t think you quite understand who I am yet.  I can get into Yukiguni without any problems.  There are many people in your country who know what is good for them and they make good decisions.”

     For the first time Ryosuke really did fear what Nishikido could do.  “Why do you  want to keep me here?  Only to make a ruckus?  How is that going to happen?  My kidnapping is only uniting the countries.”

     “Of course—I want you to take part in the war effort.  You don’t have to do anything major.  I wouldn’t subject someone like you to such a dangerous fighting position or anything crazy like that.  Your death isn’t something I need right now.  You just have to show your face.”

     “So all I have to do for you to be happy is show up at events and pretend that I’m on your side?”

     “That’s it,” he said, “All you have to do is make them believe that you’re a traitor, and they’ll immediately regain their spirits for this war.  Don’t you know how the last ‘traitors’ began this war?  King and Queen Sakurai were pieces back then.  But they were only preliminary—to isolate Hikoku for a while.  You’re the real piece.  The hatred needs a focal point and that’s you now that the King and Queen are gone.  So what do you say?  You’re the only one who can save the lives of millions now.  If you take the cowardly way out and try to escape back home, you’ve killed your own people.  If you’re strong, the lives of innocent people will be saved.  Either way the people of your country will hate you for it.  Wouldn’t you rather save them and your family?”

     Ryosuke sighed as he sat in his room alone once more.  Was he doing the right thing?  Nishikido was right though.  He could do nothing at home and going back would only bring the mass slaughtering of his country’s people.  Making his country and the rest of the world hate him to keep them safe was better.  He believed that Nishikido had the power to murder and kill many.  He didn’t put it past him; however, Ryosuke didn’t believe Nishikido could defeat all of the other nations if they united under one cause.  Nishikido wanted to make the other nations angry and use him a hate focal point.  Then Ryosuke would do just that.  He would side with Nishikido not for Nishikido’s sake, but for everyone else’s sake.  This would make the other countries stronger and one day, he believed Nishikido would be stopped.  Until then, he had to fight alone for his country.  Until then, he was alone here in Hikoku.  Until then, he would be seen as the enemy. 

***

     “Onii-san,” Keito called after Daiki, “Did you get everything we’re going to need?”

     Everyone else was already asleep except for Yuma at the moment.  Yuma was on watch and steering the ship.  Keito was in the kitchen with Daiki, and they were gathering supplies they’d need.  They grabbed food to add to their bags of some extra clothes.  They should travel lightly. 

     Once they packed a sufficient amount, they ran quickly and quietly to the life boat, managing not to alert Yuma.  Daiki grabbed the oars and Keito got in the boat first, beginning to lower it.  It suddenly squeaked loudly as if the lift needed to be oiled.  Both of the brothers looked at one another, standing still to see if anyone was going to come running. 

     “Get in,” he told Daiki and his brother did so, bringing their bags. 

     “It’s going to be loud,” Keito told Daiki.

     “I’ll help,” he said, “On the count of three, as fast as we can, okay?”

     Keito nodded.  “One, two…three.”

     They began to lower the life boat towards the water and the lift was squeaking away, begging to be oiled.  “Yuma,” they heard Tomohisa’s voice, “What is that noise?”

     “Kuso,” Daiki cursed, “Faster.  When we get down, we need to row fast.”

     Keito nodded and they went as quickly as they could, but they’d only gotten halfway to the water now and Tomohisa’s voice was getting closer.  “I’ll check the back of the ship.”

     “Keito, give me the knife.”

     “If you cut it this far up it might flip,” he whispered quickly.

     “The knife!”

     Keito gave him the knife and Daiki cut as quickly as he could. 

     “Tomohisa!” Yuma called, “The life boat is gone.”

     “What?!”

     This was it.  Daiki sawed faster with the knife.  Tomohisa’s face popped over the edge, glaring down on the two brothers.  “What the heck do you two think you’re doing!?  Get up here!” he ordered, but Daiki got the first side cut.

      His side of the boat fell to the water and Keito let out a yelp and he fell a bit before grabbing onto the side of the boat that was still attached to the rope.  Takahisa and Yuya came on deck, tired, to see what the commotion was.  “Keito, the other side,” Daiki tried to pass him the knife, but it slipped and fell into the water.   

      In fury, Tomohisa tried to pull the boat up, ordering Yuma and the others to help him. 

     In his frazzled state, Daiki scooped up a handful of water and threw it at Keito.  “Now!”  Keito understood and in a slight moment the water turned into a sharp piece of ice.  As best as he could, Keito cut the rope faster and faster before the rope finally snapped sending the boat quickly down to the water and the four men on the ship backwards with the rope.  “Now!” Daiki threw Keito the oars. 

     “Don’t do this!  Come back to Yukiguni,” Tomohisa shouted over the edge, “This is all in vain!”

     “How!?” Daiki shouted back at him, “You wouldn’t help me find my brother!  We’re going to do this ourselves!”

     “And if he’s not there?  What if Ryosuke is back in Yukiguni, and you two are blindly walking into a trap?  Then what?”

     “Ryosuke isn’t back in Yukiguni.  I know it,” Daiki shouted back. 

     Tomohisa argued no more; he only walked away from the two rowing off towards Hikoku once more. 

     “Are you going to let them go?” Takahisa asked, “It’s dangerous for them to go by themselves.  We should go after them.”

     “The Kings ordered us to return.  We will follow orders.”

*** 

That's it for this chapter~!! ^o^  This will probably unfortunately be the end to "one chapter every day" kind of updates as my long extended snow-storm vacation is over... TT^TT Now I have a lot of College American History Homework to do and Chemistry too *cries*

Anyway, I hope this chapter was able to please you all!!!  I will try not to keep you all waiting too long for the next one :)  Please comment~I love reading them ^w^

第八話:契約を楽しんで下さい。そして、コメントしてね！皆さんのコメントが大好きだ♥

(Posted 火・2014年03月04日)