Chapter Text
The sun rapidly setting behind him, the young Samurai Warrior galloped towards the crimson cliffs in the distance, kicking up much dust and sand in his wake, his silky jet black hair flowing in the wind, not looking back.
As the brown mare panted and sweated underneath him, he knew he would have to rest soon. He prayed that he would be able to find a roof over his head before the night was upon them, and hordes of monsters, bandits or gods knows what else would be prowling the desert sands. He did not fear these wretches, but he knew that even an experienced warrior like he could be in trouble if he was overwhelmed by such forces. Indeed, with no retainers at his side, he felt more vulnerable and exposed than ever before, and he understood deep down that he could not go on like this if he was to stand a chance of survival.
Just as he started to lose hope however, a tattered signpost appeared before him.
‘Woah girl!’ The warrior pulled his steed to a stop, barely being able to discern it, he was able to make out the faded words, ‘Ryu Outpost 1 Mile Away’, ‘Not far to go now Misumi’, he patted the mare’s neck reassuringly, ‘do you think you can push on a little further? It will be better than becoming a desert worm’s next meal, right?’
The mare gave a tired but approving whinny before the warrior spurred her on and pursued the dusty trail ahead. As darkness began to set in, he could begin to hear the distant roars and grunts of the unsightly creatures that inhabited these sands. Naturally he breathed a sigh of relief as the weathered outpost building manifested ahead.
‘Well here we are’, he finally leapt down from his steed, and the saddle sores started to take hold, ‘I know it’s not the Palace stables, but at least you should have enough food and water to keep you going’, the mare merely gave a haughty snort in response, ‘Hey, don’t give me that look!’
The young warrior could understand her woes however, she had once been a proud warhorse who faithfully served the king in battle and now she was being housed alongside these common nags? To her it was surely the greatest of dishonours!
‘Are you looking for a place to stay for the night?’, a man who looked just as scruffy as the establishment he ran stood in the doorway. His eyes sparkled when he laid his eyes on the warrior’s silk robes, ‘You are a nobleman from the Hinoeuma region if I’m not mistaken? I mean that sword and that getup? There’s no mistaking it!’
‘Aye’, he bowed in his direction.
‘It should be me bowing to you good sir! Shall I get the luxury suite set up for you?’ it was as though leaves were glistening in his eyes.
‘Just the regular accommodation will do’, the warrior handed the reins of his horse to the man alongside a small pouch of leaves, ‘I cannot exactly stick around’.
‘I see…’ a look of slight disappointment filled the man’s face as he looked down at the tiny pile of gold, ‘Very well then… please’, he gestured towards the door, ‘do make yourself comfortable’.
‘Much appreciated’, the warrior bowed again before setting foot inside. Making a beeline towards the bar, he saw that the place had clearly seen better days, but looked comfortable enough. It reminded him of the tavern back in his homeland somewhat in that regard.
When he dwelled in the great city of Ku, he would often appreciate the rough but homely handiwork of those deemed the ‘common’ folk. He thought it a nice change from the bright, sleek, imposing build of the palace. The great white Ku palace was a truly impressive piece of architecture and a beauty for the eyes to behold, yet he had always felt strangely restrained and confined whenever he set foot within its walls.
It was at that moment when the pain pierced him like a knife. Now he was far away from home and was finally able to focus on recollecting his thoughts, the true extent of the shock finally hit him.
‘Ritsu…’ he thought, ‘where did I go wrong? Why… why won’t you walk with me? Why… did you join… him?’ his heart burned with both an uncontrollable rage and a deep sadness.
If he didn’t have eyes upon him, he likely would’ve broken down here and now, but since the future of his beloved subjects depended on him, he knew he couldn’t display any weakness out in the open like this. He decided it would be a safer bet to drown his sorrows instead.
‘Would you like a drink sir?’ the warrior’s head abruptly jerked up as the bartender approached.
‘Oh… right!’ he quickly composed himself, ‘Do you have any sake?’ He was not much of a drinker, in fact he tended to avoid it entirety with the exception of festivities. He could not allow his hard work and training to be clouded after all. Given his extraordinarily dire circumstances however he was willing to make an exception.
‘Coming right up!’
As his drink was placed down in front of him, he could hear the ringing of the doorbell, followed by the gruff voice of the owner, not sounding nearly as jovial.
‘Regular accommodation I assume?’
‘Don’t mind if I do!’
‘Sir’, the owner gestured towards the warrior, ‘you have a roomate’.
‘Thankee kindly!’ A tall, dark skinned young man stepped inside, his mustard yellow coat draped over him like a cloak. As he approached the bar, the warrior noticed that despite seeming in good spirits, the young man appeared unusually thin, malnourished even, and that there were noticeable shadows under his eyes.
‘Why howdy there sir! Partitio Yellowil at your service! I can’t believe we are roomies! Damn… I was thinking someone of your status would prefer first class accommodations. Nevertheless, it’s a pleasure to meet you’, he propped himself down and held out a hand.
‘It’s fine really’, the warrior’s face turned red as he took his hand which dwarfed his own, ‘honestly I appreciate the change in scenery’.
‘It’s an honour truly!’
‘No, it’s an honour to be with you’, the warrior gave a small bow.
‘Why I’ll be!’ Partitio also blushed, ‘You are from Ku if I’m correct? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sword like that where I’m from! You look like you are from one of those super fancy noble houses’, he looked him up and down in awe.
‘You aren’t wrong I suppose’, the warrior took a sip of his drink, ‘you are from the Wildlands I assume?’
‘You would be right on that one, the town of Oresrush to be precise!’
‘I’ve heard of such a place in passing, it was built near a silver mine from what I recall?’
Partitio nodded enthusiastically before sighing deeply, ‘Alas… we have seen better days. Silver doesn’t exactly have the same value as it did back then you see, so when the silver trade died it was only natural that the town would slowly die with it’.
‘Ah I see… I’m sorry to hear that…’
‘Really it’s nothin’’, the young man laughed nervously, but the warrior could tell from the look in his eyes that something clearly was pressing on his mind.
‘Anyone up for tonight’s dish?’ the two of them looked up to see the owner making an announcement, ‘Local hunters have very kindly decided to offer us their catch of the day! The meat of the delectable buttermeep! Get it before it’s gone!’
‘Damn that sounds good’, wave of sadness crossed Partitio’s face, ‘but alas I need to save all the leaves I can if I am to stand a chance of fulfilling my promise to the good folks back home’.
‘Are you alright Partitio?’ the warrior turned to face him concerned.
‘What’s that? Nah don’t worry yourself about me friend’, he laughed nervously, ‘I’ve been through much worse believe me’, clearly the young man’s stomach didn’t agree however, as it let out an angry growl.
‘Hey, can we get two servings over here?’
‘Friend… you really don’t need to…’ Partitio looked astonished yet also relieved as the warrior drew another small pouch of leaves from his pockets, ‘I’ll be sure to pay you back later, I promise!’
‘There is no need’. He had seen that look in Partitio’s eyes before. He recounted the time when a famine was spreading across Ku and the looks of desperation and subsequent relief of the peoples’ faces as he snuck them leftovers from the royal kitchens. Of course he was eventually caught and apprehended by the palace guards before being confined there for a month. Yet his urge to help those in the direst of circumstances had never faltered.
Partitio’s face shone like the sun as the smell of meat wafted into the air. Almost as soon as the plate touched the table, he started to wolf his way down. As the warrior savoured his own portion, he felt happiness that he was able to help but was also saddened by the young man’s obvious desperation.
‘So, what brings a fine fella like you to this neck of the woods?’ Partitio finally spoke after leaving not a scrap, ‘I mean it must be a pretty big deal if you have come all this way right?’
‘I have important business to attend to, nothing more really. What about you?’
‘More or less the same reasons’, he eyed the room somewhat cautiously, ‘if you don’t mind, do you think we can discuss this upstairs?’
‘If you wish, in fact it would be preferable for me too’.
After the two finished their drinks, the young men made their way up the creaking stairs.
‘After you’, the warrior beckoned Partitio inside.
‘Thankee kindly sir! Damn, there only seems to be one bed’, he remarked as they stepped into the dusty room, ‘I spent my last savings and this is the kinda service we get? Well shit… what should we do?’
‘We will cross that bridge when we get to it’.
When they closed the door behind them and the two of them started to settle down for the night, the warrior swore that he could see Partitio’s eyes starting to water.
‘I am in your debt; don’t you ever forget that’, his voice trembled.
‘Partitio… are you okay?’
‘Yeah… just something in my eye that’s all’, he rubbed them against his sleeve, ‘You are truly kind you know that? Please forgive me… in all my excitement I forgot to ask your name’.
‘I am Prince Hikari of the Ku Dynasty, but please… just call me Hikari’.
‘By the light of the Sacred Flame! You’re a prince too?
Hikari nodded, ‘At least I was…’
‘I mean I’ve heard of Clan Ku’s exploits but I never thought for a second that I would actually run into one of ‘em. Well damn… If you don’t mind me asking, how did you end up here of all places?’
‘I’m an outcast’, Hikari’s voice and body started to shake, ‘The kingdom of Ku has a long and accursed history of bloodshed, but after witnessing the horrors of needless war for myself, it brings me great shame to know that I am part of such a bloodline. My father shortly before he died had a change of heart. He hoped that me assuming the throne would finally bring peace to our kingdom. But before we could set our plan into motion, my brother killed him in cold blood and set fire to the city’, as he desperately tried to choke back tears, he could feel his blood beginning to boil, ‘Those people posed no threat, he killed them just because he knew that they meant a lot to me. In his eyes they were mere tools for his sick, twisted game’.
‘Hikari…’
‘Now that my brother is king who knows what horror and suffering, he will inflict upon the citizens of Ku and any nation unlucky enough to fall in it's clutches? If Ku is to avoid certain doom, I must stop him at whatever cost. Although… I don’t quite know how I will achieve it yet.’
‘Well then…’ it seemed Partitio was still shocked at this new revelation, ‘it seems like you have a lot of important matters to attend to. I don’t want to cause you no trouble or nothin’…’.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I shouldn’t be getting in your way… I mean surely a man like yourself doesn’t want to bear the burdens of a poor merchant?’
‘Nonsense. Besides, even with my experience in combat, how exactly am I supposed to take on my brother’s forces without any reliable allies?’
‘Damn… I guess you’re right…’
‘So why are you here exactly, you said you’re a merchant yes?’
He nodded solemnly, ‘I’m heading for the town of Sai, I want to use what little money I have left to hire fighting folk for a plan I have set into motion. I may have to end up selling my horse too. I hope I won’t have to resort to it, the town has relied on her for hunting, even if it’s mostly skinny rabbits I end up bringing back. But if it comes down to it, what else can I do?’
‘What are you plotting exactly?’
‘The landowner is bleeding us dry, and the landlord is forcing us to work to the bone. Yet we are being forced to pay taxes that are higher than our weekly wage, and most of us barely have enough food to go around to last a week. At this rate I fear the town will starve. What’s more some pretty shady lookin' folk have been eyeing up the place. We’ve been able to stop them harassing us for the time being, but we don’t know how much longer we will be able to keep it up. That’s why we’ve decided to stage a coup. Yes it’s illegal, but since when has the law been on the side of the people?’
‘So are you planning on breaking and entering then?’ but rather than disbelief, Hikari’s face lit up with intrigue.
‘Yeah well… you see… while we have the numbers on our side, most of us aren’t exactly in fighting condition. I set out because I was the fittest and… you saw what happened there. Which is why I decided to ride over here and seek outside help. That man must be overthrown, by any means necessary, otherwise Oresrush is done for!’
‘You mean like mercenaries? But Partitio… even if your plan does succeed, what if they force you to pay debt later? And not just in leaves. Even I know of the horror stories about those who are desperate enough to hire such detestable individuals, and it nearly always ended in bloodshed. You are clearly passionate about seeing your plan through, charisma is the hallmark of a great leader. But your tactical skills and foresight could definitely do with some work’. As he spoke, he could imagine the King’s tactician and his old friend, Kazan nodding in agreement.
‘It was a last resort decision, believe me… but since my hometown is on the brink of starving to death, desperate times call for desperate measures. That’s something I learned the hard way…’ he stared out of the rickety window, ‘Back then it seemed that Papp and I were on top of the world. The little town we had built up from scratch had become a bustling site of commerce. But alas… I got cocky, and when poverty eventually came to my town, I realised the hard way how cruel capitalism could really get. To make matters worse, my Pa ended up overworking himself and fell ill, and well… the price of medicine isn’t getting any cheaper. Hell, there are days when we’ve been forced to skip meals just so we can pay for his treatment’.
‘That sounds terrible! I suppose in a sense, capitalism as you describe it isn’t much different from my brother’s tyrannical rule’.
‘I suppose you could look at it that way. I mean there is just as much suffering, but rather than bloodshed, suffering comes in the form of poverty and not knowing whether you will be able to provide your family with enough food to get through the week. I’m not gonna lie, being cut down on the battlefield sounds merciful in comparison, at least it’s quick right?’
‘You make a fair point’, Hikari stepped away and pondered, ‘Well then… I guess our predicaments aren’t that much different after all. I suppose Oresrush is your own Kingdom, and in that way it should be treated with the upmost honour’, Hikari turned to face Partitio again, a serious expression on his face, ‘You don’t need to sell your horse, or hire any mercenaries for that matter’.
‘But Hikari, what choice do I have?’
‘Partitio, I will help you and your father reclaim Oresrush’.
Partitio’s eyes widened in disbelief, ‘Wow really? But surely, I won’t be able to afford your services?’
‘There is no need, I will fight tyranny no matter what form it takes. Knowing that I am fighting for the oppressed is a great honour and worth more than all the money in the world. And given the fact I am living in exile, I don’t exactly have much reputation left to lose’.
‘You really mean it?’ once again his eyes began to swim with tears.
‘You can count on me friend’, Hikari simply gave a small smile in response and before he knew it, he was locked in a tight embrace. His heart sank further as he swore he could feel the young man’s ribs jutting out, if Partitio was in bad condition, he couldn’t imagine what the rest of the town was like.
‘Hikari, I cannot thank you enough, I really mean it’, Partitio’s voice shook before he released Hikari from his grip, ‘I’m sorry’, he rubbed his eyes and recomposed himself, ‘it’s just that I’m not used to seeing much kindness from rich folk like you. Most of them look at folks like myself like we are nothing more than the dirt on their boots… Either that or a charity case, they throw money at us yet do nothing to stop those keeping us down in the first place’.
‘I may have the blood of clan Ku running through my veins, but my mother was born of the people, which is why I used my role as Lord to watch over and protect them. Even now I wish to honour her name by fighting for those who need it the most. I don’t yet have the manpower or resources to reclaim the Kingdom, but the least I can do is fight oppression wherever it rears its ugly head!’
‘I’ve never been a fan of the concept of monarchy myself, I mean why should someone have the right to rule others just for being born with a silver spoon in their mouth? But make no mistake, if you were king Hikari, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all’.
‘Let’s not get our hopes up just yet, even with my status, acclaiming enough allies will be no easy task and I may still perish in the attempt. My brother has proven before that he shows no mercy to those he deems his enemy. If it wasn’t for the intervention of my father’s personal bodyguard Benkei, he probably would’ve cut me down on the spot like all the hapless foot soldiers he slaughtered like animals in battle’.
‘Well shit… you sure do have a lot on your plate. I don’t know what use I can be, but know that I will have your back every step of the way’.
‘As will I’, Hikari placed a hand on Partitio’s shoulder, ‘we shall make for Oresrush tomorrow, upon arriving, I will be happy to help in whatever ways I can. As prince of Ku, it is my gods given duty to serve those from all walks of life’.
‘I cannot thank you enough Hikari, really I can’t’, he then let out a yawn, ‘Well I guess we should be getting some shuteye, though… what are we supposed to do about this single bed situation?’
‘You take it, I’m perfectly content sleeping on the floor’.
‘But Hikari, you are already assisting me for free, surely I should repay you somehow?’
‘I don’t mind… really, in fact I’m quite used to it. Having been on the battlefield, I’m quite used to sleeping on hard ground, often surrounded by dead bodies. This is nothing trust me’.
‘You are such a gentleman Hikari. There ain’t a lot of folk like you left in the world, you are truly something special, you know that right?’
‘Get some sleep Partitio. If we are to stand a chance, we should ensure that we are well rested’.
‘Wait! Hold up a second!’ Hikari’s eyes widened as Partitio rolled his coat up into a ball and tossed it in his direction, ‘At least take this, I don’t want you gettin’ cold or nothin’!’
‘Oh my… that’s very kind of you’, Hikari being of a smaller stature in comparison was able to wrap himself up in Partitio’s coat quite easily. As he curled up like a cat inside, something about the fabric felt warmer than even the roaring fireplace downstairs, ‘Good night Partitio’.
‘G’night to you Hikari!’
And before they knew it, weighed down by food, drink and fatigue, sleep claimed them.