Chapter Text
“The baron promised me such an amazing gift that I would not hesitate to give him the west forest as his own,” Mizuku adjusted the crest in his silk shirt as he stared in the mirror. “Are you sure you don’t want to come see what it is?”
“I am, besides I’d like to get a head start towards the west city, if I can reach it by nightfall I can be back within two days, your highness.” Koujaku stood at the back of the royal bedroom leaning against the wall with his arms folded into the sleeves of his silk robe. “Besides that man has a wicked aura about him.”
Mizuki snorted a laugh, “I don’t even have faye blood and I can tell. I don’t blame you. What do you think he wants that forest for so badly though. That’s what I can’t figure out. There is nothing there.”
“Will you give it to him?”
“Probably not, unless this gift is really as amazing as he says. Although,” Mizuki turned away from the mirror. “I can’t think of anything that would make me want to.” He clapped a strong hand on Koujaku’s shoulder. “Ride safe my friend. If this gift turns out to be edible I’ll save you some.”
“Don’t bother. I will return soon, your highness.” They left Mizuki’s chambers together, Koujaku leaving for the stables and Mizuki towards the great hall. He took a deep breath before entering the lavish room. It was already filled with several of his advisers and those of the baron’s court. Conversation halted and echoed for a moment longer reverberating off the painted ceiling.
“Your Highness,” the baron stepped forward out of the crowd with arms out spread. His thinning hair was swept to the side to hide the sheen of his head, his mustache was stiff with wax and his velvet clothes clung to each button stretched over his portly self.
“Baron of Isle, thank you for traveling so far, I trust you fared well.” Mizuki kept a professional distance from the man and felt better once his advisers came to stand nearer.
“Of course, your kingdom is always such a pleasant one to travel through.” He smiled wide showing yellow teeth under his mustache.
“Thank you. Shall we discuss the matter you traveled so far for.” Mizuki gestured towards a table that had been brought in and decorated with documents and refreshments just for their meeting.
“Yes, yes,” they sat facing each other and the baron carefully lead the conversation. “As you know I have interest in the forest at the edge of the south border. And I-”
“Why?” Mizuki cut him off short. He grabbed one of the sparkling glasses from the table and poured a healthy amount of wine
“I um, well, I am need of a new hunting ground. It is one of my favorite past times and I have no good sport on the Isle. The south border is close enough I can travel and have my way with the forest without ever being too far from home.” Mizuki watched his mustache as he spoke unable to look away.
“Those woods are old Baron, a treasure to the landscape really. We use it sparsely for natural materials, overuse may ruin the foundation of the forest.” In truth the forest was so large even if the baron were to spend a month roaming the land he may never run into the people of Mizuki’s kingdom who worked it for resources, but that wasn’t something Mizuki would say.
The baron laughed nervously, “I would hardly touch the land and do even less to the foundation, your highness, I am merely asking for permission to use it as a weekend playground for myself and business associates.”
Mizuki leaned back in his chair crossing one of his legs and sighing, swirling the wine in his glass. “I don’t normally hand out portions of my kingdom for charity Baron, you can understand this is an odd request.”
“Ah, I ask for no charity. In fact I brought you a gift, surely that will sway your decision, and maybe even convince you to join me on one of my weekend excursions.” He snapped his fingers and several of his advisers ran to the far door of the great hall to retrieve whatever the baron had brought. “I know, my lord has tamed a creature of the faye and taken it as a guard, so my idea for your gift stemmed from there.”
“Koujaku?” Mizuki wanted him to clarify, but the sudden sounds from the open door startled him to his feet. Chains dragged against the floor and the muffled sound of hard breathing filled the silence.
The baron stood as well throwing out his hands as his gift was presented. “He is still raw and untamed, but he is a treasure from the faye world, full of power and beauty.”
Before him was a naked man, bound in chains and leather, a gag forcing his mouth open and a cover tightly fastened over his eyes. His skin was pale and red were he had struggled, his black hair was tangled in the restrains on his face, saliva and tears dripped down his cheeks and throat. They forced him to his knees in front of Mizuki.
“What do you think?” The baron asked with obvious delight oblivious to Mizuki’s outrage.
“I think you a sick and delusional monster.” Mizuki seethed.
“What, but I thought this gift would-”
“This is not a gift! A gift does not have a pulse or soul, take that off him immediately!” Mizuki ordered the captors.
“No, wait!” The baron stopped them. “He is untamed and powerful, his eyes have a magic that make men go mad.”
Mizuki pushed past him and knelt to the floor. He took unbound the gag first. The faye boy coughed and gasped for air. Mizuki started on the chains around his arms.
“Your highness please, I-”
“Get out!” Mizuki yelled over his shoulder.
“But the forest?”
“Get out! Get out of this room and get out of my kingdom. If you come back or step foot in that forest I will have you arrested.” The baron did not linger, he knew Mizuki did not make empty threats. He gathered his men and left. Mizuki held the smaller man’s shoulder, he was nearly limp in his grasp but Mizuki knew that he could still be dangerous.
“The rest of you leave too,” he told his own advisers. They did with quiet words of parting. He waited until the door closed.
“Okay,” he whispered to man in his arms. He smelled like sweat but Mizuki could also smell the scent of dirt and iron, one he knew well as the scent of magic. “I know you are scared, but I won’t hurt you.” He tried to keep his voice calm but he knew his fear would smell strong to the man. He undid the chains and let them fall away. The smaller man’s arms fell to his sides. Mizuki dared to under the leather straps around his eyes. He untangled the soft strands of midnight hair before tossing it aside. Dark pools off black stared at him from under long eyelashes. The baron had been right, his beauty was inhuman and the flaring scent of his magic burned at Mizuki’s nose.
His legs ached to move but he was held in place by an unseen force gripping his muscles. The world narrowed to only space between him and the man. He could feel its magic entering him and carving out his life, ready to be ripped away, and leave Mizuki nothing but husk. He wanted to scream to do anything to make the awful feeling of being pulled from his own body to stop. His vision vibrated as he tried to fight the feeling of magic violating him. The man’s face smeared into a horrific mask of beauty and death in front of him.
“I can help you,” Mizuki choked on his words trying his hardest to hold on to his life. He fought to raise his own eyes to meet the gaze of the man. Black swam across his fading vision, black then suddenly red. Like the tension of a bent reed the world snapped back into place, Mizuki’s lungs filled with air and his muscles released letting him fall back, his heart hammered against his chest. He stared at the ceiling catching his breath, not realizing how close he had come to succumbing to death. He raised his head after a moment and looked between his knees. The other man had fallen unconscious, splayed out on the floor. Mizuki sat up and saw fresh red blood dripping from his nose and into his hair.
“What the hell was that?” he let his head fall back again whimpering. “Koujaku please hurry back.”