The Kingmaker

Crime and Punishment

 East floods south with snow

Cold never fades, it stays so

Winter's grip won't go  

It is morning once again, and Tetsuya is surprised that he is alive.

His skin prickles with tingling sensations, as if tiny lightning storms are dancing beneath his skin. He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to control the strange emotions. 

Tetsuya has trained himself to rouse easily once his senses pick up single movements. Still, that does not mean it is easy for him in his current situation. At least in the Palace, he knows every hidden passage. Here, though, he has nowhere to run. In the end, Tetsuya barely slept, if at all.

Grey and golden light stream from the porthole. The wind whistles through, sending gusts of seawater against the hull. He watches as water droplets slide down the glass and soak into the dark wood. The sound of the sea waves is soothing, and the quiet hum of the engine is not as suffocating as it travels up through the floorboards. It's the most peaceful he's felt in a while. The smell of fish and the salty tang that clings to the air makes him think of his childhood—a distant childhood.

He stands on his knees, blinking as he admires the crystal-blue sea. The water is so clear that he can see the waves moving underneath it. A large wave rolls over, and he watches in awe as the water reverses. He scans for a neighbouring island, but the more he cranes his neck, the more evident it becomes that he must leave his cabin.

Tetsuya's eyes catch the empty serving dish laying forlornly on the escritoire. He had shared the meal with the captain, to make sure it was not poisoned. The crab was truly remarkable. He was told it was steamed with spices found only in Kawa, a peninsula that also serves as a port to Khoku, the city that would lead him to Vangpu, the closest city to the palace. It is a wonder that the Panyuna people do not have their own names for the two cities.

Done with his musing, he opens the door. It is no use for him to isolate himself in that small cabin. They would find a way or another to haul him outside.

The hall is eerily quiet. He had anticipated that one of them would charge at him as soon as he revealed himself. It seems the day is just beginning for them.

He walks through dark passageways that are begging for light. Last night, Aomine told him that they had to conserve their reservoir as much as they could. Perhaps candles are one of the items they have to preserve.

What in the name of the six gods is that?  he asks himself as he squints at the huge, long, thick metal tubes perched at the side of the hull. He had meant to ask Aomine what they were, but yesterday he was putting on a false front.

"Good morning. Did you have a good sleep?"

He spins on his heels and spots Aomine. In the breeze, his hair is free-flowing. In his right hand is a tankard. He chugs the content without regard to the time.

Tetsuya nods, aware that his face is bare even though he craves the security of anonymity. After their conversation last night, hiding is futile. On top of that, Aomine has admired his appearance. He may not be as beautiful as Momoi Satsuki or their handler, Mibuchi Reo, but he has a beauty that does not conform to the usual standards.

"Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the nature of these curious objects?" he asks, gesturing to the tubes.

"Oh? Those? They are cannons. We use them to shoot at other ships. Think of them as giant guns."

He raises his eyebrows. "Guns?

Aomine snorts. "Don't tell me you have no arsenal? Does your kingdom even have a military? "