NaraSeth: A Historic Romance (MxM)

The Declaration of War

ปัญญาเป็นแสงสว่างในโลก Wisdom is the brightest light

The streets were bustling with crowd. The remnants of the celebration still visible. It wasn't a mile or two away that it grew deserted. The Japanese town that was grazed to the ground by the previous King. A rumor of a Japanese rebellion was in its wake when the King had ridden the town of its hundreds of inhabitants, making it deserted overnight. Chiburi was born as a tribute, to the victims of that night and to save those who suffer unknowingly.

He walked past the first house, a route the members used to get to their usual meeting place. He stopped in his tracks as a hindrance became evident. The route never hosted horses, let alone carriages. The tracks on the mud showed otherwise. He hid behind one of the houses, leaning against the brick as he quietly made his way further into the town. People. King's men.

It must have been the unlikely march of the King's men into the town, that got people gathered at the inn. A boy; 15 years old. One of their foot soldiers. One that worked for them since his parents' death that night. The King's guards dragged him as they tied his hands on to a bamboo stick. He joined the gathered crowd and watched as the boy was beaten and taken by two of the soldiers down the road. A carriage awaited in front of the inn. A royal secret guard made his way out of the inn, distinguished by the long red robe. He reported something to the man in the carriage and manned it, riding it back. Ayu frowned as he caught a glimpse of the minister through the tiny slit between two curtains on the window. The Minister? How did he!

Ayu rushed back through the crowd. There was no time to waste. He had to inform the others.

***

He waited by the window until morning, no one had passed by. The king's guards outside didn't seem to budge either. He had to wait until breakfast to even move an inch from the room. So he did; he waited. As the guards left to change their shifts, he tiptoed out of the room down the corridor and stairs reaching the kitchen. He donned a mud brown robe over his clothes as he walked through the throne hall heading to Ayuseth's room. He knocked the door before pushing it. To his surprise it was empty. His anxiety grew worse as he went down the corridor again heading to the storage room for the royal troupes. He wasn't there either. He winced as the cloth around his feet brushed against the hardened skin on the wounds. He turned around to leave as a figure came to a stop in front of him.

"Nara? What are you doing here?" He asked. Nara's eyes widened as he thought of an excuse to be here.

"I-, I was-, my", Watching Nara stammer, he pulled the robe off him.

"Nothing that half of the palace hasn't seen, isn't it, Nara?"

"Rathsam, I don't have time for this right now. Move", he said as he tried to push him aside. He couldn't, his step faltered as he was pushed to the ground.

"What's the hurry?" He said laughing.

"Rathsam, move!" He shouted as he got up and walked out. Rathsam grabbed his cotton shirt, tearing it as he pulled at it. He turned around, blocking his hands off, but in vain as his friends entered the room.

"We have been waiting to see what the talk up in the palace has been about your beauty. The King seems bewitched", one of the boys spoke as he walked in.

"Not that you'll make it far with those feet", he said as he pulled the rest of the cloth off. He swung his right hand forward which Nara parried in time. He wasn't as lucky when he turned around as one of the boys leapt forward imprinting the soles of his shoe on his abdomen. Nara gasped for air scrambling to the ground. Rathsam pulled him by his hair, swinging his fists in aggression. Although he put his hands up in defence, the rage was unmatched, leaving his head dizzy and throbbing in pain.