Guarded Whispers (GiyuuSane)

5

Tomioka heads to his quarters, feeling a new type of respect for the prince. Once at the guard quarters, he notices he's the last to return. He grabs his clothes and changes into something more comfortable. Tomioka lies in bed, replaying the day's events in his mind. The castle is quiet, save for the occasional distant footsteps of the night guards. His thoughts drift to Sanemi, the unexpected layers of his personality, and the rare moments of vulnerability he had witnessed.

"Hi! How was your first day?" A voice says too loud to be considered a whisper. Tanjiro pokes his head from the top bunk. I just had to pick the same bunk with him. "Good. It was pretty calm." He nods, his smile still seen in the dark. "Yeah, it's like that when King Kyogo isn't here. Which worries me for the princes and princesses....it's going to be hell tomorrow. Better get a good rest! Good night!" With that, the young boy goes back to his slumber. "Night."

The next morning dawns bright and clear. Tomioka is up early, his routine ingrained from years of discipline. He leaves the quarters, looking nicer than yesterday. (Yes queen look good for ur man 😜) Meeting at the door of the prince's room, he waits patiently. With sounds coming from inside, the door swings open. "Good morning, Your Highness." Sanemi glances at his bodyguard with his usual expression. "Morning."

Time slipped faster than expected for the two men in the office. Once again, the prince was buried in paperwork with no sign of stopping until interrupted by the arrival of a servant, who bows deeply. "Your Highness, your father has arrived. He requests your presence in the dining hall."

Sanemi's expression hardens instantly, "Let's get this over with." Tomioka follows him to the dining hall, his senses on high alert. The hall is grand, adorned with tapestries and chandeliers that speak of the castle's long history. At the head of the table sits the king, a formidable presence with a stern gaze.

"Father." Sanemi greets, his tone carefully neutral.

The king shakes his head, gesturing for him to sit. "I'm sure I've told you to fix that habit. Have you gotten to the bottom of the attack?"

"Apologies, sir. We've increased security, but the identity of the assassin is still unknown." Sanemi replies, taking his seat. Tomioka stands against the wall, his eyes scanning the room for any potential threats.

One by one, the room fills with the rest of the Shinazugawas. "How's your arm, sir?" Genya asks, taking a seat next to his brother. "Better, but it still feels like shit." Sanemi mutters. Once everyone is seated, the meal begins, the clinking of cutlery and the murmur of conversation filling the air. The king questions the well-being of everyone, though they know he only asks because the maids and bodyguards are present. The tension is palpable, an undercurrent of unresolved issues lying just beneath the surface.

Finishing the meal, King Kyogo makes an announcement. "Children, guards, and servants. Leave....Sanemi and Genya, stay." With the footsteps of those signaled to leave, Tomioka can't help but question the conversation waiting to happen. He turns to face Kamado wearing a face of worry. His mind goes back to what he said the night prior. "Tomioka, as bodyguards of the two, we must stay close." With a nod, the raven-haired guard joins the young boy. Kamado scoots closer to the door, bringing a finger to his mouth as he places his ear against the door.

"I'm sure it was Isolantis Tidalia who sent the attack. We'll retaliate, but not as stupidly as they did. Those bastards are always bothering our kingdom. We'll put an end to this before it gets worse. Anyway, as you know, you're scheduled to marry Princess Kanae. I don't care if you don't want to; it's final. As for you, Genya, I'm trying to arrange a marriage for you with one of her sisters. It's a shame; I was hoping we could get a better offer than those brats. Of course, I don't expect much from disappointments. If only your shit of a mom had listened to me when I said to abandon you all. Anyway, I'm done looking for new wives. Those good-for-nothing sluts only distracted me. Remember this, boys: I don't give a fuck about how you feel as long as this kingdom lives on. Dismissed."

With that, Kamado and Tomioka quickly walk as far away as they possibly can. With a swing of the door, Sanemi stomps off, his attitude haunting. Genya follows close behind as they enter his office. The bodyguards of the brothers soon catch up to the door. A soft knock is interrupted with a voice inside, "Stay out!"

"He'll be like this all day, possibly tomorrow as well. That rant was hard. I wonder if there's a way to make them feel better." The younger one goes on sorrowfully. With that, a gear turns in Tomioka's brain. "Does he like training?" Tanjiro looks up, "Ah yes! He does!" A small smile appearing once more. "Though I think it's best to leave that idea for after their conversation." The eldest agrees and stands against the door.

On the other side of the door, Sanemi sits in his chair, his hands balled into fists. Genya stands in front of the desk, the voice of his father repeating in his head. "He's a fucking joke. Maybe I should hire an assassin to kill him, huh? That piece of shit." He shakes his head in frustration. "I'll take matters into my own hands and kill him myself. He goes off and insults Mother as if he didn't ruin her life." He leans back into his chair. "God, and he's only going to make things worse if he sends an attack to Isolantis Tidalia. It was probably them, but we still have no proof it wasn't. How am I ever going to be able to negotiate with them after this?" He rubs his temples.

Genya looks up, "They don't have a son or daughter? Maybe making peace through them is better." Sanemi's eyes look out the window. "No, it's rumored they had a daughter, but she passed, and even if they did, we wouldn't know. They keep to themselves." A sigh escapes the lips of the Shinazugawas. Another knock breaks the silence between the two. "Enter."

"Your Highness, may I suggest doing something to take your mind off it?" Giyuu says, standing tall. Sanemi's focus breaks away from the scenery outside, "What do you suggest?" Tomioka, not expecting that answer, quickly replies. "I would say training. That's what I do. Of course, Prince Genya can also-" The mentioned brother cuts him off. "No, I'm not into that." Tomioka nods and looks over to the older prince. "Oh, what the hell!" Pushing himself off his chair, Sanemi follows his bodyguard. (Yes, I quoted Megumi..)

He heads to the training grounds, deciding his duty as a bodyguard also involves the emotional state of the prince.

"Don't go easy on me." Tomioka nods, handing him a practice sword. The two men spar, their movements fluid and precise. It's a silent conversation, each strike and parry speaking volumes about their skills. The younger ones watch, eyes going side to side with every swing, their mouths hung open. By the end of the session, both are breathless but exhilarated. (😉)

Sanemi leans on his sword, catching his breath. "That's all you got, Tomioka!?" Giyuu straightens, hearing his name come out of the prince's lips for the first time.

"You're quite good." Tomioka replies as he wipes sweat from his brow.

Sanemi looks up to the moon peeking through the clouds. "I would go for another round, but it's late. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow.", the brief respite of their training session evaporated. He hands the practice sword back to Giyuu, his demeanor all business once more. (😉)

"Night."

"Good night, Your Highness."

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hiii!! hope u like it so far!!
Do u think I'm rushing things between them?
Lolz byeeee 💐🗡