Beauty is a Beast

chapter 4

"Kill them all!" General Asami ordered and Suoh's eyes widened a little. The General wasn't usually of a sweet disposition, but since a certain archer disappeared few weeks ago the man had been utterly merciless.

Asami's own armor was almost completely painted red from the blood of his enemies, his army was stomping on bodies as the opposing army's soldiers, screaming in despair, running for their lives and clinging to the hilts of their swords, were defenceless against their might.

Their army had arrived almost too late. Their opponents already attacking some big cities and doing terrible things to civilians. Some of their soldiers even mocked the famous General, calling him 'coward' because he was clearly delaying his coming to the front. The real reason for their delayed arrival was that Asami and his men were too focused on an investigation. They were trying to find a certain missing boy, but as a General whose life was dedicated to war and the protection of his country, he had to leave for the battlefield, and this precious time he was spending on this stupid battle was going to be paid with the lives of their enemies. Asami needed to kill somebody to relieve his stress... Nothing better for that than to kill thousands of men.

Suoh looked at Kirishima who, mounted on his brown horse, was watching the massacre with his attentive black eyes while the archers aimed their flaming arrows to the houses where the enemies were hiding. That village had been invaded to serve as temporary headquarters of the enemy. The original inhabitants had been kicked out or were working in the fields.

Kirishima nodded at his worried expression. They need to do something before General Asami went berserk again.

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General Asami was sitting by the window, oblivious to the smell of blood and charred bodies. He'd been there before, those were the perfume of war, it almost smelled like home for a man like him. After the massacre, he wasn't feeling any better than before, this time his rage endured.

He couldn't stop wondering what happened to the Shadow, where his boy was, if he was okay, and he didn't know how to deal with this feeling. He had never cared about anyone before.

The morning Shadow didn't show up for breakfast and hadn't been found in his tent was one of the worst moments of his life. According to Kirishima's investigation, someone shot a poisoned arrow at Shadow's face, thus explaining why his mask was ruined. The poison had infected him and during the night while the boy was struggling to stay alive, an intruder had entered his tent and took him away in his most vulnerable moment. Knowing it happened so close to him made him burn with a greater rage than he had ever felt before. But sometimes, rather than pissed, the General was just sad. He had broken a precious promise, the promise to never let anyone to take the boy away from him. How disappointed was Shadow? Was he even able to feel disappointed?

The doctor who examined the poisoned arrow had frowned and whispered something along the lines of 'the boy wouldn't have survived this'. The poison was deadly, he said. Asami hadn't wanted to hear that, they were wrong. Those fierce eyes wouldn't lose their luster and vivacity just like that. Without thinking, he had grabbed the man by his neck and muttered "He didn't die, he is somewhere out there and I am going to find him and bring him back." If Kirishima Hadn't calmed him down at that moment, putting a calming hand on his shoulder, then maybe... just maybe, Asami would have killed that stupid doctor right there. But that would have delayed his investigation.

He looked at the sky. It was getting dark, even with the brightness of the flames and the sparkles floating here and there decorating the sky. He wondered 'Can you see the flames or the smoke, boy? Wherever you are? I am right here, can't you see it and come back to me?'

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Sudou looked around the room, surveying the mess and carnage. To think it was Asami Ryuichi's doing... He felt his heart pump harder with pride and awe. He wanted that man as much as he needed oxygen to breathe.

Suoh let him enter the house without paying attention, it was like the man considered him to be nothing but a fart. He was definitely going to get rid of that one as soon as he got Asami's body and heart.

The General was at the window, looking at the sky with sad eyes. A rare sight. The powerful, merciless general, the greatest man he ever met... Was feeling sad? Like a normal human being? Sudou fell even harder for the man. He was a mortal after all, even if anybody who studied him up close would reconsider that statement, especially after they saw what he could to an opposing army.

He wanted to see more of this sad side of Asami, he wanted to see every emotion in that handsome face. The sadness, the despair, the rage. And if the disappearance of that brat was the cause for that... Well, maybe he would consider sending him finger by finger, limb by limb in a box to Asami just to watch his feelings up close. No one would ever know Asami like him.
"General." He said, bowing to Asami.

Asami didn't so much as turn away from the window.

"Sudou?"

"Yes... General."

"What are you doing here?" Just then the golden eyes fixed on him and he shivered. Asami was so cold and dangerous.

"The... king already heard about... this battle results... I mean, your victory. After all, the palace isn't really far from here."

Asami didn't reply.

"And... he said that there will be a great ball in a few weeks thrown in your honor. He told me to let you know. and that after such a great battle, you should rest and plan the next move. There are speculations on the meeting of enemy troops on-"

"Tell Kirishima I am hungry." The General stood and left him without a second glance. Sudou licked his lips, he couldn't wait for the time when he would be able to tame Asami.

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A/N

Sorry for another short chapter! But yeah hahaha!