Passion

To the West

Sawamura was woken by the sun spilling into the room. It was bright and bounced off every surface in the room. He couldn't sleep any longer, it was simply too bright. He moved to get up and found resistance. The General was still fast asleep as his arms fell from Sawamura's waist. Suddenly, the events of the day past came flooding back into his head. 

He was blushing furiously and looked about. His eyes landed on the General's hands. Sawamura observed them, counted the scars and callouses, traced the veins to where they connected under branded skin at his wrist. Sawamura ghosted his fingers over the lines and wondered exactly what the brand meant. 

"That tickles, Sawamura."

"How long have you been awake?" he squeaked out.

"I woke up before the sun had even risen."

"You've been awake this entire time?"

Miyuki sat up and touched his fingers to the brand himself. 

"Yes, I haven't slept a full night since I was a kid.

I put this on myself when I first joined the Royal Army. I was sixteen, the minimum age to join. The other trainees bet me that I wouldn't do it. I was stupid and naive and felt I had something to prove. This is my family crest."

He grabbed Sawamura's hands gently and allowed him to touch it.

"I promise it doesn't hurt. Go ahead, you can touch it."

Hesitantly, Sawamura placed his fingers atop the branded skin. He looked at Miyuki for confirmation again, and he received a gentle smile in return. With Sawamura, Miyuki was all gentleness. This made him blush once again as his fingers rested atop the brand. Miyuki hadn't stopped looking at Sawamura. They sat in silence, locked in eye contact. Their eyes spoke for them.

Once the blush on his face had crept all the way to his ears, Sawamura looked away.

"Thank you," he muttered into the air, "for saving me last night."

"No problem, sweetheart" he said with a smirk before he could stop himself. "Ah, sorry, it's a habit. Elara loves it so" he laughed awkwardly.

When he looked up he found Sawamura with his hands in his face, red down to his neck. 

So cute. Ah, but I think I broke him.

Sawamura withdrew his hands and instead picked up Miyuki's. He brought his right hand to his lips and placed a single kiss on top of the raised skin. Miyuki watched him, carefully. He observed his every move, and ingrained the moment into his memory. He didn't know why, but he was taken in by this stable boy.

A sudden knock on the door prompted their quick separation. Within a second, Miyuki stood and grabbed his sword. He stood firmly planted in front of Sawamura, with his free hand guarding him. He lifted a single finger to his mouth and warned the boy against further noise in one gesture.

"General, it's Councilor Yuuki. Open up" a hushed voice spoke from the other side of the door.

Miyuki opened up the door and ushered the Councilor in. He spared a few glances in the hallway and shut the door again. He made sure to re-lock the door and set the chair up underneath the handle again, just as he had done last night.

"Chris came to me last night. He's a bright fellow, it's a shame what happened to him and his father." 

The Councilman took the liberty of sitting at the desk across the room. 

"I'll tell you the same thing I told him. I don't think the King died from illness. I think he was murdered by Ochiai, the same man who swayed the Council in favor of his wicked will. Without the authority of the Emergency Council, the only option you have left is to present someone with a stronger blood-bond to the previous King. Any blood relation is enough, since Ochiai has none."