Saiou no Hana
BL
|
Historical
|
Drama
|
BL | Historical | Drama |
Shion leaned in closer. "It may be that Lord Yuma regrets his decision."
The boy made a little bitter laugh.
It was a gamble, to be sure, but something inside him was screaming that Toshiwara could not be allowed to take his own life. He had to use whatever means he could to prevent it-
"If you cannot find any other reason to live, at least let your death have some meaning."
He stared up at Shion, flushed and trembling.
"Kamui is dead," he whispered, "because Lord Hatori betrayed him."
Traces of emotion flickered across the boy's face, stunned disbelief, questioning anger, mute frustration, urgent disgust.
"Yuma knows, and he will not allow it to go unpunished." Shion paused. "It will take time, so recover your strength and fight for the lord you have lost once again."
The boy gathered his robes tightly around him, giving Shion a scornful look. "Tell me why I should believe this nonsense."
"I have spoken treason, Lord Toshiwara. Would I risk my life to say it, were it not so?" Shion shook his head. "I do not wish for death, as you do. Kamui was my lord as much as he was yours. This cannot be allowed to stand."
"No," Toshiwara whispered. "It cannot."
The unnatural cold anxiety prickling at his spine seemed to disappear. Shion gazed around him, half-expecting to find the scene somehow altered from before, but there were only the rows upon rows of men quietly sleeping.
"I will keep this in confidence between us."
Shion bowed until his forehead touched the floor. Toshiwara paused.
"Thank you- for coming to speak with me."
Teru lay snoring noisily beside him. Although Toshiwara's head was still raised, his chin had drifted down to his shoulder. Shion stared at the boy's still silhouette for a very long time.
The more he considered the words he'd spoken, the truer they began to seem to him. Lord Yuma would not be pleased, if he ever found out about it, but Kamui's men, as Teru had mentioned before, were disciplined. He felt he could rely on young Toshiwara's silence.
Too intelligent for his own good, indeed. Shion leaned his head back, closing his eyes. If he'd somehow unraveled what was happening in Lord Yuma's heart, what, then, would that mean for him? Did Teru know it as well? Had Yuma seen in him a possible ally, intending to use him as such from their very first meeting? Back then, the man had mentioned poison-
This entire suffocating atmosphere was poisonous. It was something of a wonder they were not all dead already.
Shion stared down at Teru. Was it really true he was Hatori's spy? If he and Yuma were allies, then how-
Thinking like this made his head hurt. He lay beside the man's body and was startled to find Lord Teru's arms pull him into a close embrace. Panic rushed through him as he struggled to free himself-
It was utterly useless. Apparently Teru could sleep through anything. As much as he hated to admit it, the man's arms were comfortable and warm. He settled into them with a sigh, giving in to his exhaustion. Whatever the answer was, Shion would not discover it tonight. It would be best- to sleep-