Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Akira was thankful that it had started to rain the moment he left the city behind, horse slowly plodding down the main road. For one, it was a reason to keep his hood up, and secondly, the water made people keep to themselves. All things that worked in his favor.

He tugged the hood of his cloak into place so that the water wouldn’t run into his face and checked his saddlebags once more. Even though not much could be ruined by the rain, he didn’t want their contents to get wet. If one specific bag got flooded, he would never hear the end of it.

No one on the road paid him any particular attention, and he’d simply become another person in the steady stream of travelers leaving the city.

If everything went according to plan, they would realize that he was missing around dinner, and then lose even more time searching the castle grounds, before turning their eyes to the city itself, and then further outward. And by the time they did, he hopefully had managed to vanish without any too obvious trails, the rain erasing the faint traces he had left on the then-dry ground.

It was the first time since crossing the border that he was able to simply perceive his surroundings, the thicket of the forest looming to the right; little coves cleared into it that promised rest to the travelers making their way to the capital.

If he was honest, he didn’t remember too much about the journey. Or the six months before, when he’d been a prisoner in his own home. He could recall the moment they had crossed the border, when the guards as well as the two retainers his parents had forced to accompany him had become even more vigilant. Most of it had been spent in a hazy kind of shock that it was truly happening, that everyone just let it happen, with no one even attempting to argue on his behalf.

Shock and anger. The kind of anger he’d swallowed down again and again, because it didn’t help with being objective. And being rational and objective was the only way to be taken seriously when ruling a kingdom, as he had learned.

All of it lies. All of it disproven by the situation they had steered their kingdom into and the way they had dismissed his input for years. Content with sending him away to roam the countryside, not caring what he did in the meantime.

Until the rebellion against Shido had started. Then it had suddenly been imperative he return home. Citing his need to be instructed in the art of ruling as the reason. Another lie. His input was once again dismissed, but this time they made him sit through council sessions and reports that dealt with the fall of the High King, and the conquerors' rise to power.

And he’d kept quiet, thinking that they still had his best interest at heart. Kept quiet and attended council session after session, listening with growing horror to the reports being brought in, and to them not budging from the path they’d been wandering down for years. First out of obedience, and then because it had become a habit. A habit they didn’t want to break until they’d been forced to, as well as had to deal with the consequences.

Not that they had learned anything from those.

"Objectively seen, this is the best solution," his mother’s words echoed in his head from when his parents had announced what exactly the treaty demanded from them. Them, because he wasn’t included in the equation anymore. Hard to object to a sacrifice, when you were the sacrifice.

When he had asked what had been objective about continuing established injustice when they could see that it benefited no one and had led to a war they had lost and a treaty they’d been forced to sign, Akira fully expected to be hit. He hadn’t been, but it was the last he saw of his parents. Not even a glimpse of them on the day of his departure.

He’d tried to sneak out the same night, only to discover that every way was barred, guards in front of doors and windows that were all more than eager to deposit him back into his rooms. Just as eager to catch and subdue him, no matter how much of a fight he put up. So, he’d decided to be patient.

Until now.

It was almost deeply ironic that the moment they’d reached their destination, an opportunity to escape had presented itself, and he was now following the way they had taken in the opposite direction. At least for a little while.

His lucky break - one he didn’t have to help along - had been the fact that they’d reached their destination earlier than planned, and his future husband hadn’t been present when they arrived. Away on treaty negotiations if the servants that greeted them had spoken the truth. Something he doubted with the way they had pronounced the word.

While the two retainers had grumbled about not being received with the honors they were due, he had been more than happy to escape the formalities for now, graciously accepting to get acquainted with the members of the court and council when their duties were completed.

He’d never planned to meet any of them. 

It had been the perfect window of opportunity, and Akira hadn’t hesitated before going through with his plan. Better on the run with the bare essentials, than dead after marrying King Akechi.

A shudder that had nothing to do with the cold wind the rain brought with it, made Akira pull the cloak tighter around himself.

Because the one thing he was sure of was that he would not survive either the wedding night or the ceremony.

One generally known fact was that the King himself, and most of his close confidants held immense magical power. Far more than the average mage did, and not even comparable to the people that had been born with little magical gifts. Enough to summon beings from other planes to aid them in battle.

Demons, if one believed the rumors.
And while their origin might have been a rumor, their existence was not. Akira had listened to and read report after report that spoke of the deeds the conqueror and his knights had accomplished, their demonic helpers at their side, the devastation and deaths left in their wake.

Even once the rebellion had been successful, the reports hadn’t stopped.

Of people with magical gifts going missing, sometimes even losing them completely, rumors of the King’s and his knight’s appetites surfacing, about how exactly they kept those, and their demons sated, painting vivid imagery about what was happening behind closed doors in the castle.

It left him unsure if he would end up dead or if something worse would happen to him. The whispers suggested that everything from a simple beheading to him being a sacrifice could be the main attraction of the ceremony. Akira especially wasn’t fond of the ones that claimed his still-beating heart would be eaten, or the one about the summoned demons having their fun with him before it was the High King’s turn.

All of them exaggerations. Probably.

But nothing he wanted to find out firsthand, so he’d allowed himself this one act of cowardice. Choosing his own fate before he’d accept the one chosen for him. 

The cart before him rumbled to a stop, and Akira reflexively brought his horse to a standstill as well. While something had urged him to flee as fast as possible, it would attract attention he didn’t want or need, and so he’d kept to a sedate pace.

He could see that the other travelers did the same before moving to the side, a direction he followed. The faster riders that had overtaken him and the cart were given signs that he’d missed in his musings, and he could now make out the yells that told them to make way.

Before him, the riders that had moved, and the family on the cart bowed their heads. Something Akira mimicked as soon as he recognized the banners the riders approaching were carrying, and what followed their procession.

The road was luckily broad enough that steering horses and carts a few feet to the side was enough to leave the needed space, and just like on his way into the kingdom, he marveled at the neat line of bricks - though weathered they were - that made up the road, trying to calm down the slowly rising anxiety.

He’d thought about following it to its end, making his way to the sea, and looking for ships that weren’t too picky about who they hired, sailing as far away as possible. 

But those possibilities were for later. Once they stopped looking for him, he was free to do what he wanted. A new life, in a way. Without the baggage of his old one. 

Akira was sure that it wouldn’t take long for them to give up the search. He wasn’t that important, and breaking the treaty by running away aided Akechi in demanding even more compliance from his parents. 

A shame that he hadn’t even been allowed to see it before they’d informed him of his fate. 

It stung just as much as the rest of what they’d done. That they didn’t think it important to tell him what exactly bartering his life away had given them. Not even Morgana had managed to sneak close enough to find out, and they’d already kept him like a prisoner under the guise of safety. Once they informed him of their bargain, that pretense had thankfully vanished.

The pegasi with the uniformed heralds holding the banners showing two birds in flight thundered past, the sound muffled by the rain, and Akira gripped the reins of his horse harder, somehow sure they would recognize him, immediately stop and then turn in his direction.

But they didn’t. More demands to make way for the High King were yelled, and he kept his gaze fixed in the direction of the ground, counting the seconds until the carriage was on the same level as him.

Two wolves the size of horses were drawing it, and Akira only risked a short look at them, before resuming the reverent position everyone along the road seemed to be mimicking.

Direwolves, his brain supplied after a second of awe. Native to the woods that spanned more than half the kingdom. And dangerous. Far more dangerous and intelligent than normal wolves. Seeing their size up this close for the first time, he was torn between being impressed, wanting to feel if their fur was as soft as it looked, and taking several steps back out of respect.

The moment passed in the blink of an eye, and Akira let out the breath he’d been holding when everyone steered back onto the road and resumed their previous pace without delay. One of his ears was still focused on the noise of the hooves and the rumble of the carriage, but that faded in the distance, and he could feel some of the tension between his shoulders loosening.

He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. For the carriage to suddenly stop, revealing his future husband that for some reason had recognized him despite the cloak and the fact he did not yet know Akira was missing, and demand for him to be dragged back in chains.

It would probably take days for him to not feel the urge to constantly look over his shoulder. Until they announced giving up the search. But for that announcement to happen, they would have to start it first.

Didn’t mean he could be less cautious if his escape wasn’t made public in the next few days.

Before him on the cart, one of what he assumed to be an older sibling had begun entertaining the other children by making a gust of wind lift up the hat their father wore. Making it twirl once before setting it down again, repeating the trick several times under the cheers of their smaller siblings, and the laughter of their parents.

A magical gift used so casually was another thing Akira had to get used to.

In the hour he’d spent traversing the city, he’d seen far more magic than he had in the last few years combined. Remedies and protective runes offered in stalls and storefronts. Jugglers and other entertainers making sculptures of light and color to draw the attention of the people passing by. As well as the clearly not human members of the crowd he’d passed, just as the pegasi and direwolves were only a small part of possible mounts he'd discovered today.

They were nothing like those he’d seen in the kingdoms that he’d traveled to before. Not even at the tourneys he’d attended. Not that he thought they would have been welcome.

The sentiments against magic that Shido had fostered extended even to the creatures that were native to his woods, a fact that baffled Akira every time he heard it. It wasn’t as if Shido’s decrees had made much sense. Not that anyone had listened to him when he tried to voice his objections.

His parents had never made their own thoughts on the matter clear, but all too readily enforced the laws former High King Shido had laid down.

The land and its inhabitants – as well as everyone in the surrounding kingdoms – had suffered for years under his rule.

Until everyone with a drop of magical talent had been sent to serve in the army of the High King or fled the country of their own volition. Hiding themselves and their gifts, because when Shido commanded, the other kingdoms followed without much thought. Until the initial order had become common sentiment, and no one questioned where the belief had come from anymore.

Under the new High King, the kingdom had changed. Had become a refuge for magical beings and those unwilling to hide anymore.

Something unthinkable under the previous rule.

But things had improved once the rebellion had won, led by Akechi - his own son - who had promptly dismantled most of the laws that had been put in place in recent years, as well as sent out messengers to every surrounding kingdom, demanding the same of them.

Not that people complied so easily.  

He realized that he was still staring at the family on the cart in front of him, their easy game and laughter while using the magic people had been shunned for, making something in his chest ache.

It was something he would have to get used to if he wasn’t going to cross the border. But he had no desire to do so. Back home, there was nothing waiting for him. His parents would simply send him back, with more guards and tighter restraints.

Or they’d inform Akechi, and would proceed to go through with the wedding and whatever that entailed as soon as he arrived.

Maybe he should have tried harder, louder, instead of resigning in the face of his parents and their advisor’s indifference. Instead of swallowing his anger down again and again. If he hadn’t given up, there could have been a way to minimize the damage their groveling to Shido and futile clinging to his laws after he’d been disposed had caused. All to spite the new King, the conqueror, that dared to treat magically gifted people like everyone else, not as resources, not cattle, and most of all, not as a blight upon the land.

Maybe it wouldn’t have come to this.

Maybe if Akira had done something, Sojiro and Futaba wouldn’t have had to vanish like thieves in the night when his parent’s new laws had doubled down on the injustices inspired by the old rule, everything packed and sold, not even a note left for him.

Probably the most obvious sign, that even though they had never blamed him out loud for their circumstances, they couldn’t look beyond who he was and the harm his family had propagated. And he couldn’t really blame them for it.

During the second part of his escape – the easiest, but also the one that caused an undue amount of anxiety because of the number of people he had to pass – when he’d made his way through the streets of the capital after leaving the castle behind, he’d tried to ask for them.

But no one had heard of a coffee house that was known for its peculiar tendency to pair the beverage with curry, so he’d abandoned that line of questioning very quickly and instead focused on making his way out of the city.

It was probably for the best. Even if they did want to see him, he couldn’t put the burden of hiding him on them. Especially when he was sure there would be a reward offered, and if their financial situation was the same as before, he was sure he’d urge them to claim it.

That’s why he’d immediately dismissed hiding in the capital of Akechi’s kingdom when making his plan. Even though it was a sprawling network of a city, more districts and important landmarks than he could remember, everything bustling with life and magic, he was sure they would focus their search there once they followed the false trail he was going to leave to its conclusion.

He’d already been lucky that there had been a few normal horses in the stable that he’d chosen to slip inside, since he was pretty sure he wouldn’t have made it far if he’d taken one of the pegasi. They’d already eyed him more than distrustful when he’d led his chosen mark outside, and he’d been prepared for them causing a ruckus that would have immediately alerted everyone.

But they hadn’t, and since these stables were close to the guest wings of the castle – almost an entirely separate part of it, entirely removed from the actual court, which hadn’t helped his nerves – he couldn’t be sure if he hadn’t accidentally stolen the horse of another visiting dignitary.

Not that it mattered, a horse was a horse in this case. But pegasi were a lot smarter, and from what he’d heard, very independent, and dealing with that on the open road would have been a nightmare. If he would have even made it that far.

There was also an even worse option, which he had considered when he’d sneaked into the stable and he wasn’t sure if marrying and being devoured before or on his wedding night would have been preferable to that. But there had been no direwolves in sight back then, which had been a relief. From what he’d heard, they would have alarmed everyone to an intruder. Not to imagine what they would have done to someone trying to steal one of them.

The horse he was riding now had an even temper, and didn’t mind being handled by a stranger, another bit of luck - one he’d been responsible for while deciding which one to take.

It made the journey bearable, and he could get lost in the sound of the rain drops hitting his hood and the steady pace at which he was traveling. Even able to speed up a little once the cart in front of him steered into another direction, following a different road, the laughter and shrieks of the children fading after a while.

Once he could see the town he’d passed on his way to the capital come into view, he steered his horse to the side, onto a trail that curved around the settlement, a direct connection to the path that looked like it would lead through the forest. 

When the two paths met, he dismounted, making sure that no one was following him, before leading the horse between the trees. 

He walked until he found a spot that was out of the way, far enough into the forest that no one could see them, but easy to find if one knew what to look for. And where a stray whicker wouldn’t be heard.

Once he’d fastened the reins to a tree, he loosened the hood of his cloak a little, enjoying the sound of the rain dripping onto the foliage, not minding the stray drops that made it through the canopy of leaves.

The next thing he did was throw the flap of one of his saddlebags open, excited that he was finally able to. That he had made it this far.

"You can come out, we’re out of the rain."

At first, nothing happened, but then, with a sudden jump, the flap of the bag moved further to the side, and a little white and black furred head emerged, ears rising from their flat position the same way Morgana rose out of the saddlebag.

"Finally! Do you want me to suffocate?"

With a laugh, he brushed one hand through the disheveled fur of the cat, before focusing on getting one of the bags free.

"And here I thought you didn’t want to get wet."

A huff.

"That doesn’t mean I want to be smothered by your clothes and our supplies!"

Morgana had been Futaba’s familiar before deciding that he’d taught her everything about her gift that he could. Instead setting his sight on Akira after he’d finally been persuaded to show them what he could do. Not a lot, at the time. 

So, whenever he’d returned between tourneys, Morgana had joined him in the castle, ready to be spoiled in secret, watching over his progress. Probably the only reason his gift had grown beyond its initial scope.

His presence, along with the times he’d managed to slip out to meet with Futaba and Sojiro, had been like a balm to the loneliness that had usually plagued Akira whenever he’d come home. 

When the rebellion had begun in earnest, escalated from mere rumors and minor unrest to an outright civil war, and his parents had forbidden him to leave the castle and the surrounding city, they had been the family he couldn’t wait to return to almost every day.

Probably the reason why their departure had stung so much. 

He wasn’t sure if Morgana had known about their plans, or if he’d been as surprised as Akira had been, and he’d never dared to ask. Clinging to the hope that his little friend staying behind meant they wanted him to have company, and didn’t actually want to leave him alone.

"Is the money in your bag?"

Morgana vanished for a second in the depths of the bag, digging for a bit, before appearing after a second with the sought-after pouch in his mouth, making some unintelligible noises that Akira interpreted as him asking if it was the right one.

Akira opened it. On top, laid the sole thing he had allowed himself to take. 

His signet ring. The two crossed daggers he’d proudly chosen as a child from the options his parents had laid out, now blinking up at him from the polished silver.

Maybe he shouldn’t have taken it with him. Instead leaving it next to his clothes on the bed, as a final sign that he was done with this life. 

He'd been ready to leave everything behind, but at the last moment decided against it, cramming it into the most suitable pouch. And here it was. 

Just entirely impractical for what was to come. The possibility of it falling out at the wrong moment was far too high. And not even Akira's luck would be able to fix a situation like that. 

With finality, he reached inside of the saddle bag that had up to now held Morgana, nudging the cat to the side and feeling around until he could drop the ring into the pocket on the inside. Not the best place, but as long as no one found the horse, it would be equally safe. 

All he needed to do was act normal, and the people in the town would just look past him, the same way they had at the castle. 

He was pretty sure everyone he'd come across there had believed him to be a servant, helped along by a bit of luck, the clothes, and the way he’d been carrying several bags in the direction of the stables. The wedding preparations and his early arrival had helped, people in the servant passages running around, some of them trading hushed whispers about the guests that had arrived before rushing away to their duties. Once or twice, he was sure he had heard himself being mentioned. Not by name, but simply as the future husband of the High King. 

As much as he would have liked to listen, he hadn’t, every delay increasing the risk of his gift failing, making his discovery a possibility. It hadn’t been as sinister as he thought, but again, what had been introduced to him as the guest wing of the castle could as well have been a different building entirely, with how isolated it was from the rest. 

When he withdrew his hand, it brushed against leather he didn’t expect to feel. Without hesitation, he grasped the fabric and pulled it out. Looked like the ring wasn’t the only thing he’d taken.

A glove. The glove, as far as he was concerned. One of the few presents beside friendship that meant something to him. He must have put it in his pack without a second thought. And he was glad he had. The promise it signified too important to surrender it to his past life.

Akira shoved the glove into his pocket, now that he’d been reminded of it, more than reluctant to put it back into the bag where it would be out of reach. Not that he could do anything with it. All he could hope for was that the owner was alright, and that they could meet again at some point. 

With a nod he completed the action, and slung the bag he’d taken off the horse around his shoulders, holding it open and turning to Morgana. 

"Do you want to come with me or stay here?"

Without any hesitation, Morgana took an almost flying leap into the bag, burrowing himself for a moment, before sticking his head out. Obviously loath to leave him alone, now that they had made it out of immediate danger. 

"I'm sorry, but that means you have to stay hidden for a little longer."

The muffled sounds Morgana let out when he fastened the buckle were either in protest or affirmative, but since he wasn't squirming, Akira assumed the latter. 

With the cat securely back in the bag, he fixed the hood of his cloak, and made his way out of the forest. Casually strolling along the path that led him back into the town.

The amount of people milling around, more interested in the merchants and their booths made becoming one of many an easy task.

Finding one of the inns was even easier, even though the first two he visited had no more rooms available. With everyone heading to the capital for the upcoming wedding celebrations, space was quickly becoming sparse, and the prices steep.

When he found a place that still had vacant rooms, he paid the asked price without any complaints. At the same time making sure to lower the hood, so the innkeeper could get a good look at his face during the talk.

"How far is the closest border from here?"

Maybe a bit too obvious, but if they ever managed to follow his tracks to this place, it was necessary.

"A week and a half with a good horse, and about two or three if you’re catching a ride on a wagon. Might be a bad time though, everyone’s traveling the other way for the wedding."

Akira made a noncommittal sound at that, ignoring the weird look he got, instead asking about something to eat. Luckily, the prospect of more money distracted the man from the previous topic. All too eager to praise the bread his wife had apparently freshly pulled out of the oven, to match the stew that according to him, held no squirrels to bulk up the broth. Information that Akira didn’t really need, but was nonetheless thankful for.

Enquiring about taking a bowl and some bread upstairs into his room only got him a nod once additional coins had been exchanged. Since the taproom behind him was already full to bursting, the question didn’t seem to be unusual. 

Nonetheless, Akira was sure that the moment someone would ask about travelers that matched his description, the man in front of him would be very quick to remember him and their conversation. Something he wanted, but only once he'd managed to get some distance between himself and the town.

Taking the bowl up the stairs was easy enough, as was evading the few people that talked in the hallway. Merchants, landowners and people from all over the kingdoms, eager to sell their wares or attend the procession that would be held after the wedding, when King Akechi and his husband would ride through the streets of the capital.

He was used to people talking about him as if he wasn’t there, but this was a new degree of separation. No one here knew that he could hear them, and none of their remarks were pointed in a way he was more than familiar with. 

While he slowed down his steps, he didn’t allow himself to linger, no matter how much he wanted to. But the slower pace was enough to get a general air of the gossip floating around. 

Everyone seemed to be excited about the wedding, deeming it as another joyous occasion after Akechi’s ascension to the throne. No talk about sacrifices, demons, or punishment.

The disconnect almost made him shudder again. Did they simply not know? Would they have accepted whatever explanation Akechi and his council would bring forth for his imprisonment or sudden death? 

The first thing he did after entering the room, setting down the food, and locking the door from the inside, was sigh. 

Only then did he set down the bag to let Morgana out once more. Not a second went by, and the cat was already sniffing the things in the room, loudly comparing them to the furniture he was used to, and declaring it lacking. According to him, even Sojiro’s coffee house had been better decorated. 

Akira couldn’t exactly disagree, even the mention of one of the few places that had felt like home filling him with a nostalgia he couldn’t escape. What was worse, he thought with a slightly sardonic lilt, a home you couldn’t return to, or a home that didn’t exist anymore?

Not something he could afford to dwell on, those thoughts only leading in circles and leaving him even more hollow than before if he followed them. 

He would have tried the bed and dozed, but the chance that he would fall asleep was too high. First, he needed to secure his way out, then he could eat, and then he’d complete the false trail. Even if it didn’t work, it would hopefully buy him a bit of time. Enough to get some distance between him and any possible pursuers.

The window was large enough he could pass through with a bit of wiggling. It had been a concern when paying for the room, but now there was no need for him to try and sneak out through the inn. Something that would exhaust him far quicker than what he was about to do.

The hinges as well as the latch were rusted. Which made him wonder how often the windows even got opened. By the state of the glass, he could only guess. But nothing a little luck couldn’t fix. All he needed to do was concentrate and try the latch.

Morgana was watching him attentively, getting more animated when he caught on to what Akira was doing.

"Oh, you can do this!" he exclaimed as the latch started to move with a creak. Akira’s arms were straining, and for a second, he was sure it wouldn’t work, before it suddenly jumped out of his hands, and the hinges moved and the window swung open.

A bit faster than he expected, but he managed to catch it before it hit him in the face, or smashed into the wall. 

"A bit too much?" he asked Morgana, pushing the window back into place, in the hopes that if the noise had attracted someone curious enough to look, they would lose interest just as fast.

His friend shrugged, clearly delighted by the fact he’d managed it on the first try.

"Looked like it was enough. I think the same would have happened if you used raw strength to pull it open. Would have made you fall."

Not an assessment he could argue with. 

When he chanced a look outside, the rain had slowed to a light drizzle and the sun was breaking through the clouds, as if trying to make up for the dreariness before. 

They could rest at least a little before they had to continue their journey.

After he’d brushed the cat hair out of it, he stored the bread in the bag that had just held Morgana. In addition to what he’d taken from the meal he’d been served in the castle, it would be enough to make it through the forest and into one of the villages beyond. 

The stew was shared between the two of them, Morgana more than eager to lap up everything that remained in the bowl once Akira had eaten his fill.

Afterward, they had no reason to remain any longer, and Akira wanted to use the rest of the day to get as far away as possible.

He put the key on the floor, in the hopes that it would look like he’d left the room through the door, and slid the key through the slit under it. Hopefully, nobody would check up on him until the next morning, so he could get a headstart on all his possible pursuers.

Once more he opened the latch, looking below. A deserted alley that led out onto the street. No one looked down into it from the surrounding houses. Perfect for what he’d planned.

Climbing out of the window, even with the added bag, was easier than he thought it to be, the cracked bricks of the inn making it possible for his hands and feet to find purchase. Above him, Morgana pushed the casements as close as he could, so Akira could touch them from his place on the wall, before he went ahead to play lookout. 

With a bit of concentration, and tapping inside himself, to the core of his gift, just as Morgana had taught him, he tried to achieve the opposite of what he’d done before. 

This time, probably because he’d used it for something similar, it was easier, the window closing itself as if being caught in a draft, and the latch inside slamming down, leaving no trace of him having ever opened it. 

Or at least he hoped it seemed that way. 

No one had noticed the little action, and no one but Morgana was waiting for him in the alley when he’d climbed down. Circling his legs before darting around the corner, coming back after a few seconds.

"No one this way. Follow me."

Putting his hood up again, using the remaining mist in the air as an excuse, he did.

It was almost funny how no one spared another glance at the cat that darted out of the alleyway, nor the hooded figure that followed it at a sedate pace. 

Again, the anxiety of being recognized set in after a few steps, but just like when he'd traversed the city or the road, no one paid him any attention except for waving in or out of his path. 

Even though a few of the market stalls looked interesting, the cries of attention for anyone passing, as well as the miasma of enticing smells being as distracting as they always were, he didn't stray. 

Following Morgana's swishing tail whenever he could see it, until he'd left the majority of people and houses behind, the treeline in sight. 

Both times, when he’d been walking from the forest into town, and now when he made his way back, no one else seemed to go the same way. Everyone ignored the route that - from the few maps he’d studied - directly led to either a village or town on the other side. Asking was sadly out of the question, since drawing attention to himself and the forest was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

The horse was still where he’d left it, not even batting an eye at them or stopping its grazing when he secured the bag back into place. 

"Not really how I imagined my first time traveling through this kingdom."

Morgana snorted, trying to make himself comfortable on the saddle after he’d helped him up, before simply curling up in the middle.

"I bet you imagined a handsome knight at your side."

Akira almost tripped over his feet at the comment, shooting Morgana a betrayed look. All the cat did was smugly stare back, as if he wanted him to deny it. He decided not to answer while Morgana laughed at him, and instead took the reins to guide the horse towards a stream he could hear bubble and gurgle in the distance.  

It was one of the last things he’d been worried about, since filling up on water before sneaking out of the castle would have made his bag unnecessarily heavy. He stopped once they reached their new destination, taking out the waterskin before settling down next to the water.

While one of his hands held it into the stream, his other pulled a strand of hair away from his head, squinting at it and then turning to where Morgana had jumped down to join him.

"Do you think I should try to dye my hair? It would make me less recognizable."

Morgana climbed a little closer, staying as far away from the water as possible, before choosing a little boulder to lie down. Probably still warm from the setting sun. Akira could almost forget they were on the run. A simple excursion into one of the small forests around his parent’s castle. Or finally making good on his promise and taking Morgana with him to a tourney.

"I think that won’t really work. You would need far too much luck to even lightly tint it, and I have no idea how often you’d need to repeat it. It would also exhaust you far too much."

With a sigh, he let go of the strand.

"Let’s hope they’re not immediately suspecting every black-haired traveler to be me."

If his little ruse worked, they would waste their time following a trail that didn’t exist to the border, maybe even back to his parents, only to realize that he hadn’t gone that way.

Morgana seemed to be thinking along the same lines, lazily shrugging, which made him look as if he was trying to stretch himself from one end of the boulder to the other.

"Don’t go around telling them who you are, and we should be fine."

Not that he planned to. "Thank you for the advice, it would have never occurred to me."

A few lone bubbles left the waterskin at last, and he brought it back to the surface, giving their surroundings another look before getting up.

"We’re going to try and make it as far as we can through the forest before resting for the night. There should still be a little more light left."

Determined, he plugged up the waterskin before stowing it away in the saddle bags, taking the reins once more, to lead the horse back out of the underbrush.

"Who knows," Morgana piped up from where he was following along on the ground, until Akira picked him up and deposited him in his bag once more. "Maybe you’re going to cause so much trouble, they’ll promise to leave you alone if you simply stop."

With a laugh, Akira swung himself into the saddle, slowly steering the horse down the path, further away from the castle and hopefully towards freedom.

Chapter Text

When Goro dismounted, Sae finally spoke up. She’d been itching to say something the whole way, and Goro had been content to let her continue fighting that battle with herself until she cracked. 

"Is there a reason why you insisted on coming along?"

He’d assumed one reason should be more than enough. Not that he’d given his to any of them, so the question was probably warranted.

"And here I thought as a king I could allow myself some indulgences."

The few knights and soldiers they’d taken with them had received orders before departure, and were already on the way to get an overview of where to ask for information on his missing husband. Goro thought it more than amusing that Akira had barely arrived, and already caused the biggest commotion they’d experienced since the early days after the rebellion.

Maybe he should have been furious. A few years ago, he would have been. But because it was Akira - and Akira had never done what was expected of him - it was almost fitting. 

Preparations and plans had already been made, postponing things would be a hassle, and cause outrage, especially once the news of his future husband vanishing got out. And Goro had no illusions about keeping that fact a secret. By now half the capital probably knew, even though the plans for the search had been hastily arranged in the night.

The next few days would certainly be interesting.

And so much for thinking he was finally ready to face Akira. Or as ready as he could be. Even now there was a part of him that wasn’t sure if he truly was.

Sae gave him a look. He didn’t need to see her face to know she was. He kept silently facing forward, and tried not to notice the people gathering in front of their houses, and the faces that appeared in the windows at the early royal visit. No cowering in fear, just plain curiosity. A change from what he’d witnessed when crossing the border into other kingdoms.

"I didn’t think chasing wayward husbands-to-be counts as an indulgence. Are you bored? Do I need to schedule more diplomatic meetings and council sessions?"

As if she wasn’t happy about an opportunity to escape the frankly boring and dreadful negotiations they’d been forced into ever since he’d taken the throne from Shido. No matter where they went, it was always the same. Kings and queens, lords and ladies that thought they could get away with treating their subjects poorly, acting as if the decrees he’d sent out were a suggestion, not the new law. Their usual council sessions felt relaxing in comparison.

"Do you really want to be stuck with me in the council chamber for even longer than usual?"

And all the others, but he didn’t need to say that. While Sae thrived as an active member of the council, a few of the other members - while suited to be his counsel, because of their viewpoints and experiences - did not like the constant back and forth, feeling as if they went nowhere until they agreed on a course of action. 

They were still trying to find their footing, suddenly being responsible for a whole kingdom, as well as the network of vassal kingdoms that were tied to his position as High King. 

"You know as well as I do, Akechi, that our arguments in there are our version of fun. We’d both rob ourselves of our only reprieve between the more serious matters if we stopped them."

She indifferently looked ahead as she said it, and he knew that if they’d actually been in the council chamber, she would have smugly examined her nails. A new, more casual mannerism that slowly emerged, now that she didn’t have to argue with people that wouldn’t listen to her, no matter what she said. 

Instead, she could argue with him and be sure that he seriously considered every word she said.

But he knew she wasn’t finished, and as they both watched the knights move through the village and question the inhabitants, he waited for her to shift the topic to what she actually wanted to talk about.

He didn’t have to wait long.

"Akechi. I’m here to support you in everything you do."

Which he knew. In theory. Experiencing it still surprised him. And it sometimes felt as if it would continue to do so until the end of time. Maybe one day he could believe and get used to it. But that would take time.

"As long as it does not endanger the kingdom." He couldn’t help but add. As much as he would love to have her unwavering support, a few things were more important than what he wanted. It did surprise him that he could now think such things. Maybe what the others kept repeating was right. He really had changed during his banishment. 

"True. As long as it does not endanger the kingdom. But for me to help, you need to talk to me." 

She still didn’t look directly at him, but he could feel her attention all the same. Back when he’d only been a knight in training, it would have made him squirm. Something guilty did still rear itself in his head, but he’d become better at shoving it down.

Goro knew what she was hinting at, and he’d been waiting for her to bring it up. If any of the others had known he would have been tempted to bet on it, but he’d been holding this secret close to his heart, even now loath to put it out in the open.

"I was surprised," she continued. "You acted perfectly detached when they offered their son during the treaty negotiations."

That had been a necessity. The few words Akira spoke on the topic of his parents had always been laced with frustration or defeat, often stopping after mentioning their refusal to let him stay and learn statecraft at their side. Always downplaying or trying to hide that he wasn’t completely voluntarily leaving his home, but was more or less forced to make himself scarce, simply so he wouldn’t be regarded as a nuisance. Unless they demanded his presence for appearances’ sake.

Which had already been enough to raise his ire at the time. Because Goro had seen first-hand how capable Akira was, charming not only tourney officials, but everyone that crossed their path at the time, without trying or even hinting at his title. Not yet polished, but promising. Something that could be shaped into greatness, if only it was allowed to flourish freely. Goro liked to think he’d left a similar impression, and that his growth in their time apart was a point in his favor.

Sitting before them, hearing them discuss the future of their son as if he was an afterthought in the negotiations, the marriage treated like a convenient way to get him back under control, get him out of the way and to ensure they had to give up as little as possible, had made his blood boil, because it was worse than Akira's words and actions had suggested. His temper only cooled by the relief that it had been easy to get to this point, what he wanted now in his grasp. 

Still, the thought that they didn't know the worth of what they'd given away, relinquishing almost every claim they had to him for their own safety, didn't sit right with Goro. 

He was pretty sure only the barest minimum of emotion had shown on his face at the time, his role being the intimidating presence at the table while Sae led the talks. Reacting to him shaking his head or nodding, the verbal contributions he made far and few in between. A precaution, so they wouldn’t forget their fear of the conqueror that was now in charge, and so he wouldn’t let something slip that would make them reconsider.

Both of them watched the progress the soldiers made in their investigation of the town. Sae quietly sorting her thoughts while he was reminiscing. 

Finally, she resumed. 

"But someone that knows you, could see immediately that they offered you exactly what you wanted. I would even say you were a bit shocked they raised the point themselves."

He had been. His plan had been to offer their son the position of a hostage at his court. At first, at least. Everything else would have been between him and Akira after that. 

Would have been, had they not put Akira's name forward all on their own. To them, Akira was barely more than an afterthought, assigned the same value as a prized horse or a regiment of soldiers. A bargaining chip. A simple, cheap way to sweeten the deal.

Even thinking about it disgusted him. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to face them again without making his opinion about the treatment of their son clear.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I’m saying that I would like an explanation. Did you think we would be content with your sudden decision to marry the prince of a little meaningless kingdom and not suspect any other reason?"

We. Which meant they had discussed it as a group. Were probably worried, if they had chosen Sae as the one to bring it up. There was the slowly blubbering want to assuage those worries, a sensation that was still new to Goro, the desire to show that he was of sound mind, could be trusted and that he hadn’t accepted out of some misguided attempt to make their time stuck in negotiations go by faster. Or whatever other ridiculous reason they had come up with. 

But how could he explain? Explain what Akira was to him? What he’d done to Goro? That without Akira he wouldn’t be standing here right now? Would either still be out there, taking on all the work he could, traveling from tourney to tourney in the hopes of making enough money to survive another day, or that he would have starved, been killed or simply died, with resentment and hate in his heart? 

Not that he’d managed to completely purge these feelings in recent years, but he’d made a sort of tentative peace with them. He would never be without his anger. Loki and Robin both would have never answered the call of his magic without it, he would have never endured his banishment, and would have never survived the rebellion.

But now that he was the High King, he could do something with it. Change things. For the better. And while the people he could now call friends were an important part of that process, only one person was responsible for setting him on that path. A rival, a friend - even though he’d never called him that - an equal. Someone that had seen his edges and hadn’t immediately demanded they be sanded down or hidden, but had gotten to know them one by one.

Conveying all of this in a few simple words was impossible. The words that crowded together in his head would make him sound like a lunatic, and maybe he was. But if his lunacy led him to be able to see Akira again, he’d gladly give his mind over.

"We know each other." He wanted to leave it at that, but Goro knew Sae wouldn't be content with that meager bit of information. 

"We met a few years ago. Before the rebellion. He’s…" The reason Goro wanted to be better, the reason he came back, and the reason why he joined the rebellion after years of complying with the rules of his banishment, rejecting them again and again, because he thought he’d be able to do it alone. 

"...important," he finished lamely. As if that one word could encompass the time they had spent together. Again, he tried to come up with something that could be easily conveyed to Sae without rambling until his face became blue and he’d turned his heart inside out, but it was still not possible, and so he left it at that.

Sae seemed to sense the turmoil her questioning had put him in, not demanding more. Frowning at him before the expression on her face smoothed out. He was sure he didn’t imagine the muted mirth dancing in her eyes. Maybe because for once he was lacking the eloquence to say what he needed, or because she understood his helplessness in the onslaught of emotions that Akira elicited.

"I see," was all she said in response, turning towards the heavy footsteps coming in their direction. 

The people watching him and his retinue had by now almost doubled, the townsfolk and the travelers trying to discreetly gather at corners as if they’d been simply passing by, curious enough to form a crowd, but not curious enough to draw close and ask. But by the murmurs he could hear, the news of the knights asking for someone specific was already spreading.

Makoto, as well as the soldiers she’d been coordinating, approached them after a while, shepherding two people in their midst. She had been adamant about Goro staying back and only involving himself if they found a hint that Akira had come through here. 

For all that they’d been at odds during their training, clashing over the simplest things, she now took her duty more seriously than any of the others. While she was still questioning his moves at every turn, she had developed a protectiveness over him he wasn’t yet sure he liked.

"A few men fitting our description have come through, but only one of the innkeepers noted some odd behavior from one of his guests. Another confirmed his statement."

And with those words, she presented the two men, who were obviously overwhelmed with the attention of the whole town, as well as his and Sae’s.

If he’d been anyone else, he’d feel self-conscious about the ruckus he was causing this early in the morning over some trivial questions. Especially since he could have delegated them to someone else. But waiting in the castle for any news on Akira’s whereabouts felt wrong, and he could be more useful this way. Or at least he felt more useful. 

And his gift was more effective when used in direct contact with people. 

"Your Majesty!" the person that was apparently the innkeeper exclaimed, almost bending himself in half in his eagerness to attempt a bow.

Goro gave him a nod, summoning a smile that was halfway between how he’d used to smile at court and the smirks that came naturally to him. Even after two years, he wasn’t quite used to the respect they showed him. Experiencing it was different from thinking that it was owed to him. 

And even back when he thought he was owed respect, he hadn’t been entirely sure he deserved it. His banishment, as unfair and unwarranted as it had been, had been a wake-up call in more than one way. 

"I didn’t think much of him or his questions when he came in yesterday, since there’s all sorts coming through for the wedding."

Concentrating on the words was easy enough, Loki and Robin Hood perking up when he reached for his magic, satisfied when nothing registered as a lie in his mind. 

"Asked for a room, something to eat. And then…" The innkeeper paused for a second, probably for dramatic effect, gesturing into the distance behind him.

"He asked how long it would take to get to the border. Which is the reason I remembered him!"

The second man jumped in at that, introducing himself as a traveling merchant named Tanaka, praising his wares and their quality, as if they had anything to do with why they were questioning them. But he was obviously determined to endorse himself to the High King, before he finished with a rather unspectacular: "I was there! It happened exactly the way he said! He wore a cloak, but once he put the hood down, he could be nothing other than royalty!"

Goro did doubt that statement, and his senses did confirm the lie. Loki laughed into his ear at the bold try. While he knew how remarkable a person Akira was, and how he could cut a striking figure if he wanted, he was also able to vanish into the background of about every place as easy as breathing. Someone remembering him simply because he was himself or through his actions was more likely than recognizing him as the prince he was. Even though he was sure that Akira did not want to be remembered. It was an oddity that he had done something that would make him so blatantly stand out in the memories of a single individual. Unless…

"And that’s all he did? Came into the inn, rented a room and asked you how to get to the border?"

He addressed the question to the innkeeper again, pretty sure that the merchant was just a hanger-on that had latched onto the opportunity to speak with him. Makoto’s annoyed face in the background confirmed that suspicion. She had probably acquiesced to be thorough and not leave a potential lead behind when it at least confirmed the hints of a trail. 

"When your knights asked, I was convinced he hadn’t left, since the key hadn’t been returned yet."

So, he had already left. 

Makoto nodded in agreement when Goro looked at her to confirm.

"We searched through the room he directed us to. No sign of him having spent the night there and only the key to the door left on the floor, so he has a significant head start."

And they had only vague ideas as to where he might have gone. There was even a chance he had turned around again. Too many directions to consider. And he was pretty sure that Sae would not let him pursue them himself. Not when there were more pressing matters he had to attend to if Akira wasn’t found soon. 

He would have to go and negotiate new terms with Akira’s parents. Not something he looked forward to, not when every second he stayed in their presence made him want to scratch something until it bled. Preferably their eyes.

But Sae would actually riot if he endangered the treaty after having been handed an advantage like this on a silver platter. Akira wasn’t even aware of the favor he’d unwittingly done Goro by fleeing. Or he was, but Goro doubted that he’d done it in the knowledge of who exactly his betrothed was. 

He made an effort to keep his tone friendly, directing his attention back to the innkeeper and the merchant, while his thoughts whirled. Shido would have dismissed them without a second thought, maybe even demanded more of them, and he wanted to do things differently. Wanted to be better.

"Thank you for your cooperation. You will be rewarded for your time."

Sae nodded when he looked at her, probably already having something in mind.

As the two men were escorted away, he turned to her before indicating with his head that they should put a bit of distance between themselves and the town, the soldiers guarding them following a few respectful paces behind as not to disturb them and discourage anyone that did not belong to their company from approaching. 

Makoto had apparently informed Ryuji and Yusuke on her way back, because the three joined them after a moment, as well as the rest of the soldiers.

"Anything else?"

Three heads shaking at the same time. Apparently, as he’d assumed, one stranger with black hair didn’t make much waves in the steady stream of travelers that made their way through. So they had no further hint to Akira’s whereabouts than the words of the innkeeper. Who hadn’t been lying. There had indeed been someone fitting their description asking the questions he recalled. 

Not that their description was the best. And Goro was no artist, so he could only try to relay an approximate depiction that was of little use.

Yusuke, who these days circled between being his knight and his court artist, had been extraordinarily disappointed by the miniature portrait Akira’s parents had provided, back when they had still tried to win Goro over with the prospect of taking their son off their hands. He openly and loudly had doubted the expertise of the artist, and Goro couldn’t help but agree. The similarity to Akira only became apparent if one knew him. Otherwise, all it depicted was one of thousand young men with black hair you could find in every town and village. But it was the only thing he could show anyone, to at least give them a hint of who to look for. 

Right now, they were all strangely subdued, even Ryuji, their gazes locked onto him, as if waiting for a verdict or a solution. 

"What do you make of all this, Akechi?"

Makoto broke first. Voicing the question they all obviously wanted to ask.

Goro only noticed that his hand was at his chin the moment it was too late. A habit he still hadn’t been able to shed, and at this point he wasn’t sure if it was worth the trouble.

"A horse is missing from the stables, and some of the servants did recognize him when they were questioned yesterday, so while it would be easy to get lost in the city, it makes more sense for him to flee in this direction." 

Even though he wasn’t entirely certain why Akira would escape further that way. Maybe because he was familiar with the territory. His parents certainly weren’t going to welcome him back. They were more likely to keep him as a prisoner, and send for one of Goro’s men to escort him back, hoping that would mitigate the damage to the treaty their son’s escape had caused.

"The innkeeper wasn’t lying when he said that he matched the description. And he wasn’t lying about the question about the border."

But why even ask? Any direction would be fine if he only wanted to escape. Familiarity with the territory could only do so much. Any kingdom he likely ventured into would either be ecstatic about helping the High King apprehend his missing husband-to-be or agree to help the search out of fear. 

The port was another possible option, and while he wanted to call the thought of Akira simply vanishing that way, sailing out of his reach, ludicrous, there was the possibility he had done so. But would Akira leave everything behind and start over like that? Without knowing if the people he cared about were safe? What if he thought there was no one left he needed to care about?

Maybe he was slightly disappointed by the fact that Akira hadn’t attempted to look for a certain knight named Crow after arriving and before making his escape. According to the servants, he had only spoken when necessary, being agreeable and perfectly behaved, as people expected it from a prince, and so they had let him be when he retired to his rooms to obviously refresh himself after the journey and make himself presentable before meeting the court and later, his future husband.

Except that he didn’t answer when someone came to check on him. His guest quarters had been empty, no sign of Akira anywhere. Some of his bags had been unpacked, clothing laid out, and a few things had been missing from the room. 

The two courtiers that had arrived with Akira, panicking in a way he’d thought uncharacteristic once he’d finally arrived, making his way there as soon as he’d been informed of the commotion, still in his own travel clothes, had first spoken of a kidnapping, their sweet prince taken away by forces that wanted to harm the reputation of their Lord and Lady, people that objected to the High King’s rule. They had soon stopped their speculation when Goro and Sae had called out their obvious lies and the contradictions the rooms in front of them offered. 

There was no sign of a struggle. But when questioned, the servants had remembered seeing someone similar to Akira, but never connected the dots. Which, if he acted like one of them, wearing different clothes, was more than possible. And in contrast to the courtiers, none of them had lied.

Around that time, the two had suddenly changed their tune. Trying to name the lack of guards around the quarters responsible for the disappearance. As if he was supposed to keep his betrothed confined to his rooms like a criminal waiting for judgment. 

When he’d pointed that fact out, they had begun to stammer, trying to justify their treatment of Akira without mentioning specifics or why they were doing so. Simply digging themselves a deeper hole in the process. Because why hadn’t they assigned some of the guards that had accompanied them to keep him in his rooms, instead stationing them all around their own guest quarters? Surely, they were not implying that anyone at his court would harm them?

He had certainly realized a few things during that exchange. Especially that Akira was not as willing as his parents had described. Not that they had called him willing, but they had put emphasis on the fact that he knew his duty, one of the moments that had made him grind his teeth and swallow down the words that had threatened to escape. They had certainly believed they were telling the truth. And the most surprising, that his own reputation in the surrounding kingdoms had become even more fearsome over time.

But that last thing was something he needed to deal with once he’d gotten his own kingdom in order. 

Goro had made it clear to his guests that it would be far more useful if they made their way back and acted as messengers, informing their King and Queen of Goro’s impending visit as soon as he was done dealing with the current mess. 

Which meant that shortly after that conversation, they were already making their way back, while Goro had started to coordinate the search for Akira.

At the time he’d been concerned, convinced he’d made a mistake by not demanding to meet Akira during the negotiations, to let him know who exactly the High King was that intended to marry him. 

The amusement he still felt, had only come later, standing in the middle of the chaos Akira had caused, Loki being delighted that one action could thwart Goro’s own plans so effectively, while opening up new opportunities. Crooning on about it being a perfect engagement gift, and that it promised good things for their marriage.

Goro himself had been slightly embarrassed, but couldn’t help agreeing with his Persona, thrilled that Loki approved. Before all this, he’d been alert whenever he’d met with Akira, but most of the time unwilling to share his thoughts. Constantly assessing, and being frustrated at the potential he saw that he believed to be untapped. Approving of the mischief Akira sometimes caused, but no judgment of his person. At least until Goro had realized a few things. 

He hadn’t objected when Goro had put his plan into motion, had been delighted at the deception he’d orchestrated, and that Akira wouldn’t be aware who his future husband was going to be. 

Robin, in contrast, had always been more vocal, always been more ready to accept Goro’s more amorous impulses. Even now concerned that Akira was thinking ill of the man he was supposed to marry. 

Abandoning this train of thought, knowing that it would lead nowhere right now, Goro turned to Sae. While he had a few ideas on how to move forward, maybe she had some insight that he hadn’t considered yet.

"What do you suggest?"

It was her turn to think for a moment, turning her head away and frowning into the empty air, before her attention turned back to all of them.

"The only hint we have is the border. Even if it turns out he hasn’t gone that way, I would send someone towards it, either directly through a portal and then going back inward, or trying to catch up with him on horseback."

The second option would only let him get further and further away. And Sae had been to the town at the border once before, so she would be able to use her gift to portal them there. 

"I think Makoto would be the one best suited for that part. Let her take a few soldiers with us to the border, and let them look for someone fitting his description while she makes her way back inwards." 

He could already see Makoto perk up at the mention of her name. She’d been politely listening, while trying to have an eye on the townspeople, the perfect picture of a knight guarding her king. 

And even though he knew that she didn’t mind being busy in the castle, unearthing knowledge they needed, as well as trading long glances with Haru, she would like that level of responsibility. Returning to the castle first would also give her the chance to take the appropriate preparations and maybe take enough soldiers with her, so they could look into a few other matters that needed to be dealt with near the border. 

"We should also send people in a few of the other directions. Since he’s already gotten this far, I’m not sure if he might have decided on a different goal."

Not that he knew which goal that would be. Akira knew almost no one here. And if he’d been looking for the one person in the kingdom that he was familiar with, he wouldn’t have left the capital or the castle in the first place.

It did sting a bit that Akira would prefer the unknown territory of the kingdom to meeting his future spouse. But at the same time, how should he have known? And he’d never gotten any confirmation that Crow was still alive, did he? For all he knew, he could have fallen in the rebellion. Could have lost interest or had decided that their differences were too great, and that Crow had found a more comfortable life serving the High King.

Nothing to think about now. He could explain everything once they’d captured and managed to bring Akira back. Maybe even apologize for not revealing himself sooner. But in addition to him wanting to keep his secrets a little longer, there had been the legitimate fear that being too eager on either of their parts would have been seen as suspicious, threatening the treaty as well.

"Kitagawa? Take a few men and search the road towards the port. Once you arrive, use them to ask around. If you need anything for the journey, purchase it in town." 

In comparison to Makoto’s journey to the border, it would take him only three days to get there, and didn’t need as much preparation.

Ryuji had been shifting from one foot to the other, almost bouncing, as if he wanted to talk but was holding himself back by the thin threads of patience he sometimes possessed. Now that there was a short pause in their planning, he piped up.

"If no one else has anything against it, I would like to volunteer to go through the forest. And if I can’t find him there, I would try to meet up with Ann. She mentioned circling back there next."

It was actually a rather thoughtful idea.

News of Ann were rare, often a messenger or Carmen updating them about where she would go next. Every few months she would report back to the castle in person, mentioning the things she had seen or experienced and cross another place off her map, before setting out again after a few days. Relentless in her dedication to finding Suzui, which he found more than commendable. The reason why he allowed her to do so without reservation, knowing that he was the only one that could forbid her from doing so.

Which he would only do to get her to rest. 

If Akira wasn’t found soon, he would probably be able to empathize with her on a deeper level. Even though Suzui had never intended to leave.

"Good idea, Sakamoto. Do you think you need to take anyone with you?"

The forest could be crossed in a day if one stuck to the road. Goro doubted that Akira had any reason to leave it, if he’d chosen to go in that direction. It was widely known that even the explored and known parts of it were dangerous, volatile, and prone to sudden unpredictable changes.

"I’ll stick to the road. Ask around if they’ve seen him once I’m through and then go looking for Ann," said Ryuji, shaking his head to decline the offer.

Not something he wanted to argue against. As long as he didn’t stray from the path, he would be fine. And once he’d found Ann, he could maybe convince her to come back a little sooner or at least let her know who they were looking for, so she could keep an eye out.

All directions were now covered. The capital itself and the surrounding area was already in the process of being searched. It was one of the first things they’d taken care of, and Haru was directing those efforts in his absence.

Sae was already walking back to her horse, Yusuke was busy choosing which knights to take with him, and Makoto was organizing the rest to accompany them back.

Unless he decided to join the search, something none of them would allow him at present, there was nothing more to do out here. 

Goro sighed, following Sae’s lead and moved towards his horse. Mounting it after a minute, thoughts whirling about what came next, and still not liking the thought of having to deal with Akira’s parents again.

It was a mix of petulance and the desire to not suffer alone that made him speak up once they started a steady trot, waiting for the guards and knights to fall into formation around them. 

"Can we at least take Okumura with us to negotiate this time? She loves opportunities to terrify people."

Chapter Text

"Congratulations on winning the joust!"

The voice rang out just as Goro was shaking the water from his hair, and only the fact that the sound came from the other side of the small river kept him from jumping up.

Instead, he slowly and deliberately continued what he was doing, before leveling a glare in the general direction of where he assumed the person to be. Only realizing after a moment, that he couldn’t really see who had been disturbing his moment of peace.

He swept his hair from his eyes, trying hard to school his expression into something more neutral when he realized where he’d seen the face of the person across the river before.

A victorious grin and a gaze that said he was welcome to try again, but the outcome would be the same, no matter how often they measured their strength on this field. Dark curls pressed to sweaty temples emerging from a helmet just as constricting as his own, sword still slightly raised, as if waiting to strike once more.

And then a hand that helped him up to his feet, ignoring the herald that had approached, who was more than eager to announce the winner of this particular melee.

He had lost sight of him in the bustling aftermath, but the taste of defeat had lingered.

The anger at being bested had quickly been replaced by satisfaction, when his lance found its target repeatedly and the last flag was raised, signaling his deserved victory to the crowd.

Exchanging the customary handshake between winners of the different disciplines had been what Goro assumed to be their last contact, only making a small note of the name of this new opponent in the back of his head should it ever come up again. Simply so he could modify his strategy and leave all future encounters victorious.

And now exactly the same person was sitting a few meters downstream from him on the other side of the river. Boots discarded next to him, feet dangling in the water. Armor nowhere in sight. A gray gaze directed towards him, piercing in its quality, at odds with his posture and demeanor, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

It took Goro a few seconds to stop his own staring and arrange his features into an appropriately pleasant expression, and to find the proper words to respond. His opponent had been introduced as minor royalty, and even though he had no obligation to be polite, it was better to keep the illusion of the noble knight alive with those that had influence. No matter how insignificant they were.

If he could, he wouldn’t even bother with those pleasantries, hypotheticals not worth the hassle of trying to endear himself to whatever backwards noble played at being their highly romanticized understanding of being a knight.

"Congratulations on winning the melee. You’ve been a worthy opponent."

Said with some effort through only slightly gritted teeth.

Not that it was a lie. The other was skilled, or he wouldn’t have won. But it chafed. He’d expected to win the trophy. Now he had to do without and on top of that, deal with the person he had lost it to.

Winning the joust had only evened the score, it hadn’t made up for the defeat he’d suffered.

The other didn’t add anything beyond thanking him and giving the compliment back, almost absently swishing his legs back and forth, clearly enjoying the coolness of the water after a day of strain.

Not that Goro could blame him. This tourney was known for being more fast-paced than the others. The duke hosting it being required to do so by tradition, but not taking much joy in it.

At least the trophies were of good quality, and that was all Goro could ask for.

Pathetic that this was now one of the things he looked forward to. A disgraced knight traveling from tourney to tourney, hoping he could amass enough coin to make it through the winter before repeating the journey in the spring, trying to find something he could use to break the cycle he was now trapped in.

He used the lull in the barely started conversation to shake the excess water from his hair, combing it back with his fingers before rinsing his face as well. Nothing more he could do, no matter how much he hated being so disheveled in front of people, but he simply didn’t have the means to keep up the same routines as before.

His unwanted guest didn’t add more, and when he glanced back up, he saw that it was because he’d tilted his head back, eyes closed while facing the sun. Clearly basking in the silence and warmth.

Usually, that would serve Goro well. He’d mostly come to terms with the fact that none of the people at these kinds of tourneys would make acceptable allies but if he managed to further his reputation through winning them, he might have a chance to get his name into the circles he needed to win over.

But some part of himself wasn’t satisfied with being ignored by the person that had defeated him for the first time in months.

"Your aim," he couldn’t help but say, the words coming out unbidden. At the curious look he was given when the other stopped his sunbathing with a lazy blink, turning to him to better listen, he continued.

"It’s a neat trick, letting your lance waver slightly, only steadying shortly before it connects. Less experienced opponents will think it won’t hit as hard and will brace themselves less."

Which either led to their own blows glancing off without breaking the lance, too stunned by the blow, or to them being completely unseated. 

"But it leaves you vulnerable when someone sees through the ruse, as it’s easy to prepare for the blow, which then leaves you in a weaker position."

There was a short pause, the other nodding after Goro was finished with his explanation. There was a tilt to his lips, almost a smile, as if he was pleased by someone working out how he’d been winning before Goro had become his opponent.

"Which you did."

He didn’t exactly preen, but got a little more comfortable on his side of the river, now that they had established that the other wasn’t simply here to throw his victory into Goro’s face, and let the satisfaction at having figured out the strategy through simple observation color his voice when he answered.

"Which I did."

There was amusement in the look he got in response, but no mocking remark followed.

Instead, his conversation partner leaned forward as if he was sharing a secret, bracing himself on the riverbank to offer his own observation.

"And you are left-handed, but used your right in the melee."

Now that was a surprise. Most people didn’t even notice after shaking his hand. Paired with being smart enough to trick most of the other opponents and not being put off by Goro having seen through it, it almost made him interesting.

There was a question in the way the statement was phrased and Goro had no qualms about giving a response, letting a grin show in answer, a little more pronounced than under other circumstances. Challenging. Just to see if the other would take up the gauntlet thrown his way or be put off by his demeanor. It was a risk to drop his mask in the presence of someone he should be trying to charm like he’d done at Shido’s court, but he couldn’t resist the temptation.

He had an inkling that his current conversation partner might appreciate the barest sliver of honesty.

"Most of the people at these tourneys aren’t able to fight against me when I’m using my right hand. Why should I use my left?"

Said with the demeanor of someone that knew his capabilities, matching the attitude hidden behind the other’s eyes. Which widened at what he probably perceived as Goro’s unabashed reaction, but he was not put off in the slightest.

"Does that mean you will use it against me next time?"

So self-assured, as if it wasn’t luck that made him win today, as if he could win again simply because he’d done it once. Goro was going to enjoy proving him wrong.

"I believe we will have to wait and see. Next time you might be the one losing."

"Is that a challenge?"

As if their whole exchange hadn’t been leading to this, the rhetorical question only emphasized that fact. If he hadn’t just dealt with a whole day of fighting, he might have answered more directly, handed out an invitation to a duel not in the framework of a tourney, to squash the other’s belief that he could best him.

"It might be, if you’re ready to deal with humiliation…" Goro trailed off, slightly raising an eyebrow, propriety and manners he should be trying to uphold in the presence of his betters now entirely forgotten.

"Akira Kurusu."

He freely introduced himself, obviously not caring about the fact that Goro should remember his name after facing him in the tourney. Interesting, especially since there was a title involved, and even the least influential members of the nobility he’d been familiar with would have his head for the lack of respect he was currently demonstrating.

But now it was Goro’s turn, and he found himself hesitating.

He hadn’t used his actual name since crossing the border of his home, leaving it behind with the ones that knew who he was, knew who he was supposed to be. All his fears of being easily forgotten were confirmed when he’d been forced to put his skills to use and no recognition followed when he stated his name. None of the acclaim he’d earned had followed him past the borders of Shido’s kingdom, no matter what he’d accomplished before. Just another knight down on his luck. On a whim, he’d instead decided to go with the bird burned into the shoulder of the armor he’d chosen the first time he’d been asked to put an alias down for the announcer.

The armor that had been the last of Shido’s generous gifts. The sentence had already been spoken, his fate sealed, but a real knight did require armor, and so he’d been taken to the armory. There would be no pristine new plate forged and built to his specifications and fighting style, carrying an insignia that was wholly his. Instead, he’d been allowed his pick of archaic and cast-off armors. Thankfully, there had been enough time for a smith to get it adjusted, even though Goro was sure that his father would have had no problems banishing him without the work being finished.

Only the need to make his public humiliation a spectacle, to make it seem as if he was following tradition had left Goro with enough gear to make the mockery look legitimate. The disgraced son that had never been allowed to call himself thus, honored and punished at the same time. Name as burned as the crow that was decorating his shoulder ever since he turned his horse away from what was supposed to be his birthright.

It would suffice here as well.

"Call me Crow."

A simple nod, and they spent several more minutes basking in silence before finally parting. Goro not really expecting to see much of the other beyond some occasional clashes at different tourneys. The promise of a possible challenge not enough to expect anything.

"I’m here to buy my horse back."

Goro pressed the words out between tightly clenched teeth, the effort of holding his temper back probably evident in every part of his body. But he didn’t care how it looked.

Kurusu might have been royalty, but they weren’t in his kingdom, his influence and power worth nothing when he could gallivant around the countryside taking part in tourneys that did not need his participation, ignoring duties every other heir would have. Goro had done his research after their first meeting. A name dropped here, a description there, and what he’d learned hadn’t impressed him.

Right now, he was close to shoving the trophies he’d earned in the melee into Kurusu’s face, hopefully breaking a few teeth in the process.

He shouldn’t have said anything during their encounter at the river a few weeks ago. Because against his expectations, his comments had been remembered, and instead of a lance that would easily glance off his left side, the full force of it had hit him square in the shoulder. A desperate fumble, the sudden realization that he wasn’t as braced as he’d thought he’d been, and the world shifted, falling away, before pain brought him back.

The pain of having hit the ground to be exact.

For a second, everything had seemed quiet except for the hooves of the horses still hitting the earth, the vibration that traveled through the ground throbbing like an echo in his bones.

Even when he’d gotten back up, it had taken a few minutes for reality to settle while he went through the motions of accepting the two melee trophies he’d won and walking off as soon as the ceremonial part was done without looking back at the other winners.

Being unseated meant losing the horse, meant that he was unable to participate in future jousts until he found a replacement.

But a replacement would cost him, funds that he needed for necessities and the time to train it and get used to it. And while Robin technically counted as a horse, he was unable to hold his form for a whole day, not to mention the unwanted attention a pegasus would cause at these tourneys. Besides the possibility of someone thinking it important enough to report back to Shido, the reaction of people would most likely be negative. Magic and everything that appeared magical was reserved for the High King, everyone else was supposed to feel disgust and fear. Even at themselves, no matter if they only carried a gift or the potential to be sorcerers.

Right now, his only hope was that Kurusu would be satisfied with the trophies he’d won today, which would still set him back, but not as much as paying the real value of the horse would.

Kurusu had been busy testing one of his tent ropes when Goro approached him, and was now curiously looking at him, as if he’d said something completely nonsensical.

At least he could see that his horse was still tethered next to Kurusu’s own, slowly nickering while plucking at clusters of grass. Not sold, not given away. That was something. Not much, but something.

"I want to buy my horse back," he repeated when no answer was coming forth.

Raising the trophies a little, to show that he didn’t intend to pay with coin.

Gaze straying first to and back from where the horses were grazing, Kurusu straightened up, wiping his hands on his pants before finally addressing him.

"You can have it back."

Now it was Goro’s turn to stare, not comprehending what had been said. At his continued baffled silence, Kurusu reached up, fingers beginning to tug at a strand of hair, almost obscuring his face that way. 

"I don’t need a second horse, and I didn’t expect to win one. You can have it back."

Didn’t expect to win one? While participating in a joust? Did he even listen to himself?

"I can’t be the first person you ever unseated during a tourney."

He regretted blurting out the words as soon as he spoke them. Because if he was, he’d rather not know. But Kurusu shook his head, hand still attached to the strand of hair. Goro had to combat the sudden urge to knock it away, simply so he’d have to face him directly while explaining himself.

"Of course not. But I never expect to. And especially not yours."

Now, that was comforting. As much as anything in this situation could be.

Every other participant would have been ecstatic at the prospect of humiliating an opponent by preventing their progress through taking their steed. Almost uncharacteristic to not do so.

Clearly the action of a sheltered prince that probably thought this kind of charity was endearing. Using his position to rub into everyone’s face how privileged he was, not needing the money the tourneys awarded. Never in the position of trading the trophies for what the materials were worth to feed himself, or to afford the maintenance his armor needed.

He was not going to owe him anything, no matter how charitable he was acting. Taking his horse back without any sort of compensation would only make him indebted to Kurusu, which was one of the last things he wanted.

"If you don’t want me to pay for it, what do you want for the horse?"

Kurusu was sizing him up, looking him over, lingering on the two trophies he still held in a death grip, still torn between handing them over or throwing them into his face.

Whatever he saw, made him come to a conclusion, standing a little straighter to fully face him.

"How about a deal? Your advice was the reason I was able to win. I’ll give you your horse back, and we’ll train together whenever we meet up at the same tourney. How does that sound?"

Dreadful.

The last two years had shown Goro that it would take time for the opportunity he was looking for to come along. Most of the noble types organizing the tourneys did so out of obligation, a way to keep their own knights and subjects happy. Only a few were actually looking for a way to expand their influence, or had the ambition to do so. Being tourney champion made it likelier to be invited to the banquets afterwards, which then gave him a chance to converse and put what he’d learned at court to use. But they were rare. And beyond those opportunities, it was useless to try and make any connections at these tourneys, useless to make allies with knights that were nothing but better paid soldiers, or the one or two peasants that thought to try their luck.

He didn’t need something so shallow as friends or what everyone else used these occasions for. It was just a necessary evil he had to put up with to make ends meet if he didn’t want to end up as a mere sellsword. What he wanted to achieve would not happen by playing nice with dimwitted untitled knights or the type of backwater prince Kurusu was.

But Kurusu had won. Not once, but twice now.

Taken his reluctant advice and used it against him. Which meant that he'd listened. Intriguing. Infuriating.

And there was a distinct lack of suitable sparring partners at some of these tourneys. The other participants had been put off by his demeanor and reputation, or couldn't keep up with him, moving on to try their luck with someone far below his skill level. Which explained their lack of success in besting him.

Leaving as tourney champion almost every time he joined a competition, but refusing to engage with most of the other competitors had apparently done nothing for his popularity.

Something Niijima had pointed out the last time she tracked him down, almost gleefully presenting the fact that the efforts of the rebellion at recruiting people to their cause had yielded much better fruit.

As always, he’d scoffed and told her what he thought of those futile efforts. One of these days, Shido would recognize what they were doing, and he would make sure to eradicate whatever opposition they thought they posed completely. He was taking the careful approach, playing the long game by trying to find out where enough resentment and ambition festered to pose a threat to the High King.

His own name and former position meant nothing, no matter how much importance Niijima tried to place on it to make him consider allying with them. Shido banishing his bastard son was nothing people cared about beyond the borders of the High King’s seat. He had never been anyone of importance, never been awarded the title Prince despite being the only known child he’d fathered.

Now, he knew that it would have never happened. That it didn’t matter how hard he’d pushed himself back then. It would have always been just out of reach. Legitimacy dangled like a carrot to keep him busy and complacent. The constant reminders of how thankful he should be that Shido had made it possible for him to become a knight still echoing in his ears.

And he would have never become a knight if Shido hadn’t thought it to be the fitting culmination of the comedic act that would end the little performance he’d been putting on ever since he’d decided to get rid of him. And Goro had played his own part far too well. Even though he couldn’t and wouldn’t regret his actions and what he’d gained that day.

Kurusu was still waiting for an answer, having let go of the strand of hair in the meantime so he could go back to peer at him curiously. Goro let his grip on the trophies relax, and considered the offer seriously.

There was at least the possibility that Kurusu could introduce him to the people organizing the tourneys, without him having to win his way through all of them, their connection almost working like an endorsement, which would be a step in the right direction. And he had yet to be put off by Goro’s behavior, seemingly delighting in the casual way he’d been treated so far. No guarantee that it would stay that way, but he’d be blind to not see the advantages that sticking close to him for as long as possible brought.

"I accept. We have a deal."

Kurusu’s small answering smile was as irritating, as it was blinding.

"Again."

At his prompt, stances were taken back up, distances and steps measured. The hand and arm not occupied with the sword bent back as not to accidentally reach into the path of his opponent’s sword. Less of a concern if he’d been wearing his gauntlets, but they had decided to forgo their armors for now.

A nod. Confirmation.

A step. Their swords met.

Dodging. Deflecting the next blow. 

Leaving an opening. Waiting for him to notice. 

Sighing internally, when he recognized the predictable and wrong pattern. 

With a similar motion he’d used only moments before, Goro stepped into the blow, directing it to the side. 

And because Kurusu was too busy trying to catch himself, it was an easy thing to push him to the ground, his sword coming to rest on his neck.

"Stop using that flourish."

Goro wiped the sweat from his brow, stepping back once the fact he’d won sunk in, waiting for Kurusu to pick his sword back up.

They were almost evenly matched when meeting in the melee, which was quite clear after repeatedly being opponents. The differences in their fighting styles augmenting their individual talents and making up for their flaws, the winner of every clash uncertain, a challenge that lost none of its intensity in the short fast bouts of a tourney.

But sparring for an extended period made clear that even though Kurusu’s wins hadn’t been a fluke, longer bouts showed the flaws in his training, and how unused he was to fighting outside of the context of a tournament.

He was also unaccustomed to the kind of training Goro had put him through whenever they met. Close to the drills he’d been running himself ever since he’d been set on the path to become a knight.

He also kept using maneuvers that only worked on people unused to his fighting style, little tricks which would end a fight quickly with a bit of showmanship. By now, Goro knew how he moved, and could tell the signs of the ones that had been used against him before. And while a little bag of tricks was useful, Kurusu would run out of them at some point. Realizing when that was, was the first lesson Goro tried to impart, side-stepping or countering everything that had become familiar. 

"It only works once out of every three tries, and even then, angling my blade differently is going to deflect it."

Not the first time he said it, and probably not the last. 

Improvement was slow, because getting rid of the bad habits Kurusu had taken on took precedence. He’d been baffled when the other had - quite sheepishly - admitted to being taught by several different instructors, all of them hired only for one or two seasons before the next had taken the place of the former. Half of them had apparently started over with what they considered the basics, instead of working with what their predecessors had taught. It was surprising that he’d actually ended up with a coherent fighting style. Especially one that had made it possible to defeat Goro.

But now that he knew what to look for, it made the deficits more obvious.

And invited his curiosity. Made him want to know how far he could improve when pushed, if he had the ambition to further his skill.

One of the reasons why Goro considered his debt still unpaid.

"Again?"

A nod.

It took three more bouts until Kurusu staggered back and sat down, not even trying to reach for his sword again, more comfortable with slumping over while breathing heavily.

"A rapier and a parrying dagger might suit you better."

After keeping close watch during their meetings, he was rather sure of this assessment. Other weapons might suit his speed and style, but Goro could only draw from his own experiences, where a dagger was an off hand weapon that only got drawn as a distraction or a last resort. He was trained in using one, but it had never been the main focus.

"They might. But I don’t think they’re permitted in the melee with swords."

It was said quietly, thoughtful, while he looked his sword over. On purpose and blatantly missing the point Goro had been going for. A polite refusal to talk about the topic. Very well. He had his theories as to why.

Instead of pressing the topic, he disinterestedly inspected his own sword. Trying to judge if any additional maintenance was needed.

Goro had been unsure about getting wooden training swords, but in the end decided against them. Kurusu was no beginner, and training with the weight of a real sword was always better than a stick made to resemble one. And that was all he would be getting out here. Even those that were weighted didn’t get the distribution right, which made the reasons for using a training weapon obsolete.
Since they had met up several times now without one of them losing an important body part, it had been the right decision.

"Shall we continue?"

Kurusu was still sitting, not as out of breath as before, but he made no move to get up again. Instead, patting the ground next to himself, as if inviting him to join. Clearly wanting to prolong his break.

When Goro didn’t move, he slumped back with a groan. Which was the moment Goro picked to sit down on a log a few steps away.

"Give me a moment, we’ve been at this all morning."

"And we’re going to be at this for even longer if you keep making mistakes."

All Kurusu did in answer was laugh breathlessly, staying where he was sprawled out in the grass, grinning up at the sun with closed eyes, basking in the warmth. 

Hearing the sound made Goro pause, shocked. He’d witnessed more than enough of Kurusu’s expressions to be able to see more than a blank or calculating stare, even though that seemed to be his default in most situations. But he hadn’t heard or seen him laugh before. Grin, when he’d won or made a smart remark, smile when he was content, or frown when listening to an explanation, yes.

But laughter was new. New and unusual. And gone far too soon.

"Is this your new strategy? Make me sore all over, so I’m going to wince every time I move?"

Goro made a show of looking as if he was considering it, his left hand coming up to his chin in the practiced mannerism that he thought would endear him to the people of Shido’s court. He was trying to break himself out of the habit, but it was the perfect gesture to hum at the joking suggestion.

"The idea does have some merit."

A grin, no offense taken at the teasing retort. 

During their last few encounters, Goro had learned that Kurusu wasn’t put off by his manners, no matter how he acted. More likely to show distaste when he fell back into ingrained politeness than snarling an insult when the other fumbled a rather obvious advantage. Not once minding when he was the target of a few choice words, when others would have Goro punished for them.

Maybe he liked the novelty of having someone around that wasn’t going to bow to his every whim and wasn’t interested in winning his favor. Someone that didn’t care about him being stretched out in the grass like a lazy cat.

"Maybe we could meet up early at the next tourney or travel there together."

It was an unexpected suggestion, and Goro arched a brow at him before he replied. 

"And why should we do that?"

Real curiosity on his part, not sure why Kurusu would want to subject himself to more of his presence outside of their deal.

The answer came promptly and without any hesitation.

"We're friends, aren't we?"

Goro had never considered himself friend material, and he’d never called someone else such of his own volition. Some of the other trainees had tried, but he’d always been kept separate, trained and taught by people that desired no connection beyond the praise they would receive if he excelled in their fields. Combined with Shido keeping track of his every move, every connection he’d tried to forge, there was no one he could with good conscience call friend, not without condemning them too.

And in the end, his paranoia had served them as well. Neither of them had been dragged down with him when he finally earned the title of knight and had been banished during the ceremony.

So, all he did outwardly was scoff at the ridiculous notion of them being friends. Especially since this had started as an exchange so he wouldn’t have to deplete his reserves for the winter. That there was a part of him that enjoyed their little meetings was something he would keep to himself. Once their deal was done, the other wouldn’t want to continue associating with him anyway.

"We’re transaction partners. Rivals on a good day."

Emphasized by Goro getting up and giving the sword that was still lying in the grass a very telling look, to make clear to Akira what would change this specific day to the latter.

With another laugh, just as shocking as the first one, the other scrambled forward, reaching for his weapon while getting up, mouthing the word rival to himself.

"Rivals then," he agreed with a wide smile as he made it back to his feet.

Chapter Text

The night had been longer than he originally planned. Sleep first evading, and then claiming Akira completely. Waking up was a gradual affair, the rays of the already risen sun piercing through the branches above, with Morgana grumbling about him sleeping like a log. A familiar wake up call.

But he felt better than he had in weeks. No dreams, just a sufficient amount of rest. Or at least something that could be understood as one. The forest floor hadn't readily yielded to his blanket, and he wasn't as used to sleeping outside as he'd been a few years ago. Together with the lingering excitement over the successful escape, it was no wonder that falling asleep had been difficult.

In the end, he had slept, and was glad he had. The forest was peaceful. No sound but the birds singing in the distance, and leaves rustling in the breeze. As if the rain had made sure to leave a sparkling new day behind.

For now, he’d been content to walk next to the horse so it could rest a bit longer. The immediate danger of being discovered had passed, which was the exact reason he’d chosen the forest path. Every other direction would make more sense to his possible pursuers, even turning around and making his way to the capital once more. Turning to a forest that he had no knowledge or connection to would hopefully be deemed unlikely.

Looking through his bags earlier, it had become apparent how much of the things he’d become used to while traveling he hadn’t been able to pack this time. Everything in his bags had been filched and pilfered whenever an opportunity had presented itself on the journey. All things that wouldn’t raise an eyebrow when found on his person or in his belongings. Not as much as he’d hoped to squirrel away, and it worried him a little.

As soon as he could, he needed to look for a blacksmith. There had been no opportunity to grab a decent knife, and Akira hoped he could afford a dagger or two without depleting his funds too much.

No matter what was waiting for him beyond these woods, he would feel better if he could face it armed.

He and Morgana had talked for a while in the evening, trying to hash out a plan and decide what to do next. They’d both come to the conclusion that they would probably end up traveling rather aimlessly if they simply focused on evading any attention and possible pursuers.

And just like he did, Morgana kept thinking of Sojiro and Futaba, wondering if they were alright and had found a promising place to settle down.

They had easily agreed that this was the best opportunity to look for them, the cover of someone searching for lost family lending Akira a further measure of safety.

Even if he couldn’t stay with them long for fear of getting them involved, he wanted to at least know what had happened to them. If only for a moment, should they decide that they never wanted to see him again.

He missed them. Fiercely. Ever since he’d snuck out to find the shop and their home deserted, he’d felt more alone than ever. Morgana helped, but the empty feeling at another one of his few friends vanishing, along with a place that had been an escape, was hard to stop.

Maybe now that they’d decided to look for them, Futaba would have a vision of them doing so, and she and Sojiro could choose how to react. If she didn’t dismiss it outright, thinking it too unlikely. One of her bad habits.

She had always been ambivalent towards her talent for divination. Only getting used to it because of Morgana. She’d always been happier tinkering, inventing small magical machines that were supposed to make life easier for Sojiro and the people around them. Which didn’t mean she missed any opportunity to inform Akira when he was about to do something stupid and that she saw him getting hurt. Most of the time he dropped a mug or stubbed his toe shortly afterwards.

And once or twice she had greeted him with a sly grin, before telling him that she knew who his future partner would be. But since it seemed to change by the hour, oscillating between a skilled sorcerer and a noble knight, he was half-convinced she had been mocking him.

Especially since the second had only entered her repertoire after he’d met Crow.

He was very glad she had never mentioned him marrying the High King, because that might have hit a little close to home regarding the current situation. Akira didn’t even want to know the teasing that would have come with the revelation.

Or maybe she wouldn’t tease. But be disappointed that he hadn’t gone along with it as amends for all the harm he’d caused by not being better.

Everything he could bring forth as a reason felt like a weak excuse to justify not acting sooner. But instead, he’d taken every opportunity he could to travel and stay away for as long as he could, moving from tourney to tourney, visiting for a few days whenever he was close.

If they’d asked, would he have gone with them?

"No dreams this time?"

Morgana sounded slightly concerned, clearly having noticed that he wasn’t entirely there, and he couldn’t help but stroke with a few of his fingers over the fur of his friend, in the hopes he found the touch reassuring.

"No dreams at all. And I don’t think I moved much in my sleep."

Morgana let out an affirmative meow, leaning into the touch, eyes slipping shut as he moved on to rub circles into his head and then behind his ears.

He’d started the peculiar habit of sleepwalking a few months back. At least that was the lie he’d told Morgana. Originally, it had become worse shortly after his parents had demanded that he not leave the kingdom, back when the rebellion had started to gain ground in their march on the High King’s territory.

There had been no way to hide the charcoal he deposited next to his bed, while locking the ink in his desk. He’d learned his lesson after the first few times.

Which meant that he had to tell Morgana what had been happening, so he wouldn’t get scared during the next incident. The dreams were usually only the beginning. Never a concrete image, but muddled feelings and impressions. Something closing in on him, cradling him. Claws hooking into his innermost and pulling it to the surface. Leaving him gasping the moment he woke. Disoriented and dazed before realizing that he wasn’t where he’d fallen asleep.

He awoke to distorted shapes on walls and floors, as if his sleeping self had tried to make his dreams reality. Feathers and claws dominating the image. Bold strokes that left him with a feeling of familiarity, but nothing more.

As of now, he’d never completed what it was supposed to be, always waking before he could recognize what his subconscious was trying to tell him.

When he’d been younger, shortly after his gift had started developing, he’d ruined a wall with ink that way. By the second time it happened, and his parent’s gazes became colder and calculating in a way he didn’t like, he took precautions to quickly hide the evidence of his nightly wanderings, acting as if the dreams had stopped after a while. The negative sentiments about magic that continued to develop, getting worse and worse over time, only confirmed that his decision had been the right one.

Any amount of grace extended to him based on the assessment that his gift was too small to be usable, and that no drop of further magic was in his blood, would vanish if any signs of abnormal behavior continued. So, it was easier to hide the evidence.

Having charcoal ready for his sleeping self was the most important part. It made cleaning the walls in the morning a lot easier.

Morgana had been intrigued but not disturbed by his explanation. And even though the cat claimed that he’d never before encountered night terrors like Akira’s, he confirmed that it might have something to do with his gift. Acting up because he wasn’t using the magic that he’d been born with. No matter how insignificant it was. And once Morgana had convinced him to use it more often, to train it, his sleep had deepened again.

He was also positive that Morgana had figured out that he’d been dealing with it for longer than he claimed. Not that it had bothered him much when he’d been out traveling. No dreams, no wandering in the night. Not even when he’d returned for a few weeks to appease his parents or to wait out the winter months.

But the moment he’d been confined, it was almost instant.

He hoped that leaving his parent’s kingdom and the suffocating walls of their home was enough to prevent more dreams. Being too anxious to sleep for long stretches of time during the journey, coupled with the excitement of putting his plan into motion, had stopped them for a while, leading to restless nights, but nothing more.

But it was nice to be asked and have someone be concerned for him.

"Do you hear that?"

Morgana suddenly turned around on the saddle, almost toppling down if Akira’s hand hadn’t steadied him. He kept looking into the direction they’d come from, ears raised, back slowly doing the same.

At first, Akira didn’t know what he meant. The birds and the rustling of the leaves were too prominent, too distracting.

The distant, even clop of hooves registered shortly after Morgana had made him aware of it. And as if the sound had summoned the visual, the horse and its rider came into view. Or what he assumed they were, all he could make out was a speck moving in the distance.

"Act normal!" Morgana hissed before lowering himself back onto the saddle, tail first going rigid and then relaxing into a more casual sway. Or something that was supposed to be one. To Akira, it looked as if he was seconds away from bolting. He could empathize.

Instead, he forced his feet to move, trying to take up his pace from before. Hoping that the other rider hadn’t noticed their stop.

With the hoofbeat getting louder, it was only a matter of time until the other would notice them, if they hadn’t already.  

The chance this was just another traveler, who would pass them without a second glance was high, there was no need to panic, all they needed–

"Halt! In the name of High King Goro Akechi!"

Maybe they had reason to panic a little. Just the tiniest little bit.

Akira stopped again, and turned around while trying to look as normal as possible, watching the other come closer.

Alone from the speed at which he approached, Akira could tell that their pursuer’s horse was far better than the one he’d stolen, so even if he’d ridden along the path at a leisure pace, the rider would have caught up to them later. Maybe, if he’d decided to drive the horse to its limit, he’d have emerged on the other side of the woods and disappeared somewhere off the path. But it was far more likely that Akira’s horse wasn’t made for the kind of speed it would take to escape, and he wouldn’t want to risk any harm to it, or the possibility of it stumbling with more disastrous consequences.

The urge to run became stronger the closer the rider came, but Akira held out, offering a friendly half-wave when the other came to a stop. Only a few paces away. Not enough to make a hasty getaway if he needed to. That meant he had to play along until the other decided to continue his travels.

Hopefully without realizing who he was. Because the only escape he had was the forest, and he wasn’t sure if that was any safer than the court.

Their pursuer stayed on his horse, watching him inquisitively, brows drawn together, which gave him the air of someone easy to anger. The mace he carried on his belt emphasized that look. For someone hailing them in the name of the High King, he did not carry any of the insignia he’d come to expect from the guards he’d seen in the capital.

No cloak, and thus no brooch. And leather armor without a helmet instead of the gleaming plate that had been present in so many corners of the city.

But in the same place Crow’s personal armor had been adorned with the sigil of the former High King, the leather here had been burned with the sign of his successor. The saddle as well.

He had no idea how to react, so he decided to be polite. A small hope that it would keep suspicion off him.

"Good morning! I’m Akira Sakura." A gesture to the saddle currently occupied. "And this is Morgana. We’ve been traveling together for a while now."

Morgana gave a lazy flick of his tail and inclined his head, looking for all intents and purposes like an unbothered and content cat before opening his mouth.

"How can we help you?"

By the surprise on the man’s face, he hadn’t expected Morgana, and as if a switch had been flipped, his demeanor changed from serious and distrustful, to something calmer. Which in turn, made Akira relax a fraction, now that the other had stopped looking as if he was going to drag him back by his hair.

"Ryuji! Ryuji Sakamoto! One of King Akechi’s knights!" He looked as if he was about to bash a fist against his chest to emphasize the words. Instead, his mood changed again, and he rubbed the back of his head almost sheepishly.

"I hope I didn’t startle the two of you too much. But I thought you were someone else."

Akira tried not to reflexively tense back up at the words, instead trying to look interested and confused, as if he didn’t know what this was about.

"Who did you think we were?"

As if he was about to share a great secret that the trees were not supposed to overhear, the knight looked around, before leaning in their direction.

"The news hasn’t yet spread, but the prince is missing."

Morgana thankfully cut in before Akira could try to feign even more surprise.

"Oh! The one King Akechi was supposed to marry? Did he get abducted on the way?"

He was maybe laying it on a little too thick, but Sakamoto either didn’t notice or didn’t care, furiously nodding.

"We’re pretty sure he’s fled on his own. Or at least, Akechi is sure. Not sure how he found that out, but he’s usually right. A horse is missing, and an innkeeper has confirmed that someone matching his description has come through."

Akira tried not to worry. He’d been sure that they would figure out that he’d left the capital. But if they sent knights into different directions, it meant that they didn’t trust the false trail he’d laid. One wrong move, and he would be figured out and dragged back. As nice and sincere as Sakamoto seemed, he probably wouldn’t hesitate.

For now, he would try to continue to play clueless, and go a different way the moment they left the woods. Only half a day left for them to make it through. As of now, the knight didn’t seem to be suspicious. They could make it.

"And you think he has come this way?"

Only the slightest bit of doubt in his voice, as if the suggestion it was a laughable idea hadn’t been theirs, but was an obvious fact.

"No, we’re pretty sure he’s fled in the direction of the border, trying to get back to his parent’s kingdom. I’m just here to check the forest path for anything unusual."

While he said it, Sakamoto enthusiastically nodded ahead, while giving his horse a slight nudge. Only when it started to move, did Akira realize he wanted them to continue their way while talking.

That was good, right? It at least gave him some hope that the knight hadn’t realized that he probably fit all criteria.

Sharing a cautious look with Morgana, he fell into step and continued to walk. Maybe the other would get fed up with the slow pace at some point, and ride on without them.

Sakamoto didn't seem to guess at any of the thoughts running through his head, beaming at their surroundings, before addressing them again.

"You two are rather brave to go through the woods alone, you know? Everyone's usually advised to go in groups. Too many things happening lately."

There hadn’t really been a chance to ask for advice before being brought here. In his parent’s kingdom, no one knew anything about the seat of the High King or the surrounding woods. And asking anyone he’d encountered could end up with him being discovered.

"What has been happening? Just so we’ll know if we’re forced to take any of the other paths through it."

Which got him a smile and an approving nod, as if something he’d said had been correct.

Lowering his voice a little, as if suspicious that they’d be overheard by the very woods they’d been talking about, Sakamoto answered his questions.

"It’s mostly people going missing. And some of the wild direwolves going berserk, even though that is mostly contained to the deeper woods. They seem to turn around the moment who or whatever they’re hunting reaches the outskirts or a path."

"People have been going missing?"

The question burst out of Morgana, before Akira could ask. None of the rumors they’d heard had even hinted at it. The courtiers and guards had been advised to stay away from the woods, but he’d thought it had more to do with them not being locals.

"Oh yes, not just here, but in different parts of the woods. Missing, tricked by pixies - even though those people return after a while – abducted, whatever you can think of. Akechi’s doing what he can, but we haven’t been able to find the people responsible."

Akira’s face apparently showed what he thought of all the new information, because he hastily added more, gesticulating between them.

"Don’t worry, with your cat we’re three, that counts as a group! Those are a lot less likely to simply vanish."

Not as comforting as he probably thought it was. But good to know. And another thing to be worried about. How many people hadn’t known that when leaving their homes to start a new life here?

"Excuse me? I’m not just a cat!"

The flustered outburst was accompanied by Morgana jumping to stand on the saddle, which try as he might, didn’t put him on the same level as Sakamoto.

Who, after looking baffled for a moment, started grinning before leaning forward, which would have made him tower over the other if the horses were side by side.

Akira pretended to not be involved in the whole thing, watching the path and being busy holding onto the reins.

"You know that you do look like one, right?"

The absolutely wrong thing to say. Morgana’s voice was now almost a shriek. If there was something lurking in the woods, it was more than aware of them now.

"You have no idea what kind of sorcerer I am! The moment I fulfill my duty, you’ll see what happens to people mocking me! I’m the mighty Morgana, and I’m–"

Which was the usual point Akira stopped listening, having heard that rant several times before. Most often when Futaba or Sojiro had suggested Morgana do something more befitting a cat.

He at least backed down when Akira shot him a look, which probably prevented worse things. Like trying to jump one of Akechi’s knights. The one that was not supposed to find out who he was.

Instead of assaulting him, Morgana settled down again, before starting to grumble under his breath and grooming his fur. Ignoring the snicker his reaction caused.

Which put Akira back into Sakamoto’s focus.

"Where are you heading?"

Time to see if the story the both of them had concocted was believable. He wasn’t sure if the knight had figured them out and was simply playing along to humor them, waiting for the right moment to reveal it, or if they’d truly managed to fool him. Same with the things he’d told them about the woods. Was he trying to keep Akira from fleeing into them, or was his warning true?

"We don’t have a real destination right now. I’m searching for my family."

Sakamoto made an acknowledging sound, a bitten off curse, before he motioned for Akira to continue. A sad kind of understanding on his face. It was probably a rather common occurrence, which is why they’d chosen it.

"Refugees, they fled here when the laws in the other kingdoms became more oppressive. We got separated, and now I’m looking for them."

Technically, not a lie. They weren’t sure where the two had gone, not even sure they’d crossed the border into Akechi’s kingdom, and no clue beyond the fact that Futaba’s mother had originally been from here. But he was searching for them. Two needles in the biggest haystack he could imagine.

"The capital is too overcrowded right now. Even if we went there, we could easily miss them in the commotion, so we thought it would be better if we asked around in the surrounding towns and villages before going there."

It sounded like a plausible excuse in Akira’s opinion. For something they’d come up with in the last few hours, just before they’d been approached by Sakamoto, it was far more believable than simply stumbling around the countryside looking for work.

He got a grave nod in response, Sakamoto looking at the trees, and then at the road ahead. But judging by the expression on his face, he wasn’t seeing a pleasant trail through the woods.

"There’s been a lot of them in the last few years, especially since a few of the surrounding kingdoms doubled down on Shido’s old laws. Some of them try to challenge Akechi with it, some of them think it’s what he actually wants. They’re not even listening, just believe he’s testing them or some other bullshit."

There was anger in those words. Helpless anger, that made Sakamoto grip his own reins tight while talking. Before slowly flexing his fingers and relaxing them. The same way Akira’s shoulders did, when his mood slowly lifted, before he continued.

"But Akechi’s been busy going round and telling them what he means, which helps. It’s slow, but that’s apparently how it works. I’m not really cut out for all the talking and the politics. That’s why I’m more comfortable doing things like this."

This apparently meant the hunt for his King’s future husband, and escorting random strangers through the woods.

The following lull in the conversation could have been comfortable, if Akira wasn’t too aware of every move the other made, ready to bolt at the first sign of realization, the first hint of danger. But nothing happened, him keeping pace with the slow gait of the horses, nothing disturbing the silence, except for the sound of rustling leaves.

"Can you tell us about the High King? Since you’re one of his knights, you know him better than most. We only heard rumors, and you know how those can be."

On one hand, Akira was thankful Morgana had decided his grudge was temporary enough to ask a question, on the other he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer to this particular one. Not that he could escape the conversation now.

Sakamoto made a gesture as if he was throwing something away, clearly showing what he thought of the rumors, before returning to what Akira suspected was his usual sunny demeanor.

"Oh, I know. But in Akechi’s case, they are all absolutely true! Man is a ruthless beast on the battlefield, not afraid to get dirty, and his magic is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I saw Loki rip a man in two, while Akechi laughed!"

Ending the sentence with an almost demonic cackle, that was clearly an imitation of the mentioned laughter.

Akira could only stare.

Even Morgana sounded a little faint when he responded.

"Those… those are pretty much the rumors we heard. Thank you for confirming."

How Sakamoto could still smile after basically calling the king he served a bloodthirsty monster, Akira didn’t know. Too overwhelmed by the admission.

Was the knight that desensitized to cruelty and violence?

He should take it as a hint that he couldn’t get too comfortable. No matter how nice he seemed, how helpful he was, if he lowered his guard too much, let one wrong word slip, or acted in a way that was different to the other’s expectations, he’d be found out and dragged back to fulfill the treaty.

In whatever way they expected. And even though he didn’t know who or what the Loki was that Sakamoto had mentioned, he could guess.

The slight awkwardness the conversation had now descended into, caused more silence between them. Akira chanced another look at Morgana, who gave a slight shrug he disguised as a stretch.

Simply running into the woods became more and more appealing by the minute.  

He fought the urge, and they did manage to cover some distance before he found the silence too oppressive, trying to grasp for a topic he could mention that wouldn’t lead to immediate discovery. 

There was a question he’d been meaning to ask ever since the other had revealed he was one of Akechi’s knights.  

It wouldn’t give anything away, but it still required most of his courage. He wasn’t sure what answer he would get, and if he would like it. Right now, Akira could keep believing that no tragedy had happened, that the one knight he knew was safe and sound. That one day he’d simply woken up and decided he didn’t want to keep associating with the wayward Prince that  he’d met. Akira wanted to believe there was another reason. Something simpler, an explanation he found plausible if he ever managed to find the other again.

The possibility remained that he simply had enough of the nuisance that kept bothering him and thus had abandoned the tourneys that had been the main sources of his income for a more lucrative opportunity.

But if he didn’t ask, he would never know.

"Do you know a knight named–"

Akira looked up, ready to finish the question, when his body reacted before the rest of him did. He wasn’t sure what had tipped him off. If it had been the sudden silence, even the birds unwilling to sing, a movement in the foliage, or simply a foreboding feeling, but with a jump he was sure he would never be able to replicate again, he yanked the knight to the side.

A split-second before an arrow whizzed by, missing its target. Sinking into the ground instead of the shoulder it would have hit.

Despite having been jerked around by Akira, Sakamoto dismounted a lot smoother than expected. The mace already in his hand when he landed on the ground. Frantically turning around, trying to find the one responsible. As if he simply needed a target to be pointed at.

"Who was that? Show yourself!" Sakamoto bellowed into the air when nothing moved, shoving Akira between himself and the horse.

Which was a nice gesture, since he had nothing. No sword, no dagger, nothing in reach that could be used as an improvised weapon. He felt decidedly useless.

And when he turned to check on him, Morgana was nowhere to be seen. The saddle of his horse was empty, no hint that the cat had ever been there.

For a moment, nothing moved, both of them bracing for whatever was going to happen next.

Sakamoto raised a hand towards his face, his eyes darting around wildly, clearly planning something.

And then…

"Not so hasty! You don’t want anything to happen to your new friend, don’t you?"

Something did begin to move at the words. More than a dozen people came into view, a few perched on branches, with the rest stepping out of the underbrush, brandishing their weapons. At least the ones that didn’t have them trained on the two of them.

Too many to evade. Too many to use his luck on. Too many for whatever the knight had been about to do.

"How kind of you to walk directly into my ambush, Sakamoto. It’s just like you to not notice something right in front of you."

Addressed as if they were familiar with each other, and the leader of the ambush being certain that Sakamoto was beneath the speaker’s notice. A sneer in the voice that Akira could recognize despite not seeing the face of the person talking.

"But first, weapons on the ground."

With a look in Akira’s direction, the knight let the mace drop into the dirt, scowling at the trees around them. Showing his empty hands to the men in front of them and then holding them up, gesticulating towards where he suspected the voice to come from.

"There. I dropped it. What do you want? If it’s the horses, just take them and go."

Laughter. From the person that had addressed them, and then from his men, as if taking up his cue.

"You see, Sakamoto, that might have been the plan before I saw who was riding through our territory. But I think the two of you are going to keep us company. At least for a little while."

A figure emerged between the men, heavily clapping the shoulder of one before stepping in the space between them. The black-haired man towered slightly over the others, one hand on the broadsword he’d tied to his belt, the other in the air as if he was presenting himself. His face moved from a sneer to a mocking smirk that promised humiliation and pain.

Akira, whose focus was moving from what was happening in front of them to the knight at his side, caught the moment his expression moved from surprised anger to unbridled hatred as he seemed to recognize who was speaking to them.

"Kamoshida!"

Chapter Text

Sakamoto lunged forward and only Akira's hand snagging his belt kept him from jumping the man in front of them. An action that was pretty likely to result in death or heavy injury. Even if this Kamoshida was unused to handling the sword on his back, the wounds he could cause would be severe.

And that didn't count the other weapons pointed in their direction. One wrong move, and he was sure they wouldn't hesitate.

Akira had no clues as to what to do. He didn't know the man, didn't know the history the two of them obviously shared, and right now, he was pretty much useless. Not even his luck could turn the situation around.

The only chance at an escape would mean leaving the knight behind and at the mercy of the bandits, which his entire being shied away from.

Sakamoto settled down slightly, apparently having realized why he'd been prevented from attacking recklessly. His jaw was now working constantly, teeth grinding, obviously holding curses back, before Akira let go of the knight's belt and he threw a concerned look in his direction. Without doubt worried that they would retaliate by harming him if the other didn't comply.

"Well, Sakamoto? Nothing more to say? And here I thought you'd be happy to see me again. It's been quite some time!"

Kamoshida was now bracing both his hands on his waist, puffing himself up, while glancing back at his men. More than happy to gloat about his perceived advantage.

"What do you want, Kamoshida?"

The words were forced out, the effort to stay calm as well as the anger held at bay clearly heard.

Kamoshida didn't seem to care for it.

"What I want? Nothing much. A warm bed with a beautiful woman in it, wealth and land."

He made a show of pretending to think, rubbing his chin and shooting exaggerated looks at his men, as if waiting for their input, that mainly consisted of jeers, before continuing.

"The rightful king on the throne, and you and his bastard beneath my heel, where you belong."

Kamoshida's smile vanished while he talked and was replaced by a stare of cold disgust. The same happened with his tone, going from mockery and almost jovial to something low and hostile.

During his speech, some of the bandits had circled around them until Akira and the knight were surrounded. Not that they'd been able to escape before. Bows with notched arrows were enough of a deterrent. There were some differences in the way they held themselves, some of them clearly trained with the weaponry they were holding, the rest opting for more blunt instruments. One or two even holding roughly carved clubs, as if raw strength was the most familiar.

"I had nearly all of these things, but you and the other brats couldn't be satisfied with the natural state of things. But fate is a curious thing, isn't it, Sakamoto? First Suzui, now you. Can I expect my men to stumble upon sweet Takamaki next?"

The grin had come back, malicious and dark, the first name that was unfamiliar to Akira emphasized while Kamoshida looked at the knight, who had frozen in shock. But only for a few seconds, after which he suddenly stepped forward, not caring about the threat the bandits posed, screaming with fury while focused solely on Kamoshida.

"You bastard! What did you do to Shiho?"

Then he lunged.

Akira wasn't fast enough this time, his hands only grasping air where Sakamoto had been seconds before. Not that he made it far. In his rage he'd only focused on the leader, forgetting his men all around them.

He got a few steps before crumbling to the forest path, felled by a blow to the back of his head. Cheers and mockery following the action, getting louder when the knight didn’t get back up. The responsible bandit sent a leer in Akira's direction when he reflexively moved to help the fallen man, as if he was daring him to make the same mistake by getting too close. So, he remained where he was, relieved when he could spot signs of Sakamoto only being unconscious, a slow rise and fall of his shoulders that showed he was still breathing.

No blood on the back of his head, the club hadn't broken the skin.

It took him a second too long to realize that he was now more or less alone with the bandits until Kamoshida raised his voice once again, interrupting the chatter of his men.

"He's always been so easy to provoke. A shame he never managed to learn restraint or manners."

All the while theatrically pretending to pity their prone victim.

At least before his focus moved to Akira.

"What's it going to be for you? Are you going to come quietly, or do you want to join him?"

As if he had an actual choice.

When it became clear that he wasn't going to rush in headless like his companion, they were obviously disappointed, but did not do anything more violent than shove him around while taking him prisoner.

They searched through his clothes, finding nothing but the glove in his pockets that they dismissed when he had no second one to complete the pair.

He was lucky they weren't as interested in him as they were in the knight, mostly ignoring him after they made him heave the unconscious body of Sakamoto over the back of his horse. Binding his hands and tethering them to the saddle before nudging him along like an afterthought, too focused on trying to impress their leader than to pay him more attention.

But still far too much attention for him to sneak away. Not that he'd be able to leave, when he wasn't sure what would happen to the knight if he was left alone with the bandits.

There was the possibility that Morgana was watching them from the cover of the forest, waiting for the right moment, when he could help them escape. At least that’s what Akira tried to cling to while he was led into the forest, away from the path and the safety it had so falsely promised.

They walked deeper into the woods than he thought they would, not in the slightest worried about the dangers it was supposed to hold, laughing and talking while the foliage got thicker and larger, the big patches of sunlight becoming small specks that struggled to make it through.

Walking for a while, Akira noticed one of them in regular intervals seeking out specific trees with carved markings in a crude roughed up circle with triangles in the middle and several others sticking out of it. If he squinted, it could vaguely be recognized as an animal, even though he wasn't sure if he was looking at a particular misshapen mouse or a very deformed wolf. Maybe both.

Despite the markings being far too crude to be easily recognizable, one of them would walk up to it and place a hand against the destroyed bark. Once his eyes had gotten used to the dim surroundings, he could make out the faint glow that the markings gave off at the action, and the next set of carvings further away did the same, lighting a path through the woods.

There wasn't much to learn about their captors or to glean from their behavior. They saw no need to discuss with each other how they navigated the forest or who had granted them the knowledge or means. Akira doubted that they'd come up with it on their own, so someone must have taught them how to stay safe while avoiding the dangers lurking in the shadows of the trees.

When they reached the bandit's camp, tent fabric and light being visible before they stepped into a spacious clearing, the first thing he noted was that it was surprisingly far developed, making it evident that they had been staying and living in this part of the woods for quite some time now. It made Akira wonder if the warnings and stories he'd heard about this part of the world were just that - tales to keep foreigners and children from wandering into the confusing labyrinth of dark leaves and needles.

A barrage of stories about the inhabitants and the dangers of the forest had made it past the borders of the High King's seat. Monsters and potent magic, all in one place that seemed to have a life of its own, operating under different laws that one could never truly grasp. The authority of the High King not worth as much, maybe even ending where the woods were darkest. One of the reasons why Akira had tried to stick to the roads, not wanting to take the chance to be whisked away, even if it would have been an easy escape from the fate he expected to meet at Akechi's hands. And Sakamoto's words and the earnest way he'd talked about the woods had confirmed that a certain degree of caution was needed. Maybe not everything he heard about it had been true, but just because he hadn't witnessed any other dangers than the very common one the bandits offered, didn't mean there wasn't anything else to be concerned about waiting beyond the regularly traversed places.

He couldn't see most of the camp, as he was led to the opposite edge of it. Sakamoto's body being unceremoniously shoved off the horse and bouncing once before coming to rest on the ground. Still unconscious, which probably was for the best. From the little he'd learned through their captor's conversation, they were all united in their disdain and hate for the High King and his knights, eager to vent their frustrations now that they had one of them in their grasp and to be able to take him down a notch.

Thankfully, they weren't interested in harming him while he was unconscious. Besides simply throwing him around none too gently. Instead, the both of them were ignored beyond some lazy glances being thrown their way by one of the several bandits that hovered close, sprawled out around a restarted fire.

Trying to stay still and patient felt like torture, but the less attention he was paid, the better.

The occasional looks grew less, their attention either taken by food, some of them even retiring to sleep early before leaving for their tents.

With a roll of his shoulder that could be taken as him trying to get comfortable where he was sitting slouched against a tree, Akira let his fingers brush the top of the grass.

Just a little bit of luck, focused on the ground around him searching for a previously overlooked jagged rock, a shard of something equally sharp or, in the luckiest case, a forgotten dagger.

As always, he could tell that something was happening, even though the feeling of luck flowing out was hard to describe. According to Morgana, or more accurately Futaba, who had conducted a few tests once he'd shared what his gift was, he had the magical abilities of a brick, and not of the thrown variety. In short, he would never be a sorcerer. Which wasn't a bad thing in itself. The fate of most people, in fact.

Except that for some reason, his gift had filled the gap. It had apparently been the reason for the faint magic traces that were detected in the traditional ceremony after the birth of a potential heir. Akira was sure that his parents would have never allowed him to even be considered their successor if further tests hadn't revealed his gift to be weak. Not that they had, despite going through the farce of naming him such without ever planning to follow through.

Just when he thought he felt something half-stuck in the ground, something moved in the corner of his eye, breaking his concentration and leading to him losing whatever he'd been reaching for. There was obviously something there that fit what he'd been searching, but now he'd need to start his search over, or extend more luck to cut it short.

It took a moment to realize that it wasn't one of the bandits coming to check on them that had surprised him, but the unconscious figure next to him stirring awake.

"Sakamoto? How are you feeling?"

The knight groaned while writhing in the dirt before he figured out how to move with his hands bound. Slowly twisting to get himself into a sitting position and moving back until he could slump against a tree stump. Keeping his eyes closed, he let his head be supported by it, his face scrunched up in pain when he finally addressed Akira.

"Have been better. Please call me Ryuji. Far too many people I can’t stand use my family name."

An easy request to follow. He certainly didn't mind doing so.

"Should be alright in a few minutes, just need the world to stop tipping to the side."

Worrying, but he couldn't do more than look at the place Ryuji had gotten hit, some swelling visible through his hair, but nothing that hinted at more damage. They wouldn't know until they'd got to a healer, and Akira doubted the bandits had anything of the sort in their camp. And even if, they probably wouldn't want to take a look at one of Akechi's knights.

There was no time to take his search back up, as something began to move in the camp. He recognized the form of Kamoshida confidently strutting towards them, a few of his underlings in tow, their smirks already far too foreboding.

Despite having just slumped against the tree stump, Ryuji tried to sit up and pretend that he was alright, squaring his shoulders as much as he could while having his hands tied behind his back.

"Don't worry, Sakamoto, I'm not here for you right now."

It was the first thing Kamoshida said once he recognized that he was awake, his focus immediately wandering back to Akira. Which he really didn't like. Same way he wasn't too thrilled about the words that followed.

"But I do have some questions for your new friend, so I'll be taking him with me for a bit."

The bandits that had escorted their leader didn't hesitate for a second, but grabbed Akira and pulled him up by his shoulders before they set him on his feet, not even a word of warning before they pushed to encourage him into a specific direction.

It turned out to be the same place Kamoshida was now heading back to, the two biggest tents in the clearing, one of them looking like a patchwork of colorful fabrics until one got closer and saw that the tent itself was covered in blankets, rugs and banners, while the other reminded Akira of the ones wealthier knights had been using for tourneys, taking up space to showcase their importance and wealth. Because the work of keeping them warm had to be usually done by servants or squires.

Both tents were separated from the rest and they were the only ones that had guards stationed in front of them. Not that they looked very attentive, or overjoyed to be stuck with the task.

The more colorful tent was their destination. As he got closer, he could recognize that the different fabrics didn't even cover the whole tent, leaving gaps close to the ground. More a show of decadence than trying to keep the interior warm. Pushed forward once more, this time by Kamoshida himself, who had been waiting for him to catch up, he took a step inside and was immediately proven the opposite. And if the man hadn't stood at his back, he'd have stumbled backwards just to get another lungful of fresh and clean air.

The inside of the tent was boiling hot, two braziers smoldering away, the smoke leaving a sickly-sweet aroma behind that stuck to the inside of his nose and mouth.

Sitting on the other side of the tent was a man that was almost swallowed by the plethora of clothes he wore. A heavy winter cloak with an elaborate fur trim on top, two different styles of vests, shirts, and other clothing articles he could not fully recognize, almost forming a cocoon around the man. Golden chains and other trinkets hanging from his neck and wrists, as well as several rings on his fingers.

Pretty obvious, that it was all stolen finery from their previous victims.

A wooden box was resting on his lap, his hands clasping the lid, as if he'd been peeking into it before being interrupted by their entrance. Not wanting them to see the contents.

He had no idea who the man was, or why his beady little eyes looked at him as if Akira had some gold bars hidden in his clothes. It was foreboding in a way that gave him chills, despite feeling as if he was slowly starting to boil.

Behind him, Kamoshida was still standing, blocking the exit, so it was only the three of them. Gesturing to the other man when he caught Akira looking back.

"This is Kaneshiro, my business partner, generously taking me and my men in when we needed a place after the bastard took the throne. By now I'm sure that we've returned his investment in us threefold."

Smug again, as if he'd been the executor of a great plan that no one had ever thought of. Leaving society behind and living as vagabonds didn't seem like such a feat to Akira. It was probably the most straightforward solution to most problems. The only thing that held most people back were their bonds or the knowledge that they wouldn't be able to survive, their skills or manpower lacking.

Especially when they, for some unfathomable reason, remained loyal to the tyrant that had occupied the throne before Akechi. He couldn't imagine what they might have done in that man's name. Even worse that he now had to suffer their company until he found a relatively safe way to escape.

Both of their focus was now on him, and he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"We know what you are."

They did? Akira was pretty sure he’d carried nothing that hinted at his identity.

A thought he immediately had to revise, stomach starting to churn with dread, when Kaneshiro opened the box on his lap, picking up and holding a far too familiar ring into the air. Mockingly waving it in his direction.

He hadn't expected them to find it. Had thought the hidden pocket would suffice to keep this particular secret from coming to light. Being unwilling to leave it behind had now made things worse.

"Look what we found in your saddlebags. You should think of better hiding spots, you thief."

Oh. Sure. That was by far the better conclusion than them figuring out that the ring actually belonged to him. There was no knowing what they would do if they thought they had a prince in their midst. No matter how unimportant he was.

"Yes, of course. A thief."

He tried not to let the relief that he felt color his voice. Thinking that he'd stolen the ring was preferable to them assuming he was the owner. And since his chosen crest was unknown and couldn't mean anything to them, they must have assumed that it belonged to some minor noble that had the misfortune of running into him.

Which, compared to the nobles living around or close to the High King's seat, Akira was. Despite the title his parents held - an archaic naming convention with its roots from a time before the High King - their lands were nothing more than a wealthy viscounty. Without the marriage to the High King, he'd go back to a very forgettable rank that only nobles in the outer lands cared about.

Not that he'd ever be welcomed back home after this, even if there was a way to return without drawing the ire of several kingdoms. Which wasn't something he needed to care about right now. For all intents and purposes, he was the simple thief they believed him to be.

"You can call yourself lucky."

He had to hold back a snort. This had nothing to do with luck. Not even his own. Nothing about this day was in any way, shape, or form, lucky.

If he'd bolted into the woods at the first hint of someone riding along that forest path, this might have not happened at all. Maybe he'd be dancing with some fairies instead.

And be unable to stop until he dropped dead. It was that kind of day.

"We do have a generous offer for you."

Kaneshiro held the ring up and let it catch the dim light the braziers gave off as he talked, using a tone similar to Kamoshida's.

"This proves that you must be at least a little capable. We'd let you go, so you can deliver the news of the knight being with us, and tell Akechi our demands. Either he'll agree to them - which we doubt - or he'll send his men to get rid of us."

That was very likely to happen. No ruler would react kindly to one of his knights being kidnapped. Possibly two, if he thought back to the sentence that had caused Ryuji's rage.

"And you're going to lead them right into our trap. They'll get lost the minute they step into the woods and we can get rid of them one by one."

Not a very good plan. It did sound very unlikely that they'd get separated or lost if they simply followed-

Ah. They didn't think anyone could figure it out by simply watching them. Akira was pretty sure that if he explained the carvings and how the bandits seemed to use them to navigate the forest to the king's sorcerers, there'd be nothing stopping Akechi and his knights from storming this hideout and making sure none of them could ever ambush any traveler ever again.

There was just one problem.

Him getting sent back into the High King's jaws.

There was also the question of them believing him and not immediately sending him to the altar to go through with the marriage, so he could be sacrificed to whatever monstrous appetite ruled the man leading the kingdom.

Ryuji did seem like a nice and earnest man that was loyal to his king. And there was some familiarity and trust in the way he'd spoken of Akechi. But the words themselves did not instill a lot of confidence in Akira.

Had people just accepted what happened in that throne room? Just took it as a given that their king was a ruthless beast as the knight had put it? Was it necessary to keep everything running smoothly?

But leaving Ryuji to his fate, alone with people that hated him, felt wrong. He'd done nothing to Akira, had been ready to escort him and Morgana through the woods and even tried to shield him, when he didn't have to.

So, he said nothing, before shaking his head in refusal.

His silence during their proposal had already not been well-received by Kaneshiro and Kamoshida. The mood in the tent got colder and colder despite the heat, turning into frost when he mutely shook his head.

A heavy hand dropped onto his shoulder.

"Don't worry, we're going to be patient. I'm sure one night spent as our guest will make you reconsider."

Without any other word, he was swiftly dragged back and dropped on the ground close to where he'd been sitting before. Perfect. Meant that he could continue his search and try to find the sharp edge he'd touched before. Hopefully before they decided that the both of them would be fitting entertainment.

Ryuji was looking at him in concern, clearly searching for signs that he'd been roughed up while being taken away. All the while ignoring the fact that a slight purple was now spreading from where he'd been struck. The pain radiating from it had to be searing.

"Are you hurt?"

He shook his head. They clearly weren't interested in hurting him. Not yet, at least. He was sure it would be different if he repeatedly refused their offer of working for them.

All the more reason to work on their escape. The knight seemed to be in agreement, leaning closer in an attempt to not be overheard by their captors.

"We have to get away from here!"

Akira agreed with a nod, already distracted by the forest floor once more. His luck seeping into the ground, aiding his search. Now that he had something he could focus on, it would be easier.

"Do you think there's a way I can get my hands on a weapon?"

Concentration broken; he looked up. He doubted that this plan was in any way feasible. The numbers were not in their favor. And they had an escape route right at their back. But it couldn't hurt to offer.

"Not really. But if we can get any, I'll be able to help."

The knight eyed him in a way that made it clear he didn't believe a word Akira said. Not that he would tell him more. He also doubted that there would be an opportunity to grab a couple of unattended weapons.

It did smart a bit, but being underestimated was more suitable than people knowing how capable he was. Even if that immediately made him hear Crow's voice in his head, telling him that he'd never been in a true fight to the death, and was thus probably a lot less useful than he thought.

"Some of them are former knight recruits that Kamoshida brought in. Shido probably made them knights to bolster the numbers when the rest of us left without warning and joined the rebellion."

That explained their continued loyalty to the former High King, but it also made their situation worse. And the plan of fighting through them less possible. A fact Ryuji seemed to recognize as he explained, his head falling back against the tree stump, making him wince, before he morosely stared at what their captors were doing.

"We can't just sit here and wait."

They wouldn't. All he needed were a few uninterrupted minutes to search the ground. To get past the pebbles and sticks, to let his luck direct him to something usable, just sharp enough for his purposes.

It should have been somewhere around the roots, maybe a dagger someone had flung at the tree, or a-

"There you are! I've been looking for the two of you for hours!"

Giving up once again, he was only briefly annoyed until he recognized who the voice belonged to. The whisper followed the body of a cat, sneaking effortlessly between the branches to rub his head against Akira's arm before he could feel him pawing at the knots keeping his hands tied. Sadly, they were too tight, so he couldn't simply unravel them.

There was a bit of shame at the utter surprise he felt that Morgana had come back. For some reason he hadn't thought he would, despite his friend sticking with him through the whole mess so far.

"Couldn't you simply follow us?" hissed Ryuji, louder than he should have for their current situation. But a look around confirmed that none of the bandits paid them any mind, instead breaking out bottles, wineskins, and other things to celebrate their success today.

From their point of view it probably looked like the knight was talking to him, so it was of no consequence.

There still was no need to start a fight just because they could. Morgana couldn't have done much even if he'd stuck by their side, and as far as Akira knew, had never navigated a forest this large.

"There's something sharp stuck in the ground behind me. Can you get it out?" he asked, stopping them in their tracks.

It only took a few seconds for Morgana to locate the object he'd meant, and before he knew it, he was holding a long metal shard. A broken blade someone had probably thrown aside without much care. Sharp enough that he could saw through the ropes. He just needed a little time. And once he was rid of them, freeing Ryuji would take seconds.

"Should I try and get someone to help?" asked Morgana, hesitant in a way he hadn't often witnessed. Clearly not wanting to leave, but aware that he was powerless right now. Something his friend had always hated.

But if he could find someone at the edge of the forest, hunters, guards, other knights, there was a chance that the bandits wouldn't follow them. The hassle too big.

"There are carvings. In the trees. If you come across someone with magic, they can probably activate them to find their way here. But please be careful." They didn't know if using them would alert the men in the camp.

"We'll try to get out of here once it gets dark. Shouldn't you find anyone, we can meet at the edge of the forest."

No need for Morgana to put himself in danger. And, in case they couldn't make it out, Akira guessed that as a last resort, he would try and get the information to King Akechi that his betrothed and one of his knights had been taken prisoner by deserters. If that wasn't going to move them, nothing would. Even though he hoped they wouldn't have to take such drastic measures.

"Please don't do anything reckless!"

Before he could tell Morgana that there was no way to promise that, not with the offer Kamoshida and Kaneshiro had made hanging over his head, the cat had vanished. A rustle of leaves the only clue that he had been there.

And the metal shard clutched in his left hand.

Getting rid of the ropes now would be too soon. The sun was still too high, their captors still too alert. Slipping away under the cover of darkness gave them a chance to disappear without a trace. Or at least manage to get far enough away that catching up would be impossible.

Which meant they had to wait. Only a little longer.

It was getting closer and closer to dusk. Shadows getting longer, the air taking on a slight chill. Nothing had happened in the meantime, except a few mean-spirited comments thrown in their direction, that Akira drowned out by trying to come up with a plan.

Not a good one. But one that was feasible in their current situation.

Instead of following his example, Ryuji had cursed all of them out in various ways and almost got into a shouting match with one of them. Luckily, it hadn't become more, as Kamoshida had apparently forbidden his men to lay a finger on them, which they still followed. But Akira had no idea how long that would last.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Kamoshida stepped out of his tent, talking and laughing with some of his men before walking and stopping at a campfire and doing the same there. Bolstering morale? Or trying to get showered in praise?

It certainly left his men in a good mood, cheering when he left them behind, his steps purposefully leading him to where the two of them were seated. Akira'd expected mocking comments, insults towards him and Ryuji, or trying to provoke the latter into a rage again for the sole amusement of doing so.

What he didn't see coming was Kamoshida gripping a handful of his cloak and shirt, dragging Akira up until he was nearly standing at full height. This close, the sudden smell of cheap beer was overwhelming, making him close his eyes out of reflex, sure that they would water if he kept them open.

"Think you're too good for us since you got into the pockets of a noble, do you?"

He braced himself for a hit. Right now, they couldn't do more than take whatever pain he wanted to inflict on them. Even with his hands free, trying to stab him would probably not end well. All he could do was clutch the metal shard tighter, hoping he didn't cut himself in the process.

"Let him go, Kamoshida! You have me, there's no need to keep him here."

It was a valiant effort, and spoke to Ryuji's character that he was still more concerned about Akira than himself, hoping that the bandits would find a shred of decency deep in their souls. But appealing to their better nature and their sworn oaths as knights was useless. His presence and the fact he'd spoken were far more effective in getting Kamoshida's attention than the words he'd said. The grip on Akira's shirt loosened and he was unceremoniously dropped back onto the ground. The man's focus was now on Ryuji, his presence almost forgotten as he tried to scramble upright. Not completely, with how close Kamoshida still stood.

"I wouldn't be so worried about your new friend, Sakamoto. Don't you know? You've been traveling with a thief! Looks like we did an actual good deed and saved you from being robbed of your belongings!"

So that's one of the ways they thought they'd get him to agree to their plan. Turn his only possible ally against him with the truth of who he was.

"Maybe we should do something about his bad habits. That'd be our duty as knights, right?"

He'd expected to be kicked and had braced himself accordingly. Instead, Kamoshida simply stepped forward. His boot settled on top of his right hand. Not leaning his full weight on it, avoiding a break. Pain flared through his fingers, the pressure making his digits bend, but not break, not yet, and all he could do was grunt as Kamoshida shifted his weight, slowly grinding his foot back and forth. Keeping the metal clutched in his other hand, hoping, wishing, that Kamoshida wouldn't notice what he was hiding.

"Actually, a rather lenient punishment. In some towns it's still customary to take fingers or the whole hand off. Maybe that's what we're going to do tomorrow."

The pressure thankfully lessened at some point and Akira cautiously flexed his fingers against the forest floor. Nothing broken, even though he was sure Kamoshida would have liked there to be more than bruises and broken skin. With the way he eyed Akira, foot still in the air, he would try until he had the results he wanted.

"You bastard! Let him go! Once Akechi hears that you're still within the borders, you know he'll hunt every last one of you down!"

Again, Ryuji managed to shift the attention from Akira to himself. As if he'd used the same tactic numerous times before.

"He has to find us first. Do you really think anyone misses you, Sakamoto? That brat Akechi might have named you a knight, but everyone knows you never should have been one. Without your powers you'd still be a squire scrubbing my quarters."

Akira forgotten, he walked towards Ryuji, clearly not finished. His foot playfully nudged down against Ryuji's knee, a wide grin overtaking his face.

"Do I have to remind you what I'm capable of?"

The foot came down again with purpose. A stomp. Akira saw the break before he heard it. The crack of the bone splitting was deafening in his ears, while Ryuji had gone as white as a sheet.

But no sound was leaving him, the absence of the insults he'd hurled at Kamoshida more foreboding than a scream of pain would have been.

Ryuji fell to the side, face still white before he seemed to press it into his own shoulder, and when Akira shifted to get a better look, see if he could help, but unsure what to do, he saw that Ryuji was biting the fabric of his shirt, muffling the screams of agony that escaped him. Obviously not wanting to give Kamoshida the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain. The man's face told him as much, looking displeased at the writhing form of the knight, before he noticed Akira's horrified stare.

"Worried? Don't be. He's been through that before. Either he bears the pain or he cries like the little bitch he is. You should be more concerned about losing your fingers."

He lingered on the last word, relishing in the way he loomed over the both of them, clearly enjoying that they were at his mercy.

"Rethinking your choice already? Joining us is still on the table."

"Don't you dare. Whatever they're offering you, they're lying," Ryuji suddenly gasped out, face still white as a sheet. But his eyes burned with a stubbornness and defiance that belied the position he was in.

A kick from Kamoshida. This time hitting Ryuji's side, resulting in a pained grunt and him curving into himself, trying to protect himself from more damage. Breaking their eye contact.

Akira wasn't about to change his mind, but if he had, this would have given him pause. Instead he said nothing, only staring in horrified disgust at the man still towering over them. Kamoshida let out a huff of laughter before chuckling to himself as if Ryuji had said something particularly amusing.

"Believe what you want. At least we can offer him something. We'll see if you're a little more agreeable tomorrow. I can't wait to try and hear you hold your screams in."

With that, he sauntered away, the chuckle becoming a full-blown laugh that was echoed by the bandits he walked past, snatching a wineskin from one of them.

"Can I do something to help?" asked Akira, pretty sure the answer would be no. No magic meant he couldn't heal Ryuji, and not being able to use his hands limited his options severely.

The other's face was slowly regaining color and judging from the rhythm of his breathing he was trying to manage the pain through it, the hitches in it accompanied by shudders that shook his whole body.

"Just… give me a moment," he got out after more slow breaths, curling together even tighter.

A moment turned into several, turned into hours, until it was more than dark enough. Ryuji had continued to slowly breathe through the pain, at one point sitting up and going back to leaning against a tree, making choked sounds whenever he accidentally moved his leg

Akira had been carefully sawing away at the rope restraining his hands. Starting and stopping based on how much attention was paid to the both of them. By the time they finally fell apart, their surroundings were hard to make out without the light of a torch. But it would be enough to navigate between the trees and escape possible pursuers. Delaying further wouldn't help them. They had to leave before Kamoshida became bored. Or his men wanted to have their own turn picking on them.

Slipping out of his cloak, he arranged it mimicking the form of a person curled into themselves to sleep on the ground. It was a poor way to try and disguise him slipping away, but if his luck held, they wouldn't notice.

When Ryuji saw him moving, he perked up from where he sat slumped against the tree, uncharacteristically quiet. At least compared to his behavior before the injury. It had worried him a little, but he wasn't sure if there was anything he could do.

"What are you doing?" he asked after observing Akira's actions for a while, not happy with what he was seeing, judging by his tone and the disappointment showing on his face. Akira couldn't fault him for possibly jumping to the conclusion that he was going to abandon him, now that he was injured.

"I promise I'll come back. They have something I need to get back first."

Not a good explanation, but he wouldn't elaborate.

It wasn't his brightest idea, but there was no way he could escape without his ring. Leaving it in the hands of a bunch of sleazy bandits that thought they were following the orders of a king that had been killed over two and a half years ago, was unthinkable.

Ryuji said nothing, clearly conflicted at his words, not too happy at the prospect of letting him go. Akira couldn't blame him, especially after Kamoshida had named him a thief in front of the knight. But even if he disagreed, he couldn't stop Akira. Not with a broken knee.

"Be careful." was what he finally settled on.

All Akira did in response was nod before stepping between the trees, reaching out for his luck once more, wrapping it around himself like the cloak he left behind.

This wasn't any different from sneaking out of his parent's castle. The thought wasn't as comforting as he hoped it would be, not with the consequences possibly being more severe than being confined to a room for disobedience.

Even if his luck hadn't helped him along, making it to the tents would have been easy. Most of the bandits half-asleep or drunk. Only lazily gazing into the direction they'd put him and Ryuji every once in a while. Them not reacting meant that his poor try at a disguise actually worked. Or worked under these circumstances. He was sure it'd be different if his luck wasn't involved.

Kaneshiro hadn't stepped out of his tent once during the time they'd been here, so there was no hope for a better opportunity.

He'd been ready to cut the tent and the fabric that covered it, but that wasn't necessary. All he needed to do was carefully lift it while laying down, to peer at the insides. Making sure that there was no one but the one person he expected to see there.

At first, he couldn't see the man anywhere, every instinct screaming at him to leave immediately the way he came, but he fought the urge, not ready to give up when he'd come this far. Maybe he'd at least left the box behind.

Only then did he recognize what he was seeing. And hearing, once the snores made it through the initial panic.

Kaneshiro was asleep. Stretched out where he'd been sitting during Akira's first visit to the tent, buried further into the fabrics he'd almost swaddled himself in. The braziers filled with a few last struggling embers that gave off enough light to navigate the space.

Not overthinking the lucky coincidence, he crawled into the still stuffy air that closed around him the moment he was fully inside. Making his way over to the sleeping form of the man. The wooden box wasn't far, right next to him on the ratty divan he'd used like a throne during the day.

He had to count himself really lucky that Kaneshiro hadn't deemed the ring worthy enough to be worn. Akira doubted that he'd manage to pull it from his fingers, no matter how much of his gift he used.

Opening the wooden box that held his treasures was far easier, even with the man's fingers latching onto the side. As long as he didn't try to remove the lid from his grasp, he continued snoring away, content with the world. Not minding Akira’s hand moving towards the blinking little trinkets.

The ring was thankfully still visible despite having shifted to the side through the box being jostled. But maybe that was also influenced through his gift and the desperate need to get it back. He would have left it behind had he known who it'd be found by.

Holding his breath, he carefully closed his hand, felt coins, jewels and brooches shift around it, until he was sure he had a tight grip on it all.

On Kaneshiro's next snore, he pulled his hand back, wincing at the tinkling of coins filling the hole he'd left in the mountain of treasures. But if this was all he could take with him, it had to be enough to make it a few days. If possible, pay for a healer to treat Ryuji's leg.

Crawling back out of the tent, ears focused on the snoring that followed him back out into the fresh air, which he gladly breathed in while slowly creeping back to the trees were Ryuji was waiting for him.

No alarm had been raised at his absence, the lump of his cloak in the same place he left it.

He was overextending his gift, Akira knew he was doing so, but there was nothing else he could do. It just needed to last him a little bit longer, a few minutes, to get Ryuji out of his bindings and make it out of the camp before anyone noticed.

Ryuji's ropes fell away with a single swipe of the metal shard, and he hastily grabbed his cloak, fastening it around his neck again. Then he reached down to help the knight up.

"Shouldn't we splint your leg somehow?" he whispered as Ryuji grabbed his hand and heaved himself up, the pain at the movement plainly visible on his face.

Akira was sure he could find a branch somewhere that had about the right length. It wouldn't be the most ideal solution, but he'd be able to limp. Right now, he was unsure if the other could even do one step.

"Not enough time, we can take care of that once we're out of here."

Ryuji kept grimacing as he righted himself, batting Akira's hands away once he was upright, leaning against the tree for a few seconds, breathing deeply before stepping forward with a determined look on his face.

His leg held. A slight limp every other step, almost unnoticeable when one wasn't looking as intently as Akira did right now, but it worked as if Kamoshida had never been near it.

"This will have to do, come follow me!"

"How?" Was all he frantically whispered in Ryuji's direction, not able to contain his curiosity,as he followed him with hurried steps away from the camp, throwing one last look behind himself to affirm that no one was following them. He'd never seen a broken limb behave this way, and he was pretty sure it shouldn't.

"My gift. Should be good until we're in the clear, but after that we need to deal with it."

He was also rather sure they shouldn't just ignore the fact it was broken, even if the other could use his gift in such a way, but Akira doubted the knight would stop, no matter how much he insisted.

They needed to get away, and the more distance they could get between themselves and the camp, the better. Even if they had a way to navigate their part of the forest, it couldn't account for every direction.

The exhaustion came right as he felt his gift give out. It left him stumbling over a root, catching himself at the last possible moment. A sudden absence of the well of magic he usually dipped into, not even a trickle that he could use to sway things in his favor. Continuing to reach for it made him feel sick, and he remembered Morgana's warning about overexertion and the consequences it could bring.

It wasn't immediate, but the shortly after his luck ran out, he could hear the bandits start to notice that something wasn't right. The veil of his magic that had kept them from seeing their disappearance had been ripped away. Yelling things he couldn't focus on, too busy making sure that Ryuji didn't fall behind.

They hadn't made it far enough, the lights still easily visible behind them, the silhouettes of their pursuers illuminated by flickering torches that came slowly closer. The direction they'd gone in was easy to guess, which meant it was only a matter of time until they got caught.

"Shit!"

Akira skidded to a halt when Ryuji suddenly stopped with a curse, stumbling a few steps, nearly falling to the floor. He slumped against the nearest tree, cursing as his leg gave out and he had to scramble against the bark to stay upright.

They should have taken the time to get it splinted. It was too late now.

With a determined set to his jaw, face showing the effort it took, Ryuji took a deep breath and stepped away from the tree, wobbling a little, but his leg kept him upright.

But the step he'd taken was in the wrong direction, towards the lights and the bandits on their tail. Instead of following him, he turned his head slightly to address Akira.

"Run! I'll keep them occupied!"

And how did he plan to do that? He was one person! Without weapons. No match for any of them, especially with his leg.

Instead of following the command, Akira remained where he was, prepared to grab him, so he could drag him further along if he had to. Maybe there'd be some roots they could hide under. A last drop of luck he could use.

For a moment, Ryuji simply stood there, as if he'd decided to give up and let himself be captured. Watched their pursuers come closer, their yells getting louder once they spotted them. Then he raised a hand to his face. Stilled for a moment and, in a sudden movement, jerked his arm to the side, as if ripping something away.

Electricity crackled in the air.

When it happened, it wasn’t subtle. Or gentle. It was an outright explosion of magic, as if Ryuji had pulled the plug that had stoppered it all in.

So much of it that Akira could taste it on his tongue.

As terrifying as he imagined it to be. As violent as the tales told. Leaving his skin crawling with the force of it.

And worse, something in him responded to it.

Like something unfurling in his mind, taking an interest in what was happening. A feeling similar to recognition flashing through him, even though he couldn’t put his finger on why it did.

Thundering wrath unloaded onto the forest around them, screams and flashes of light filling the space as if they were touchable entities. Never directly hitting anyone, but setting obstacles on fire and shocking the ones that had caught up, flinging them away.

The source of it was a large skeleton that now hovered above Ryuji, hurling more lightning at the knight’s words. Sometimes pointing in the same way his summoner did.

As if Akira's thoughts were heard, the head of the skeleton turned, the onslaught of lightning not ceasing. The empty eye sockets found him immediately, contrary to the blindness a skull should suffer from. His attention split between the bandits becoming fewer, the forest being hit with this force of nature summoned through magic, and the clearly Infernal being that was responsible for it.

Again, something in him, his magic, his core, his very being recognized the demon that Sakamoto had called. Recognized it and shuddered. In anticipation or excitement, he couldn't say.

Empty eye sockets beckoning him closer, to get lost in the red gleam that originated in the darkness beyond.

Juste when he was about to step closer, there was a sudden army of voices in his head. Screaming, clamoring for attention, that he could not make out any of the words they were saying. All he could feel was searing pain, the cacophony unrelentingly hammering against his skull, that he was sure it would crack the bones and his mind with the pressure that was now everywhere.

Covering his ears did nothing, no, it made everything worse, more and more voices joining, louder and louder, every cadence occupied, thousands of hot irons being sunk into his brain.

Akira wasn’t sure if he screamed, wasn’t sure if the world around him had ceased to be, except for the pain and noise he couldn’t escape.

He had to get away. He couldn’t be here. He…

He turned around and fled into the night.

Chapter Text

Akira tripped through the undergrowth, branches and thorns snagging on his clothing, whipping into his face, hindering his sight and movement. He didn’t care, couldn’t care when he was running for his life. Fear suffused him, crawled its way into every crevice of his being, the only action possible to try and outrun it.

But how was he supposed to run from something that was inside of him?

The feeling of terror at what had transpired hadn’t lessened. The skeletal demon had seen him, had recognized him. And something in Akira, maybe his gift, maybe his soul, maybe the part that felt like his sleepwalking dreams, had recognized it in turn. And then the noise, the voices. He couldn’t explain what had happened, why it had made him feel this way, but even when the screams in his head ceased, the fear remained, and continued slithering through his very essence like something that didn’t belong, that wasn’t his own. But no matter how he pushed against it, it drove him further and further away from where he could hear the lightning still raining down onto the forest.

Almost as if it was bound to happen, he tripped. Fell into the underbrush as if his strings were cut, his hands scrambling forward to try and get his balance back, or to catch him, but all it accomplished was him falling face forward into the moss and grass below.

The terror was as strong as it had been the moment the being that heeded Ryuji's command had turned, but where his mind had only known flight, he now froze. As if paralyzed, his limbs unable to move, body prone on the ground. He willed himself to become one with the forest floor, to sink into it and be forgotten. Heart hammering out of his chest, waiting for something to happen.

And then - suddenly - nothing.

As if commanded, the fear that had slithered into the deepest recesses drained out of him, taking with it the urge to run to the ends of the earth, to stay still and hide until the danger had passed.

Like a veil had lifted, taking the unnatural emotion with it. It left Akira unsettled, his bodx shivering.

Wiping away whatever might be clinging to his face after his tumble to the ground with his arm, Akira found that he could move again, taking the chance to first look up and then around.

The forest was still.

What had happened? And why had it stopped?

No sign of Ryuji or the lightning storm he'd summoned, nothing that hinted at the presence of any other beings, not even the usual sounds of the night surrounding him. As if this was an entirely different forest. Deserted of everything living except for the wind that made him shiver despite the cloak he was still wearing.

Trying to slow his breathing and heartbeat, he focused on the forest floor right before him. The effects of whatever had overcome him still lingered, trying to send him into a different kind of panic. As if freezing water had been poured over his head and made him come back to his senses, only to disappear before his body had registered all the sensations, leaving him struggling to cope with the situation.

"You should get up."

With a yelp, he sat up, hand going for his belt. Only to realize that nothing was there. No dagger sheath or other weapon. He had no idea where the metal shard had ended up, but he assumed that he'd probably dropped it earlier without noticing.

Two children were standing right in front of him. Girls, wearing something that reminded him of the dress uniforms that guards usually wore on special occasions or during festive periods. The different hairstyles of their blonde, nearly white hair the only thing making him able to differentiate the two. As well as the angry scowl on the face of the left one, setting her apart from the indifferently pursed lips of the right.

He hadn't heard them approaching. No breaking of twigs, squish of moss or rustle of clothing had announced the arrival of the two little figures before him.

"Our master is waiting for you."

They looked at him as if they expected him to know what their words meant. As if he should be aware of who their master was and should be honored that he was expected.

"Your master?" he echoed, uncertain what to think. Things had been happening so suddenly, Akira's head was futilely trying to catch up with everything that had transpired. He'd been fleeing from the bandits and whatever Ryuji had done to slow them down. Summoning one of the demons he had heard so much about. It didn't feel entirely real.

"Yes, our master. No idea why he's bothering with a rude trespasser like you," said one of the girls, holding her nose high and sniffing once. "But he wants to make your acquaintance and so we're here to fetch you."

Crossing her arms impatiently and staring down at him, as if that would make him move faster.

There was nothing he could do but erstwhile follow their demand, pretty sure that he wasn't able to refuse. They were clearly not human, and displeasing them was the last thing he wanted.

Even though he hadn’t grown up next to the woods, the stories of what was lurking in between the trees were famous all over the continent. Not only the rumors and reports that his parents received, but also through the common people that traveled through their kingdom. Performers eagerly shared their stories in the marketplace, when it had become clear that those weren’t allowed to be told in the Palace. Unless they managed to connect it to their craft. There had been a sudden increase in plays when it became known that those were somehow always welcome in his parent's court.

He really hoped his thoughts about faerie feasts earlier in the day weren't about to become reality.

But they didn't look as if they'd accept a refusal. And for some reason, he was pretty sure he'd end up right in front of them if he tried to run in the opposite direction.

He stood up with careful, measured movements, trying to see if he'd injured anything when he'd tumbled to the ground. Thankfully, none of the pain got worse, just the normal ache after a fall remaining, accompanied by the steady throbbing of his left hand, the scrapes and bruises now feeling worse. Them being covered in dirt probably didn't help. He tried to brush off the worst of it, from his clothes and skin, but he wasn't sure if he'd managed. Without water, not too much he could do.

The girls watched him, the left one impatiently shifting her weight from one leg to the other, face getting increasingly angrier.

"What are your names?"

Highly impolite to ask without telling them his name. But it wasn't something he wanted to risk.

The fidgeting of the girl on the left ceased and in an impressive show of synchronicity, they both furrowed their brows at the same time, taking a moment to think, as if they had forgotten them.

After pondering in silence for a while, the girl on the right finally moved to introduce them, falling into a shallow bow, the other hastily joining.

"I'm Justine and this is my sister Caroline. We should move. Our master does not like to wait." Immediately back to being serious and aloof, face as emotionless as a stone carving. While she at first glance seemed more approachable because of her calmer demeanor, her words were clipped and made clear that she expected to be obeyed.

She didn't ask for his name or anything else after answering his question, but simply grabbed her sister by the hand before they started to walk ahead, not turning around to look at him. Expecting him to follow.

So, he fell into step behind them. Following their silhouettes deeper and deeper into the forest.

Despite the darkness, their steps were purposeful. They obviously knew where to go, could probably see without light, only stopping to wait for him to catch up. Sometimes he caught the one that kept her hair tightly coiled, smirking when he struggled to follow the path they were taking, but she didn't say anything.

Both of them didn't seem to want to talk, their task obviously not extending past finding and escorting him to their master.

It felt like a repetition of earlier events, but instead of following Kamoshida to the tent of his business partner, he was now about to meet with the mysterious master of the two fae creatures. At least he still assumed they were, and he wondered how he'd caught their master's attention.

Still no sounds from the forest beyond the rustle of leaves. Nothing that hinted at any other movement beyond theirs, the two girls only making a minimum of noise, that without the unnatural silence, he wouldn't have noticed.

He'd once, after a tourney, once the main attraction of fights and jousts had been over, trophies and coin bestowed upon the winners, seen a performer use a silencing spell. A band of musicians had gathered in the evening, hired to play at the feast the count was hosting. Only having competed in and then won the archery competition Akira had been invited, but kept being ignored, which suited him just fine. It had been before he met Crow, but after the scrutiny of his parents had lessened, moving back into the indifference he knew so well. If he kept his head down, excelled at everything they expected him to and didn't cause any trouble, they didn't care what he did, as long as he stayed away from them, but came back at regular enough intervals. Wonderful contradictions that perfectly illustrated the kind of court his parents had cultivated.

Apparently, the count had hired the musicians to impress both the visiting nobles and the wandering knights, trying to further his reputation with the first and demonstrate his generosity to the latter, hoping for some of them to become part of his household. Why he thought hiring someone to openly perform magic would accomplish those things, Akira had never understood.

Right around the time the dancing was about to begin, one of them had stepped forward, the air filling with the anticipation of the guests. It had been something Akira had always admired when watching performers. The way they controlled the attention of a room, a crowd, and shifted it in a direction they wanted, forming it with words and gestures. This one only used the second, throwing his arms wide and holding them open for a moment, face full of lazy satisfaction.

And like a wave, the magic had rolled over them. Subtle, like a morning breeze, but he'd noticed it nonetheless. A contrast to the grand gestures used before, but its effect was immediate. Silence, not from the guests, but from the outside world. The sounds of the people on the other side of the tent suddenly ceased. No hint that there existed anything beyond their little exclusive group, revellers and hurriedly stepping servants gone from the fringes of their awareness. All that was left were the murmurings of the hushed crowd as the first notes filled the air, taking up the space that had been vacated by the other noises.

The silence had made everything seem so much louder, the place so much larger. Everyone caught in the magically created dome, music around them, cut off from the outside.

This felt similar, but on a much grander scale. As if this stretch of forest was truly isolated, unable to be found when one was uninvited. And he was invited, if he interpreted their words right.

By the time he'd finished those idle thoughts, distracting himself from the myriad of ways this all could go wrong, his eyes had become slightly accustomed to the darkness, the danger of him tripping over a root not as prominent now.

Which also helped him recognize their journey had a fixed destination, the steps of his guides firmly indicating a singular direction.

Once he was close enough that he could see it more clearly, he wasn't sure what he'd expected. It looked like the entrance to the den of an enormous animal. Roots breaking through the floor of the mound, hanging in such a way that Akira had to bend down to get past them when the two girls unerringly walked forward.

The crunch of dry leaves and the feel of soft loam turned to the familiar footfalls of boots on stone after they'd taken only a few steps into the darkness. A glance back confirmed that the entrance was gone, scattered leaves and broken stones ending in a sudden wall of dirt.

When he turned back, the twins had turned around as well. Their gazes expectant, as if they were waiting for him to comment on it. The message was clear. He wasn't going to leave until their master would let him. Shaking his head, he simply gestured for them to lead on. They brought him to the end of the tunnel that was shrouded in darkness. Only after seeing his two guides disappear, he noticed the stairs in the pitch black.

Torches on both sides flared up with sudden light as he carefully took the first step down. In front of him, the girls skipped ahead, pausing at the bottom until he caught up with them.

They shared a look when he made it down, one of them - if he remembered correctly, Caroline - fidgeting a little before righting herself, as if about to say something. But she stayed quiet, only taking a look behind herself, while Justine waved him ahead.

They didn't follow him for long, but took up a silent vigil at the end of the stone corridor, as if guarding the entrance. Either from trespassers or him trying to flee.

It led into a large circular room, rough-hewn stones forming the floor and walls. A dark blue carpet was the only thing dulling his steps when he walked in.

At first glance, it looked like the room had several exits in different directions, but the solid bars in front of them disabused him of that notion. They were cells. Similar to the ones that could be found in a castle dungeon or a prison.

They had escorted him like jailors would a convict to a sentencing. Did that mean their master was the judge? The executioner? Had he done something he shouldn't have during his stay?

The table in the middle of the room he'd avoided looking at until the last moment held the only other occupant of the room. And he couldn't stall any longer.

He was like a caricature of a human. A weathered face that looked as if it had been stretched along the overly long nose. Wispy white hair surrounding the top of his bald head like a crown with pointed ears that only affirmed his nonhuman nature. Spindly fingers that reminded of cracked branches in the choppy way they interlocked on top of the table. And once Akira moved on from staring at these features, he noticed that everything about the man deserved the description spindly. Legs too long for the torso they held up, all together leaving the impression as if someone had tried to build a person while only having a very lacking idea of what they were constructing.

While he was mustering him, the being’s face moved into an almost menacing grin, the corners of his mouth stretching wider than Akira had ever thought humanly possible. The pin-pricks that were his pupils surrounded by the red streaks of veins making him feel like he'd become an archer's target, keeping him trapped where he stood.

"Welcome to my forest."

Arms that were as unnaturally long as the fingers they ended in spread out in what was undoubtedly supposed to be a welcoming gesture, but came across as possessive, as if he was encompassing the room and everything beyond. Retracting in an unnaturally stiff manner, the limbs folding back into themselves, making him seem smaller as he was.

"You can call me Igor. Forgive me for summoning you here the way I did, but I grew curious about who had entered my domain."

Was this about the sudden fear that had grabbed him when something in him had stirred in response to Ryuji's magic? Or simply about the girls leading him here, with no way out or back?

Thinking that he had to at least try to make it through this conversation without causing too much offense, Akira dropped into a low bow, as if greeting someone of higher status. There was no etiquette lesson that covered greeting someone that proclaimed himself the warden of the very woods one was currently residing in. He would do what he could in the hopes of not offending a being that could probably curse him without a second thought.

"I have been the master of this forest for a long time. I saw kings come and go, humans forsake their ideals and proud men break their oaths and kind ones become beasts. Saw peace turn into violence, the borders and the lands within changing, thriving nature turn into desolation and then bloom again. I will still be here once ruin has spread across it all and everything has been reclaimed that was lost."

A grandiose speech, a fitting introduction for an ancient being, but utterly wasted on Akira.

He couldn't muster the awe he probably should, exhaustion and dread all he could feel at the words. They didn't explain why he'd chosen him to be led here. Was it simply a sudden whim? He'd seen Akira bumble through the forest, get captured by Kamoshida and his men, before he subsequently escaped, and then decided that this was the kind of human worthy of an audience? It made no sense. Not when Ryuji and his magic had been there, shaking the ground with lightning while a demon hovered at his back.

But no explanation for why he'd been brought here was coming forth and he couldn't bring himself to demand one. Not when the exit was barred with guards whose gazes he could feel burning into his neck.

"But sometimes, when someone in this realm piques my interest, my position allows me to bestow a gift upon visitors." The grin got imperceptibly wider, making a shudder run down Akira’s spine. "Even though I doubt most would consider it so."

Could those words be any more ominous? He hadn't done anything except enter the forest, there was no reason to reward him or give him strangely worded gifts. Or positively worded curses, if he'd unraveled those words correctly.

He felt like a trapped butterfly. With no way to escape. Not without doing what Igor wanted. Or receive what he wanted him to have.

"While it is an honor, I can't accept-"

"I insist."

Before Akira could try to politely refuse again, wracking his brain for anything that might help him, Igor raised one of his hands and snapped his fingers once. It was unnaturally loud in the silence of the room, and Akira was pretty sure he heard a gasp from where the twins were watching their interaction.

Without any warning, it felt as if something - a liquid, skittering legs - slowly ran down his eyes, covering them in an oily film that made him helplessly blink as the world became more and more distorted and blurred. And just when he became afraid that this was a cruel trick that would take away his sight, either because of an unknown infraction or simply the amusement of the master of the woods, everything snapped back into focus.

A few more blinks in Igor's direction and he was sure that nothing about his normal sight had changed, which made him wait warily for an explanation, expecting either pain or another catch that would be revealed.

"The ability to see things in the forest others might not be able to. I hope you can make good use of it."

If there was one thing he was sure he shouldn't, it was to accept a gift from the fae inhabitants of the woods.

But it was too late to decline and he wasn't in any position to get rid of whatever Igor had done to him. Couldn't even sense it, now that the initial spellwork had sunk into him, when magic usually gave off what Morgana had called a tingle. Even with his lacking talent, he'd been able to detect the little shifts of energy when it was used around him. According to Futaba, the change was even more pronounced if someone was able to use magic themselves.

Morgana might have been able to tell him what had happened or what to watch out for. All he could do now was think back to tales and stories he'd heard, hoping something could give him a clue on how to behave. His first instinct was probably the right one. And that said not to accept something without giving in return.

There was nothing special he could offer Igor, all his belongings, as meagre as they had been, lost together with the horse in the confusion of escaping the bandit camp.

Only a few things were left in his pockets. A handful of coins and jewels when he'd grabbed his ring back. Said ring, heavy as always, weighing far heavier because of the responsibility it stood for.

It had only brought problems onto him as of now. Sentimentality that drove him to recklessness because he'd been unable to simply leave it behind. Maybe a sign that he should have let go of this last item that was still anchoring him to the part of his past he wanted to renounce. Leaving it with the rest before escaping from the castle. He had absolutely no use for it anymore, only holding on to it because he was supposed to, because losing it meant severing the very last thing tying him to his former status.

Even if he'd somehow managed to go through with and survived the ceremony and his spouse's attention, it would only signify the means by which his parents could extort more value out of him. No longer their problem, but a connection that was far more useful when bartering for royal favors.

The coins and jewels would probably have no value to a being like Igor. There was no need to risk insulting him by offering those.

And then there was the glove.

Parting with it was out of the question. As long as he didn't know what had happened to Crow, he'd hold onto it. If it turned out that the other had vanished on purpose, he'd gladly give it back without a fight or argument. But it had been a promise that they would see each other again. One that he wanted to keep.

Left only one possible way to express his gratitude. The choice was remarkably easy.

"I gladly accept your generosity and want to thank you for your gift. In return, I want to give one of my own."

Stepping forward, trying to come across as grateful and unbothered by all of the strangeness he kept experiencing, Akira approached the desk, putting the ring into the hand that stretched out towards him, trying not to flinch when those fingers caged it immediately, before the arm retracted, an elbow coming to rest on the table.

The digits moved with a dexterity Akira had only witnessed from people that had been performing sleight of hand for years, the ring moving between them until he dangled from the tip of one, right in front of Igor's face. His pupils, pitch-black tiny pinpricks, followed the swing of the gleaming item that suddenly seemed small and insignificant in comparison to what a being like Igor must have seen and experienced.

There was a pause, and then those fingers moved again, the ring shifting like a leaf tumbling through long branches, vanishing from sight behind the long digits once it had made it to a white-gloved palm.

Gone completely, when they opened up again.

"That is quite a valuable gift. Very well. I will accept it in exchange for what you've received."

Despite his positive words, Igor seemed displeased, and Akira wasn’t sure if he'd intended to show the emotion as clearly as he did. He hoped that he hadn't misjudged, and reciprocating the gift wasn't seen as impolite or causing offense, prompting a punishment down the line for his daring.

The thought of being indebted was worse, and made his stomach twist. Especially when faced with motives he couldn't comprehend.

But Igor thankfully moved on, going back to the unreadable grin he'd been wearing at the start. Fingers intertwining below his chin as he fixed Akira with the same stare he'd given the ring.

"I might have some use for you in the future. Ruin does come ever closer and you might yet be an ally. We will talk again once the time comes."

Not a question, a statement. And a dismissal, if he ever heard one.

Igor raised one of his hands, and with another snap of his fingers, the room was suddenly plunged into darkness. Akira was alone once his eyes had become accustomed to the lack of light, the torches at the stairs the only thing that made it possible to navigate.

When he turned towards them, he realized he wasn't alone. The twins were still there, waiting for him, and same as before, Caroline showed her impatience by tapping her left shoe against the stone floor, with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a deep scowl etched onto her face. Which seemed kind of unfair, he hadn't taken long enough to warrant that reaction.

"Move! Don't waste our time!" she barked into his direction when he emerged from the room, before resolutely stomping forward and gripping his wrist, tugging him along.

Was there a hint of bemusement on Justine's face when they passed her? He couldn't completely tell, but it looked that way.

Once they had made it up the stairs and Akira could see the now opened up way outside, she let go of him, shoving him to the side by his leg, before having Justine join her in front of him. Shushing him, the one time he opened his mouth to ask them about Igor and their role. Being unhelpful except as guides to and from audiences with their master was apparently their nature.

Mimicking their former marching order, he again relied on their ability to see where they were going, hoping they would lead him to the edge of the woods, close to a human settlement.

He wasn't sure what the whole encounter had been about and if he'd done well by not simply accepting Igor's generosity. It felt like a waking dream, except that this was too real, not the sort that he halfway through realized wasn't real, dreading the moment he would snap back to reality, not sure where his body had taken him. For a moment he wished it was. Before immediately coming to the conclusion that it was better not to have these thoughts in a place so closely connected to someone that claimed a title as imposing as master of the forest.

"Here we are. We won't accompany you further."

"Don't you dare misuse the gift our master gave you! It's an honor that he gave it to you in person!"

Since it was still night, he couldn't tell if they had arrived at the place they'd found him, when the sisters suddenly stopped and waved him forward, as if trying to show him something in the dark. There was no sign that they were in any way close to the edge of the forest. All he could see were trees and the schemes of more trees behind those. No lights, no sounds but the leaves rustling.

But this was apparently where they parted. It felt wrong to simply leave without saying anything to the girls. They had been reliable, doing what they were supposed to, even though he was unsure about the motives of their master. Being polite was the least thing he could do.

"Thank you for accompanying me here."

No response. And when he turned around to check, they were gone. Nothing hinting at them ever having been there.

He should have probably expected that. In the distance, he could hear more than just the wind, the sounds of the forest suddenly coming back around him.

Careful, trying not to lose the direction they'd pointed him, Akira turned back around and braced himself for what else this night would bring.

Chapter Text

It took about twenty steps for Akira to be completely lost. Again.

Maybe he should have seen something like this coming before blindly trusting the guidance of Caroline and Justine, but he assumed they didn't want anything to happen to him. At least until he'd managed to be useful to their master.

He still wasn't sure what Igor had done to him. What a being like him considered a gift. Nothing felt different, his luck - as diminished as it was after the events of the day - unchanged. Had he made a mistake, not realizing that Akira had no magic? It was hard to believe that he would, but it was a possibility.

Maybe once he'd made it out of the woods and gotten some sleep, he would realize what had changed. Right now, he was far too focused on taking one step after the other, trying not to slip and fall. He'd probably stop moving if he did.

There was the option to try and find a place to hunker down until the sun rose, maybe get a bit of rest, but he didn't want to stay in one place for too long, not when he didn't know what else might be lurking in the darkness. This day had been full of far too many surprises. Hard to believe that it had only been yesterday when he'd put his plan to run away in motion. With everything that had since occurred, it already felt like a week or two.

After a while, his eyes got used to the darkness. Tiny flickers of moonlight that made it through the foliage above faintly lighting his path.

Picking one direction had to lead him out of the woods eventually, right?

Even if he couldn't trust anything else in this place, he had to believe a simple truth like this.

And so, he continued walking.

Distances and time were hard to judge when everything that surrounded him was the silence and darkness of a forest at night. He could have already wandered for so long that dawn was close, or only for the length of an hourglass, which meant that he would keep stumbling for far longer.

At least the dark and quiet made it easy to notice when something changed.

Like a flickering light in the distance, disappearing between the trees before slowly becoming closer and couldn't be mistaken for wishful thinking. Flames wavering between the trees. As if a fire had been lit and was now calling to everyone in the vicinity. A trap?

But it was the only thing that he could see, the only sign of someone else around. Even if it was the bandits searching for him and Ryuji, he'd at least be able to glean a direction or some information from following them around. If it was a lone one, he could try to overpower them and see if they had any useful weapons. Having access to a torch alone was reason to try.

Carefully creeping forward, he tried to use the trees as cover, darting from one to the other, stepping down slowly as not to make too obvious noises that would immediately alarm them to his presence.

When he finally caught a glimpse of who he'd been approaching, he heaved a sigh of relief.

It very clearly wasn't a bandit. For one, none of the ones he'd seen had been female and second, Morgana wouldn't comfortably lounge on a shoulder like he did on hers. He also wouldn't chatter away and call them a Lady.

What he'd thought to be a torch was a flame that hovered over her hand, which she comfortably carried around to light the way.

She seemed human enough, and the scuff marks on the red tinted leather armor she wore, as well as the wariness of her gaze as she surveyed her surroundings spoke of experience. And it didn't feel like an illusion or a trick meant to lull him into a false sense of safety.

Which was the reason he stepped out of the shadows, hoping that he wouldn't startle her too badly when she noticed him. Raising his hands when she whipped around, her blonde braid almost hitting the cat on her shoulder as she did so.

"Morgana?"

A short pause, only the length of a blink, and then he was recognized.

"Akira!"

Without hesitation, Morgana leaped down onto the forest floor, running towards him before jumping again, colliding with his chest, and only the furious meowing interspersed with words kept him from batting the small furry body away. Instead, he cradled Morgana close, a weight off his mind at having physical proof that his friend was safe and sound. He'd been worrying ever since Morgana left, when the cat had probable done the same regarding him.

"You smell funny."

He couldn’t help but snicker at the indignant comment pressed against his chest. Probably like dirt and moss after his earlier tumble. It grounded Akira a little, and he couldn't help but rub his cheek against Morgana's fur, making him squeak in indignation that led to him doubling down on the action.

Squirming around in his arms, Morgana faced the woman that was observing them from a few steps away, a smile playing around her lips despite the lingering wariness in her stance. He couldn't fault her for it.

"Akira, this is Lady Ann! Another one of Akechi's knights! She promised to help us!"

She relaxed a smidge at the words and he wondered at how quickly Morgana must have endeared himself to her. But sometimes he did have a way with words. Which thankfully made him catch the hidden warning they carried now. The woman was also a knight, and thus he had to be careful while being around her.

"Lady Ann, this is Akira! We've been searching for our family together!"

More polite than he thought the introduction would be, but judging the way Morgana was puffing out his chest, waiting for praise, he could guess what was going on. Mimicking his manners, Akira bowed his head, not daring more as not to accidentally squish his friend.

That got her to relax a little more, and he received a careful smile.

"He's been very brave! Found my camp at the edge of the woods and convinced me to follow him."

She reached over and patted Morgana's head, who preened under the attention, before focusing back onto Akira.

"Where's the other knight?"

A very good question.

"We lost track of each other." The easiest explanation and only a slight embellishment, not a lie. Turning to Ann, he added: "Kamoshida might still have Ryuji. His knee was broken, so I'm not sure how far he made it after…"

He trailed off when her eyes suddenly focused on him. Blue usually felt cold, but hers burned at his words, as if they contained the same fire that she held in her hand. Which roared higher in tune with her anger, crackling without wood fueling it.

"Kamoshida?" A hiss, filled with more venom than even Ryuji had mustered when faced with the very same man they were talking about. But her anger was quickly overtaken by concern, something that was probably owed to the fact that she only saw Akira and not the slightest trace of Ryuji. She took a deep breath, her hand balling into a fist, the flames slowly but surely shrinking until they were back under control.

"Tell me everything! Do you know why Kamoshida is here? Was he alone?" There were more questions that she held back, pressing her lips together while giving him an imploring look.

"He and his men have a camp somewhere close, ambushing and robbing people that try to take the safe paths through the woods."

"Or taking them hostage as they did with this guy and your friend," Morgana added, now clambering up to Akira's shoulders before draping himself around his neck like a very heavy scarf. It was a good weight. Grounding. Helped him settle into the feeling that the worst might have been over.

"Ryuji, right." Shaking her head as if it was hard to believe that her fellow knight had been so easily captured and this was how she learnt of the circumstances.

"I don't even know what he'd been doing there, why Kamoshida hasn't run for his life yet, but Morgana described both of them pretty well, so there's no doubt it's them." The determination together with the still smoldering fire in her eyes made Akira think that Kamoshida would indeed be better off if he decided to run now.

"We should stick to the direction Morgana and I have been going so far. We found you, so maybe we're lucky and will run into Ryuji next. And if not, we can still try to find the camp and take it from there."

Better than most of the other spontaneous plans they could come up with. While it was risky to go back, she seemed determined to not let the chance to deal with Kamoshida slip through her fingers. If she had the same kind of devastating magic Ryuji had demonstrated, none of the bandits would stand a chance. Especially after the lightning had rained down on all of them and their camp. They had to still be in disarray, if not lost in the fear and confusion it must have caused.

There was no hope of getting a group together, unless more of Akechi's people were as close to the forest as Ann had been. Doubtful, since contacting those would have taken precedence over the guidance a talking cat could offer. A knight by his side and one lost in the forest was all he could hope for. Not for the first time he wished that Crow was at his side. That he'd taken the offer Akira had made years ago. That would have allowed them to stay together. And would have probably ended with them running away a lot sooner.

A dangerous daydream. And not the right time to indulge in it. He focused back on Ann, who watched their surroundings diligently, the flames in her hand flickering in the direction she needed to illuminate the deeper shadows.

"While we walk, can you tell me what happened? Start at the beginning, if you can. It might give us some clues where to go next if we can't find Ryuji. And Morgana told me something about carvings that could lead the way? I haven't yet found anything like those, but he said it'd been hours of searching before he ran into me."

He started at the beginning like she requested. With his and Ryuji's meeting in the woods, quickly moving on to the ambush they'd walked right into. He omitted what they'd been talking about, thankful that she didn't notice the convenient gap. Instead, her whole focus shifted to him when he began to describe how Kamoshida had revealed himself and the way he'd taunted Ryuji before the knight inevitably tried to attack him and was immediately thwarted.

They both tried to keep their eyes on their surroundings, assisted by Morgana, who, even with the light, saw probably more than both of them combined. Which led to Akira almost jumping in surprise when Ann let out a startled noise and whirled on him, one of her hands gripping his shoulder.

"Did he really say that? About Shiho? Was she there, did he say anything else?"

The desperation in her voice made him feel awful when all he could do was shake his head at the barrage of questions.

"There were no other prisoners when we were brought there and no sign that anyone had been there. And if he said anything else, it wasn't to me."

Her fingers flexed where they dug into his shoulder and her gaze dropped towards the forest floor, before it snapped up again, a cold inferno burning in her eyes, even the flames in her hand flickering blue at the core, the heat washing over Akira's face despite being placed on the other side of Ann's body.

"Then we have to find one of them. If she's really been there, I need to know!"

When she realized what she was doing, probably because the way she jostled him made it hard to look at her and give an answer, she dropped her hand and stepped back.

"Please forgive me. I've just been searching for a while, and this is the first hint I've gotten regarding her whereabouts."

She drew a hand across her brow, obviously trying to regain her composure in the moment it gave her. While she looked calmer, Akira got the feeling Ann was anything but.

No wonder Ryuji had reacted as he did. Shiho, or Suzui, as Kamoshida had called her, was obviously precious to both knights. Factoring in their obvious history, he would have shown the same behavior if he'd learned that one of his friends had been captured by the man.

"She vanished. From a routine patrol that went into the woods not far from where Morgana said you met Ryuji. One moment she was there, the next gone. None of the people with her noticed at first since they all got separated and had to regroup. From what they told us; it was a mess."

He wondered if they had experienced something similar to what he'd been feeling before fleeing from Ryuji. Even now, he wasn't sure what had caused the fear that had gripped him so tightly that all he could do was run and try to escape

"They waited until it was clear she hadn't just been lost and then reported back. She's been missing since then."

A while now, if he went by what Kamoshida had said and the fact there had been no sign of someone enjoying the dubious company of the bandits before them.

"I've been searching for her whenever I can. Akechi was ready to give me as many knights as I wanted to comb through the forest, but most of them are needed, so I set out on my own. But he made me promise to send a messenger the moment I had any hint regarding her whereabouts, so that everyone who wanted to help could join."

Which would lead to Akechi's knights searching this part of the forest anyway, now that she'd gotten confirmation that a threat had been waiting there. Still was. While Ryuji had hopefully put some fear into them, it was very likely that they would regroup and continue as they had before. Maybe some losses, but that depended on their loyalty to Kamoshida and Kaneshiro. If the latter one got desperate enough to open his little treasure chest, they might even gain a few more.

Morgana reached out a sympathetic paw and let out a quiet: "Lady Ann," while she was rubbing under her eyes. No tears falling, but a weariness and vulnerability showing through that made clear how drained she was.

Not wanting to overstep, Akira gave her a tentative smile when she had regained her composure to show there was no further need to apologize.

"You'll find her."

With renewed confidence, even though some of it appeared a little forced, she nodded at his words.

"I will! First I'll find Kamoshida and he’ll get what he deserves and then I'll find her so I can bring her home."

A pause that she used to take Morgana's little paw and give it a squeeze.

"Thank you both, for listening. It's been a while since I could talk about it all. Too much time spent out here searching."

Squaring her shoulders, giving them another nod, Ann took their former pace back up as if nothing had happened. Akira joining her after a second.

Nothing had changed when he looked at the forest surrounding them. The darkness obscured details and made it seem as if they hadn't taken a single step while he'd been busy recalling the events of the day.

Following his path in the opposite direction was a good idea. In theory. He doubted that his earlier escape had been in a straight line and it wouldn’t be an easy track back to the bandit camp.

And he had no idea how to follow the detour to the place Caroline and Justine had brought him or if that had completely turned him around.

Not that there was anything he could use to navigate.

Unless…

It probably wasn't going to work, not with the exhaustion he still felt deep in his bones, but he could try. If anything, it might at least get them into the right direction until they could navigate with the carvings.

But just as he’d thought, there was nothing when he tried to reach inside for his luck, all of it still depleted from their escape. No answering nudge or curl like he usually felt. He'd never overextended it like this and it was disconcerting to feel no answer from something that usually came so naturally to him. Probably only fixable with a few days of rest.

No use fretting about it, even though the unfamiliar emptiness left him off-kilter now that he was fully aware of it. Like a scab he couldn't help but scratch at, as he kept reaching out for the slightest hint of luck, only to be met with nothing, again and again.

He was so occupied with checking his non-existent reserves, that he didn't notice something was different until Ann's arm slapped against his chest and stopped him from walking further ahead.

Something moved between the trees, heavy breathing, and the breaking of twigs together with the brush of a body against the foliage unmistakable coming closer. Morgana moved from where he'd been still draped around his neck, raising up and scrambling onto his shoulder, little body tensing as his paws found purchase, as if getting ready to jump at whatever approached. Next to him, Ann braced herself as well, hand unhooking something from her belt he couldn't clearly see but was undoubtedly a weapon.

It made him uncomfortably aware of the empty places on his own belt. Getting a dagger or something similar needed to be one of his priorities. Chancing a look at the ground to find at least a branch to use as a bludgeon, revealed nothing of use.

All he could do for now was wait behind Ann and wait for whatever was coming their way, attracted by the flame like he had been.

It felt unreal to have Ryuji stagger out of the undergrowth a few moments later, slumping from tree to tree while panting, scratches littering his arms and face.

A coincidence that felt so pointed he couldn't believe it hadn't been caused by his luck. But it couldn’t have been. Nothing had moved; nothing was left.

Ann reacted immediately, running forward to take a hold of one of Ryuji's arms and slinging it over her shoulder. Akira followed, slipping under the opposite shoulder once Morgana had jumped to the ground, to make it easier to keep the exhausted knight upright.

They didn't take him far, only a few steps until they reached a boulder he could comfortably sit on. Ryuji kept his eyes screwed shut as they helped him lower himself down without aggravating the leg further, his face pale in the light of the floating fire, exhaling and inhaling forcibly slow.

The fact he wasn't talking was more unnerving than the sweat beading on his forehead, but he slumped slightly, letting go of most of the tension his body held once he wasn't using his leg anymore.

Ann wasted no time, her hands hovering as close as possible, a green glow surrounding them. With her magic humming in the air, Akira kept close, not sure if he was still needed now that she was healing him. Morgana seemed to have similar feelings, circling them nervously, brushing against his legs whenever he passed him.

"He always forgets that the pain catches up to him when his concentration slips." Ann gave him a reassuring smile as she said it, but started frowning the moment she focused back on her work.

Ryuji started to look less strained after a few seconds, looking less like he would faint any second. He still didn't talk, only grunted while shifting his leg to make it easier for her to access when she moved back and stopped the treatment.

While telling him what angle she needed, Ann removed his shoes and then gestured for Akira to help and maneuver his leg so they could slowly pull his pants down, taking a direct look at the broken knee. The skin had taken on a hue between dark purple and black, which made it hard to see what needed the most attention. Carefully poking and prodding, Ann only interrupted the examination to murmur apologies to Ryuji whenever he violently flinched because of the pain, trying to be more careful but continuing regardless.

"Brace yourself!" was the only warning given before she grabbed his shin and pulled it into the direction she wanted.

Ryuji swore a heartfelt: "Fuck!" and then went back to being silent, clearly concentrating on keeping his composure, as his fellow knight manipulated the joint with pressure until she let go and gave the air a satisfied nod.

"I should be able to fix your knee. Not all at once and not completely, but it's early enough that I can undo most of the damage Kamoshida has done this time. Tell me if it starts to burn or the pain becomes a lot worse."

There was no answer but a terse jerk of Ryuji's head that could be considered confirmation, his face having lost all color again. Maybe they should have given him something to bite before inflicting more pain on him.

What Akira had previously assumed was a green glow returned, but with an increase in intensity that made him recognize the flickering as those of flames. Lapping at the injured leg, but not burning the skin or having any other adverse effects on Ryuji. Instead, he was leaning further into the fire, face smoothing out and his frame relaxing the longer they danced over his knee. The healing spell immediately sinking in and lightening the color of the bruises, making them look a few days older than they were and the edges receding slightly.

"How does it feel? Is most of the pain gone?"

In comparison to before, Ryuji was now almost beaming at them, the smile and the color that had come back into his face such a stark difference to before, that Akira had to double-check the bruises to see that they were still there.

"It is! You're working miracles, Panther!"

With a lunge none of them had expected, he started upwards, proudly trying to brace his hands on his hip and show off how he put the injured leg down onto the ground. He didn't make it that far.

"Don't try to stand!" she barked, looking ready to knock him out for even trying to stand. While Akira had moved forward and was pushing Ryuji back down before he could put more weight on his leg.

"Never do that again! The bone isn't entirely fine yet; do you want to break it again? I asked if the pain was gone, I didn't tell you to get up and walk around!"

Properly chastised, head bowed to escape the rest of the scolding, Ryuji began to carefully flex his leg and slightly rotate the knee, looking up from time to time to see if she was still glaring at him.

Ann watched him like a hawk, giving out instructions on how to move next, slowly softening when nothing seemed to hurt too much. Her glare moved into a frown when he ended some motions with a wince and she stopped him from continuing. Sternly forbidding him to do anything strenuous for the rest of the evening unless it was an emergency.

He settled down with minimal grumbling, wriggling around to find a comfortable position while exaggerating how stiff he held the freshly healed leg to show that he was going to listen.

When he caught Akira and Morgana watching, his features lightened up even further as he addressed them.

"There you two are! I was worried when I couldn't find you after the lightning storm. You couldn't have found a better person than Ann to protect you!"

If she could wield flames as violent as the lightning he'd called, Akira didn't doubt that for a second. With all the dry wood around them, it'd have had even more lasting consequences. But it would have made finding the camp again a lot easier.

"I'm glad you found us," Akira said. The thought of Ryuji still wandering around the forest on a broken knee, trying to find someone, anyone to help him, was heartbreaking.

"Try to get some rest."

He already looked as if he'd only managed to stay awake through a mix of pain and determination, his last reserves used to help the healing along.

Ann, who was already busying herself with gathering branches from the ground, quietly started talking when he joined her, obviously trying not to be overheard by Ryuji.

"I’m not a trained healer, and with Carmen so far away, I can't repair all of the damage at once, but it should be enough for him to be able to limp and sleep without pain. We're lucky he got to us so fast."

Akira had no idea who Carmen was, but he nodded, thinking that it might be her familiar. Using them to run errands wasn't unusual. Unless it was Morgana, who vocally protested every time he was supposed to do something alone, preferring it when he had someone with him that he could order around. Presently, he was telling Ryuji to stay put and that his eyes would see any kind of approaching danger.

"Making camp for the rest of the night seems like the best idea to me, now that he is out of danger. I need to take another look in the morning, so he shouldn't take a watch or do anything else but sleep. While most of the damage in his leg should be gone, I need to be careful and see if I missed anything."

She was right. Trying to continue now would probably undo all the work she put into healing Ryuji's wound, who really needed some sleep after stumbling around for most of the night, only held together by his gift and the urge to get to safety. If they could get some rest as well, they'd be able to face whatever they encountered on their way out of the forest.

They occupied themselves with getting enough branches and twigs together to start a small fire, Morgana being gracious enough to dig a pit while they used the small flame in Ann's hand to find more suitable fuel. He also kept watch over Ryuji, who had started to grumble when they repeated that he should stay put and let them do the work, but had also looked rather relieved when they assured him that they had it handled.

Which led to him already being half-asleep when they decided they had enough to last them until the sun rose. He'd listed to the side, startling back up when Ann dropped down next to him, busying herself with building a fire that would last them the night.

Now that he was as safe as he could be, having time to sort out his thoughts and process all that had happened, Akira felt ashamed that it had been so easy to run and leave Ryuji behind. Even though there had been no possibility to fight against the unnatural panic that had taken hold of him, the summoned demon either being the catalyst or a coincidence that had happened at the same time, he couldn't help but blame himself. Ryuji had gotten away despite his broken leg, pure stubbornness making it possible to manage an escape that seemed impossible. But the bandits could have recaptured him and they would have been none the wiser. And with no gesture or look had he blamed him or shown any distrust.

Akira carefully unfastened his cloak and spread it out over the sleeping knight. Maybe being a little bit more comfortable would help him heal faster.

Morgana, who had been watching him curiously, frowned at him when he settled down next to the fire Ann was tending to, before hopping onto one of Akira's legs, snaking past his arms and curling together into a warm weight on his lap. Purring so softly it couldn't be heard, but the vibrations wandering deep into his bones. With a soft smile, he used one hand to pet his friend's back, stroking through the fur. His thoughts immediately grew calmer, which had probably been Morgana's goal when he picked the place.

Even though he should try to get some sleep, Akira felt too awake to try. Maybe once some more time had passed drowsiness would set in but right now every attempt was likely to fail.

Ann gave him a sympathetic smile from the other side of the fire, where she was worrying little sticks between her fingers, throwing them into the flames when they broke.

"Are you hurt anywhere? I should have asked sooner, but was so occupied with Ryuji I completely forgot."

The question made him reflexively look down at his hands, where his knuckles were crusted over with dirt, hiding the scratches underneath.

"Got a little scratched up, but it should be fine. Nothing too deep."

And nothing in comparison to what Ryuji had been through. Not only the initial broken bone that Kamoshida had inflicted on him, but the entire time spent moving through the forest, having to concentrate on his gift to keep going and hope he would find someone to help before it ran out and the bandits caught up to him.

Ann didn't hesitate after seeing the scratches and fished a small waterskin and a rag out of the bag at her hip and held both things out to him.

"You should at least clean them. Please tell me in the morning if they're still bothering you. Don't keep it to yourself simply because Ryuji's badly hurt."

Caught and a little guilty, he silently took the items. He would have probably kept any changes or pain to himself if she hadn't pointed it out this way. Not wanting to take away any possible healing that the other might need more than him.

He carefully dabbed at the dirt, trying not to reopen the cuts that were already closed, but he had to give up rather quickly, deciding that clean was better than avoiding a little discomfort and risking an infection.

"What place were you originally heading to when Kamoshida ambushed the three of you? I heard people are busy to get to the capital because of the wedding, but there is still time to find a group instead of braving those paths alone."

He needed to tell her the same thing he'd told Ryuji. Not a lie, but something in between. Morgana didn't move, at least not visibly, but he could feel the tension in the little body at her question. Not interrupting what he was doing, his focus on a persistent piece of crusted dirt, he answered.

"That's because we weren't trying to reach the capital. We've been searching for my family. Sojiro and Futaba Sakura. We got separated while leaving our hometown and trying to get into the kingdom, the both of them going ahead while I stayed back and hoped to catch up at some point."

He handed the waterskin back to her, his knuckles stinging but looking far better than they had before. She took it and set it on the ground, drawing her knees closer as she stared into the fire.

"A lot of people have stories like yours. Getting separated, either before the rebellion or after, now desperately trying to find their families in the whole chaos of Goro taking the throne. So many of the smaller kingdoms ignore what he wants and instead double down on Shido's old laws," she said, sighing in the short pause between sentences.

"I have no idea why they aren't listening, despite the official decrees with royal seals and the consequences that he has threatened them with if they don't comply. At first, it made sense that they might have been skeptical because the rebellion did happen rather abruptly. Some of the faraway kingdoms didn't even have time to process that it happened before it was over, but enough time has passed that they had to realize we are serious."

While he couldn't speak for all of them, he knew one example very well.

"I think a lot of them don't want things to change. They were comfortable when Shido held the throne and all they had to do was adopt his laws or tighten up already existing ones. Changing those back or rescinding them means they have to acknowledge they did wrong."

Something his parents had never been good at. Akira doubted few nobles were.

They probably would have continued to not admit to any wrongdoings if Akechi hadn't threatened them with his army, which had finally gotten through to them. He wondered how many of the other nobles had to be convinced this way, that Ann sounded so defeated about their behavior. Probably far too many.

"Gah, this is depressing," said Ann into the silence that had settled after his words. "You know what, tell me some funny stories about your family, and I'll tell you what kind of ridiculous things Shiho, Ryuji and me got up to when we were squires."

Which did sound like a better way to pass the time until they felt tired enough to turn in, that Akira immediately agreed.

The following day crept up on them slowly, before suddenly pouncing. One moment, Akira had fitfully slumbered, startling awake at the slightest sound or movement that his exhausted mind translated into all the horrors of the forest he'd been warned about, and in the next, the sun had been high in the sky and Morgana was batting at his cheek to wake him up while Ann was already busy, carefully checking up on Ryuji's leg.

He'd offered to take over first watch when Ann had begun to lose track of the story she was telling, nearly nodding off in the middle of it.

Nothing had happened so far, so she'd taken him up on it, insisting he woke her up at the first sign something wasn't right or he became too tired to stay awake. Then she was out like a light next to Ryuji, her own cloak wrapped around her. He'd spent a little more time having a murmured conversation with Morgana, telling him a few of the things he'd left out when speaking to Ann, still skirting anything that might give away who he was, not sure how deep the two knights were sleeping.

Now that there were two of them, he would need to be twice as careful with what he told them.

He also had attempted to tell Morgana about the encounter with Igor and the two small wardens that had led him through the forest, but it was as if his friend's attention was drawn away from his words the moment he spoke them. No matter how insistent he was and how often he repeated what had happened, his friend seemed to retain none of it until Akira gave up and told him not to worry.

Rubbing his eyes, he got up, taking the waterskin that Morgana held in his mouth while looking up at him before the cat eagerly bounded past him before turning back.

"Time to stop sleeping! I found some water. Come and help me get some!"

In the daylight, the forest looked more inviting, less like danger was lurking behind every tree or bush, but it might have been the fact he was no longer alone and that there had been no further surprises during the night.

What Morgana had found was a small stream that trickled into a shallow pond before vanishing into the undergrowth. The fresh water managed to wake him up the rest of the way and he spent a while scrubbing his face with his hands, until he felt a little more human, the dirt from the previous night mostly gone.

He was glad that the tourneys and following a loose circuit of them had given him some experience with roughing it as Crow had called it. Mostly in a mocking tone. Which he could understand. Him participating and sleeping in a tent for a few months to get away from his parents was not the same as a knight that felt he had no other means to survive.

They had never talked about the reason Crow needed to win those tourneys to make it through the winter months or why he didn't return to the High King's seat. Akira had his suspicions as to why, but it had never been the right time to ask. Instead, he'd waited for the other to gradually open up on his own, making a single joking remark when he'd thought they'd been close enough.

Crow hadn't been at the next tourney. Or the ones after it. At first Akira had assumed he might have found a more lucrative route or that he needed some time, but several months and inquiries with some of the other knights attending, had made it clear that he'd vanished.

He couldn't help but feel guilty about it. Maybe if he'd kept quiet, Crow would have stayed around. If he'd acted instead of hesitated. Waited.

Or his plans had long since included that part and nothing Akira could have said or done would have changed them.

A morose way to start the morning and he stoppered those thoughts up like he did the waterskin once he was finished with refilling it.

Crow was on his mind a lot lately. Probably because he finally followed his advice by being selfish, but more likely because of the other knights. If they had another evening like yesterday, he would try to ask again.

When he stepped back into their little camp, following Morgana's nose sniffing out the right direction, Ann was already waiting for him. While she was thanking him for the water and carefully stashing it in her bag, Ryuji was busy stretching in the background, apparently having received permission to use his leg again.

He seemed to be entirely unbothered by the horror of the previous day, gleefully whooping when his knee didn't protest the movement, despite being a bit stiffer than it had been before. Ignoring Ann's reminder to take it slow, instead trying to show that he was alright by taking careful stomps into Akira's direction.

"Any idea where to go?" he asked cheerfully into the group before randomly starting to walk, not even waiting for a confirmation, as if he knew they all were completely lost.

One way to pick a direction, Akira guessed, shrugging to himself, as they all began to follow the sounds of Ryuji making his way through the trees.

They had taken several breaks since setting out from their little camp and walked a distance that Akira was sure ended up being far more than what they'd covered the previous day. Even his escape through the trees and everything after didn't match it.

It didn't feel as if they were going in circles, but as if they had ended up in a whole other part of the woods, far away from where Kamoshida and his men lurked.

Was this normal? Morgana had noticed as well, but the other two didn't seem to share those concerns. Going by what Ann had told him about the disappearance of her friend, it might be the norm. It also explained some of the stories he had heard. Of the forest swallowing people and spitting them out after days or moons, in places far away from where they had entered the forest.

But he had heard the same stories about the High King, so he wasn't sure if people sometimes confused the two.

"I think there's something up ahead!" Ryuji's valiant effort to whisper wasn't very successful and it drew winces forth from all of them. Luckily, nothing seemed to have noticed the noise and after a few moments they continued creeping forward until they could all see what had gotten him so excited.

Hints of a big structure could be spied through the leaves, patches of it glimmering under the still cheerfully shining sun that was slowly closing in on the horizon.

Akira's eyes began to itch at the sight and he fell slightly back to rub at them, wondering if he'd accidentally wandered through a spider's web while he'd squinted ahead. It didn't take long for the feeling to fade, and he gave Morgana a sheepish smile when he saw that the cat had waited a few steps ahead, while Ryuji and Ann had almost made their way to the clearing that held the building.

Whatever had reflected the bright light of the sun was gone, and he could make out more and more details, joining the two knights who seemed to debate stepping out into the grass or keeping themselves hidden.

"This has to be some fae trick! No one could build a palace like this in the middle of the forest! Not like this!" Ryuji was hurriedly whispering at Ann, who nodded, eyes fixed on the building that stood between the tall blades of gently swaying grass.

Palace was a gross exaggeration. If Akira had to describe it, it was more akin to a massive barn or shack. Put together haphazardly, as if someone had been desperate for a shelter, but only had rudimentary knowledge of how a building was constructed and then somehow tried to accommodate twenty or more people. A fitting building for the middle of the woods, even though he would expect it closer to the tree line, in the vicinity of a village or town. While he wanted to be optimistic and hope that they could get directions here, it felt pretty unlikely. Just as with Igor's den, he was sure they were going to be at the whims of the owner. Maybe already were, from the very moment they'd decided to approach the building.

And while it looked ramshackle and ready to fall apart at the first violent gust of wind, edges overgrown, it didn't look abandoned. There had been efforts made to board holes up, to support the sides and replace moldy planks with fresh ones. Something that looked like a little out of place vegetable garden was close to the front door and someone had to care for it.

Impressive. But it didn't warrant the shocked and awed noises his three companions made. Even Morgana couldn't help but gawk, while Akira became concerned. Was there something he didn’t see? Was a shack of this make so obviously a fae ploy as Ryuji had called it, that they were astounded by it?

Or, it was far more likely that they could feel the magic a place inhabited by the fair folk would exude. If he concentrated, at the edges of his awareness was the faint tingle that was caused by magic being close. But Akira couldn't say if it was one of the two knights or the clearing and building.

The smartest option would be to walk away now. Even though they approached it, nothing hindered them from leaving, from simply turning around and picking a different direction to try and leave the woods.

But staying another night out in the open, even though they were a group, was exceedingly dangerous. Ryuji's leg still acted up, and he'd caught Ann more than once frowning when he continued tripping over his own feet. And nothing guaranteed they wouldn't repeatedly end up right here if they walked away.

He could only hope this was going to be similar to his audience with Igor and they were allowed to leave after hearing out whoever this building belonged to. Without trading something valuable away to keep things even and not end up beholden to their host.

Right now, they couldn't do much. Akira suspected that Ann was currently the most useful out of all of them, being uninjured and having a weapon, as well as her magic.

Some of his luck was back after they'd rested, but since he'd never before been so drained, it would take a few days to get back to an amount he was comfortable with. The usual little tricks and advantages he'd used it for taking much less out of him than the last two days had.

Tipping the odds in his favor when it was useful, changing a dice roll, a card, stairs not creaking when he crept over them, or someone tripping while they tried to flee, that had been the norm. But never when it really mattered. None of his past competitions had been rigged that way, and he would have never been able to face Crow again if he'd done that to him or any of the other people that had measured their skills against his.

Just because he had a gift, didn't mean he had to use it.

Funnily enough a lesson Futaba had taught him, when he'd been hesitant to agree to the guidance Morgana offered.

"Should we leave?" hissed Ann in Ryuji's direction, sounding worried. Her eyes darting from the building to their little group and from one end of the clearing to the other.

"You know what Makoto always says!"

"That only counts before we've stepped into a sphere of influence and I'm pretty sure we already did!"

"Sphere of influence?" asked Morgana from where he had joined them in peering through the bushes, obviously torn between being excited at the sight and cautious as they all were because of the situation.

"It's something that more powerful fae have! Like a fairy ring, just around them or what they consider their home. It's hard to leave them if the owner doesn't want you to, so being on good terms with them is always better than having to break out."

A small comfort that he'd apparently done the right thing when he'd encountered Igor. Even though he still was unclear what consequences his actions there would have.

"We've been told to simply turn around when we feel that we're about to step into one, but it's not that easy. Sometimes they're not that obvious."

Proven by the fact that they all had walked into this one. Even Morgana, with his uncanny sense for any and all magic hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

It was different from when he'd followed the twins. Less oppressive. But the circumstances were so different, comparing them felt foolish. He now had bright daylight to guide him, he wasn't alone and no sudden panic was guiding his steps before suddenly abandoning him.

"I'm not sure we can ignore it this time."

Or keep waiting until something happened.

They made their way out of the foliage onto the clearing, warily watching every spot that could hide someone ready to jump out at them.

Thankfully, nothing did and they made it unaccosted to the door, everything staying deceptively serene, even when they clustered around it.

"Let's hope someone is home," Ann, who taken the lead, tried to joke, but the hand on the whip at her belt betrayed her nervousness as she raised her other to knock. Quick and loud, enough to be heard inside.

Nothing moved. Everything on the other side remained silent.

When she was about to knock again, the door instantly creaked inward, as of trying to welcome them in. No one stood behind it and no one called out to them.

Not exactly a warm welcome, but it could have been worse. In comparison to what they'd experienced with Kamoshida, it was almost friendly. And they'd already gotten this far; the only option left was to enter.

Carefully, they crept through the door, which closed with another creak once Ryuji had stepped through bringing up the rear. They'd all seen it coming, so no one showed any outward surprise.

Akira wasn't shocked that the inside was bigger than the outside. With everything else that had happened, it was the least surprising occurrence. If it had turned out to be a simple wooden shack in the middle of the woods that fit its appearance, it would have been even more suspicious.

Everything in the hall was made of the same splintering wood as the outside had been, no windows, but beams reaching up to the ceiling, mimicking pillars, while crooked boards were arranged like a staircase around them.

The only newer features were paintings that had been hung along the walls, without rhyme or reason, covering every available space, almost holding up the ceiling instead of the actual walls. All of them were beautiful, fantastic landscapes next to still lifes, a few portraits between cascades of color and other things he'd never seen before.

Most of the galleries that nobles kept didn't have as much variety of artworks as one wall of this simple hall held.

His companions kept looking around the same way as he did, trying to take in all the small details, Ann and Ryuji being tense but slowly losing it, staying where they had positioned themselves on both sides of him. Even Morgana craned his little neck from one direction to the other, eyes going wide, making little sounds of awe.

"I did hear correctly, we do have guests!"

The voice sounded out from the top of the stairs, only moments before the person it belonged to came into view.

He looked like a kind old man, elegant despite the old but well-maintained clothes he wore. Which put him at odds to their surroundings, since everything else was shoddily put together with much less care than his appearance. Laugh lines and grey hair, but despite those there was something eerie about him. As if those features had been painted on and weren't part of him. The age only a suggestion instead of something easily recognizable.

Akira had expected his and Igor's presence to be similar, but while there was an undertone of the same otherworldly feeling that he'd been confronted with in the cave underneath the forest, it was different in a way that was hard to describe. Less wrong, somehow?

There was no question that Ryuji and Ann had been right when guessing who was responsible for the place. The man was clearly a fae and they were now at his mercy.

"Welcome to my humble abode. It's been so long since we've had guests. Come in, come in!"

Completely ignoring that they had already stepped in. Ann let out a nervous laugh and Ryuji muttered something under his breath that Akira couldn't completely make out. Only the word humble, said with a tone of such disdain that it left him wondering. Maybe because of the size?

He didn't seem like the type to despise people of lower standing, but Akira had witnessed worse behavior from people he'd never expected it from. It was a little horrifying to think that he might have misjudged Ryuji this badly, since the short amount of time they'd spent together had given him a completely different picture.

"We were making our way through the forest after we lost our way and came upon your palace. Would you be so kind as to tell us how to get to the edge of the woods?"

While he was busy wracking his brain for something the fae might accept in exchange, Ann had taken the initiative and stepped forward, smiling winningly, clearly hoping to win him over.

"Certainly, certainly!" He seemed to be excited at her manners and the prospect of helping them and Akira expected him to immediately start demanding a price they wouldn't be able to pay.

"But it's getting late and you all look horribly exhausted. I can't let you leave in good conscience without a meal and a night of rest. I'd be a terrible host otherwise."

None of them answered, instead they gave each other wary looks, waiting for one of them to signal that there was no downside to the offer.

Their hesitation to accept seemed to register quickly, the smile falling and his brows drawing closer, a furrow appearing that looked like he was about to flare up in anger. Until suddenly, his face cleared up again, the smile returning, a sympathetic tone entering his voice when he spoke up once more.

"My plan is not to cause you worry or trick you with my offer. It's a gift for all of you and in return you can gift me your company for the length of time you stay. A fair trade, no?"

He seemed to be understanding of their wariness and what he proposed was a nice gesture to dispel it. Differently from the way Igor had behaved. Ryuji and Ann probably knew more about the fair folk than he did, living so close to the forest, while all Akira could provide came from stories and fairytales. He couldn't help but reflexively look at the two, deferring to their expertise in this.

"Humans need names, right? I go by Madarame, which is as close to my true name as you will get," he said with a twinkle in his eye as he waved them closer.

"Please do not feel compelled to reciprocate, I do not want to use your names against you, not even accidentally."

At this point, not accepting would make them look rude and ungrateful. Enraging him while they were already in his house and sphere of influence as the knights had called it wouldn't help them.

Ann stepped forward, looking at Ryuji and him in the process, giving them a subtle nod, obviously having come to the same conclusion.

"We'd be delighted to stay for a night before we'll be on our way tomorrow. Thank you for being so generous," she accepted the offer with the most nervous smile and falsest laugh he'd ever witnessed.

Not that Madarame seemed to notice, focusing and reacting more to her words than how she said them or how she held herself. Otherwise, he wouldn't have believed a word or be offended. But he didn't, only reacting to her agreement, bringing his hands together in a single clap, being overjoyed at the prospect of them all staying the night.

"You will not regret being my guests! Let me introduce you to my students, my apprentices. They've been here for quite a while now and have never come to harm through my hand."

The young man and the young woman that came into the room at his signal looked miserable, despite his assurance of their well-being. Their clothes were put together as well as Madarame’s, but they seemed ready to collapse at any moment. Eyebags and curved shoulders that spoke of constant strain. Holding their heads low as if they expected to be struck the moment they stepped out of line. It was a worrying sight, but no matter how much Akira wanted to, drawing attention to it probably wouldn't help.

Maybe there was another explanation for their haggard appearance, but he doubted it. Their forced smiles as they greeted them told him enough.

None of his companions noticed or visibly reacted to it, even Morgana looked genuinely happy to see some other humans here with them. Proof that the fae was as benevolent as he acted.

Couldn't they see it? Or were they just ignoring it?

"They are currently living with me while trying to perfect their craft. I do have some others, but they are roaming around to find their calling and only return from time to time. I'm happy to have some more company tonight."

Every word he said seemed to be designed to put them at ease, just an affable old man inviting a few lost strangers that had turned up at his door to spend the night. It did the exact opposite to Akira, who was unnerved by the contradictions his eyes and ears witnessed.

But there was nothing he could do or say to alert anyone to what he witnessed, not with the fae directly in front of them, focused on them. He wasn't even sure if there would be an opportunity as long as they stayed under his roof.

For now, Akira simply had to play along and be a gracious guest.