by Megan Derr
"What!" Kin bellowed.
Chapter Twelve: Family
If the situation were not so serious, Raiden would have burst out laughing at the expression on Kin's face.
"I cannot believe you married us," Kyo said, reading through the documents again. "I knew Taka's talent for forging would be a problem, eventually. Taka—"
"It was only meant to be a precaution," Taka said, ducking his head to bury it in one hand. "I swear that it was just a last resort."
Kyo sighed and set the papers down on the table. "Well, I cannot see what else this could be."
"I cannot believe you!" Kin snarled, stalking toward Raiden, violent intent in every line of his body. "Shima, I will—"
He broke off when someone knocked on the door. Raiden slipped around the far side of the table, putting it between him and Kin as the door opened. "Captain."
Midori stepped into the room, turned to the table, and dropped to one knee. "Prince Nankyokukai, Prince Takara. I apologize for my unseemly arrival. The orders given to me by your father led me to believe I would be facing quite a different situation. While that does not excuse my conduct—"
"Forget it, Captain," Kyo said and gestured. "Come and have dinner, and let us discuss this matter and decide what is to be done. I will not be returning home," he added as Midori sat down.
Raiden joined them, sitting down and lifting the pitcher of wine to fill all the cups at the table. When he was finished, he picked up his own cup and settled back in his seat, sipping slowly at the potent white wine while he observed the proceedings.
"Highness, your father gave me explicit orders to see to it you carried out your duty—"
"I am carrying out my duty," Kyo interrupted. "However, I have no intention in doing it my father's way. I also had plans of my own that were upset by his abrupt assigning of my duty. I am merely combining my own plans with those of my father. You may return and assure him that I will do as I am bid."
Midori frowned at him. "With all due respect and abject apologies, highness, I have no way of believing that, howsoever much I would like. I am afraid that I am not to leave your side until your duty is fulfilled. I admit it would be a good deal less frustrating if I knew what you were about, but of course, I understand that you may not divulge such information to me."
"I cannot divulge it to anyone," Kyo replied.
Raiden suspected that had not stopped him from divulging it to Krasny, and the sour look on Taka's face indicated he likely agreed with Raiden, but they both remained silent. They were all fish in a dark sea, so close they almost touched, but unable to see one another. He wondered when the sun would finally come out; he was long weary of the dark.
Midori frowned into his wine, then set it aside and leaned forward with shockingly open earnestness. "Highness, I am happy to help you in whatever way you desire. My orders were to see to it you carry out your duty. How that is accomplished your father left to me. If you desire to do so in your own unique fashion, I will happily cooperate. Anyway, you cannot continue on this ship with it in this state—"
"My ship will be fit to sail in a matter of days," Kin said coldly, drawing Midori's full attention. Raiden quirked a brow at the unabashed loathing in Midori's eyes, wondering what had caused it. "He will not be sailing on any ship but mine, Captain."
"That is not for you to decide," Midori said coldly. "You were no doubt paid for this journey, and I am amenable to further compensation for your trouble, but not if you persist in your crass behavior, Captain."
Kin sneered. "What crass behavior bothers you more—my lack of manners or that you interrupted us—"
"Enough, Kin," Kyo said, quiet but firm. "Captain, I am afraid he is correct in that I could not travel on another ship. I would not be so disloyal to my new spouse."
Silence fell, so stark that Raiden could hear Midori's quick, choked breath. "Your what, Highness?"
Picking up the papers he had set on the table, Kyo handed them over. "We married right before we left. Obviously my father would never sanction it, and I was never going to take no for an answer."
Raiden knew devastation when he saw it and felt sorry for Midori. In an easier world, he and Kyo would have been a fine match. Given the loathing Midori clearly held for Kin despite the fact they had just met, Raiden was deadly curious as to what Midori had interrupted. He could guess, but he hoped he could get Kin to admit it later.
Midori read over the papers in silence, mouth tightening with every page. "I see," he said at last. "I suppose congratulations are in order. I am impressed, highness, at how well you kept it secret. No one has so much as ever whispered about an affair beyond the one—" He broke off, making a face.
"With Taka?" Kyo finished in amusement. "As you can see, a relationship with Taka has always been quite out of the question."
Looking at Taka, Midori shook his head in wonder. "I cannot believe … you really are twins. You look exactly alike. I have never seen anything outside of old historical tomes, and illustrations are hard to trust. I have never seen two people who look so perfectly alike. One might almost be a reflection of the other, you are so similar."
Raiden laughed so hard that he had to set his wine down to avoid spilling it. "It is a tragedy, Captain, that a man of your extensive travels has never encountered twins before. They are all over the world, save in Kundou. I know of a particular set in Pozhar … " He trailed off with a smirk when Taka glared at him and added, "but that is a tale for another days, perhaps."
"Perhaps," Midori said with reluctant amusement. "I know you, Master Raiden. We've never met, but tales of your exploits are legend on all my ships, and my men have had run-ins with your crews before."
Snorting in amusement, Raiden replied, "No one ever wants to believe that I obey the law and pay every last paaru of my taxes. They are always so disappointed when they are forced to admit that I am as honest as it is possible for a merchant to be."
Midori laughed. "Indeed." His momentary levity faded as he turned back to Kyo. "I do not know what you would have me do, Highness. I have my orders, and your father's orders supersede yours."
"You have a greater obligation to Prince Culebra and Lord Krasny, I should think," Taka said, pushing his plate away, clearly tired of picking at his food and remaining silent. "They are both traumatized by the brutal mermaid attack, especially Prince Culebra, who lost a great many friends—including his bodyguard. Lord Krasny weathers it better, but the more recent attack shook him badly."
Raiden had a difficult time keeping a straight face at that one. Krasny was remarkably cool for a fire child—remarkably cool for anyone. If he was traumatized at all by his recent adventures at sea, he was giving no signs of it.
"We are badly behind schedule since being attacked," Taka continued. "Neither can we afford the delay that will come when we arrive in port in Pozhar with Prince Culebra and Lord Krasny. If you want to ensure that—" He faltered briefly, then said, "my brother is able to carry out his duty, then you best serve us by taking Prince Culebra and Lord Krasny to Pozhar in our stead."
Kin shook his head, "We still have to resupply in Pozhar."
Midori's voice held only a bare note of reluctance when he said, "We can give you some of our supplies to make up for what you cannot take on by skipping Pozhar, if that is what you must do to stay on schedule. We will gladly help his highness and his grace, if that is how we can best serve your highness."
"Your assistance is appreciated," Kyo said and ate a bite of bread dredged in the sauce remaining from his fish. "My father gave you no other orders?" Midori's hesitation was all the answer he needed. "What did he say?"
"That once your duty was complete I was to reclaim the Eye you stole and return it to him immediately," Midori said, clearly more relieved than he should have been to have admitted to it.
Raiden watched the emotions Kyo tried to hide play across his face anyway, including a sorrow that hurt to look upon. "I see," was all Kyo said, however. "Unless you've anything further to divul
ge, Captain, I believe that is all for the night. You may return to your ship, and we will sort out travel plans in the morning."
"Yes, highness," Midori said and rose. He stepped away from the table, knelt, then rose smoothly and left.
Kyo waited until he was well gone, then said, "I am going to bed." He stood up and left.
Raiden was not surprised when, barely upon the closing of the door, Kin stood up as well and left without a word, only a glare that promised Raiden would have a bruised jaw later. He did hate when Kin punched him, but there was little to be done about it. At least it was not likely Kin would throw him overboard.
"So, did you want to storm out dramatically next, or shall I?" Taka asked, trying for dry but mostly sounding tired.
Turning to look at him, Raiden smiled faintly. "I'd rather have more wine. How are you, Taka?"
Taka shrugged ."I don't know."
Surprised by the honest answer, Raiden reached out to cover Taka's hand with his own. "You are still you, Taka. Appearance does not change a man."
"No?" Taka replied bitterly. "I am fairly certain that if I still looked like me, I would not be dressed in this stupid finery and called 'highness'. Appearance changes everything. What am I supposed to do now? It is not as though I can return home—they would have me killed. I do not know why I am alive."
Raiden tightened his grip on Taka's hand, stood up, and dragged Taka with him, pulling him close. "The gods do not ever condone the killing of their children in such cruel, senseless fashion. The stigma against twins is something created by the people of Kundou. Someone had sense enough—heart enough—not to kill you, Taka. Someone cared enough to want to hide you. That is why you are alive. Do not sneer at the love someone showed you by doubting them now. You are who you are, whatever your appearance."
Taka tried to shove away, but Raiden wouldn't let him. "Here I thought you would be thrilled to realize I can no longer make you keep my records in order," Raiden teased.
"I'm not a prince," Taka whispered, the words so soft and wretched that Raiden hurt hearing them. "I do not know how to be one. I'm just a secretary, that's all. I just—I liked it. I was good at it. What am I supposed to do as a prince no one wanted to begin with? I was the one hidden. I was the one they were going to kill."
He did not bother to say what they both knew: that both twins should have been killed. But the royal family would never tolerate it being known they had committed such a taboo. Killing one, pretending that twins had never happened … it made him wonder how often it had happened over the centuries. No one in Kundou would know it, but twins were something that tended to run in families.
"No one had anything against you, Taka. I am certain that if her Majesty had been permitted, she would have loved you equally."
Taka said nothing, but he did not protest when Raiden's arms looped around him, held him tight. Raiden ached to kiss away every worry, distract him until Taka could face things with his typical stubborn, snarly determination. But he would not take advantage of Taka's distress to get what he wanted. He simply focused on soothing Taka, tracing fingers up and down in his spine in a calming caress, nuzzling his hair. He wished there were an easy way to convince Taka that he was still Taka.
"You are not really a prince, yet, you know," he finally said, drawing Taka back to look at him as he spoke. "Kyo has certainly eschewed his title while at sea, there is no reason you cannot do the same. That aside, as long as Captain Midori and the rest of his crew believe that Kyo eloped with Kin, Kyo is correct: he may as well consider himself disowned. All for the best, since I cannot see Kin ever taking to the role of consort."
Taka laughed, and Raiden smiled, pleased to have gotten him to do so. "I think he would destroy the entire palace."
"Probably," Raiden agreed, unable to resist reaching out to stroke the line of Taka's cheek, lingering on the soft skin and fighting an urge to reach back and sink his fingers into Taka's hair and draw him close, stake a claim. The need to possess, to make Taka's his, to hoard him and keep the rest of the world away, clawed at him stronger than ever. Raiden tamped it down, but it took more effort than he liked to finally withdraw his hand.
Frowning at him, brow furrowed in confusion, Taka said, "I look like Kyo now."
"You look like you," Raiden said.
"No, I don't!" Taka snapped. "I look like Kyo—his hair, his eyes, his everything! I don't look like me at all. You aren't interested in Kyo, so—"
Raiden smiled faintly and once more reached up to touch Taka's cheek, brushing it with his knuckles, uncurling his hand as it reached Taka's hair and sinking his fingers into the soft strands. "I keep telling you, Takara. You look like you, and you are still you. Whatever the color of your hair or eyes, whatever the shape of your face—your smiles are not Kyo's. You don't tilt your head the way he does, and he doesn't sigh the way you do. When he's angry, he gets cold. You get hot. He walks with arrogance, you walk without a shred of artifice. Kyo is a mixture of prince and priest, and you are every inch a mostly humble secretary."
Lowering his voice, bending in closer, he breathed his next words across Taka's lips. "I doubt his highness would know what to do should a naked man crawl into his bed, and I firmly believe you know exactly what to do." Taka drew a sharp breath, and Raiden could feel the way he shivered. Drawing back slightly, he continued in a more normal tone, "It is not the color of a jewel that matters most, it is the depth and clarity. A treasure is not something that can be measured monetarily, but something that is too precious to put a price to. You have amazing depth and clarity, my treasure, whatever your appearance."
"You barely know me," Taka said, only the barest tremble to his voice.
"I told you, I do not waste time dithering over my decisions. I know what I want when I see it," Raiden said. "If you are hoping to lose me with something as trivial as changing how you look, I am sorry to disappoint you. Though, I think perhaps now your coloring would be better suited to diamonds. Mmm, yes. Diamond and saphir." He reached up unthinkingly to trace the line of Taka's throat where the jewels would fall, lost in a fantasy of the day when he would walk into his home to find Taka lounging in nothing but diamonds, saphir, and pearls, the sunlight kissing his skin, ready and waiting for Raiden to fuck him senseless.
Recalling himself, he stepped hastily back before he gave into an urge to do something that would cost him all the ground he had gained. Taka stared at him, cheeks flushed. "What in the name of the dragons' was going through your head?"
"You don't want to know," Raiden said, and when Taka glared at him, said, "It involved you more or less naked."
Taka tried to scowl, but the flush to his cheeks gave him away—and Raiden thought it might have been from not being wholly opposed to the idea, which pleased him. Once Taka got used to his new appearance, Raiden thought maybe seducing him would be a bit easier.
"I should probably go see how the ship repairs are going," Raiden said reluctantly. "You may want to hide those marriage papers because I am fairly certain that given a chance, Kyo, Kin, and Midori would all gladly burn them."
Smiling faintly, Taka said, "Captain Midori has always been remarkably more tolerant of Kyo than the rest of the palace. I think Kyo is the only one who has never noticed; certainly the rest of the palace harasses Midori at every opportunity."
Raiden nodded. "I did get that impression. I hope he departs sooner rather than later, or else I fear he will humiliate himself by trying to get into a fight with Kin."
"Because he thinks they are married?"
"That, and I am fairly certain that Midori caught them— Well, I think his highness is rapidly learning what to do when a man crawls into his bed." The expression on Taka's face sent Raiden into a fit of laughter. He finally sat down so he wouldn’t fall, laughing harder when Taka hit him. "Come now, Taka. Surely it is not that hard to believe that his highness—"
"Yes, it is," Taka said. "Kyo refuses everyone. It's as if he's waiting for someone, as ridiculous as that must sound."
/> Raiden smiled faintly with amusement, thinking of a dagger locked away in a chest and putting together pieces he had long suspected belonged together. He wondered if either one had figured it out, yet. Probably not; there would have been shouting. "Perhaps he was waiting for his captain."
Taka rolled his eyes. "I think the dye needed for your absurd clothes are putting out fumes that are going straight to your head."
"There is nothing wrong with my clothes," Raiden said, looking down to admire his robe: bright red with clusters of gold stars. His sash was gold with red stripes with a string of rubi and pearl beads. "What should I wear, if you are so offended?"
Silence met his question, but when Raiden looked up he saw Taka was regarding him pensively. "I cannot picture you in anything else," Taka said at last. "You would not be you if you dressed more soberly. Though the red is a bit much."
Raiden shrugged and smiled. "Wait until you see the indigo paisley."
"I am going to assume that is a joke," Taka replied.
Still smiling, Raiden stood up and crossed the room to the cabinets behind the desk, pulling out the keys kept on a chain around his neck. Taking down a jewelry case, he unlocked it and pulled out boxes until he reached the one he sought. "Come here, Taka."
Taka eyed him warily, but after a moment of hesitation, obeyed. Joining Raiden at the desk, he sighed softly. "Must you?"
Raiden smiled faintly and set down the box he had chosen. Reaching up, he unfastened the pearl and esmeralda choker and set it aside. Opening the case, he withdrew a necklace of tiny diamonds and saphir with a large, oval saphir in the center. Stepping close to Taka again, he drew the necklace around Taka's throat and fastened it into place, unable to resist brushing his lips whisper soft across Taka's skin right above the clasp. "Here I thought you would argue with me more about it."