[Yama fic] Forbidden Love (Part 25)
Title: Forbidden Love
Pairing: Yama (Ohno x Sho)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, antiquity, angst, romance, friendship
Disclaimer: Purely fictional, for entertainment only
Summary: Concubine Ohno poured out her heart to her son in her final moments. Prince Masaki was forced to do something by the King.
Part 25
Satoshi
That night seemed exceptionally long. I couldn’t see the moon from the jail cell. The flickering light of the torches gave the silent surroundings a flavor of loneliness and hopelessness, just like the moment when death is about to come. I gently patted Mother who’s still leaning in my arms. I could come to know something that I didn’t know before prior to my death. Is that considered a favorite treatment from high above?
I dazed at the torches, thinking about someone - Masaki. Didn’t he do that for Jun? I wouldn’t blame him, as long as he could protect him for me.
The sound of footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. My heart tightened when I looked down at Mother who was sleeping so peacefully.
"Ohno, receive your condemnation!"
Following the announcing guard was another guard holding the tray with the cup of poisonous wine.
"Concubine Ohno, you were blessed to be able to attend to His Majesty as a concubine. But you did not act as a good role model and violated a serious rule in the palace. You should be penalized with decapitation. His Majesty, however, is mindful of the years you attended to him and rewarded you an intact body. Here is a cup of poison granted to you by His Majesty. Come and show your gratitude."
Mother sat up slowly, looked at the guard and looked at me. Then she suddenly smiled. "Satoshi, you can finally be spared the burden of me. The Basarians sold me to the Arashi Kingdom. My son killed countless number of Basarians for the Arashi Kingdom. But in the end, we are still being rejected because we are Basarians -- isn’t that ironic? Who owes who after all?" Mother put her hand on my face and gently caresses it. "Satoshi, without the burden of me, you can go after the one whom you truly love. Do you hear me? Don’t be like me - you won’t be like me. That boy won’t treat you like this - " She then went up to the guard and grabbed the cup of poison and came back.
"Satoshi, I don’t want to leave you, but also too ashamed to continue living - " Mother continued as her silent tears fell down her cheeks. "I never helped you with anything, I never cared for you when you’re sick. When you’re growing up, I never paid good attentions to you - but Satoshi, can I ask you for one last favor?"
"Anything - " I looked at my grieving mother, trying to hold back my sorrow with all my will and said as calmly as I could.
"Don’t hate me - if there is another lifetime I wish I can be your mother again, caring and loving you properly - do you want that?" Mother looked at me with a begging gaze.
"I want - I want! Next life, you can’t break your promise! If - you are not my mother - then - I will hate you - " I said as I helplessly watched Mother drank down the poison. My tears also fell down uncontrollably.
"Satoshi - can you - call me ‘Mother’ - for the last time - " Mother said weakly grabbing on to my clothes. Her expression told me that the poison is starting to take effect. I held her trembling body as close to me as possible.
"Mother - Mother - Mother!" I used all my strength to call out the term which was so unfamiliar to me. Mother slowly loosen her grip. "Mother, you’re sleeping again? Didn’t you say you want to take care of Satoshi? Mother, I still haven’t - haven’t told you. I - I love you! You’re my mother - my mother!"
"Nii-san - Nii-san - " I didn’t know how long I had been holding on to Mother’s body, crying. I didn’t even pay attention to when the guards left. When I finally started feeling the surroundings again, a nervous Masaki who looked somewhat ashamed was standing in front of me.
I looked at him and then looked at Mother whose body was still warm. I was in total loss. All these years, though hurtful, ‘Mother’s wish’ gave me enough strength to keep going. But now?! What could I fight for? This was not what I wanted, not what Sho wanted. All of a sudden I felt like an idiot…..
"Nii-san, are you OK?" Hearing Masaki’s voice, I raised my head and looked at his eyes. Somehow I could see a bit of fear in them. "Nii-san, I’m sorry - say something! Nii-san!" I still looked at him, speechless.
Masaki
Before Father put all the bets in front of me, I never thought I could be so despicable one day! Queen Matsumoto was not my birth mother, nor had she ever really taken care of me. But if it wasn’t for her, there would not be a Prince Masaki today. And there’s Jun. I could pretend to be blind in the fights between Nii-san and Jun. I could remain in a neutral position between them. I could care less who became the future king. Because I know they wouldn’t really hurt each other! But when it comes to Father, I am really scared…..
"Masaki, I only want to test them. I promise you, I will not truly hurt them."
"But Father, I - really can’t do it!"
"You have to know, between Satoshi and Jun, one of them has to be sacrificed. Born to the royal family comes with privileges but also has rules to follow. Masaki, you should know that, don’t you?"
"Father, Nii-san is a good son and a good brother. I know he won’t betray Father! Can you - "
"Masaki, you have to be decisive like a man! I’ll count to ten and you have to choose between Satoshi and Jun! One, two, ….., seven,….., nine,….."
"I know what I have to do!"
"Nii-san, are you OK?" After I made arrangements for Sho-kun, I hurried to the prison but I found out I was too late. I had never seen him like this before. Still holding his mother’s body in his arms, he locked himself in a world that no one could disturb.
"Nii-san, I’m sorry - " My voice sounded so weak. "Father ordered Lord Satoshi to stand trial in the palace!" There’s no other way. I couldn’t let him stay here. I wanted to lift him up, but he didn’t move, still holding his mother’s body tight.
"Your Highness, you can’t take Prince Satoshi away. His Majesty had commanded that he can’t leave the prison without his written command!" The guards blocked my way. I could feel my heart beating rapidly.
"Who are you to block me?! Am I a prisoner too?! You, go and pull him away!" I put out a straight face, saying something I could not have said before. "Can you take the responsibilities if His Majesty condemned the delay?! Get out of my way!"
I pulled Nii-san with all my strength, trying to hold back my tears. "Go! Father summoned you. Didn’t you hear?!" I continued to pretend. "Don’t dawdle!"
"Masaki - I won’t leave - " Nii-san finally responded. "I can’t leave, I have to be with Mother. She would be scared if I leave her alone here - "
"Do you know it’s not up to you now?!" Before we left the prison, I had to keep badmouthing.
"Masaki!" Nii-san finally broke free of my grasp. He didn’t look as confused.
But why? If his mind was cleared, why still so stubborn?! He knew I would claim back his mother’s corpse. If he could trust me with the lives of Sho-kun and Nino-sensei, why wouldn’t he - no, he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t trust me at all! I betrayed him! He had so much trust and love in me, but I ended up tricking him into confinement!
"I can’t go with you. If this is a set up, it won’t be as simple as that." Nii-san returned to his usual cool. But what he said made me even more guilty.
"There’s no set up! Nii-san, I will get you out of the palace! I have already arranged for Sho-kun to leave the palace!" All of a sudden he showed a relieved but desperate expression, and conversely took my hand in his.
"OK! Let’s go then." The exit of the prison was just few steps from us.
To be continued.....
Previous | Index | Next
Pairing: Yama (Ohno x Sho)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, antiquity, angst, romance, friendship
Disclaimer: Purely fictional, for entertainment only
Summary: Concubine Ohno poured out her heart to her son in her final moments. Prince Masaki was forced to do something by the King.
Part 25
Satoshi
That night seemed exceptionally long. I couldn’t see the moon from the jail cell. The flickering light of the torches gave the silent surroundings a flavor of loneliness and hopelessness, just like the moment when death is about to come. I gently patted Mother who’s still leaning in my arms. I could come to know something that I didn’t know before prior to my death. Is that considered a favorite treatment from high above?
I dazed at the torches, thinking about someone - Masaki. Didn’t he do that for Jun? I wouldn’t blame him, as long as he could protect him for me.
The sound of footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. My heart tightened when I looked down at Mother who was sleeping so peacefully.
"Ohno, receive your condemnation!"
Following the announcing guard was another guard holding the tray with the cup of poisonous wine.
"Concubine Ohno, you were blessed to be able to attend to His Majesty as a concubine. But you did not act as a good role model and violated a serious rule in the palace. You should be penalized with decapitation. His Majesty, however, is mindful of the years you attended to him and rewarded you an intact body. Here is a cup of poison granted to you by His Majesty. Come and show your gratitude."
Mother sat up slowly, looked at the guard and looked at me. Then she suddenly smiled. "Satoshi, you can finally be spared the burden of me. The Basarians sold me to the Arashi Kingdom. My son killed countless number of Basarians for the Arashi Kingdom. But in the end, we are still being rejected because we are Basarians -- isn’t that ironic? Who owes who after all?" Mother put her hand on my face and gently caresses it. "Satoshi, without the burden of me, you can go after the one whom you truly love. Do you hear me? Don’t be like me - you won’t be like me. That boy won’t treat you like this - " She then went up to the guard and grabbed the cup of poison and came back.
"Satoshi, I don’t want to leave you, but also too ashamed to continue living - " Mother continued as her silent tears fell down her cheeks. "I never helped you with anything, I never cared for you when you’re sick. When you’re growing up, I never paid good attentions to you - but Satoshi, can I ask you for one last favor?"
"Anything - " I looked at my grieving mother, trying to hold back my sorrow with all my will and said as calmly as I could.
"Don’t hate me - if there is another lifetime I wish I can be your mother again, caring and loving you properly - do you want that?" Mother looked at me with a begging gaze.
"I want - I want! Next life, you can’t break your promise! If - you are not my mother - then - I will hate you - " I said as I helplessly watched Mother drank down the poison. My tears also fell down uncontrollably.
"Satoshi - can you - call me ‘Mother’ - for the last time - " Mother said weakly grabbing on to my clothes. Her expression told me that the poison is starting to take effect. I held her trembling body as close to me as possible.
"Mother - Mother - Mother!" I used all my strength to call out the term which was so unfamiliar to me. Mother slowly loosen her grip. "Mother, you’re sleeping again? Didn’t you say you want to take care of Satoshi? Mother, I still haven’t - haven’t told you. I - I love you! You’re my mother - my mother!"
"Nii-san - Nii-san - " I didn’t know how long I had been holding on to Mother’s body, crying. I didn’t even pay attention to when the guards left. When I finally started feeling the surroundings again, a nervous Masaki who looked somewhat ashamed was standing in front of me.
I looked at him and then looked at Mother whose body was still warm. I was in total loss. All these years, though hurtful, ‘Mother’s wish’ gave me enough strength to keep going. But now?! What could I fight for? This was not what I wanted, not what Sho wanted. All of a sudden I felt like an idiot…..
"Nii-san, are you OK?" Hearing Masaki’s voice, I raised my head and looked at his eyes. Somehow I could see a bit of fear in them. "Nii-san, I’m sorry - say something! Nii-san!" I still looked at him, speechless.
Masaki
Before Father put all the bets in front of me, I never thought I could be so despicable one day! Queen Matsumoto was not my birth mother, nor had she ever really taken care of me. But if it wasn’t for her, there would not be a Prince Masaki today. And there’s Jun. I could pretend to be blind in the fights between Nii-san and Jun. I could remain in a neutral position between them. I could care less who became the future king. Because I know they wouldn’t really hurt each other! But when it comes to Father, I am really scared…..
"Masaki, I only want to test them. I promise you, I will not truly hurt them."
"But Father, I - really can’t do it!"
"You have to know, between Satoshi and Jun, one of them has to be sacrificed. Born to the royal family comes with privileges but also has rules to follow. Masaki, you should know that, don’t you?"
"Father, Nii-san is a good son and a good brother. I know he won’t betray Father! Can you - "
"Masaki, you have to be decisive like a man! I’ll count to ten and you have to choose between Satoshi and Jun! One, two, ….., seven,….., nine,….."
"I know what I have to do!"
"Nii-san, are you OK?" After I made arrangements for Sho-kun, I hurried to the prison but I found out I was too late. I had never seen him like this before. Still holding his mother’s body in his arms, he locked himself in a world that no one could disturb.
"Nii-san, I’m sorry - " My voice sounded so weak. "Father ordered Lord Satoshi to stand trial in the palace!" There’s no other way. I couldn’t let him stay here. I wanted to lift him up, but he didn’t move, still holding his mother’s body tight.
"Your Highness, you can’t take Prince Satoshi away. His Majesty had commanded that he can’t leave the prison without his written command!" The guards blocked my way. I could feel my heart beating rapidly.
"Who are you to block me?! Am I a prisoner too?! You, go and pull him away!" I put out a straight face, saying something I could not have said before. "Can you take the responsibilities if His Majesty condemned the delay?! Get out of my way!"
I pulled Nii-san with all my strength, trying to hold back my tears. "Go! Father summoned you. Didn’t you hear?!" I continued to pretend. "Don’t dawdle!"
"Masaki - I won’t leave - " Nii-san finally responded. "I can’t leave, I have to be with Mother. She would be scared if I leave her alone here - "
"Do you know it’s not up to you now?!" Before we left the prison, I had to keep badmouthing.
"Masaki!" Nii-san finally broke free of my grasp. He didn’t look as confused.
But why? If his mind was cleared, why still so stubborn?! He knew I would claim back his mother’s corpse. If he could trust me with the lives of Sho-kun and Nino-sensei, why wouldn’t he - no, he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t trust me at all! I betrayed him! He had so much trust and love in me, but I ended up tricking him into confinement!
"I can’t go with you. If this is a set up, it won’t be as simple as that." Nii-san returned to his usual cool. But what he said made me even more guilty.
"There’s no set up! Nii-san, I will get you out of the palace! I have already arranged for Sho-kun to leave the palace!" All of a sudden he showed a relieved but desperate expression, and conversely took my hand in his.
"OK! Let’s go then." The exit of the prison was just few steps from us.
To be continued.....
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