The Hummingbird (part 7)
Title: The Humming Bird
Author: krystalkatz
Rating: G(for this part)
Length: chaptered
Genre: Au,
Pairings: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari
Disclaimer: I only own the plot
A/N: Happy birthday saffia_me! ^.^
Jun was baffled by the sudden change in the maid’s behaviour, she had been in the palace for as long as he could remember but they had barely spoken, she had always been silently by his mother’s side. His first thought was that she was a spy sent by his mother, but if that was the case why would she allow Nino to wear her mother’s hair comb. There was also the question of how the maid had gotten such an expensive comb in the first place. The ladies of the empresses court weren’t commoners but to have such a delicately done comb was strange.
He entered his room and almost groaned as he saw his formal clothes laying on the bed His father was a strange man in many things and one of them was that his sons were ‘colour coded’. Satoshi’s formal attire was blue, Sho’s red and Aiba’s green. It had been the emperor’s wish that his fourth and last child would be a girl, so the colour picked out for him was purple. During his youth he had worn bright purples but as he had gotten older they had grown darker and masculine but it hadn’t stopped Masaki from teasing him about it.
Masaki’s light hearted teasing had been child’s play to the remarks he had gotten from Satoshi and Sho after they had found out about him and the servant. He pulled on the overly expensive clothing making sure he was a presentable as possible. Nino would look better in something delicate like this he thought, running his hand over it, it was were masculine than anything else he had seen the whore in but it was soft enough not to over-power his beauty.
With a final look in the mirror he stepped out intending to go to Nino but once he had arrived in the hall he stopped short his breath catching as he saw Nino standing nervously next to a vase of flowers, he was dressed in a soft orange kimono, that had the pattern of a bird of paradise on one side and a dragon on the other. The comb in his black hair glinted as the light hit it as did the chain around his neck. Nanami was standing three steps behind like an attendant, silently watching the other quests that were filing in to the hall.
“You look beautiful” Jun said as he finally reached his side and Nino hid a smile behind a painted fan.
“Thank-you, sire” He replied gently inclining his head while dipping his knees in a formal bow. “Nanami-san did a wonderful job…”
“I had a beauty to work with, but now his imperial highness is here I should leave you… Kazumi-chan… If you feel in any doubt as to your actions look to his imperial highness or me and you will be just fine” Nanami told him tapping his nose in the same way she had in the bedroom.
“Thank-you, Nanami-san” Nino said and with a final warm smile Nanami nodded her head and left. When they were alone they looked at each other with more nerves and embarrassment than two people who had just had sex should have. “I… Um, you look very nice…Ohno-ouji…”
“Thank-you…” Jun answered and they gave each other stupid grins and shy laughs, “Shall we go through?”
“I shall follow your lead, Ohno-ouji” Nino said softly bowing his head, Jun wanted to take his hand and run away with him that very night instead though he turned and motioned for Nino to follow him into the great hall.
It wasn’t rare for the palace to be so busy, every year for the summer festival it happened, normally the prince could deal with it easily but he was so nervous that something was going to go wrong he couldn’t settle.
“Wow… Kazu-chan looks so pretty” Masaki said enthusiastically as he strode over to them, his own green clothes flapping around him like a cape. Jun tensed quickly and Masaki stopped his approach just short of colliding with them.
“Masaki-ouji, thank-you for your compliment” Nino said softly, blushing when there was a loud murmur about him using the third princes given name. Jun tensed as he saw his mother and oldest brothers staring at the disapprovingly, for some strange reason though he relaxed when he saw Nanami give them a reassuring smile from her position by his mother’s side, Nino trusted her and Jun had decided to treat her as an ally for now.
Throughout the gathering none of the company seemed to realise that Nino was from the Hummingbird, in fact the prince over heard some commenting that Nino was his arranged bride and there would be a happy announcement at the festival. Nino stayed by his side the whole evening, in spite of Masaki’s attempts to make him leave.
When they went to the dining room, Jun was happy that Nanami had placed them together with herself at Nino’s side to silently guide him through the 20 course meal that had been prepared.
“Ninomiya-chan… Are you enjoying your time here?” The emperor asked as he drank his tea. A silence had fallen over the party until then so almost all of them started, Nino’s body had been tense throughout but now Jun saw that he had gone completely rigid at being addressed by the emperor. Nanami very gently and discreetly placed a quick motherly hand on his arm. The action was only noticed by Jun and he knew that he was going to be proven right in trusting her.
“Y-yes… I-I am, your imperial majesty” Nino nodded softly “V-very much…”
“I am very glad… I hope you will continue to do so while you are here…” The emperor said with a tired smile, “I am sorry but I must retire, please carry on…”
“Are you okay father?” Satoshi asked standing up as the emperor did. The emperor waved his hand away
“I am fine, Jun will you see me to my room? Nanami-san will look after your quest” Jun was tempted to refuse but slowly he got to his feet and followed him out. The emperor was walking with his head proud out of the room but as soon as the doors closed he sagged heavily against him.
“Father?” Jun said startled gripping him tightly, the emperor gave a weak laugh and allowed himself to be walked to a bench by the window that over looked the garden
“I think that maybe this will be my last festival” he sighed his tired, almost cloudy eyes looking out over the garden that looked as if it was being set alight by the setting sun.
“I am sure you will live to see many more…” Jun said as soothingly as possible
“Nonsense, I am lucky that I will see this one… I am not sad at my passing, I have had full life… With four unique and wonderful sons… You should not judge the others for the way they are… Satoshi and Sho, they have taken the brunt of my illness since they were very young and Masaki he seeks to make so many people happy because deep down he feels just as apart from people as you do.” The emperor told him gently, Jun couldn’t have been any more surprised at his words. He had never considered his father a cold person but he had always seemed to be distant.
After the emperor had recovered his strength they headed to the bedroom and he lay on the mattress “Your guest seems a truly interesting and charming girl… I wish I could formally allow your union but although you are my fourth son, your mother still expects so much of you…”
“I know father…” He said heavily and the emperor gave him another sad smile patting his arm.
“You should just enjoy the time you do have with each other while you can…”
“Yes” Jun agreed though there was no feeling in it.
After his father was settled Jun headed back to the dinner his eyes focused on Nino who was still sat with Nanami eating the food delicately. His heart beat wildly against his ribs when Nino looked up and smiled at him ‘Sorry, father I cannot do that…I cannot and will not give him up…’
TBC
A/N: I hope you enjoy ^.^