" Do you know why this is my most favorite place in the world?"

Kogure Kiminobu shrugged listlessly in reply.  He did not see the point in this question when there were so many more important things that had to be said in this morning of mornings.  Still, not wanting to seem uncooperative, he answered, his eyes roaming over the perfectly manicured expanse of lawn, the willow and cherry trees that abounded and the cheerfully bubbling brook only a few metres from where he sat with his companion.  " You like this place because it is beautiful, My Lord.  You have always liked beautiful things..."

" That is true.  You know me well.  But today, I have no eyes for the beauty of my surroundings.  Today, I have eyes only for your beauty."

" This is not the time for sweet words, My Lord.  They are quite frankly unappreciated."

" If ever there was a time for them then it is now.  Must I go with you mad at me?"

" Must you even go at all?"

Mitsui Hisashi, Crown Prince of Shiawase, shook his head in disgust.  " Do not make me go through all of this with you again.  As fond as I am of you, even I have a limit to my temper.  You are beginning to exasperate me."

" That is not my intention."

" For some reason, I doubt that." Prince Hisashi got to his feet and stared down at the slightly shorter boy.  His head was down and he refused to meet his gaze.  He pushed back a sudden wave of irritation towards his companion by reminding himself that it was only understandable that he should be so upset.  " Can you not even pretend to be slightly cheerful for me?"

" How can a person be expected to be able to put up a cheery facade when the one he...The one he...loves..."  Kogure blurted out this word, tears beginning to sting his eyes, " Is about to go out to his death?"

" Kiminobu-"

" No!  It's true, isn't it?"  The tears, much to his shame, began to fall then.  He couldn't remember the last time that he had cried.  He had been rather jaded by a life time within the Royal Court.  But then, Prince Hisashi had always managed to get all of his emotions into a turmoil.  " I am not completely stupid or clueless as you may like to think I am.  I am perfectly aware of all of the things going on around me and I know that we are fighting a losing battle against the kingdom of Akurui.  You going out there to battle is just plain suicide!"

" I have arraged for you to be taken care of in the event that something does happen to me."

Kogure was outraged.  " If you believe that that is my main concern then you badly mistake my priorities and insult my very character, Your Highness!"

" I did not mean for that to sound as it did." Mitsui told him soothingly.  He placed a finger under his chin and forced him to look up at his face.  " I merely wanted you to know this, Kiminobu.  To alleviate your worries."

" My worries will not be eased until you are again safe behind the Palace walls with me."

Mitsui's face grew serious at this.  " These days, not even the Palace walls are safe.  The invading army is too deep into the Capital City for comfort.  They must be pushed back or the Palace will be taken."

" Leave such things to the army.  A Prince's job is to strategize, not to fight."

" You are being selfish."

" I find no shame  in that.  Well born young Lords usually are, you know?"

" I have never known you to be..."

" There is a first time for everything."  Kogure pointed out.  He took the Prince's hand in a string grip.  " Now please.  Don't make me have to beg for the first time in my life.  I don't want you to go out there.  Please.  Don't."

" I have made up my mind, Kiminobu."  Mitsui withdrew his hand.  " Even you cannot change it."

" You are just being stubborn!"  Kogure accused him angrily.  " You are only doing this for your manly pride!  To prove yourself worthy of your title."

Mitsui ignored his lover's rantings.  He tried to place a placating hand on one delicate shoulder but it was only shrugged off.  " I asked you if you knew why I loved this particular part of the Palace Gardens so much.  You gave me an answer, but it was wrong.  I will tell you the reason.  This place is particularly close to my heart for this is where we shared so many things.  This is where we first met so many years ago.  Do you remember that, love?"


" Yes."  Despite of himself, Kogure actually found a smile tugging at his lips.  " You were being your usual, charming self.  You had stolen my book, saying that it was far too nice of a morning to waste on reading, and so I pushed you into the water."

" Yes.  Just children back then.  But when we got older, we got up to different and more interesting things, right love?"  Mitsui grinned cheekily, enjoying the reddening of his lover's face.  Kogure was no doubt remembering, as he himself was, the first time that the two of them had made love.  Right out here in the open.  " This is our very own, very special private place.  That is why I thought it only fitting to say goodbye to you here.  That is why I thought this to be the place to make my promise to you."

" And what promise is that?"


" That I, my love, will come back to you, as good as new once this war is over." Mitsui told him softly, his thumb gently caressing one smooth, flawless cheek.  Gods.  No one had ever told him that saying goodbye to his beloved would be so difficult.  " I'll meet you right here, right at our place and I'll make love to you as though there would be no tomorrow."

" Then I'll be waiting for you right here, Your Highness.  Until then."

" You just better be!" Mitsui exclaimed with false cheerfulness.  " The Prince will not be kept waiting!"

" Of course not, My Lord."

" You feel better now?  Now that I've given you my word?"

" Just slightly."

" Smile then." Mitsui bent down and gave him a chaste kiss on the forehead.  " Give me something to fight for."


And Kogure obeyed.  He was only able to keep it in place for a few seconds before his face crumpled and he jumped up and hurled himself into Mitsui's arms.  " I don't want you to go!  I want you to stay here with me!  Please...I don't want you to!"

" Do you trust me, Kiminobu?"  Mitsui asked him softly as he rubbed soothing circles on the smaller boy's back in a vain attempt to calm him.

" Do you even have to ask that?"

" Then you should believe me when I say that nothing will prevent me from coming back to you.  I swear."

" I'll believe that when I see it, My Lord.  I have known you to have broken your word in the past."

" But those were only minor things!" Mitsui pointed out, amused that even now, Kogure had the spirit to argue.  " Do you really think that I would want to break this particular promise?"

" No."

" Then you believe me?"

It took a while for Kogure to anwer but he eventually nodded.

" Then remember my promise." Mitsui advised him softly, " And know that I will always, always love you.  No matter what happens."

" As will I, My Lord."  Kogure whispered before Mitsui's lips could claim his in one last kiss before he went, " As will I."
 
 

~**~

Who was it that said that promises were made to be broken?  Whoever it was was a brilliant man, for soon enough, I found out just how trued this was.

Hisashi never did come back.

Four days into the battle with the Akurui army, my Prince was felled by a lucky shot from some lowly young archer.  A sad end to what had once been a grand and beautiful young man.

Upon receiving the news of his much loved son's death, the King, already rendered weak by stress and old age, was taken to his bed.  He died two days later.

The army was then led by Hisashi's younger brother to no avail.  They were soon defeated and the Capital City fell.  My once proud country of Shiawase was taken.

The Palace was stripped of anything of value.  The more beautiful courtiers and servants raped, the Polical leaders killed.

As for me, those pigs were not merciful enough to let me join my beloved in death.  They were amused when they found out about my relationship with the Prince Hisashi and thought that I would do well as a common servant in the Royal Palace of Akurui.  I, Kiminobu Kogure, Lord of Tanoshi and lover of the Crown Prince of Shiawasr a servant.  I could not have sunk any lower in the world.

I am to leave for Akurui tomorrow.  Only the gods know what is in store for me there.