Fantasy Howl's Flying Castle (Finished! ---Whoo! (*＾▽＾)／)

[Katsuya]

Tsumiki clapped her hand over her pinched mouth, coughing and laughing while Chenglei tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. Completely amused by the answer. So the blonde sat up a little straighter, placing a single hand on Kenren's forehead and waited for a moment.

"...Okay, ya dun' hav' a fevah...maybe ya need a small break from paper work, hmm?" The consort asked, hugging the emperor once more and snuggle. "If ya lik', Tsumiki and I can help on choosing the musicians? Some are comin' today, right?"

"Yep. There's a few. I can take care of the budget costs and show you what I found, if you like?" Tsumiki asked her other big brother, looking over at the calculations he made already.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

Wait, what did he say? They were talking about what he was talking about, right? "You look handsome in those robes." he said as Chenglei checked if he had a fever. "Yes, a break would be nice." he smiled, caressing his hair again. "Yes, in fact, that would really help, you two." he nodded at their suggestions. He stretched his arms and his legs, rubbing Chenglei's back. "Would you two like to go ice skating?" he looked out at the window where the children of the palace servants skated on the frozen ponds, playing, or having snowball fights, some wearing dog masks.

Katsuya
OOC | Characters | Moments in Time
​

 

[Katsuya]

"Thank ya, Ken'en." Chenglei smiled again, leaning into his caressing hand as Tsumiki stood up from the pillow she was sitting on and stretched. The Zhou siblings perked up at the idea of ice skating.

"I'm getting the ice skates! I'll meet you guys at the ponds!"

"Wait-! Do ya even kno' our shoe sizes- annn' she's gone lik' da wind." The blonde sighed, rustling his mop of golden strands for a moment before gazing out at the window to see the skating children at the ponds. He spotted a few of the servants running around while some of the musicians they are meeting today are following behind them in the hallways. Probably to get ready for their presentations today...and hopefully be chosen to play inside the palace walls for the New Year.

He chuckled when he saw one of the kids playing in the snow to slip and fall before laughing with the rest of his friends. "Hmm...Aftah ice skatin', we should get hot tea or hot chocolate tuh warm up." Chenglei suggested, nuzzling into Kenren's shoulder again with his cheek, purring.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

"You look handsome when you ruffle your hair." said Kenren, watching him look outside. Chenglei's breath was coming out in mists, his charming face framed by the window in a peaceful winter background. He put an arm around him and rubbed his cheek, as he leaned, "Yes, tea and chocolate would be nice." he called one of the servants, a blushing girl who was keeping her face composed as she approached the handsome men, to serve the kids and servants outside tea and chocolate, before hugging Chenglei and kissing his head.

The servant went "~Kya", before she pulled herself together, bowed, and then left for the kitchens, telling the other servant girls --- which the palace is overwhelmingly getting a lot of applicants for --- that Lord Zhou and Emperor Kenren are being cute today again.

Later, down on the frozen ponds, Kenren glided across the ice serenely, just humming as he thought of nothing, stretching his arms to the sky. The kids and servants were enjoying hot tea and chocolate beside a half-destroyed snow fort where they were playing capture-the-flag; a couple of servant girls were peering from the windows, watching the couple, while headservants were telling them to get back to work.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Chenglei's cheeks tinted pink at the compliment, smiling humbly as he kissed his cheek. The servant girl's reactions is only making his cheeks red, but that didn't stop him from being cuddly; chuckling a bit.

Later, down on the frozen lake, Chenglei breathed out a mist of air, gliding aimlessly on the ice with long slow strides. While Tsumiki is just a bundle of energy, wildly skating through the ice with a gleeful 'Ahhhhh-Hahah!', waving her arms wildly as she twisted around to skate backwards.

"Tsu-chan, careful you don't fall."

"Ha! You don't have to be worried about me, Lei-lei. I can skate just fin-" She suddenly bumped the edge of the pond and fell into the snow bank. Her arms and legs are sticking out of the snow, struggling to move. The blonde chuckled and skated closer to help his sister up. "I told you to watch out." When she felt too cold, the younger sister went to ask one of the servants to pass her a cup of hot chocolate to warm up her bones.

Chenglei caught up to Kenren and smiled, silently offering a hand to dance together on the ice. His cheeks flushed in pink. He ignored the excited quiet mutterings of the servant girls, a few running off to tell the others of what's about to happen with the cute couple.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

"Yes, careful ---" added Kenren, but plop, Tsumiki's legs were sticking out in the air from the snow. The emperor chuckled, and glided over to help her up too. Unlike most of his drab court members, Tsumiki was very popular with the kids and the peasant women. They can easily talk to her, telling her what the problems are in their neighborhoods, just like now as she drank with the kids, she looked like one of them and they were all at ease around her.

Kenren glanced to the side as Chenglei came up, and took his hand, giving a big sigh as his love smiled at him. His lips quirked up, a little shy, and glided closer, taking his other hand and letting him lead them across the ice.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

His smile grew wider as he gently pulled Kenren to the center of the pond; Chenglei kissed his knuckles adoringly, lips felt warm. He wrapped an arm around his waist to be closer as he lead them to glide on the ice.

The blonde is a complete gentleman while dancing with Kenren, always making sure to hold him close after every spin. If the emperor ever felt like he was about to fall or trip, his love would catch him and gracefully swept his leg to the side and right their balance on the ice; making it seem like he planned that. Their movements are free and flowed like the rolling waves of the sea. Their hands always held each other.

Then the couple would hear the pluckings of a stringed instrument, following the couple's beat. If Kenren looked towards where the children and Tsumiki are, he would see a lone figure sitting on the few stairs, covered in a brown hooded winter cloak that's usually worn by travelers. On the hidden figure's lap is a beautiful koto, their hands delicately plucked the strings with pedicured nails. The person didn't seem to mind the children either as they curiously crowded around the figure and watched the couple dance to the calming song.

At the end of their dance and the lone figure's song, the servant girls let out quiet cheers as Chenglei kissed Kenren's cheek, looking happy. Tsumiki wolf-whistled, making the blonde look at her. His ears turning red. Then he looked at the emperor. "Did you have fun?"

They can hear the children asking questions to the lone figure and it seems they are answering back quietly by the way the kids are poking at the koto's strings.

Spoiler: Mysterious Koto playing

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

Kenren smiled and leaned against him, nose buried in his neck, as he closed his eyes. Totally at ease. He didn't need to see, just trust, as they weaved across the frozen pond. Skillful and graceful, Chenglei had this way of making their dance look beautiful even though Kenren's skating was only a mild beginner's. A hand caressed the swordsman's cheek as they spun, hand in hand, as the emperor kept his eyes closed.

His every move complemented his love's, moving however he wanted knowing Chenglei would catch him --- and catch him he did. Kenren's eyes opened when he heard the song, glancing over to the lone hooded koto player. "Beautiful music." he muttered. It reminded him of Serena's song, but this one had a calm maturity to it, and it made the scene more peaceful.

At the end of their dance, Kenren smiled at Chenglei, a little red, and hugged him close, whispering, "Yes, I did, Chenglei. Let's skate some more, and later, let's have our hot chocolate in private." his fingers combed his hair, tracing down his neck, then meaningfully massaged a shoulder.

He glanced at the koto player again, and asked a servant to call the hooded figure over for hot tea and chocolate, and to play some more as he and Chenglei skated again.

"That was beautiful music." he commended the musician afterwards, as he and Chenglei were served hot tea or chocolate. "What is your name?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Kenren can hear Chenglei purring as the blonde smiled charmingly. He can feel the blonde shudder, leaning into his hand a bit from his touches.

The hooded figure silently nodded and came closer to the couple, playing their koto while they danced on the ice some more. When the emperor asked, Chenglei thanked the servant with a bright smile before taking a slow sip of the hot green tea.

"Thank you...It's Hotaru..." said the figure- A woman, from what her voice sounded like. "My name is Hotaru Hou, your Majesty." She didn't look up from her instrument, the hood veiled her looks. The blonde narrowed his eyes a bit, shuffling to sit closer to Kenren just in case.

"I see...Are you one of the musicians who came to play here?" He asked and the mysterious woman nodded her head gracefully.

"Yes. I hoped to play in the palace this New Year, Consort Chenglei." was her reply.


Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

" Hotaru Hou, you will be happy to know that your hope is answered. You will play in the palace this New Year." said Kenren, casually putting a hand on his sword, where he leisurely tapped on the hilt, a warning code for his ever watchful shinobi. Chenglei's wariness did not escape him. "Stay here in the palace, my servants will attend to you and your companions. I'm looking forward to hearing you play during dinner." two servant girls bowed at the emperor, then waited on Hotaru.

Kenren sipped from his hot tea, then placed an arm around Chenglei. "Shall we get back to work?" he massaged his shoulder.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Hotaru seemed surprised by the way she froze, her hands that were on top of the Koto's strings stopped tweaking.

"Oh! Thank you so much!" Her head bowed low, her hood almost touched the koto. "I swear I won't let you two down. You have my word." With that, the mysterious woman stood up, carrying her instrument in her arms and followed the servants. Chenglei saw how the woman wouldn't let the two servants help her carry the heavy stringed instrument either; The way she moved...It's as if...

"...She's certainly happy..."The blonde dryly commented when they were alone, tense until he felt Kenren's arm around him. He sighed, leaning into the embrace and purring lightly. "Yea, we shall..."

Chenglei stayed with Kenren the whole day while Tsumiki ran off to start on their budget calculations. When the emperor recieved reports from his shinobi over the mysterious woman, it would mention that she seemed genuinely excited as she talked with her band-mates. However they couldn't get a good look of her face because she wore a white simple porcelain mask the whole time she and her band-mates stayed in their rooms. She didn't make any suspicious behavior either, other then wearing the mask.

"...Maybe she dun' lik' her face or is very shy?" Chenglei pondered to Kenren if he shared the report. The blonde seemed just as confused but something is bugging him. He didn't know what exactly but...it clearly bothered the blonde as he nuzzled into Kenren's clothes until it was time for dinner.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

"Yes, like a scar . . ." Kenren pondered, as they cuddled under the blankets. "That, or she doesn't want someone to recognize her. . . I don't like potential threats in our palace." he said calmly, hugging Chenglei protectively as he nuzzled into him. There on the emperor's chest was a poison arrow wound, where months ago, an assassin had tried to kill Chenglei, the arrow piercing Kenren instead when he pushed him away. Thank goodness they were able to hunt down the assassin after interrogating the man who made the poison, Seths' traitorous friend.

"I will have her mask off. I won't let anyone hurt you, Chenglei."

That night, Hotaru and her band were told that the emperor gave them leave to play after dinner, when plates are taken away and the desserts and drinks are served as the members of the emperor's court talk and make merry.

Kenren and Chenglei had learned from the shinobi all there was to know about the woman, where she hailed from and who her family was. She was surprisingly clean, no affiliations with any of the Taisho rivals or old enemies from their war days, but they also learned that she wasn't ugly, which all the more made Kenren believe she didn't want to be recognized.

So not an assassin then . . . He had planned to confront her directly, but scaring a poor travelling bard and a woman at that was something he didn't like doing. Still he was suspicious. He didn't want to lose Chenglei. If that happened . . . Oh the fright that had gripped him when he thought he might never have him in his life. It was unbearable.

So he told Chenglei that he will ask her face to face why she was wearing a mask.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

Chenglei kissed the scar on his chest, ash purple eyes looking up at Kenren's amethyst ones. Worried but determined about finding the truth from the lady. "Okay, I'll be nearby. Hidden an' around da corner so ya kno' ya ar' not alone."

His grip on the emperor's clothes tightened, hints of his golden scales can be seen melding on his hands and the back of his neck. "I won't let da lady hurt ya eitha', Ken'en..."

While he didn't like the idea of scaring a traveling bard, (much less a woman since it goes against his moral code) but it's necessary considering that they had an assassination attempt before months ago. Someone was aiming a poisoned arrow at him when he wasn't looking and Chenglei cried out in horror when the emperor protected him. Taking an arrow to his chest. Luckily for them, they were able to hunt down the assassin thanks to a certain imprisoned thief and Renee was able to create the antidote; letting Kenren survive the ordeal.

Sure, the emperor might be used to being sick from drinking small amounts of poisons before but that didn't mean Chenglei liked the idea of losing his love or seeing him hurt. Again.

Dinner was announced. The royal couple came down to join their officers and court members; Tsumiki is sitting besides her mentor, the ever strict and yet oddly strange financial head. She was talking to him as he graceful ate the meal, listening to what calculations she found in her studies. Not once did the financial head made her quiet and Chenglei had this feeling that her mentor is silently proud of his cheerful and hyper student.

The band decided to start with two people playing tonight: Hotaru and a young man named Tetsuya Sasagawa who will be playing the Kokyu. It's an instrument that's similar to the Eru but the bow has loose string instead of taut strings. The duo wore formal attire. Hotaru wore a beautiful black kimono with streaks of gold, red, and white. Her long salt and pepper colored hair pinned up in a simple bun with a peach blossom kanzashi holding her fringes back delicately. Her mask is still covering her face. She seems to be playing her koto to support the young man too...

'So even during a performance, she's not going to take her mask off and she's not the type to accept help from others...only to help them.' Chenglei thought as he sipped his tea, sitting straight and proper besides the emperor. Okay, he'll admit it to himself; the woman is strange in a fascinating way. Everyone can tell that she feels comfortable performing in front of royalty, her quiet confidence danced along with each pluck of the strings. It's strange because normally someone would be staring at the royal couple and miss a note or two; but this woman has yet done that. She's definitely a professional if she wasn't going to be distracted from her work.

However...Chenglei couldn't help but get the feeling...that she wants to reach out to someone while playing...

It wasn't until the empty plates were taken away did desserts start appearing with drinks and everyone in the court started to mingle freely. Tsumiki started to talk with the servant girls, leaving her mentor's side as he talked with the other court officials. The band quietly left with Hotaru waving off Tetsuya's offer to help her carry the heavy koto. Right now would be the couple's chance to face the woman as she walked in the empty hallways with her koto in her arms, ready to rest in the guest room. The way she walked made her look like she was gliding on the floor, not a single rustling sound from her kimono or wooden sandals.

Spoiler: 'Dinner music

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

Kenren nodded at Chenglei, then hugged him. "Thank you for being protective, Chenglei."

That night, the mysterious lady would coincidentally see the emperor sitting across an open sliding door in her way, though he was just at the dining hall moments ago. He had the cup and bottle of sake he was drinking before. Was it a trick of the eye? Because he looked like he had been sitting here for a while.

Snow was falling outside, and he was watching the flakes settle on the frozen ground, as they covered up the tracks of the hundreds of servants that walked the paths today. The moon beam fell gracefully across his regal pose. His eyes were calm as he drank and looked across the servants' quarters that was lit with the glow of orange lamps and red lanterns. They too were making merry after a hard day of work, and music was coming from their mess hall while their kids could be heard laughing or telling their parents they wanted to play more instead of sleep.

As peaceful as he looked, there was a stillness in the air invoked by his mere presence. Like suddenly walking on a lion calmly residing, but a lion it was still. And as Kenren's eyes looked upon her she could see that as loving to Chenglei and kind as he was to her today, he was also a man who took pleasure in making the crooked straight and crushing down uneven places. And nothing can stop him.

"Why do you hide your face?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

The mysterious lady froze from where she stood. Kenren can tell she was surprised to see him there as she turned her head towards the dinning hall before looking back at the emperor. Then she became wary, holding her koto very close to her chest. As if it was a shield from Kenren. She dare not go closer nor did she back away, facing him head on quietly.

He can tell she was scared but she stood her ground anyways...

Though the question took her off guard. She stayed silent for a moment as if pondering about something.

"...I simply don't want to show my face to others while working." Was her careful answer.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

The lion stood up and looked at her steadily, weighing the truth. "Are you afraid of someone? Did you come to the palace to escape?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

The mysterious lady took a step back, tensing up, and looking ready to run.

"No...Well, right now I'm afraid of you, your majesty. However I didn't come here to escape." She said, taking a deep breathe afterwards. "I came here to play my music...and check up on someone...two someones very dear to me..."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

"Strange that you would hide your face to people dear to you." said the emperor. "Would they hurt you if they saw you?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

The woman stayed silent to think before shaking her head.

"No...I don't believe it so...but I rather they not know that I am here." She said. "I only want to check on them for myself and then leave after the New Years celebration is done."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

"No, you leave tonight. You hail from one of the distant provinces, you've traveled all this way through the harsh winter to see your dear ones . . . but you will not show your face. If you do not fear them, then, they must fear you. Enough to run far, far away from you." he pulled the sliding door wider.

"Everyone under my roof, from old man Adachi who shovels snow every morning and little Kiba who lights the lanterns at night, is under my protection. You do not seem to be here to ask for forgiveness either, if you do not want them to know you are here. I can only imagine what shameful thing you have done to hide away and cover yourself with a porcelain mask. Leave, those you wronged are safe and happy here."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

At 'Enough to run far, far away from you', the woman tensed up again, frozen in her spot as she tightly hugged her koto. Listening.

"..." She sighed, her shoulders slumped in defeat as she hung her head. "...I had to. I had to leave them...If I didn't, the man who used to chase me would have killed them. He almost let my son starve to death while he was gravely ill. I had hired someone to look after him when I went out to get money for his medicine and she was killed. Her corpse left outside like she was some sort of...toy after it was broken." Her tone, as quiet as she was, sounded devastated.

Suddenly tears fell down from behind her mask and hit the wooden glossy floors.

"I had left my children to my mother's, where I know they will be safe from him. It wasn't until I knew he died from hanging a few years that I went back to my mother's, hoping that I would at least see my children happy but they were gone. They left the house and I didn't know where they were so I searched and searched for years until..."

Clack-thum-thum

Her koto dropped to the floor as the woman tried to wipe her tears away from behind her mask. "I'm sorry if I caused you or anyone distress and I'm glad-happy, ecstatic that my children are protected." She sobbed. "But I had to leave them to make sure they were safe from that evil man long before and I wanted to see them before the New Years came..."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

"What are your children's names?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

"...Chenglei and Tsumiki Zhou." She let out as shuddering whisper, sniffling. "My son and daughter's names are Chenglei and Tsumiki Zhou..."

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Kenren Taisho -
" Palace, The Orients "​

Suddenly, the emperor was kneeling before her, her mask tilted up as he looked into . . . her ash purple eyes. He was shocked.

All at once memories of Chenglei's hurt, the bitterness, feelings of being unloved, unwanted, and the fear of being abandoned flooded his memories. Fierce anger gripped the hem of her robes, as his hand drew his sword. Reflected in his eyes was the hurt of her son, and the yearning to make it alright.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

The mother looked back at the emperor, not expecting him to be that close.

Her mask clacked on the floor. She flinched back when Kenren angrily grabbed her robes, dainty rough hands flew to his in hopes he'd release her. She struggled even more when she saw that he drew his sword...until she saw his eyes with her own frightened ones. Her lips pinched and shut her eyes, preparing for whatever strike he would do-

Rough hands were gently placed over the emperor's as a warm chest molded on his back. Familiar golden blonde hair billowed on his left as he felt Chenglei wedge his head on his shoulder. "Ken'en," He sweetly whispered in his ear. "please...calm down."

Chenglei saw his mother froze in place, unable to believe her son is right there and seeing her face too. "Ken'en."

Zer0