The Tailor and the Prince

by Pelaam

  Bertie’s heart sank. Perhaps Takeshi will oppose my visiting Ichirou. Before anything else could be said, Natsu hurried into the room and positioned himself behind Ichirou. Bending forward, Natsu whispered into Ichirou’s ear.

  “I am pleased to hear so. Now attend me.” As Natsu busied himself selecting the choicest titbits for Ichirou, the prince himself glanced firstly toward Takeshi who was preoccupied, and then to Bertie and inclined his head a fraction.

  Bertie took the gesture to mean that Felton was safe, and he sighed his relief. But even as he looked up, his heart stuttered a beat as he met the venomous glare of Madam Kana. There’s no way she can possibly know what’s happened. Perhaps she’s heard that her designs are not going to be chosen by Ichirou.

  Whatever the reason for it, Kana’s glare unsettled Bertie. He made sure to avoid looking in the seamstress’s direction for the rest of the meal. Once the dishes had been cleared away, and tea served, Bertie felt a little more relaxed.

  “I have an announcement.” Ichirou stood up, and the rest of the room followed suit. “I have decided that it is the designs from Blackwood-san that please me most. Takeshi, you will make the necessary arrangements for the contract to be drawn up. I will speak to Coleman-san personally, when he feels better.”

  “Are you certain you do not need more time to consider, Ichirou-denka?” Takeshi’s face was schooled into neutrality as he spoke.

  Watching the interaction, and the power struggle, between the two men, Bertie decided that he would have preferred anger to the blank expression on Takeshi’s face. Somehow the courtier’s emotionless visage was far more menacing.

  “I do not, Takeshi-san.” Ichirou raised his head, aiming his chin at the courtier. “In every way the examples brought by Blackwood-san are superior to those from Coleman-san. I mean no disrespect to you, Madam Kana.” Ichirou inclined his head slowly in the direction of the seamstress. “Your work is quite exquisite, but pales beside that of Blackwood-san.”

  “You are too generous in your praise, Ichirou-denka.” Madam Kana bowed low. “I wish my work had been looked at with the same eyes on which you gaze at Blackwood-san. His work that is.”

  A soft gasp rippled around the room and Bertie’s stomach roiled. He watched on, helpless, as Ichirou and Madam Kana locked gazes.

  “Yes, as you say, Madam, I do indeed regard Blackwood-san’s work with different eyes. Ones which see perfection in its style, content, and color. A perfection you could not match. I will ensure that your transport home is arranged as swiftly as possible. As much as I have enjoyed having you and Coleman-san as my guests, there is no need for either of you to remain now that my decision is made. I’m certain you must miss your home.”

  With the white make-up she wore, it was impossible to tell whether the open rebuke caused Madam Kana to flush or turn pale, but the look of unmasked hatred caused a ripple of shock around the room, and Makoto even drew his sword.

  However, Ichirou held up his hand and the courtiers fell silent, waiting for what he would say.

  “Takeshi.” Ichirou looked directly at the courtier. “I make you responsible for this woman. Anything she says, or any actions she may take, you will be directly accountable for. Take her from my presence without delay.”

  Madam Kana didn’t wait for Takeshi. The moment Ichirou spoke she whirled on her heel, her clothing billowing around her in amber and black as she stalked from the room, Ichirou’s courtiers backing quickly away from her as she swept by.

  “As you command, Ichirou-denka.” Takeshi bowed and followed Madam Kana from the room.

  For a moment there was silence, then Ichirou clapped his hands.

  “You may all leave, save Captain Makoto, Blackwood-san, Keitaro, and Natsu. I have private business to discuss.” Ichirou dismissed the rest of the courtiers with a wave of his hand. When the last had gone, and the room doors were closed, Ichirou seemed to sag in his seat, closing his eyes as if exhausted.

  “Are you all right?” Bertie dashed forward, stopping only at the last moment, and resisting the urge to take Ichirou in his arms.

  “I feel so tired. I felt it was a battle to say and do as I wished.” Ichirou reached out to Bertie who dropped to one knee close to Ichirou’s throne and clasped his lover’s hand.

  “You feel cold.” Bertie rubbed at icy fingers and Ichirou nodded.

  “And yet it isn’t cold in here.” Ichirou smiled at Bertie. “I always feel better when you are close to me.” Ichirou squeezed Bertie’s hand and smiled at him.

  “What now?” Bertie asked.

  “There’s little more that can be done.” Makoto came to stand close to Natsu, who gazed adoringly at the soldier. “The contracts won’t be drawn up until the morning, although I fear Takeshi will doubtless try again to change Ichirou-denka’s mind. But I can make immediate arrangements for Madam Kana’s transport.”

  “Do so.” Ichirou nodded. “Once she leaves, and especially since Coleman-san is already gone, Takeshi cannot do anything about the contracts, as there will be no one of the other party still here.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Bertie couldn’t shake a feeling of unease. “Make sure you have guards tonight, Ichirou.”

  “Both Makoto and Keitaro will be attending me. Don’t worry, Bertie-chan.” Ichirou ran his thumb over Bertie’s fingers. “They will be in my outer chambers, along with Cherry Blossom.”

  The assurance was welcome, even though it didn’t settle Bertie’s nerves.

  “Good. I think it’s necessary. You’re still not fully well. I can still see bruises on your neck. You’re very run down. Perhaps your physicians can give you a tonic to speed your recovery.”

  “I will take your advice, Bertie-chan.” Ichirou leaned forward, and Bertie closed the distance, so their lips met. It was the first open display of affection Ichirou had initiated and Bertie’s heart soared. Even if it was only in front of those he trusted most, Ichirou had made a public affirmation of their love.

  “I love you.” Bertie whispered the words as they eased apart, and Ichirou smiled.

  “And I you. Always, Bertie-chan. No matter the distance between us.” Ichirou laid a hand against Bertie’s cheek. “Always.”

  “You should retire, Ichirou-chan.” Makoto’s voice was soft but firm. “You do look tired and tomorrow will be another challenging day.”

  “Yes. I do believe you are right, my friend.” Ichirou stood and Bertie rose with him. “I’ve loved this palace and its gardens all my life, yet I was also aware that as beautiful as they are, they are still a prison in which I am trapped. I feel that more than ever.”

  “I’m sorry, my prince.” Makoto glanced from Ichirou to Natsu, who looked down quickly. “I know how you feel.”

  “Enough melancholy. I shall retire now and awake refreshed for tomorrow. Then we shall formalize our contract, Bertie-chan. Sleep well, my love.” Ichirou bestowed another soft kiss, before leading the way from the room with Makoto and Natsu in attendance.

  “I will see you to your suite, Bertie-san.” Keitaro bowed. “Then take my place at my prince’s side.”

  “Thank you.” Bertie walked beside the young soldier in silence. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Ichirou was in danger. When Keitaro turned to go, Bertie laid his hand on his arm. “Take care.”

  “Of course. Sleep well, Bertie-san.”

  For a moment, Bertie lingered in his doorway, watching as Keitaro walked away. Then, with a shake of his head as if trying to rid himself of the sense of foreboding, Bertie closed the door.

  Chapter Twenty

  With a cry of Ichirou’s name, Bertie sat bolt upright. He was certain his lover had called out for him. His yell had clearly carried to his friends as a moment later, Tom knocked at the door.

  “Bertie? Are you all right?”

  “Yes. Fine.” Bertie hurried to the door to let Tom and Hayate inside. “I dreamed that Ichirou called for me.” He looked at his friends, who were both dressed. “Couldn’t you sleep?”

&n
bsp; “Well,” Tom glanced at Hayate who nodded. “I dreamed of danger. To you and the prince. That harpy that attacked your dad. It was so real.”

  “Give me a moment to dress. Something’s wrong. I’m certain of it. We need to be ready, and I want to go and check on Ichirou.” Bertie dressed quickly, the feeling that his beloved was in danger grew with every second that ticked by.

  A moment later and Bertie was leading the way at a full run toward Ichirou’s suite. Bertie’s heart hammered in his chest as he passed several guards, some slumped against the palace walls, others on the floor. Whether they were dead or merely sleeping he had no way to tell, and no time to spend on checking. His entire focus was reaching Ichirou.

  Bursting into the suite, Bertie was greeted by the sight of Makoto and Keitaro facing a huge cat. Its mouth was open, displaying long, sharp blood-stained teeth. The soldiers charged at it, driving it away from where Cherry Blossom attempted to shield Ichirou with her own body.

  Before Bertie could consider what to do, Tom charged past him, swinging a sword he’d taken from one of the guards, and yelling out.

  “Stay back, Bertie. You’re unarmed.”

  Hayate was a few steps behind Tom, but as the younger man was unarmed, Bertie grabbed him, stopping him from simply running into the midst of the fight. As Tom barreled forward, the beast turned its attention to him.

  “It recognizes him.” Bertie murmured out loud. It wasn’t possible. Tom had never battled such a creature before.

  “You again.” The cat spoke, hissing the words, its voice recognizably female despite its sibilance. “This time I’ll kill you and the son of the man who escaped me.”

  The cat lashed out at Tom, catching him with its claws and sending him spinning aside. Keitaro jumped to straddle Tom’s body, protecting him as the cat tried to follow up its attack.

  “Let me go, Bertie-san. I must go to him.” Hayate struggled against Bertie’s grip, but Bertie shook his head.

  “Stay here.” He glowered at Hayate to emphasize his words, then made his way cautiously into the room. Between them, Makoto and Keitaro managed to force the cat back enough for Bertie to reach and grasp Tom’s legs to drag his friend clear of the fight.

  The moment Bertie had him clear, Hayate took over, tugging at Tom until they were in a corner of the room where Hayate cradled Tom protectively. Bertie glanced desperately around the room.

  Both Makoto and Keitaro held their swords at the ready, but Bertie was certain even their combined efforts wouldn’t defeat the immense cat. Hayate shielded Tom’s body with his own in much the same way as Cherry Blossom tried to protect Ichirou.

  Anger welled up inside Bertie, building to an incandescent fury he’d never experienced. In his eyes, Takeshi’s greed and corruption was perfectly personified in the parasitic vampire cat that had been leeching the life out of his beloved Ichi-chan, and the unfortunate ignorant Felton.

  The cat leaped at Bertie and he dived to the floor, scrambling on his hands and knees to get clear as Makoto and Keitaro ran forward, slashing and slicing with their swords. Out of the corner of his eye, Bertie glimpsed a glint of green.

  It was his dragon medallion and Bertie felt immediately drawn to it. Surging to his feet, Bertie ran into Ichirou’s bedroom, uncaring about protocols. A roar from the vampire cat seemed to make the very air shake, but Bertie didn’t stop.

  The second he reached Ichirou’s dressing table, Bertie snatched up the medallion, relishing its solid heat, and fastened it around his neck. At a yell from Makoto, Bertie whirled around to see the cat stalking toward him growling deep in its throat.

  Another surge of incandescent fury heated Bertie’s veins once more and he glared at the cat. Then the creature stopped, its fur bristling as green smoke billowed from the medallion, swirling sinuously in-between him and the creature of darkness.

  The cat hissed, swiping a deadly claw at Bertie, but the smoke deflected the blow, and Bertie stared transfixed as the smoke coalesced into a solid shape.

  A dragon. Just like the medallion, with iridescent green and blue scales, flecked with orange. Its small wings fluttered like a hummingbird’s, although Bertie was certain they shouldn’t be keeping it airborne

  The cat’s growls grew deeper, and it lashed out at the dragon. Bertie’s anger rose again. The dragon was thinner than the cat, but longer bodied. Although it possessed lethal-looking claws, its legs were stubby, and Bertie doubted it could get close enough to the cat for them to be of any use.

  The dragon dodged the blow. But it didn’t need to use its claws to retaliate. The dragon roared, and flames spewed forth at the cat. The cat moved, but not fast enough. The stench of burnt fur and flesh almost made Bertie gag and the cat’s screech of pain threatened to make his ears burst.

  Once again, dragon and cat circled one another, the dragon swirling like smoke in the air, and the cat with its bristling fur. Bertie caught a glimpse of Makoto and Keitaro, swords raised, protecting his friends in the other room.

  As Bertie fingered his protective medallion, a thought niggled at him. If this is the beast that attacked my father and Tom, as it boasted, then it was also driven off once before.

  Then it struck him. The cat attacked Tom first. That meant Tom was unable to bring his own talisman to bear, his bloodstone ring. Although the ring wouldn’t have the same power without its true master, Bertie hoped that between his own talisman and Tom’s ring, he could help tip the balance in their favor. At least it’s better than standing around feeling so helpless.

  On hands and knees, Bertie kept close to the wall as he tried to get past the circling beasts. Neither seemed inclined to engage fully, and Bertie wondered if they were too evenly matched or whether each waited for the other to make the first move.

  The cat spotted him and struck out, but the dragon swooped between it and Bertie, spewing fire and forcing the cat to retreat. Given the dragon didn’t pursue the cat with more flames, Bertie guessed that it could only produce limited amount of fire at a time.

  Scrambling forward, Bertie managed to pass the supernatural combatants. Makoto and Keitaro also took advantage of the dragon’s attack to slash at the monstrous cat, but their swords did little damage, bouncing harmlessly off its thick striped fur. But while the beast was distracted, Bertie took advantage and scurried forward on hands and knees.

  Cherry Blossom still crouched protectively over Ichirou, and Hayate cradled Tom. Bertie hoped both his friends would make full recoveries, but first, there was a demonic creature to defeat.

  “Tom, Tom. Can you hear me?” Bertie knelt at Tom’s side. There was a big bruise on the side of his friend’s face, and blood stained his shirt where the cat’s claws had torn into Tom’s side.

  “I’ll be fine, Bertie. Was it the ‘arpy again? The claws.” Tom winced and Hayate made cooing noises pressing him to settle.

  “No harpy, I’m afraid. I need your ring, Tom. Between that and my father’s medallion, you and he drove it off once before. I won’t let it defeat us.”

  “Help me, Hayate.” Tom held out his hand, and Hayate eased the ring from his finger. Tom clasped it in his hand, then held it out to Bertie. “Take it with my blessing. Now go kick its arse.”

  Bertie slid it onto his middle finger. The ring was still a bit loose, as his fingers were slighter than Tom’s. Bertie glanced in Ichirou’s direction, but Cherry Blossom waved him on.

  “Go, destroy it. We will only be safe once it has no more power.” Cherry Blossom’s voice was tight, and Bertie could imagine how afraid she must be.

  “I shall.” With a curt nod, Bertie rose to his feet. A ceremonial sword lay next to a soldier’s body. Another weapon was always useful, and Bertie snatched it up. Just having something tangible to hold imbued Bertie with added courage, and he stalked forward.

  Cat and dragon still circled, the one lashing out with claws, the other spewing forth flame, neither beast ready to claim the upper hand.

  This time when the cat struck out at the Dragon, the drago
n’s flames burned a stripe along the beast’s back. As it yowled in pain and fury, Bertie pushed past Makoto and Keitaro.

  “By the power of my protections, I strike you down, foul creature of darkness. Return to the hell from which you came.” Bertie held up the hand which now sported the bloodstone ring, and then slashed down wildly with the sword.

  The cat shrieked in agony as a deep cut opened on one hind leg. Bertie was elated. Although the creature was still deadly, it was no longer impervious to a sword. At least, not while it was in the hand that bore Tom’s ring.

  It seemed that Bertie’s attack was all the dragon had waited for. With a roar, it swooped down and grappled with the cat. A cacophony of sound followed. Roaring, howling, hisses, and a stench of burning fur and flesh as the dragon unleashed more fire.

  The dragon wrapped itself around the cat, rolling them, and exposing the cat’s belly. Keitaro reacted immediately. Uncaring of the slashing claws, smoke, and black blood that spread across the floor, Keitaro dashed forward, and plunged his sword deep into the cat’s heart.

  A kick from the cat’s hind legs sent Keitaro spinning aside, but his sword remained buried in the creature’s chest. The creature yowled, kicking and struggling, its movements growing weaker as it remained trapped in the grip of the dragon. Bertie edged forward, it seemed to him there was one last thing needed.

  Almost in a trance, Bertie lopped off the cat’s head. The dragon rolled free as the cat’s body aged rapidly, almost crumbling to dust before the dragon could get free. The dragon hadn’t escaped being hurt itself, long scratches and bite marks were evident, and Bertie hoped it would be all right.

  What he didn’t expect was for the dragon to shimmer, and its form to shift, becoming fluid, and smoky before solidifying into a naked man. The world tilted, and Bertie landed heavily on his arse, staring up at the attractive man.

  His skin was golden-brown, although its smooth beauty was marred by several deep scratches and bite marks. Hair as black as midnight hung past his shoulders, and the ebony eyes that gazed down at Bertie held fond amusement.