♦⊱ Chapter 15 - Warmth ⊰♦

This chapter has a POV changes a bit often. Please excuse me for that - I didn't want to alter it too much from the original ^^'

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Ruka pov:

I took a deep breath while standing outside the dining hall, the tightness in my chest still lingering. Despite feeling glad that I had heard the reason for Kichiro sama's stern personality and decided to try and care for him, I was uncomfortable. I felt like I had delved too deep into his past, into his secrets, as if I had invaded his privacy.

Kichiro sama was already in the dining hall when I entered. As usual, there were no chairs besides the one he was seated in and I was to sit in his lap like during every other meal.

"Why aren't you coming here?" he asked and I realized that I was still at the doors staring at him.

Taking another deep inhale, I stepped to him and took a seat in his lap. Food was placed in front of us and we reached out to it to eat. I barely tasted the food I ate, though ate at the speed I usually did. I was always slower than Kichiro sama but he always waited patiently until I was done before he got up. It was courteous of him and it was a gesture that I had found to be kind even before I heard of his past.

I shook my head slightly to snap out of my thoughts and concentrate on the present. I reached out for the last piece of sushi though resisted from flinching when my chopsticks met with Kichiro sama's.

"I'm sorry," I apologized and retracted my chopsticks so he could have the last piece.

"Have it," he responded, reaching for a bit of the side dish instead. I smiled at that and picked up the sushi and ate it. Once again, Kichiro sama had been kind and considerate in his own way.

I recalled another things that Kijima san had told me when we had had tea earlier. He had been with Kichiro sama for more than fifteen years, the only person to have been close to Kichiro sama for so long. He had been a soldier in the imperial army but suffered an injury that forced him to quit the army. He then worked in the palace, merely Kichiro sama's caretaker and an errand boy for ten years.

Kichiro sama was always shunned, treated as a problematic child. Kijima san had not been able to do anything about the opinions peoples had or the abuse they subjected Kichiro sama to because he had no power and lacked status. All he could do was watch Kichiro sama suffer while being used as a tool by every single person in the palace. It was many against one, or two perhaps since Kijima san cared for Kichiro sama – it was an unfair fight that could not be won easily.

No matter what they were subjected to though, Kijima san was always by Kichiro sama's side, offering him all the moral support he could. As such, Kichiro sama trusted him very much. I was glad that Kichiro sama had at least one person who he could trust.

I smiled as I chewed on a bite of rice. After hearing of Kichiro sama's past and being more aware of his kind side, I didn't feel as uncomfortable around him anymore or even uncomfortable being here in the palace. In fact, something about being special to Kichiro sama was heartwarming.

As usual, I took my time to finish my meal and Kichiro sama waited patiently. When I was done, I put down my chopsticks and bowl and said, "Thank you for the food. It was delicious."

I blushed when Kichiro sama put an arm around my waist and lifted me as he stood. He did this after every meal but I was yet to get used to it. When he let go of me, I put a little distance between us and kept my eyes on the floor while shyly moving some strands of hair behind my ears. I could feel his gaze on me – I was sure he was curious as to why I had said thanks for the food because I had never said something like that before. He said nothing though and walked away after a moment.

I stared at his back until he was out of my line of sight before I headed back to our room. I took a warm shower before putting on my night dress, ready to turn in for the night. I moved the blanket, setting it so right. I looked up as the door of the room was opened the next moment and Kichiro sama walked in.

I kept my expression calm and lowered my gaze to the floor, waiting for him to speak.

Kichiro pov:

"Thank you for the food. It was delicious," I heard Ruka say after she placed her empty bowl and soiled cutlery on the table. I looked down at her curiously for she had never said something like this before. It wasn't something to think about though for she wasn't praising me but the chefs who had prepared our meal.

I slipped my arm around her waist like usual and pulled her up as I stood. Oddly enough, I took longer than usual to let her go – I was almost reluctant to. After retracting my arm, I watched her as she stepped away from me and kept her gaze on the floor like she usually did. However, her face was mildly flushed and she pushed some loose strands of her hair behind her ears. I couldn't be sure of what she was thinking but she didn't look afraid. She seemed different and I wondered if it was a sign that she was planning on escaping again.

The possibility of that angered me but the thought of killing her for disobeying me roused an uncomfortable tightness in my chest, as if I didn't want to even think of executing that dire consequence. I clenched my jaw and fists in annoyance before I walked out of the dining hall without saying a word. I proceeded to the meeting room where my ministers had gathered for an urgent meeting.

They stood and bowed low when I entered and sat down after I was seated on my throne, crossing one leg over the other. Narrowing my eyes at them, I asked, "What is the update?"

One of my ministers stood and spoke, "My subordinates have sent me a report from the south and east provinces as well as the remaining two provinces that we are yet to conquer. Most things are going smoothly with the provinces, the smaller problems of which I have instructed the officials to deal with appropriately. The remaining two provinces have a strong army, and Gen. Hyoran has told us that it is the reason why conquering them is taking some time. We're trying to keep casualties as less as possible but-"

I narrowed my eyes at him and hit my fist against the hand rest of my throne. All of my ministers except Kijima flinched and shuddered when I growled, "What is Gen. Hyoran doing, making decisions on his own? I clearly instructed you to make it clear to him that he is to kill every last one of the enemy and civilians if that is what it takes for those provinces to fall in my hands!"

"F-forgive me, Your Majesty," he apologized, bowing and trembling.

"Your Majesty," another minister stood and bowed, "there is an important development that I need to bring to your attention."

"What is it?" I asked sharply, making him flinch.

"There have been some rumors going around the provinces off late, about unforeseen resistance from a group of rebels. They've been ambushing our troops and trying to stir trouble, upsetting the smooth flow of governance. Unfortunately, we do not know who they are but they are quite skilled in the ways of kenjutsu."

"Rebels?" I mused, narrowing my eyes. "Are they a part of an organization?"

"It is possible, Your Majesty. One thing that we have observed in them is that they all wear red forehead sashes besides covering their faces to ensure that they are not recognized," he answered.

So, a bunch of rodents had crawled out of their holes to start trouble...if they kept this up, surely it would hinder my attempts to conquer the remaining two provinces and disrupt the governance of the others. They already had begun to cause some unnecessary trouble by the looks of it and I couldn't let them continue.

"Send out a team of the best assassins to find these rebels. Track them down and get rid of them," I ordered.

"We will see that it is done, Your Majesty." The ministers bowed and I wrapped up the meeting before leaving first.

I ran a hand through my hair in both annoyance and fatigue. The day had been hectic and the recent news had left me bitter.

When I entered my chambers, Ruka was standing near the bed, dressed in her night clothes. I regarded her with nothing more than a glance before I stepped into the bathroom to shower as well. I finished curtly and exited the bathroom wearing my night robes and Ruka, who had been sitting on the bed, stood and greeted me with a bow. She had a towel in her hands and held it up slightly when I was close to her.

"Um, I thought I'd help dry your hair because it won't be good if you fall sick," she said, appearing to be mildly nervous.

Her offer was unexpected but felt oddly pleasing. I narrowed my eyes momentarily curious about her sudden change in demeanor since dinner but went with the flow. I sat down on the bed and nodded to her, giving her permission to dry my hair.

She stepped to me to place the towel over my head gently. She rubbed my head first to dry my hair at the roots then rubbed the longer strands of my hair till the tips. I watched her the entire time she dried my hair – the fear she usually had had been replaced by content, as if she felt not even the slightest discomfort with our proximity now. Watching her care for me just as she had when I was a mere stranger passing through her village when wounded made my chest tight.

I frowned at the feeling – it had been happing often lately though only when I was with Ruka. Surely I couldn't be sick...and I didn't entirely dislike the feeling either. Was this perhaps a response for finally receiving wholehearted attention from her?

No...she talked easily to everyone around her, smiled to everyone around her, even mere attendants and soldiers. She spoke to everyone like they were important, all except me. She wouldn't suddenly bother with me now...then why was I feeling this tightness?

My thoughts were interrupted when Ruka pulled the towel away from me. She ran her fingers through my hair a few times, checking if they were dry enough. "It seems dry enough now," she said softly then met my eyes. For the first time since I had brought her here, she was looking into my eyes with no fear, but perhaps a hint of hesitation.

She cleared her throat and averted her eyes soon. She walked away for a moment to hang the towel to dry on the backrest of a chair. When she returned to my side, she waited for my instructions without squirming uncomfortably. I held my hand for her to take and she did so without hesitance. She laid down under the blanket and so did I before putting an arm around her waist and pulling her close to me. I liked this position for it didn't make me feel empty and alone like I always did.

"Kichiro sama?" she said suddenly, her voice soft. She was looking up at me, her eye doe-like, increasing the tightness in my chest. "I-I was wondering if we could horse riding tomorrow. I've never been out of the palace walls and I've always liked horse riding, so..."

I narrowed my eyes at her though she merely looked away from me instead of flinching in fear. Her request stirred suspicion in me – was she attempting to escape again? She wanted to leave the palace compound to ride a horse – it was all too convenient if she wished to escape, right? Then again, perhaps she was merely asking for permission and still remained obedient. I thought deeply for a few moments while watching her then decided to go along with this on a whim and see what would happen.

"Be ready by noon tomorrow," I said and she met my gaze in mild surprise. It soon turned to excitement and she actually smiled.

"Thank you, Kichiro sama." I was surprised by her words and even more surprised when she shifted ever so slightly closer to me, her cheeks filling with subtle redness.

She had had this reaction a few times before and I didn't understand why it happened when she obviously wasn't cold. I passed it off though and watched as she closed her eyes and relaxed to sleep.

"Goodnight," she wished, then fell silent. It wasn't long before she had fallen asleep.

Her breathing was deep and even and her body even more relaxed than before. I couldn't think of any reason for her change in behavior. It's not that I disliked it – I was pleased by how she seemed to be offering some sort of attention to me on her own accord – but I was curious and suspicious and uneasy.

I narrowed my eyes again, watching her silently. No matter what I thought, I would have to see how things worked out tomorrow. I had no choice but to wait until then. Wrapping my arm around Ruka, I closed my eyes and settled into light slumber.

Ruka pov:

"Wow!" I said airily, sitting in front of Kichiro sama on Onyx as he trotted through the open grounds just outside the palace compound. It was obvious that I wouldn't be allowed to ride alone and besides Kichiro sama, there were four soldiers who were riding on horses with us.

I wore a half kimono and leggings in order to sit comfortably while horse-riding along with simple but fashionable shoes that covered my feet completely.

The view from this elevated position was quite a sight and I felt so tall. The wind that blew against my face as we galloped through the grounds left me feeling fresh and rejuvenated. I took a deep breath of the cool, winter air and smiled wide.

"This is even more amazing that I imagined!" I said again, my eyes sparkling like a 5-year old who had just received her favorite ice cream.

I placed my hands on Onyx's neck and bent forward to look at the ground in front of us only to tense when I felt an arm around my waist. Looking down, I saw Kichiro sama's gloved hand placed there securely, making sure I didn't fall or escape. I blushed at the protectiveness I felt from the gesture. I bit my lip to hold back a weird smile that threatened to surface then looked back at Kichiro sama, feeling butterflies in my stomach from our proximity.

"Can we go around again, please?" I asked.

He nodded despite having an expression of suspicion and tugged at Onyx's reins. He made Onyx pick up the pace to cover the huge grounds again. I grinned and spread my arms out pretending to fly while Kichiro sama kept his arm around my waist the entire time. As we passed the men training in horse riding and combat while on a horse, they bowed deeply to us and even whispered amongst each other while glancing at me. I felt momentarily awkward but soon ignored them to enjoy horse-riding while it lasted.

After almost an hour of riding, we decided to take a break for lunch. Kichiro sama got off his horse first and then helped me off, putting his hands under my arms. I took his shoulders for support while blushing and feeling goosebumps rise as the strands of his tied-up hair tickled me. I blushed even more when I fell against his chest slightly as I was lowered to the ground. I immediately distracted myself by calling to Kyo chan before I made a flustered mess out of myself.

On my request, Kichiro sama had allowed Kyo chan to come along with us. I had had her bring along a basket of fresh apples – they were imported from a neighboring country since apples weren't available locally – along with food for a picnic. When Kyo chan handed me the basket of apples first, it piqued Kichiro sama's interest.

"What are those for?" he asked.

I picked up one from the basket and held it out for Onyx to eat, "I heard that horses are fond of apples. This basket is a treat for Onyx!"

Onyx ate it with crunching sounds and neighed in joy but I had tensed, realizing that I had just said Onyx's name out loud in front of Kichiro sama. I had been told that he disliked naming his animals and I had just let my secret slip despite being aware that he probably knew the name. It's just that I didn't want to say it in his presence and make him angry.

"I-I meant a treat for y-your horse..." I stuttered, reaching for another apple with a slightly nervous tremble.

"I've known about his name for quite some time now," he answered and I met his gaze gingerly. "You may call him whatever you wish."

"Really?" I asked with an excited smile and a light blush. "Thank you, Kichiro sama!"

He twitched, as if surprised by my reaction. I giggled once before turning to pet Onyx and give him some more apples to munch on. After fussing over him for a while, I picked out two apples and walked to Kichiro sama. I held one out for him to take, keeping my eyes down and chewing on my bottom lip. He took the apple after a moment and I soon heard a crunch – looking up, I saw that he had taken a bite out of the apple. Happy, I too ate my apple.

Post finishing our fruits, Kichiro sama took a seat to have tea while Kyo chan and I sat on the snow-covered ground a little away making a snowman. I laughed along with her at how irregular the snowballs were that we had made as the body and the head. It felt great to laugh wholeheartedly like this after so long – I had never imagined that I would ever smile in the presence of Kichiro sama let alone laugh like this.

A thought went through my mind and I excused myself from Kyo chan to scuttle to where Kichiro sama was. When I came to a stop in front of him, he met my gaze and asked, "What is it?"

"Would it be alright for me to use the kitchen sometime to cook something? It's been a while and perhaps you could taste what I cook too."

"Do as you wish," he responded immediately.

I raised my brows almost inconspicuously. Was it just me or was he giving me permission for everything I asked too easily today? Well, I suppose that wasn't anything to be unhappy about, was it?

With a smile, a bow, and a word of thanks, I ran back to Kyo chan to play in the snow.

Kichiro pov:

"Would it be alright for me to use the kitchen sometime to cook something? It's been a while and perhaps you could taste what I cook too," Ruka asked, her voice soft and uncertain. She was looking into my eyes though, instead of keeping them averted.

"Do as you wish," I responded almost immediately, surprising not just her but myself as well.

I clenched my jaw unable to understand why I had given her permission so instantaneously. I couldn't refuse her, in fact. Perhaps it was because I felt relieved. I had assumed that she would try to escape today, having left the palace's compound that was always heavily guarded by soldiers, making escaping very difficult. However, she hadn't tried to escape or even shown the slightest hint of wanting to. I was relieved at the vague confirmation that she wouldn't run away from me.

She smiled soon after and bowed with a word of gratitude. She hurried back to where her personal maid was, settling to playing in the snow. She continued to smile and laugh while throwing snow at the maid and getting covered in snow in return. For the first time in three months had she smiled at me, laughed in my presence, shown signs of change. I was tempted to trust her, only in the slightest though.

The thought of eating something that she had cooked made me feel wanted. I had often seen other people being served with smiles, pampered in a way, and I could barely imagine being rewarded in the same way by Ruka. Was she finally giving me the attention I desired all this time? Was I finally getting what I had always wanted?

I didn't know what I wanted anymore though. I had thought that having unjudging company with me, even if it was one person, would be enough. But it wasn't enough anymore. I wanted something more, something stronger, but I didn't know what it was or how to get it...though I had a feeling that I would get it from Ruka.

She was different from the other people I was surrounded by. And every smile she gave and every laugh that escaped her lips sent a sharp tightness through my chest again.

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Aww, isn't the development between these two just adorable? It's really heartwarming to see just how attached Kichiro sama has become to Ruka, isn't it? Let's hope there's nothing that will jinx this slowly progressing love *squeeeeeeeee*

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