Cloths of Heaven
(i)
Eressea was a city built for war, and at the edge of the city, overlooking lush and verdant fields of wheat and livestock was the manor house of Lord Crawford. It was well appointed and richly decorated but Ran missed the smell of the sea and the sound of the storms, which had surrounded his bedchamber in Inabayama. He missed waking up to the bells tolling out the dawn and when he did wake, in the wide soft bed, he spent a few moments trying to work out where he was and feeling slightly guilty because he had obviously slept well past dawn without the bells to wake him. He climbed from the bed, tugging back the curtains with a yawn to find both Yohji and Schuldig waiting for him.
“Morning, sleepyhead.” Yohji said with a smile, “how are you feeling?”
There was a glut of answers, Ran thought, to that question, terrified, nervous, slightly nauseous, homesick and a little excited. Ran answered him with a yawn causing Schuldig to laugh. “Too right,” he said, “actions speak louder than words, go back to bed if you're still tired, no one's going to mind.”
“I will.” Ran said, a little stiffly, “it must be late.”
“Barely seven of the clock.” Schuldig answered, “in fact, Yotan and I are yet to even go to bed.” He was drinking wine from a metal cup. In Inabayama all the cups were made of glass. It struck Ran with another wave of homesickness.
“Now look,” Yohji said with a smile as he laid his cards down on the table, “you've confused him, come and have a drink, Ran,” he said offering him his own wine cup.
“It's not that,” Ran said, a little hesitantly, ”and thank you, but no.” He ran his fingers through his hair before he sat down on the edge of the bed. “I'm just a little overwhelmed.” He felt like he could tell these two anything, they were here for him, not for Crawford. They had come with him from Inabayama, they would always be with him, and maybe rather than just being his champions they might be his friends.
He had never had friends other than Aya and Omi before, and he liked the idea of it.
“Oh and Crawford's manservant dropped this off for you last night, but you were already asleep.” Yohji said, lifting a piece of paper as he stood up, carrying it to the boy. “We,” he flicked his eyes to Schuldig, “didn't break the seal if that's what you're wondering.”
Ran took the letter, wondering which one of them had been the one to suggest breaking the seal. He knew that they had obviously fought over it; the entire room seemed to reek of the idea.
With his thumbnail he broke open the seal and read the letter.
“Ran,
I will be out of the manor for most of the day tomorrow, but nonetheless I am hoping that you could join me in a late supper at ten of the clock.
I would remind you that you are free to make this manor your home and treat it as you would your own. Just as we will when you come of age we share everything in this place. What is mine is yours.
I must say that you were far more than I expected. I received, as part of the marriage contract, a miniature of your sister so when I heard that you were her twin I imagined that you would look like her. You do not, and for that I am glad, because it means that I will never think of you as her replacement, even in unguarded moments. You are Ran, and I would have you know that.
I am reliably informed that Portia, my prize bitch, has whelped in the last few days, although her pups are too small right now, perhaps you would like to take one of them as your own.
Hoping to see you tonight,
Crawford.”
“So,” Schuldig said leaning over him to read the note, “what does it say?”
“He's inviting me to supper.” Ran said quietly, “and that his dog has puppies and when they're old enough I can have one.”
Schuldig gave a low whistle of appreciation.
“Good for you, kiddo.” Yohji said, “at least he's not starting wars to avoid you, eh?”
Ran couldn't think of an answer for that.
(ii)
It was long past dark when Ran met Crawford for a late, and in his opinion, rather intimate supper. He had expected that it would be like it had the night before where his entire entourage, being five people, would be invited.
It was just him and Crawford.
He ate the stew in silence, staring down at his plate for long moments before Crawford laughed. “Schuldig said that I was not to think you standoffish, that you were shy.” He said in his rich deep voice. “All in all, I find it quite charming.”
Ran blushed bright red up to the roots of his hair, keeping his eyes on the table. “You're a very handsome young man, Ran,” Crawford said, “and I think I like making you blush, does that make me cruel?”
“No, sir.” Ran answered.
“I thought I told you to call me Crawford.” Crawford said reaching up to lift the bottle of spirits on the table, “would you like some brandy, Ran?”
He poured some into the cup before Ran had a chance to answer. “Thank you,” he paused, “Crawford,” he was careful to say the name instead of his instinctive reaction to say Sir or my lord.
“That wasn't so hard, was it?” Crawford said as Ran carefully sipped the brandy. It was different from the liqueurs his father drank but it still burned like fire on the way down. “Now how are you finding Eressea?”
“It is lovely, but I miss the sea.” Ran said, “I am a little overwhelmed by it all.” He answered, honestly. He didn't know what Crawford wanted to hear. “I simply don't know what to do with myself. I spent the day exploring the manor.”
“Feel free to wander about the town.” Crawford said, “but make sure you take someone with you, I imagine that Eressea is not as safe as your family estates. I am informed that you like to read, is this so?” Ran nodded. “There is a rather fine bookshop on Potter Street. I shall set you up an account there. As I said in my note, what is mine is yours.”
“You don't need to.” Ran protested.
“I know,” Crawford said with a faint smile, “but I want to.”
“You are too kind,” Ran said, “in truth it makes me a little uncomfortable.”
Crawford's smile was soft and genuine, “if you were your sister I would say that you will be lady of this house, that all of this will be yours, but despite the marriage contract between our families I'm not quite sure how it works. I am as uncomfortable in this situation as you yourself, you know.”
“My father said you were a lover of men, as much as women.” Ran blurted out and then realized what he said, and lowered his eyes, “and Yohji said you were married before.”
“I was,” Crawford said, sitting back, willing to answer the boy's questions. “I married a woman as my lord determined and she bore me a son, and died in childhood, and Naoe is the only thing she ever did to recommend her. She was wilful and proud and I didn't care for her, but I was young and although I might be considered embittered by such an experience I would do what I could to prevent it being repeated.” He swirled the brandy around in his cup, “I would, at least, Ran, have us be friends.”
Ran offered him a nervous smile, “I'd like that.” He said quietly. “Thank you.”
Crawford took note of the smile and smiled himself, the boy was young and naive, but he was indeed lovely.
(iii)
Ran called his puppy Hoshi because of the star on his forehead, his mother had been a large wolfhound who had appraised the boy before her with a cold and rather calculating gaze and then pointed him towards the runt of the litter, a small bundle of fluff with a bright white blazon on his chest. Ran had respected her choice even when Crawford offered him a larger bitch for his own. “No,” he said, cradling the puppy against his chest, “I want this one.” The puppy was barely as large as his hand.
“Are you sure?” Crawford asked, Naoe was at his side scowling at Ran.
“Yes,” Ran said looking at the small grey ball of fur in his hands, “I want this one. Which one do you want, Naoe?” He said looking at the boy who scowled more.
“He's not having one,” Crawford said a little stiffly, “he doesn't get along with animals.”
Ran crouched in front of the boy who narrowed his eyes at him, “maybe we could learn how to look after them together.” He said softly. He had no idea why the child loathed him the way that he did, he had barely spent any time with the child, even when he attempted otherwise.
“Can I see?” Omi chirruped from his side, Ran showed him the tiny puppy and Omi crowded in. “He's so cute, I wish I could have one, but Masafumi doesn't like animals so I can't.”
“What if we all share?” Ran offered, looking at both boys. Naoe harrumphed an answer but Omi just beamed at him.
Later, as they shared supper alone, something Crawford made sure to do every night with the young boy, Crawford commended it on him. “It was a good thing you did today, with Naoe.”
“I just want him to like me.” Ran said.
“He's just jealous and thinks you're going to take me away from him.” Crawford said quietly.
“But I'm not.” Ran protested, “I just want to be friends with him.”
“He's just as shy as you are.” Crawford said quietly, “but he seems to be getting on with the young prince.” He seemed amused by the whole affair.
“I don't think anyone can resist Omi for long.” Ran said with a small laugh to himself, “he's like a force of nature, he's so chipper.”
Crawford's smile was warm, but calculating, “I had noticed. I'm glad you're trying, even if Naoe is being a brat about this.”
“I don't know how I would feel,” Ran said, breaking a piece of bread with his hands, “if someone came between me and my parents, I would resent them too.” He popped it into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “I think it might be easier for him if I was older, then he might not see me as so much of a challenge for your affections.”
“You're very wise for someone so young.” Crawford said, he was obviously weighing Ran up in his mind.
“I just,” he stopped, “I think a lot, and I wanted Naoe to like me.” He wondered if there wasn't a little bit of a whine to his voice, “because if Naoe liked me, then,” he lowered his eyes to the table and blushed bright red, “maybe you'd like me too.”
Crawford's laugh was warm and seemed to touch Ran all over. “I do like you,” he said, “I like you a lot.” Ran seemed to blush even brighter under his hair, he had found a way to stare at the table so Crawford could only see him through his fringe.
As far as these things went, it wasn't a bad beginning.
(iv)
Over the weeks that followed Crawford found himself, almost despite his own best intentions, making time to spend with the boy. Every morning he would have breakfast with Naoe, and every evening a late supper with Ran. He wasn't sure which he enjoyed more. Ran was reticent and shy but small warm smiles and brilliant blushes could be coaxed from him with ease, where Naoe scowled and practised his complaints on his unlistening father.
Ran was shy, but he was kind and although his attempts to befriend Naoe were failing it meant a lot to Crawford that he even tried, and he tried because he wanted to be Naoe's friend, not because he wanted to bed Naoe's father. Others had tried before. As it was Ran wouldn't have had to.
From the instant he had seen him, sitting between the two members of the Heaven Guard, shy and nervous with eyes the colour of clouds at twilight and his bright red hair Crawford had been smitten. When he had seen the miniature of the girl Aya he had looked at it and conceded that the girl was pretty, and had been genuinely sorry to hear of her illness. When they suggested taking the brother in her place Crawford's mind had created a male image of the girl in the portrait, Ran was nothing like his sister. Though he was still gangly with youth, and his voice hovered between manhood and childhood, Ran was already beautiful, and as a man he would only grow more so.
Crawford wondered if the king of Inabayama had chosen him to take his sister's place for that exact reason.
What was more surprising, Crawford thought, as he watched the boy cavort with the puppy in the small courtyard, was that Ran was, though he himself would deny it, brilliant. He had a mind as sharp as Crawford's own, although he was so modest it was hard to wrangle any opinions from him.
Crawford had found himself sat in his office for the Lord of Eressea picturing those late night conversations with the boy. He had even dared to imagine the texture of his skin beneath the ugly sweaters that the boy wore, after the boy was his.
He suspected that he could summon Ran now and he would go joyously to his bed.
It wasn't right though, Crawford thought, to take advantage of the boy's youth and inexperience. He would woo him, he would seduce him, he would love him, but he would bed him.
Ran looked up at him in the window and gave him that brilliant and rather innocent smile, and Crawford felt his trousers tighten in response even as he waved at the boy. Oh, yes, he thought, the king of Inabayama had chosen well sending Ran in his sister's place.
He would seduce the boy, but he would make sure that Ran was grateful, that there was no force applied, that Ran would only ever know pleasure from his hand, because although he could be cruel, for Ran he would be kind.
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