Cloths of Heaven
(i)
Despite Naoe's best attempts to the contrary Ran was relentless in making the boy his friend. In fact Naoe spent several long hours complaining to his father about Ran whilst Crawford fought to remain straight faced in the face of his son's ire. He was overwhelmed in the face of it, everyone who surrounded him adored Ran and his scowls, which had been great at getting his own way before, were now useless in the face of Ran's innocent smiles and Omi's bone crushing hugs. Crawford found the whole process adorable because he had despaired of Naoe ever making friends his own age and it seemed that with Omi's overwhelming energy and Ran's gentleness that Naoe was coming out of his shell more and more each day.
He wasn't the only one.
Every day, with every moment of time lavished on him, made Ran glow.
Crawford found himself, instead of sending out his secretary, going himself for some tiny treat that would make the boy beam at him. He felt like a teenager in love. If his intelligence revealed that Ran was a demon who feasted on children's souls and was only using him to get to Naoe he would have forgiven him.
He spent at least an hour each day travelling between bookshops and sweet shops to find some of the candies that Ran liked. He always shared them with the other two boys, but the sweet shy smile was Crawford's alone.
Since that night Crawford had stolen three kisses.
He wasn't sure if he should refer to them being stolen as he always asked if he could kiss Ran. There was something so infinitely precious and innocent about the boy the idea of stealing anything, even a kiss, seemed profane. There was an air of holy innocence about the boy. It was said in Inabayama that the Fujimiya were descended from gods. Looking at Ran Crawford believed it. He wondered however if Ran faked what appeared to be a growing attraction for Crawford for after all they were to be married and the Fujimiya always did their duty by Inabayama.
Then he decided that the boy was simply too young to have such guile.
And what did it matter, in the long run, he decided, Ran was his.
He would take him to court soon, he would present him at court soon, he would introduce him to the king and the other lords knowing that Ran would never be at home there like his wife had been, that despite all the promises and lies of court that Ran would be happier in this manor with him.
(ii)
The King of Eressea leant over the maps strewn on the table with his lords about him. “We are fortunate to be so far west,” he said carefully, “as the Nemesis extends his reach from the north and Estet from the east, each is growing steadily larger as you can.” There were lead figurines laid out to represent the armies, although they were far in both cases from Eressea the forces of the Nemesis were close to Inabayama. He noted it with the sensation that he would have to tell Ran and that he didn't want to. The armies of the Nemesis were relentless and ruthless. “Some arrangement with either one or the other must be made. What do you suggest?”
“We could open trade with the two of them, if we have commodities both of them want then they might not attack us.” One of his lords said quietly.
“Alternately, you majesty has a daughter of marriageable age, perhaps she could be offered to the Nemesis as appeasement. “ Another suggested, “or even to the Elders of Estet.”
“Or we could gather our armies join with those countries that are yet to fall,” The third said, “and fight back.”
“Or we could bide our time.” Crawford suggested. “Promote alliances with those countries not under either thumb in preparation of any of those options without getting into bed with either of them above the other. It will eventually come down to both of them fighting each other, and truth be told I'd rather not be caught in the middle.”
“More interested in that new boy of yours.” One of them leered, “I suppose if I had someone as pretty as him to warm my bed that I might not be so eager to go off to war.” He was a large and bulky man with a history of violence, both for his nation and against his wives. “I mean, it's not like you can take him with you. Or maybe we could send him off to the Nemesis and send the princess to Estet.”
His barking laugh was cut off by Crawford's hand at his throat. He lifted him several inches clear off the ground. “Don't speak of him again, don't even think of him, or I'll kill you.” He growled the words out, it was more of a threat as Crawford would more than carry through on it.
“Is he really that pretty?” The king asked, “in that case I might just have to meet him, rule of first night and all.” The rule of first night was an antiquated law, which gave the lord of any state the right to the first night of a married woman's life. On the night she married she could be sent to her lord's bed instead of her husband's, and just as surely a lord's wife could be sent to the king. It hadn't been enforced, except by pigs like Jaime, in centuries.
Crawford glowered. “The boy is a Fujimiya.” He said trying to calm his temper, “a marriage you yourself commanded, majesty.” There were ways, he knew, to command even the king to back down, “to cement the treaty with Eressea.”
“I suggested a marriage with a girl.” The king corrected him.
“Yes, majesty, but the girl was taken ill and the king of Inabayama suggested her brother in her place. That is the boy at my manor, the one that Sir Jaime seems so keen to send to the Nemesis.”
“Trade with Inabayama is of a premium concern,” one of the other lords suggested, “their steel is invaluable for building as well as making arms. I think it might be politic, majesty, to stock pile weapons, just in case, that way even if we do not go to war against either of the invaders then we could at least sell them arms to destroy each other.”
“I will think on what you have said.” The king said, “You are all dismissed, and Crawford,” he said to the retreating lord, “due to the proximity of the Nemesis to Inabayama might I suggest moving the wedding forward.”
“The boy's only fourteen,” Crawford protested.
“That's of legal age for a girl.” Sir Jaime said with a sour laugh.
“Why?” another of the lords snickered, “is it your intention to hold flowers for the lad at the ceremony before your hair turns silver and falls out?”
Another took the joke, “perhaps skip down the aisle tossing flower petals?”
“You'll do anything, won't you,” the last joked, “to grope the maid's arses.”
Crawford said nothing; he was silently jubilant that Ran would be his that much sooner.
(iii)
Ran took the news of his upcoming marriage with particular aplomb. “All right,” he said with a beaming smile, of course Crawford didn't mention the proximity of the Nemesis' hordes to Inabayama as the reason for the hurried schedule. The heaven guard might have been some of the greatest warriors in the world but there was no reason to unduly worry him. He worried enough about Inabayama as it was.
Yohji was teasing the boy mercilessly, but never actually explaining anything about the jokes he and Schuldig shared with the boy, so Yohji was not surprised, with a few weeks to the wedding, Ran came to him with questions.
The boy seemed very young, he wore a loose black jerkin and pants where he was riding. “Yotan,” he said very solemnly looking at the floor, which was a good indicator of the boy's embarrassment. He made a few false starts, “Yotan,” he said, “Schu,” he looked at the redhead and started biting his lip. “I,” he stopped, “I,” the words were gone, “I wanna know how.” He finally shouted.
“How what, kiddo?” Schuldig asked, “how Yotan makes it to bed each night, because that's a trade secret, or how the gods hold up the sky?”
“No,” Ran protested looking a little put out, “I wanna know how.” He repeated with more emphasis.
“Are we talking about your wedding?” Yohji asked with a bit of a leer. He often leered at the boy but Ran took no interest in him at all. “Or what comes after?”
“After.” Ran mumbled.
“Well,” Schuldig said, “the two of you go off into the mountains for a month, you should know that, kid, you've been packing for it for a week.” He was enjoying teasing the boy.
“Not that,” Ran protested, “the other thing.”
Yohji just laughed, “it's nothing to worry about,” he said, “all you have to do is lie back and think of Inabayama.”
“The king said,” he blushed bright and glowing, “that I would have instruction, that someone would teach me.”
“Crawford,” Schuldig suggested. Ran ignored him.
“Yes, your tutor showed up with a bag full of instruments.” Yohji snickered, “and got sent back to Inabayama on the first boat out with threats hanging in his ears. Your betrothed didn't care too much for his manner.”
“Or his bag of giant dildos.” Schuldig snickered.
“What's a dildo?” Ran asked with wide eyes.
“It's,” Yohji started.
“A type of book, you know those books,” Schuldig recovered. “The ones that have no redeemable value.”
“The ones the cooks read?” Ran asked.
Yohji jumped on that opportunity, “Yes,” he said, “those ones.” He thanked whatever god looked over him for the opportunity to avoid the topic. “Look, kiddo, this is really a question you should be asking Crawford.”
“he kissed me.” Ran confided in a low voice, “I didn't want to tell you because you're my champion and you're meant to protect me, but I liked it and he wouldn't do it again if you killed him, and.” He stopped as he realised that they were laughing at him. “It's not funny.”
“Kissing.” Yohji said indulgently. ”That's what comes after, lots and lots of kissing, and I wouldn't have killed him for kissing you, you know, I might have threatened him a bit, but that's all.” Ran did a fair impression of Omi as he threw his arms about Yohji and hugged him tight. Then he frowned up at him, “you could have just told me about the kissing you know.”
“Ah you see,” Schuldig said, “just as you were worried he'd kill Crawford, Crawford might kill him.” Ran would never know how true that information actually was.
(iv)
What surprised Ran about his wedding was that it happened with much less fuss than he expected. He had both longed for and dreaded the day in equal measures and when it arrived he was a little disappointed.
In Inabayama there was a great festival when one of the noblesse married, two girls of the bride's acquaintance would dress up as piskies to wish the bride joy and the bride would be led, veiled, through the town by the Heaven Guard where gifts would be given to her train. Often these were tiny things like ribbons and knitted caps for any children she would have.
It was a matter of joy for the whole kingdom, children would run ahead of the bride sprinkling her way with flower petal in the summer and holly leaves in the winter. She would wear a crown of the season's colours in flowers and branches and a veil that dragged on the ground behind her that her mother had worn before her.
Aya would have had that.
Ran didn't.
He had a quick and rather light breakfast because his stomach was nauseous with nerves. Then he was taken directly to the chapel where the bishop waited, they said a few words and then Crawford slipped a golden pendant into the hole in his ear that Yohji had pierced two weeks before in preparation. Crawford whispered something to him as he did it but Ran never did make out the words.
Then he was led to a feast that seemed to pass him by in a haze.
He remembered Omi giving him a gift; a snow-globe that had been ordered especially for him as a thank you for something Ran couldn't remember in all the hustle and fuss that surrounded him.
Then, he was given wine and the evening seemed to pass even quicker and before he knew it, Crawford was leading him by the hand, with the whole court following them it seemed, to his bed. “But I don't know what to do.” Ran protested.
“I wouldn't have it any other way.” Crawford said, and then as the court jeered against the closing door, Crawford kissed him.
Crawford found Ran's kisses maddening but he stopped himself, “you wont' be comfortable sleeping in that.” He said referring to the heavy quilted jacket Ran wore, “let me help you.” His hands, Ran thought, were cold but capable as they stripped him of his jacket. “Nervous?” he asked.
“A little.” Ran conceded looking at the floor.
“Don't be.” Crawford said, “we don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable, I don't want you to know anything other than pleasure in this bed.”
“I'm scared.” Ran admitted as Crawford pulled away the shirt as if unwrapping a great prize.
“You don't need to be, we won't do anything tonight.” Crawford brushed Ran's hair back from his face. “You're very brave, you know.”
Ran tried to smile for him but it was small and weak. Then he laid his face against Crawford's chest, “thank you.” He murmured. “For everything.”
If Crawford answered him, Ran didn't hear it.
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