Fan Fiction ❯ Milk & Honey ❯ Reunion Unlike Any Other ( Chapter 2 )

Author Notes: The slave numbers, Ickis Krumm, are made up by yours truly. And yes folks, Riku will be in this chapter, and you will see Tidus again.

Special Thanks To: anime-goddess17, yaminakathy, SKaddicted, KageKitsune16, lun4r-flow3r, Fallen angel named Alan, BrokenSky, evil author slayer, Dark Wing Angel, Joonie, Rinoki Rio (x2), AkaiUsagi, diamond_princess2006, Super Yam, Ickis Krumm, Kitty Help, Blue Baroness, Katca Mcadar, Rock-Howard-17, Sorceress MooNBlaDeR, and Uzumaki-sama!

Summary: Unbeknownst to Prince Riku Ellipson II, a meeting seven years ago sets off a chain of events that tests the willingness to discard the dreadful knowledge of the truth for temporary sweet bliss. (RikuxSora)

Disclaimer: If I owned Kingdom Hearts, I would be filthy rich right now!! So, get off my back!!

Warnings: This is a yaoi (male x male relationships) and later on, has yuri (woman x woman relationships)! No flames. Warning is here.

Story Rating: Strong R.

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Added Note: There will be an update list. People who review are automatically added, but if it is an anonymous review or your email is not available for public access, then just leave in it the review or send me an email (email in bio) saying you would like to join. Thanks!

Milk & Honey

Reunion Unlike Any Other

Sora's first task was an easy one; wash up. So, as he ascended the stairs two steps behind the queen, he mulled over the situation at hand.

I'm the personal slave of my best friend, he thought with increasing fear. I will have to clean, to wait on him, hand and foot...

I will have to please him.

The more he thought about, the more his rational side wanted to shrug and do the absolute best he could in pleasing the prince and the more his irrational side wanted to sprint as fast as he could away from the kingdom. There was no doubt that this was going to be a long day, and he resented the fact that he was having an inner battle that ultimately came to a stalemate. If he were to do his best in pleasing Riku, then his love for Riku would be revealed in time. If he were to attempt to run away from the castle, his first warning would be ten floggings, then twenty, then death.

Three strikes - you're out.

Sora sighed deeply. This is definitely what you call a "lose-lose" situation.

Reaching the door to his bedroom, Sora nodded absently as the Queen explained the basics of in-castle rules. There was no need for him to listen again; he had served a royal family before.

"Well, that is the bare minimum of what you need to know today," Queen Reicia said amicably as she unlocked the large maple door, its golden handle encrusted with the royal insignia. "The rest will be covered with the head slave, Nitia."

She turned briefly and headed back in the direction from which she came, looking regal and elegant even in her haste. Sora watched her go until she disappeared before entering the room.

He was entranced.

The room was far from simple, and it was marginally the most elegant room designed for a slave he had ever seen.

A tangle of arches and crown molding, the ceiling itself was a masterpiece, bearing the image of a wolf crouched in high bushes. A maple dresser covered the length of the right wall - except for a tiny space in the corner for a walk-in closet - whereas a matching armoire and desk lay along the left wall, just a few feet away from what appeared to be a bathroom.

A large king-sized four poster bed rested in the middle of the room, with arabesque patterns etched on each poster, and its posters held up a veil that reached the floor and a thick canopy that laid on top, going with the color scheme of the room.

Deep royal blue and dusty silver.

Ten blue pillows with silver trim lay on top of the blue comforter with the royal insignia etched in silver.

Sora stopped admiring the regal room and moved to the bathroom, where the silver bath was the shape of a crescent moon and bottles of scents and oils lined the edge up against the wall. Sora headed over and picked up a bottle, taking in its fragrance.

Vanilla.

Basmati Rice.

Coconut.

Soft sandalwood.

All of those ingredients were the most rare in this country, said in an ancient legend of the Westland to be a soothing spell when combined.

Sora remembered having to travel the land in search of these ingredients.

Securely putting the bottle back on the edge of the tub, Sora ran the water to take his bath, thinking of how he had to use his fingers to clean himself just minutes before.

---

Sora's second task wasn't so easy; meet the kitchen staff and help out with the dinner being served for the King and Queen. The Queen personally escorted him to the kitchens (taking the side halls designated for the slaves) talking rapidly as she did so. By the time the pair arrived to the kitchens, Sora knew the names of the kitchen staff, the decorating committee, the butlers, the maids, and the gardeners as well as how to get to each place through the "back ways."

Queen Reicia certainly had a mouth.

The Queen said nothing as they approached and stepped aside to let Sora see inside. Sora strolled forward and smiled at the sight. A group of around thirty people were busily moving about the vast kitchen, smiles upon their faces and cooking utensils/supplies in their hands. The atmosphere was that of family - like coming home to celebrate a joyous occasion, always having something to do or prepare for the big feast. The chefs sautéed their chicken strips as they joked with the waiters waiting for the prepared strips, and maids keep the space clean and orderly while flirting on occasion with the helping butlers. It was such a relief to see the place this way. This was the place where Sora will be until Prince Riku comes back, and he was glad for it.

Stepping fully inside to let the Queen in, Sora smiled brightly and nodded to the surrounding slaves. Queen Reicia did the same, talking to some of the slaves as if they were old friends. She spoke in length to this one particular slave - a short, black-haired woman with rags in her hand. She was built, with softly defined muscles peaking from the sleeves of her rolled up chef's jacket. She had the posture of a royal - someone who looked as if she were enjoying and commanding life. A chef's hat on her head, she pulled the piece of yarn from her shoulder-length hair and retied it as she turned to look at Sora. Her brown eyes had a childlike quality to them as well as being filled with wisdom.

Sora assumed that she was Nitia.

Smirking, the woman strutted over to him - A bit arrogant, Sora thought - and wrapped the rag around her hand as she eyed Sora. "Name's Nitia. I'm the head slave as you've been told by the lovely Queen here." She stuck out her hand.

"Sora. Nice to meet you." He shook the proffered hand.

"Ah, we got a goodie goodie here. Well, we'll break you out that fast. Come 'ere boy, let's have a look atcha."

Without waiting for a response, Nitia used the hand she was holding to yank him forward and turn him around, allowing her to see his body. An occasional "hmmm" or "damn" came from her, making Sora exposed and embarrassed.

He blushed heavily.

Nitia stopped inspecting him and spotted the blush on his face, smirking once more. "Yea, we'll break you out of that real quick. Come on, boy, let's get you in gear."

She bowed to the Queen before starting a brisk walk towards the back of the kitchen, and Sora struggled to keep her despite her short strides. Many of the slaves passing by spotted his collar, and sent him a sympathetic glance. They knew that the Prince was a good man, but to be anyone's personal slave was not appealing. Boy, do they not know the half of it, Sora thought bitterly. Not only am I a personal slave, but also the Prince I am a personal slave to happens to be my best friend. What kind of twisted woman is Fate?

A very twisted one indeed.

"Have you cooked before?"

Sora banished his dismal thoughts and looked down at the short woman. "Yes."

"Fish?"

She threw a slab of fresh-out-the-lake rainbow trout onto the wooden cutting board next to them. Sora smiled.

___

Riku eyed the bass in Sora's hand with undisguised horror; the younger boy was currently slicing the flopping fish in two and gutting it. Sora would occasionally glance up to see Riku's widened eyes still riveted on the deceased fish, laughing inside at his comically horrified face. "So," Sora said conversationally as he chopped the fish's head off. "I take it you've never seen or done this before."

Riku's eyes followed the falling head before shooting up to Sora's face with disgust. "No!" he snapped as he inched backward. "And I think it is awful to do so!!"

"So...you've never had fish before?" Sora asked cautiously as he stuck the strips of fish on a thick twig and hung it over the fire.

Riku paused. He had fish many times at dinner in the Northland Kingdom - rainbow trout, bass, catfish. He had shark, whale and dolphin as well...

"I have, but surely they were not cooked thatway!"

Sora nodded slowly. "Yes, they were. Maybe with cleaner tools, but whose lookin' at the tools while they cut fish? I mean, fish is fish is fish, right so why would they even washthe tools again after they [He paused to think] de-ca-pi-tated a fish...Riku?"

Riku was hunched over with his hand in front of his mouth, watching the fish on the twig roast in the fire. He turned around and threw up.

Sora cringed.

___

"Yes, Nitia," Sora said while laughing and putting on the jacket. "I have cooked fish before."

---

-Two Weeks Later-

Although the sun was just beginning to rise in a flash of orange-tinted crimson, Riku felt the need to collapse on his king sized bed and fall into a sleep so deep that it would appear that he were in a comatose state. After the two days it took to actually reach the Denat Kingdom ruled by the Tilmetts, Riku had to put up with their perky, over energized 18-spring-old daughter, Princess Selphie.

As if handling the creation of an alliance between the Northland and Eastland Kingdom wasn't enough.

The girl acted as if she were two springs without the presence of her parents and other royals of the kingdom, but when she was in the midst of her people, she was a charismatic, optimistic motivator - a perfect woman to rule a kingdom as Queen. There must be two of her, Riku thought while wearily treading through the hall that lead to the Great Hall, damn near impossible for that to be one woman.

The prince then fiddled with a scroll dangling loosely from his left hand and made some attempt to straighten his clothes - Leon and Cloud, his faithful bodyguards also making some attempt - before he entered. Satisfied with his work and his bodyguards', he opened the doors.

He spotted his father immediately, perched upon the throne with detached interest in the people surrounding him. He also spotted his mother, who was amicably talking to two boys around his age with blond and brown hair. The collars around his neck gleamed brightly in the large hall, and the sight of them made Riku boil with anger.

So his father did get common whores for him!

"What," Riku yelled, making everyone immediately turn to his direction. His gaze was on his father. "Is the meaning of this?!" He waved his hands in the slave's general direction.

Strides long and quick, the prince had no trouble reaching the throne within moments. "Surely you cannot be serious, Father," he hissed. "I thought we finished that damn conversation a fortnight ago!"

"Riku Ellipson II, hold your tongue!" Reicia commanded icily as she drew away from the boys. "These slaves are merely for menial tasks so what is the reason for your rage?"

Riku glared hatefully at the king. Sephiroth returned the look with boredom. "One of those slaves is mine, boy. Imati, introduce yourself."

The boy with long blond hair and green eyes stepped forward and crouched to one knee, looking at Riku with amusement. "Slave number 00V3V7E4H1AW - Imati, 18 springs, Property of King Sephiroth Ellipson."

"Excellent."

Imati moved to join Sephiroth by his side.

"The other boy is your personal slave. Use him as you wish it."

When the second boy came in front of Prince Riku, he immediately took a step back, eyes widening, heart racing. Too much did this boy look like Sora...he looked so much like him that he was almost positive that this was the Sora he knew back when he ran away. But that was impossible right? Sora wasn't a slave when he met him!

Wetting now dry lips, Riku broke his stare, and managed to whisper, "Introduce yourself."

"Slave number N10996 - Sora, 19 springs, Property of Prince Riku Ellipson II."

"Oh..." Riku took a step back once again and fiercely grabbed to the bridge of his nose, trying to regulate his breathing. He couldn't believe it; it was his Sora, the one from seven years ago...as his personal slave...

"Your Majesty?"

Riku spotted the assistant out of the corner of his eye. "I'm fine, really. The trip to Denat was quite stressful."

"Princess Selphie cling to you once again, Prince?"

"More than ever." Riku walked past Sora and gave the scroll to his father. "The contract, Father, that officiates the alliance. I'll be taking my slave now; I have a pounding headache and wish to still get some work done."

Turning back around stiffly, Riku walked past Sora once again, whispering 'follow me,' and he walked out of the Great Hall. The trip to his room was pretty much silent except for the heavy breathing of Riku from emotional stress, and when they finally reached the room, Riku slammed the door, swiveled on his heel and got a good look at his long time friend.

He was still a bit scrawny in the arms and legs yet had more muscle that Riku remembered Sora having. His face was mature, but still had the unmistakable chiseled look of a boy growing into a man, eyes dulled with reality and truths. His hair was definitely longer, and it reached the tops of his shoulders in drooped spikes. He looked gorgeous.

I need a drink.

"Sora," he mumbled to himself.

The boy in front of him, having heard him speak his name, dropped to one knee. "Your Highness."

A sharp pain shot through Riku as he watched Sora bow to him. It was not suppose to be this way.

If the boy was Sora.

Walking forward, Prince Riku dropped to one knee as well and grasped Sora's chin to peer into his eyes. Minutes ticked by, and the two stayed in that position, reassessing the situation, reassembling their resolve to not bring the other in a heavy embrace, reassuring themselves that this new...relationship would not cause the headaches and heartaches attached to the strange situation. There was a slight uncomfortable atmosphere; questions like What am I going to say? and How will he react? or What is going to happen now? raced through both of their minds. And in spite of all that, Sora had one thing to say:

"Hi! My name is -like- Riku and I'm so scared of -like- seeing people naked that I don't even -like- have the guts to get in the lake with them -like- Oh. My. Goodness!"

Riku fell back in pure, unadulterated shock. The statement was so random, so messed up, so hilarious and unforgettable that he remembered the exact moment Sora, his best friend, said that very statement seven years ago. It made him launch himself at Sora, grab him and put him in a headlock just like the time those many years ago and laugh like hadn't in years. A laugh from the pit of his belly; a laugh that made him genuinely smile and clutched his stomach at the pain from laughing too hard. And Sora was laughing as well, content with being in the headlock, in his best friend's arms again.

This was the Riku he had dreamed of for years. This was the Riku he had prayed to the gods to permit him to see again.

The two of them continued to laugh, but in the back of their minds, they wondered. What happens now?

To Be Continued...

Stay Tuned!

-MercuryGoddess-