Natsume Yuujinchou Fan Fiction ❯ His Wedding Night ❯ Chapter 2
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: The Fox Witch 
Anime/Manga: Natsume Yuujinchou Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Occult / Drama / Psychological | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 10.03.2011 | Updated On: 10.21.2011 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.6K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Natsume Yuujinchou Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Occult / Drama / Psychological | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 10.03.2011 | Updated On: 10.21.2011 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.6K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Completed
~Part 2~
The next day passed, and it was quite out of the ordinary. Natsume didn't see a single youkai the entire time. Maybe they're hiding, since the Matoba clan is lurking around, he reasoned. It was confusing, to be uneasy because of the lack of things that made him uneasy.
That night, a group of small ayakashi identical to the ones that begged for his help arrived at his home with the Fujiwaras, and led him away into the forest. Madara waddled behind him, easing Natsume's nerves as they drew deeper into the trees, far from the beaten path.
A soft glow emitted ahead of them, cool at first, a lighter shade of blue in the gray darkness. Then it warmed, becoming pink and yellow, casting a dreamy spell on the surroundings and drawing Natsume in the right direction without the help of the ayakashi. They arrived at the foot of a large, old tree, where a group of ayakashi held lanterns over an ornate palanquin. Next to it, in a smaller and less glamorous one, sat a beautiful woman decked in white robes. She was surrounded by servants, eyes on her adoringly, trying to be as near her as possible while keeping respectful. The light from the lanterns seemed to be coming from the princess directly, for her white skin glowed against the dark wood of the smaller palanquin. Natsume approached gingerly.
The princess looked up at him. Natsume tried hard not to stare at her face. The color of her eyes and hair were the same as his, but the structure of their faces was only passingly similar and he felt silly being compared to her. Was this how his grandmother looked?
The ayakashi threw themselves before her. "We're so sorry, Princess!" They cried. "Your procession should be grand and beautiful! We've really failed you this time!"
The princess touched the back of their heads with a slender hand. "Please do not trouble yourselves so much. I'm truly happy. This is my wedding," she said softly, breaking the illusion in Natsume's mind. Reiko probably wouldn't have made such a gentle face.
Two women who stood with the princess took Natsume by the wrists and led him to the larger palanquin. Though it was meant to carry one, the three of them could snuggly fit inside. Natsume awkwardly tried to explain that he could dress himself, but the two ayakashi paid him no mind and started stripping him. They tutted at him as they brushed his hair and sprayed him with fragrance, smothering his face with powder and a small amount of make-up around his lips and eyes. The wedding gown was mercifully more like robes than a dress. Still feminine, but more comfortable than expected.
It was solid white at first appearance, but on closer inspection, silvery threads were woven into intricate patterns of flowers near the hems. The fabric itself was like water against his skin. Natsume couldn't stop himself from touching it and letting it flow between his fingers. It was snug around his waist, but loose-fitting around his chest and hips, giving his boyish body the appearance of curves.
The female ayakashi backed out of the palanquin to inspect their work. Madara poked his large head inside. He looked like he was about to say something, but cut himself off and blinked instead.
Natsume fidgeted. "Don't just stare," He mumbled defensively.
The cat statue coughed and ran a paw over his face several times. "I-I suppose that'll do. If they don't look too closely," he said quickly. "I'll follow a little behind you in case those exorcists really show up."
"Don't reveal yourself too quickly," Natsume warned. "We're supposed to buy them time. They'll recognize you if you come out right away."
"Hrm, I'd say that Matoba would probably be even more distracted if he recognized you."
"What was that?"
"Eh, nothing. You already stuck your nose where it doesn't belong once again, but if it means giving that exorcist brat his comeuppance, I'll help out."
"Thanks, Sensei," Natsume relaxed a bit, not bothering pointing out that Madara was the first one in favor of this little venture.
"Natsume-sama," spoke the princess. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We are in your debt."
Natsume paused before replying awkwardly, "No problem."
One of the ayakashi placed a veil over Natsume's face. Then the curtains around the palanquin fell to conceal him further, and they began moving. He settled into the silky cushions – almost as soft as the robes – and simply stared through the veil at the interior. The light from the lanterns hardly pierced the curtains, and he couldn't see the outside. It seemed a silly thing that so much time was spent on his appearance when no one would be looking at him. Not that he was complaining. He doubted he would ever live it down if someone he knew saw him.
After several long minutes, the gentle rocking of the palanquin picked up speed. A strange glimmer passed before Natsume's eyes, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The ayakashi outside didn't raise any alarm, but Natsume had an odd feeling. He parted the curtain an inch, and saw the ground speeding beneath him. "What's happening?" He whispered.
"Everything is fine out here, Nat- Princess," one of the tiny ayakashi running alongside assured him. It tugged on the curtain a little, giving him the hint not to show himself too freely. Natsume relented, sitting back in the darkness. Of all the things he worried about that night, he didn't realize boredom would be one of them. How far would they have to travel? They mentioned that the princess would be marrying someone on the other side of the mountains. Would he be able to make it back home by morning? He really wished it wasn't another school night.
I should get some sleep, he thought. His eyes drifted shut. The rocking was even and relaxing, and the only sounds were the ayakashi's swift footsteps and evening insects. Natsume didn't really sleep, but slipped into a restful state. He didn't know how much time passed, and he almost didn't notice that they had stopped moving. The palanquin settled on the ground. Now what? He wondered.
One of the ayakashi peaked inside. "Sorry, Natsume-sama. Good luck!" It squeaked quickly, and disappeared from view.
Natsume blinked. "Wait, you're just leaving me here?" He called after them, opening the curtain to look outside. He was immediately met face-to-face with a lithe, black creature in robes, with a white mask for a face. He shut the curtain, not that it would do much good. The shiki burst into the palanquin with such force that it fell on its side. Natsume tumbled backwards, getting tangled in a mess of his own dress, cushions, curtains, and the shiki.
He recovered quickly, disengaging from the writhing, grabbing creature and hauling himself from the palanquin. The moment he cleared it, however, two more shiki descended upon him. He punched the first one with all of his might. Its mask cracked under the force as it was flung against a tree. The other hesitated, looking back at its crumpled ally, seemingly nervous even without facial expression. Natsume adjusted his clothes, trying to keep his face covered despite the hindrance to his eyesight. He spun around to make a run for it, but instead ran head-long into the first shiki that had escaped the fallen palanquin.
It grabbed his wrists first, yanking him upwards with its superior height and strength. He cried out in alarm when he was seized around the waist from behind and pulled off his feet completely. He twisted in their grip. If he could only get an arm free, or a good kick in, he was sure he could escape. However, their combined strength kept him steady and – not knowing he was human – they treated him more violently than in the past. Some kind of paper shot into his stomach. A jolt ran down his spine as if it were electrified. He didn't know much about spells or what effect it might have had on a youkai, but it knocked the wind out of him. They shoved him into the ground and wrenched his arms over his head, binding his wrists with rope and more paper.
Where was Nyanko-sensei? Natsume told him not to appear too quickly, but at this point he was clearly outmatched. Madara's impulse-control wasn't always at its best when Natsume was in distress, so why the absence now?
Now that he was safely bound, the shiki sat him upright, and a group of men appeared. "Try not to leave too many marks," one of the older men directed. "And you – keep still if you don't want to be hurt."
This is no way to treat a princess, Natsume had the ridiculous thought, but kept his mouth zipped shut. He was angry and scared, and he didn't want to be captured, but as long as they didn't know who he was, the real princess would have safe passage on her journey. Her servants might have abandoned him easily enough, but Natsume couldn’t think ill of the princess herself. He could tell she wasn't cruel or evil, and didn't deserve any of this. And so he kept silent as the Matoba clan led him away.
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The next day passed, and it was quite out of the ordinary. Natsume didn't see a single youkai the entire time. Maybe they're hiding, since the Matoba clan is lurking around, he reasoned. It was confusing, to be uneasy because of the lack of things that made him uneasy.
That night, a group of small ayakashi identical to the ones that begged for his help arrived at his home with the Fujiwaras, and led him away into the forest. Madara waddled behind him, easing Natsume's nerves as they drew deeper into the trees, far from the beaten path.
A soft glow emitted ahead of them, cool at first, a lighter shade of blue in the gray darkness. Then it warmed, becoming pink and yellow, casting a dreamy spell on the surroundings and drawing Natsume in the right direction without the help of the ayakashi. They arrived at the foot of a large, old tree, where a group of ayakashi held lanterns over an ornate palanquin. Next to it, in a smaller and less glamorous one, sat a beautiful woman decked in white robes. She was surrounded by servants, eyes on her adoringly, trying to be as near her as possible while keeping respectful. The light from the lanterns seemed to be coming from the princess directly, for her white skin glowed against the dark wood of the smaller palanquin. Natsume approached gingerly.
The princess looked up at him. Natsume tried hard not to stare at her face. The color of her eyes and hair were the same as his, but the structure of their faces was only passingly similar and he felt silly being compared to her. Was this how his grandmother looked?
The ayakashi threw themselves before her. "We're so sorry, Princess!" They cried. "Your procession should be grand and beautiful! We've really failed you this time!"
The princess touched the back of their heads with a slender hand. "Please do not trouble yourselves so much. I'm truly happy. This is my wedding," she said softly, breaking the illusion in Natsume's mind. Reiko probably wouldn't have made such a gentle face.
Two women who stood with the princess took Natsume by the wrists and led him to the larger palanquin. Though it was meant to carry one, the three of them could snuggly fit inside. Natsume awkwardly tried to explain that he could dress himself, but the two ayakashi paid him no mind and started stripping him. They tutted at him as they brushed his hair and sprayed him with fragrance, smothering his face with powder and a small amount of make-up around his lips and eyes. The wedding gown was mercifully more like robes than a dress. Still feminine, but more comfortable than expected.
It was solid white at first appearance, but on closer inspection, silvery threads were woven into intricate patterns of flowers near the hems. The fabric itself was like water against his skin. Natsume couldn't stop himself from touching it and letting it flow between his fingers. It was snug around his waist, but loose-fitting around his chest and hips, giving his boyish body the appearance of curves.
The female ayakashi backed out of the palanquin to inspect their work. Madara poked his large head inside. He looked like he was about to say something, but cut himself off and blinked instead.
Natsume fidgeted. "Don't just stare," He mumbled defensively.
The cat statue coughed and ran a paw over his face several times. "I-I suppose that'll do. If they don't look too closely," he said quickly. "I'll follow a little behind you in case those exorcists really show up."
"Don't reveal yourself too quickly," Natsume warned. "We're supposed to buy them time. They'll recognize you if you come out right away."
"Hrm, I'd say that Matoba would probably be even more distracted if he recognized you."
"What was that?"
"Eh, nothing. You already stuck your nose where it doesn't belong once again, but if it means giving that exorcist brat his comeuppance, I'll help out."
"Thanks, Sensei," Natsume relaxed a bit, not bothering pointing out that Madara was the first one in favor of this little venture.
"Natsume-sama," spoke the princess. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We are in your debt."
Natsume paused before replying awkwardly, "No problem."
One of the ayakashi placed a veil over Natsume's face. Then the curtains around the palanquin fell to conceal him further, and they began moving. He settled into the silky cushions – almost as soft as the robes – and simply stared through the veil at the interior. The light from the lanterns hardly pierced the curtains, and he couldn't see the outside. It seemed a silly thing that so much time was spent on his appearance when no one would be looking at him. Not that he was complaining. He doubted he would ever live it down if someone he knew saw him.
After several long minutes, the gentle rocking of the palanquin picked up speed. A strange glimmer passed before Natsume's eyes, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The ayakashi outside didn't raise any alarm, but Natsume had an odd feeling. He parted the curtain an inch, and saw the ground speeding beneath him. "What's happening?" He whispered.
"Everything is fine out here, Nat- Princess," one of the tiny ayakashi running alongside assured him. It tugged on the curtain a little, giving him the hint not to show himself too freely. Natsume relented, sitting back in the darkness. Of all the things he worried about that night, he didn't realize boredom would be one of them. How far would they have to travel? They mentioned that the princess would be marrying someone on the other side of the mountains. Would he be able to make it back home by morning? He really wished it wasn't another school night.
I should get some sleep, he thought. His eyes drifted shut. The rocking was even and relaxing, and the only sounds were the ayakashi's swift footsteps and evening insects. Natsume didn't really sleep, but slipped into a restful state. He didn't know how much time passed, and he almost didn't notice that they had stopped moving. The palanquin settled on the ground. Now what? He wondered.
One of the ayakashi peaked inside. "Sorry, Natsume-sama. Good luck!" It squeaked quickly, and disappeared from view.
Natsume blinked. "Wait, you're just leaving me here?" He called after them, opening the curtain to look outside. He was immediately met face-to-face with a lithe, black creature in robes, with a white mask for a face. He shut the curtain, not that it would do much good. The shiki burst into the palanquin with such force that it fell on its side. Natsume tumbled backwards, getting tangled in a mess of his own dress, cushions, curtains, and the shiki.
He recovered quickly, disengaging from the writhing, grabbing creature and hauling himself from the palanquin. The moment he cleared it, however, two more shiki descended upon him. He punched the first one with all of his might. Its mask cracked under the force as it was flung against a tree. The other hesitated, looking back at its crumpled ally, seemingly nervous even without facial expression. Natsume adjusted his clothes, trying to keep his face covered despite the hindrance to his eyesight. He spun around to make a run for it, but instead ran head-long into the first shiki that had escaped the fallen palanquin.
It grabbed his wrists first, yanking him upwards with its superior height and strength. He cried out in alarm when he was seized around the waist from behind and pulled off his feet completely. He twisted in their grip. If he could only get an arm free, or a good kick in, he was sure he could escape. However, their combined strength kept him steady and – not knowing he was human – they treated him more violently than in the past. Some kind of paper shot into his stomach. A jolt ran down his spine as if it were electrified. He didn't know much about spells or what effect it might have had on a youkai, but it knocked the wind out of him. They shoved him into the ground and wrenched his arms over his head, binding his wrists with rope and more paper.
Where was Nyanko-sensei? Natsume told him not to appear too quickly, but at this point he was clearly outmatched. Madara's impulse-control wasn't always at its best when Natsume was in distress, so why the absence now?
Now that he was safely bound, the shiki sat him upright, and a group of men appeared. "Try not to leave too many marks," one of the older men directed. "And you – keep still if you don't want to be hurt."
This is no way to treat a princess, Natsume had the ridiculous thought, but kept his mouth zipped shut. He was angry and scared, and he didn't want to be captured, but as long as they didn't know who he was, the real princess would have safe passage on her journey. Her servants might have abandoned him easily enough, but Natsume couldn’t think ill of the princess herself. He could tell she wasn't cruel or evil, and didn't deserve any of this. And so he kept silent as the Matoba clan led him away.
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