Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption is not kind ❯ near undone ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Sendril sighed softly, at least the ex Masho was in a natural sleep now. It wouldn’t be long now before they could remove the feeding tube and get some real food into him. Her vigil had told her a lot about him, one that he made soft sounds in his sleep much too cute to be snores and tended to react by instinct when frightened than rational. Near tearing out the I.V. Line told her that. She knew he was not used to fear, feeling it anyway. She also knew for all his years serving Argo, he was still a young man who carried a lot of guilt and pain.
“...Sleep Shuten.” She whispered, when he stirred slightly.
She leaned forward to kiss his forehead, the skin was warm beneath her lips. His skin was overly warm against her hand, a clear indication his temperature was rising. The fever must have already been brewing when he’d been brought or his swan dive into a polluted lake was catching up to him despite the antibiotics.
“Bring me a basin with cold water and ice...A few rags too.” She said to one of the assistants.
The basin and cloths were quickly brought.
She dipped one into cool water, wrung it and lay it over his forehead.


* * *


The dream/memory took Shuten deeper down the path...


He was now waking in the hospital wing of the Castle with Anubis sitting there trying not to look concerned. He didn’t know how he’d gotten there, though he suspected one of his comrades had gone looking for him. He heard Badamon chanting something and the memory of the slaughter fading. He let it go, he didn’t want to remember why he lay on his back bleeding his life out as a surgeon tended his now near grievous wound.


The dream shifted, he was standing before a burning house, screams, children’s screams. No, he had to try and save them, this was dishonorable. He couldn’t move, the Oni held him fast.
“I told you monk, I’m not so easily defeated...” The Oni hissed. “Isn’t it lovely...Here I’ll give you a better view.”
The Oni yanked him to stand before the blaze, he could feel the heat on his skin, the screaming continued. He saw blackened bodies and the stink of roasted flesh.
“Want some monk, Its well done...” The Oni reached into the flames and pull out a half burned child. “Here...have some.”
He was offered a limb as the Oni munched on the roasted flesh. He wished to vomit...


He woke, his head feeling like it was stuffed with cotton and being used as a drum. He opened and tried to focus his eyes. The kitsune was still there, holding his hand. He licked his lips, there were so dry.
“...Lady...Kitsune...” He croaked.
She stroked his face, brushing sweat dampened hair back from it.
“Rest,” Sendril whispered. “You have a fever, most likely from your swan dive into the lake...”
He coughed, his chest hurt from the spasm of it. This wasn’t the first time he’d woken up like this, though he did not remember it. Her hand was cool against his skin, an indication even to him that he was sick.
“...Water...please...”
She lifted him up gently and put a cup to his lips, he drank slowly. He put one hand up to steady the cup, covering hers.
“...Enough.” He said laying back.
She set the cup down. His eyes, despite being fever bright, were focused on her. Her fingers brushed away a few more strands of hair.
“...Sleep.” She whispered. “I will not leave you to wander alone in the darkness...”
His eyes closed, her hand gently rested on his. He clung to that sensation like a lifeline as the darkness came and pulled him under.


Sendril watched him, he was shivering. She pulled the blanket closer to his chin, keeping a close watch on his temperature, too high and he’d cook himself. She had to admit he was attractive, she chided herself, many attractive men had come through the healing rooms. For some reason, he was different. There was something about the ex-Masho, something Kaos had seen.
“...Did Kaos know you were the one to compleate his mission.” She said softly. “Or how important Kayura was to him...”
She rose up, Yukito was preparing dinner tonight. She made sure she had Shuten all squared away before she left him in the care of others.


* * *


Yukito knew Sendril was worried, having gone into the village for supplies, he returned with news that Kayura and the three other Masho were now in charge. Many thought it meant they would eventually come to the village and to Sanctuary.
“...I heard nothing of them coming to this region as of yet.” He said as he prepared dinner. “Word is they are still dealing with Argo’s castle. Considering how badly the realm has faired until now...”
“...Let us hope they don’t notice us for a little while longer, not until our guest is able to speak for himself.”
He heard something in her tone that said she was becoming more than concerned about their guest.
“Sen...” He reminded.
“I know, no attachments...” She said, laying her mask down next to her plate. “Have no fear, I will not form any attachment beyond friendship...That is his choice to make...”
“...I was given the same and I ended up sharing your bed for a short time...”
“You still do, now and again.”
She smiled, he had been one of the very few granted that privilege in all her long life. He had passed from being her lover to her lieutenant a long time ago.
“I quite enjoyed it, If I remember correctly...”
“Yes...you did.” She said. “Though at present I doubt he will feel the same.” She eyed the rich stew he’d made. “Let us not worry of problems that have yet to grace our door step...”
Yukito nodded and set a bowel upon her plate.


* * *


Dawn the next day...


Shuten stumbled to his feet, his head throbbing. He growled as he yanked out the I.V. Line and the feeding tube; ignoring the pain that came with doing so. He had to make it to the grave, his son’s grave. His fever fogged brain only remembered the dream. His keepers fearing that in his enraged and delirious state he would harm him and let him pass. The servants did the same, for something waited for the ex-masho of cruelty, something that had been waiting for a very long time...


* * *


Sendril awoke with a start, someone was bagging on her door and calling her name. She groaned and nudged the lump beside her. Last night’s conversation with Yukito had led to a little more than usual and they had tumbled into bed together very late. The frost child groaned as well, this was not the way he’d expected to start the morning. She hoped the person would go away.
“Mistress...Please...Something has happened in the healing rooms...”
She groaned again and rose. She reluctantly dressed, knowing that it was urgent for them to come to her door so early. Sliding on her mask, she yanked the door open.
“...He’s missing.”
She didn’t have to be told who “He” was, she knew well enough their patient had done some kind of damage to himself. In his fevered state Shuten could be a danger to others and himself, just by the fact that he wasn’t thinking clearly.
“How long?
“An hour no more, we did not wish to disturb you...”
Yukito appeared behind her, dressed in last night’s clothes and finger combing his hair.
“How did he get past you...” He demanded.
“We don’t know,” The servant said. “...he’s bleeding.”
“Thank the gods for small favors...” Yukito murmured.
“You said he was bleeding...how badly?”
“Enough to leave a trail...and he was muttering something about having killed someone...” The servant said. “The healers thought he may be sleep walking...”
“...We found him...” Came the voice of another servant. “He’s in the servant’s quarters....barricaded into a room with one of the children with him...he’s not hurt the child, but near sliced open any one who’s come near...”
“Does the child have red hair and blue eyes....”
“Yes, He keeps calling the child Shinji...” the servant frowned. “The child’s name is Shuu...”
“...This is not good...” Sendril said. “Let me talk to him, and Yukito bring the sedatives...I don’t want to have to use them, but it might be unavoidable.”
Yukito nodded and slid past her.


She heard a commotion as she walked down the hall, fully expecting to walk into carnage. Instead she found the servants pummeling a withering mass begging to be killed. Voices raised in anger, blows snapping bone. She did not like the looks of this. Her servants were better than this, above this senseless action.
“Enough...” she shouted. “You’ve done enough....”
It took a few moments but they quieted and parted.


Shuten lay on the floor curled into a ball; his eyes wide in terror. He was battered bloody, and having trouble breathing. All the healer’s work was near undone, someone had torn his tunic off and carved “murderer” into his skin. She was horrified at this.
“..Yukito, I don’t think we’re going to need the sedatives...” she went to kneel down, her knees wet with blood. “...Shuten?”
The vermilion haired man roused just enough to painfully crawl into her lap like a frightened child and sob.
“Kill me...” He murmured through his sobs. “end it...”
She stroked his hair, the vermilion strands stained darker with his own blood. She looked at the smear of blood on her fingers, a reminder that the man in her lap was all too human.
“...You cannot bring back the dead, Shuten.” She whispered, then looked up at Yukito who had come with a blanket. “...We are fools to try.”
She took the blanket from Yukito, covering Shuten before allowing Yukito and the other healers to pick him up. The servants parted, letting them take the ex-Masho back into the healing rooms.