Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Boy for Sale ❯ How the Rest was Won ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Weiss Kreuz nor am I profiting from this, it is for pure reading enjoyment. The wonderful Koyasu Takehito is the creator.

How the Rest was Won

Yohji noticed the familiar sound of Crawford's boots as he gave his bandages a once over.

“Tsk, tsk,” the older man started. What exactly are you trying to prove by denying the opportunities I'm making available to you? That you're strong? That you hate me? Believe me, none of those things matter.”

“Fine, because none of those things were my reasons,” the blonde tried to say in as big of a voice as his exhausted lungs could muster.

“You know, I could just as easily provide the same things that I've offered you to someone like Clara, or Marie, or maybe even one of the other young slave men after they've been cleaned up and made presentable. I really could you know!”

“You could, but you won't. The only reason you've come after me so hard is because I'm so defiant. You want to control me like you do everyone else, but it's proven to be too difficult even for someone sly like you.”

The dark haired man swallowed hard, he didn't like being analyzed like that. “Don't you have some manure to shovel?” Bradley grinned smugly.

“Why yes, yes I do,” Yohji answered joyfully. He wanted to accentuate the fact that anything was better than giving in to Crawford. But as he came closer to the horse stables his happy demeanor dissolved. Shoveling animal shit in the hot sun and battling flies the size of parakeets wasn't his idea of a good time. He just stood there for a moment, looking back at the house he used to live in and evaluating the downward spiral that had led him here. The neigh of a horse brought him back into focus as Crawford handed him a nearby shovel.

“Don't worry,” the older man started. “I think you might be worth waiting for, because when you finally crack and believe me, you will, I know I'll have total control over you and everyone else on this ranch. Even the animals will bend to my authority!”

Deeply upset by Master Bradley's taunting words, Yohji's shoveling became more aggressive. Already on pins and needles the sudden fluttering of a loose chicken in his face made his hands jolt and lump of manure went flying in Crawford's direction. The younger man couldn't even laugh at the situation because he knew he was in trouble.

“You idiot!” the dark haired man yelled. He grabbed Yohji by the hair ad tried shoving him into the giant manure pile at their immediate left, but he lost his footing and fell in himself. The younger man picked up the ball and chain around his foot to start running away. It was hard to do because the chain attached to his foot was short, so he was forced to hunch over a little in order to carry his restraints. He could see a black speck in the distance as his running took him toward the front yard. Judging by the dust it kicked up he knew it was a carriage. Only the postman usually came out to these parts, but he also only came out once a week and today wasn't that scheduled day. Completely shocked by what he knew in his heart upon seeing that speck in the distance, Yohji's legs slowed down as they turned to soft clay beneath him. He knew that the cloud of dust evolving in the distance and the black speck within it…was Ran.

Trying to wash his feet off with a pail of water had only created a pasty substance that prevented Bradley from holding ground well. But without anything to hold him back except slippery feet, he caught up to Yohji and grabbed him. “You little son of a bitch! I'll teach you to throw horse shit all over me!”

“Oh shut up, it was an accident,” Yohji said confidently as he pushed the older man away with one arm. Crawford steadied himself as the manure at the bottom of his boots caused him to slide a little upon receiving the push. “Just you wait. You won't be bossing me around anymore, you bastard!”

The blonde was attacked by quick hands that reached for his throat, but were caught just before making contact. Upon catching Bradley's hands, Yohji was forced to drop the iron ball he'd been carrying and it fell on Bradley's foot. “Argggghh!!!”

The older man instantly regretted working Yohji so hard because he'd grown very strong from being forced to do hard labor. Angry, Crawford took up the chain around Yohji's leg and pulled it with all of his might. The younger boy fell backward and clawed at the ground, trying to pull himself away, but his captor had too great of a leverage against him.

Looking onward, Master Bradley could now see the carriage in the distance that Yohji had identified earlier. Fearing it was the postman coming, who might see him in this condition and spread the news of it around town, he immediately began kicking Yohji into submission. The last thing he wanted was to have everyone thinking he couldn't control his own slaves and that one of them had actually lowered him squabbling on the ground.

Yohji's thighs were the first to receive several kicks so that he couldn't get up to walk. Then his arms suffered the same abuse so that he couldn't drag himself away either. His muscles ached with searing pain and although he wanted to cry out he couldn't because Crawford had made sure to gag him with a handkerchief.

The green eyed man was dragged to a small tool shed along the side of the main house. Crawford threw out a couple of shovels, rakes, and things to make room before folding Yohji's body into a human ball and using some available rope from the shed to tie him up.

Absolutely battered and half crazy from the pain, Yohji tried not to move as much as possible.

+++

“Is that it?” Ran asked excitedly as he pointed to a structure and its surrounding property about a quarter of a mile away.

“Yes, that's the address,” confirmed the stagecoach driver. Within five minutes they were parked in the shade outside of the Sorano home. Ran was surprised by his own slowness to climb out of the stagecoach. His eagerness had turned to nervousness and he couldn't help but rehearse the little things he wanted to say to Yohji in his head. He kept going back and forth mentally as to whether he should ask to buy Yohji back. But would the blonde even agree to that?

“Would you like me to come into the house with you, Sir?” asked General Morrison. “You might need me.”

“No, I have to do this on my own.” Before he could even knock on the door, Marie answered it. She looked the redhead up and down. There was something exquisite about him that she just couldn't explain. She seemed to be at a loss for words, so Ran began the greeting process. “Hello, I'd like to speak with the lady of the house.”

“Yes, Sir,” the young girl slowly nodded. “Uh, won't you come in?”

The emperor had a seat while dumbfounded Marie rushed off to find Lady Sorano. When the older woman first rounded the living room corner and laid eyes on her guest, they nearly leaped out of her head. She just kept staring, impolite as it was because part of her didn't believe that Yohji and he were anything more than strangers. She thought that Yohji's insistence upon knowing the emperor was just a fantasy to cope with slave life.

“I'm assuming you know who I am?” The red haired man asked in reference to Cora's inability to stop staring.

“Yes, Sir—I'm sorry, Sir! Pleased to meet you,” The woman said all at once and curtseyed. She slapped Marie's arm while doing so and the younger girl realized that she should repeat the gesture. But Marie was still so confused about the matter. She'd forgotten all about Yohji's seemingly ludicrous claim about sending a letter to the emperor's palace.

“I came here in regards to possibly reassuming ownership of Yohji Kudou.”

“Oh, well of course,” Lady Sorano nodded.

Marie, who had traveled to the kitchen by this time to make Clara aware that they needed to make refreshments, heard the back door open and saw Crawford enter the home. “Sir!” she called. The man looked up at the girl before noticing the small gathering in the living room. He narrowed his gaze. What was another man doing in his home? “Sir, I think you might want to join your wife in the living room. I believe something important may be occurring. Shall I prepare everyone for your entrance?”

“Please give me a moment to make my own entrance. No need to make anyone away for my presence yet.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Still unsure as to why a man who he had not himself invited to their home was being entertained by his wife, Bradley quickly pulled off his dirty clothes and bathed a little with a rag that he dipped into a porcelain bowl of slightly soapy water. It was his hands and face that had suffered the most damage, so the rest of him didn't need as much attention until later. He dressed himself in clean clothes and joined everyone in the living room. Clara was serving tea while his wife and the redhead conversed.

“Hello, my name is Lord Bradley Crawford,” he interrupted smugly. Cora had a slightly fretful look on her face. “I do hope I haven't spoiled the conversation.”

“Not at all,” answered Ran. He didn't appreciate the other man's tone.

“May I ask your name?” the older man asked politely, but there was still a hint of suspicion in his voice. It was obvious that he thought Ran was after Cora.

“I am Emperor Fujimiya, so you would be obliged to at least address me as `Sir' next time.”

“Oh!” Master Bradley was taken aback for a moment. This was the last person he had expected to arrive. But he knew it involved Yohji somehow, being that this was the man who had last been responsible for the slave boy. “Of course, Sir. How can our household be of service to you?”

“I have reason to believe that perhaps Yohji shouldn't have come here. I got a letter from your wife telling me that it was a mix up.”

“Oh really?” asked the dark haired man as he looked down at Cora in a cross sort of way. Her face went pail. She had truly hoped that her husband wouldn't find out about the fact that she'd been so supportive of Yohji. Once the boy left she'd have to suffer the consequences of her actions and to instigate a divorce might leave her penniless. She had her daughters to think about. “I don't see how there could be any mistake. Yohji is very happy here with us.” There was no way Crawford was about to give the boy back, especially after realizing that his wife had been working against him. No, she wouldn't be allowed to succeed at making him into a fool. Instead, she and Yohji would both be forced to live on their toes from now on. “I doubt that he'll want to go. He's been getting along quite nicely around here. I'll be enrolling him in culinary school any day now.”

“Well, if he wishes to stay, he can, but if he tells me that he wants to leave, I'll have him back.”

“Unfortunately, you're wasting your time. Yohji loves it here and—,”

“Like I said,” Ran began. “If he tells me that he wants to leave, I'll have him back. Give him that option by letting me speak to him.”

Crawford stared for a moment. “Well, to be honest. I don't know where he is right now.”

Fujimiya stood up from his seat. “Then let's go look for him.”

“Oh come now!” Bradley exclaimed. “I feel insulted that you won't take my word for it.” The older man placed himself in the emperor's path.

“You'll feel a lot more than that if you don't stand down,” the redhead growled. He made his way to the backyard where he knew the other slaves were at work. “Yohji!” he called with his hands cupped around his mouth.

Lady Sorano was at her most sheepish when something inside of her knew it was now or never to start being the strong woman that she used to be before marrying Crawford turned her into a gullible old hag. “Yohji!” she called. He voice bounded into the fields. Her husband turned to look at her with a storm in his gaze. With her hands on her hips she looked dead at him and called one more time, even louder than the first. “Yohjiiii!” It was time to take her life back and to give Yohji one of his own.

+++

Was someone calling his name? The blonde could faintly hear something that sounded so much like it, but it didn't excite him. He figured it was much more probable that his injuries and the daunting heat inside the wooden shed were causing him to imagine things. But wait…he'd seen or learned something earlier that correlated with this somehow. What was it? In his mind's eye he could see a black speck and a whirlwind of dust dragging behind it. What did that mean again? He knew it was something simple and perhaps even something positive, but his mind was so warped right now that the answer just wouldn't come. Absolutely torn up by his circumstances, Yohji began to rock back and forth. The motion calmed his brain and gradually started to return his memories to him. Then, he heard his name called again. It was much clearer and louder this time. He instantly knew that the voice was Ran's. That clue allowed him to fill in the last piece of the puzzle. His lover had come for him! He was here, desperately searching for him!

Yohji tried to cry out, but the gag in his mouth muffled the sounds of his already weak voice and struggling too hard made him start to black out.

On the other side of the shed, Emperor Fujimiya had come nearer. He was still calling out and looking all around. Twenty minutes had passed by now with no sign of Yohji. It was a team of Ran, Lady Sorano, Clara, Marie and Lord Crawford who wasn't actually looking because he already knew where the slave boy was hidden. “Well, where is he?” The red haired man was beginning to grow impatient.

“He must have run off again,” Crawford insisted. “He's already done it twice, I don't see why not.”

“We haven't even searched the whole ranch yet,” Ran said looking around. Other slaves were peeking at him from every corner, wondering what was going on.

“I'm sorry Sir, but your presence is causing a disturbance and if my workers become too distracted from their work I start to loose money. So forgive me, but I prefer that you wrap things up,” the dark haired man said sternly with his lips slightly pursed together afterward.

“I'll fix it!” offered Marie. “Everyone stop staring and get back to work,” she announced, thinking that the gesture was something that would please her master.

“Problem solved,” shrugged Ran with a taunting lavender gaze.

Bradley took on a shade of cool white as the emperor unknowingly walked in front of Yohji's prison. “I just remembered something. He may have gone on a trip with another slave who was given permission to see his family for a few days. The two had become rather close friends after all.” Ran wondered if being very close friends meant that Yohji had taken on another lover. “Oh but don't worry,” Crawford added to make his lie seem more believable. “They should be back within three or four days, seven at the most depending on the weather. The redhead looked into the distance thoughtfully. “But if you're in a hurry to get back I'll send you word of Yohji's arrival immediately. I'll also include his answer as to whether he would like to return to your palace or not.” In truth, Crawford planned to eventually trick Yohji into signing a false letter to the emperor declaring his preference not to have anything to do with the redhead ever again.

“Well…” Ran paused for a moment. He really didn't have the time to wait around for days on end until his sweetheart showed up. There was a vast amount of responsibilities that he need to attend to at home. And even if he did choose to wait around, Lord Crawford would just make sure to keep Yohji tied up in the shed. Although he didn't know, it was really best for Ran to just leave right now. “You'll have me notified immediately when Yohji returns?”

“Of course. It's the least my wife and I can do after making you venture out all this way only to be disappointed by his absence.”

The redhead nodded solemnly. It would have done his heart so much good just to laid eyes upon his lover once more, to hear his enchanting voice and watch his sultry lips move as they formed words, especially the words “I love you.” But that would not happen today.

It was time to leave before the sun began to go down. Ran took one last look around the ranch before heading back toward his awaiting carriage. Lady Sorano and her husband followed closely behind.

“I suppose I should be going then,” the emperor concluded. Something just didn't feel right about leaving so soon, but he hadn't counted on facing any obstacles like this. “It was a pleasure meeting you all.” Ran took hold of Cora's hand and kissed the back of it. She looked so confused somehow or nervous. It only added to Ran's uneasy feeling that his departure might be too early. The reality of it was that Cora was trying to remember if she'd heard anything about Yohji going on a trip with Bones who she knew had been given permission to leave the ranch for a while. The younger man was missing after all. “Are you positively sure that Yohji won't be back within the next day or so?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” the dark haired man insisted as he shook the emperor's hand shakily. He couldn't help but feel anxious about the fact that Ran was standing directly across from the shed Yohji was being held prisoner in. He wished the man hadn't chosen to exit the backyard through the side gate and just gone back through the house instead. With any luck his captive would stay quiet.

+++

Yohji struggled to untie himself, taking little breaks in between so that he wouldn't overheat and pass out. His biggest problem was that he had to do things very carefully. His inability to stay conscious due to pain and heat exhaustion made him wonder if he wasn't suffering a broken bone or some other internal injury that was causing a fever. But when he heard through the wooden shed door that Fujimiya was leaving, he panicked and began fighting hard to shake loose from the ropes. They were so tight all he managed to do was fall over on his side. Still completely restrained and in fetal position, he could see a little under the door. Recognizing Ran's personalized leather boots with his empire's seal on the side of them made Yohji's heart ache so badly that he started to cry. The redhead was only ten or more feet away, but he couldn't even call out for the man. His muffled screams did nothing but tire him out as he watched Ran's feet walk even further away. [No, dammit!] he thought to himself. [I'm here! I'm right here!]

+++

“Thank you for your hospitality,” the redhead smiled at Lady Sorano, then looked at her husband in an untrusting sort of way.

“Good bye,” said Master Bradley. He was happy to finally see the other man go.

But Ran just couldn't bring himself to go through the side gate yet. He just stood there shaking his head and looking into the backyard of the Sorano estate. “But…” he began. He didn't know exactly what he wanted to say. All he knew was that he felt like he was missing something.

“Don't worry about it, Emperor,” Crawford said as he tried to lead to lead Ran out of the back yard.

“Wait…” the redhead's brow knitted together just slightly and his eyes fixated on something.

“Come now, you won't find anything. Just—”

“There!” the younger man interrupted as he pointed into the near distance. When Yohji fell over on his side in the shed and began crying it was because he felt absolutely defeated. How could his lover be so close and yet so far away? But in this new position, a few locks of his honey blonde hair had managed to spill out underneath the shed door. They were illuminated by the sun like golden strands of silk. It was one of the features Ran most admired about him and the thing that enabled to redhead to find his lover! “This looks like hair under the door here!”

“No, it's only horse tail. We use it to make rope,” Crawford nervously insisted.

The red haired man tried to access the inside of the shed, but it was looked. “Open this door,” the emperor demanded, but no one was responding. “Open it!”

“I don't know where the key is.”

“You don't seem to know where anything is!”

“I don't have to open it for you anyway!” the older man huffed as sneered.

“Do it or I'll—!”

“You'll what?!”

Before Ran could answer the question, they heard a large clanking sound. During the argument, Lady Sorano found an axe on the ground that had been thrown out of the shed when Crawford was trying to make room for Yohji's body. The door creaked open and revealed the missing slave boy.

Ran was both happy and enraged! It felt so good to finally see Yohji again, but his sweetheart's awful condition made him want to start executing people. “Yohji!” he exclaimed. He got on the ground and lovingly pulled the older boy into his lap. Now he could hear the little mumbles that his lover had been trying to get his attention with to no avail earlier. “You!” the redhead turned to Bradley as he narrowed his eyes with a death stare. Everyone else who was around to bare witness stared at him too. He just stood there like a stubborn mule, unwilling to admit his wrong doing or give a single word of acknowledge in reference to the situation other than, “I want to speak with my lawyer. Marie, go fetch big John to ride into town and get him.”

“Yes, Sir,” the girl agreed.

Despite Crawford's foul behavior, the only thing that mattered right now was that Yohji was taken care of, so Ran stopped himself from concentrating on anything, but that. Revenge could wait.

Clara pulled down some gardening sheers from the shed and carefully began cutting the rope around Yohji's body. The blonde whimpered in pain. Fujimiya removed the handkerchief gag. “Are you okay, my love?”

“No,” the other boy said faintly as he shook his head. The rope had been holding his broken arm in place and now it was throbbing. The sight of bone coming through Yohji's skin sent Ran over the edge and he darted his view back over to Crawford. The older man took the emperor's gaze as a warning and took off!

“It'll be okay,” said Cora. “Let's get him inside,” she insisted. “I'll go try to find the first aid bandages and ointments. Clara, I need you to go get some chicken soup on the stove. Don't remove the meat from the bones, just toss it all in and throw the feet in too. Irma always said that the marrow is what counts most for healing.”

“Yes, Mistress,” the girl agreed.

Yohji felt like shit, but he was so happy to be back in Ran's arms as the red haired man carried him into the house. It was almost like living a fairytale, being captured by an evil foe and then whisked away by a handsome rescuer. He smiled to himself a little. Just before Marie left to do the task that Crawford requested, she'd had such a look of disbelief on her face as the emperor held Yohji close. Her joke about a “prince” coming to get him wasn't so funny to her anymore, especially being that the carriage he rode in on was drawn by two white horses.

+++

The bruised boy was set down on the nearest comfortable place while everyone else scrambled to get things that would make him more comfortable. Remembering that a slave was being sent out to get Crawford's lawyer, Ran sped out to the stables quickly to request that the rider find a doctor instead. Unfortunately, this was where Crawford was hiding out. However, the dark haired man had left for a moment to gather more supplies that he could fit a horse of his own with and ride away on. Upon returning, he saw the younger man inside and decided to take this as an opportunity to attack him. He crept into the entrance of the stables and picked up a large hay fork. As he neared, he elevated the fork just high enough to stab the unsuspecting redhead in the back when—Pow! Something stopped him dead in his tracks. “Ahhhh!!!” He'd been shot in the butt.

Emperor Fujimiya spun around on his heels to see what was going on.

“I told you Sir, I told you!” General Morrison came running up with a smile on his face and a smoking gone in his hand. “You needed me! I'm so glad I didn't listen to you by staying home.”

A million things ran through the emperor's mind at once as he looked down at the fork in Bradley Crawford's hand. He could mentally feel the prongs of it going into his back, neck, and head. “I'm glad too,” he finally replied. “But how did you…?”

“You didn't honestly think I was just gonna stay in that stagecoach? I'd already come all this way and I wasn't about to stop protecting you. The minute I saw this fellow creep into the barn I knew it was trouble.”

“Well, thank you for not listening to me…I suppose.”

“Anytime!” General Morrison said while standing up straight with his heels together.

“Ouuuuch, it hurts!” complained Lord Crawford as he rolled around on the ground.

“Oh, shut up!” demanded Ran.

Someone eventually found Dr. Cain and brought him back to treat both Yohji and Master Bradley.

+++

Yohji was still in process of healing, but couldn't wait to get back to the palace with the love of his life. So after two days of non stop begging to go home, Ran agreed that they could leave early. He figured that one of the best ways for his injured sweetheart to get better was to be in a place that didn't have so many bad memories to keep him awake at night.

The blonde still needed assistance getting around and Fujimiya was more than happy to help. It felt incredible to be part of the long haired man's life again. Although it was quite dark out because they had arrived at night, the first thing Yohji wanted to do when they got to the palace was sit in the garden where he and the emperor had first met. They sat on a stone bench together and Ran fully embraced his lover, mindful of his broken arm in the sling. The two kissed in an innocent sort of way before entering the palace.

They were on their way to Ran's room when Yohji stopped suddenly as he looked down the long hallway. “Could we…?” he began.

“Yes,” the red haired man nodded and kissed the other man on his cheek. He already knew what the taller boy wanted. “We can go to the kitchen.”

Although no one was cooking the smell of fresh dough, cilantro, garlic, and peppers a long with a host of other permanent smells softly wafted through the air and tantalized Yohji's nose. He wished his arm weren't in such bad condition so that he could stay in the kitchen and cook for his lover. He picked up a skillet in vain with his good hand and lifted it up to his gaze.

“That's enough,” Fujimiya insisted and gently took the skillet away.

“What about custard? Would you like some custard?” the older boy fished for a reason to start cooking again.

“What I want is for you to rest.”

“I suppose I am pretty tired,” Yohji sighed as he gradually surrendered. His face soured for a moment thinking about how he'd almost gotten though the entire experience with Crawford without being seriously hurt. Why on his very last day with that evil man did something so awful have to happen to his body?

+++

No one other than General Morrison knew that Yohji had arrived that night. So it was okay for the houseboy to sleep in his Master's chamber all the way through until late morning. No one would be expecting him at his work station or just wondering where he was in general. But the blonde felt so excited about being back in the palace that he hardly slept a wink. His mind kept racing with the recipes that he'd only been able to think about during his last stay at the Sorano estate. Now he would actually have the pleasure of bringing such recipes to life! There were a few things he knew he could make with just one working arm. They would be simple although he knew that Ran might not approve.

The sun was barely rising when Yohji leaped out of bed. He couldn't just lie there any longer. The kitchen was calling and if he couldn't make anything, he at least wanted to get a cool glass of water from the ice box. Pouring was a bit difficult seeing as his dominant hand was the one out of service. He laughed at himself for clumsily spilling a little of the water on the counter top. Even his good hand was still a bit shaky. Wiping up the mess, he took his glass and headed back to the bedroom to snuggle up to his lover. It felt so good to be back in this bed, any bed! As he climbed in, Ran stirred a little.

“Where did you go?” the younger man asked sleepy.

“No where,” the long haired man smiled and kissed his lover's forehead.

“Cold…” the emperor said. The cool water had chilled Yohji's lips quite a bit.

“Sorry, my love.”

+++

Yohji would have to stay in recuperation for several days. It would give him time to heal and give Ran time to figure out a good excuse for having Yohji back at the palace. The redhead decided he'd just go with the story that Cora came up with. It had all been a “mistake” and Yohji didn't belong at the ranch. No one would be able to prove otherwise. Or would they?

The day after coming back from the countryside, Ran sat at a desk in his room while Yohji slept peacefully due to a few meds that the house doctor had prescribed for him. The redhead began thinking about his secret relationship with Yohji that according to General Morrison wasn't so secret after all. How did he know? Did everyone? It was something he had to get to the bottom of, one way or another.