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It was a dangerous dance, what they had going on Prince Sawamura Daichi, heir to the kingdom of Karasuno thinks as he looks across the ballroom filled with nobility dressed in the newest fashionable fabrics and styles as they flitted across in memorized movements, the only thing filled with life about their movements being the hearts that beat in their chests. He searches the crowd before his eyes land on a still figure standing at the other side of the room, flanked by men and women alike. But even with admittedly beautiful and handsome people around him, people much better looking that Daichi himself, those olive green eyes, framed by a silvery purple masquerade mask, are looking at him.
Daichi smiles.
Ushijima Wakatoshi, the newest king to the kingdom of Shiratorizawa, smiles back at him.
The differences between Karasuno and Shiratorizawa were great. On the continent, there were five main kingdoms: Fukurodani, Karasuno, Nekoma, Seijoh, and Shiratorizawa. Shiratorizawa and Seijoh had been at war since Daichi’s tenth birthday when the knights of Seijoh killed an archduke from the Shiratorizawa province of Itachiyama. In retaliation, they kidnapped the leader of the Seijoh Knights, Iwaizumi Hajime, who happened to be the then-prince and now king Oikawa Tooru’s best friend.
The war ended two years ago when sir Iwaizumi went back to Shiratorizawa to propose his hand in marriage to the new Archduke of Itachiyama.
Karasuno used to be a small kingdom but thanks to king Ukai’s leadership, they quickly grew larger. They used to have a very violent relationship with Nekoma but are now very close allies. And with their friendship comes allyship with the slendorful kingdom of Fukurodani. They have alright relationships with Seijoh. Shiratorizawa is a very militaristic kingdom, holding honor in a very high position and paper treaties and documents in low position due to the ability to alter them.
But the new king, even though he has honor, he is also not a strict traditionalist like all the previous kings. He has introduced reforms to increase the literacy and education in his kingdom. He has struck trade deals and begun to open Shiratorizawa’s doors to the outside world.
The first, and only so far, kingdom he had done so much talks with were Karasuno.
Daichi doesn’t really know why Ushijima would decide to deal with Karasuno of all places. Seijoh has amazing fabrics, plants, and furs- they decide the latest fashions. Fukurodani, for having such eccentric kings, heads in education with the best scholars, books, and technology.Nekoma specializes in weapon-making, construction, and medicine. And Karasuno...they’re just a weird mix of everything. Unlike the other kingdoms, even though there’s a clear difference between social classes, they mingle a lot. It is not unusual for the king to hang out at a dirty ramshackle pub and be treated different than any other customer, or for the dukes to gather at a blacksmith’s and watch like children as the men pound away at red hot metal.
This is the sixth time he’s meeting with Ushijima in the past four months. The man, for how stoic and emotionless he may look on the outside, like the automatons the Fukurodani Kingdom has recently begun to manufacture, is actually a very kind man. He is very knowledgeable in botany, probably as much as Seijoh’s scholars in that field. He doesn’t like hunting because he likes animals. He prefers to have a small dinner and a large desert course. And his eyes can glimmer and shine with awe in the most entrancing way when he sees something that interests him, like a little kid going to Karasuno’s festivus state of Inarizaki for the first time.
“Prince Sawamura” the hairs on the back of Daichi’s neck suddenly prickle. Something sharp presses into the small of his black. Ushijima’s eyes are still on him- his expression must of changed because even from this distance he can see those olive eyes narrow.
“You’re the Wakatuni Rebels” Sawamura says in a low voice.
“Correct.”
The Wakatuni Rebels. They’re the children of outcasts from Shiratorizawa. If his spies are correct, which they always are- he trusts the Miyas and Kita’s leadership- then the Wakatuni Rebels are a group of people who want to take over the kingdom of Karasuno and turn it into a militaristic state greater than Shiratorizawa. They’re skilled fighters and have mastered hiding and living in the large sections of forest spread throughout the kingdom.
“Now, if you would do so, follow me. I know you are wise enough to do so without trying anything. More of us are scattered throughout the crowd, ready to kill at the slightest indication that you’ret trying to be sneaky.” Daichi quickly scans the crowd. He sees some people dressed in light pink, and some people in light pink in the same exact outfit as each other. Wakatuni . All of them are looking Daichi’s way, looking to see if he’ll do anything.
There’s one of them behind Ushijima.
“Yes.” He says. “Lead the way.”
Withing a minute, Daichi has exited the ballroom, following the man in front of him. Before he knows it, more of them are on him, emerging from the shadows, binding his arms behind his back, stuffing a gag into his mouth. He tries to struggle this time, since everyone in the ballroom are probably out of danger now.
“Lmfmph” he says against the gag. He manages to headbut someone, onle to get a punch to the gut. He wonders where his knights are, if at least one of them noticed him leaving. He knows that Hinata and Tsukishima were in the ballroom- the rest of them must be patrolling the castle to make sure nothing is being looted. He raises a leg high up, thankful that he accidentally wore a black pair of regular pants instead of formal pants (what’s the difference, really) kicking a man in the head, knocking him out.
“Hurry! To the horses!” One of them calls. Daichi is knocked to the floor, the fall knocking the air out of him and the mask off his face. His feet are quickly bound together at the ankles and knees as well. The only thing left are my eyes he thinks as he’s picked up by a giant of a man who looks like he could be seven foot, dressed in the tell-tale camouflage and pink scarf of Wakatuni. There’s some sort of symbolism with that color, he tries to remember, but fails to.
For some reason, that little thing is what truly triggers the panic.
He’s taken out of the castle, still struggling, until a small group of horses with mottled grey come into sight.
“SAWAMURA!”
“DAICHI-SAN!”
His head lifts up and he sees Ushijima and Hinata barge out from the castle doors, but they’re too far. Hinata, the poor kid, he looks so scared. Sawamura, there’s fear in his face, even with the mask on. In his right hand is Daichi’s mask which he forgot had been knocked off in the fight.
“GO GO GO!” One of the rebels say. Hinata and Ushijima are running towards them but Daichi knows they’ll never make it in time. Before he knows it, the sight of them is becoming smaller and smaller and less visible in the darkness of the night and the low area of the fire.
“He hasn’t said anything except for those damn stories!” One of them growls. Daichi keeps his head bowed and attempts to keep the muscles in his shoulders loose to keep them from cramping up again from how tightly his arms are bound behind his back.
“And then Koushi s-switched out the pudding f-for slug jelly, a-and gave it to Tanaka, a-and-”
“Shut up! I don’t care about what your knights have done with you getting along like an itty-bitty family. What we want are facts . What type of wood are the doors made of? Where are the secret passageways? What are the patrol patterns? Where do you keep important documents?”
“H-he was in the bathroom for days- ugh! ” Daichi doubles over with the harsh kick to his already bruised stomach area, letting out a small whimper. Before, he would of stopped himself from showing any signs of weakness but now, three months later according to his captors, he thinks he can give himself some freedom if they won’t give him any.
As for the stories...He and all of his knights have had training with how to deal with torture. It was only a week of lessons but Daichi made sure he’d remember all of it- as the heir, it’s more likely that people will try to hold him hostage, however unlike it is that they’ll succeed.
It seemed like Wakutani got lucky.
If you’re being tortured to speak, to give away kingdom secrets and the like, you’re going to have to talk about something or else you’ll go crazy. So talk about anything. Anything but what they want you to talk about. Repetition is key, so talk about something that is easy to think about and will keep the mind busy.
He knows that sometime in the three months, his knights and allies got close to finding him. But the Wakutani Rebels...well...the forest is their domain- it is where they perform the best, with their special bred horses from the foreign lands of Nohebi. They travelled through the forest and no longer were they in Karasuno, but now in Nekoma. It seems like they haven’t been limiting their explorations to Karasuno’s forestry, with how well it had seemed like they knew the lay of the land.
“And I asked Kageyama wh-what he thought...thought about Seijoh’s training, when...when he was there-”
“SHUT UP!” He’s slapped across the cheek. “He ain’t gonna give us anything. Bring the gag and the wax. Put him in the Room. Daichi doesn’t close his eyes, keeping his eyes on the forest floor. The Room. Even though the Wakutani were forest people, they had some houses scattered here and there to rest in. Daichi was never allowed in them. But the one they’re in, it has an extension which Daichi loathes and fears.
Sensory deprivation is what they do. They put him in a room with a floor so polished he can’t really feel anything. They tie him to the floor in a way that he can’t even move. They cover his body with a thick cloth so he can’t feel the bindings. Then they put wax in his ears as to not hear anything, cloth over his eyes as to not see, on his mouth to not speak.
And even without the cloth on his eyes it’s still so dark. So dark, so quiet. He gets no food, no water, and he’s in there for days. It’s only that room that makes him feel like he’s going insane.
“But first” the man continues “Take him to the Table. He seems so fond of keeping his mind intact with his thoughts and memories, why not give him something to think about?”
Daichi is tugges to his feet. He doesn’t struggle, letting himself be lead. He shivers- it’s winter now, and unlike the others, clothed in furs and cloths, he’s clad only in the pants they took him in, shoes and shirt long since gone, skin now covered with cuts, bruises, and red scars from knives and make-shift whips. He looks around as he’s walked, eyes taking in everything so that he could possibly, somehow, use that information later. He’s led inside- he’s never been in here before- and there’s so much he can use to get free. He’s taken to a large circular table, tossed on his back. Four men surround him, each of them holding a limb down. He pants and blows his long hair away from his eyes before licking his dry lips. For once, he’s happy that he doesn't have the ability to grow facial hair, no matter how much Koushi and Asahi may tease him for forever looking baby faced.
“Here we go.” Daichi tilts his head to the side, eyes widening. His legs kick and his arms pull but the men, much stronger than his malnourished body, manage to hold him still. “You crows, you’re so proud of your worthless kingdom.”
The Wakutani rebels are outcasts from Shiratorizawa .
“You’re not just outcasts, are you” Daichi says, eyes widening as the metal shaft with a round thing at the end comes closer and closer to him, the air around it so hot.
“We aren’t just outcasts- we were princes! We were nobles!” One of them laughs. “But our cousin Toshi, he just refused to die. And uncle found out and kicked us all out, isn’t that funny? But once we gain control of Karasuno and turn it into a mere province of Shiratorizawa, doubling the size of our kingdom, then we’ll be allowed back. We’ll be heroes.”
In the second before it happens, Daichi is able to make out what’s on the end of the brand in perfect detail: the symbol for crow . It’s not exactly large but it’s not small either. It glows red hot, the lines not the neat straight lines that Daichi has written so many times as it’s one of the symbols that make up his kingdom’s name, but scratchy, as if someone took a nail and scratched away with their eyes closed to write out the symbol.
The man’s free hand bends Daichi’s head to the side and the fear pounds through him.
“Crow” the man sneers, jamming the brand right in front of the crook of his neck, the edges overlapping the corner of his collarbone.
It hurts it hurts of gods ithurtsithurtsithurts-
He screams.
Two weeks later. . .
After the branding, Daichi was thrown into the Room. He was stuck in their for three days, just him and the pain of the brand and the shame.
Brands are something people only now use on leather and wood products to mark their craft. Other than that, it’s long-since been banned to be used on people and animals. Their kingdom may have a long way to go in terms of technology, but their ethics are far ahead of their times, having banned indentured servitude and slavery a long time back, now further enhancing their human rights.
When he was taken out, he didn’t speak, not even to tell the stories. He was beaten and cut at and scarred even further but the only noises that escaped him were small gasps.
They gave up on getting anything after him. They said they were going to sell him to the highest bidder, which wouldn’t be much, they teased, since his once barely marred skin is now...this. It started to rain, two days ago, which Daichi was strangely happy about, thinking about how his kingdom would benefit from the rain since they had been in a drought. He’s given a waterproof hooded cloak to keep the water off his body to keep from getting sick that way, but it does nothing to keep the cold from his bare chest and feet. The blindfold around his eyes as somehow dampened, making his lids uncomfortably moist.
“Hey, boss...wouldn’t selling him give Karasuno that chance to get him back?”
“That’s true. We are in Karasuno territory now anyway...Yugi- drop him.” Daichi can’t say anything, with the cloth around his mouth. He blinks slowly, resigning himself to his fate. For some strange reason, the cold makes the brand ache.
He falls harshly on his side, hitting his shoulder against the ground. He lands on the bank of a river, in the mud, side of his face instantly coating with it. He hears laughter and then that noise fades and…
And he’s alone. He’s technically...free? But what can he do? He’s weak. He’s useless. He draws his tight legs closer to him, knees almost to his chest. What should he do? He doesn’t care. He shivers, a little happy that the cloak, the the moment, keeps the rain from falling directly on most of him, but it doesn’t keep it from seeping into him from underneath.
He sees the sun come and go twice, he thinks, judging by how it’s cold for some time and then much colder and more quiet and then it’s less cold. Two days. Two days of hazy cold and sneezing and shivering and more pain. Multiple times he considers rolling into the river and just...speeding up the inevitable.
“Yo, Samu! There’s a river!”
“Stupid- we already knew this river was there. We came here to get more fish for Aran’s kitchen, remember?”
“Hm...fatty tuna. Do you think those fire people from Nekoma are going to make a special appearance again? It was pretty fun having them perform! What do you think, Samu-” the voice suddenly cuts itself off. Daichi keeps his eyes closed, steadying his breathing, hoping that whoever is there wouldn’t hurt him.
“Are you alright?” He hears one of the voices say. Daichi keeps his body relaxed, trying to pretend that he’s unconscious, even though the touch of skin on his shoulder, even through the cloak, makes his skin prickle uncomfortably. It’s been so long…
“Oh my gods. Samu! He’s injured!”
“Those look bad. D’ya think he’s a runaway slaver or somethin’?”
“I don’t know, but there’s a brand. Kita-san will know what to do-”
“Tsumu.”
“Yeah Samu?”
“...Look at his face. I think it’s Daichi.”
“...oh shit.”
He’s suddenly propped up, the blindfold being slid off by a gentle tug. A sharp intake of breath. “We found him. Imma carry him- he doesn’t look in good shape.”
“I’ll run ahead and get everything prepped and then I’ll send a messenger bird.”
“Daichi is suddenly lifted up, carried carefully. He recognizes these voices now: Miya Atsumu and Osamu, the twins that he’s grown fond of, kind of like younger brothers to him. They grew up together, Daichi’s mom being from Inarizaki, which is where he lived until twelve when his uncle Ukai, his mom’s brother, decided to choose Daichi as heir since he couldn’t have his own children, being married to a man.
“I gotcha Daichi...at least I think it’s ya. Please be alright.”
Daichi! Here! Toss it here!
Pay attention! I wonder why King Ukai chose you as the heir, harumph. You don’t even know your history.
Daichi
Don’t do that!
Here- I made it by hand.
By the gods- Daichi, come on- you sure can eat a lot, my little baby bird. Now, come on, the vegetables too .
Mom?
Daichi opens his eyes. It registers a moment later that he’s able to open them instead of having them brush against a blindfold. The room he’s in is dim and he thinks he remembers Atsumu? And Osamu? Something clatters and Daichi flinches.
“Oh my gods, you’re awake” a familiar voice says. Daichi finds that for the first time in a while, he’s able to move his arms. He rolls over to his side and manages to sit up, squinting through messy hair at the dimly lit silver-haired man, a wooden bowl upside down at the area by his feet.
“K-Koushi?” He rasps, wincing at the pain that comes with trying to speak after not having done so for too long.
“You should lay back down- you are still unwell.” A deep baritone comes. Daichi turns his head and comes face to face with Ushijima. The king is standing, his face betraying his nervousness, hands clasped together in front of him.
“Ushijima?”
“He and his knights have been in Karasuno for the past few months” Koushi says “For the most part- they’ve been coming and going, taking care of their kingdom while trying to look for you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the king snap at so many people than he has as of lately.” Koushi suddenly shakes his head. “Sorry, rambling. It’s been...so long, Daichi.” The knight takes a step forward, then another, and another, until he’s in front of Daichi. His friend suddenly drops into a kneel, bowing his head. “Forgive me” his voice cracks “If I hadn’t, If we had only searched harder-”
“Koushi” Daichi whispers. “It’s not your fault, I should of done more to-”
“It’s not your fault either” Ushijima says. “I would input it is mine as well, since I was there, but we will have to settle for it being the Wakutani Rebels’ fault.”
“I need to go get the healer” Koushi says “And also tell the other’s you’re awake.” He quickly leaves and Daichi is given a glimpse of a bright, familiar hallway of his own castle. He feels like crying because...he’s home. It’s enough for him to slump forward, eyes closed, and let shuddering breathes run through his body.
“Sawa- Daichi” Ushijima’s voice comes. The man is suddenly sitting next to him. A warm hand wraps around his bare shoulders and Daichi feels disgusted at himself for being so marred, and then he realizes...Ushijima is touching him. He flinches away and Ushijima is quick to draw his arm away.
“No” Daichi says “Sorry. I...safe.” Is all he can manage. Ushijima understands, luckily, and wraps an arm around Daichi again. This time, he leans into the touch, resting his head against Ushijima’s chest.
“It’s okay to cry” Ushijima says.
“But I have forgotten how to” Daichi whispers.
“Then...perhaps you could learn again, one day.” Daichi tilts his head up. Ushijma’s face is so close to his. His eyes are wet with unshed tears, lips slightly parted, but no. No matter how much he has longed too for so long, he can’t. Ushijima doesn’t deserve that.
“Ushijima” his voice breaks. He doesn’t cry, but he comes close, weakly gripping the front of the king’s shirt, allowing himself to break down, to loose his composure, to relive the horrors of the past few months with someone familiar and safe at his side.