Behind the Mask Part I
Nov. 28th, 2007 06:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrSo, the sordid tale for those who might not know it:
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lokiloo and mizwatson need to be locked up and kept seperated.
Not too long ago, they were bickering about which was cooler - ninjas or pirates. Somehow the all-caps debate turned into 'megan write a story about both!'
I told them no way in hell.
As you can imagine, I was ignored.
The second and third parts still need going over, but part one is I think good to go.
So here we are -- a ninja and pirate story. I warn you now it's nothing special, and probably needs twice the length I actually gave it (but sorry, 52 pages was more than enough for me).
This story caps at 20,184 words. Goblin, Loki, I hope you like your story <3
Now to go write the drabbles I've neglected >_o Bad Megan.
Part I
Kasumi eyed the man before him, grateful for the mask that hid his distaste.
So this was the brilliant Lord Luther Hatcher-Rosque?
He was not impressed.
A brilliant man, they had been told. Intelligence beyond compare, with looks and poise to match.
The man before them now was tall but…disconnected looking. His glasses were crooked, hair spilling free of a bright blue silk ribbon, and his clothes looked as though his valet had pressed them while heavily intoxicated.
If this was the man with whom his master was to be keeping company…Kasumi wondered if he might arrange a parting of ways.
Fingers pressed lightly at his back, warning him to remain still.
That his master was so easily able to predict his thoughts was disconcerting, but Kasumi was used to it.
He did not take his eyes from Lord Hatcher-Rosque. Surely this clumsy looking man was not the one about whom they had heard so much? He was a veritable buffoon, hardly worthy of his master…
A soft word drew his attention and he turned smoothly to follow Master Minoru up the gangway and into the waiting ship. Silent, elegant, a masked mystery whose presence would do much to dissuade impertinence and threats.
No one would touch Minoru, and if he had his way that idiotic looking fool would not come near enough to converse. Master was a man of honor and dignity; he did not consort with fools.
Three months, this journey.
Kasumi was beginning to doubt those months would pass with any sort of speed. He half hoped for some excitement, but did not let the thought carry far enough for the gods to make note.
A scuffling noise behind, a startled gasp, and he turned sharply around to catch Lord Hatcher-Rosque before he could fall to the deck. Sneering behind his mask, he let the clumsy man go once he was securely on his feet.
"Thank you," Hatcher-Rosque said politely, smiling.
Kasumi turned sharply away to rejoin his master, who had gotten several paces ahead.
"Do not mind Kasumi," Master Minoru said with one of his gentle smiles. "He was happy to help."
He begged to differ, but would not argue his master in public.
"Come," Hatcher-Rosque said, brushing back a strand of his messy hair. "I will show you your quarters." He pushed past them, stumbling often, and led the way below decks, finally pushing open the door of a small cabin.
Kasumi stifled an unseemly sigh. Why could they not simply travel to places that did not require the sea? Land he could control. Sea he could not. These small places were also not to his liking.
"I would be more than happy to join you and the Captain for dinner, my Lord. Extend my thanks to him, and thank you."
A few minute of bumbling talk and they were finally left alone. The door closed with a click and Kasumi allowed himself to relax a notch.
"You were all but hissing, Kasumi," Minoru said with a chuckle. "That utterly harmless, charming lord just offends your sensibilities doesn't he?"
Kasumi said nothing.
Minoru laughed harder. "Oh, Kasumi. So easily offended. One would never guess the thoughts behind that pretty face you hide."
Pretty face. He would glare if it would do any good.
"Hmm, and now I am offending you more. If you were a cat, you would be hissing and spitting and going for my face. Ah, you do please me, Kasumi."
He sketched a bow. "It is my will and desire to please, Master."
Minoru snorted. "I have no idea how one of your breeding turned out so blatant a smartass."
"I know not what you mean, Master," Kasumi murmured. The mask muffled his words, but Minoru never had trouble understanding him.
Another chuckle was the only reply. "Come, I must change for this dinner. I know he does not look as we might have expected, but you should not judge by looks, Kasumi."
Kasumi bristled. "I would not be so careless, Master."
"On the contrary, my protector. You would see an enemy anywhere, and that sight has saved my life more than once. Beyond that, however, you do not see people at all. It is strange that so much you see, and so much you do not."
"I see all that I must to keep you alive," Kasumi said, stung. He had never once failed his Master. In training he had surpassed all others. He was a credit to his clan and family.
Minoru sighed. "Ah, Kasumi. There was no insult there, only an observation from which you might try to learn. You are a perfect and unfailing protector, well worth all the money I spent and more. No better protector exists."
Kasumi nodded stiffly, but did not move from his spot near the wall.
"You are ridiculous," Minoru said. "I think you like being insulted. If you do not unbend, Kasumi, I shall make you remove that mask during dinner."
"Master!" Kasumi snapped.
Minoru chuckled. "Come and help me change."
Muttering soft curses behind his mask, Kasumi moved forward to help Minoru change from his travel clothes into attire more suitable for a dinner with peers. He kept back a contemptuous snort at the idea of regarding that bumbling moron as a peer of Master Minoru.
Ha. Any man who could not walk a straight line without falling over at least three times was no peer to anything except perhaps the floor he kept encountering.
When at last they were ready, he led the way out of the cabin, stepping back to let Minoru lead the way only once he knew the way was secure. He hated these confined places.
In the Captain's quarters, he prowled until he knew every nuance of the room, ignoring Minoru's quiet murmurs to the others to mind his bodyguard's strange ways.
"Will you be dining with us?" Hatcher-Rosque asked politely, pushing up his slipping glasses and shoving back strands of hair.
Minoru chuckled. "He is welcome to, but he will not – that goes against his training and beliefs."
Kasumi glared at him in warning, knowing Minoru would be aware of it even if he could not see it.
"Plus, he would have to remove his mask." Minoru tossed him a smirk before taking the seat offered him by the Captain. "Lord Hatcher-Rosque, you are a man of great knowledge. Know you anything about our famed protectors?"
Hatcher-Rosque pushed his glasses up again and peered curiously.
Kasumi glared at him.
"Call me Luther, please. I don't believe anyone knows anything about the prized protectors of the land of night."
Minoru smiled and motioned Kasumi forward.
He went obediently, silently calling Minoru every last nasty name he could think of, making more up as he was ordered to bend.
Smooth fingers traced the line of his mask, something that would have cost anyone else his fingers. Kasumi held perfectly still, save for his eyes which constantly examined and reexamined the room, the people, all of it. Nothing was amiss, yet he could not settle.
Then again, Minoru was putting him on the spot. Stupid uppity pushy know it all masters.
Fingers again traced his mask, the marks carved into it, the deep jewel colors in which the carvings had been painted, sliding over the lips and nose to where the colors faded away into the solid black that dominated the left side. Each mask unique, the marks upon it meaningless to all but his brethren. None may bid him remove it save for his master.
"The markings are a mystery even to me," Minoru explained. "I purchased him eight years ago, at no small cost let me tell you." He winked and motioned for Kasumi to rise to his full height once more. "They show their faces to none but their parents, their teacher, and their master – and if I bid them do so."
The Captain frowned. "How would anyone know, then, if the wrong man was behind the mask? Surely there must be situations where such a problem would arise."
Minoru smiled.
Kasumi stifled a groan.
"My good sir," Minoru said with a smile that had convinced more than one man to get himself in trouble, "try to remove his mask."
The Captain quirked his brow, but gamely nodded and stood, moving around the table to approach Kasumi. He hesitated a moment, then reached up to pull off the mask.
It didn't come off.
Kasumi wished fervently that inflicting harm upon his master was not strictly against the contract.
"Why will it not come off?" the Captain asked.
"So it is true that your people do still practice magic?" Luther asked.
Minoru chuckled softly. "Only in bits and pieces. I myself know nothing of magic. The secret clans, such as Kasumi's, still know bits of it. The mask Kasumi wears is probably one of the strongest bits of magic that still exists."
"Fascinating," Luther said, pushing back his glasses again and if he did it one more time Kasumi was going to yank them off his face and fix the damned things. Honestly, did he not pay attention to such trivial details? This man was supposed to be one of the greatest scholars in the world and he could not even dress himself? Had he no pride?
Dinner continued in agonizing fashion. Kasumi did not mind the stillness. He used to dinner longer and more tedious than this. It was simply that he could not reconcile the man before him with the scholar about whom he had heard so much. Neither could he understand why his master was so indulgent of the man who looked like an idiot, stumbled over his words like a fool, yet clearly possessed the rumored brilliance.
A man so visible should care more about how he looks.
When they finally reached the dessert course, Kasumi almost wanted to cheer in relief.
Then Luther spilled his coffee all over his cake and Kasumi settled for rolling his eyes, not even caring if anyone realized what he was doing – which was highly doubtful. When at last the dinner and chatting and farewells finally came to a close, Kasumi all but dragged Minoru back to their cabin.
Minoru laughed.
Kasumi pointedly ignored him, playing the role of protector and nothing more, until with a last laugh Minoru climbed into bed and shortly fell asleep.
Still he stood, opposite the bed where he could see everything most clearly – the single porthole, the door, and the bed. When at last every sound or lack of sound seemed to indicate all aboard had settled in to sleep, he closed his own eyes to catch what rest he could. Still standing.
He woke the sound of movement, but knew before he even opened his eyes it was Minoru. The sounds around him indicated morning.
"Good morning, Kasumi."
"Master," Kasumi said with a grunt.
"You should eat."
Kasumi shrugged.
Minoru sighed. "Call for breakfast, would you, Kasumi. Breakfast for two.”
"Master." He strode to the door, frowning as he reached it – and yanked the door open to see a sailor poised to knock.
"Um." The sailor shook himself. "Captain wanted to know if his lordship would like to join him for breakfast."
"Tell the Captain I very much would," Minoru called. "Please have a small meal brought quickly for my man."
"Yes, your lordship," the sailor said, then snapped a salute and darted off.
Kasumi moved back to his spot against the far wall and resumed his post.
"You cannot still be upset about last night," Minoru said lightly. "Do you still dislike that man so much?"
"He was no man," Kasumi said. "He was a fool. Why would a man humiliate himself so? Had he no pride? No care?"
Minoru sighed. "Kasumi, we have known each other for nearly a decade. I know you better than perhaps you realize, and certainly I know you better than most of your clan. Is his awkwardness truly all you see in that man? Is not intriguing that he irritates you so?"
"I am not your pupil," Kasumi said coldly. "Save your lessons for those who have the desire and the coin to pay for them."
"You are hopeless," Minoru said.
Kasumi moved to the door and opened it before the sailor could not, somewhat mollified by the mix of fear and annoyance in his face. He took the tray and closed the door.
"Manners, Kasumi."
"I have none," Kasumi replied.
Minoru rolled his eyes. "Remove your mask, eat, and get yourself cleaned up. Honestly, if you are still snippy about being shown off – let it go. They are fascinated by you; explaining you a bit will disperse some of that attention and return you to anonymity. It is not like you to be this tense, Kasumi."
"I do not like that man," Kasumi said, obediently removing his mask and eating swiftly before stripping down to wash and change. He hated having his guard so lowered, but there simply was no help for it.
In short order they were ready, and Kasumi followed along to the Captain's quarters.
Inside, Luther was not even wearing a jacket, merely his shirt sleeves. The rudeness!
"Good morning," Luther greeted, picking up his glasses and sliding them onto his face. "Did you both sleep well?"
"Very well, thank you. Yourself, Luther?"
Luther smiled. "Quite well, indeed."
Minoru returned the smile and moved to his seat.
Kasumi saw the flintlocks a heartbeat too late – they fired simultaneously, and he only just barely dodged enough of the ball meant for his heart, taking it in the arm and slamming into the wall.
Nearby, the Captain dropped and lay still in a growing pool of blood.
The flintlocks were dropped and Luther brandished a new one, leveling it straight at Minoru's head. "Bodyguard, bodyguard, you let down your guard." He pulled off his glasses and let them drop to the floor, stepping on them as he circled slowly around the table.
"Who are you?" Minoru asked calmly.
"Luther works well enough, mate," Luther replied, the words said with an almost lazy air. "All I've ever heard about these bodyguards of the Night Islands – expected better, mate."
Minoru shrugged. "He's not dead yet."
"That can be changed," Luther replied. "Depends on you."
"Do not kill him. What do you want?"
Luther motioned for him to stand. "That'll keep 'til we're on my ship, mate."
His accent had changed completely. Kasumi barely recognized him as the buffoon he'd been sneering at. Gone was the fumbling nervousness, the awkwardly spoken proper northern accent, and as the scholar-turned-killer turned toward him, Kasumi realized the eyes no longer hidden by loose spectacles were as cold and hard as ice.
Holding fast to the wound in his arm, he struggled to stand, willing the world not to gray out. "How?"
Minoru turned toward them, and Kasumi glared at him, willing the bastard to head his silent order to stay silent.
"Kasumi, you are no longer my protector. I am no longer your master."
Damn it. He was going to kill the man. This was his fault, Minoru should not be trying to help him.
"Magic, hmm?" Luther asked, gun still trained on Minoru but his eyes solely for Kasumi. "I don't believe in magic. I prefer to know what my problems look like." He reached up and tugged.
The mask remained on.
"What the devil?" Luther asked.
Kasumi smirked—
"If you move, I will kill him," Luther said calmly.
"What?" Minoru asked. "If you kill me…"
Luther laughed and grabbed Kasumi by his wounded arm, squeezing hard enough that Kasumi nearly cried out. He collapsed into the chair into which he was thrown, wondering what was wrong with him. He'd taken worse than this and managed just fine.
Poison?
"If I kill you I will have no bargaining chip?" Luther asked, completing Minoru's unfinished question. He threw his head back and laughed.
Minoru's eyes widened. "I am not the one you want."
"You are not the one I've been paid to capture," Luther replied. "My captive is currently under sway of a nasty poison made from spider venom. He will not be further trouble, I think. It was tricky, finding a poison for you." Luther moved to grab his chin and tilt his head up, thumb stroking the painted lips of the mask thoughtfully. "You protectors are apparently immune to so many. I had to search the ends of the earth, and then figure out how to get it into you. Food, I suspected, would never work. This whole thing worked out much better than I anticipated."
His chin was roughly released, and the world tilted alarmingly. He could feel his body working to counter the poison, but it would seem Luther had indeed worked hard to locate a poison his body could not fight.
He wondered if Luther knew that if Kasumi survived, this poison would never affect him again. Best to keep that secret close. Kasumi let his head fall to the table, unable to summon the strength to keep it up any longer, but he did resist the urge to pass out.
If all he could do was listen, then he would listen.
"Why did you kill the Captain?"
"He's not one of mine," Luther replied. "Unfortunate, but sending him back alive would have risked our being captured. From what I was able to learn of him before we left port, the world will not miss him. You will soon see that we are all very good at playing the role of gentlemen sailor, but are ruffians to the last, mate."
Minoru said something, but Kasumi did not catch it, and he realized he was at last losing the battle to remain conscious.
Vowing silently the bastard non-scholar would pay, he succumbed to the dark.
"How do you intend to eat?" Luther asked idly.
One day ago they had switched ships from the one they'd boarded in port to a ship that looked as though it was going to war. Dark wood and dark sails, and Luther had ordered the other ship sunk once all hands were aboard the Dreamer.
Kasumi said nothing, refusing to speak to this bastard who had tricked him like no one ever had. Minoru had been right – he had been so busy being offended by the man's seeming stupidity he had not looked closer. Decades of training and his own arrogance was his undoing. His teacher would be ashamed. Kasumi was ashamed of himself.
"I must say if you are attempting to thwart me by starving yourself to death, it would almost work – but there is the matter of Minoru."
Minoru. Technically he had ended his contract, a courtesy Kasumi did not deserve. It meant, however, that no one could remove his mask, and that meant he would keep the power it gave him.
Such as letting him go for several days without food or drink.
"We will not feed Minoru until you eat," Luther said, standing up and crossing the room, kneeling before him to grab Kasumi's hair and pull his head back. The blue-gray eyes watching him were cold, nothing like the friendly eyes of the bumbling idiot from before, and Kasumi felt the bitterness rise again as he realized he'd never looked closely at those eyes. He'd been too annoyed by the spectacles. Sloppy! Whoever this bastard was, he had somehow known all too well how to slip past Kasumi's guard. "Still not going to cooperate?"
Kasumi said nothing.
He wished he knew where Minoru was, but upon boarding the new ship they'd been separated – Luther had ordered Kasumi taken to his own quarters, 'not trusting the protector to be put somewhere unsupervised.' Smart, because Kasumi would not waste time getting out and killing every last one of the bastards.
Luther let go of him to trace his mask, and Kasumi held still only because he had no choice tied up as he was – ankles secured to the floor, chains across his torso, arms stretched out and fastened to the wall. They'd prepared well for this little kidnapping.
What he really wanted to know was why someone wanted him. No one cared about him or his clan. They were shadows – albeit powerful shadows, but shadows all the same. They were not considered citizens, they were not considered anything. Precious few persons even knew how to contact the clans.
That aside, why him specifically? Was he simply the only one in this area? It was true few traveled as far and frequently as Minoru. Threats to one of the most prestigious and controversial scholars in the world was not unheard of. Someone wanting to kidnap his bodyguard?
Kasumi was rapidly getting sick of surprises and mysteries.
Still those fingers traced his mask, and he bit back telling the bastard to stop touching him only with an effort. He would not give in to such a stupid provocation. Still, it chafed. The mask was his, for none but his master and teacher to touch. That this stranger, this deceiver, this pirate touched his mask in such fashion – it was intimate, and unwanted, and Kasumi would kill him for it.
"It's a beautiful peace of work," Luther said at last. "Why will it not come off? What is the trick? Clever to pass it off as magic, but I would know the real reason."
Kasumi remained silent.
"Hmm," Luther murmured. "Stubborn. I like that." He smiled and stood up, striding to the table and turning a chair around, straddling it and folding his arms across the back. "You will have to take it off to eat, and until you tell me you will eat, Minoru will starve right alongside you. I have no doubt you can go for quite some time, but that man is many years older and probably not as tough as you."
Oh, yes. Kasumi was going to kill him. Slowly.
Luther laughed. "Are you trying to decide how to kill me? There are so many ways to let a man die slowly, I’m sure it's hard for you to choose one. It's nothing personal, you know. A job is a job."
Kasumi said nothing.
"Hmm, all this silence." Luther smiled and stood up, pushing the chair back into place. "It makes me want to make you scream."
He kept silent, but only because he bit his tongue. Luther moved close again, touching him again, and Kasumi wished more than anything he could actually break out of his bonds – but his captors knew what they were doing.
"Are you hungry yet?" Luther smirked. "I’m sure Minoru must be. He has not eaten since that dinner we all shared our first night at sea. I hear you ate the morning I took you, so you will last longer than Minoru for certain."
Kasumi could not wait to watch this bastard bleed to death. "Feed him."
"He speaks at last. Not until you remove that mask and eat."
"I cannot remove it without use of my hands," Kasumi said, "and if you free my hands I will kill you."
Luther touched the mask again. "Why can't I remove it?"
"You are neither my master nor my teacher, and so you will never be able to remove it," Kasumi replied. "Magic is magic, whether you believe in it or not."
"Hmm," Luther replied, reaching out to once more tug at the mask. "I would say it is pasted down, but then even you would be hard pressed to remove it."
"Why do you care? It's only a mask."
Luther shrugged. "I prefer to know what my enemies look like, and riddles annoy me."
"You have no problem being the riddle, however."
"Still stung I tricked you?" Luther asked, smirking. "For what it's worth, it wasn't easy coming up with a way to do it. I've never played the bumbling fool before; I practiced for months to get it right."
Months? Kasumi frowned at that.
Luther's smirk widened. "Yes, there's something for you to nibble on. You have pretty eyes, behind that mask. Like melted gold."
Kasumi ignored the taunt. "Why would anyone want me?"
"That is not for me to say," Luther replied. He started to say more, but a sharp knock at the door cut him off.
Standing, he called for the knocker to enter.
"Cap'n."
Luther nodded to the man who'd spoken, motioning him and a much younger man inside. The younger man immediately set to work setting out the things he'd been carrying, arranging them on the table. Nearby, Luther continued to speak quietly with the older man, whom Kasumi knew to be the first mate.
A few minutes later the first mate vanished.
"Ready, Cap'n?" the younger man asked.
"Yes," Luther replied, striding to the table. There, he quickly stripped off the poorly-fitted shirt he still wore, showing off a torso that belonged to no scholar. Under other circumstances, Kasumi might have allowed himself to briefly admire. As it was, he would to take the razor held by the younger man and slit Luther's bastard throat.
Sitting down, Luther settled back and allowed the young man to cut his hair, shave him, occasionally offering a comment to the man's easy chatter. When the deed was finally done, the table cleared and the young man departed.
Alone again, Luther strode to the bed and the drawers beneath them, pulling out fresh clothes before stripping completely.
Kasumi looked away.
When Luther strode into his vision again, pouring a drink at the small bar near his desk, he was dressed in clothes that fit him all too well. Nothing remained the bumbling scholar. No, this was a pirate Captain all right. The blond hair had been neatly trimmed, cut close to his head, just long enough in the front to cover most of his forehead. The blue-gray eyes were sharp and bright as Luther turned to regard him with a smirk on his face. The white shirt, black breeches and jacket accentuated the broad shoulders and chest, the narrow hips and strong legs. He'd pulled on boots that just reached his thighs.
He was infuriating.
"Would you like something to drink?" Luther asked.
"Luther is not your name," Kasumi said.
Luther grinned and poured a brandy, then stalked toward him, kneeling down with the drink held lightly in his fingers. "I have so many names, what's one more? If there's another you prefer, by all means use that."
Kasumi said nothing.
"So do you still want to eat? You will have to tell me how to remove the mask."
"No one but I can remove it."
"You said your master could, if I play along with this magic thing. I can call him to take it off."
Kasumi almost wished Luther could see his smirk. "He broke our contract back on the ship, remember? He can no longer take it off."
"Why such secrecy?" Luther asked. "Who cares what you look like if you wear the mask all the time anyway? Why does it matter?"
"That is none of your business," Kasumi said. "Why do you care?"
Luther grinned and touched the mask again. "Like I said, I don't like riddles."
Kasumi would have laughed, but circumstances forbid it. Especially since the bastard was still touching his mask.
The fingers fell away. "Well, if you do not find a way to let me remove it, then you will starve. If you starve, Minoru starves. The decision is yours."
"I told you," Kasumi replied. "I cannot remove it except by taking it off myself. Only my teacher and my master can remove it otherwise. If you want me to eat, you will have to unbind at least one hand, and if you do that I will kill you."
Luther laughed. "My men will get to you before you can kill all of them. That aside, you cannot control this ship just the two of you. You are in the middle of the sea with no idea as to your location otherwise. At this point your best and only option is to cooperate."
Kasumi remained silent.
"Hmm. You may want to reconsider. If you refuse to cooperate, then I lose all reason to offer you the chance, and Minoru is one less mouth to feed."
"The minute I am free, I am going to kill you," Kasumi replied.
Luther laughed. "It's nothing personal, I assure you. I would treat any job the same way. For what it's worth, my captive, I would rather return Minoru alive. He has nothing to do with this, save as a way to make you cooperate. I kill only when I must, and he is not yet on my must list – unless he must die for you to cooperate."
"Kill him and I lose all reason to cooperate."
"That is true," Luther said. "You amuse me."
Kasumi said nothing.
Luther stood up and wandered back to the table, setting his glass down. Then he strode to the door and opened it, calling out. He closed the door and returned to the table. "There. Food is on the way, now we must only determine how to get you to eat without killing me."
They sat in silence until a rap at the door broke it, and a sailor entered at Luther's bidding. The smell of food was infuriating. Damn it.
"Unfasten one of his hands after you set that down," Luther ordered. "Be careful."
"Yes, Cap'n."
Kasumi waited.
"Leave," Luther said. He followed behind the sailor, closing and locking the door behind him. Turning around, he moved to Kasumi. "Going to remove it and eat?"
"Prove to me Minoru is being fed."
Luther smirked. "I'm afraid you will have to take my word for it," he said, "because I am not foolish enough to let you see him. He is eating. I am a businessman first and foremost, and it would be poor business to kill the only thing that gets you to cooperate."
Kasumi said nothing.
"Your former master is being cared for. I've not harmed so much as a hair on his head. Remove the mask, eat, else you will have proof most certain that he is in pain."
Grunting, Kasumi gave up. It hardly mattered if this man saw his face; he would be dead as soon as Kasumi learned what was going on. Reaching up, he removed the mask.
"My, my, you are a pretty one. Do you wear the mask to be less distracting?"
Kasumi ignored him and hooked the mask into place on his left arm, then reached for his food, eating as neatly and quickly as the awkward arrangement allowed. He tensed and dropped the spoon as Luther drew close, but did not bother to resist as his wrist was taking in a tight, callused grip.
He did protest when Luther touched his face, jerking from the touch and twisting his hand free, grabbing Luther's face and shoving him back hard. As Luther stumbled, Kasumi snagged his mask and slid it back into place."
Luther grunted as he righted himself. "I can see why you need to wear the mask, pretty."
Kasumi glared at him, flexing his still-free hand. "The nature of my appearance is not the reason I wear the mask."
"Sure," Luther replied tauntingly. He moved closer again and refastened Kasumi's free arm to the wall. "A face as pretty as that, and a body just as fine beneath all that dark clothing, it is little wonder they try to keep you covered. Are all shadows as pretty as you?"
"I wouldn't know," Kasumi said. "I do not know the faces of my brethren."
Luther tugged gently at the mask, frowning when it stayed firmly in place. He let it go with a grimace. "I think the mask is a futile effort at disguise. Mask or no mask, I would know your eyes anywhere."
Kasumi said nothing.
Laugh, Luther stood up. "I wonder how much trouble you will prove to be when I have to let you go to take a piss."
Lots of trouble, Kasumi vowed silently.
"It truly is a pity we cannot get along," Luther said with a laugh, fingers going once more to the cuts on his face. Kasumi knew it had been stupid to fight once free, but he was tired of sitting idle.
Adding heavy bruising to his injuries would not help him later, but he thought it had been worth it just to put those marks on that smug bastard's face.
He still wanted to know why a lowly pirate Captain was able to match him in terms of skill. It was a source of no small amount of vexation. How? Damn it.
"Shortly you will not be my problem," Luther said. "If you managed to survive whatever it is my employer intends, however, I sense I will be seeing you again. I suppose an offer to buy you a drink is out of the question."
Kasumi said nothing.
Luther laughed. "It's nothing personal, I keep telling you that. I rather like you, really. All that fire. Usually by this point captives are sobbing and begging, though a few are still attempting to bribe me. You're a refreshing change, and it's obvious you still are concerned for Minoru. It might surprise you how quick people can be to sell out their comrades."
"Whatever happened to the real Luther?"
"I have no idea," Luther replied. "We made certain he was detained and that his messages explaining that never reached you, but once you were secured we stopped caring. I'm certain they have figured out by this point that something is amiss, but they will have a devil of a time putting the pieces together – especially since they will be thinking Minoru was the target." He laughed. "How is that for a well played game?"
Kasumi did not answer, but a knock at the door prevented any reply he might have given anyway.
"Captain," the first mate said. "We're coming up on the Deep Blue.
"Excellent," Luther said. "I'm coming. Make certain the men keep a sharp look out."
"Aye, Captain."
Luther turned to Kasumi as the door closed. "Almost over, my dear captive. At last you will meet the man willing to pay half a million in silver for your head. Are you worth that much? Did I charge too little? Too much?"
"The price for this humiliation will be your blood," Kasumi said.
"I do not doubt it," Luther said with a smile. "It's a pity, but such is life." He departed, leaving Kasumi alone.
Kasumi was worried.
He hated to admit it, but a half million in silver for him? That was disconcerting. Who would pay that much for him, and why? That was the most troubling question – why? Well, he would know soon enough and hopefully the knowledge would not kill him before he could get Minoru free.
Minutes turned into nearly two hours before Luther returned to the cabin, and Kasumi watched in silence as he armed himself. Wearing a cutlass, four daggers, three pistols, and spare shot and powder for the firearms.
"Do not try anything," Luther said as he approached with keys in hand. "Minoru is already on deck, ready to be carried along with us or thrown overboard in his weighted chains."
Kasumi held still, and cooperated as he was held to his feet – only because he fully intended to get free later, and kill this bastard at a later date. He forced himself to hold still as he was bound, arms behind him, legs manacled so he had only just enough room to walk.
Humiliating.
He stumbled trying to gain his feet, and was saved from falling over by an arm around his waist. "Steady there, pretty."
Kasumi said nothing, refusing to rise to the obvious taunt.
Roughly Luther escorted him out of the cabin and off the ship. Kasumi ignored the jeers and comments of the men, eyes only for the man he was extremely relieved to see alive and relatively well.
"Kasumi, thank the gods."
"Master," Kasumi said. "I apologize profusely. My shame knows no limit."
"Nonsense, Kasumi," Minoru said with a gentle smile. "I am rather more concerned as to why they want you."
Luther shoved him forward, motioning his second mate to do the same with Minoru. "Let's go, our employer is waiting and I want this job done." He motioned his first mate to lead the way, and it amused Kasumi that Luther would not trust him to anyone else, but preferred to keep hold of Kasumi himself. Amused and frustrated, because with anyone else he would have managed to break free.
Giving orders to his men to watch the ship, Luther motioned to his first and second mates, then the five of them departed. They traveled in silence through a desolate landscape, some remote scrap of island that was nothing more than sand and barren rock. Not even a bit of scrub dotted the landscape. Onward and upward they traveled, until the going simply got too steep for him to mange. "You will have to undo my feet," he said, unclenching his teeth just enough to speak.
"Do I look like a fool to you?" Luther asked with a laugh. "You'll manage; were nearly where we need to be." He grinned, and spoke before Kasumi could protest. "Mange or I will be more than happy to carry you. Now go." He shoved hard, and Kasumi fumbled for a grip, making his way up the rocks slowly and painfully, liberally helped along by more shoves and tugs.
Bastard.
At last they crested the steep hill, and Kasumi struggled to regain control of his breathing even as he stared down into the small valley below. Before he could get a good look, he was all but thrown down the slope, winding up on his knees at the base.
He looked up at Luther, but instead of the smirk he'd anticipated, he saw that Luther's attention was solely for the men gathered in the middle of the valley. Finally Luther stooped and hauled him to his feet – but he never quite took his eyes off the group of me.
Kasumi eyed them as he was dragged along.
Nearby, Minoru gasped with the same shock Kasumi felt.
"I should have known," Minoru said quietly. "Jun."
The man to whom he'd spoken smiled. Kasumi's first impression of the man had been that he resembled a hungry rat. Eight years later, that impression remained. He stepped forward, just clear of the men who had been clustered around him, spreading his arms wide. "Captain Cenel, I see you are as good as your word."
"I will choose to take that as a compliment rather than a slight," Luther replied, pulling one of his flintlocks free as he pulled Kasumi forward. "You owe me 250,000 silver, mate."
Jun looked at him briefly, then returned his attention to Kasumi. "Long time no see, son of the East Clan."
Kasumi said nothing, refusing – this was the man who had paid to have him kidnap? This scum, this filthy rat? He moved Luther down a notch on his kill list, more than happy to put Jun in the first position.
"I cannot believe it," Minoru said, shaking his head in wonder. "Perhaps I should not be surprised. You were ever after the secrets of the clans. Why go to such lengths as these?"
Jun smiled. "Magic, my friend."
"Magic," Kasumi repeated in disgust. "Men like you are the reason the world has abandoned magic and turned to science. You went to this much trouble in the hopes of learning secrets I would rather die than tell you?"
"Lord Minoru, a pleasure to see you again," Jun said, ignoring Kasumi.
"I cannot say the same," Minoru replied coldly. "Surely you realize this was a stupid venture?"
"Stupid? Hardly. Vastly amusing, however. I tried to persuade years ago to cooperate with me, Lord Kasumi."
Kasumi felt Luther's grip on his arm tighten slightly.
"You were not worthy of my protection," Kasumi replied. "My father told you that; and he explained the reasons. Our secrets are to be used but never shared."
Jun laughed, stroking his long beard with thin, bony fingers. He was even more slender than Kasumi recalled, reminding him only more a hungry rat willing to do anything for food. It was a pity this rat wanted only to feed on magic. "I've learned a new trick, Lord Kasumi. Fifteen of your brethren have I killed to learn it. They all died silent, but in extreme pain, and stripped of a few of their secrets."
Kasumi recoiled as Jun drew near, unable to help it, not liking the look in his dark eyes, the confidence with which he spoke of having obtained secrets – that fifteen other shadow warriors were dead. Impossible. Had he traveled so much in the last several years that he'd missed such news?
Perhaps the clans were keeping it quiet.
He repressed a shudder as those awful fingers touched his mask – and choked off a dismayed cry as with a softly spoken word Jun ripped it from his face.
"How did you do that?" Minoru demanded. "None but Kasumi should be capable of that."
"I knew there was a trick to it no one was sharing with me," Luther muttered. "Magic!"
Jun laughed. "My good Captain, it is magic. Your contempt for such things amuses me. Lord Kasumi, I have managed to learn how to deactivate the binding spell placed upon the masks."
"That will not work with all of them," Kasumi said quietly. "Who gave such a secret away?"
"A woman named Aiko, I believe," Jun said idly, caressing and fondling Kasumi's mask. Watching the violation made Kasumi want to scream. That was his and no others and he would cut the man's fingers off and watch him bleed to death. "Yes, after I killed her master and his son, she ceased to care about anything. I believe that whelp might have been hers, which is strictly against contract but then…" He looked up and smiled in a way that made Kasumi feel cold, and hate more than ever the way Jun fondled his mask. "If she half so pretty as you, Lord Kasumi, I can certainly see why her master wanted so badly to convince her to break contract."
Kasumi sneered. "You are not even worthy of a contract, let alone worthy of breaking one for the sake of something so base as pleasure – not that any part of you is pleasurable."
Jun bristled with anger, but did not lash out as Kasumi had thought – hoped – he would.
Instead he brandished the mask. "I suspect that for all you are a beauty, Lord Kasumi, you would be a cold lay. This mask and its secrets are all I need from you. Answer my questions and you will suffer no harm. Act stubbornly and I will begin with inflicting harm about Lord Minoru. Toes, fingers, we will progress."
"He will tell you nothing," Minoru said calmly.
"We will see," Jun replied, stroking his beard again. "Captain, bring them along to my ship."
Luther shook his head. "I'm still missing my silver," he said coldly. "No one goes a step further until I see my money."
"Your money is on my ship," Jun said in a bored tone.
"Then you can bring it here," Luther replied. "I'm no fool; I know a rat when I see one."
Kasumi started, to hear his thoughts voiced by the last voice he would have expected. It angered him. "You are no better, who sell us into torture for mere silver."
"I tend not to ask too many questions," Luther replied, eyes still trained on Jun. "This can end peacefully or it can end ugly. Give me my money."
Jun grimaced. "To be honest, I think I would rather just kill you." Around him, the men who'd been silent and motionless until then suddenly charged.
Luther's flintlock flashed and one of the seven went down. Kasumi swore as he was shoved to the ground, fumbling to get out of the way of feet and falling bodies, swords and blood and chaos.
Something hit his head hard, and the world threatened to fade out. He hung on with a force of will, and was just managing to get himself up to his knees when he was roughly grabbed and thrown over a shoulder.
The jarring movement nearly finished the job of knocking him out, but Kasumi simply refused. He struggled as best he could in the grip of his captor, bucking and twisting for all he was worth, wishing he could just get his arms or legs free.
He heard the bang of a flintlock and abruptly he was back on the ground, sprawled across rock and a too-still body. The tell-tale sticky warmth beneath him said the dead or dying man's blood was soaking into his clothes.
Before he could find his balance, he was roughly hauled to his feet again.
Luther looked rather the worse for wear – and furious. Kasumi could sympathize, or would if Luther wasn't the reason for his own anger. "What is going on here?"
"That bastard Jun is a backstabbing, greedy rat, that's what," Luther snapped. "I managed to get you back, but I'm afraid the fucker's got Minoru. We need to get back to my ship."
Kasumi laughed. "He just tried to kill you and you still think your ship is all right? Your crew is probably dead. I cannot believe Jun was behind all this."
"Are you going to kill me if I free you?"
Kasumi started to say yes, then hesitated. Two minutes ago he would have said. He didn't like talking to this bastard. Minoru, however, came first. He'd just Minoru was gone, which meant the situation had changed. He couldn't kill the bastard. Yet. The realization only increased his rage, but there was no choice. "I want to know what is going on here."
"I was paid to capture you and bring you here. My payment was half a million silver – a reasonable fee, I learned, for capturing one of you notorious shadows. What he wanted with you, I do not know. He said it would preferable if I kept Minoru alive as well, but if I had to kill him then it was of no real consequence. He's attempted to renege, and though I tried to stop him there were just too many and they've used tricks I've never seen – and if you tell me magic, I will leave you bound."
"It was magic," Kasumi said defiantly. "Though I could not tell you what kind. So he has taken Minoru and fled. Typical."
"How do you know him? Why does he call you 'Lord' Kasumi?"
Kasumi grimaced. "He attempted once to purchase a bodyguard. While it little matters to us if we are occasionally contracted to a foreigner, all applicants must meet certain requirements. He did not require our services, not really, and we did not trust him. He calls me Lord Kasumi mostly as mockery."
"Mostly?"
"Where are they going?" Kasumi asked. "Free me."
"Are you going to try to kill me?"
Kasumi glared at him. "As much pleasure as I would take in killing you, I am painfully aware that for now cooperation is our best bet. It does not please me, but retrieving my master must come first and you are at the moment my best hope. However, you have no reason to cooperate with me."
Luther grunted and began to undo the rope and chains binding him. "You know him, you can help find him. I don't know where they're going. The deal ended with me dropping you off here and collecting my money."
Limbs free, Kasumi turned and brought his leg up. The high kick connected neatly with Luther's chest, sending him reeling back to land hard on the wet rocks. "Bastard."
Grunting, Luther picked himself up.
Kasumi punched him, not quite hard enough to do serious injury to his jaw. When Luther regained his balance, he swung again – but this time his wrist was caught in a hard grip, and Luther pulled him close, pinning him against that broad chest. "Knock it off. We don't have time for this. You're pissed, fine. I told you it was nothing personal, but if you want to beat the shit out of me I'll let you try later. For now, we have more important things to do."
Grabbing him, Kasumi yanked him close. "When this is over, I am going to kill you."
"You're welcome to try, pretty," Luther said.
Kasumi punched him.
Luther laughed as he picked himself up. "Feisty. Stubborn. Beautiful. It's a shame you hate me. Ah, well. Come on, let's get back to my ship." He didn't wait for a reply, but turned and started running back to where they'd anchored the ship.
Cresting the hill, Kasumi yanked him to a stop. "Wait. Look."
Luther frowned. "It's too still. I cannot see my men."
"They're dead," Kasumi said flatly.
"Nonsense," Luther said. "We would have heard screams or something."
Kasumi said nothing. "It would be better not to go down there."
"If he did kill them, we have to at least check for survivors," Luther snapped. "I refuse to—"
He was cut off by a booming explosion, and screamed in denial as he watched his ship burn.
"That bastard," he said at last, the word softy, barely audible.
Kasumi looked at him, then at the burning, sinking ship. "I'm sure it was nothing personal," he said.
"Wrong," Luther snapped. "He just murdered my men when we did all that the bargain said we should do. This – this just became very personal indeed." He grabbed Kasumi's wrist and dragged him along.
Until Kasumi twisted free and gave him a hard kick, watching implacably as Luther tumbled down the hill. He followed after more slowly.
Luther picked himself up. "Stop trying to kill me until we are done cooperating – unless you have changed your mind about cooperating."
"No," Kasumi said. "Tell me, though, why I should bother being nice to a man who saw no qualms about sending me off to be tortured slowly to death, but takes it amiss that his own men would be murdered."
"I didn't know he was going to torture you," Luther said quietly, "for what it's worth. I thought he just wanted the mask and whatever stupid trick you use to keep it on. I didn't like that. I couldn't pull back without endangering my men, however – and a bargain is a bargain. Tell me honestly that if torturing me or my men was what it took to get your master back that you would not do it."
Kasumi fell bitterly silent.
"Then I think that is enough judging for one day," Luther said quietly. "Come on, this way."
"Where are we going?"
"Always be prepared, I say," Luther replied, smirking. "There's a little cove about two miles from here. It will have all we need to get us back to the mainland, and from there we will track down that backstabbing bastard who should have made certain we were dead."
Kasumi nodded in agreement, and followed him across the barren, rocky landscape.
lokiloo and mizwatson need to be locked up and kept seperated.Not too long ago, they were bickering about which was cooler - ninjas or pirates. Somehow the all-caps debate turned into 'megan write a story about both!'
I told them no way in hell.
As you can imagine, I was ignored.
The second and third parts still need going over, but part one is I think good to go.
So here we are -- a ninja and pirate story. I warn you now it's nothing special, and probably needs twice the length I actually gave it (but sorry, 52 pages was more than enough for me).
This story caps at 20,184 words. Goblin, Loki, I hope you like your story <3
Now to go write the drabbles I've neglected >_o Bad Megan.
Behind the Mask
Part I
Kasumi eyed the man before him, grateful for the mask that hid his distaste.
So this was the brilliant Lord Luther Hatcher-Rosque?
He was not impressed.
A brilliant man, they had been told. Intelligence beyond compare, with looks and poise to match.
The man before them now was tall but…disconnected looking. His glasses were crooked, hair spilling free of a bright blue silk ribbon, and his clothes looked as though his valet had pressed them while heavily intoxicated.
If this was the man with whom his master was to be keeping company…Kasumi wondered if he might arrange a parting of ways.
Fingers pressed lightly at his back, warning him to remain still.
That his master was so easily able to predict his thoughts was disconcerting, but Kasumi was used to it.
He did not take his eyes from Lord Hatcher-Rosque. Surely this clumsy looking man was not the one about whom they had heard so much? He was a veritable buffoon, hardly worthy of his master…
A soft word drew his attention and he turned smoothly to follow Master Minoru up the gangway and into the waiting ship. Silent, elegant, a masked mystery whose presence would do much to dissuade impertinence and threats.
No one would touch Minoru, and if he had his way that idiotic looking fool would not come near enough to converse. Master was a man of honor and dignity; he did not consort with fools.
Three months, this journey.
Kasumi was beginning to doubt those months would pass with any sort of speed. He half hoped for some excitement, but did not let the thought carry far enough for the gods to make note.
A scuffling noise behind, a startled gasp, and he turned sharply around to catch Lord Hatcher-Rosque before he could fall to the deck. Sneering behind his mask, he let the clumsy man go once he was securely on his feet.
"Thank you," Hatcher-Rosque said politely, smiling.
Kasumi turned sharply away to rejoin his master, who had gotten several paces ahead.
"Do not mind Kasumi," Master Minoru said with one of his gentle smiles. "He was happy to help."
He begged to differ, but would not argue his master in public.
"Come," Hatcher-Rosque said, brushing back a strand of his messy hair. "I will show you your quarters." He pushed past them, stumbling often, and led the way below decks, finally pushing open the door of a small cabin.
Kasumi stifled an unseemly sigh. Why could they not simply travel to places that did not require the sea? Land he could control. Sea he could not. These small places were also not to his liking.
"I would be more than happy to join you and the Captain for dinner, my Lord. Extend my thanks to him, and thank you."
A few minute of bumbling talk and they were finally left alone. The door closed with a click and Kasumi allowed himself to relax a notch.
"You were all but hissing, Kasumi," Minoru said with a chuckle. "That utterly harmless, charming lord just offends your sensibilities doesn't he?"
Kasumi said nothing.
Minoru laughed harder. "Oh, Kasumi. So easily offended. One would never guess the thoughts behind that pretty face you hide."
Pretty face. He would glare if it would do any good.
"Hmm, and now I am offending you more. If you were a cat, you would be hissing and spitting and going for my face. Ah, you do please me, Kasumi."
He sketched a bow. "It is my will and desire to please, Master."
Minoru snorted. "I have no idea how one of your breeding turned out so blatant a smartass."
"I know not what you mean, Master," Kasumi murmured. The mask muffled his words, but Minoru never had trouble understanding him.
Another chuckle was the only reply. "Come, I must change for this dinner. I know he does not look as we might have expected, but you should not judge by looks, Kasumi."
Kasumi bristled. "I would not be so careless, Master."
"On the contrary, my protector. You would see an enemy anywhere, and that sight has saved my life more than once. Beyond that, however, you do not see people at all. It is strange that so much you see, and so much you do not."
"I see all that I must to keep you alive," Kasumi said, stung. He had never once failed his Master. In training he had surpassed all others. He was a credit to his clan and family.
Minoru sighed. "Ah, Kasumi. There was no insult there, only an observation from which you might try to learn. You are a perfect and unfailing protector, well worth all the money I spent and more. No better protector exists."
Kasumi nodded stiffly, but did not move from his spot near the wall.
"You are ridiculous," Minoru said. "I think you like being insulted. If you do not unbend, Kasumi, I shall make you remove that mask during dinner."
"Master!" Kasumi snapped.
Minoru chuckled. "Come and help me change."
Muttering soft curses behind his mask, Kasumi moved forward to help Minoru change from his travel clothes into attire more suitable for a dinner with peers. He kept back a contemptuous snort at the idea of regarding that bumbling moron as a peer of Master Minoru.
Ha. Any man who could not walk a straight line without falling over at least three times was no peer to anything except perhaps the floor he kept encountering.
When at last they were ready, he led the way out of the cabin, stepping back to let Minoru lead the way only once he knew the way was secure. He hated these confined places.
In the Captain's quarters, he prowled until he knew every nuance of the room, ignoring Minoru's quiet murmurs to the others to mind his bodyguard's strange ways.
"Will you be dining with us?" Hatcher-Rosque asked politely, pushing up his slipping glasses and shoving back strands of hair.
Minoru chuckled. "He is welcome to, but he will not – that goes against his training and beliefs."
Kasumi glared at him in warning, knowing Minoru would be aware of it even if he could not see it.
"Plus, he would have to remove his mask." Minoru tossed him a smirk before taking the seat offered him by the Captain. "Lord Hatcher-Rosque, you are a man of great knowledge. Know you anything about our famed protectors?"
Hatcher-Rosque pushed his glasses up again and peered curiously.
Kasumi glared at him.
"Call me Luther, please. I don't believe anyone knows anything about the prized protectors of the land of night."
Minoru smiled and motioned Kasumi forward.
He went obediently, silently calling Minoru every last nasty name he could think of, making more up as he was ordered to bend.
Smooth fingers traced the line of his mask, something that would have cost anyone else his fingers. Kasumi held perfectly still, save for his eyes which constantly examined and reexamined the room, the people, all of it. Nothing was amiss, yet he could not settle.
Then again, Minoru was putting him on the spot. Stupid uppity pushy know it all masters.
Fingers again traced his mask, the marks carved into it, the deep jewel colors in which the carvings had been painted, sliding over the lips and nose to where the colors faded away into the solid black that dominated the left side. Each mask unique, the marks upon it meaningless to all but his brethren. None may bid him remove it save for his master.
"The markings are a mystery even to me," Minoru explained. "I purchased him eight years ago, at no small cost let me tell you." He winked and motioned for Kasumi to rise to his full height once more. "They show their faces to none but their parents, their teacher, and their master – and if I bid them do so."
The Captain frowned. "How would anyone know, then, if the wrong man was behind the mask? Surely there must be situations where such a problem would arise."
Minoru smiled.
Kasumi stifled a groan.
"My good sir," Minoru said with a smile that had convinced more than one man to get himself in trouble, "try to remove his mask."
The Captain quirked his brow, but gamely nodded and stood, moving around the table to approach Kasumi. He hesitated a moment, then reached up to pull off the mask.
It didn't come off.
Kasumi wished fervently that inflicting harm upon his master was not strictly against the contract.
"Why will it not come off?" the Captain asked.
"So it is true that your people do still practice magic?" Luther asked.
Minoru chuckled softly. "Only in bits and pieces. I myself know nothing of magic. The secret clans, such as Kasumi's, still know bits of it. The mask Kasumi wears is probably one of the strongest bits of magic that still exists."
"Fascinating," Luther said, pushing back his glasses again and if he did it one more time Kasumi was going to yank them off his face and fix the damned things. Honestly, did he not pay attention to such trivial details? This man was supposed to be one of the greatest scholars in the world and he could not even dress himself? Had he no pride?
Dinner continued in agonizing fashion. Kasumi did not mind the stillness. He used to dinner longer and more tedious than this. It was simply that he could not reconcile the man before him with the scholar about whom he had heard so much. Neither could he understand why his master was so indulgent of the man who looked like an idiot, stumbled over his words like a fool, yet clearly possessed the rumored brilliance.
A man so visible should care more about how he looks.
When they finally reached the dessert course, Kasumi almost wanted to cheer in relief.
Then Luther spilled his coffee all over his cake and Kasumi settled for rolling his eyes, not even caring if anyone realized what he was doing – which was highly doubtful. When at last the dinner and chatting and farewells finally came to a close, Kasumi all but dragged Minoru back to their cabin.
Minoru laughed.
Kasumi pointedly ignored him, playing the role of protector and nothing more, until with a last laugh Minoru climbed into bed and shortly fell asleep.
Still he stood, opposite the bed where he could see everything most clearly – the single porthole, the door, and the bed. When at last every sound or lack of sound seemed to indicate all aboard had settled in to sleep, he closed his own eyes to catch what rest he could. Still standing.
He woke the sound of movement, but knew before he even opened his eyes it was Minoru. The sounds around him indicated morning.
"Good morning, Kasumi."
"Master," Kasumi said with a grunt.
"You should eat."
Kasumi shrugged.
Minoru sighed. "Call for breakfast, would you, Kasumi. Breakfast for two.”
"Master." He strode to the door, frowning as he reached it – and yanked the door open to see a sailor poised to knock.
"Um." The sailor shook himself. "Captain wanted to know if his lordship would like to join him for breakfast."
"Tell the Captain I very much would," Minoru called. "Please have a small meal brought quickly for my man."
"Yes, your lordship," the sailor said, then snapped a salute and darted off.
Kasumi moved back to his spot against the far wall and resumed his post.
"You cannot still be upset about last night," Minoru said lightly. "Do you still dislike that man so much?"
"He was no man," Kasumi said. "He was a fool. Why would a man humiliate himself so? Had he no pride? No care?"
Minoru sighed. "Kasumi, we have known each other for nearly a decade. I know you better than perhaps you realize, and certainly I know you better than most of your clan. Is his awkwardness truly all you see in that man? Is not intriguing that he irritates you so?"
"I am not your pupil," Kasumi said coldly. "Save your lessons for those who have the desire and the coin to pay for them."
"You are hopeless," Minoru said.
Kasumi moved to the door and opened it before the sailor could not, somewhat mollified by the mix of fear and annoyance in his face. He took the tray and closed the door.
"Manners, Kasumi."
"I have none," Kasumi replied.
Minoru rolled his eyes. "Remove your mask, eat, and get yourself cleaned up. Honestly, if you are still snippy about being shown off – let it go. They are fascinated by you; explaining you a bit will disperse some of that attention and return you to anonymity. It is not like you to be this tense, Kasumi."
"I do not like that man," Kasumi said, obediently removing his mask and eating swiftly before stripping down to wash and change. He hated having his guard so lowered, but there simply was no help for it.
In short order they were ready, and Kasumi followed along to the Captain's quarters.
Inside, Luther was not even wearing a jacket, merely his shirt sleeves. The rudeness!
"Good morning," Luther greeted, picking up his glasses and sliding them onto his face. "Did you both sleep well?"
"Very well, thank you. Yourself, Luther?"
Luther smiled. "Quite well, indeed."
Minoru returned the smile and moved to his seat.
Kasumi saw the flintlocks a heartbeat too late – they fired simultaneously, and he only just barely dodged enough of the ball meant for his heart, taking it in the arm and slamming into the wall.
Nearby, the Captain dropped and lay still in a growing pool of blood.
The flintlocks were dropped and Luther brandished a new one, leveling it straight at Minoru's head. "Bodyguard, bodyguard, you let down your guard." He pulled off his glasses and let them drop to the floor, stepping on them as he circled slowly around the table.
"Who are you?" Minoru asked calmly.
"Luther works well enough, mate," Luther replied, the words said with an almost lazy air. "All I've ever heard about these bodyguards of the Night Islands – expected better, mate."
Minoru shrugged. "He's not dead yet."
"That can be changed," Luther replied. "Depends on you."
"Do not kill him. What do you want?"
Luther motioned for him to stand. "That'll keep 'til we're on my ship, mate."
His accent had changed completely. Kasumi barely recognized him as the buffoon he'd been sneering at. Gone was the fumbling nervousness, the awkwardly spoken proper northern accent, and as the scholar-turned-killer turned toward him, Kasumi realized the eyes no longer hidden by loose spectacles were as cold and hard as ice.
Holding fast to the wound in his arm, he struggled to stand, willing the world not to gray out. "How?"
Minoru turned toward them, and Kasumi glared at him, willing the bastard to head his silent order to stay silent.
"Kasumi, you are no longer my protector. I am no longer your master."
Damn it. He was going to kill the man. This was his fault, Minoru should not be trying to help him.
"Magic, hmm?" Luther asked, gun still trained on Minoru but his eyes solely for Kasumi. "I don't believe in magic. I prefer to know what my problems look like." He reached up and tugged.
The mask remained on.
"What the devil?" Luther asked.
Kasumi smirked—
"If you move, I will kill him," Luther said calmly.
"What?" Minoru asked. "If you kill me…"
Luther laughed and grabbed Kasumi by his wounded arm, squeezing hard enough that Kasumi nearly cried out. He collapsed into the chair into which he was thrown, wondering what was wrong with him. He'd taken worse than this and managed just fine.
Poison?
"If I kill you I will have no bargaining chip?" Luther asked, completing Minoru's unfinished question. He threw his head back and laughed.
Minoru's eyes widened. "I am not the one you want."
"You are not the one I've been paid to capture," Luther replied. "My captive is currently under sway of a nasty poison made from spider venom. He will not be further trouble, I think. It was tricky, finding a poison for you." Luther moved to grab his chin and tilt his head up, thumb stroking the painted lips of the mask thoughtfully. "You protectors are apparently immune to so many. I had to search the ends of the earth, and then figure out how to get it into you. Food, I suspected, would never work. This whole thing worked out much better than I anticipated."
His chin was roughly released, and the world tilted alarmingly. He could feel his body working to counter the poison, but it would seem Luther had indeed worked hard to locate a poison his body could not fight.
He wondered if Luther knew that if Kasumi survived, this poison would never affect him again. Best to keep that secret close. Kasumi let his head fall to the table, unable to summon the strength to keep it up any longer, but he did resist the urge to pass out.
If all he could do was listen, then he would listen.
"Why did you kill the Captain?"
"He's not one of mine," Luther replied. "Unfortunate, but sending him back alive would have risked our being captured. From what I was able to learn of him before we left port, the world will not miss him. You will soon see that we are all very good at playing the role of gentlemen sailor, but are ruffians to the last, mate."
Minoru said something, but Kasumi did not catch it, and he realized he was at last losing the battle to remain conscious.
Vowing silently the bastard non-scholar would pay, he succumbed to the dark.
*~*~*
"How do you intend to eat?" Luther asked idly.
One day ago they had switched ships from the one they'd boarded in port to a ship that looked as though it was going to war. Dark wood and dark sails, and Luther had ordered the other ship sunk once all hands were aboard the Dreamer.
Kasumi said nothing, refusing to speak to this bastard who had tricked him like no one ever had. Minoru had been right – he had been so busy being offended by the man's seeming stupidity he had not looked closer. Decades of training and his own arrogance was his undoing. His teacher would be ashamed. Kasumi was ashamed of himself.
"I must say if you are attempting to thwart me by starving yourself to death, it would almost work – but there is the matter of Minoru."
Minoru. Technically he had ended his contract, a courtesy Kasumi did not deserve. It meant, however, that no one could remove his mask, and that meant he would keep the power it gave him.
Such as letting him go for several days without food or drink.
"We will not feed Minoru until you eat," Luther said, standing up and crossing the room, kneeling before him to grab Kasumi's hair and pull his head back. The blue-gray eyes watching him were cold, nothing like the friendly eyes of the bumbling idiot from before, and Kasumi felt the bitterness rise again as he realized he'd never looked closely at those eyes. He'd been too annoyed by the spectacles. Sloppy! Whoever this bastard was, he had somehow known all too well how to slip past Kasumi's guard. "Still not going to cooperate?"
Kasumi said nothing.
He wished he knew where Minoru was, but upon boarding the new ship they'd been separated – Luther had ordered Kasumi taken to his own quarters, 'not trusting the protector to be put somewhere unsupervised.' Smart, because Kasumi would not waste time getting out and killing every last one of the bastards.
Luther let go of him to trace his mask, and Kasumi held still only because he had no choice tied up as he was – ankles secured to the floor, chains across his torso, arms stretched out and fastened to the wall. They'd prepared well for this little kidnapping.
What he really wanted to know was why someone wanted him. No one cared about him or his clan. They were shadows – albeit powerful shadows, but shadows all the same. They were not considered citizens, they were not considered anything. Precious few persons even knew how to contact the clans.
That aside, why him specifically? Was he simply the only one in this area? It was true few traveled as far and frequently as Minoru. Threats to one of the most prestigious and controversial scholars in the world was not unheard of. Someone wanting to kidnap his bodyguard?
Kasumi was rapidly getting sick of surprises and mysteries.
Still those fingers traced his mask, and he bit back telling the bastard to stop touching him only with an effort. He would not give in to such a stupid provocation. Still, it chafed. The mask was his, for none but his master and teacher to touch. That this stranger, this deceiver, this pirate touched his mask in such fashion – it was intimate, and unwanted, and Kasumi would kill him for it.
"It's a beautiful peace of work," Luther said at last. "Why will it not come off? What is the trick? Clever to pass it off as magic, but I would know the real reason."
Kasumi remained silent.
"Hmm," Luther murmured. "Stubborn. I like that." He smiled and stood up, striding to the table and turning a chair around, straddling it and folding his arms across the back. "You will have to take it off to eat, and until you tell me you will eat, Minoru will starve right alongside you. I have no doubt you can go for quite some time, but that man is many years older and probably not as tough as you."
Oh, yes. Kasumi was going to kill him. Slowly.
Luther laughed. "Are you trying to decide how to kill me? There are so many ways to let a man die slowly, I’m sure it's hard for you to choose one. It's nothing personal, you know. A job is a job."
Kasumi said nothing.
"Hmm, all this silence." Luther smiled and stood up, pushing the chair back into place. "It makes me want to make you scream."
He kept silent, but only because he bit his tongue. Luther moved close again, touching him again, and Kasumi wished more than anything he could actually break out of his bonds – but his captors knew what they were doing.
"Are you hungry yet?" Luther smirked. "I’m sure Minoru must be. He has not eaten since that dinner we all shared our first night at sea. I hear you ate the morning I took you, so you will last longer than Minoru for certain."
Kasumi could not wait to watch this bastard bleed to death. "Feed him."
"He speaks at last. Not until you remove that mask and eat."
"I cannot remove it without use of my hands," Kasumi said, "and if you free my hands I will kill you."
Luther touched the mask again. "Why can't I remove it?"
"You are neither my master nor my teacher, and so you will never be able to remove it," Kasumi replied. "Magic is magic, whether you believe in it or not."
"Hmm," Luther replied, reaching out to once more tug at the mask. "I would say it is pasted down, but then even you would be hard pressed to remove it."
"Why do you care? It's only a mask."
Luther shrugged. "I prefer to know what my enemies look like, and riddles annoy me."
"You have no problem being the riddle, however."
"Still stung I tricked you?" Luther asked, smirking. "For what it's worth, it wasn't easy coming up with a way to do it. I've never played the bumbling fool before; I practiced for months to get it right."
Months? Kasumi frowned at that.
Luther's smirk widened. "Yes, there's something for you to nibble on. You have pretty eyes, behind that mask. Like melted gold."
Kasumi ignored the taunt. "Why would anyone want me?"
"That is not for me to say," Luther replied. He started to say more, but a sharp knock at the door cut him off.
Standing, he called for the knocker to enter.
"Cap'n."
Luther nodded to the man who'd spoken, motioning him and a much younger man inside. The younger man immediately set to work setting out the things he'd been carrying, arranging them on the table. Nearby, Luther continued to speak quietly with the older man, whom Kasumi knew to be the first mate.
A few minutes later the first mate vanished.
"Ready, Cap'n?" the younger man asked.
"Yes," Luther replied, striding to the table. There, he quickly stripped off the poorly-fitted shirt he still wore, showing off a torso that belonged to no scholar. Under other circumstances, Kasumi might have allowed himself to briefly admire. As it was, he would to take the razor held by the younger man and slit Luther's bastard throat.
Sitting down, Luther settled back and allowed the young man to cut his hair, shave him, occasionally offering a comment to the man's easy chatter. When the deed was finally done, the table cleared and the young man departed.
Alone again, Luther strode to the bed and the drawers beneath them, pulling out fresh clothes before stripping completely.
Kasumi looked away.
When Luther strode into his vision again, pouring a drink at the small bar near his desk, he was dressed in clothes that fit him all too well. Nothing remained the bumbling scholar. No, this was a pirate Captain all right. The blond hair had been neatly trimmed, cut close to his head, just long enough in the front to cover most of his forehead. The blue-gray eyes were sharp and bright as Luther turned to regard him with a smirk on his face. The white shirt, black breeches and jacket accentuated the broad shoulders and chest, the narrow hips and strong legs. He'd pulled on boots that just reached his thighs.
He was infuriating.
"Would you like something to drink?" Luther asked.
"Luther is not your name," Kasumi said.
Luther grinned and poured a brandy, then stalked toward him, kneeling down with the drink held lightly in his fingers. "I have so many names, what's one more? If there's another you prefer, by all means use that."
Kasumi said nothing.
"So do you still want to eat? You will have to tell me how to remove the mask."
"No one but I can remove it."
"You said your master could, if I play along with this magic thing. I can call him to take it off."
Kasumi almost wished Luther could see his smirk. "He broke our contract back on the ship, remember? He can no longer take it off."
"Why such secrecy?" Luther asked. "Who cares what you look like if you wear the mask all the time anyway? Why does it matter?"
"That is none of your business," Kasumi said. "Why do you care?"
Luther grinned and touched the mask again. "Like I said, I don't like riddles."
Kasumi would have laughed, but circumstances forbid it. Especially since the bastard was still touching his mask.
The fingers fell away. "Well, if you do not find a way to let me remove it, then you will starve. If you starve, Minoru starves. The decision is yours."
"I told you," Kasumi replied. "I cannot remove it except by taking it off myself. Only my teacher and my master can remove it otherwise. If you want me to eat, you will have to unbind at least one hand, and if you do that I will kill you."
Luther laughed. "My men will get to you before you can kill all of them. That aside, you cannot control this ship just the two of you. You are in the middle of the sea with no idea as to your location otherwise. At this point your best and only option is to cooperate."
Kasumi remained silent.
"Hmm. You may want to reconsider. If you refuse to cooperate, then I lose all reason to offer you the chance, and Minoru is one less mouth to feed."
"The minute I am free, I am going to kill you," Kasumi replied.
Luther laughed. "It's nothing personal, I assure you. I would treat any job the same way. For what it's worth, my captive, I would rather return Minoru alive. He has nothing to do with this, save as a way to make you cooperate. I kill only when I must, and he is not yet on my must list – unless he must die for you to cooperate."
"Kill him and I lose all reason to cooperate."
"That is true," Luther said. "You amuse me."
Kasumi said nothing.
Luther stood up and wandered back to the table, setting his glass down. Then he strode to the door and opened it, calling out. He closed the door and returned to the table. "There. Food is on the way, now we must only determine how to get you to eat without killing me."
They sat in silence until a rap at the door broke it, and a sailor entered at Luther's bidding. The smell of food was infuriating. Damn it.
"Unfasten one of his hands after you set that down," Luther ordered. "Be careful."
"Yes, Cap'n."
Kasumi waited.
"Leave," Luther said. He followed behind the sailor, closing and locking the door behind him. Turning around, he moved to Kasumi. "Going to remove it and eat?"
"Prove to me Minoru is being fed."
Luther smirked. "I'm afraid you will have to take my word for it," he said, "because I am not foolish enough to let you see him. He is eating. I am a businessman first and foremost, and it would be poor business to kill the only thing that gets you to cooperate."
Kasumi said nothing.
"Your former master is being cared for. I've not harmed so much as a hair on his head. Remove the mask, eat, else you will have proof most certain that he is in pain."
Grunting, Kasumi gave up. It hardly mattered if this man saw his face; he would be dead as soon as Kasumi learned what was going on. Reaching up, he removed the mask.
"My, my, you are a pretty one. Do you wear the mask to be less distracting?"
Kasumi ignored him and hooked the mask into place on his left arm, then reached for his food, eating as neatly and quickly as the awkward arrangement allowed. He tensed and dropped the spoon as Luther drew close, but did not bother to resist as his wrist was taking in a tight, callused grip.
He did protest when Luther touched his face, jerking from the touch and twisting his hand free, grabbing Luther's face and shoving him back hard. As Luther stumbled, Kasumi snagged his mask and slid it back into place."
Luther grunted as he righted himself. "I can see why you need to wear the mask, pretty."
Kasumi glared at him, flexing his still-free hand. "The nature of my appearance is not the reason I wear the mask."
"Sure," Luther replied tauntingly. He moved closer again and refastened Kasumi's free arm to the wall. "A face as pretty as that, and a body just as fine beneath all that dark clothing, it is little wonder they try to keep you covered. Are all shadows as pretty as you?"
"I wouldn't know," Kasumi said. "I do not know the faces of my brethren."
Luther tugged gently at the mask, frowning when it stayed firmly in place. He let it go with a grimace. "I think the mask is a futile effort at disguise. Mask or no mask, I would know your eyes anywhere."
Kasumi said nothing.
Laugh, Luther stood up. "I wonder how much trouble you will prove to be when I have to let you go to take a piss."
Lots of trouble, Kasumi vowed silently.
*~*~*
"It truly is a pity we cannot get along," Luther said with a laugh, fingers going once more to the cuts on his face. Kasumi knew it had been stupid to fight once free, but he was tired of sitting idle.
Adding heavy bruising to his injuries would not help him later, but he thought it had been worth it just to put those marks on that smug bastard's face.
He still wanted to know why a lowly pirate Captain was able to match him in terms of skill. It was a source of no small amount of vexation. How? Damn it.
"Shortly you will not be my problem," Luther said. "If you managed to survive whatever it is my employer intends, however, I sense I will be seeing you again. I suppose an offer to buy you a drink is out of the question."
Kasumi said nothing.
Luther laughed. "It's nothing personal, I keep telling you that. I rather like you, really. All that fire. Usually by this point captives are sobbing and begging, though a few are still attempting to bribe me. You're a refreshing change, and it's obvious you still are concerned for Minoru. It might surprise you how quick people can be to sell out their comrades."
"Whatever happened to the real Luther?"
"I have no idea," Luther replied. "We made certain he was detained and that his messages explaining that never reached you, but once you were secured we stopped caring. I'm certain they have figured out by this point that something is amiss, but they will have a devil of a time putting the pieces together – especially since they will be thinking Minoru was the target." He laughed. "How is that for a well played game?"
Kasumi did not answer, but a knock at the door prevented any reply he might have given anyway.
"Captain," the first mate said. "We're coming up on the Deep Blue.
"Excellent," Luther said. "I'm coming. Make certain the men keep a sharp look out."
"Aye, Captain."
Luther turned to Kasumi as the door closed. "Almost over, my dear captive. At last you will meet the man willing to pay half a million in silver for your head. Are you worth that much? Did I charge too little? Too much?"
"The price for this humiliation will be your blood," Kasumi said.
"I do not doubt it," Luther said with a smile. "It's a pity, but such is life." He departed, leaving Kasumi alone.
Kasumi was worried.
He hated to admit it, but a half million in silver for him? That was disconcerting. Who would pay that much for him, and why? That was the most troubling question – why? Well, he would know soon enough and hopefully the knowledge would not kill him before he could get Minoru free.
Minutes turned into nearly two hours before Luther returned to the cabin, and Kasumi watched in silence as he armed himself. Wearing a cutlass, four daggers, three pistols, and spare shot and powder for the firearms.
"Do not try anything," Luther said as he approached with keys in hand. "Minoru is already on deck, ready to be carried along with us or thrown overboard in his weighted chains."
Kasumi held still, and cooperated as he was held to his feet – only because he fully intended to get free later, and kill this bastard at a later date. He forced himself to hold still as he was bound, arms behind him, legs manacled so he had only just enough room to walk.
Humiliating.
He stumbled trying to gain his feet, and was saved from falling over by an arm around his waist. "Steady there, pretty."
Kasumi said nothing, refusing to rise to the obvious taunt.
Roughly Luther escorted him out of the cabin and off the ship. Kasumi ignored the jeers and comments of the men, eyes only for the man he was extremely relieved to see alive and relatively well.
"Kasumi, thank the gods."
"Master," Kasumi said. "I apologize profusely. My shame knows no limit."
"Nonsense, Kasumi," Minoru said with a gentle smile. "I am rather more concerned as to why they want you."
Luther shoved him forward, motioning his second mate to do the same with Minoru. "Let's go, our employer is waiting and I want this job done." He motioned his first mate to lead the way, and it amused Kasumi that Luther would not trust him to anyone else, but preferred to keep hold of Kasumi himself. Amused and frustrated, because with anyone else he would have managed to break free.
Giving orders to his men to watch the ship, Luther motioned to his first and second mates, then the five of them departed. They traveled in silence through a desolate landscape, some remote scrap of island that was nothing more than sand and barren rock. Not even a bit of scrub dotted the landscape. Onward and upward they traveled, until the going simply got too steep for him to mange. "You will have to undo my feet," he said, unclenching his teeth just enough to speak.
"Do I look like a fool to you?" Luther asked with a laugh. "You'll manage; were nearly where we need to be." He grinned, and spoke before Kasumi could protest. "Mange or I will be more than happy to carry you. Now go." He shoved hard, and Kasumi fumbled for a grip, making his way up the rocks slowly and painfully, liberally helped along by more shoves and tugs.
Bastard.
At last they crested the steep hill, and Kasumi struggled to regain control of his breathing even as he stared down into the small valley below. Before he could get a good look, he was all but thrown down the slope, winding up on his knees at the base.
He looked up at Luther, but instead of the smirk he'd anticipated, he saw that Luther's attention was solely for the men gathered in the middle of the valley. Finally Luther stooped and hauled him to his feet – but he never quite took his eyes off the group of me.
Kasumi eyed them as he was dragged along.
Nearby, Minoru gasped with the same shock Kasumi felt.
"I should have known," Minoru said quietly. "Jun."
The man to whom he'd spoken smiled. Kasumi's first impression of the man had been that he resembled a hungry rat. Eight years later, that impression remained. He stepped forward, just clear of the men who had been clustered around him, spreading his arms wide. "Captain Cenel, I see you are as good as your word."
"I will choose to take that as a compliment rather than a slight," Luther replied, pulling one of his flintlocks free as he pulled Kasumi forward. "You owe me 250,000 silver, mate."
Jun looked at him briefly, then returned his attention to Kasumi. "Long time no see, son of the East Clan."
Kasumi said nothing, refusing – this was the man who had paid to have him kidnap? This scum, this filthy rat? He moved Luther down a notch on his kill list, more than happy to put Jun in the first position.
"I cannot believe it," Minoru said, shaking his head in wonder. "Perhaps I should not be surprised. You were ever after the secrets of the clans. Why go to such lengths as these?"
Jun smiled. "Magic, my friend."
"Magic," Kasumi repeated in disgust. "Men like you are the reason the world has abandoned magic and turned to science. You went to this much trouble in the hopes of learning secrets I would rather die than tell you?"
"Lord Minoru, a pleasure to see you again," Jun said, ignoring Kasumi.
"I cannot say the same," Minoru replied coldly. "Surely you realize this was a stupid venture?"
"Stupid? Hardly. Vastly amusing, however. I tried to persuade years ago to cooperate with me, Lord Kasumi."
Kasumi felt Luther's grip on his arm tighten slightly.
"You were not worthy of my protection," Kasumi replied. "My father told you that; and he explained the reasons. Our secrets are to be used but never shared."
Jun laughed, stroking his long beard with thin, bony fingers. He was even more slender than Kasumi recalled, reminding him only more a hungry rat willing to do anything for food. It was a pity this rat wanted only to feed on magic. "I've learned a new trick, Lord Kasumi. Fifteen of your brethren have I killed to learn it. They all died silent, but in extreme pain, and stripped of a few of their secrets."
Kasumi recoiled as Jun drew near, unable to help it, not liking the look in his dark eyes, the confidence with which he spoke of having obtained secrets – that fifteen other shadow warriors were dead. Impossible. Had he traveled so much in the last several years that he'd missed such news?
Perhaps the clans were keeping it quiet.
He repressed a shudder as those awful fingers touched his mask – and choked off a dismayed cry as with a softly spoken word Jun ripped it from his face.
"How did you do that?" Minoru demanded. "None but Kasumi should be capable of that."
"I knew there was a trick to it no one was sharing with me," Luther muttered. "Magic!"
Jun laughed. "My good Captain, it is magic. Your contempt for such things amuses me. Lord Kasumi, I have managed to learn how to deactivate the binding spell placed upon the masks."
"That will not work with all of them," Kasumi said quietly. "Who gave such a secret away?"
"A woman named Aiko, I believe," Jun said idly, caressing and fondling Kasumi's mask. Watching the violation made Kasumi want to scream. That was his and no others and he would cut the man's fingers off and watch him bleed to death. "Yes, after I killed her master and his son, she ceased to care about anything. I believe that whelp might have been hers, which is strictly against contract but then…" He looked up and smiled in a way that made Kasumi feel cold, and hate more than ever the way Jun fondled his mask. "If she half so pretty as you, Lord Kasumi, I can certainly see why her master wanted so badly to convince her to break contract."
Kasumi sneered. "You are not even worthy of a contract, let alone worthy of breaking one for the sake of something so base as pleasure – not that any part of you is pleasurable."
Jun bristled with anger, but did not lash out as Kasumi had thought – hoped – he would.
Instead he brandished the mask. "I suspect that for all you are a beauty, Lord Kasumi, you would be a cold lay. This mask and its secrets are all I need from you. Answer my questions and you will suffer no harm. Act stubbornly and I will begin with inflicting harm about Lord Minoru. Toes, fingers, we will progress."
"He will tell you nothing," Minoru said calmly.
"We will see," Jun replied, stroking his beard again. "Captain, bring them along to my ship."
Luther shook his head. "I'm still missing my silver," he said coldly. "No one goes a step further until I see my money."
"Your money is on my ship," Jun said in a bored tone.
"Then you can bring it here," Luther replied. "I'm no fool; I know a rat when I see one."
Kasumi started, to hear his thoughts voiced by the last voice he would have expected. It angered him. "You are no better, who sell us into torture for mere silver."
"I tend not to ask too many questions," Luther replied, eyes still trained on Jun. "This can end peacefully or it can end ugly. Give me my money."
Jun grimaced. "To be honest, I think I would rather just kill you." Around him, the men who'd been silent and motionless until then suddenly charged.
Luther's flintlock flashed and one of the seven went down. Kasumi swore as he was shoved to the ground, fumbling to get out of the way of feet and falling bodies, swords and blood and chaos.
Something hit his head hard, and the world threatened to fade out. He hung on with a force of will, and was just managing to get himself up to his knees when he was roughly grabbed and thrown over a shoulder.
The jarring movement nearly finished the job of knocking him out, but Kasumi simply refused. He struggled as best he could in the grip of his captor, bucking and twisting for all he was worth, wishing he could just get his arms or legs free.
He heard the bang of a flintlock and abruptly he was back on the ground, sprawled across rock and a too-still body. The tell-tale sticky warmth beneath him said the dead or dying man's blood was soaking into his clothes.
Before he could find his balance, he was roughly hauled to his feet again.
Luther looked rather the worse for wear – and furious. Kasumi could sympathize, or would if Luther wasn't the reason for his own anger. "What is going on here?"
"That bastard Jun is a backstabbing, greedy rat, that's what," Luther snapped. "I managed to get you back, but I'm afraid the fucker's got Minoru. We need to get back to my ship."
Kasumi laughed. "He just tried to kill you and you still think your ship is all right? Your crew is probably dead. I cannot believe Jun was behind all this."
"Are you going to kill me if I free you?"
Kasumi started to say yes, then hesitated. Two minutes ago he would have said. He didn't like talking to this bastard. Minoru, however, came first. He'd just Minoru was gone, which meant the situation had changed. He couldn't kill the bastard. Yet. The realization only increased his rage, but there was no choice. "I want to know what is going on here."
"I was paid to capture you and bring you here. My payment was half a million silver – a reasonable fee, I learned, for capturing one of you notorious shadows. What he wanted with you, I do not know. He said it would preferable if I kept Minoru alive as well, but if I had to kill him then it was of no real consequence. He's attempted to renege, and though I tried to stop him there were just too many and they've used tricks I've never seen – and if you tell me magic, I will leave you bound."
"It was magic," Kasumi said defiantly. "Though I could not tell you what kind. So he has taken Minoru and fled. Typical."
"How do you know him? Why does he call you 'Lord' Kasumi?"
Kasumi grimaced. "He attempted once to purchase a bodyguard. While it little matters to us if we are occasionally contracted to a foreigner, all applicants must meet certain requirements. He did not require our services, not really, and we did not trust him. He calls me Lord Kasumi mostly as mockery."
"Mostly?"
"Where are they going?" Kasumi asked. "Free me."
"Are you going to try to kill me?"
Kasumi glared at him. "As much pleasure as I would take in killing you, I am painfully aware that for now cooperation is our best bet. It does not please me, but retrieving my master must come first and you are at the moment my best hope. However, you have no reason to cooperate with me."
Luther grunted and began to undo the rope and chains binding him. "You know him, you can help find him. I don't know where they're going. The deal ended with me dropping you off here and collecting my money."
Limbs free, Kasumi turned and brought his leg up. The high kick connected neatly with Luther's chest, sending him reeling back to land hard on the wet rocks. "Bastard."
Grunting, Luther picked himself up.
Kasumi punched him, not quite hard enough to do serious injury to his jaw. When Luther regained his balance, he swung again – but this time his wrist was caught in a hard grip, and Luther pulled him close, pinning him against that broad chest. "Knock it off. We don't have time for this. You're pissed, fine. I told you it was nothing personal, but if you want to beat the shit out of me I'll let you try later. For now, we have more important things to do."
Grabbing him, Kasumi yanked him close. "When this is over, I am going to kill you."
"You're welcome to try, pretty," Luther said.
Kasumi punched him.
Luther laughed as he picked himself up. "Feisty. Stubborn. Beautiful. It's a shame you hate me. Ah, well. Come on, let's get back to my ship." He didn't wait for a reply, but turned and started running back to where they'd anchored the ship.
Cresting the hill, Kasumi yanked him to a stop. "Wait. Look."
Luther frowned. "It's too still. I cannot see my men."
"They're dead," Kasumi said flatly.
"Nonsense," Luther said. "We would have heard screams or something."
Kasumi said nothing. "It would be better not to go down there."
"If he did kill them, we have to at least check for survivors," Luther snapped. "I refuse to—"
He was cut off by a booming explosion, and screamed in denial as he watched his ship burn.
"That bastard," he said at last, the word softy, barely audible.
Kasumi looked at him, then at the burning, sinking ship. "I'm sure it was nothing personal," he said.
"Wrong," Luther snapped. "He just murdered my men when we did all that the bargain said we should do. This – this just became very personal indeed." He grabbed Kasumi's wrist and dragged him along.
Until Kasumi twisted free and gave him a hard kick, watching implacably as Luther tumbled down the hill. He followed after more slowly.
Luther picked himself up. "Stop trying to kill me until we are done cooperating – unless you have changed your mind about cooperating."
"No," Kasumi said. "Tell me, though, why I should bother being nice to a man who saw no qualms about sending me off to be tortured slowly to death, but takes it amiss that his own men would be murdered."
"I didn't know he was going to torture you," Luther said quietly, "for what it's worth. I thought he just wanted the mask and whatever stupid trick you use to keep it on. I didn't like that. I couldn't pull back without endangering my men, however – and a bargain is a bargain. Tell me honestly that if torturing me or my men was what it took to get your master back that you would not do it."
Kasumi fell bitterly silent.
"Then I think that is enough judging for one day," Luther said quietly. "Come on, this way."
"Where are we going?"
"Always be prepared, I say," Luther replied, smirking. "There's a little cove about two miles from here. It will have all we need to get us back to the mainland, and from there we will track down that backstabbing bastard who should have made certain we were dead."
Kasumi nodded in agreement, and followed him across the barren, rocky landscape.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 12:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 12:10 am (UTC)2) Ninjas and magic and protectors and *___________________* Have I mentioned lately how freaking cool your brain is?
3) I love how close Kasumi and Minoru seem and how their relationship might be master/servant, they still seem more like close friends than anything else.
4) I LOVE the way that the masks work and what they mean and how closely Kasumi guards his identity and how much he hates it when people touch it without his permission. Just so, so cool.
5) SOOOOOOO much love for this. <333 You so rock. ^____^ I'm glad the imps tempted you into writing it. ^_^!
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Date: 2007-11-29 12:22 am (UTC)I love how Luther is all, 'oh, now it's personal!' But, I could tell he was thinking twice about the whole deal after they met Jun. He'd taken a liking to Kasumi; it was more personal than he let himself believe.
Can't wait to see the next two parts! ^_^
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Date: 2007-11-29 12:47 am (UTC)*puuuurr* This is beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. Kasumi is just-- UGH. So stubborn and snotty and yet just kick-ass~ <3
And I'm quite attracted to Luther.
...shit. ><;;
But AHHHH I LOVE YOU M!!
PIRATE!
Date: 2007-11-29 01:04 am (UTC)Ah, you are truly wonderful, Maderr!
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Date: 2007-11-29 01:45 am (UTC)I should have stayed faithful. With glue made of WIN, of course.
<3
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Date: 2007-11-29 02:25 am (UTC)Cocky pirates + pretty ninjas + enemies into lovers = <333.
Love Kasumi's stubbornness and irritability, and love even more how Luther takes it all with such good humour. XD Methinks that this one could very well end up being one of my favorites from all of your stories.
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Date: 2007-11-29 02:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 02:49 am (UTC)Kasumi and Luther are awesome, and I find myself liking Minoru a lot. I like how he ends his contract with Kasumi to protect him and doesn't just see Kasumi as a bodyguard, but a friend and somewhat of a student-son. And hey, it's obvious already that Luther likes Kasumi, from the blatant hints and his concern when he first meets Jun. I can't wait to see them struggling to work together and Luther trying to win over Kasumi.
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Date: 2007-11-29 03:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 03:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-29 02:40 pm (UTC)So where do I direct my heartfelt thanks to the two for getting you to write this? XD
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Date: 2007-11-29 02:43 pm (UTC)For the love of all that is holy, do not encourage them!
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Date: 2007-11-29 03:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-30 11:24 am (UTC)Also NOES! And I got to read more.