Give Me Release, Give Me Peace

 

~~~NOTES:

1.     Here we go again folks! I hope this one will be a good one, but I’ve had a few

problems with writer’s block recently. Let’s hope I can keep it at bay!

2.Rated for a reason! Suggestion, meaning heavy LIME, adult concepts, language

3.I DO NOT BELIEVE IN DISCLAIMERS

4. If you didn’t see notes, all I can say is good luck understanding the lingo…

 

Chapter One: The Shunned Son

 

*The damn man had been after him all morning. By now the young man was at the end of his wits. No longer could he stand to be bothered and pestered by the diligent men who were trying to ‘educate’ him on the subject of running a fief. As the newest Duke to the fief ‘Blue Crest’, Hiiro Yui already had a slight inkling of the rigors and politics of the job. Perhaps inkling was the wrong term. Perhaps weathered experience would be more appropriate. His mother had died in childbirth, and though his father had had many a mistress, he had never remarried. That was odd enough as it was. What was even stranger was Hiiro’s up-bringing.

Since birth he had been shucked away and hidden from the public eye by his father’s advisors. Though he had been informed it was for his own protection from kidnappers, bandits, and other enemies of his father, he knew differently. Instead of being out doors with the other children of the serfs and slaves, he had been indoors studying. He was the only Yui in their entire ancient line whom had managed the art of the written script. Instead of going to court in his tenth year to become a page and ultimately a knight, he had stayed home, teaching himself the mastery of swords and knives. Instead of hunting in the forests of his father’s large fief, he had ridden only at night in the stables. Being left alone for the majority of the time, Hiiro Yui had had plenty of time to develop his knowledge of the proper way to run his deceased father’s fief.

            Unfortunately, blessed as he was in his ability to retain knowledge and quick reflexes, he had been cursed to fail in every social situation and function ever presented with. He shunned the people who had kept him locked up, wanting never to be a part of them. He would not allow himself to become what they had: weak, sniveling pawns that tried to control what was out of their power. The serfs and other slaves took pity on him and his predicament, and though they had pledged fealty to Hiiro’s father, they were more loyal to Hiiro than their true owner. Hiiro had insights on the way their lives were that not many others did. And for that reason they trusted him to make better decisions. Only the more educated of the servants still tried to toy with Hiiro’s authority.

            “Lord Yui.” A man called. They had found him. “Lord Yui! You must return to your chambers immediately. His Highness the King himself is on his way.”

            “Then I will be meeting, him to discuss the inheritance of the Blue Crest Fief.” Hiiro declared darkly.

            “My Lord, I am afraid I cannot allow you to…” Hiiro cut off the tiny servant.

            “ Then don’t.” Hiiro began to draw his knife and advance upon the meek and trembling man.

            “My Lord Yui, the King has arrived to discuss the arrangements of your father’s death and his will.” Another servant informed him after tumbling in on the rather common scene.

            “Very well then.” Hiiro stopped his advance on the servant and left him to crawl back up off the floor.  “Where is he at the moment?”

“His is in the central courtyard with the monk Benedict, my Lord.” That was all Hiiro required to know before he slipped off into the shadows.  Turning on his heel, he stalked towards the central courtyard. Anything involving the monk Benedict would backfire on him ten fold if he did not act upon it instantaneously. As he walked into the courtyard, his eyes were met with quite a scene. His former instructor in the arts of the written arts, the monk Benedict, was kneeling before the King, kissing his hand. Around were the King’s own, his private knights to witness the commendation and the feudal contract.

“Monk Benedict? What is the meaning of this meeting without me?”

“Lo..Lor…Lord Yui! You should not be up what with your illness as it catching as it is.” Benedict stuttered uncertainly, covering his tracks well. Benedict was a tall, black hair, brown eyed slightly hideous man whom cared more for his vain appearance than he did about teaching his students. For a monk of the regular clergy, Benedict was as sly and corrupt as they could come.

“I have no illness. I demand to know what happenings go on in my own fief.” Hiiro demanded, not fooled or deterred by wither his sniveling former teacher and mentor or the presence of the King. To prove he was in control of his fief, Hiiro needed to take a heavy hand with Benedict.

“You see…”

“I was never informed William Yui had an heir.” The King spoke, all other gossip in the background stopped, and only the chickens clucking could be heard. The King was a fair skinned man whose weathered face showed many hours of work had worn permanent wrinkle lines into his forehead. Rich red and purple robes adorned him, the only physical signs of his wealth as the landowner.

“I was not informed of my father’s death for three days after he had passed.” Hiiro countered. “I wish to know what you conspire to do against me, Benedict.” His eyes narrowed at the former teacher.

“Lord Yui, I conspire nothing. I simply wished to help you in your duties as such a young owner of such a prosperous fief.”

“Is this so? Then what of your making commendation for my land without my consent? Has there been a promise made I know not of?”

“Yui’s son,” The King spoke up, sizing Hiiro up. One look at the boy and he knew there was more to the boy child than appeared. This boy had talent for handling people such as monk Benedict, who had just tried to convince him to turn the fief over to him.

“Forgive me, your Highness. I am Lord William Yui’s only son and heir, Hiiro Yui.”

“Then Hiiro, you wish to indeed care for your father’s fief, even at such a young age?” The King continued.

“Yes your Highness. I am sixteen, old enough to assume responsibility. And I wish for that responsibility. I have studied extensively for it.” The King gave Hiiro one more sharp look over. With a decisive nod, he spoke.

“Then you shall inherit his fief- as it says in his will no doubt?”

“Yes your Highness.” Hiiro drew out the will. “This is the only copy. It states as long as I marry the youngest daughter of the neighboring fief Walden I may inherit the fief.” The King looked over the worn parchment that contained the will of the now dead man whom had served him loyally for so many years. Though he himself could not read well, it was apparent to him that Benedict’s name was not scripted anywhere on the page. However the name Hiiro Yui was mentioned a good many times. He conversed with another monk briefly, then straightened and focused on Hiiro again.

“This also states you must take her as your wife within the same year as you inherit the fief, meaning this year. Are you prepared to do your duties and marry at such a young age?” He drilled Hiiro.

“Yes your Highness, I am ready to accept all responsibilities of marriage and this land.”

“So veracity be it.” The King drew his sword and Hiiro knelt before him. “Hiiro Yui. Do you swear to uphold the dignity of this fief, the well being of its inhabitants, and the fidelity it had brought me in the years your father held it’s land?”

“I do your Highness. I pledge the allegiance of my own sword and the allegiance of my men’s swords to you.” The King bent down and picked up a clod of dirt. It was customary for the suzerain to give the vassal such a token at the commendation ceremony just after the feudal contract had been renewed.

“Stand, Duke Hiiro Yui. You now have the rights to the fief, and so you shall have them until the end of the year if you have not married the daughter up at the next fief.” Hiiro stood and ordered one of his servants to show the King and his small court of knights out.

 Looking over the hills, Hiiro wondered about the wife he would soon need to take. What name did she carry? Would she be dutiful? Would the alliance between their two fiefs be a strong political bond? He could only pray the answers were yes.

~~~

            She gazed out of her window again. Only fourteen and she was betrothed to a man. A man whom she was sure would destroy her life as she knew it. And all she knew was his name: Hiiro Yui. What difference did his name make? Would he be able to keep patience with her? Would he expect her to be the perfect housewife? She vowed silently to be herself, no matter how much he yelled and screamed.

Her father could not break her wild spirit, and she would most certainly not allow a betrothed husband to. Only the man who swept her off her feet would be able to tame her. She knew… she had made sure no one would be able to do it save that one man. If he ever came. Enough dreary thoughts. She wondered if the brook was still too cold for fishing, or perhaps even a quick swim.*