| Priests, Saints and Servants - CONTINUED |
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Kaoru's steps finally slowed, as he neared the servant's quarters of the Temple. He took a deep breath and stopped completely, waiting for the tension that still reverberated through his body to die down. It wouldn't do for Izumi-san to see him so very worked up. The young priest mustn't guess just how big of a slip-up Kaoru had made. //To fall asleep like that! Curse it. And of course that obstinate little rat of a saint had to use the first opportunity to scurry off on his own.// Kaoru exhaled in a sharp sigh and reached up to rub his temple in a gesture that was rapidly becoming a bad habit. //Now calm down. It's not really Kyo's fault. I knew he wasn't accepting his role as a Saint. He never ever pretended to. It's entirely my own fault for falling asleep. I really should have fed him some more of the sedative drugs, since there seems to be no way to reason with that hellcat. But if he's given those drugs much longer, he'll get addicted to them and that would weaken his powers.// A wry smile twisted Kaoru's thin lips. //On the other hand if he isn't subdued somehow soon, his powers will be weakened rather ultimately.// But perhaps Kyo had now realized the danger he was in... and that there was no way he could possibly escape from the Temple. Just why did he have to be so damn obstinate! So powerful, stubborn and annoying. //By the lost sun, if anyone but Die had found him... If Shinya-san and the arch-priest get to know that he'd been wandering around the Temple on his own. How can I argue then that they mustn't kill him?// With an effort Kaoru banished the little blond Saint from his mind and tried to come up with something he could tell Izumi-san and Shin-san. After a moment Kaoru straightened the tight bodice of his robe and walked down the corridor to the door of the servant quarters. He let himself in and looked around for someone to ask for Izumi-san. A door opened to his left and a young beautiful servant stepped out into the main corridor. As he spotted Kaoru he stopped and then bowed. "Your reverence." He acknowledged the priest. Balanced on his slim hip the young servant held a small basin with water carrying it in a somewhat feminine posture that suited his soft lovely face and the long, lilac gown he was wearing. A ribbon adorned with some flowers held his dark-brown hair back in a high ponytail, though some strands fell softly around his face. Kaoru frowned a little in concentration, remembering that he had seen the beautiful servant around Izumi-san and Shin-san before. "Nao, is it?" He asked. The servant nodded, the hint of a smile adding an impish quality to his lovely appearance. "Yes, your reverence, Kaoru-san. Do you need a servant or are you looking for someone?" Nao inquired helpfully. "I've been told Izumi-san is here. Do you know where?" "Yes, he's in one of the sleeping rooms." Answered the young servant. "If you like to follow me, Kaoru-san, I just went to fetch fresh water. I'm on my way back to Izumi-san."With a short nod Kaoru indicated to Nao he should lead the way. Nao turned and walked down the corridor careful not to spill the water from the basin. Still Kaoru noticed the nosy sparkle in the servant's deep brown, almond-shaped eyes. It didn't take long till Nao stopped at another door and reached out for the handle. But then he hesitated, looking back at Kaoru. "Izumi-san is taking care of one of the servants who doesn't feel well." Nao told the priest. "Would you like to wait out here? I'd tell Izumi-san you want to speak to him." Despite his own pressing problem Kaoru felt curious. "No, it's all right. Perhaps I can be of help." Kaoru said with a certain amount of calculation. //Probably a good opportunity to make Izumi-san feel positively inclined. Anyway it won't hurt to know what is going on here. Perhaps there's some other Saint who hasn't that much control over his powers. For as far as I know there's no Saint in the Temple right now who's still in the first stages of his training. Kyo-sama's Revelation has been the first in two years.// Nao had pushed open the door and held it for Kaoru, waiting for the priest to enter. Kaoru walked past him into the dimly lit room that smelled faintly of some warm, dry incense. In the servants' sleeping quarters there was nothing of the overflowing ornamentations that covered every other place in the Temple. Still the walls had a warm glow to them and the furniture was of a simple but elegant design. The beds were a lot smaller though and three of them occupied the plain room. At the far end there was a cluster of three people, softly illuminated by a screened oil lamp. Kaoru spotted a servant with shaggy, sandy-colored hair sitting on the bed, his head lowered so his gaze was hidden. His simple linen shirt with the up rolled sleeves stood open at his chest and Kaoru noted that the young man's skin looked slightly shiny. In front off the bed Izumi-san was kneeling on the floor. The wide sleeves of his robes were bound back with a ribbon tied across his shoulders and under his arms, so the sleeves didn't get in the way. He held one of the servant's arms and carefully dabbed at it with a sponge while talking softly and soothingly. But the servant didn't show any reaction. He seemed utterly withdrawn, closing out his surroundings. Beside the pair hovered another young priest with pale hair - Shin-san. He looked up as the door opened and then stared surprised at Kaoru-san. Kaoru nodded slightly at him and walked closer, while Shin bent down to whisper something into Izumi's ear. Astonished Izumi-san turned towards the approaching Kaoru and then greeted him with a slight nod. "Kaoru-san." He said softly, handing the sponge over to Shin and getting up. "Izumi-san" Kaoru returned the greeting, then his gaze slipped shortly to the young servant. "Can I be of any help?" he inquired in a calm voice, turning back to Izumi. The small, dark-haired priest wiped his wet hands at his already slightly soaked robe and then lightly touched Kaoru's elbow, leading him a bit away with that polite gesture. "I'm not sure, Kaoru-san." Izumi admitted, worry showing on his serious face. "I don't think there is much we can do." "What happened? Did something go wrong at some Saint's training?" Kaoru hazarded. With a slight shake of his head Izumi answered Kaoru's second question. "I'm not sure what happened." Izumi hesitated, pushing a damp strand of hair out of his forehead with the back of his hand while watching the other priest thoughtfully. Absently Kaoru noted that Nao had walked over to Shin and put the basin with fresh water down. He took the sponge from the small priest and continued to lave the unresisting servant's skin with the fresh cool water. Shin watched him, his gaze hanging at Nao's hands that took care of Inoran. After a moment Shin knelt down beside Nao and cradled the basin with water onto his lap so Nao could better reach it when remoistening the sponge. It got him an unexpected radiant smile from the beautiful servant, which made Shin lower his gaze bashfully. But suddenly something moved into the field of his vision and thus interrupted Kaoru's secret observation. Two bouncing braids caught his eye and he realized that there must have been another person in the room that now has joined him and Izumi-san. Kaoru blinked startled returning his focus to Izumi and the girlish looking servant, which he recognized as Emiru. Though he was rather surprised about Emiru's unexpected materialization. His surprise had to be quite visible for the bouncy servant pouted demonstratively. "Izumi-san just waved for me to come closer... so I could tell you what I've seen I suppose!" Emiru announced importantly, still blocking Kaoru's view of Shin and Nao. "Well, so do tell then." Kaoru demanded somewhat acidly, not holding with the servant's cheekiness. Moreover he was only too aware of Emiru's flushed appearance. He radiated health and energy; his cheeks were full and rosy and his eyes sparkled lively. To his annoyance and confusion Kaoru found himself rather nettled by the servant's so obviously contented and sated state. For the fraction of a second Emiru's pout seemed to intensify, but then it vanished and he shot a glance at Izumi like seeking reassurance from the small priest. Izumi nodded slightly and Emiru inhaled dramatically. "I came back from attending to Saint Die, like you ordered me to and Inoran wasn't in the garden any longer, but all the stuff for taking care of the flowers was still laying around. So I thought, well probably he was angry cause I had to leave him and could no longer help him and therefore I started looking for him. And also I wanted to tell him about nice Die-sama, but at first I couldn't find Inoran anywhere. And then I thought he'd probably gone to get some sleep and..." "Emiru." Izumi-san gently interrupted the servant's enthusiastic report. Emiru blinked at the mild rebuke. "Oh... Uhm..." he struggled to get back to the important point. "I found Inoran sitting on his bed like he's now and he only kept rubbing his arms, saying nothing at all. I told Nao and Nao told Shin-san and Shin-san told Izumi-san." He finished with a flourish. One of Kaoru's eyebrows rose in a humourless expression. "Thank you." He told Emiru and turned back to Izumi. "Has there been any change since then? Did you get him to speak?" "Yes." Izumi answered softly. "Inoran finally told me that his skin fells like it's burning. Actually it is rather cool to the touch but still we keep cooling it with water. I hoped it would sooth him down but I'm not sure it works." Kaoru frowned slightly. "Why didn't you send for a Saint? I can ask Die-sama to sooth him. He can use his Voice to calm." "I've thought about that, but both Isshi-sama and Klaha-sama are with General Kami, welcoming the ambassadors of the Seven Cities." Izumi explained patiently. "Anyway, I asked Inoran if he wanted a Saint to have a look at him. To that he reacted quite strongly. He told me he was fine and he didn't want a Saint to come." Astonished Kaoru noted that there was something very hard and misgiving in Izumi's expression all of a sudden. He hadn't expected such an open display of resentment from the usually so gentle young man. "Well, it seems like some Saint used his Voice on him and he overreacted." Kaoru suggested, careful not to let any infliction color his voice. "But he wasn't appointed to assist at some Saint's training lesson?" "No." Izumi answered shortly, avoiding Kaoru's gaze then he took a deep breath. "As I already said, I think there isn't much we can do for him right now. The best is to sooth him and not bother him too much till the over-reaction wears off again." "I agree. Still, if I can be of any help." Kaoru offered formally. "Thank you." Izumi sized the other priest with his serious intelligent look. "But I think Inoran is not the reason why you're here, Kaoru-san." For a moment Kaoru answered Izumi's gaze sharply but then he forced himself to relax. "Indeed." He admitted casually. "I wanted to ask your opinion about Saint Kyo. I believe you met him and Die-sama on the gallery of the Great Choir. Since you are the first priest to talk to him beside me I'd be happy to know about the impression you got of him. As you've heard he is quite old and his Revelation has been very violent. It's not easy for him to settle in." Nothing in Kaoru's voice and posture gave away that he was driven by anything else than his usual sense of duty. Still Kaoru himself was only too aware of the bodice of his robe sticking to his back and the throbbing tension behind his temples. Izumi's dark eyes rested at him for a few heartbeats longer with that intense, serious look. Somehow Kaoru felt weighed and searched, but he couldn't quite tell what it was that Izumi was looking for. Then the small priest gave him a friendly smile that dispersed the tension. "I think Kyo-sama will need a lot of attention." Izumi advised helpfully. "It's a good idea to have Die show him around; to help him find a way to cope with life in the Temple." Kaoru smiled thinly back at Izumi. "Thank you. It reassures me to hear that you agree with my decision, Izumi-san." "Well then, if that is all I would like to return to Inoran." Announced Izumi then gazed at Emiru who twirled one of his braids around his finger with a bored expression. Kaoru's eyes narrowed as he realized that the bouncy servant had been privy to their conversation, but then it clearly had held no interest for Emiru. As Izumi turned his attention to him Emiru looked up attentively though. "Please fetch something to eat and drink for Inoran, Emiru." "Hai, Izumi-san!" The servant answered eagerly and then dashed off in an annoying display of energy, his braids dancing wildly on his back. Kaoru frowned after him and then bowed to Izumi and left a lot more dignified. As he closed the door behind him he stole a last glance at where Shin-san and Nao were still tending to the withdrawn servant. Izumi had joined them again and put his hand lightly on Shin's bare shoulder, making the blonde priest look up. Bending down Izumi whispered something into the other man's ear, making Shin turn around involuntarily and gaze at the place where Kaoru and Izumi had been talking. Silently Kaoru closed the door completely, before Shin could spot him still lingering at the threshold. Kaoru started down the corridor, walking deeply lost in thoughts. He'd never paid a lot of attention to Izumi-san. He was a rather young priest and Shin-san had still been a novice only months ago. Till now Kaoru had always thought Izumi was a rather calm and gentle person who had been put in charge of two of the most 'civilized' and 'settled in' Saints, Klaha-sama and Isshi-sama. They both had been trained by Izumi's late predecessor and Izumi had helped with the training as a novice. Kaoru couldn't shake off the impression of Izumi-san being too soft and lenient, but right now he felt compelled to be more careful around the small, young priest. //I think Kyo was right. Izumi-san knows that Kyo had been exploring the temple without my knowledge... or he guesses. I hope I managed to disperse his suspicions.// Involuntarily Kaoru reached up to rub over his temple, trying to replay the conversation with Izumi-san in his mind. That serious, intelligent look the other priest had given him bothered Kaoru, but he couldn't get the wiser of it. //Damn. I'll have to keep an eye on Izumi-san. For now I think he doesn't intend to tell anyone about his meeting with Kyo-sama. Still... And he seems quite familiar with the servants. It was him who got to know about Inoran first, even though neither of his Saint's can be responsible. I guess I should mark Nao down as being loyal to Izumi-san and Shin-san. This can be useful to know.// Kaoru sighed, growing very aware that he needed to eat and to rest. That little nap beside Kyo's bed had hardly done more than cramping his back and shoulders. For a short moment Kaoru allowed himself the fancy of imagining Die's hands soothing the tension from his shoulders; of Die's Voice calming the ache throbbing behind his temples. //Saint Neko. You thief with that brilliant smile.// With an effort Kaoru stopped the fantasies from carrying on beyond that acceptable stage and tried to focus again on the problem of Kyo. //Perhaps it will really help Kyo to have Die around. If anyone, Die can win his trust.// Kaoru mused about that move which suddenly was so very much the obvious thing to do. It might seem like he had planned it but he hadn't. He couldn't have been sure that Kyo would take to Die and he still had doubts if Kyo actually could grow to trust the other Saint. But another thought nagged at Kaoru's mind and reluctantly he had to realize that he didn't want Die to take too much to Kyo. It was a ridiculous thought and with an annoyed frown Kaoru tried to ignore that utterly inappropriate sting of jealousy. //I'm a priest. I'm teaching the Saints and looking after the Temple's affairs.// he reminded himself sternly. But the memory of Die's Voice was powerful and insistent. It wrapped around him like warm, breathing velvet, charging the very air with prickling temptation. The things that Die's Voice did to him, Die's catlike sensuality... Kaoru closed his eyes and exhaled, while exerting his iron self-control to quench those unfulfilled desires simmering inside him. It had never seemed so very difficult and Kaoru's breathing just wouldn't clam down. And while he struggled to banish Die's lithe, pale body out of his mind other images rose to the surface of his restless fantasies. He grew aware that Kyo's wild black eyes and his soft cupid lips mingled with the images of Die. The memory of Kyo's Powers tingled against his skin in their thrilling breathtaking danger. //No! I'm a priest. And since I am one, I'm being one perfectly. I won't give in to that urges, to Die - to his Voice. I have resisted it for years. And of course I'll resist that wild street rat Kyo! No, there's nothing to resist about him.// Kaoru had stopped in a small side corridor and leaned his forehead against the cool glass of a milky mirror. His skin felt much too hot and for a moment he wondered if he was also overreacting to the powers of the Saints. His lips twisted up in a wry smile. //I'm a priest not some little servant. I'm in control. I'm able to handle Die's Voice. And most certainly I won't let Kyo unsettle me. It won't do to give in to this urges. To give in to Die, to his Voice. To give myself to the pleasure that this Voice promises... to surrender and let myself be swept away by sensuality and lust.// A quiver ran through Kaoru's lean body and he felt like every fibre of his being was on fire with need. The thought of Emiru looking so lovely, flushed and sated rolled him under with a sudden wave of blind jealousy, choking him with frustration. His hands clenched into fists. //Damn it, no! No!! I've got other problems right now! It won't do to give up my authority for a brief moment of pleasure and fulfilment. I need all my authority and competence right now to keep this damn little Kyo in check. And to make Die help me to get him to cooperate.// Kaoru quite saw the sense of why the priests had to live chaste, why they mustn't have sex with the saints. The saints' powers were mostly sensual and had a strong affinity to sex. Most of the saints could use them to manipulate the person they were sleeping with. But the priests had to teach the saints and to get them to work in the interest of the Temple. They needed to control not to be controlled. And you needed a great deal of control and discipline to handle the Saints and their powers. So no sex. Definitely no sex with the saints. Kaoru exhaled a shaky breath and for the thousandth time he wondered if the other priests had the same problems keeping their vow of chastity while being surrounded by beautiful saints and servants and the decadent pleasures of the Temple. He knew that some of the priests had given in - and he was aware of how it had changed the way they were treated. They'd lost respect and control. Kaoru intended to loose neither. And right now he really couldn't afford it either. //I'm going to keep Kyo alive if he wants it or not!// Resolutely the lean priest pushed away from the mirror and strode down the corridor with renewed vigour and conviction. End Part 6 | Part 7 | |
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