The hummingbird (part 17)

[krystalkatzfics]

Title: The Hummingbird

Author: krystalkatz
Rating: G (for this part)
Length: chaptered
Genre: Au,

Pairings: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari (Sakurai Sho/Aiba Masaki incest)

Disclaimer: I only own the plot

It was late in the morning Nino was nervously holding the baby Rika and Jun had found it impossible to keep the smile off of his face as he watched the scene. Behind him he heard Kazumi and Nagase talking softly about what Nanami had told them, they had both assured that nothing had changed. He still felt guilt that because of him the twin’s lives had been so hard but like Nagase said it was in the past and nothing could change it now.

“I think she needs changing… She is wet” Nino said crying the baby to his sister and holding her out like a dangerous weapon he wasn’t sure what to do with. Nagase gave a loud laugh while Kazumi took her daughter from him and went to change her. At some point Nagase took left to take care of something with his farm manager. When they were alone Jun wrapped his arms around his lover and pressed his lips to his cheek. “Is something wrong, Jun-sama?”

“No, I just wanted to hold you” Jun said resting his chin on his shoulder. He knew that they should move on soon, Nino’s foot was almost healed and they couldn’t run the risk of Kazumi and Nagase being implicated if they were found but the more the peaceful happy days continued the more he didn’t want to leave. He stared out across the rice fields wishing that this peace wasn’t as fragile as it was. He could be happy in this kind of life away from the public eye in the country with Nino. He was still staring out over the fields when he saw a royal carriage coming towards the farm, Nino must have seen it too because he froze in his arms for a second before his body started trembling

“You two should get behind the wall” Nagase said coming to the open door and Jun nodded gabbing Nino and almost pulling him into the small space behind the partition wall. They stood close to each other their heartbeats racing in unison as they waited. There was a small peephole in the wall and Jun looked out his heart almost stopping when he saw his second eldest brother stalking into the room.

“Where is my brother?”

“I do not know what you mean your imperial highness” Nagase bluffed smoothly

“Please, I need to speak with him… You… You are Ninomiya-chan…” Sho said as Kazumi came into the room, though he did sound doubtful

“I am sorry your imperial highness…” Kazumi said nervously going to her husband who immediately put his arm around her shoulders protectively

“This is my wife your imperial highness, Nagase Kaede…” Nagase said and Jun was thankful that he had remembered that they had used ‘Kazumi’ as Nino’s name

“Then Kazumi is your sister? I am not an idiot I can see that you are related, if they are still here please tell me, I need to see my brother and your sister…”

“I do not have a sister” Kazumi whispered truthfully and Jun saw her flinch even closer to Nagase’s protective frame

“Please I understand you trying to help. That is why I am here… Nanami has been arrested…”

Jun watched as Kazumi’s face stiffened whitening a little under her make, Nino too stiffened and Jun gripped him tightly, guilt flooding into him. He was unsure what to do, he didn’t want to give up on Nino but he couldn’t allow Nanami suffering because of him. He didn’t doubt that Sho was telling the truth he could hear the honesty and urgency in his brother’s voice but he couldn’t understand why he had come here to help. The only thing he could think was somehow Masaki had gotten through to him. With that hope in his heat he moved away from Nino and slid the door open and stepped out. He had intended it but his lover followed him out

“Brother” He said with more calm that he thought he had and Sho turned to look at him slowly

“Jun… And Ninomiya-chan, I take it this person is your sister?” Sho said still looking at the still pale Kazumi

“M-y twin” Nino nodded slowly his eyes on the floor.

“How did you find us?” Jun asked drawing his brother’s attention away from the twins.

“As I said Nanami-san has been arrested… Satoshi and Mother know she helped you, she was taken to the dungeon…”

“How?” Jun asked quickly as Nino and Kazumi made funny cries in their throats

“Satoshi knew that Masaki knew something, Masaki refused to tell him though, he even refused to tell me at first… Satoshi had someone spy on Masaki so last night when he finally did tell me that Nanami was involved it was overheard…”

“And you did not tell Satoshi?” 

“No, I would never betray Ma-chan like that” Sho said coldly and Jun knew it was the truth. As brothers they were almost abnormally close, “I came here because I wanted to warn you… mother has sent me away from the palace and Masaki is angry at me because he thinks I did betray him…”

 “We cannot just leave Nan-Mother…” Nino said and Sho nodded with a sigh

“I knew I was right, you are Nanami-san’s children…”

“They are also your half siblings” Jun mumbled and this time there was surprise in his brother’s face

“M-My… What do you mean ‘your half siblings’?” He asked and Jun explained what Nanami had told him.

At the palace…

Masaki watched as the carriage pulled out of the palace ground. He didn’t want to believe that Sho had betrayed him but he couldn’t understand how else they had found out about Nanami. He wanted to help the maid but the only person he knew that could do that was his father but he was so sick. He went to the emperors room and slowly pushed the door open

“Papa…”

“Masa-ki? Is that you?” The emperor said weakly sitting up in his bed and looking at him “What is wrong?”

“Mama and Satoshi they have taken Nanami-san to the dungeon…”

“What?!” The emperor cried with more strength in his voice than before

“Nanami-san helped Jun and Ninomiya-chan leave…”

“Nana… Masaki, I need you to take me to the dungeons…” The emperor said slowly getting to his feet, and holding his hand out to him. Masaki felt guilty as he saw the slow shaky movements of his father but he knew he couldn’t let this continue. Satoshi was slowly losing himself and he had already lost his precious Sho-chan. He refused to allow anyone else to be hurt because of the queen.

Their progress was slowly and steady down into the dungeon, his father stopping every now and then to suck in large lungful’s of air clinging to Masaki’s arm tightly. When they finally did make it the guard stared at them slightly bug eyed and quickly moved aside at the emperors order.

“Nana-chan?” He the emperor called softly as they entered.

“Kenta-kun, you should be resting…” Nanami answered through one of the thick doors. The emperor let go of Masaki’s arm and marched forward as steadily as possible

“What were you thinking? Why help Jun leave?” He snapped and Masaki heard the maid give a short intake of breath.

“You should not worry about that Kenta-kun…”

“Tell me, help me to understand why…Let me help you to get out of here my love bird” The emperor said running his hand down the dungeon door and Masaki’s mouth fell open at the unexpected declaration from his father.

 “I helped because of Ninomiya-chan… What you may have suspected is the truth…”

“Ninomiya-chan… Really was my daughter? She is alive…”

“No, Kenta… He was your son…”

“My… Son?” The emperor repeated dully and neither of them seemed to notice that Masaki was still there. His eyes widened as he took in what the maid had just said. So did that mean Nino was his half-brother? But if that was the case that meant that Nino and Jun… He stopped his train his thoughts there wondering if there was something about his family that was completely twisted. “My son is alive? You knew this but you never told me…”

“I only found out last year when I saw our daughter” Nanami whispered and Masaki blinked he had a sister too. He looked at his father who looked as if he was having a hard time digesting the news, it seemed to be forever before he spoke again

“Daughter? She also… Why… Why did you not tell me?”

“I was scared for them, Kenta… They were already taken from us once…” Nanami whispered and Masaki rushed forward as his father collapsed to his knees letting out a long tired sigh.

“I would have done something…” The emperor whispered as he held Masaki’s hand, the emperor made no attempt to stand but tugged Masaki down until he was on his knees.

“Not at the risk of hurting your other children…” Nanami murmured and it sounded as if she was smiling sadly “Jun-kun, he knows the truth now…They all do…”

“We made such a mess of things Nana-chan… There is so much I regret …” The emperor told her looking up at into Masaki’s face. Masaki felt his heart clench wondering if having them was one of the things he regretted. The emperor smiled running his thumb lightly over the back of his sons hand reassuringly “But there is also so much I am happy for…”

“I understand… Maybe we could have worked things differently if we knew all that we know now…” Nanami agreed “But it is because of things happening this way that we have a granddaughter…”

“A granddaughter? I have a grandchild? What is her name?”

“Rika-chan, she looks like you Kenta-kun...”

“And is she healthy?”

“Yes…”

“Father… what are you doing down here?” Satoshi asked in only mild surprise as he came in to the dungeon. “Masaki you should not have troubled father with this…”

“Yes it is troubling to be kept out of the affairs of the palace… Now you will release Nanami-san this instant…”

“And why should we do that, father she helped Jun escape with that whore…”

“That whore happens to be your brother… Now release Nanami…”

TBC

A/N: Hmm I’m not a 100% sure on this part but I hope it’s okay ^.^