Chapter 8:

Generals

.

vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.

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"So, did you think about my offer, Niji-kun?" Mibuchi Reo smiled, his long robes flowing elegantly aorund his ankles as he and his companion walked trough the long corridor. The weather was rather nice for north and the corridor had large windows that opened the view on the meadow. It's been few months since his cousind and his escort arrived at his palace.

"I'm afraid I have to decline. Your grace knows I'm young Akashi's caretaker and having another job would mean not paying full attention to my duties as such." Nijimura sighed. Mibuchi Reo. He was rude and blunt but at the same time he...wasn't. He was charming and elegant, trait he shared with his cousing Seijuuro. He also sometimes scared him, just like Seijuuro.

"Don't be so serious, Niji-kun. I'm sure a man like you could do both. Do you not like me?" he opened his mouth in comicaly faked concern.

Nijimura felt so close to actually cursing something. This man was so...infuriating, how could he just act this way.

"I have to oversee that Seijuuro gets everything he needs. That includes training his knights as he requested and I am to supervise Aomine Daiki as he will most certainly specialise in the same type of long swords as I did."

"That does not answer my question." Mibuchi stopped and crossed his arms.

"Your grace-."

"Ahahahah, you're too uptight Niji-kun." young landlord waved his hand dismissively. "On the more pressing matters, have you talked with Sei-chan about the state in the Capital?" he proceeded to the garden and Nijimura followed.

"I have inquired details about Wakamatsu's death and coronation of the new emperor, as well as his marriage to Wakamatsu's sister and Imayoshi's relative Momoi Satsuki. However, I have not talked with Seijuuro about this. He's too young to have gone trough what he has already and I want to keep him away from the chaos around the throne. He should have at least pieces of childhood that are left for him to have, and I will make sure he does." Nijimura looked up as if giving promise to the thin air. Since he came to palace, few months after the prince was born, he never saw Akashi do anything that the caretakers, his father, the council didn't approve of. No matter how he wanted to, he never had his freedom. He criticised his father, far more than any child his age would dare, but he still had to obey his duties and master everything there was to. Languages, geometry, calligraphy, art of war, swordsmanship, you name it. All that at such young age. But now that he was finally away from his duties and able to taste the freedom this new Akashi...this new Seijuuro, Nijimura was vary of, would surface and demand his throne, his empire, his victory. Ever since he saw young Seijuuro save that woman at the cost of his own security, or freeing that slave boy, Nijimura knew he was going to be perfect leader. If he can keep this violent, ambitious side under control. This dragon that flew in his blood and surged to exist after the tragedy in the Capital.

"Come on Midorima, who wins this match will challenge Akashi to a battle." Aomine roared swinging his sword around. He progressed nicely due to his talent and with Nijimura supervising his training there was no one who could match him on the training grounds, even the older men. Other than Midorima and Akashi himself there was no one who could stand next to such formidable force.

"I have no intention engaging in sword fight with you. I have to practice." Midorima narrowed his eyebrows taking another arrow and tightening his bow. His accuracy was astounding, though he preferred longbows over flatbows and specialised with them.

"That's so boring, ya know. You just stand and shoot."

"The point is in taking the enemy down. I can take more sword wielding dummies like you than you can. Archer is worth more than just swordsman."

"Ha, I'd like you to test that. The only one who can beat me is me ya know."

"I am also a healer."

"Pfft."

Suddenly, their attention has been caught by another boy at the grounds. He was tall and his lavender hair cascaded to his shoulders but Aomine suddenly grew irritated. "That Murasakibara. He pretends to fight but he never fights unless someone gives him food. "

"Akashi says he's fast and skilled for his built." Midorima took another arrow ignoring the commotion. Aomine narrowed his eyebrows "I don't even understand why Akashi took him in our team."

"You just don't like him because he can wield bigger weapons than you can." Midorima pointed to the halberd in boys arms. Murasakibara was the only boy there tall enough to be given halberd at age of twelve or thirteen, Aomine wasn't sure how old was he, but it irked him. He would also ocassionlay swing mace or war hammer.

"There you are." Midorima pulled the bow down as Akashi approached them. "How about a match Akashi?!" Aomine pointed his sword towards the kingdomless prince.

"I need to talk with Midorima about matters in the Capital. Nijimura tells me nothing." Akashi looked at green head expectingly. "But if you are so eager to fight Aomine, why don't you fight with Murasakibara? With his size you'd have the same difficulty as with my speed."

"Difficutly? Me?"

"I have been informed by Lord Mibuchi about certain things but he has advised me not to talk with you about it." Midorima walked with Akashi to the palace after leaving annoyed Aomine.

"I can imagine." Akashi stared at his hands.

"Nijimura asked him not to, in case you were wondering."

"I wasn't. I know Nijimura is worried about me, but there is nothing to be worried about. It is natural to want back what was yours after if was forcefully taken away from you."

"They say emperor Sakurai has signed the new alliances with the south, even though south apparently hates the west." Akashi looked at Midorima, his face unreadable. Midorima has never involved himself with the politics before. However, Akashi declared him his vice-general (which Midorima found funny at first, considering they didn't have an army yet) and he took his job seriously as much as young teen his age could.

"They do. Southerns hate the West almost as much as they hated my father's reign. The South currently consists of united Kaijo and Seirin, led by Kasamatsu Yukio. I didn't think him or Hyuuga would ever make a peace with Imayoshi."

"Perhaps it is not a peace in a sense, but merely a postponement of war. Both sides are tired."

"Could be. I'll need the South sooner or later. "

With promise heavy on his chest, Akashi has continued to hold onto his rightful place at the throne. Nijimura has sought alliances with multiple northern lords, under the protection of Mibuchi Reo. They all agreed, having their utmost trust in Mibuchi's choices. Time was slow, but soon it will come and the young Seijuuro will have to start a war for the crown. In the next two years almost entirety of boys from training grounds joined Akashi and his talented team. Midorima, Aomine, Murasakibara and Akashi were slowly gaining their reputation after Mibuchi started sending them on little missions and they brought back success every single time. As carefully Seijuuro watched over his petrified dragon eggs, he knew soon they will be joined by one more. For there were five eggs for five generals that will take over the land.

'You should stop paying so much attention to the eggs, they are of stone.' Nijimura would often tell him. Of course, Akashi thought. But with capable men I have, there is no need for dragons. He learned, in these two years, that good team is half battle already won. 'But I am a dragon prince.'

I did a time skip of two years now, because it's mostly training (and akashi gathering other kids/allies for army) and Kise joins them later, as he did in Teikou xd

For those who want Kuroko, well he'll be back soon, since Akashi and others are still under protection of Reo and being 14 or what Akashi can't really start a war yet.

the dragon in his blood= emperor bokushi akashi from canon (thought I'd clear that :)

Uhm..anyways, I hope I'll update more often now that exams are over...

Review if you want, or point to mistakes, it means to me a lot, because then I can fix them.