Enemy in my arms – The other guy
The two-winged door opened in front of Kassara, who anxiously swallowed, stepping into the huge meeting room was at least three floor high and wide like a ball hall. On the farther end of it, there he set. The leader of the family he felt so much for. Mostly anger, rage, bloodthirst, mourn and loss.
If he would allow, his upper lip would jerk into a silent hiss, those fangs itching to be shown, but Lord Edora managed to keep his features straight. His delegation stopped when he did, on the closer end of the long table, where he gracefully set down on the comfortable chair, covered with light blue silk. Most of the room was pure white, but every decorative element light blue, color of Kitao clan.
Their leader kept his piercing gaze with the same color, on Kassara. The lightest blue gaze in the room. Kitao Tasuo was an undoubtable beauty, everyone said that. Now that Kassara set down, adjusting his dark black and green kimono on the sides, found the other lord maximum so-so.
Lord Edora’s face reflected reluctance and impatience as he accepted the tea from a servant moved around the table fluid like river. In the castle of Edoras, they pampered the guest with fresh blood but he said nothing, nor he touched the small, elegant porcelain tea cup.
- Thank you for coming today, Lord Edora.- Tasuo spoke up, his voice was loud and clear even from the other side of the room. Masculine, but high. Kassara reached to conclusion as soon as he heard it. A masculine intersex. He tried to hide his smile, but it played on the right side of his lips. Remembering to hide his opinions, he quickly washed the tiny smirk down from his face. In the old times no intersex vampire was welcomed in the leader position of any clan, big or small. But times changed, and he was glad no one was thinking like a fossil anymore. Seemingly not only around him.
Tasuo of course noticed the small gesture on the other lord’s face and his crystal blue eyes narrowed with miff. Lord Edora wanted to correct right away. He might seem offensive with his expression, despite of the fact Kassara himself had the same gender. But he simply couldn’t bring the topic up in front of everyone. Thinking feverishly how to put the meeting in place what he messed up before saying a word, he raised his own voice, putting aside all the years he spent with training, to lower the feminine features in his own tone.
- Thank you for the invitation.- he nod, and both his advisors, Raya and Kian gazed at their leader with mild surprise as they noticed the long-gone intersex tone from their master.- I am pleased we are after the same goal, which is peace between our families. However the Edora family is supervising the hunting fields of Tokyo area, we are ready to share some districts with the Kitao clan having some reasonable request in return.
Kassara couldn’t even finish his thought before noticing the raising tension in the air. Tasuo took a breath through his nose, and raised his hand to silent his advisors and son, Akra who was ready to jump up yelling how outrageous the statement is.
- Before we go into the details of your requests, I must clarify… Kitaos are here before calendar time, since 3300 years.- Kassara’s back stiffened and closed his eyes for a long second. He knew well the disagreement will rise in the very beginning of the meeting.
The land was in Edora hands since forever, they brought here the first farmers at the very beginning and Kiraos knew it.
Loudness broke out in no time, everyone talked the same time, angry and dissatisfied, but the two lord, who shot upset gaze at each other’s direction.
The situation escalated to yelling in minutes, and simply continued for an hour, when Tasuo slowly emerged from his seat and along with him, everyone else but the Edora delegation. Even their Lord slowly stood in the silent suddenly fell on the room.
- May I have a minute with you eye to eye, Edora san?- Tasuo raised his hand, gesturing towards the door was behind his back. Kassara nod and after adjusting his kimono slowly, elegantly walked through the room, not caring about the sudden movement of his bodyguards who are attempted to follow their master.
- I’ll go myself.- Kassara stated and joined Tasuo’s side, who was just as tall as the leader of Edora clan. From this small distance, Lord Edora found the other clan leader much less unattractive.
Once they separated, Tasuo closed the door and hid his hands into the sleeve of his white-blue kimono. Kassara eyed him with suspicion but he was more curious about what the other leader has to say what their confidants shall not hear. Lord Kitao slowly walked to the back of the room, returning with two glass of blood, reaching one of the crystal pot over to Kassara. Accepting it Lord Edora almost unnoticeably smelled the content, which made Tasuo huff through his nose, followed by a smile.- If I was to poison you, I’d choose a better method.
The younger lord hummed, and took a sip from the glass. It was just perfect after all the tension he experienced outside.
- Let them to argue a little, without us.- Tasuo turned towards the low table to sit down next to it, gesturing for Kassara to do the same.- I see no use of this meeting at this point. We must speak to each other, Lord Edora.- he spoke, watching Kassara making himself comfortable in front of him. This table was much smaller, only for an intimate cup of tea or blood, for two.
Kassara monitored the other vampire, still ready for anything as he set then sighed:
- I was thinking the same. Politics are not my favorite.
- Yes I know, you prefer wielding your katana. -Tasuo remarked mockingly but it only made Kassara to chuckle with lips close:
- And I heard you are on to exclude us from this hunting field by deception.
- Naturally. - Tasuo arched his brows elegantly. That made Kassara to smirk:
- You do not even try to deny it?
- What would be the use of it? We are killing each other for years now for this hunting field.- Tasuo huffed with an eyeroll.- But at this point, I am ready to reach to an agreement with your family. Too many died. The situation is too painful and we are both too bitter to think clearly. So I had to look you in the eyes.- he narrowed his formidably light blue hues at the leader of Edoras. Kassara, held the half-empty glass of blood between his thumb and index, leaned back, resting his elbow on his pulled up knee and stood the gaze, with the message it held.
- And now that you do… what are your intentions? - he then asked, arching a brow at his so-called enemy.
- I see you feeling the same loss. The same tiredness from this war. Let’s agree on something beneficial for the both of us. – the Kitao’s offer made Kassara to hum, tilting his head.
- For me, the most beneficial would be you picking your things and leave my hunting field.- Tasuo’s face turned to bored skeptical, but he actually tried to hold his laughter back. He was both offended and entertained:
- Tell me when you can act serious. If I was touchy, I would take your behavior offensive.
- Offensive is: Leave my hunting field or else…- Kassara raised his index, pointing at Tasuo rudely, but he was on the verge of smiling.- Between these walls I can not think clearly, it frustrates me.- he leaned back again when not getting the outraged reaction he was expecting, and drank the blood before it turned too cold.
- Everyone would find a hall like this, frustrated. It makes people to feel… puny.- Lord Kitao looked up at the tall ceiling, and Kassara followed his gaze with a hum.
- I do not feel small this easily. But if you would like to have a grounded and relaxed chat about our disagreement, meet me somewhere else.- Tasuo took his gaze off of the decorated ceiling and shot a piercing glare towards Kassara.
- So you are reluctant to come to my castle but expecting me to come here and drink the blood you serve without having a second thought?- he put his elbows on the table, knocking the glass down onto nicely lacquered surface.- Actually I was thinking about a third place. The Blossom would make it.
Tasuo made a calculating expression for a moment. He reminded himself how many of his people and relatives died in the bloody fights with the clan, whose leader is trying to lure him out from his fortress with challenge in his eyes.
- I will not fight with you. Not here, nor someplace else. - Tasuo made a statement, straightening his back even more, if it was possible.- Unless you make me.
- Are you scared of having a tea with me at a public place? I am not wielding my katana during meetings marked with white flag.
- Oh, is it going to be a peace negotiation? Without weapons? Poison? Without company and suspicion?- Lord Kitao asked, arching his brows with sarcasm.
- Exactly.- Kassara pointed at him again and seem deeply hurt when Tasuo started to laugh. Cold and ironic.
- Do you really think I’m that stupid?
Lord Edora groaned and crossed his arms:
- I am not going to continue this monkey parade outside! I can not even hear my own thoughts from these clowns.
- Lord Edora, you are talking about your own advisors.- The older vampire reminded him, with an amused expression.
- And about yours. Mostly yours. You are right, I want to end this meaningless war between us which caused great losses for both clan! Shedding more vampire blood is an outrageous waste! I am ready to share, if you meet me tonight where I told you, alone, and we can talk like the leaders we are! This is our responsibility! - he spoke louder and louder, but Tasuo didn’t backed away from him, an inch.
- If you keep on yelling, we won’t be alone in this room for too long. Also, if you would like to keep our meeting in secret from our well-trained bodyguards, you shall not be so loud surrounded by vampire ears.- he pointed at his own.
Kassara pulled his elbows back from the table and clicked with his tongue. This vampire outsmarted him, and it was greatly irritating. Watching Tasuo to stand, he stood as well, and watched Lord Kitao to empty his own glass, then slowly walking to the door opened to the great meeting room.
- Tonight, I’ll be there.- he said, and stepped out.
