• 1-Res Judicata
• 2-part 2
• 3-part 3
• 4-part 4
• 5-part 5
• 6-part 6
• 7-part 7
• 8-part 8
• 9-part 9

//”Father, look what Touda built for me!” the excited voice of his
son cut into his thoughts and the next moment a very bouncy little dragon
was hanging at his arm, chattering cheerfully and showing him the firebird
shaped paper dragon. “Will you help me letting it fly?”

“Well, if Touda built it for you, maybe he should have the honor,
don’t you think, Keijin?”

Sohryu smiled at the pout, glancing over to where Touda was standing,
watching the little dragon with a smile of his own.

“It would me my honor, my lord,” Touda said, bowing with a smirk
and a twinkle.

There was a tenderness in his snake eyes as he watched the boy running
out of the room, calling for him to come and help him.

 

Sohryu stepped into the passage around the training area silently,
watching. The opponents were unlikely as they could be, one older and slightly
heavier built with battle experience, the other one slender and tall with
a body like a dancer, long blue hair bound back into pony tail, not much
more than a boy but already the size of his father. Both circled each other,
waiting for a chance to attack.

And then in a blink of an eye the young man leaped into the air,
only to come back down on his opponent like a hawk. Yellow snake eyes flared,
there was a flutter of movement and the slender body crashed into the ground,
held down by the other.

His son grinned up at his trainer, and Touda shook his head, smiling
amused, placing one hand at the young man’s cheek. Keijin’s grin turned
into a gentle smile and he whispered something. Touda let go of him abruptly.

 

“Touda,” Sohryu said seriously, ”these threats aren’t idle. I want
you to look after Keijin while I’m away.”

“You can trust me, Sohryu. I’ll protect him with my life.”

Sohryu placed a hand on his first general and friend’s shoulder,
squeezing thankfully.

“I know you will. You love him, too.”

There was a short flicker in those serpentine eyes.

“Yes, my lor/