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Shattered Illusions	By : dragonphire99 Category: +. to F > FAKE Views: 6374 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own FAKE, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
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FAKE

Shattered Illusions

by Lady Dragonphire

Summary: When Ryo, a vengeful
assassin, is sent to kill Dee, the sovereign of a kingdom, can they discover
love amongst the driving forces that rule their hearts?

Disclaimer: FAKE and its
characters are the property of Sanami Matoh.

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Chapter 9. The Reckoning, Part I

Rose was
deep in thought as he polished his armor, his hands moving methodically over
the steel until it gleamed, his eyes cold and calculating. His army was restless. There was talk of the inevitable upcoming
battle, and the soldiers had started to hold fighting tournaments amongst
themselves to satiate their bloodlust and rise in the ranks. Rose stood and sharpened his sword against a
stone, satisfied that it would serve him well against the king�s army. A rustling of tent flap interrupted his
musings and the warlord looked up with piercing blue eyes at the man who
entered his tent. �Yes, soldier?� Rose
inquired.

�Sir, the
men want to know when we march on Dee�s kingdom. It is
impractical to wait any longer. We have
heard rumors that Dee
knows our whereabouts and that it is only a matter of time now until he draws
us out,� the officer said with a slight cringe.
It was always a gamble when addressing Rose, depending what the man�s
mood was.

�No, we do
nothing yet,� Rose said definitively. �I
am waiting to hear from Diana. We will
not abandon her. She is our best
internal source of information about Dee and his army. I
need to know everything about what we�re up against before we attack, otherwise victory will not be so swift. Wait for my command to march. It will not be long now.�

The
soldier bowed and turned to leave the tent, but paused as Rose called out, �Wait. Have we any news on whether Dee has received the body of the
assassin Ryo yet?�

The man
gulped nervously and looked down at the dirt ground, shifting his weight from
foot to foot. �Ryo�s body is missing,�
he admitted quietly.

�What!? Incompetent fool! How did that happen? You mean to tell me that a dead man just
walked away? Find him. Search the entire camp if you must, but bring
Ryo�s body to me. It is vital that we
have this card to play if we are to upset Dee enough to turn the tide of battle
in our favor. Now leave my sight and do
not return until you find the body,� Rose commanded.

�Sir,�
another soldier gasped as he ran into the tent, flushed and breathless. �There�s an army headed this way. It may be Dee�s.
What are we to do?�

Rose�s
eyes flashed and he pursed his lips into a thin line, feeling a surge of
anticipation rush through him. �We wait
for them to enter the camp. That will be
their first mistake. Rally the troops;
prepare for battle.�

__________________________________________________________

Ryo rode
in melancholy silence, his dark eyes focused on the path ahead as he mentally
prepared himself for their final encounter with his superior. The outcome of the battle today would play a
part in the fate of everyone involved, with no guarantee for success on either
side. No one knew what the future held
for them. As Ryo absentmindedly adjusted
the sheath of arrows and bow slung across his back, he wondered what would
become of his and Dee�s
relationship after he discovered the identity of his parents� murderer and
would have to depart the palace until he had brought the murderer to
justice. The shy assassin had not yet
found an opportunity to let Dee know how he felt about him, but he was determined to tell
him before he had to leave Dee. With this thought
in mind, Ryo sat up straighter in the saddle, the sun occasionally breaking
through the trees and highlighting beautiful golden glints in his hair as his
horse plodded steadily through the forest.
After his trip to the hot springs with Dee yesterday, his body felt better
than ever and he was able to walk without the help of his staff this morning.

�Ryo, are
you doing okay?� a soft voice asked from beside him. Ryo blinked, startled, and turned to see that
the regal sovereign was now riding next to him on the path, his deep green eyes
gazing at Ryo as Dee
studied him intently. The strong
raven-haired warrior was imposingly dressed in his newly fashioned battle armor
that was identical to the attire that Rose�s soldiers wore. Gauntlets protected his forearms, and a dark
hooded cloak flowed behind him that concealed a sword sheathed at his side.

�Yes Dee, I�m fine. I�m just thinking about things,� Ryo said
with a shy smile.

�Don�t
worry; if everything goes according to plan, we should have a swift victory,�
Dee said reassuringly, taking Ryo�s earlier distressed features to indicate
worry about the battle that lay ahead of them.
He reached over and took Ryo�s hand in his own, gently stroking the
flesh with his thumb as he gave Ryo a charming smile and looked deep into his
beautiful dark eyes. �When all of this
is over, my earlier offer still stands.
I want you to live in the palace with me,� Dee continued. �I know that you are free to do as you will,
but please consider it. It would mean a
lot to me if you would stay by my side.�

Ryo gasped
softly. Dee was so sincere in his devotion to
him, the unfathomable depths of his deep green eyes reflecting the emotions
residing in his heart. It was not fair
to keep his feelings hidden from Dee any longer. �Dee,
please, there is something that I must tell you first,� Ryo said, his voice
wavering a little as he saw the concern surfacing in Dee�s handsome
features. Dee silently encouraged him to
continue as he gently squeezed Ryo�s hand.
�I-I�,� Ryo faltered, blushing deeply and lowering his eyes as he took a
deep breath.

Just then,
a shout drifted back to them and an armed soldier on horseback approached Dee, bowing slightly. �Your Majesty, Rose�s camp has been spotted
up ahead. The army awaits your command
as to how we should proceed.�

�Secure
the horses and set up camp. Make sure
that the first battalion is ready to fight when I give the signal. The second battalion is to wait behind as
reinforcements and only join in the fight if necessary, after Rose�s army grows
weary from battle. I want Rose to
underestimate the number of soldiers in our ranks. Ryo and I go alone from here. If there�s no signal and we�re not back by
sundown, storm the camp,� Dee replied authoritatively.
The soldier bowed and departed, calling out orders to the men as he
approached the front of the ranks.

Dee turned to face Ryo, the blood
pumping powerfully through his veins in anticipation of the upcoming
battle. �No matter what happens today, I
will always love you, Ryo,� Dee whispered heatedly before releasing Ryo�s hand and
commanding his horse forward, Ryo following swiftly behind after a moment, his
heart beating strongly within his chest.

Dee and
Ryo rode to the borders of Rose�s camp and dismounted, Dee sending the horses back to his men
with a firm command and an encouraging slap on their backsides as Ryo held the
reins of a third horse that they had brought with them. Ryo soothingly patted the horse which he had
previously taken from one of Rose�s soldiers and made sure that the bundle
draped across its back was secure before turning to face Dee.

�Are you
ready?� Dee asked softly, moving to stand in
front of Ryo and tracing his fingertips over Ryo�s fair cheeks.

�Yes,� Ryo
whispered, blushing shyly. �I can do
this, as long as you are beside me, Dee.�
An aura of courage and strength seemed to emanate from Dee, and Ryo derived confidence from
it, knowing that Dee
would be with him throughout the emotional confrontation with his
superior.

�I believe
in you, Ryo. We will defeat him� together.�
Dee leaned down and brushed his lips against Ryo�s, passionately
caressing the supple flesh as he closed his emerald eyes and pressed Ryo�s
lithe body tightly against him.

�Together,�
Ryo whispered against Dee�s lips before kissing him back softly. Dee shivered in pleasure as Ryo broke the tender kiss,
realizing that this was the first time that Ryo had ever kissed him of his own
accord. The kiss was gentle and sweet,
but subtly laced with a passionate undercurrent that thrilled Dee.

Dee looked deep into Ryo�s eyes and
winked before releasing him, causing his beautiful Ryo to blush heatedly. �Now the ruse begins,� Dee whispered. The raven-haired warrior pulled up the hood
of his cloak so that it shielded his eyes and faced Ryo, drawing his sword and
pressing it against the assassin�s sensitive throat as they walked into the
campsite together.

Ryo held
his head high and steeled his jaw with determination as he grasped the horse�s
reins tighter. Dee stood tall and proud, a reassuring
air surrounding him as they walked further into enemy territory. Some of Rose�s men who were gathered around a
campfire turned to appraise the intruders, smirking in satisfaction when they
noticed that Ryo was a prisoner and that Rose was not there to protect
him. �Well, well, well. What have we here, boys? It looks as if Rose�s harlot has returned,� a
brash soldier said condescendingly as he approached the pair, his weapon drawn
and his steely gray eyes never leaving Ryo�s body. A few more soldiers perked up in interest as
they assessed the beautiful Ryo, his wounds masked by the peasant garb that he wore, a loose-fitting cream-colored shirt and brown
pants.

Another
soldier walked towards Ryo, a predatory smile playing over his lips as he
spoke. �We thought he had killed you,
but I can see that you�re very much alive.
I should have known; Rose isn�t into necrophilia, and your body is ripe
for conquest.� Ryo shifted uncomfortably
and lowered his dark eyes, but kept walking towards the direction of Rose�s
tent as he felt Dee
prod him with his sword. The man turned
now to address Dee, the gleam in his eyes showing
unmistakable lust. �Why don�t you let us
have some fun with him for awhile? You
can return him to Rose after we�ve taken our pleasure with him. You can even join in if you�re �up� for
it.� He moved closer to Ryo, practically
salivating at the prospect.

Dee stepped forward, putting himself
between Ryo and the men and speaking in a firm voice as he brandished his sword
menacingly. �No, I am to deliver him to
Rose unharmed. You cross me, you cross Rose, and I am
ordered to show no mercy,� Dee growled. A fire
burned behind his deep green eyes that held a formidable intensity.

The men
seemed to consider Dee�s
words for a moment before retreating.
The tall soldier who guarded Ryo was certainly capable of carrying out
his threat. Ryo sighed softly in relief. He had been afraid that Dee might blow their cover when the men
had started taunting him, but was glad that Dee had kept up his guise as Rose�s
subservient.

�What�s
all this fighting about? We are in the
midst of preparing for a battle,� a strong voice thundered throughout the
clearing. Berkley Rose strode towards
the gathering of men in full battle armor, an angry glare on his stern
features. His cold blue eyes took in Ryo
standing before him, and he managed to mask his surprise long enough to turn to
his men and command, �Leave us!� The
soldiers knew not to challenge him as they quickly hurried away.

Rose
turned to Ryo, walking towards him but addressing Dee, once again holding the sword
against Ryo�s throat. �Thank you for
returning what is mine. You are
dismissed, soldier.� Dee walked to the edge of the forest
but did not leave, a silent sentinel standing witness to what he knew Ryo had
to do alone. He had reluctantly promised
Ryo that he would not interfere, despite the humiliation that the honey blond
was sure to have to endure from Rose.

Rose
surveyed Ryo�s appearance as the shy assassin stood before him. �You are a clever one, managing to steal a
horse and sneak out of the camp when Diana and I believed that you were
dead. I should have known that I
wouldn�t be able to get rid of you that easily.
I taught you well. You�re the
only one who has ever survived my gauntlet.
To what do I owe the honor of your visit?� he asked with a mock
bow.

Ryo lifted
his downcast eyes and softly addressed his superior, refusing to be deterred by
Rose�s condescending air. �I have a
proposition for you. It�s an offer that
you can�t refuse, but I want something from you in return.�

�Make it
fast. I have to go kill the king,� Rose
said dismissively.

�The king
is dead. I have assassinated him,� Ryo
said, meeting cold sapphire eyes with his kind warm ones. �His body lies draped over the back of this
horse. Dee�s army has followed me here to
take retribution for their leader. If
you give me what I ask for, it is yours and you will be able to defeat them.�

Rose�s
eyes lit up and a sly smile played across his lips as he surveyed the figure
lying across the horse�s back, wrapped in a protective sheet. His gaze suddenly narrowed in suspicion as he
put a question to the honey-blond. �Why
would you want to help me after I tried to kill you?�

Ryo shyly
lowered his eyes and sank to the ground, kneeling before Rose in
supplication. �I came to ask for your
forgiveness. I was wrong to doubt you. I�m so sorry.
I shouldn�t have let Dee talk me into defying you.
You were right; he was only trying to save his own life. I was poisoned by his words. He lied to me, and only wanted to use me for
my body. When Dee saw that my body had been
irreparably scarred, he cast me out of his palace. I have nowhere else to go. I had hoped that by killing him I could make
amends. Please take me back and let me
serve you,� Ryo pleaded.

Rose
smiled with satisfaction. Although he
had admired the gorgeous assassin�s previous defiance, he reveled in the fact
that it was he who had finally shattered the man�s seemingly indomitable
spirit. The position in which he found
himself now was almost as arousing as when he had forcefully kissed the bound
and helpless Ryo, and it strengthened his lust for the man tenfold. The sweet, submissive Ryo would finally be
his.

The
imposing blonde walked over to stand in front of Ryo, threading his fingers
through strands of the assassin�s fair hair as he tilted Ryo�s head back and
gently caressed the spattering of bruises that marred his otherwise perfect
features. �You really are
beautiful. Why don�t we see just how
sorry you are? I know how you can make
it up to me,� he whispered as he leaned down close to Ryo, now tracing his
fingers delicately across Ryo�s lips.
Ryo shuddered and his eyes went wide with fear as Rose drew closer to
him and moved his hand up Ryo�s thigh, possessively cupping him between his
legs as a lustful smile played across his lips.

�W-Wait,�
Ryo stammered in protest as he tried to wriggle out of the iron grasp that Rose
now had around his wrist, backing away from Rose�s unwelcome touch and causing
the bow and arrows fastened on his back to dislodge from their sheath and
scatter over the ground. �I want to know
who killed my parents. Then you will
have my loyalty and allegiance once more, as well as Dee�s body.�

Rose
opened his eyes in shock as he stood and glanced at the body, then back at the
assassin kneeling on the ground. �Ryo, I
already told you the answer to that question.
The murderer lies before your eyes.
Why do you doubt me?� he shouted, then lowered his voice in
contemplation. �Maybe it should be me
who doubts you.� Motioning to two of his
soldiers who were cowering behind a nearby tent, he indicated the bundle that
lay across the horse. They hurriedly walked
over to it and lifted it off the horse, laying it at Rose�s feet.

The tall
blonde unwrapped the cloth from around the body as Ryo
got to his feet, rubbing his sore wrist as he leaned against the horse to keep
himself steady. Piercing blue eyes expected
to see the distinctive raven tresses of the king, but instead were met with a
tumble of long blonde hair that framed a familiar face, her features serene and
peaceful as she remained unmoving, her cold body bereft of a heartbeat. �Diana?� Rose breathed in shock as he lifted
her body and held her against his chest.
�How?
Why? You were the best there
was. How could you have failed me?� Rose
asked in disbelief.

�She loved
you,� Ryo said quietly, his voice rising slightly in anger as he observed the
actions of his superior. �Is that all
you can think of � how she failed to serve you?
Don�t you mourn her death at all?
Diana sacrificed her life so that you could live another day. Everything she did was for you. You didn�t deserve her.�

The warlord
reverently placed Diana�s body upon the ground and spun on Ryo in a sudden fit
of fury. Ryo cringed as Rose approached
him, hoping that there would not be too much of a fight, as he was not yet
fully healed. �TRAITOR!�
Rose seethed as he grasped the trembling Ryo by the arm and viciously threw him
to the ground in front of him, ripping his shirt from his body. �How dare you deceive me! I took you in and put up with you for years
and this is how you repay me?! By
betraying me again and again? I should
have snapped your neck myself instead of leaving you to die. No� I should have killed you the day I killed
your parents. I should have known that
you�d turn out just like them,� Rose yelled, his face contorted with barely
restrained rage.

�Y-You killed
my parents?� Ryo whispered incredulously, clutching at his chest as his heart
beat uncontrollably and his mind reeled with an onslaught of emotions.

�Yes, they
had outlived their usefulness to me, if you must know. I had helped them out when a band of raiders
attacked their merchant cart and threatened to kill them if they did not give
them all of their money. Your parents
were very grateful to me and my men.
There�s no better weapon than gratitude to use to control someone. Of course, when they asked how they could
repay me for my kindness, I couldn�t resist.
I knew that the MacLeans had a son residing in
a training encampment that was old enough to become a soldier. I wanted you for my army that was rising to
power. A young and able body with
knowledge of two cultures and looks that would appeal to any man or woman would
make a perfect assassin. Your life in repayment for theirs. It was a fair trade. When they adamantly refused that you become a
mercenary, I graciously took my leave of them, but I never forgot their
debt. The next time that they were in
the same predicament in their travels, on the day before the Solstice, I stood
by and let the plunderers take what they would.
It�s so much easier letting others do the dirty work for you. When their attackers had left them to die, I
simply finished the job by taking their lives.
I would take what was rightfully mine.
I didn�t have to wait long; you eventually found their bodies and were
all too willing to become an assassin in order to avenge them. I just left out a few small details. You just needed the proper motivation. So you see, you really do belong to me,� Rose
gloated.

Ryo sat
unmoving, in a state of shock at Rose�s unexpected confession. The powerful blonde man standing before him
was nothing more than a ruthless cold-hearted killer whose ambition knew no
limits. It angered Ryo that he had aided
this wicked man in his rise to attain more power, but now that Dee had shown
him the value of his own life, he was not afraid to stand up for himself and
for what he believed in. The ties that
had bound him to Rose were finally severed, once and for all.

�No, I
belong to no one,� Ryo spoke up bravely.
�My life is my own, and I will
have revenge for the deaths of my parents.
You reap what you sow, Rose. All
your deceit and treachery will not go unpunished,� Ryo vowed in a steady voice,
although he could feel his heart breaking inside of him. This man standing before him had shattered
his world, taking away his happiness for his own selfish reasons and condemning
him to a fate that he should have never had to endure, a life without love.

�Oh, and
who�s going to stop me?� Rose laughed maliciously as he raised his sword over
the distraught honey blond. �You?�

Ryo closed
his eyes and lowered his head as he prepared to join his parents in the
underworld and embrace his fate, giving into despair. He knew that Rose was too powerful to defeat
alone. He had not noticed that all
throughout their encounter, a stealthy figure had been steadily moving closer
to the pair, barely masking his fury at the latest turn of events.

Rose�s
eyes widened in shock as Dee�s cloak fell away from his handsome face, revealing his
flashing green eyes and his distinctive raven hair. �No, me,� a strong voice resonated throughout
the clearing as Dee stepped between Ryo�s prone body and Rose�s upraised sword,
his sword connecting powerfully with Rose�s and making the blonde warlord step
back with the aftershock of his strength as metal connected with metal. �How dare you talk to Ryo
like that?! He�s ten times the
man that you could ever be. Ryo lives by
the code of honor, and he values the beauty of life. The weak and the innocent are to be
protected, not exploited by the likes of filth like you. You make me sick! Ryo still has a pure heart, despite serving
under you. You should show him the
respect that he deserves,� Dee said angrily as he helped Ryo to his feet. He was rewarded with a grateful smile that
didn�t quite reach the haunted look of despair reflected in Ryo�s dark
eyes. Dee could almost feel the depths of
Ryo�s suffering at discovering the identity of his parents� murderer at last
and all of the emotional turmoil that accompanied it. His deep green eyes begged Ryo to let him
handle the situation with his superior.
Ryo sighed resignedly and nodded that he understood, his emotional state
of mind fluctuating in a jumbled confusion.
He could not trust himself to think clearly right now, still desperately
trying to come to terms with Rose�s confession and the resulting guilt and
sorrow that he felt.

Dee advanced upon Rose, the sword in
his hand fiercely reflecting the sunlight as he gripped its handle resolutely,
his long black cloak flowing in the breeze.
�It�s time to pay for what you�ve done to Ryo as well as to the people
of my kingdom. I will make sure that you
can no longer threaten any of those entrusted to my care. Will you fight me fairly or will I have to
summon my army in order to make my point?
The choice is yours,� Dee said, his intense emerald eyes boring into Rose�s cold
blue ones.

Rose drew
himself up to his full height, twirling his sword in his hands as he studied
it, seemingly mesmerized. With a small
smile, he calmly asked Dee, �Why are you so intent on helping Ryo? An assassin who can�t even kill is of no use
to anyone anymore. He will only be a
burden to you. Walk away now and I will
spare your life. Leave him to me. He will be dealt with accordingly and I
promise that I will never wage war on your kingdom as long as I am in power.�

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