The Blazing Tempest

DISCLAIMER: This story is a non-commercial work of fiction based on the anime/manga Samurai 7. Original copyright of Samurai 7 belongs to Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, MICO, GDH, GONZO. Absolutely no monetary gain has been made with this work.


THE BLAZING TEMPEST
By Rory V. Pascual (Edited by Saiyukihana)
© Original Version 2001; Samurai 7 Version June 25, 2006


Chapter Twenty-Nine

Shichiroji eyed Ukyo with apprehension from across the table. They had been dining for the past hour, exchanging nothing more than casual conversation. The Samurai wondered if it was because of the servant in their presence, but noting the furtive glances the Amanushi accorded him, he knew Ukyo was up to something. The question was what?

Thankfully, the Amanushi dismissed the servant, saying something about another person, possibly a slave as well, to serve them the best wine in the cellars. He waited for the servant to leave before lounging back into his chair, hands forming a steeple, staring at the Samurai.

"So..." Shichiroji waved his hands with a hint of impatience. "Are you going to tell me what you're up to?"

"You know me, Shichiroji-kun," grinned Ukyo. "You know that the only thing that interests me is world domination."

"And a good whore," the Samurai quickly added. "Which you already possess."

"That's true. He is exquisite, isn't he? Never did I imagine that he would learn so much in so little time. Usually, men at that age are not exactly malleable. I have no doubt that he will succeed where the others have failed."

"Succeed in what? I've never known you to have a problem in getting it up."

"That's not what I meant. I meant succeed in securing for me the entire world."

"Don't make me laugh, Ukyo! What could a whore do that you could not accomplish in fifteen years of countless sieges?"

The Amanuhi leaned forward. "What if I told you that I had...something...that could make this possible."

"I'd say that you've probably been enjoying Hyogo's company for too long," Shichiroji remarked snidely.

"I'm not insane, Shichiroji-kun. One of these days, I'll show it to you. My sweet, talented concubine is the key to make it work."

"Does Shinno know what you're planning to do?"

"Unfortunately, he doesn't. Even more unfortunate is that he needs to be willing."

Shichiroji laughed. "Then you, Amanushi-sama, have a very big problem. You don't know your precious whore like I do. He's very headstrong. He will never be willing.

"That is why I need your help. You could convince him to see things my way."

"And that is one thing I will never do. Ukyo, he's your problem. If you want him to obey you, try convincing him yourself." The Samurai stood up, tapping his hands on the table in finality. "Thank you for the fine dinner, Amanushi-sama!"

But as Shichiroji turned his back to the evil ruler, Ukyo hurriedly called out, "Shichiroji, don't go! Not yet! Aren't you curious know about what happened to your beloved general, the man you once called 'husband'?"

Shichiroji stopped at once, his blood running cold. "What is there for me to know?" he replied bluntly.

"You hate him, don't you? Because he betrayed you. Is that not the reason why you decided to join the caravan? You thought you could have your revenge on him by starting with his close associates like me, the Amanushi of Ain Mehira. You have good connections, Shichiroji, to know so much of what has been happening for the past fifteen years."

"Yet I still know so little. Sometimes, I wonder if I were not deliberately being fed with misleading information."

There was a guilty expression on Ukyo's face. "True, but aren't you going to ask me about Shimada Kanbei?"

The Samurai did not reply, not certain if he could trust his own voice. Still, Ukyo saw the flash of hurt in his sky blue eyes.

"Oh, forgive me for my persistence! I could see that you still love that man very much. Charming samurai!" He gave his the Warrior a conspiratorial wink. "I wish you got the chance to know him the way I did."

It took great effort on Shichiroji's part not to pull out his spear and take Ukyo's head right then and there. // Bastard! It was you! It was you all along! Oh, Kanbei! How could I have abandoned you the way I had? It's my fault that your life is ruined! //

"I wish I had," Shichiroji lied under his teeth, his rage seething inside. Dismissingly, he declared, "But let's not talk about the past."

Ukyo stood up, going behind Shichiroji's chair, running his hand over the Samurai's shoulders. "You're right. I shouldn't have brought up the pains of the past." His voice husky with desire, he murmured, "I missed you."

As Shichiroji turned around, he suddenly found himself enfolded in Ukyo's arms. The Amanushi pressed his lips to the Samurai's, plundering that mouth. His hands caressed the slender frame. Shichiroji tried hard not to pull away, though he was revolted by Ukyo's touch.

Not releasing his hold on him, Ukyo led the Warrior towards the bed and pushed him onto the soft mattress. Before Shichiroji could move, his clothes were torn open.

"Don't worry!" Ukyo chuckled. "I'll have new ones made for you, Shichiroji-kun!" He then swiftly removed his own garments.

Shichiroji shuddered as Ukyo showered his body with kisses. His lips nipped the ivory skin, leaving red marks. When his tormenting mouth found the tiny nipples, Shichiroji gasped, arching his chest upwards. As Ukyo sucked and bit on his hardened nubs, his fingers sought the hard member between Shichiroji's legs, stroking and pulling it hard.

When Ukyo squeezed him, Shichiroji complained, "No! It hurts!!"

"You've grown soft, Shichiroji. Maybe I should refresh your memory of the lessons I had taught you."

Saying this, Ukyo gripped Shichiroji's thighs and spread them wide apart. Without any preparation at all, he then thrust hard into the Warrior's body that a pain-filled cry escaped the Samurai's lips.

While Ukyo rammed his iron-hard cock inside him, Shichiroji remembered a
similar situation, wherein he was like the evil ruler – the aggressor, the rapist. He could still remember the soft sobs of Kanbei when he had taken him. Shichiroji did not realize that he was crying as well.

// Yes, Ukyo! // his mind screamed. // Make it rape! Make me pay for the
things I have done to Kanbei! //

Shichiroji did not know he was already screaming as they neared the peak. "Yes, Ukyo! Harder! Fuck me harder! I need the pain! Give it to me!"

Their orgasm was explosive. As Shichiroji came all over Ukyo's belly, he felt the Amanushi gush his fluids inside his body.

"Gods, Shichiroji-kun!" Ukyo laughed as he showered Shichiroji's flushed face with his kisses. "I never knew you still had it in you!"

Then, a metallic crash jarred them to alertness. Together, the two men turned in the direction of the sound. Shichiroji's jaw dropped in shock.

Kanbei stood beside the table, his hands pressed to his veiled face. At his feet lay the fallen tray, goblets and a shattered bottle of wine that he had dropped when he beheld the shocking sight that greeted him when he entered the room.

"Well, look who we have here!" declared Ukyo. Pulling roughly out of Shichiroji, he climbed down from the bed and went towards the trembling figure. Grabbing the concubine's arm, he pulled the older man towards the bed.

"Shichiroji," the evil ruler began, "Let me formally introduce you to my favorite catamite." He then said in obvious displeasure, "Unfortunately, I have told him time and time again not to wear any clothing in my presence. I cannot understand why he loves this desert garb. You couldn't see a thing. I prefer him in the soft silk of a caftan or a kimono."

Kanbei could barely look at Shichiroji. He was pulling his veil tightly over his face.

"Didn't I tell you not to wear a veil before me?" Ukyo roared at the frightened man.

Shichiroji gazed disapprovingly at the Amanushi. "It's not necessary, Ukyo!"

"What kind of whore is he that he hides his beauty? That's why I decided to make him the best concubine in the entire world in the first place -- because he is such an exquisite picture of loveliness. I had him trained by the best whores and sodomites in Japan and Algiers. I almost lost him in Japan, when his…friends…tried to help him escape. But, as you can see, I got my lover back, and I don't intend to ever let him go. He will always be mine."

Suddenly, Ukyo gripped the right shoulder of Kanbei's shirt and ripped it open, baring the hateful brand at his right shoulder. Shichiroji could barely hide his revulsion at the sight of that brand.

"As you can see I have placed my mark on him. It will also serve as a reminder of who he is to me." As Shichiroji gaped in stunned silence, Ukyo kissed the brand. "My precious whore!"

"That's enough, Ukyo!"

There was an insane smile on the Amanushi's face. "Ah, but we haven't come to the best part." Viciously, he ripped the veil from the whoremaster's face. Before he could turn away, Ukyo grabbed him by the cheeks and forced the older man to look into Shichiroji's startled eyes.

The Samurai gasped, beholding at long last that handsome face. The face of the man he once admired as a leader and loved as a spouse.

"NO," Shichiroji shook his head in disbelief. Although he had known the truth for quite some time, finally seeing the reality was a great shock to him.

"Shichiroji-kun," Ukyo began, giving the concubine a loud slobbering kiss on the cheek, "I'd like you to meet my sweet Little Taisho – SHIMADA KANBEI!" Saying this, he shoved Kanbei into Shichiroji's arms.

At once, the concubine fell to his knees, his expressive doe eyes mirroring his terror. "Shichiroji, please! Let me explain!"

"What do you say, Shichiroji-kun?" Ukyo interrupted, winking. "Like old times?"

The concubine clung, begging, to the Samurai's legs. "Shichiroji, I'm sorry I deceived you! I beg you to give me a chance to explain! Please, Shichiroji, don't do this to me! I LOVE YOU!"

Shichiroji closed his eyes, but still those pleas and those tear-filled orbs reached him. He did not want to hurt the whoremaster. However, the danger posed by Ukyo and the Odalisk hung over them like the sword of Damocles.

Although his heart was breaking, he looked at the leering visage of Ukyo. With all the strength he could muster, Shichiroji answered, "Yes. Just like old times."

~~~~~~~~~~

Kanbei was running through the dark hallways, tears of shame streaming from his eyes. He clutched his torn robes around his body, but the blood continued to flow between his legs. In his anguish at the Samurai's betrayal, he was unmindful of the pains in his body. All he could feel were the shattered pieces of his heart inside his chest.

He could still hear Ukyo's words ringing in his ear. "Yes, Shichiroji-kun. You know that I am not a selfish man. I will share him with you."

"NO!" Kanbei sobbed that one word over and over again, as he stumbled through the corridors.

"Kanbei, wait!" he heard Shichiroji suddenly call behind him. "KANBEI!"

"Leave me alone!" the whoremaster cried. "Go away and leave me alone!"

But the Warrior was a fast runner. A hand gripped his arm and he was pulled into Shichiroji's warm embrace. Kanbei struggled to break free, but the Samurai would not let him go.

"Kanbei, please! Be quiet! Someone might hear us!"

"Why, Shichiroji? WHY?" Kanbei demanded. "Is this your way of tormenting me? Haven't you taken enough from me? Haven't you ruined my life enough? Do you now have to be partner with Ukyo in feasting upon my body? Is this your revenge?"

"NO!" the Warrior exclaimed in horror. "I never knew Ukyo would pull something like this. Did you think I wanted to hurt you? I had to do it so that he wouldn't know how close we really are." Shichiroji shook his head in dismay. "Why didn't you tell me who you really were, Kanbei? Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

"I wanted so hard to believe that I could still go back to the man I was. That's why I hid my identity from you. That's the only way that I could get the courage up to ask you to train me. I know how much you hated me, even if I was innocent of what you had accused me of back then" Kanbei gazed at Shichiroji through anguished doe eyes, his hands trembling as he pressed his torn clothes over his bruised and battered form. "And you taught me the most important lesson I had ever learned in my entire life. That I could NEVER be a samurai! I will ALWAYS be Little Taisho, the favorite whore of the Amanushi Ukyo!"

Saying this, Kanbei wrenched himself away from Shichiroji's grasp and ran away from him. Shichiroji could only stand and watch helplessly as the concubine disappeared at the end of the hallway.


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