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 28, 2006


Chapter Thirty-Eight

Shichiroji settled down into the scented bath with a blissful sigh. As he sat down on the seat carved out of the rock, he leaned his head back on the pool's edge. Closing his eyes, the Samurai wondered why he left Ain Mehira in the first place. Compared to the primitive environs that Kirara had to endure, the Palace and its opulent facilities were sinful luxuries. Luxuries, given the trials they would be facing in the next three days, he could definitely do without.

"Would you like me to bathe you, Shichiroji-sama?" That soft baritone carried an undertone of breathless anticipation.

Gazing up, Shichiroji saw that Kanbei had changed into a gauzy white shift. A smile formed on his lips. He knew that this man was the true reason for his return to this accursed place. For the life of him, he could not understand why the concubine had to dress in that flimsy garment. He could practically see every single inch of that delectable flesh. It only strengthened the Samurai's resolve to never leave the whoremaster ever again.

Noting the Warrior's intense perusal, a blush rose on Kanbei's cheeks, his hands tightening on the tray filled with soap, oils and perfume.

Shichiroji raised an inviting hand to the older man. Laying the tray on the edge of the pool, Kanbei shrugged off his robe gracefully and took the Samurai's hand. He gingerly stepped into the bath and took his place at Shichiroji' side.

With the whoremaster in arm's reach, all thought of bathing was forgotten. Shichiroji pulled Kanbei close to his body, raining kisses upon that beautiful face. Just as eagerly, the concubine met those heated caresses with passionate kisses of his own. If it were only
possible, the two men would have devoured each other.

The Samurai did the next best thing. Slipping down form the seat, he made his lover lean back against the side of the bath. As Kanbei watched through desire-misted eyes, Shichiroji took a deep breath and dove under the water. A strangled cry escaped his lips as that ravenous mouth latched on to his nipple. His hands reached down to hug the younger man, but Shichiroji was as slippery as an eel, taking delight in tormenting the sensitive tits. Unable to take anymore of that torturous teasing, Kanbei dove down as well. As Shichiroji sucked the concubine's cock into his mouth, so too did Kanbei take in his lover's member. Movements of lips and tongues, as well as the tiny bubbles of air being extruded from their sucking mouths, caused their erections to fill to the bursting point. It was Kanbei who came first, making tiny thrusts with his hips as he spilled his seed into the Samurai's oral heat. Before Shichiroji could come as well, the whoremaster reached down and clamped hard on the base of his cock. A flurry of bubbles signaled the Warrior's protest. Like a graceful mermaid, Kanbei twisted his body around with a kick of his feet, not releasing his hold on Shichiroji' member. With one smooth downward
motion, he straddled the Samurai's hips and impaled himself upon that erection.

The need for air and the desire for release became one. Allowing the water to buoy their bodies up, Shichiroji drove his hard cock inside his lover's channel with frenzied thrusts. Water splashed around them as they burst through the surface, a scream wrenched from the Samurai's lips as he poured his essence within the velvet channel of the concubine.

Although they tried to catch their breaths, both men were reluctant to break their most exquisite joining -- with Kanbei's legs wrapped around Shichiroji' hips.

The Warrior suddenly burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" the concubine queried.

Shichiroji's answer was a quick peck on Kanbei's lips. "NOW, we could take a bath."

At that remark, the two men's laughter rang out throughout the bath.

The next two hours saw the lovers doing more than just bathing. From the bath to Shichiroji's chamber, they kissed and made love that their bodies were suffused with scorching heat that could have burned down the Palace.

In the end, the two lovers lay arm in arm in bed, still naked, the quilt pulled up to their upper arms.

Shichiroji hugged Kanbei close to his chest. "I know that there is something that you would like to ask me, Shinno."

"Shinno..." the concubine whispered the name he had been going by for the past few months. "You know that my name is not Shinno."

"But he is a part of you, Kanbei. That part of you that has the courage to dream of becoming a warrior."

Kanbei's sigh was warm upon his skin. "Shinno no longer exists."

"And in his place is timid, submissive, hopeless Takeru. Is that what you're saying? The simple fact that you've been going to your…Masters…to ask what their wish is and if they could be coaxed into giving their wish to you is a clear sign that Shinno still exists.
The hope for freedom still burns inside you, whether you want to admit it or not."

"Very well, Shichiroji. If what you say is true, then let me hear your answers to my questions."

"I don't have to give you my wish, Kanbei, because it is my most fervent desire to see you free." A sly grin was raised on the corners of the Samurai's mouth. "And I don't need a demon to grant this wish for me."

The concubine frowned at that remark. "What do you mean?"

Shichiroji shook his head, pressing a hushing finger to Kanbei's luscious lips. "There are too many eyes and ears in this place. We shall talk tomorrow -- you, Kikuchiyo and I. But before that, I will already speak with Masamune and Gorobei. We shall hold conference in a special chamber where we could have all the privacy we need."

"Whatever it is that you're planning to do," Kanbei began in great concern, "you'd better think a hundred times before actually doing it. Ukyo and Hyogo are dangerous, true, but they do not compare to the power and might of the Odalisk."

"I'm glad to see that you finally learned to fear the demon. For a while there, I thought you were going to go to it willingly."

Kanbei could not look into his lover's face, afraid that the younger man would see the sorrow in his chocolate brown eyes. "To be truthful, I was willing. Perhaps in here..." He gestured to his heart. "...I still do." The Samurai was about to argue. This time, it was the
whoremaster's turn to press his palm over his lover's mouth. "Please. Let me explain. Something...inside me is telling me that I'm reading the Odalisk's actions wrong."

"Now, I'm the one who's confused. I can't believe you're defending a minion of Hell!"

"Is it truly that bad, Shichiroji? If you think about it, it is only doing what its...Masters...ask it to do. And these are evil men, just like the sorcerer centuries back and now Ukyo."

Shichiroji muttered to himself with regret, "And Kirara."

"Did you say something?"

"It's nothing," the Samurai quickly said. "I just remembered someone...from my distant past. Kanbei, the Odalisk is an evil being. Yes, it has the power to grant the wishes of its master, but it is not without its price."

"I know. After all, I am the one to be sacrificed to it."

"What about AFTER the sacrifice? Don't you see, Kanbei? No matter what your wish is, even if it's for good, you free the demon, and once you do, nothing is going to stop it from destroying the world. Knowing this, tell me that the Odalisk is not truly evil."

To his surprise, however, the whoremaster said firmly, "Shichiroji, I know that it is not completely evil. An evil being thrives on human suffering. But why does it heal my wounds? Every time the Ukyo and his men hurt me, it always heals me afterwards. Isn't healing a gift that only the good possess? How could a demon still be able to do good? The Odalisk...I know that the evil has not completely taken over its being. Its soul! I believe it could still be saved."

Gazing at his lover in stunned disbelief, Kirara's prophecy again came to Shichiroji's mind.

"Like the phoenix, a warrior shall arise from the ashes of broken hope and dreams to battle the Ultimate Evil that threatens to consume the world in darkness. Only by the might of the power of his heart and soul could he vanquish the One True Evil to eternal perdition."

Deep lines creased Shichiroji' brow as he lapsed into thought. // What does the prophecy mean? Should I tell Kanbei about this? But how could he stop the Odalisk? //

Deciding to tell the older man bout the Oracle's vision, the Samurai started to say, "Kanbei, there's something I must tell you."

Suddenly, however, a small, hard body began crawling under the covers, inching its way between them. Before Shichiroji could move, strong hooves kicked him out of the bed and sent him, falling, to the floor.

Groaning, the Warrior slowly sat up, rubbing his aching back, to find a grinning Moeru blinking down at him. Then, the concubine's head popped up beside the colt, irritation and worry clearly etched on his face.

"You're a very, very bad boy, Moeru!" Kanbei scolded the snickering
horse, lightly bopping Moeru on the head with his fist. "Are you all right, Shichiroji? No broken bones?"

Shichiroji laughed at that last query. "No samurai ever died from a broken bone. I'm fine." He glared resentfully at the colt. "I guess this means I'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."

Before Kanbei could answer to the contrary, Moeru nudged a pillow and a blanket over the edge of the bed, letting them fall into a startled Shichiroji's lap. There was a mocking, gap-toothed grin on the colt's face as he moved his head from side to side, sending his red mane flying.

The concubine gave the mischievous little horse another rap on the head. "Moeru, you are so naughty! That is not nice!" He reached a hand down to the Samurai. "Come, Shichiroji. This bed is big enough for the three of us."

Shichiroji took Kanbei's offered hand, but did not use it to boost himself up.

Kanbei looked at the Warrior curiously. "Shichiroji? What was it that you were going to tell me?"

Closing his eyes, Shichiroji pressed his lips to the whoremaster's fingertips. "I love you, Kanbei."

As the concubine lowered himself to the floor and into the Samurai's arms, Kanbei whispered, "And I love you too, Shichiroji."


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