Life Never Ending (Part 6)

Posted on Tue Jun 28th, 2022 @ 4:28pm by Kyle Cragen [Reece] & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Earth, Japan
Timeline: 1587 AD
2049 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

===The Next Morning===

The sun slowly started to brighten the room as the first morning rays broke over the horizon. Slowly, Kyle started to stir from his slumber. When he looked down, he smiled at what he saw. Natsuko was tucked up against him, snuggled up under his right arm.

Following their very passionate lovemaking the night before, he could feel that their bond was nearly complete. Only one thing remained, but it could wait until later. For now, he just wanted to enjoy this moment of peace and tranquility in his life.

Natsuko stirred slowly in his arms, waking up in the warmth of his arms. "hmm" she mumbled as she did so.

Kyle smiled softly at her. "Morning my love." He then gently kissed her forehead.

"Morning Love" She whispered back as she snuggled against him.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked as he reached across his chest and gently moved some stray locks from her beautiful face.

"Hmm yes. You?" she asked softly as she shifted to look up at him.

Nodding, Kyle replied softly. "The best I've had in a very long time. I'm so very glad that I'm waking up with you in my arms."

She smiled and then looked out the window. "It is early, but we should get moving today."

He nodded slowly. "Yes, but, I won't be traveling anywhere today, or the rest of the week. It feels like my Rasstala will be starting today." He started to look tired, even after sleeping for several hours.

"Alright, let's get things settled then so you can rest peacefully." Natsuko slid from the bed with a smile.

He nodded. "The staff needs to know that they can't come in the bath house until I...I re-emerge. Maybe..maybe just tell one person. One we can trust."

"I shall tell Hinata. She will pass it along," Natsuko said as she gathered her clothes and passed him a robe.

Sitting up, Kyle took the robe with a thankful nod of his head. "Good choice," he said, referring to Hinata. The woman had been with them the longest of all their staff. She had proved herself discreet on more than one occasion.

Natsuko studied him. "Go to the bathhouse, I will see you there"

Kyle slowly nodded his head. He was looking more fatigued as the moments went on. "Yes...yes..." he stood slowly and started to move towards the door that led out to their private bathhouse. "Don't forget the...the.." he was starting to have difficulties forming his thoughts. They had discussed this day in great detail, and had set everything he would need in a crate, ready to go, when the time came.

Natsuko hurried and grabbed the chest and carried it after him. She knew what to do, he had shown her several times.

Slowly, he made his way out to the bathhouse, Natsuko rushing past him with the crate. When he finally reached the steps, he was heavily winded. He leaned against the timbers and tried to catch his breath.

She exited and put her arm around him and helped him the rest of the way.

"Th-thank you...my love..." once they were inside, and the door was closed and locked, he undid his robe, letting it fall to his feet. Then, moving over to where she had positioned the Dratoa, he slowly lowered himself down onto it, turning over onto his back.

Looking up into Natsuko's beautiful face, he said, "I love you Natsuko. Until my last day."

"I love you too" She whispered and drew back so he could begin the ceremony.

"Listen..." he said softly, his voice getting weaker. "One final lesson...for you....to hear." He swallowed then continued. "The...the rasstala...when shared between...between two...two of...our people. It...it is...the most..." he had to pause to catch his breath. He had waited too long to tell her this, but she had to know the truth, before it was too late.

"The most intimate of experiences. When...when one...p-protects...the other....a bond....a bond is formed. We...we have a partial....a partial bond now. From when....I protected you." He paused and closed his eyes briefly.

When he reopened them, he continued. "If...if you are...uncertain....even a little....of us...leave me...leave me before...before it begins. Only then...will you be free of me. If...if you stay....and are here...when I awaken....our bond...will never be broken..."

She shook her head. "I am not leaving."

A look of relief filled his features. There was only one more thing to say. He turned his head to his right and said, "Daltrata." He then closed his eyes and rolled his head back to center.

As he did so, the four corner wires extended up into place and activated the soft yellow beam that gently lifted Kyle up off of the roll. As soon as he was a few inches in the air, his body started to secrete the fibers that would form his cocoon. Unlike Natsuko's, his wasn't golden in his, but a dark hunter green. In less than five minutes, the cocoon was formed and already hardening. If Natsuko could see inside, she would see that his body was already being broken down to subatomic building blocks.

She was concerned. But she didn't interfere in the process. She went to the door and after a moment's search found a servant and sent a message to their head servant. Then she returned to watch and wait.

Moments later, there was a soft knocking on the door. A woman's voice called out in Japanese. "Mistress? It is Hinata. You sent for me?"

Natsuko rose and left the bathhouse and closed the door behind her so no one could see in. "Yes, please instruct all not to come near this bathhouse for the next 4 days." She made it four days to cover their bases. "Also, let the men warriors know that Lord Kyle will be absent for 5 days."

The older woman, or at least she looked older, bowed respectfully. "Hai, Mistress," she replied quietly. "it will be done as you have instructed." She straightened up, then turned and hurried away on her assignment. The Master and Mistress had always treated her well, she would never disobey them.

Natsuko smiled and headed back into the bathhouse to watch over Kyle.

The cocoon was now completely hardened. If Natsuko put her ear to it, she would be able to hear a soft, rhythmic beating.

She stepped up to it and slowly touched the cocoon. She pressed her hand to it.

As soon as her hand touched the surface of the cocoon, she was given a soft zing, which ran through her entire system. Their bond was now permanent. From that moment on, no matter where they went, they would always be able to find the other. When they were together, they would be unbeatable, no matter the challenge posed to them.

Natsuko stepped back and sat down against the wall to wait. She watched the cocoon in silence, letting the silence fill the space and a soft beat, his heart she guessed. She spent the next few days meditating and resting beside the cocoon.

Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, the cocoon suddenly shifted slightly.

Natsuko moved back from the cocoon with a small smile.

Slowly, the cocoon was lowered to the mat. Once it was down, the energy beams shut off and the wires retracted away. Then, after a moment, the cocoon started to slowly evaporate.

She turned and grabbed the banket she had prepared earlier. Then Natsuko moved close to the edge of the area and waited.

In a few moments, the cocoon had completely evaporated, leaving Cragen's nude form laying there. A couple beats later, he bolted upright and inhaled deeply, before collapsing back down into a coughing fit.

Natsuko moved to his side and wrapped the blanket around him in silence. She didn't say a word.

After the coughing started to ebb, he weakly asked for water.

Natsuko handed him a mug of water and helped him drink it.

He slowly drank the life-giving fluid. Then, once he was finished, he handed the mug back and spoke, his voice a little stronger. "Th-thank you, beloved." He took in a breath and continued. "I have to get into the bath.." he started to try to stand.

Natsuko slid her arm beneath his and helped him stand. "I prepared it."

"Thank you," he said again. As she helped him into the hot tub, he sighed a relieved sigh. "It..it feels..wonderful!" He started to slowly scrub his head and body. When he got to his back, he started to struggle some.

Smiling, Natsuko took the soap and began to wash his back. "Three days was forever," she said as she helped him.

"I'm sorry, my love," he replied softly as he repositioned himself to make it easier to help him. "I won't need to go through Rasstala again for at least another six months." He made a soft purring sound deep in his chest. "That feels so good!"

"Really? All I am doing is washing your back," Natsuko replied with a small smile.

"Well, it feels wonderful, nonetheless, sweetheart!" Kyle smiled happily.

A short while later, after he was completely clean of residue and dried off, he was standing by the tub, allowing Natsuko to help him get dressed. "You know, all these months now, and I still can't make my robe sit on me like you do."

"Gaijin" She teased in the language she was raised with. "I am sure your western fashions would not sit well on me."

He grinned at the nickname. He knew what it meant, however, Natsuko was the only person he allowed to call him that. Months prior, a passing army officer sought refuge for the night. He had eventually gotten himself very drunk and had started to throw insults left and right. He was even getting abusive with their staff. Kyle had told him to leave at once.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly as was hoped. The officer pulled a blade from his waist and leapt at Kyle, trying to kill him. Kyle easily blocked the attack, disarmed the officer and tossed him to the ground. He was then told, again, to leave. He started to do so, until he neared the fireplace. He grabbed the fire poker and was starting to spin towards Kyle, when three rapidly fired arrows buried themselves into his chest.

During the fight, Natsuko had been out of the room. She had grabbed the bow that Kyle had built specifically for her, and waited quietly, until she saw the cowardly attack attempt.

Afterwards, the officer was buried deep in the woods, and everyone was told that if ever someone came looking for him, they would say that he had come in for a warm meal, then left, continuing on his journey.

Thus far, no one had come looking.

"Oh no, my love," he replied as he reached down to tip her chin up to him. "You would look far more regal than the Queen herself ever did." He didn't bring up the fact that there was no longer any English court, or any Englishmen and English women. She already knew about his dark past.

He bent down and kissed her gently.

She kissed him gently back. "One day, will we ever go back?"

He sighed softly. "We can. Be a great place to have a second compound, if we ever need to leave here."

"I'd like to see where you lived, Love." She whispered. "Come let's get you some food."

He gave a somber grin. "By this point, the forest would have swallowed the land that my childhood home once stood on. But, okay," he nodded to her. "One day, we will go there, and you can see what England looks like." He then put his left arm around her shoulders and they left the bathhouse, and made their way to the dinning hall, where a celebratory feast was about to be served, welcoming the Lord of the Castle back.

~TBC~

 

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