One Hundred Whispers

Whisper Three

"Do you...well...I mean...I could give you a massage?"

General Yuwen was a master swordsman and master of the spear. In every aspect of it. And you were really impressed by his skills, and your secret wish was to someday maybe reach his level. That's why when you were done with many of your lessons – etiquette, dancing, literature – you name it, you spent lot of time at training grounds with him and many of his protégées.

Such as Kouen and his younger brother, Koumei. The latter in all honesty looked as if he was going to faint any given moment. Not that his older brother would cut him any slack since he knew that Koumei, if not made to do something, would go and feed pidgeons. Kouen was busy anyway – he had a sparring challenge with one of the older boys, eighteen year old, bulky son of one of the lords.

Kouen, even though he was winning anyway, a tad distracted by his brother, got a nasty blow into shoulder with wooden sword. Ouch.

Sparring ended soon enough – Kouen was stronger than the other boy. From what you knew he mastered swordsmanship when he was around ten years old. When you were ten years old you were running around in palace in your home country, apprehensive to the idea of marriage.

You smiled at Koumei by your side, who – just as General Yuwen was out of sight – stopped moaning in pain. The fourteen year old, with fluffy red ponytail sent you a smile back.

Kouen approached you with his usual frown.

''You know you have to be here from time to time,'' he turned to his brother. ''I got a nasty bruise because of you.''

''Even ''from time to time'' is too much,'' Koumei replied back. In all honesty he wasn't bad swordsman, but it seemed he preferred not to be one at all.

''Princess, don't you have anything else to do?" Kouen said, in his usual blunt manner.

You pouted your lips; yes, you had. More lessons to attend.

''That's too cruel,'' you said. You noticed as Kouen messaged his shoulder.

You smiled to him. Your teacher just taught you some good tricks for bruises. Your twelve year old mind didn't find it inappropriate though. Although Kouen's poker face was one of a kind and sometimes really baffled you to the point of not really knowing what to say, you managed:

"Do you...well...I mean...I could give you a massage?"

''Excuse me?" he asked, stone-faced. You couldn't be sure if he was not moved by your words or just puzzled by them.

''You said you have bruises, so... I-"

"No, thank you," he swiftly cut you off. And before you could even find a words for reply, he grasped Koumei's shaking from giggle shoulders, and left the compound.

****

I wrote it ages ago and forgot about it. Why am I like this?