Federbankett

by koizumichii

Synopsis: Mythical Creature AU, 'nuff said.

Prompt: Mistake (2nd karmagisa week 2K15: day two)

Word Count: 3,023

In a world where monsters ruled most of the land, there was an abode which struck many with fear. It was a territory that rose to power after countless winning battles—The Southern Lands. Nobility dominated its population, because of the reasons: One, centuries ago, The Land of North was politically divided, and thus, incited the most tragic civil war in history. Almost half of the population fled and escaped to the South while the unfortunate breathed their last at the first twinkle of the North Star. Two, The Land of North at this date was barren and no one was interested on bringing it back to supremacy again.

Times changed. Spring would come by midnight. The Southern Lands was frantic doing the last preparations for the night. It was tradition to set a banquet at the last day of Winter to welcome the brand new season.

The clock stroked nine.

"It is the time for the feast, my lord." A man who had goat hinds for legs said after a respectful bow. The bell earring hanging on his ear rang with movement.

"About time, Sugino." The Lord of Southern Lands remarked in a condescending tone, exiting the room with head held up high—what nobility ought to do. Exhibiting scarlet hair as red as the blood smeared on a sword of destruction, he was an ogre known by the name of destiny—Karma.

"We sincerely apologize for the wait." The man named Sugino—the lord's chancellor—bowed in an admission of regret. "Guests have already gathered at the pavilion and are awaiting your presence, sir." He walked along with the master of the house. "Constable Terasaka reports, 'your betrothed will be, at most, hours late, my lord'."

A chuckle escaped Lord Karma's lips. "It doesn't matter. I will announce my engagement to be broken off anyway."

Sugino looked worried. "But my lord…if you do… the Cabinet…"

"I have the power for the final decision, and besides, those three only pull sticks to decide my future wife. It's laughable."

Sugino's shoulders hunched back and accepted that any prying wouldn't change his master's choice.

…

"May everyone enjoy the feast as every year. A joyful evening to all of you." Lord Karma finished his speech with a raise of a glass of champagne. Each guest clapped their hands and after a while began their usual evening chatter. The master of the house walked a little farther away from the crowd and stopped near a river, leaning on a tree and watching everyone having a merry night—

"My lord, your betrothed has arrived." Someone said before a face out of nowhere emerged from a cluster of leaves about a branch higher from the lord's spot.

Lord Karma appeared to be startled. When he recovered he said, "Itona, how often do you live on trees?"

Itona was puzzled. "I don't. I am the descendant of the Great Kraken." He jumped and landed on his two feet perfectly. "I dwell in the ocean, sir."

"The question was rhetorical but I would be appreciative if you diminish your sudden appearances, Herald."

"I will consider, my lord."

"You were saying my betrothed is here? Frankly, I expected her to arrive at exactly midnight." Lord Karma said, sighing.

"I sincerely apologize for making you wait, my lord."

When Lord Karma turned around (his world almost stopped but what on lands is that supposed to mean), his betrothed was there—curtsying and elegantly dressed in a lime-colored traditional kimono that flawlessly reflected the coming of spring; sakura petals made of moquette were artistically sown at different places. The obi tied at her waist was pink, outlined by a plush red. A kanzashi modeled from pink and white wisterias adorned her light blue hair, a waterfall of beads hanging from it. Her pale skin could be easily noticed in contrast of the night. Surprisingly, she was barefooted.

"Won't your feet be hurting if you remain like that?" He asked in concern. This was the first time in his life he saw someone walk in a formal festival without footwear on.

His betrothed shifted uncomfortably. "I-It's difficult to walk using the sandals. I thought you'd not notice."

"Oh," Lord Karma said. "Would you prefer straw slippers?"

"That is fine, my lord."

"Itona, tell Sugino a pair of straw slippers are needed immediately. I expect it in five minutes."

"As you ordered, sir." The herald bowed curtly.

His betrothed was stuttering in shame. "T-There is no need, my lord. The grass is cool in the feet and—"

"There is no need for pleasantries. You are the lady of the house."

The lady wet her lips and looked away. "As you say, my lord."

"Do you not intend to join the feast in the pavilion? You must be hungry after your journey."

She curtsied for the second time. "Thank you, my lord, but I am not. I have orders to stay by your side during the whole night."

Lord Karma felt irritated. "By whom? The Cabinet?"

"No, my mother."

Silence stretched on for how long. The Lord of the Southern Lands had run out of topics to discuss while the lady simply didn't want to talk. The five-minute allotment was lasting more than necessary, at the most inconvenient time. Lord Karma was already planning to turn his attention back to the river when his betrothed took an unsteady step back, an arrow creating a spurt of iron red in the air before a hand grasped the arrow and pulled it out with a pained cry. A flash of something came out of nowhere, aimed at her. She was able to counter at once, drawing a small dagger from a leather pocket tied on her right thigh (at the same time giving Lord Karma a peek of her smooth and creamy thigh—to which the Lord had profusely blushed), and swung it, successfully cutting the second arrow into two. The pieces fell on the grass, as well as she—but someone was by her side in an instant, catching her in a delicate touch. The wound between her shoulder blade and armpit was bleeding in a continuous gush; the loss of blood was making her drift into unconsciousness.

Lord Karma's voice shouted with rage, "The Mistress of the House was assaulted! Block all the entrances and exits! Seize the felons! No matter what it takes! EXCUSES WILL NOT BE TAKEN KINDLY FOR CAPTURING NO ONE! CHANCELLOR!"

A crowd had gathered around the two, watching and murmuring how they feel pity to the lady and some even expressing how the young woman deserves it, that she would be better off gone so their daughters or nephews would be chosen as the new wife-to-be of the Lord.

This flared Lord Karma's anger further.

Sugino came running, gasping with breath. "M-My Lord! I cannot express how I do not deserve your forgiveness for running late—"

"I do not need formalities, Sugino!" The master of the house glared. "Call the head doctor and prepare a room! My wife is injured!"

"Immediately, sir!" Then, Sugino ran back as fast as his goat legs could take him. He couldn't scold himself for grinning when he turned his back to Lord Karma; not only did the Lord announced the lady as the mistress of the house but also called her as his wife.

"It doesn't matter. I will announce my engagement to be broken off anyway."

Looks like the wedding is official now, he thought with amused satisfaction.

…

"Her wound is not deep, my lord. By tomorrow, it will be healed. The lady's regeneration cells are twice faster than normal. You have nothing to worry." The head doctor informed, a pair of long whiskers twitching as he spoke.

"Thank you, Isogai. I will make sure to extend your vacation on the coming month." Lord Karma said.

"There is no need, my lord." Isogai a smiled and bowed in respect. "I am always glad to help. It is okay to see her now, my lord." He said when he noticed the look of concern given to the closed door behind him.

…

"Ah, m-my lord…" His betrothed greeted as she attempted to sit up, her arms supporting her body. She winced when she moved the blanket off him.

"No, do not exert yourself." Lord Karma ordered, closing the door behind him and walking closer to sit near his betrothed. His tone softened. "Is the pain bearable?"

She nodded. "M-My lord, I…my name is Nagisa…my greatest apologies for not introducing myself properly." She bowed quietly, the movement making her wince again.

"I told you, do not exert yourself." The Lord scolded half-heartedly. "You do not need to introduce yourself. I learned of your name when the announcement was made. Do you know mine?"

"Lord Karma of the Southern Lands,"

"Now, we are properly acquainted. Would it make it easier for you to say you are not a woman?"

"I—I—How did you—" Lady Nagisa swallowed thickly, unable to form coherent words.

"Your kimono,"

"Eh?" Blue eyes snapped up and then down, taking notice of his parted kimono—which probably loosened more when he bowed earlier—that shamelessly revealed his definitely flat chest. Nagisa hurriedly fixed it to a decent appearance while his face flamed. "Y-Yes, my lord. I am a man. My mother…she likes to dress me up. She believes I am a woman." He couldn't help uttering it with disgust. "But I, or my mother, did not mean to deceive you, my lord." He hurriedly added. "This octopus thing…showed up one day in our village and began asking the ladies for their names. It jotted the names down to a paper. It asked me too…I didn't know those asked were the candidates for your wife-to-be. My mother, the entire village, was overjoyed to hear I was the one chose as your betrothed…" Nagisa sagged. "Everyone was convinced I am a lady…"

Lord Karma was laughing, the best laughs he ever had in his life. "I award the best life story to you."

Nagisa slumped even more. "Oh please don't, my lord."

"I have one question though, my lady."

"You can stop calling me that."

Lord Karma turned a deaf ear on that. "Are you not comfortable?"

"With what?" Nagisa asked. "I am comfortable with a lady's clothes."

"So you are perfectly fine being a woman?"

Nagisa remained silent. At this, the Lord of the Southern Lands grinned slyly. "You're strong, pretty, and decent compared to the others who are only after the power. I have no objections with you as my wife, then."

"That's…!" Nagisa exclaimed in horror, cheeks flushing. "More importantly, shouldn't I be punished for deceiving the ruler of all?"

"Do you want to?"

Nagisa meekly shook his head. "But what about…the heir to the throne…" Saying that almost made the blood explode in his head. His face was still red in embarrassment.

Lord Karma nonchalantly shrugged. "I haven't got the care for the throne anyway. I'm sure the Cabinet will find an heir."

Nagisa stared at him with prodding eyes and after a while asked in a whisper, "You do not have someone important?"

"Hmm…I have my subjects, that includes you."

He blushed at the flirting. "I mean, a significant other, my lord."

"You are my significant other, my lady." Lord Karma raised his petite hand and kissed the back of it.

"My Lord… Stop fooling around."

Lord Karma let out a laugh. "I am not interested of being wed; I was actually planning to die as the first Lord who never had a wife." He moved his gaze to the flickering light of the lamp. "My subjects are much more importance to me, ensuring they'd be able to live in safety and surrounded by abundance of their needs."

Nagisa's heart skipped a beat. This was a man of great power, who knew sympathy more than the previous monarchs of their Lands. A man who truly deserved the respect of his subjects. And in a rush of high regard, he confessed, "I admire you, my lord." Realizing the words he said, he instantly clasped a hand to his mouth.

Lord Karma, eyes widened in surprise, stared at him with a dust of pink on his cheeks. He leaned forward to Nagisa's seated form, touched his cheek, and brought their lips together in a gentle touch. It was a spur of the moment. When he saw the way Nagisa looked at him, he got this raw desire to kiss him. He had never saw something so inviting and beautiful and he couldn't stop himself to sweep down for another simple kiss—except he brought himself closer, holding the nape of Nagisa for a deeper, sensual, kiss.

Nagisa pushed him back, panting hard. "Let me breathe, please." He was still catching his breath as both his hands were nestled on Lord Karma's chest, but then the master of the house was hugging him, cradling him as if he was the most fragile thing in the world.

"My fortress is now your safe haven, my lady. Rest assured that no harm will come close to you like this again." Lord Karma said as the pull of attraction between them did not falter. Nagisa was charming; the short moments they had were proof of that, and the miniature show of his strength added to his allure. Lord Karma was sure he was giving back the admiration the bluenette had showered him; he felt a need to. He could make their relationship work, get to know Nagisa better, and come to the point of having feelings for the bluenette.

"The same goes to you, my lord. I will do my utmost to protect you," answered Nagisa softly, awkwardly returning the hug because he was still unsure how to act around the most respected Lord of the lands. He admired Lord Karma, he made clear of that, but that did not mean Nagisa had affections for him. At least, not yet.

Knock. Knock.

"My Lord, My Lady, it is almost midnight." A voice echoed from the outside of the room. "Everyone is requesting for your presence."

Lord Karma lazily scratched the back of his head. "Do they even know the meaning of rest? My apologies, my lady. However, you do not need to come out for anyone's satisfaction. It is better for you to rest. I can call a guard to look after you."

"No, I can walk as much as you, my lord, and I would hate embarrassing you for not showing up." Nagisa interjected, stretching the blanket over her shoulders. "My wound is far from lethal." He smiled sheepishly. "But going out with my clothes unfixed is a bit—m-my lord!"

Lord Karma had scooped him up easily, a hand under his thighs while the other on his back. "The lower part of your kimono is still unsoiled. You already covered the stains with your compensation as a shawl. You want to attend the banquet, do you?"

Nagisa blushed under his stare. "Yes…"

"I will gladly take care of you." Lord Karma proclaimed with a smug look on his face.

His cheeks burned.

"My Lord…?"

"Okuda, will you open the door for me?"

"Of course, my lord!" The door flew open and a girl with long ebony locks arranged in twin braids sidestepped before bowing. She was dressed in a plain maroon dress, pooling at her feet and with long sleeves that reached her palms. "A happy banquet, my lady!" She added after a long pause, taking a secret glance at Nagisa.

Nagisa smiled a friendly smile at her. "Thank you,"

The girl, maybe about the same age as them, squeaked. "M-My pleasure, my lady!"

Nagisa turned his attention to the man carrying him. "She seemed jumpy. Did I do wrong, Karma?"

"Hmm, that's the first time you called my name without formality." Lord Karma hummed. The bluenette's cheeks colored a light pink. "Kayano is your lady-in-waiting. She is clumsy at times and seems awkward at first, but I know you will like her."

"I already like her," Nagisa said smiling, looking forward in making friends with her.

…

When Lord Karma stepped out, the usual festive sounds of a feast reached his ears before it receded to a stop. At once, every creature in the garden dropped to one knee, head bowed. "We welcome you back, our lord. We hope for your fast recovery, our lady." They all said in chorus.

Nagisa hid his face behind his shawl, embarrassed.

"Rise," instructed the Lord of the Southern Lands. "We thank your kind words, ladies and gentlemen. Go on and enjoy the rest of the feast. The spring is almost here."

The sound of glasses clinking reverberated in the air in time with cheers and laughs.

"Superficial idiots," murmured Lord Karma.

At this, a small chuckle escaped Nagisa's lips. "That's inappropriate coming from your mouth, my lord."

"Sometimes, enemies are cloaked under pretense allies. The one who shot you may be in that crowd. But that aside, is there anything you want to eat?"

Nagisa shook his head. "How about you, my lord?"

"I will eat when spring comes."

"Then, I will also."

At the same time, the trees altogether blossomed into life. Small leaves appeared and then grew into their normal sizes, covering the previously bare stems and branches. Buds sprouted and blossomed into full flowers of different colors, creating a rainbow-like gleam on the ground. And in the midst of it all, a lone great tree bloomed into a lush pink of petals. A gentle breeze passed by, scattering the petals around the garden, as if it was raining of pink.

The happiness painted on Nagisa's face was enough to complete Karma's day. He wouldn't deny that the bluenette in his arms was as beautiful as the scenic spring happening around them. His eyes softened and he didn't hesitate to say, "My lady, will you watch the spring with me next year, and the years after that?"

Nagisa looked up at him, raised a hand, plucked a stray petal off his red hair, and smiled warmly. "Certainly, my lord."

Character Overview (because I cannot describe things properly in the duration of the story)

Lord Karma – titles: The Lord the Southern Lands, The Master of the House. Monarch of The Southern Lands, belongs to the family line of ogres. He has the power to send anyone to the Underworld. True form is unknown.

Lady Nagisa – titles: The Lady of the Southern Lands, The Mistress of the House. A native of Serpent Village and from the family line of Nidhogg—the Norse mythological serpent that gnaws the roots of Yggdrasil. He has the power over the soil and can always be found where greenery is in abundance; that's why he found peace and calm surrounded by flora. Despite being a boy, he is forced to crossdress due to his mother's (frankly, suffocating) persistence. Appearance includes scales at varying visibility. Under exposure of light, in human form, scales appear white and glittery and are mostly seen in the arms and midriff. No other peculiar features other than the scales and fangs. True form is a green serpent that could turn enemies into stone with one bite.

Constable Terasaka – A werewolf and the commander of all military forces, known for his ferocious roar in battles.

Chancellor Sugino – Lord Karma's personal notary and head butler. From the famous line of fauns. He is half-naked the top while from the waist down is covered with thick brown fur. Can manipulate trees.

Herald Itona – the royal messenger who's the descendant of the Great Kraken, a giant octopus monster known for sinking ships when disturbed in its territory. He has white hair wrapped in a bandanna made of seaweed fibers. Tentacles would protrude from his head when angered or in battle. Lives mainly in the ocean but one call from Lord Karma would send him back to the fortress. He's constantly travelling and seen roaming the royal grounds only for a few times. True form is a giant octopus which size would be almost as big as the ocean he dwells in (rumors, no one knows exactly how big). He can control water.

Head Doctor Isogai – descended from the line of dragons. Known by their wisdom, she chose to use it to pursue his doctor career instead of hiding in a cave to guard his family treasures. He breathes fire, but only when needed.

Okuda – Nagisa's lady-in-waiting, from the line of dryads. Raised in a forest, she is having trouble around other creatures of different kind. When her family died, she was taken into custody of the previous lord of the Southern Lands. She is intractable sometimes, especially during first meeting with others. Her favorite food to eat is honey.

The Cabinet – basically the council of elders that help and advise the leader regarding decisions and engagement matters. Has the members: Elder Koro – a giant yellow octopus who is the type to sit around all day. He is the main culprit for the proposal of looking for the Lord's wife candidates. Elder Irina – the only woman and the adviser of the council. Elder Karasuma – the one who finally and properly decides which is which.

A/N: Nidhogg is said to be a dragon but some sources say that it's a serpent. I kind of refuse to acknowledge Nagisa as Jormungand because I think the title of World Serpent doesn't fit him. I mean, I get the feeling Nagisa doesn't want the main spotlight so I searched for any more mythological snakes and came across Nidhogg—which fascinated me because a snake that eats roots? This is the uniqueness and rarity I'm searching.

Anyway, I'm super glad to say I AM FINALLY DONE WITH THIS. I REVISED SO MANY THINGS TO GET TO FINISH. I hope you enjoy this AU (because I so much do!) and I am sorry if I didn't capture the characters perfectly, if I didn't include other characters (because we all love to see the Class 3-E in the spotlight), if the plot is fast-paced and didn't make sense at all (if you have questions, I'll gladly entertain them). This idea is something that came extremely random. It was supposed to be a yokai AU. I don't even know how it morphed into a mythological creature AU. Anyway, sorry for the long author's note! See you next time!