The King and I Chapter 40: The Decree

Realizing how he was speaking to you, he stopped and dropped his weapon to hug you, his warm embrace making you break down a little.

“What are we to do now?” you asked with dread, “if only I had not disrobed.”

“You will not blame yourself for this. This is all Hinata’s fault,” King Kageyama said protectively to you, “I will make everyone see. They will accept our union.”

You buried your face into his chest and inhaled deeply, filling your lungs with his masculine scent. 

“If only he were speaking the truth. Fancy that. Being taken from hell, to be placed in heaven, only to find out that it is a second hell disguised as a heaven.”

…………………………

Hinata ran through the halls, blindly making his way back to his room.

He had initially stopped by your room to thank you for caring for him while he was ill, as he had been told that it was because of you that he lived, but when you weren’t there he had them gone to see if the King was in good health.

“So her… his… father was correct. Y/N is male. The father isn’t of unsound mind at all. But… to wed? Does that mean King Kageyama prefers the touch of a man? This would explain why we have been without a queen for so long…” 

He made it back to his room and closed the door, standing there for a second as his mind reeled.

“But she… he… saved my life when I was unwell and saved me, just then, from being permanently removed from this world… And He has changed the king for the better.”

He warred with himself.

What was he going to do?

For every nice thing you had done for him he was about to return it with unwarranted nastiness.

“Who am I to deny them happiness?” He asked himself, walking to his bed and letting his hands cradle his head as he sank into his own dilemma.

……………….

Back in the King’s chamber you had put your clothes back on and were sitting on the side of the bed watching the King pace back and forth with a deep scowl on his face.

“I will change the law now,” he said, calling loudly for his scribe to enter.

The older man bowed his head as he walked into the chambers and took a seat at the desk as King Kageyama started to speak.

“I hearby decree!” Kageyama announced, turning and paced back the way he had come, “that the laws of marriage be forever changed.”

The scribe redipped his quill, waiting for the next line.

“Woman, may marry woman. And Man, may marry man.”

The scribe looked up, pausing before writing that line.

“Write!” King Kageyama snapped and the poor scribe place his quill to parchment and write what King Kageyama had just said.

“I have a feeling this isn’t going to go well,” you thought with concern when you saw the look on the scribes face.

“My King.” The scribe stood once he had been told to make the announcement of the new decree, to the people. “You are aware that the majority have to vote in favour of this new law?”

“My word is final!” King Kageyama snapped, wanting to just make it a reality already. He was having a very hard time accepting the fact that others had to agree to it, as well, for it to pass.

The scribe bit his tongue and left the room, leaving you to calm the very worked up King, down.

The scribe went to his workshop and wrote the new decree on large parchment for it to be hung in the main streets and shuddered when he thought about the potential reception of the new law… but what piqued his curiousity the most was why King Kageyama wanted to change the laws all of a sudden?

Once the parchment was dry, he left to hang it overnight, hoping not to be seen hanging it as he didn’t want to cop any of the backlash once people read it.

Early the next morning, King Kageyama was woken with the sounds of unhappy citizens, calling under his bedroom window.

“Are we now a heathen nation?!” they shouted from below, calling for an explanation.

“How are we to sustain the future should our young women prefer to marry other young women?” Another shouted, riling the masses that were gathering there.

From your bedroom you too could hear the unrest outside the palace walls and you hung your head with concern.

“How will we navigate this one?” you wondered, getting dressed, should King Kageyama need you by his side when he went to address his citizens.

……………………………..

Hinata hadn’t slept well that night. He was wavering from one thought to another, sometimes in favour, sometimes not.

“Maybe it were best if Kageyama did do away with me,” he thought as he got up for the morning, slowly rubbing his sleep deprived eyes, “I think it were best if I did not exist in this world so that I need not make a decision… or maybe… I have another idea…”

……………………………

News of the new decree spread quickly and confusion as to why was being asked of anyone who would stop to hear the rhetorical question.

Unsurprisingly, you were called to the King’s chambers as soon as you rose and you saw that he was in a steely mood.

“My King Tobio,” you said gently to him, greeting him with a hug and a kiss, “do not stress your heart. We will work this out.”

“If they refuse, we will run away,” he said firmly and it made you smile, thinking he was talking in jest, but when he didn’t laugh your face fell.

“You mean it?” you asked with surprise, “but you cannot shirk your duties here?!”

“I can and I will. All that matters to me is you and if I cannot have you, I do not want anything else. They can appoint a new King and we can live our own life away from here.”

This was a shock to you. Run away with the King?!

As you stood there, there was a knock on the door and you both turned to look in its direction.

“My King? It is I,” Hinata called from the other side.

King Kageyama looked at you and you nodded.

“Let him in,” you said to your King.

“Come!” King Kageyama called and the orangette opened the door and put his head through.

“Oh, Y/N, you are here also,” he said as he entered and closed the door behind him.

“Good day, Hinata,” you greeted politely.

“Good day, Y/N, the masses are awaiting a response from the King.” Both your gazes shifted to King Kageyama.

“I go now,” King Kageyama replied gruffly.

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The King and I Chapter 41: All in Favour >>>