The King and I Chapter 9: Confrontation.

Hinata tried everything in his power to stop you but you were now down to the wire and you didn’t care if this was the tipping point that got you killed— you had already accepted your fate, but now you just wanted answers.

Marching ahead of the orangette, you stormed up to the door, opened it, let yourself in, closed the door then walked to the bed and stood there on the outside of the drapes to wait for King Kageyama.

You didn’t have time to feel nervous, you didn’t have time to fully understand the rules you were breaking and what that meant, you just wanted to say your piece, get your answers, then be killed.

The door at the far end opened and you looked over at it, turning your body square up to the door as King Kageyama entered.

He was indeed a handsome man. Tall, built, with broad shoulders and a very intimidating stare.

You set your jaw and stared him down as he approached you, the scowl on his face deepening the closer he got to you.

As he got within reach, he grabbed you around the throat and gripped your windpipe, squeezing it as he pulled your face closer to his.

“This defiance only makes your punishment worse. Get on the bed.”

“No!” you said firmly, sounding surprisingly strong, so much so, that it fueled your confidence.

His face darkened and he pushed you back towards the drapes, still by the throat, but you fought him.

“No!” you said again, grabbing his wrist and trying to wrestle his hand from you, “I need answers!”

“Get on the bed,” King Kageyama snapped again, using his other hand now to try and force you.

“I said no! Now just kill me and get it over with!” you said loudly, making direct eye contact with him.

“You know… I really should,” he threatened.

“Then do it!” you snapped angrily, the sudden annoyance in your voice making him pause to stare back at you.

“You—,”

“I just want to know one thing,” you said, cutting him off, “why me? Why haven’t you killed me yet when you know that I’m—,”

His free hand slapped firmly over your mouth before you could reveal your gender and he overpowered you and forced you back onto the bed, refusing to let your mouth go.

“Do you wish for everyone to hear?!” he hissed at you, still glancing around, “be quiet and let me speak.”

You stopped struggling and lay under him as he straddled your hips to pin you down.

As you relaxed, he removed his hand and used both hands to pin yours beside your head as his intimidating eyes bore into yours.

It looked like he was collecting his thoughts and needed a second to formulate what he wanted to say but you were impatient and couldn’t wait any longer.

“Well?” you asked pointedly.

“Do not talk to me that way!” he barked, squeezing your wrists.

“Tell me!” you said sharply, scrunching your face into the best scowl you could muster.

He sighed angrily and let your wrists go so he could cross his arms across his chest and sit up.

“For years,” he began, “they had bought me concubines, promising I would find the future Queen some day. With each kingdom we overthrew, new women would be bought to me. But none were good enough.”

You nodded as he took a break in his storytelling, your nod silently encouraging him to continue. 

“I had many service me. And I chose none,” he added.

“So why me?” you pushed.

“On the day I came to the interview room, I expected the same. The usual.”

He stopped again and you waited, still maintaining eye contact with him.

“Then I felt you… I knew… or I hoped, that it was what I was thinking it was.”

“What do you mean by that?” you asked him.

“Do you not tire of cloven flesh?” he asked cryptically.

“I don’t know what you mean?” you replied, genuinely lost.

He pursed his lips together, not wanting to have to spell it out for you, but you wanted him to be clear. So you waited.

“Men. Most men. Desire the pleasure between a woman’s thighs. But I…”

“You are gay… are you not?” you asked him softly so that no one standing outside the doors could hear.

His immediate response was to glance at the door, then back down to you.

“Do not say it so loud,” he growled at you.

“Are you?” you asked again pointedly.

He glared at you and suddenly it all made sense.

“No one knows of your attraction to men, do they?” you asked.

“Of course not!” he replied with indignation.

You nodded, knowingly.

“And you,” he then asked, turning the questions on you, “what is your orientation? Although, the way your body reacted to mine yesterday was enough to tell me all I needed to know…”

The heat that rose in your cheeks, and the flustered look on your face, did indeed give you away and you blinked a few times before avoiding eye contact.

“When I ask you a question, you answer,” the king snapped, reaching down for your jaw so he could shift your head to look at him.

“Well… s-seeing as you have already figured it out… I-I need not say anything,” you replied, stuttering through your reply.

“Say it. Are you attracted to men,” he asked pointedly.

“You answer me first,” you replied defiantly.

There was a steely stand off between the two of you… neither conceding. 

Just then Hinata knocked at the door and King Kageyama jumped with fright.

“Leave us!” he shouted at the still closed door.

“My King, is everything alright?” Hinata asked nervously, his voice muffled by the thick wooden door.

“Fine! Now leave!” the King replied gruffly.

He then looked back down at you.

“Not a word of this,” he rasped at you, “you are to remain silent if you value you your life.”

You nodded, his hand still gripping your chin.

Slowly he let you go and hopped off you, then left, leaving you there still a little dazed… but not as confused as before.

“Ok… so I’m not going to die just yet then,” you thought as you slowly got off the bed and made your way to the door to leave for the night.

Hinata was waiting nervously on the other side and looked surprised to see you upright.

“Is… everything alright?” he asked nervously as you stepped back out and closed the door.

You nodded but gave no reply and followed him back to your room.

<<< The King and I Chapter 8: Satisfied but Uncertain. 

The King and I Chapter 10: King Control >>>