I Won't Ask Again

[TAMIKO]

"We're going to Kawai, and for the period you will be with me, you will be training with the elite warriors. I promised you a training session and this will be the best chance for it," Lord Sadako said when they reached the borders. 

He had wanted to spend more time with his nephew, but he knew that time was ticking. Tamiko was of the right age and there were things that would come naturally to them in the process. 

Lord Sadako wanted to start the training as soon as possible because otherwise, the young lycan would be at the center of attention and he would probably be like his father, the version of his father that Kawai and the realm were scared of.

While that was normal for Sadako, he didn't want the kid going through that too.

"Why did you want me out of Grealor?" Tamiko asked as they made their way through the free lands. 

"What?" Lord Sadako asked, feigning innocence when he had clearly made sure that this was certain.

"It was you, all this time. You planted the supposedly dead warrior at the Grealor borders earlier today, before you met with me. And I just happened to be frustrated enough to leave for a while, making me the perfect target. 

"You met with me and insisted that you had a responsibility to attend to. The next thing I knew was that you were in Grealor demanding justice for something that wasn't worth it or even true, which means you lied and would do whatever it took to get you there, 

"Everything was a little too convenient, the blank spaces and me messing with Gabe earlier was the perfect bait for you, because you found a sport that you could manipulate. And I let you blindly," Tamiko said as he looked at the lycan Lord.

Sadako wanted to say something, but before he could manage a sentence, his nephew continued his findings, and he looked like he believed it so much and for a moment, Sadako wondered what Tamiko would do at that time.

"You, uncle, fucked with Galya's memories too, and it was the only way she could have tried to recall the handwriting; but there was nothing to recall because she didn't write that, and you didn't write that message too. 

"Which means you planted it way earlier, and the fact that Kosta left me letters was a hindrance to your plans, so you figured you could change it and make everything seem like it was someone else's effort," Tamiko said with a dark chuckle.

He had been racking his brain about everything that had happened today and while none of it made sense, he was slowly piecing it up together. He was intelligent and it was just a matter of time before he found sense in what he had figured out.

"I know the fiasco today was orchestrated by you and your people, and that makes me wonder if Igor is in on this, seeing as you referred to Kosta as 'Chief Konstantin.' Quite strange, given the circumstances and how you made sure to never touch on that.

"However, I know enough about the mighty lycan kingdom, to know that there can only be one lycan chief, and that the chief is the second-in-command after the lycan enforcer," Tamiko said and Lord Sadako knew that he had fucked up.

It had taken him years to find the kid and now that he had found him, he had made a mistake that could cost him the one thing that could bring back his brother's sanity. All of this was crazy, but what could the lycan Lord do, other than listen to Tamiko?

"All of that leads me to ask the one question that I have wished to be false since the previous night… Did you plant Igor in my life when I ran away from your outpost and found myself in the Reynard lands? 

"Was it you he went to see the previous night, when he came home feeling like shit, and thinking on overdrive? I wanted to blame myself, but seeing you here, just makes everything chaotic and questionable, uncle," Tamiko said, making sure to remind Sadako that he wasn't about to stop.

"Were you the reason he had to leave? Was all of it a ruse for the both of you? Is that why he had to warn everyone in Grealor against coming at me, only for you to show up and demand that I go with you indirectly?

"You knew that I was the only expendable person in Grealor, and given the alpha's condition, you knew Gabe would have no other choice, but to give me up and save his people. But that still doesn't answer the question of why.

"Why did you do it, uncle? What was your end goal with me? Am I just a pawn for you and Kosta? Is this what it's all about? Am I just a way for you to bring down Grealor? 

"And who the fuck is Liana?" Tamiko asked his questions, making Lord Sadako instantly change the smile on his face and wear a stoic one. It wasn't surprising to Tamiko, because he had known that no one ever truly cared for him.

He didn't mind being betrayed by Lord Sadako. But if that was going to happen, well he deserved to know the whys and what had been so important that he couldn't come to the young lycan and spell that truth out for him. 

This wasn't normal and Tamiko knew it too. He had been suspicious about him being the only lycan in Grealor, but the way Lord Sadako was determined to get close to him, got Tamiko wondering if he was Lord Sadako's target. 

Of course, if the young lycan knew the truth, he would have been thankful for his loving uncle, one who was going to do whatever it took to make sure the father and son reunited. However, Tamiko didn't know that.

"I don't know what you're talking about, son. But you sound pretty convinced about it all. What would I gain by causing you so much stress?" Lord Sadako asked and Tamiko just let out a lonely laugh.

He hadn't been expecting a direct admittance, but Tamiko could see the guilt and the truth in his uncle's eyes. He knew that he had been right, and he hated that truth. It was one that made him question everything but goodness, this was crazy.

"Well, I expected that. I won't ask again, so don't worry too much. I have learned the art of knowing when not to ask anything no matter what happens," Tamiko said defeatedly, getting up like he was ready to be commanded into war by the lycan Lord.

For the first time since the morning, lord Sadako felt like he had just been punched in the gut. He knew that what he had done wasn't easy to explain, and he knew that Tamiko was getting back into his submissive shell.

He hated that for the kid, but then he also couldn't say anything on Igor, or even the relationship that the two had. Hell, he couldn't comment on anything without compromising the security of Kawai, a home they had worked too hard to make home again.

"Come, let's go home, son," Sadako said, getting up before he held Tamiko's hand gently and headed to Kawai, ignoring the questions that were lingering in the air, and the tension that had surfaced between them.

***

[A/N]

* Tamiko's intelligence scares me lol