PROLOGUE

SAIL THE SEVEN SEAS

By Radically Distinguished


The new way of getting around these days are by means of boat, or rather a ship packed with crews to control it, with someone to control that crew, too, of course. A ship that may be built from the most exquisite wood of all, placed with cannons, a mighty and high design as its exterior look and lovely sets of rooms with the finest furnishing; a fireplace with frames made of special materials with carved dragons or any kind of monsters on it, an enormous and proud flag of your beloved homeland pinned to the wall of your quarters (of course, if you're a someone, you get your own room and bed), or a map, any kind of map. You may be branded as a neutral party, a merchant per se, or a pirate, or a scoundrel of the government, or a trading ship, or simply a rich lad in search of something in these vast and mostly cerulean world… but we all know that that person hardly ever existed or you're considered as a dangerous bloke yourself. But you already know about that long before you read this.

This is the time where people get most of their fantasies from. This is the time when a supposedly humongous, fire-breathing beast hover the skies and scares off even the sweetest child of all the sweetest. This is the time when most of the world's royalties rule the lands, and young KIku was foretold that he'd be the same man the people calls his father, the emperor, for his brother already declined this offer for the simple reason that he was a payment. Yao was already chained to a man who once threatened their country of colonialism just because the latter didn't love him. He persuaded him with gold and jewelleries and food and fine clothes; any kind of abundance a person could think and ask for. He was a man and so he was too, but that didn't stop him a bit. For even the coldest man on earth would stop at nothing to get that one small speck of warmth that passed by him on a certain ball in the fairest of nights.

Once, during the young KIku's birthday, he stared off the horizon just above the sea with his brown orbs. The wind caressed his face gently and blew on his sleek, black hair, swiftly raising some of it in front of the boy. He was wearing his traditional dress, a white yukata laced with the finest silk and embroidered with the majestic image of red chrysanthemums, for the formalities he needed to comply. He was at the palace's cliff near the sea but he was not on the edge. Leaves flew around him from the trees nearby every time the wind pass accompanied by the sea's rustling just below them. The sky was dark but it was clearer than ever and stars were seen vividly, glowing like groups of diamonds hanged by the gods. A strong with a combination of a mild fragrance filled the surroundings as the waves and grass's scent mixed in the air, lingering like the sweet aroma of the freshest harvest in the morning. The moon luminated its white all over, giving the prince a dim light for guidance.

"They are speaking right now." Kiku looked behind him only to be faced by a rather too familiar figure and face. It walked up to him with a gentle smile perching on his lips, his hair blowing up to the same direction the child's hair was being drawn. Yao had his usual braid, securing his long and black hair on his back and was wearing his ceremonial robe. It was the shade of red and had a golden lace attached to it. Moreover, his looks resemble their mother's when she was still breathing. "The spirit of the dragons that is."

"One of them is injured." The young prince said. "It is the chief's daughter."

Yao walked beside his brother and stared at the beyond in front of him. On the middle of the sea was an island with a great mountain on its center. It was quite a distance from the island but nonetheless, it's still quite visible. "And they're back in the cave with the little girl still howling of pain. Dragons are horrible creatures especially when they're in delusion. Having their cave at the island in front or ours is the most disastrous idea father has ever thought of."

The two stared off at the distance as the calming music from the waves filled in the silence. The night was getting more possessive by the minute but the moon just equalled at it, giving their surroundings a faint glow.

"But they can fly." Kiku broke out. "They can reach the sky and touch it whenever they want without any restrictions. Without someone telling them no, brother." He looked up at the man beside him. He was only as tall as his brother's thighs were and was considered as one of the tiniest prince of his age. But that only added to a fact that he was the most precious.

Yao placed his hand on his brother's head and kneeled in front of him. He turned the little boy's body so he was facing him completely now. He then smiled at the only child he loves. "Even the mightiest dragon has someone on his side restricting him from doing things he should not do, Kiku. Otherwise, there'll be no love in this world." He caressed his brother's cheek and held it gently.

"Dragons have hearts too?"

"Oh yeah, size of a big boulder but not bigger than the largest boulder." The older complied with a huge grin.

"Brother, you are a dragon too, right?" Now, little Kiku's neither confused nor dreaming. But sometimes a child's mind wanders off the beyond and no man is bound to catch it when it does. It is equal to a mad man's point of view but still controllable if you want to.

And Yao knows how to tame it once in a while.

"Yes. Yes I am, my dear." He answered.

"I'm a dragon too, then. Because you are a dragon."

"Yes, Kiku. But I am a far more superior dragon than you are." Yao gripped his brother's arms gently.

"But I am equally powerful, Brother." This got Yao more anxious to what his brother's thinking, grinning more widely.

"And why is that?" He asked.

"Because I love you. And dragons love too."

The latter slightly chuckled as he messed his brother's hair.

Of course he loves him too. If not, who would?

"Oh, but I love you more, Kiku. And that makes me more powerful."

"Is that possible?" Kiku asked.

"Apparently it is." Yao drew his brother nearer and hugged him tightly. He sat on the field with the little one still in his arms. He caressed his brother's hair gently and redundantly, smiling more every time he raised his hand. The wind accompanied the two with its gentle blow raging towards them. The night was beautiful, it was quiet and calm. It was peaceful.

Kiku grasped the clothes of his elder and laid his head on Yao's shoulder, his eyes gleaming as the moonlight shone above them. The little one blinked as he inhaled the fresh breeze.

"I've always dreamed to be a princess, brother." Yao chuckled at his brother's confession.

"You are one, brother. Just cut off those two s at the end."

"And then I'll fall in love with a pirate. And that pirate will love me back. And we'll both be dragons." Yao broke out from their embrace and looked Kiku in the eyes. They were earnest, pure and clean from the world. Away from reality. Innocent like a child's eyes should be.

He smiled and gripped his brother's arms again. "You know Kiku, you don't have to be a princess just to have a pirate spouse. As much as I know, you don't even have to be a royalty. But I'm afraid only few girls are in to piracy. You're going to have a difficult time finding one."

Silence hovered around them as Kiku looked at his brother steadily, somewhat not bothering to speak again. But a child's mind is a curious and peculiar one. It never runs out of fantasies that may be lead to questions to adults who, in turn, can or cannot answer.

Because you can never return what you have lost a long time ago. You can at some point, but it will never be the same.

"Does it have to be a girl?" The prince finally spoke.

"Who, Kiku?"

"The one that I'll marry?"

"Do you want it to be a boy?" Yao sarcastically asked with a smirk.

"I think its fine brother, marrying a boy." Kiku answered.

"What makes you say that, brother?" Yao asked again.

"Isn't it like that, brother? You marry someone because you love them?" Kiku answered, his dead-panned and childish tone audible. "Not because that person is a boy or a girl. It's not a fault, because they are human, too. It will never be a flaw."

Yao cringed as the words that his brother said sunk deeper in him. "Where do you get this, Kiku? What books have you been reading?"

"I read the fables that you gave me. They are wonderful."

"Yes but they do not mention any of this things. Where do you get this?" Yao's brows furrowed.

"Everyone's been doing that lately, brother. Some recognizes this feeling and some even acknowledge and live through this but some of them never let it surface and seclude it inside of them. Which is a very confusing and hard thing to do." Kiku answered.

"You're too young. Where do you get this, Kiku?" Yao asked firmly.

Kiku stared at his brother. "You taught me this, Yao. Did you forget?"

Heaves of breath escaped from him as he heard his brother's answer. A pained expression as seen at the Eastern man's face. "When?"

"You love Mr. Ivan right?"

He gripped his brother's arms harder, but not hard enough to harm Kiku. His eyes squinted as he looked at him, his breath showing his feelings, tears almost welling up.

"Kiku… I have to… otherwise, he'll…" Yao sighed. He was dripping too far, too pained to think that his brother, who was years younger than him, had a mindset that he didn't achieve when he was still able. But he was glad, too. For he knew that his brother had an option he never had. Kiku can fight. He can survive and he will be fine when the time requires him to be.

With this in mind, Yao pushed back his feelings and smiled. He smiled wider than he did earlier. "You know what? Father may be looking for us now."

He rose up and had a last look at the island, the moon reflecting in his amber eyes and making his figure glow. The wind raged towards him and his hair flowed freely with it. And with this last act, he smiled and looked at his brother beside him who was looking at him long before he did.

Yao gripped Kiku's hand.

"You will find your pirate, brother. Someday."

Kiku's expression softened as the wind caressed him, making his yukata flow on his body. He smiled back at his brother as the chrysanthemum flew on his back and he gripped his brother's hand.

"Hai, onii-san." He answered.

"Let's go aru."


THIS IS A PROLOGUE PEOPLE.

I HAVE SO MANY PLANNED THINGS FOR THIS FANFIC SO I'LL REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU POST A REVIEW... ;)

NOTE: This is not a NiChu fanfic. YAO IS MARRIED TO IVAN SO YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE OTHER PAIRINGSSS...

That's all folks! I hope you enjoyed reading it. :)

Reviews and others will be appreciated...

-Radically Distinguished-