Tatsumi and Watari moved quickly to catch up to Tsuzuki as he hurried through the castle. Rounding a corner, they saw him pass through a heavy iron-bound door. They followed, finding the door contained, not a room, but a long narrow curving stair leading down into darkness.

Suddenly there was a flickering of light ahead as if a candle had been lit, and they started down as it began to move away from them.

Tatsumi gestured at Watari, signalling that maybe they should wait, but Watari shook his head and grabbed Tatsumi's hand and dragged him down the steps.

The stair ended in a dark corridor with stone wall. Still following after the flickering light, they could now see Tsuzuki ahead of them holding his candle high in front of himself.

Tatsumi squeezed Watari's hand and gestured to an alcove in the wall with bars over the opening, forming a cell.

Watari frowned and squeezed back, pointing out others.

"Tsuzuki!"

Tsuzuki ran forward and knelt in front of one of the cells, and grabbed a hand that reached out to him from between the bars. He placed a gentle kiss against the palm before pressing it to his cheek, his own hand over the smaller one, holding it there.

Watari pulled Tatsumi closer so that they could also see into the cell.

Tatsumi heard Watari's indrawn breath, and suppressed a similar reaction. In the cell was a young blonde man, barely more than a child, dirty and rumpled, with wide green eyes set in delicate features, almost too pretty to be masculine. Fortunately, the couple were too focused on each other to notice either him or Watari.

"Tsuzuki, I'm sorry."

Tsuzuki chuckled softly and reached his free hand through the bars to brush back the blonde hair. "You say that every day Hisoka."

Hisoka gave a small, rueful smile. "I mean it every day."

Tsuzuki gave a little sigh. "Then you are forgiven, again." He settled Hisoka's hand in his, twining their fingers together. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Hisoka leaned back against the wall. "He was really mad this time, wasn't he?"

Tsuzuki nodded. "You did try to set fire to the castle, and you totally destroyed that spool of golden thread in his collection…"

"Good," Hisoka grinned. "I should try that one again; starting with his bed this time. Preferably with him in it!"

"I'll talk to him Hisoka, see if I can get him to let you out…"

"No!" Hisoka burst out in a near shout, sitting up abruptly. "No," he tried again in a quieter tone, "if you ask him for anything, he'll make you pay for it, and I don't want that to happen ever again! Leave me here!"

"Hisoka…"

Hisoka pulled his hand and Tsuzuki's back into the cell, pulling him close to the bars so they were sitting side by side. "It's better when I'm in here. I'm safe enough, Saya and Yuma won't let me starve, and they can't do anything else to me either."

"They're not that bad," Tsuzuki protested.

"Let them stick you in a ball gown and see if you still say that! Besides, when I'm in here, I can't hurt you as much."

"Hisoka, I know you don't…"

"I know I don't too, but everyday there's that moment when suddenly I remember everything, who I am and who you are, and I can see what I've said or done that day that hurts you; every single day!"

Tsuzuki began shaking his head, anticipating what was coming next.

"You should go. Just walk out the door and be free of Muraki. I'll be okay, most of the time I won't even know you're gone."

"But I will," Tsuzuki countered. "I'll know, and I can't leave you here to Muraki's games. I can't leave and give up any chance we may have of escaping together. I won't loose you!" Pulling the youth as close as he could with the bars in the way, he pressed their foreheads together. "I won't go without you!" he whispered fiercely.

Suddenly Hisoka pulled back, his green eyes wide. "Tsuzuki, I love you!" he said urgently. "Stay away form Muraki, stay safe and remember that I love you."

"Hisoka, I…"

But it was too late. Hisoka began blink rapidly, looking confused, and then his gaze locked on Tsuzuki.

"Arghhh!" The youth jumped back, away from the cell bars. "What are you doing?"

Tsuzuki tried again, even though he knew it was pointless. "Hisoka, I…"

"Go away."

"Hisoka?"

"If you're not here to let me out, go away."

Tsuzuki gained his feet gazing sadly into the cell. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The boy snorted, but didn't comment.

Tsuzuki turned away and caught sight of Tatsumi and Watari standing not too far behind him.

Tatsumi felt himself reddening at having been caught spying, but Watari merely grinned and waved cheerfully. Bouncing forward, Watari linked his arm through Tsuzuki's and started dragging him towards the stairs. Tatsumi heard 'He's cute!' as they passed him.

Shaking his head at the antics of the blonde man, Tatsumi approached cell. The youth inside was sitting in the back corner, his arms resting on his knees, regarding him intensely.

"Who are you?"

"Seiichiro Tatsumi, and you?"

"Hisoka Kurosaki. I haven't seen you before."

Tatsumi shook his head. "No, I was sent by a nearby village to find and slay a demon."

Hisoka smirked slightly. "No demons here, but if you'd like to slay a demented fairy half-breed I can point you in the right direction."

"I imagine you can, your friend told us about Muraki."

"Friend?"

"Asato Tsuzuki." Tatsumi pointed at Tsuzuki's retreating figure.

"Who?"

"The man with the purple eyes."

"Oh, him," Hisoka said in a vague way.

"You don't like him?" Tatsumi asked raising a brow.

"I don't really know him."

Both Tatsumi's brows rose almost to his hairline, Hisoka had seemed to know Tsuzuki very well only a few minutes ago.

"I try to stay away from him as much as possible," Hisoka continued.

"Why is that?"

"It hurts to be around him. He's sad and lonely and miserable and hopeful and longing and angry and afraid all at once; and it's too much to take in."

"How do you know he's all those things?" Tatsumi asked.

"I can feel them whenever I get near him. I'm an empath."

Tatsumi's brows did another skyrocket, he had met some strange people over the years, but he's never met an empath before. Although upon consideration, Watari was still holding the title of 'strangest person ever'.

"Can you get me out of here?" Hisoka interrupted his thoughts.

Tatsumi moved forward and studied the bars. He probably could open them without too much difficulty, but he remembered what Hisoka had said to Tsuzuki earlier. "I don't think I can," he told the youth, feeling like an ogre as he watched the green eyes dim and lower. "I am sorry," he said backing away.

Hisoka moved to the bars and gripped them tightly. "Will you come back?" he asked, unable to keep the pleading note out of his voice.

Tatsumi considered a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, I will come back. I won't leave this place without seeing you again."

"Tatsumi! Are you coming?" Watari's voice echoed down from the top of the stairway.

Tatsumi reached out and gripped the boy's hand over the bar of the cell. "I'll come back as soon as I'm able."

"Thank you," Hisoka whispered.

XXX

"He's cute!" Watari gave Tsuzuki a nudge as he dragged him to the stairs. "Where'd you meet him?"

Tsuzuki looked back towards the dungeons where they'd left the youth in his cell. "I met him when he was brought before the witches tribunal."

Watari drew back. "Don't tell me you were a part of that travesty!"

"No," Tsuzuki shook his head emphatically. "I had already been tried and was being held for execution when Hisoka was brought in."

"You were tried?" Watari's eyes skimmed up and down Tsuzuki's figure as if looking for mutilations or crippling injuries. "Most people don't survive the trials."

Tsuzuki shrugged. "Well, I did; was found guilty, and they stuck me in a little cage until they could find an executioner.

Watari looked surprised. "Why didn't they just kill you?"

"I think they were scared of me."

"Why?"

Tsuzuki shook his head again. "They murdered my sister, and I… I lost control. I, no, I'm not going to go into that. I was guilty of everything they charged me with…"

"That would be a first," Watari muttered.

"And I probably would have let them execute me if Hisoka hadn't come along."

"Was he tried?"

"God no!" Tsuzuki slumped, just a little. "I couldn't let them do that to him! It was just seeing him there like that; his father pushed him before the tribunal and said 'Try him and kill him'; and Hisoka stood there. He didn't fight it, or try to run, he stood straight in front of all of them, and he just looked so relieved…"

Watari looked appalled. "You said his father turned him over to those butchers?"

"Um hum," Tsuzuki confirmed, nodding. "He was handed over by his own family."

Watari shook his head. "Poor kid." Then he turned back to Tsuzuki. "So, when will he remember again?"

"Midnight tomorrow," Tsuzuki answered, then did a double take. "How did you know about that?"

"I listened," Watari told him. "So I take it he's the reason you can't use the key in that box."

Tsuzuki nodded. "I could actually leave, there's nothing to stop me; except Hisoka."

"How does Muraki keep him in the castle? I take it he's not always in the dungeon."

"No," Tsuzuki smiled a little. "Only when he annoys Muraki; which he does fairly regularly, and I'm pretty sure, usually on purpose."

Watari chuckled.

"He can't find a way out. He's always looking, but even if he stands directly in front of the door, he can't see it, or pass through it."

Watari placed his hand on Tsuzuki's shoulder as they reached the top of the stairs. "Maybe we can help the two of you."

"No," Tsuzuki said, shaking his head. "You and Tatsumi need to leave as soon as possible. I'll show you to a room where the two of you can get some sleep, and I'll help you slip out first thing in the morning."

"No continental breakfast?" Watari asked jokingly.

Tsuzuki gave him a mildly dirty look. "Is breakfast worth more than your lives?"

Watari sobered slightly. "No, I suppose not." He turned back towards the stair. "Tatsumi! Are you coming?"

There was a long moment of silence before they heard Tatsumi's footsteps on the stairs. A minute later he emerged from the darkness scowling at Watari. "There was no need to shout," he said disapprovingly.

"You were dawdling," Watari said with a cheeky grin.

Tsuzuki shook his head at their antics. "C'mon," he said, gesturing for them to follow. "This way."

They followed Tsuzuki back to the main entryway, up the curving staircase, into a different wing, and down a long hallway until they came to a sudden stop at an open door. Tatsumi and Watari watched as Tsuzuki tensed, and hesitantly edged forward to peek into the room. His shoulders relaxed and he let out a breath.

"Saya," he exclaimed, beckoning Watari and Tatsumi into the room.

The maid was in the process of laying out a tea service, and plates of sandwiches and pastries. "Hey Tsuzuki, I figured you'd bring them up here, so I brought up the food and drinks you asked for."

"Thanks Saya," Tsuzuki smiled softly.

"And Yuma's gonna sneak down a tray to the sweetie pie."

Tsuzuki nodded, his smile becoming more genuine. "Thank you."

Watari made a bee line for the food and tea, while Tatsumi looked around the room.

A large four poster bed dominated one side of the room; with a deep burgundy spread and hangings with dark green accents. The rest of the room, including the small sitting area where they were sharing their light repast was done in similar colours.

Tsuzuki was finally beginning to look relaxed, and Saya had accepted a cup of tea that Watari had pressed upon her, when Tatsumi suddenly held up a hand for quiet.

"What's that sound?"

Everyone paused, straining to hear; a very quiet, almost unnoticeable humming.

Tsuzuki went rigid, all the colour draining from his face, and Saya dropped her teacup. It made no sound to interrupt the light tune, landing on the thick carpet. And then, the humming stopped.

"Wha…" Watari began, but Saya hissed softly and slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Saya… Sweetheart…" an enticing voice, smooth as silk called out, barely audible.

Saya dropped her hand from Watari's mouth and started trembling. She turned wide frightened eyes to Tsuzuki.

"Tsuzuki, my dearest, you should come too…"

Tsuzuki's face was as pale as a sheet, but his expression was impassive. He slowly got to his feet, careful not to meet Saya's frightened eyes, and left the room.

Saya covered her mouth with her hand, like she wanted to hold in a scream, or cry, or be sick, but she hurried out of the room after Tsuzuki.

Watari looked pointedly at Tatsumi, then rushed out after them.

Tatsumi cursed under his breath and sped after Watari. Catching up to his quarry near the end of the hall, he caught the blonde man around the waist, halting his forward momentum with enough force to lift his feet off the floor.

Watari spun around in indignation, his mouth opening to give Tatsumi a piece of his mind, but Tatsumi held his finger to his lips for silence and pointed to a dark pool of shadows at the end of the second floor railing where they could duck down and see between the oak spindles of the curving staircase without being seen themselves. Watari followed Tatsumi into the shadows which seemed to thicken around them, and looked out and down. They could see the entire staircase and most of the main hall, and a bit of the hallway beyond it.

And there, standing at the foot of the stairs was a man they knew had to be Muraki.