'They tossed him in the carriage that would take him to dark realm and closed the doors without remorse. Ashten couldn't care less. He could hear Natori outside, crying for her brother's release, or to be taken as well. Poor sweet Natori, he hoped that she wouldn't be corrupted like their relatives. A bang at the carriage doors had told Ashten that she had broken loose. Natori had always been abnormally strong. She yanked the carriage doors open and climbed in before anyone could stop her.

"This isn't fair!" she sobbed, holding onto Ashten's head with both arms.

He smiled gently. At least he knew someone still cared about him.

"It's okay Tori." He had told her, nuzzling her gently.

"It's not! Is this how they treat Sukimori who actually accept their imperfections? Like goods!? It's not right! You're their prince!"

"Not anymore…"

Their father had arrived then, and he yanked Natori out of the carriage and restrained her as she tried to break his hold.

"Take him away! This pollution shall cease now!"

Ashten's eyes opened that night, and he sat up solemnly. Tears streaked his otherwise blank face, but he wiped them off angrily. He was so over the light realm. If they wanted to continue to think themselves perfect, they could do that. Ashten flipped the covers from his frame and sighed.

Had he gotten under the covers last night?

He didn't remember.

Once more, he smelt the aroma of a freshly made rose bath. Standing to his feet, Ashten strolled into the bathroom and removed his robe, folding it and putting it into the basket before stepping into the shower. Repeating the steps of yesterday morning, Ashten washed his body and hair, then turned off the water and exited the shower. He then went to the bath tub and stepped in. Sighing as he sunk into the bath, Ashten felt the herbs once again quickening the pace of his body healing. Stepping out and emptying the tub, Ashten donned a towel and walked into his room to see Levi sitting on his bed. They stared at each other for a moment before Ashten spoke up.

"Is there something you need Prince Levi?" he asked.

"I told you that you needed more training. I'll train you."

Ashten wrinkled his brow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Damn, what caused this change of heart?

"When you're ready go outside, and hurry up. I won't wait forever."

With that, Levi stood and left the room. Ashten rolled his eyes after he closed the door and slipped the towel from his hips.

"Whatever, he just wants to see my ass bouncing in yoga pants. Damn pervert."

Ashten pulled on yoga pants and a white tank top. He then cleaned his room and bathroom before heading outside where Levi told him to be.

"Hi Ashten!" a child's voice called, and he turned to see Krista running over to him.

Ashten smiled. "Hello Krista, how are you today?"

"I'm ok! Can we play today?" she asked, her big blue eyes shining up at him.

How Ashten wanted to say yes!

But Levi would probably kill the poor girl in front of her parents.

"I would, but Prince Levi needs me outside right now. But after we're finished I'll come straight to you ok?"

Krista looked disappointed, but she perked up when Ashten said later.

"Ok! Promise?"

"Of course!" Ashten smiled, leaving the girl to run back to her friends while he headed outside.

Upon walking out, he saw Levi out in the fields holding two wooden swords. Erwin was there as well, in training gear. Ashten wrinkled his brow as he strolled over to them; he wasn't informed about Erwin joining them.

But then again...

He was a slave, and slaves did not have to be informed of activities their masters wished for them to participate in, nor did they have to be informed when others were to participate in said activities. When he was close to them, Levi handed him one of the wooden swords.

"How good are you?" he asked.

Ashten smirked. "You should know…"

Erwin chuckled, and Levi narrowed his eyes. "How good at you at sword combat… Perverted bitch."

"Oh I'm the pervert? You tied me to the bed and I'm the pervert? Have a seat."

Erwin's deep voice rang out in laughter, and he looked to Levi with laughing eyes.

"Tied you with ropes?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"Stop asking, right now. Ashten, answer my question."

Ashten sighed. "Not very. The only thing I can do is hand-to-hand combat; my father disowned me before he taught me anything else."

Levi sighed. "So you are completely useless."

Another smirk tugged at Ashten's lips, and he crossed his arms at the many comebacks he automatically thought up. However, Levi's stare told him that it would be wise not to voice his current thoughts.

"Give father your bokuto and sit somewhere safe, but where you can see."

Ashten nodded and sat down a little ways off. This distance he would not be harmed, but he could still witness and learn whatever Levi decided to teach him. Both men took their stances, and Ashten watched intently at the way their feet were positioned, the way their hands were positioned, and how their eyes never left the other. Slowly, Levi and Erwin circled one another, reading each other's movements and predicting when the other would attack. Ashten watched quietly, gasping when both men suddenly clashed. They had seemingly not even moved before just clashing. The bokuto whined as they were continuously used. Ashten stopped watching their blows and started watching their feet. With every blow, their feet shifted accordingly, and Ashten felt like he'd seen it somewhere before. After a while, Levi and Erwin turned to Ashten.

"Do you think you got it?" Erwin asked.

"…" Ashten nodded, standing to his feet.

Levi wrinkled his brow, watching as Erwin handed Ashten the bokuto.

"Do you know how to hold it?"

Ashten said nothing, only moved his feet to position and held the wooden sword out expertly. Levi moved and took the same stance.

"I won't tell you when to start, I'll just start."

Ashten nodded, moving in a circle at the same time as Levi. Levi was wary; he looked like Ashten but somehow… He wasn't. Ashten attacked him first, moving his bokuto expertly. Levi wrinkled his brow as he was thrown back.

"You said you had no training!" Levi growled angrily.

Ashten smirked. "Fool! I was my father's top general in his army!"

He attacked again, and Levi met him blow after blow. If it wasn't for the fact that these were bokuto, Levi would've sworn that he was fighting for his life. Ashten jumped back and roared, flames spiraling around his body intensely. It was like a flaming dragon racing around his body. His hair lifted high into the air with the power, and he came at Levi with a under and over slash. Levi's eyes turned red and he met the blow with of his own.

Ashten smirked. "Heh, you're good kid. But not better than me!"

Ashten moved fast and faked Levi out. He dropped and swung the sword over his head, then dropped it with a sharp gasp. Levi took this opportunity and swung his sword in an overhead arc. Ashten screamed and covered his face, waiting for the painful blow that would definitely blacken his world in a few moments.

But it never came.

Ashten looked up to see that Erwin had picked up the bokuto and was blocking Levi's attack. He looked over to Ashten with a kind smile.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes… Was I really that bad? Did I frustrate you and Prince Levi? Ugh! I knew it! I can't do anything right!"

Ashten punched the ground and stood, running into the palace with his hands covering his face. The distant door to his room slammed, and the two men looked to each other.

"Did you notice that?" Erwin asked his son, who had calmed down.

"Yeah, what is wrong with him?" Levi replied, relaxing his pose.

Both men glanced at each other.