For all author's notes please see chapter 1

Please note that this chapter contains violence and a scene depicting non-consensual sex, please proceed at your own discretion.


CHAPTER SIX: GUEST FROM THE NORTH

Time passed quickly for Ivan in the Wang household. Each day brought a new experience for the boy, and he grew accustomed to being a part of the family. Tutors came almost daily, teaching them everything from calligraphy to instruments, and Ivan's talents flourished under Yao's careful guidance. The boy drew countless paintings of his beautiful sunflowers, beaming with pride as he presented them to Yao as gifts. Before long Ivan's paintings were hung with care on the walls, alongside majestic mountains and looming waterfalls. In the blink of an eye the snow began to melt and the days grew warmer with each passing hour. Patches of green grass sprung from the Earth and on the trees little buds of life could be seen. Yao began packing away the children's winter clothing and brought out their lighter, spring clothes, ordering several custom-made sets for Ivan.

The birds chirped a happy song as Ivan wandered outside, reading his book as he walked slowly. The temperature was now warm enough on most days for them to comfortably be able to play outside with just a jacket on, and Ivan took advantage of that. Such gorgeous days were rare at home and for it to come so early in the year was almost unheard of. The story in Ivan's hand was one Yao seemed to particularly enjoy. It appears to be a telling of the story of a time in Yao's history, when his land had been split in three and fierce warriors battled for power and domination. Ivan marvelled that despite all the years Yao had seen, the countless battles he had been through, Yao still managed to always bring his home and people back together under one roof. Yao often said "合久必分分久必合" (he jiu bi fen fen jiu bi he) which Ivan had learned to mean "United for long one must part, parted for long one must reunite". The older nation never ceased to amaze Ivan, his very being seemed to breathe wisdom and an indestructibility that Ivan yearned to achieve. How and when he can finally reach Yao's status as a nation, Ivan often asked himself. So that his people could prosper, so that they could be happy, and so that they can take pride in being Ivan's children, the boy vowed to learn as much as he can from Yao.

Ivan giggled as he read about Zhu Geliang tricking Caocao into 'lending' him 10,000 arrows. The man was so clever, and this Art of War he constantly referred to fascinated Ivan. To him war was always brutal, painful. Battlefields were coated with blood that stenched of rotting human flesh and the wails of the wild dogs that ate the bodies afterwards made Ivan's stomach twist, yet these fearsome warriors in Yao's book made battles seem heroic. They fought for their beliefs, they gave their lives for their loyalties. They made use of the mountains, the valleys, the rivers, the seas, the wind, the fire and water, calculating every move, like a game of chess with the victory going to the side that can out-predict his opponent. They gave their lives, sometimes in battles they had no hope of winning, but never in vain.

Ivan stopped his steps and sat down on one of the many stools in Yao's garden, leaning his elbows on the table and setting the book down. He closed his eyes and could almost picture the battle. The two sides facing one another, the beat of the drums to pump adrenaline through the veins of every soldier, the cheers and chants, the screams as the two sides collided. Who can win the battle depended not only on the number of soldiers, but on the skills of the commander, see through the mazes that the other side set, be wary of ambushes and fake outs from his opponent. An art, a true profession of art that placed the master painter in charge of the lives of hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of lives.

Suddenly, Ivan's ears picked up voices. His eyes opened and he looked around. That was odd, the others should have been at the courts on request of the Emperor, only Yao was in the residence with Ivan and the other man was busy with paperwork in his study. Ivan picked up his book and slid it into his long and wide sleeve, the outfit made from silk and designed just like the other children's. Yao had had many made for him and allowed him to choose for himself the fabrics he liked. Ivan had learned that only Yao, the Emperor, and the Empress were allowed to wear yellow, and only Yao and the Emperor had the status to wear the design of the dragon. Instead, Ivan preferred the darker colours, greens, blues and the rich purples and reds. He lifted the long robe slightly to facilitate his movement and hurried in the direction of the voices.

A visitor? No, more than one it seemed. The boy saw two eunuchs appear from the front house that all official guests were greeted at and enter into the gardens, heading for their living chambers. Quickly Ivan hid behind a large willow tree, peeking around the thick trunk at their visitors. With the two eunuchs was another man, tall and looming. His frame was large, much more so than Yao's, and he walked with the confidence and arrogance of someone used to getting his way. His eyes were black and piercing, and his straight black hair was worn down, long enough to touch his shoulders. Whereas Yao's ebony locks seemed soft and flowing, this man's hair framed a severe face that was pulled into an expression that caused Ivan to shiver. He looked like he was smirking, but not quite, yet his eyes glowed dangerously. The three made their way to Yao and the others' private quarters without a word, the eunuchs bowing now and then to caution their guest to be careful. Ivan frowned, usually these eunuchs were quite haughty, being so close to the Emperor and others in high positions of power. They were polite to those with money and power, but cared little for others. Clearly this man was important, and Ivan was set on finding out why. He waited until he saw the three enter into the building before coming out from his hiding place and hurrying after them.

Inside the building, Ivan paused in the doorway and strained his ears, trying to zero in on where the three might have gone. Considering no one else was around, the only logical conclusion would be that they came for Yao, which made Ivan even more confused. Very, very rarely did anyone receive permission to enter into Yao's private quarters. Guests were stopped at the front hall, and someone was sent to inform Yao of their arrival. Yao would then greet the guest there to discuss business, never in the back. Only very close friends of Yao were allowed here, and in the months that Ivan had been living with Yao he had never seen this man before. Before Ivan could ponder further, he heard footsteps from upstairs and voices that were high pitched, letting him know it must be the two eunuchs. He hurriedly hid behind one of the bookcases as he heard the two come down the stairs, murmuring quietly to themselves. Even though Ivan's Chinese had improved much since he first arrived, the two spoke too softly for him to catch anything, but from their worried expressions Ivan gathered it wasn't anything too pleasant.

He inwardly sighed, Yao was constantly bombarded with things. As an individual he enjoyed spending time with his siblings and Ivan, painting impressive works of art depicting his vast land, and going out to mingle with his people. As a nation, however, he was aware that his responsibility was heavier than anyone else. Never did he put off duty for pleasure, and recently it seems the Emperor kept sending more and more orders every day. Yao once told him that as a nation, he will come to learn that the feelings and emotions of his people will affect him sometimes to the point that he won't be able to know which feelings are his peoples' and which are his own. At the same time if the nation is unwell, it will affect his people as well. If Yao sustained injuries his people will feel his pain, yet if his people are suffering Yao's body suffers too. With that in mind, Yao tried to take care of himself as best as he can, but even that became a burden at times.

Hearing the front door close Ivan hurried out of hiding and swiftly headed upstairs. He tried to step as lightly as possible, not wanting the floorboards to creak. Reaching Yao's room, he heard voices and was thankful to find that the door had been left open a crack. Ivan leaned in to hear better, and was surprised to hear Yao with his voice raised for the first time.

"That wasn't the deal! You promised if I gave you the compensation you wouldn't take that land!"

"My dear Yao, it is a war, promises are not kept in such times."
"You have some nerve! A nation is only as good as his word and for you to break it reflects poorly on you as a nation!"

"Do not act as if you have always kept your word Wang Yao, I have read your 'Art of War' as thoroughly as you and trickery is one of the main elements to winning a battle, or a war."

"That's ridiculous! Trickery on the battlefield is different than breaking a promise! 君子一言驷马难追!" (Jun zi yi yan si ma nan zhui)

"Hah! Don't patronize me, always believing yourself to be in the right and the rest of us to be barbarians. The Middle Kingdom? You grow arrogant with your years, Yao."

Through the crack in the door Ivan could only see Yao's expression as the other man was facing away from the door. He saw Yao's eyes narrow to dangerous slits, as his lips thinned to a mere line. Caramel eyes that were usually so gentle burned with outraged fire, pinning the other man to the spot. Ivan shivered, he never knew Yao was so intimidating when angered, even the other's larger frame didn't seem to bring him much advantage against Yao's wrath.

"You DARE mock the Dragon?! I demand that you pull your troops from MY land IMMEDIATELY and release my people AT ONCE!"

Ivan's breathe stuck in his throat. Yao's voice had dropped in volume and along with it the room's temperature also seemed to drop to below zero. He had heard legends of the dragon that slept in Yao, and the fiery wrath it will wreck upon all those who dared harm his people or blockaded his path, yet he had brushed it off as mere myth after meeting Yao. He couldn't imagine such a small and slender frame held within it the strength of a dragon, but now he believed.

"Oh Wang Yao, you still don't understand do you. Your Emperor is weak, you are weak. I know because otherwise you wouldn't even step down to negotiate with me much less agree to meet me in private. Even the Dragon can be tamed, and I've tamed you."

Yao didn't reply and Ivan watched, frozen to the spot. The older nation took several deep breaths, seemingly calming himself down. He pointed to the door and lifted his head high to glare at the man facing him.

"Get out. Your dirty feet are not welcome on my sovereign soil. Get out at once."

Instead of complying with Yao's demand the man's long legs took two steps which brought him within an inch of Yao. Before Ivan could even comprehend what was happening he had grabbed the arm Yao had raised to point to the door and twisted it behind the smaller man's back. Yao gave a gasp of surprise and pain as his voice roared with rage.

"HOW DARE YOU?! UNHAND ME YOU BARBARIAN!"

Ivan saw Yao struggle to pull his arm out of the other man's hold to no avail.

"I told you Wang Yao, you are too weak now to be an opponent for me."

In the flash of an eye Yao's leg kicked out, managing to cause the other man to stumble and in the process loosen his grip. Without missing a beat Yao tore away and jumped back, putting some distance between the two of them before rounding with a kick that caught the other square in the mouth. Yao landed lightly on his feet, stance prepared to attack again if needed. The other man fell back a few steps and glared at Yao, touching the corner of his mouth where Yao had landed the kick. His hand came away and Ivan saw a small trail of blood had appeared. The man looked at the smeared blood on his fingers then back up at Yao before he burst out laughing.

"Oh dear Yao, how pathetic you are to be struggling when you stand no chance against me. You ought to know exactly why your emperor sent me to your private quarters, it's not as if in your long life you have never shared that bed with anyone."

Yao's expression morphed from one of anger to disgust. He sneered at the other.

"That's no business of yours. If you think I will lay with you you are sorely mistaken."

Ivan looked at the bed and then back at Yao. Shared the bed..? Lay with..? Ivan didn't understand, he and Yao had been sharing the bed since he had first arrived, and Yao was ever so kind about it. Why was he so opposed to sharing it with this man?

Like lightening the man reached behind him and pulled out a long and thin whip, flicking his wrist and directing the deadly weapon towards Yao as he lunged forward. Unsuspecting of a hidden weapon, Yao's defence came a second too late and he found the whip tightly wounded around his slender neck, strangling in its hold.

Ivan gasped and wanted to rush inside to help but his legs seemed glued to the spot and he could only watch in numbness as Yao lost the battle.

"Well, well, my little Dragon, what's it going to be? We can do this nicely or…"

The man didn't finish his sentence but Yao knew exactly what the other option was. Regardless, he tugged desperately on the bindings secured around his neck. Wang Yao did not submit to anyone, and especially not willingly. The little brat dared to make a fool out of him, he will pay.

"In your dreams, now remove this from my neck."

The other gave a bark of laughter, catching both of Yao's wrists in one hand and pushing him back until they were at the bed. He knocked Yao's legs out from under him causing the trapped nation to fall with a gasp of pain as he hit the bed hard on his back. Ignoring the demands to be released the man pulled out a piece of rope with his other hand and tied Yao's wrists together before securing slender arms to the headboard. Yao thrashed his legs as he screamed insults at the other, until the man gripped the end of the whip once more and pulled, tightening the end still wrapped around Yao's neck to the point of cutting off air. Yao's eyes widened and his screams cut off abruptly into a strangled gasp. The man leaned over Yao's prone body and smiled smugly.

"If you behave, I'll let you breathe, otherwise your people will be left nationless very quickly. Now nod if you're going to behave."

Yao's eyes glared but he gave a small nod which earned him a purring praise of "Good boy" before the man unwound the whip and let it drop to the floor in an ominous thud. The trapped nation coughed as he was allowed to breathe once more, chest heaving. It had been a long time since he had been so humiliated and that Yao despised more than anything else.

"You'll pay for this."

"Hn, I'd like to see you try, little Dragon."

With that final mocking tone the man reared up on the bed, straddling Yao's legs. His hands reached down and slowly undid the knot on Yao's belt, his eyes never leaving Yao's to make sure that he can fully enjoy the torture the other was going through. Yao bit his lip, wanting to scream but he knew it wouldn't do any good. No one else was in the house anyway. Layer after layer of clothing was peeled away, tossed onto the floor carelessly in a heap. With each passing second Yao's breathing sped up a notch. He could feel the tears gathering just behind his eyes and he struggled not to let them show. This despicable man will not be given the Dragon's tears, no matter what. Finally, Yao was left in only a white silk shirt and pants.

Ivan had watched all of it, frozen to the spot. Sometime during the struggle taking place inside the room he had collapsed to the floor and sat watching. He didn't understand what was going on, but clearly Yao was not willingly partaking in it. At that moment he saw the desperation in the man's eyes and, clinging to the doorframe, Ivan pulled himself up and managed to push the door open just as the man tore apart Yao's shirt with a loud rip.

"STOP IT!"

Ivan's voice echoed in the room as the two occupants turned to look at him. Ivan was near tears, he was scared, so scared, but he wanted to save Yao. He glared at the man straddling Yao as best as he could although his amethyst orbs contained more fear and frustration. His small hands trembled as he clenched them into fists, ready to fight if it became necessary.

Yao's eyes widened as he realized Ivan must have been just outside the door and would have seen at least some of their altercation. He tried to lunge off the bed and go to Ivan even though he was kept in place by his bound arms and the man sitting on his legs.

"IVAN! Leave! Get out of the room! Go play in the gardens!!"

Ivan stubbornly shook his head and stomped towards the bed, hiding his trembling legs. He halted at the bedside and glared harder at the intruder, who looked at him in amusement.

"Let Jao-san go! Why you hurting him?!"

The man looked between Ivan and Yao before throwing his head back and laughing. He hopped off the bed and faced Ivan, his size hovering intimidatingly over the boy.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this just perfect," a grin spread over his lips as he studied Yao's frustrated expression, "It looks like we have an audience, Yao. Isn't that great?"

"NO!" Yao's voice was desperate as the anger in his eyes dimmed, replaced with horror, "No, you can't. Leave him out of it! Ivan, go, now. Go outside and play, and don't come back inside until I come get you!"

Ivan refused to turn away and instead he climbed up onto the bed and began to untie Yao's arms. Without warning the man swooped down and picked Ivan up, pulling him away from Yao. The boy screamed and pounded his fists against the man, wanting to hurt him, wanting to get him to let go.

"Stop it! Stop it! Don't hurt him! He's still just a child!"

Yao's pleading voice fell on deaf ears as the man sat Ivan down on one of the chairs in the room, facing the bed. He knelt beside the chair and glanced over at Yao with another mocking grin.

"Ivan was it? Let's make a deal, you stay right here and watch and I'll make sure 'Jao-san' over there gets out of this alive, deal?"

Ivan fidgeted on the chair. He didn't know what he was being asked to watch but his gut told him he didn't want to. Frantically he shook his head.

"I..I don't want watch."

Yao had overheard their conversation and by now tears were blurring his vision. It was bad enough he had to go through it, but given that as a nation it was considered a part of the duty he could put up with it, but Ivan…Ivan wasn't ready. Ivan's too young, he shouldn't be anywhere near such things. Yao cried out to the man pleadingly.

"Stop this! I'll do anything, just let him go! What would you gain out of this?! Please, just let him go!"

The man ignored Yao as he feigned a sad face at Ivan.

"No? Don't want to watch?" He sighed, "Well then I guess today's going to be the last day 'Jao-san' will be around."

Ivan was torn. Clearly whatever this mysterious thing was Yao didn't want him to see, and he wanted dearly to obey Yao, but this man's threats shook him deeply. If Yao died, what would happen to his people? What would they do? What would happen to Hong, Kiku, Wanwan and Yong Soo? They were still suppose to go fly kites together and see the pandas, Ivan still wanted to learn so much from the older nation. Tears welled up in the boy's eyes and he dropped his head, unsure of what to say.

"So…will you stay?"

Ivan miserably nodded his head, not trusting his voice to function properly.

"Good, and remember, if you leave before we're done then make sure to say your final goodbyes to 'Jao-san' dearest," the man smirked.

Ivan despised that man. He was so different than Yao, than anyone he had met here. Sure some of the eunuchs had been snide with him when they met, but they never dared to oppose Yao. Who was this man who held so much control over Yao, the Dragon of the East? Ivan was determined to find out and swore he will seek revenge in the future.

The man stood up and sauntered back to Yao, who glared in pure hatred at him.

"How. Dare. You."

He knelt on the bed and grabbed Yao's chin tightly.

"Because I can. You are the same when you invade the homes of others."

"Don't you dare compare the two of us as similar. I am nothing like you."

A resounding slap was heard as Yao's head snapped to the side, his cheek red from the impact. Ivan bit his lip, forcibly holding himself in the chair and not run towards the bed. Yao remained still, not turning his head back to look at the man who narrowed his eyes, standing up to pick up the whip he had dropped earlier. He cracked the whip a few times on the floor, making Ivan flinch while Yao stubbornly refused to react and turned back to Yao.

"You will submit, little Dragon, either willingly or forcibly."

With that ominous threat the man raised the whip and snapped it down on Yao's vulnerable body. Ivan clenched his eyes shut tightly and clamped his hands over his ears, unable to bear hearing the scream of pain that tore from Yao's throat. Without pausing, a second lash was laid and even through his hands Ivan could hear the pained wail from the once-proud Dragon. Tears escaped closed lids and streamed down Ivan's face. How could this happen? This has to be a nightmare, it just has to be!

Yet for the man on the bed each second only served as a reminder that this was only far too real. His back arched each time the leather connected with his skin, his body twisting and writhing amongst the blankets like a dancing Dragon, staining them red. Sweat beaded on his brow as Yao bit down on his lower lip to stop more screams from escaping his mouth. The perpetrator was gloating at him but he couldn't hear anything aside from the snap of the weapon, time and again until Yao slowly felt his conscious slip away. For all the act he put on his courts were weak and corrupt and have been for a long time. His people were suffering, and like he told Ivan, when his people suffered he felt all of it. His body had been weakening day by day, eaten away as the Emperor sat idly by and did nothing, he could barely get through the court documents everyday and more kept coming.

Finally, just before Yao fell into the bliss of darkness the punishing lashes stopped. Silence enveloped the room, broken only by the occasional muffled sobs from Ivan. Yao's breathes were shallow and he could barely open his eyes but he tried to give a reassuring smile to the boy.

"I-Ivan…don't..cry…I'm…I'm ok.."

Ivan only cried harder when he heard the usually strong voice so weak and broken, sobbing into his hands.

Heavy footsteps caught both of their attention as their eyes turned to focus on the cause of both their misery. The man had taken his shirt off and had snatched up the small bottle of wine Yao kept by his bedside to help him sleep. He studied the bottle intently, circling the bed, making Yao and Ivan watch him warily, like two preys watching their predator.

"This really is such magnificent handiwork Yao. So beautiful. Too bad you spend all your time on making these useless things instead of strengthening your army. They're quite pathetic, my men killed an entire regiment in one battle. So utterly pathetic."

Yao gritted his teeth and took a shuddering breath.

"You'll pay…you'll pay for their lives…with your blood!"

The man only replied by holding the wine bottle over Yao's splayed out body, tipping it until the alcohol poured onto his fresh wounds.

"Will I now?"

Yao lurched up off the bed, a strangled choking sound in his throat as tears dripped from the corner of his eyes onto his silk pillow below.

The man stopped before the bottle ran out, drinking the rest of the wine and throwing the bottle onto the floor where it smashed into pieces. He returned to the bed, one hand sliding underneath Yao's head and grabbed a fistful of his hair before yanking it back, exposing that slender, elegant throat. He leaned down and kissed it gently, sucking on Yao's trembling Adam's apple before moving down. He could feel the Dragon's pulse, pounding just below the skin, so fragile, so beautiful. He bit down hard, causing Yao to gasp weakly, barely managing to hold on to consciousness. The man brought his other hand up, brushing his fingers over Yao's chest, not caring about the wounds he had just caused. He circled a rosy nipple, flicking it repeatedly until it hardened under the assault. Yao moaned softly, trying to shift his body away from the other. Without warning the man pinched Yao's nipple hard, making his body shudder and freeze. Giving a satisfied smile he sat up and pulled the shredded silk pants off of slender and pale legs that were limp and threw them in with the pile of other clothes leaving Yao completely exposed on the bed.

Ivan couldn't bear to look. He kept his eyes trained to the floor, but for some reason they kept darting over to the bed to see what was happening. He was repulsed that anyone could do something to someone like Yao, and wished more than ever he was big and strong enough to push this man out of Yao's house once and for all. A groan of pain from Yao made Ivan look up and the sight that greeted him made him shrink back against the chair. The man was purposely running his fingers over Yao's wounds, smearing the blood over that porcelain skin like some grotesque piece of artwork. Yao's body hitched every once in awhile and Ivan realized that he was crying, softly into his pillow. When he felt his aggressor pulling his legs open Yao gave a keening wail.

"Please..no…no…please…not…not in front of Ivan..please…"

Yao's desperate pleas were ignored as the man wetted two fingers with Yao's own blood and the alcohol he had poured onto the man's body earlier and without further warning pushed them into Yao's body. Yao was in too much pain to arch, instead his hands clung to the headboard as he tried instinctively to pull away. The man pressed one hand down on Yao's thigh to keep him in place as the other worked on loosening him up. His fingers were bloody, both from the wounds by the whip and also new ones he had caused when he carelessly forced Yao's body open. With a satisfied nod the man hauled Yao's legs up, settling down between them as he pulled his own member from the confines of his pants and gave it a few solid strokes. Ivan watched in horror, he couldn't be thinking to…no…that's impossible!

With one single forceful thrust the man pushed into Yao with a groan. Yao's scream was hoarse and strangled, his body trembling from the abuse it had been through. Ivan felt that the scream should have shook the skies and wakened the Earth, and if there was any form of a God or Buddha they must have heard the pain this man was in. His breath caught in his throat and when he felt droplets of water splash onto his hands he realized he was crying again. His small hands were fisted so tightly that his nails left imprints in his palms, but right now he couldn't feel anything. The man thrusted into Yao again and again, not caring for the whimpering and sobs coming from the man he was torturing. Yao's mind was a blur, the pain having reached a stage that his body felt numb. He could feel himself being forced open, and he felt as if he was being split apart, but no part of his body seemed to listen to his command anymore. The last thing Yao managed to catch before the blissful darkness finally overtook him was the shuddering breath his attacker took as he slammed one more time into his body and staked his claim.

Yao fell limply onto the bed as his attacker composed himself after his release and pulled out. He picked up some of the rice paper from Yao's desk that he used to write and wiped the blood off of his fingers and his genitals before picking up his clothes from the floor. Nonchalantly, he look over at Ivan as he re-dressed himself, as if all was right with the world and in a few long strides brought himself to where Ivan sat, frozen in place. He grabbed the boy's chin and tilted his head up, wiping away the tears on his cheeks.

"Crying doesn't get you anywhere in this world, only strength and power will. Even the Dragon will fall when he is weakened. You're next."

Ivan jerked his face away from the man in anger. He jumped down from the chair and pounded his small fists against the man wherever he could manage to reach.

"Why?! What Jao-san do to you?! Why?!"

The man roughly grabbed his wrists and held them above his head.

"Don't think your Jao-san is a saint. Just like me he's a nation and just like me he's done the same things to others."

Ivan shook his head and cried, he couldn't believe, he wouldn't believe. Yao was too kind, too nice to do anything so brutal. He felt the man let go of his wrists and the boy collapsed to the ground in a sobbing heap. Faintly, he heard those heavy footsteps walk towards the door but only when he heard the door click shut did he dare to rush to the bed. Impatiently wiping away his tears Ivan jumped onto the bed and began tugging at the ropes that still bound Yao's hands to the bed. The knots were complicated and Ivan's small hands had a hard time but he was determined to get them loose. He tugged and pulled, even using his teeth to bite and gnaw.

END CHAPTER 6

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