Rim: The week is finally over and even though I wasn't able to get the chapter out by Wednesday, we're going to get some work done now. There's much that I have to cover in this chapter, though I worry exactly how it will transpire as I begin writing. Well, we can only figure it out by working, so enough with my thoughts, onwards to the next part.

--oooooo--

Time seemed to have stopped completely. The darkness had a way of creating the illusion that existence was broke apart from the rest of the world, that if this desolate continuation were ever to cave in and fade away, the rest of the world would not be affected by it. For all the young man sitting within that obscurity knew, his life coexisted solely in that darkness. Somehow he had been pushed into an alternate reality where his remaining days consisted of his wandering aimlessly from one corner of the immense shadows to another for some hope of light. His eyes had only adjusted to one degree of the pitch blackness he shuffled around in, listening to the scurries and scuttles that occupied the space with him.

For the moment, the young man sat on the musty bed, his back was no longer cold; the metal pressing against his bare, bandaged skin was now his body temperature. His knees were drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs. There was nothing he could really do but sit there, waiting for something to happen. How many hours he had been there in that darkness was indistinguishable. No light came in, the darkness never changed. For all he knew, only minutes could have passed without his knowing it.

Perhaps this was to be his coffin; he wouldn't put it past his grandfather if the old man locked him away in this perpetual darkness to rot away forgotten. Had Kai also been shoved into a room like this, wondering if he would ever see the light of day again, if he could hear some other sound besides his own breathing, or the scurry of unmentionable creatures going across the floor or up the walls? Was his cousin also wondering if Tala was in the same predicament as he?

No. Tala shook his head, a twinge of envy rising before he silenced it into the deepest part of his mind where it would die unmentioned. No, Kai would not be treated in the same manner as he was. Kai, though burden with this situation as much as Tala was, would not be treated like this. Their grandfather would try to reform Kai from siding with Tala in order for the dual haired young man to become his rightful heir. They both knew this, and had accepted there would be a time where one would suffer while the other was treated as if he were a prince. They did not disillusion each other knowing that it would be Kai would receive the better treatment. Tala was the family outcast; the one they would rather forget existed.

A pang twitched the back of Tala's legs, the red head stretching out his legs to get the circulation to move within them. Exactly how long had he been in that position? Letting his arms rest at his sides, he stared forward into the darkness, a sigh escaping his lips. His stomach rumbled again, this time more fiercely than what occurred a short period of time before. He was also getting the urge to use the bathroom. He feared that if this truly was his prison and coffin, he would have to designate one corner of the room to release his bowels in. The very thought of urinating and defecating in the same area that he would sleep in turned his stomach. His grandfather couldn't possibly treat him no better than that…could he?

Tala sighed once more, caught in between concern and dread for his very short future. His dilemma transfixed his thoughts enough that he was more than just a little startled when he heard the moan of the rusted door open, light flooding into the room blinding him. Anything that was scampering around the room with him, hurried off to their hiding holes in the walls or ceilings and out of the light. Tala winced painfully, his eyes trying to adjust to the change. Heavy footsteps briskly strolled over to the area where he sat, a hand abruptly yanked Tala up by his hair, pulling him off the bed roughly. Yelping in pain, he struggled momentarily, before receiving a slap across the face as a silent warning to not cause any trouble. Piping down, he allowed himself to be dragged out the room by his hair, whilst refocusing his eyes in the light.

By the time his eyes were refocused, he was thrown into another room. Hitting the cold stone floor, a door was shut and locked behind him. Sitting up, Tala blinked, looking around the new area to discover he was in a bathroom, light streamed through a small window situated high above his reach. Standing up from where he was thrown, Tala decided not to question that act of kindness provided by his grandfather, instead using it without complaint.

The first order of business was relieving himself of his bladder. Once that task was completed, Tala turned his attention to the large claw-footed bathtub that rested in the center of the bathroom. A thin gray towel and wash clothe were folded by the tub. A thick sickly green bar of soap rested on top of the two items, Tala recognizing it as the usual lye soap Kai always sponge bathed him with.

"Doesn't look like I'm going to ever get a decent shampooing while I'm here," Tala murmured to himself. Had Kai been with him, his smart ass cousin would have tried to make a joke about the comment, promising to smuggle some shampoo in so while he was alone in his dark prison, he could impress the rats or whatever it was running around that god forsaken room by how fresh his hair smelled. Tala's eyes dimmed at the thought of not hearing jokes like that again from his cousin. Was this really how things were going to be from now on?

Turning on the taps, water filled the bathtub. Placing the rubber stopper in the drain, Tala let the tub fill with water, disappointed when the water only came out lukewarm no matter how high he turned the hot water tap. Removing his bandages, Tala stripped out of the pants and underwear he wore, pondering if he would have to re-wear the items once he was finished with his bath. Pushing the thoughts from his mind for the moment, Tala set to work getting into the tub. Somehow, things would work themselves out…at least he was hoping they would.

--oooo--

Kai turned his still sore eyes from the window hearing the door to the room open. A tall man who seemed more robotic than human stiffly wheeled in a metal cart. Leaving it by the bed, he paid no attention to Kai as he swiftly turned, leaving the room as fast as he made an appearance. Kai looked at the silver tray resting on the metal cart. Shifting from his position on the bed, Kai inched over to the tray, lifting a batter arm to uncover the lid discovering a bowl with a side of freshly sliced bread, and a cup of what appeared to be tea.

"Zulynez gribnoy po-Odessky," Kai murmured more to the air around him, than to his self.

It was like a swift kick to the ass with steel lined boots. The sheer nostalgia the dish brought from his childhood was about as cruel as remembering it was his Aunt who would always make him the dish whenever she came to Russia to make sure he was fine. His own mother had refused plenty of times to make him the dish, hating more when Tala's mother would smile and say she loved making the dish. Covering the tray back up, tears welled up, streaking down his face at the thought of mockery his parents and grandfather were doing by giving him the dish. It was humiliating to his Aunt's memory to even bother with the dish. Pushing the tray away, he curled up on his side, refusing to give them the satisfaction by eating despite the hunger his stomach emphasized.

Hearing the door to the room reopen, he didn't bother to turn over to find out who it was, until he heard the sound of the cane against the floor. Lifting his head, Kai stared out the corner of his eyes to find his grandfather and parents standing in the doorway. Dread filled the pit of his stomach, moving to face them. It was dangerous for his back to be to them, he had no idea what they might do. The first of the three individuals to enter the room was his father; the man towered over his son, glaring down at him with such an obnoxious look Kai couldn't help but break the stare.

"Planning to waste all the hard work we placed in having this meal prepared?" Kai's father asked him, lifting the lid to find the food untouched.

"I told you he was such an ungrateful child," Kai's mother scoffed. "I don't know why we bothered having him. You thought having children would—"

"Shut your mouth woman, I wasn't speaking to you," Kai's father snapped, turning his dark eyes on her.

Kai's mother immediately fell silent, turning her eyes angrily on Kai as if he were the one who just told her to be silent instead of her husband. As far as things lay within his mother's mind, he had somehow managed to coerce his father into it. Later she would take out her frustration with the man she married on the son which meant nothing to her other than first selection as head of the family when Kai's grandfather was gone.

"Do you plan to waste this food boy?" Kai's father questioned once again, shifting his vision back to Kai.

"I'm not hungry," Kai muttered. "I'm sorry…"

"Not hungry?" Kai's father snorted, yanking his son's head up by his hair. Kai flinched slightly, remaining silent however. "I believe you're lying boy."

"I'm not hungry," Kai whispered. "I swear to you I'm not."

"Maybe you're not hungry because Alexial didn't make it for you?" Kai's father retorted. "You always loved it when she made it for you? But now you're not going to eat it because she's not here to make it for you."

"I'm not hungry," Kai said again, his throat closing up slowly, making the words come out strained.

"You were always found of Alexial, weren't you Kai?" Kai's father smirked. "Everyone in the family loved her. She was the pearl of the family. I remember how your eyes would light up seeing her. I remember how she asked me to adopt you since you were miserable with us. I should have let you leave with her and that damn man, I wouldn't have had to deal with seeing your face had you been killed in that plane crash also."

"Aunt Alexial…and Uncle Mikhail…they were the only ones who decided to treat me as if I was worth more than the family fortune," Kai voiced. "She was your older sister, how can you turn your nose up on the choice she made to marry for love instead of money? How can you hate people who cared so much about each other and others? How can you make a mockery of her kindness in this way?"

"Mockery? You consider making you one of her favorite dishes is a mockery to her name?"

"You know it's a mockery because of this situation!" Kai shouted.

"Make the boy eat," Voltaire ordered, shuffling into the room. "I'm not allowing him to waste food. He had no choice in the matter about what we do and what he believes it to mean. If you prefer, we can stop feeding you all together and you can starve to death like a dog. Perhaps we should treat you no better than the trash we swept out of sight."

"Tala…" Kai said. "What have you done to Tala?"

"That's none of your business boy," Voltaire replied, turning his eyes on his youngest son. "Make the boy eat, so we can get started with what I have set aside for today."

"I refuse to eat it," Kai voiced, shaking his head despite the firm hold his father had on his head. "It's a mockery to Aunt Alexial! How can you be so cruel grandfather?"

"Susume, make the boy eat," Voltaire ordered.

"I won't!" Kai turned his head away, clamping his mouth shut. The man towering over him wrapped a hand around his throat, shoving him down on the bed. Kai's mother by then had the spoon in her hand, standing by awaiting instruction. Kai shook his head back and forth, even while his father's hand tightened around his neck. Kai's hands reached up to pry the fingers from around his neck, only to receive a fist in his stomach. Biting back a cry, he refused to be forced fed.

"Open your mouth boy," Kai's father demanded, striking his son once more in the stomach. Tears dribbled down Kai's face as he shook his head silently. "I don't care how long you think you can hold out, you're going to eat this food whether you want to or not." Kai continued to refuse, however when his eyes swam with the need for air, he had no choice but to gasp for air, giving his mother opportunity to shovel food into his mouth.

Nearly choking, he went to spit the food out when more was shoveled in. Above him, he heard the order to chew and swallow, even as more food was being forced into his mouth. Receiving yet another fist, this time in the chest, Kai sobbed around the food that he ate. Losing the battle, Kai found himself force fed the entire bowl of food, before he was all but drowned by the tea his mother forced down this throat. When they were finished, his parents moved away from him, Kai turning onto his side, refusing to let them see his tears.

"Get up boy," Voltaire ordered.

"I just want to be left alone," Kai choked, feeling like he was three again. No matter how far he thought he always got from them, the abuse and belittle always came back full circle. No matter how many families he came and left in within the family, he always knew eventually he would have to face them again to weather a storm there was no end to.

"Stop your sniveling and get up now," Voltaire ordered.

"Why?" Kai whimpered, only to receive his grandfather's cane across the back as his response. A high pitch squeak escaped from Kai's lips, the young man curling up into a ball to protect his already damaged body from the assault.

"Get up now," Voltaire repeated. "Or perhaps I should start on that worthless boy that Alexial spawned. You've taken all of his beatings thus far. I do believe we can just add your defiance to what he is to suffer already."

"Leave him alone," Kai said.

"Then are you going to obey me boy?" Voltaire stated, his cold eyes flitting with smug triumphant when Kai slowly pushed off the bed, staggering to his feet, doing his best to ignore the sharp and dull aches piercing his body with needles. "There's hope for you yet. Now follow me."

"First promise me that you won't hurt Tala because of me," Kai replied. To the comment, Voltaire snorted, motioning to his youngest son to drag the boy along as he shuffled towards the door. "Grandfather, promise me!"

"You are in no position to request demands out of me boy," Voltaire scoffed, leaving the room as Kai's father gripped his arm, yanking him along behind the old man. Knowing that struggling would get him nowhere other than more bruising, Kai silently followed down the long corridor of hallways and stairways which led to his grandfather's personal study. "I will warn you now boy that there will be consequences for disobeying me. You shall speak when spoken to and you shall remain silent otherwise. Do I make myself clear? I'm certain that you don't want to make the punishment worst."

"Yes, grandfather," Kai murmured. "I understand."

"Good, you're not as worthless as I thought you were," Voltaire said, sliding the door to the spacious study open.

--oooo--

Tala looked at the door, finding the monstrously tall butler standing in the doorway holding folded material. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he took a hesitant step back. Fear curled upwards from the bottom of his stomach, pressing upwards into his chest. The butler paid no attention to the boy's apprehension, dropping the items on the floor.

"Get dressed, Master Voltaire is awaiting," the butler said, his monotonous voice void of all emotion. The butler made no move to leave once dumping the clothes on the floor. In fact he stood there like a statue, awaiting for Tala to come over and pick up the clothes. Realizing that the man wasn't going anywhere, Tala shuffled over, a tight grip on the towel around his waist. Leaning down to pick up the clothing that felt coarse, he moved away from the butler. Using the bathtub as a barrier, Tala pulled on the prickly material that felt like a burlap, the fabric scratching against his skin. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Tala inquired. The butler gave Tala a look, saying nothing as he stared at Tala. "All right, I guess this means I'll find out when I get there." Knowing that he had no choice about this, he resigned to follow the giant who led him down a series of corridors and stairways, leading to a single solitary room down a long hallway. Opening the sliding door, he pushed Tala inside the room.

"Very good William," Voltaire said from where he sat, with Kai stiffly standing by the chair. Only minutes ago, Voltaire had excused Kai's parents from the room.

"Kai!" Tala said, relief filling him to see his cousin.

"Silence unless spoken to," the butler remarked, slapping Tala in the mouth. "Master Voltaire has not given you permission to speak."

"Don't worry William," Voltaire smirked, clasping his hands together, leaning back in the oversized plush leather chair. He tilted his head to the side, studying the rigid posture of his grandson. He was going to break the loyalty between them no matter what. The defiance so obviously there would not last, and when the moment comes that it breaks, Voltaire would have no reason to go through this hassle. "Kai would never speak to such filthy. He knows better, isn't that right, Kai?"

The dual haired young man averted his eyes from his grandfather and Tala. He wanted to say something however fear that his grandfather would worsen things for Tala plagued his mind. He promised himself that he would do whatever he could to protect the one person who gave a damn about him in that family. The one person who had stuck by him no matter what happened. He was going to save Tala from any remaining pain God was going to dish out to him.

"Kai…" Tala said quietly. What had their grandfather said or done to Kai to silence his friend? Or was Kai truly saving his own ass by becoming an obedient puppet? No…that couldn't be the case. Kai's will to remain an independent entity was too strong.

"He won't answer you boy, he's taking his rightful place in this family," Voltaire said.

"It's not true! Kai would never!" Tala shook his head, receiving another slap from the butler.

"Silence boy unless you're spoken to," the butler thundered. Tala turned his eyes on Kai, finding his cousin's fists were clenched at his side; Kai's eyes were downcast on the carpet.

'You were threatened, weren't you Kai? That's why you are going along with this. What did that old man say to you? Did he use me as bait? Whatever he said, I'm not going to be a burden for you. I'm going to survive somehow, so just do what you can to survive.' Tala was going to survive not just for Kenny, but his cousin also. Since they arrived in Russia, Kai had been looking out for him. It was his time to return the favor.

Voltaire stared at the red head, seeing defiance in his eyes towards his position within that house. That look reminded the man of the boy's bastard father. That exact same look applied when Mikhail Ivanov came to Russia in order to ask for Alexial's hand in marriage. No matter how many times Voltaire turned him away, the insignificant insect continued to crawl back, refusing to admit defeat until he talked Alexial into marriage without her father's consent. For that, Voltaire was going to make the boy pay for his father's mistake.

Getting up from the chair he sat within, Voltaire ambled over to the desk in the far corner, reaching into the bottom drawer to pull out the bristly braided whip. Moving over to Tala, Voltaire dropped the whip down in front of the boy, who stared at it dumbly. Voltaire said nothing, turning his attention to Kai. Their bond was strong, but it was not unbreakable.

"Kai, strip off your shirt and stand against the wall," Voltaire ordered.

"Huh?" Kai's head jerked up, blinking in confusion at the command.

"You heard me boy, strip out of your shirt and stand against the wall," Voltaire repeated. "Hurry up, my patience is thin."

Kai looked confused, his eyes flitting from his grandfather to his cousin who was equally as bemused as the other. Hesitantly, Kai began lifting his shirt over his head with some difficulty due to his bruises. Managing to get the item over his head, the dual haired bluenette held onto his shirt with questioning eyes whilst moving to stand against the wall.

"Drop the shirt, Kai," Voltaire ordered.

"I—" Kai opened his mouth to speak then thought against it. His grandfather might take his disobedience as a sign of resistance before taking it out on his cousin. Closing his mouth, Kai obeyed his grandfather's orders, allowing the object he clenched to crumple into a pile beside him.

"Turn facing the wall with your arms braced on the wall," Voltaire demanded. "Now boy, pick up the whip from the floor."

"What?" Tala blinked.

"You heard me, boy. Pick up the whip now." Voltaire went and sat back down in his chair, leaning back comfortably. "I'm making it your job from now on to punish Kai for his sins. I think his punishment is much more fitting if it is given by the person who he sinned for, don't you agree boy?"

"There's no way I'm going to—" Tala started heatedly.

"Then you must not care about the consequences for not carrying out this simple task?" Voltaire interrupted. "Worst punishments await you both if you refuse to carry your responsibility out. Now pick up the whip and get started. I have all the time in the world to wait for your decision on this matter. Remember however, punishment will be dealt out no matter what."

"Tala…" Kai said.

"Who said you could speak Kai?" Voltaire quirked a brow at his grandson who was looking over his shoulder at Tala. "Eyes facing the wall, unless you want to add upon your punishment. Now go over there and give him twenty lashings, boy."

"Kai…" Knowing what his cousin was going to say, Tala squeezed his eyes shut momentarily, a surge of anger and hatred flooding into him for their grandfather. How he wished he could turn that whip on the man and show him that this was not amusement. Nevertheless, he would be stopped by the monster butler intently watching him for any sign of hostility. Even if he coerced Kai into joining him in a blitz attack, they wouldn't get far in the house. More than likely they would never make it off the premises in their conditions. With no money, no passports, no plan, death was the only thing which awaited them outside that estate. Resigning his emotions, Tala leaned down, picking up the whip and toddled over to Kai.

"Don't think you're going to get away with gentle taps with that whip either," Voltaire spoke up as Tala half heartedly lifted his arm, drawing the whip back. "I want to hear it snap against his skin so he knows that he will pay for every last one of his sins. For each one I don't hear, that's an added two towards his punishment. The same shall apply Kai, when you give the boy his lashings."

Kai braced himself against the wall, hearing the wind whistle as a sharp pain laced across his right shoulder, down his back, and into his legs. Gasping in pain, he clenched his fists against the wall to steady his position, as the air whistled again, another acute stinging raging down his back, this time on his left side. No matter what their grandfather did, they were going to somehow make it out of this hell in one piece.

Somehow…

--oooo--

The red head staggered into the dark room, falling to the floor as a tray was pushed in beside him. Falling onto his stomach, Tala just wanted to curl up on the floor until the fire on his back settled from the twenty lashes he just recently received. Moving his hand out to touch the bowl of food, something furry scampered across his hand, clicking the bowl with small, sharp claws while the animal tried to scale the side of the bowl or knock it over to get the food instead. Another furry creature scrambled over the boy's head to get to the food. More would come once they smelled the food.

His body protested as he sat up, pushing the furry animals away from the bowl, picking it up bowl. The two persistent beasts made an aggravated noise at him at being intercepted on the meal. One of the creatures raced at him, sinking tiny claws into his leg to scale him in order to get to where the food was. Tala shook his leg clear, scooting away from the animals as they tried once again. From behind, a third animal tried scaling his back for the food. Hissing in pain, Tala shook the animal off, scooting back until he made it to the bed.

Fighting the animals off while putting the bowl on the bed, Tala gradually lifted his body onto the bed, away from the animals squeaking their protest at him. Drawing his legs up on the bed, he was thankful this time for the brass frame the musty bed was situated on. Though there was a chance they could climb their way up on the bed, it would take them some time. Giving Tala more than enough time to choke down what appeared to be dehydrated fruit that must be weeks old, more stale bread, likely moldy cheese, and something dry and rough: likely days' old meat.

"Here, you can have this," Tala called into the dark, flinging the old meat somewhere into the room. The rapid scurry of tiny clawed feet dashed off in the direct of the food, squeaks of fighting heard from the animals.

Staring into the darkness, Tala wondered how his cousin was doing. He had to be just as sore as Tala was. Sighing, Tala sank into his thoughts, eating the scrapes to cure the hunger gnawing at him despite the pain he was in. If he planned to survive, he was going to need every scrape of food they gave him. He could push his pride aside for the moment at being treated like a dog. The main priority was to keep up his health and strength. Eventually there would come a time where escape was possible for him and Kai. For that time, he would do what was necessary.

"But…" Tala whispered into the darkness, sinking his teeth into the desiccated skin of the unknown fruit.

Just how long was it going to take before that opportunity laid open for him and Kai? How many weeks were they going to have to watch each other wince in pain, knowing there was nothing they could do to lessen it? How many months would go by before they didn't have to inflict pain on each other for the satisfaction of a deprived old man? Just how many years could they hang on to their sanity if this continued?

"God…how long do you intend to forsake us?" Tala questioned the darkness.

--oooooo--

Rim: Another chapter out the way and the angst continues. I never expected these chapters could possibly be stand alone in a way, but here we go. Well, I'm too tired to make a coherent thought of any kind, so I shall stop here. With nothing more to say, I shall see everyone next chapter. Ah yes, for anyone who wants to know, the dish Kai was forced fed, it's in fact a vegetable dish consisting of mushrooms, grated cheese, and sour cream. It's on a list of things I wouldn't mind trying...yes, now with that said, I shall leave.